American Lifestyle Magazine

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AMERICAN THE MAGAZINE CELEBRATING LIFE IN AMERICA LIFESTYLEISSUE 59

Welcome to American Lifestyle magazine.

American Lifestyle is a celebration of the flavor and flair of life in the United States, that takes the reader on a journey of the nation’s sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. This 48-page publication features articles on interior design, travel, technology, restaurants, and culture. Entertaining writing coupled with gorgeous photography makes this magazine a must read.

This magazine provides me with the chance to connect with all of the Rock Amick friends and clients that I have had the opportunity to know over the Personal Financial Advisor, IFP years. If you are interested in receiving your own free subscription of this magazine, please e-mail or call me with your name and home address, Rock Amick Office: (843) 573-7965 Personal Financial Advisor, IFP and I will add you to my mailing list. It is delivered to your home every other month with no obligation. Office: (843) 573-7965 Email: [email protected] Feel free to share this issue with friends and colleagues and encourage www.bigrockwm.com them to reach out to me. I would love to hear what they think of American Lifestyle magazine too. 44 Markfield Dr Ste G Charleston, SC 29407

44 Markfield Dr Ste G I look forward to hearing from you. Charleston, SC 29407 Rock Amick

ISSUE 59 $5.95 US CANADA/FOREIGN $6.95 678

SECURITIES OFFERED THROUGH LPL FINANCIAL MEMBER FINRA/SIPC. INVESTMENT ADVICE 678 OFFERED THROUGH INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL PARTNERS (IFP), A REGISTERED INVESTMENT 59 12345 67890 ADVISOR, IFP AND BIG ROCK WEALTH MANAGEMENT ARE SEPARATE ENTITIES FROM LPL FINANCIAL. CONTENTS 6 NATURE IN NORTH CAROLINA Pint-Size Flights 6 Shells and Oaks NATURE IN NORTH CAROLINA From shelling tours to lush gardens to birding events, North Carolina holds the key to a nature lover’s heart.

12 Veggie Devotion NO MEAT, ALL DELICIOUS Take a vegetarian diet out for a test ride with recipes from The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations by Kim O’Donnel (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2012).

20 Barnstars and Hexsigns PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FOLK ART The history of barnstars and hexsigns is equal parts folklore, superstition, and decoration, and painter Eric Claypoole is determined to carry on the multifaceted tradition.

24 Low-Country Beat IN AND AROUND CHARLESTON Charleston has a melody and a rhythm all its own, the beat of which comes through in its restaurants, people, music, and heart.

32 IKEA Iterations THE LACK TABLE THREE WAYS Learn how to modify an affordable table three different ways with this how-to excerpted from Young House Love by Sherry and John Petersik (Artisan Books, 2012).

36 The Hole Story DIGGING INTO THE DOUGHNUT WORLD These dedicated owners have made doughnuts the center of their work world, and the payoff is a business with delicious rewards.

44 Pint-Size Flights GROWN-UP PAPER AIRPLANES Ninety-one-year-old Huntly Briggs has been dedicated to the hobby of paper airplanes for over eighty years, inspired by vintage airplanes and military aviation history. more smiles, less trials AMERICAN LIFESTYLE executive chief executive officer: STEVEN ACREE chief operating officer: steve husson

editorial managing editor: Shelley Goldstein associate editor: Robin Manrodt creative director: Joshua Stike manager, production: Kristin Sweeney manager, design: Alicia Mastrian traffic coordinator: Pamela Lovell production artists: Richard Boyer, Scott Higgins, Brian Filone, Steven Hight, SHANA SMITH, margaret nealer graphic designers: Rachel Hershey, stephen allen richards print production specialist: Bryan Mathes

information technology director: John supplee lead software developer: jonathan campbell technical lead: Joshua Freed manager, system administration: clint alexander system administrator: Dorian Preston ® software developers: Thomas setliff, thaw Htaik, Bryan King, Aiden Mune-Ath Simply Real customer service director: scott ashworth Hunger-destroying foods made from all-natural, 100% vegan organic ingredients, PROBAR products operations manager: Michael Graziola fill the trail-weary up on pure nutritional goodness, leaving them with a skip in their steps instead of team leader: Anthony Burrell, NATHAN HARTMAN marketing advisors: Nicholas Porreca, Phoenix Falkenrath-Freed, a brick in their bellies. Bring the whole food movement to the trail with PROBAR. Simply Real. Nick McGowan, Peter Wetzel, Michael Campanile, Lisa Mays, Timothy Bushnell, Joshua Kressler, Terence Hopson, Stephany Vance, Charlene Campbell, Melissa Garvey © Justyna Furmanczyk business development manager: Dan Gallaway Something For All Your Adventures coordinator, internship program: Kimberly Baker business development assistant: James Bryson business intelligence analyst: tyler allem

sales & marketing manager, presentation sales: Lee Stouch manager, sales operations: jim lyons senior account executive: Jeff Czerniakowski training & development officer: Edward Zeto account executives: Katrina Ettwein, dana mazzella, Ethan Acree, LUKE ACREE, LUKE JOHNSON, nick bianco, john scheirer administration: KARLIE MORIEN, Karentr Pa ick

accounting manager: Edmund Deangelo accounting assistant: Eric Hiryak human resources 1 in 110 children will be born with a heart defect this year. hr generalist: Kiel Parker It is a lifelong journey and Mended Little Hearts corporate recruiter: Carey Ballou

can help you navigate your way. American Lifestyle magazine is published by ReminderMedia. For more information about American Lifestyle magazine, please visit us at www.remindermedia.com, e-mail us at [email protected], Get connected with other families who truly or call us at 866-458-4226. All rights reserved. understand this journey.

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Shells and Oaks ELAT IZ BE HAN GARDENS NATURE IN NORTH CAROLINA Day two began very early at the Elizabethan text: LAUREN K. ACOMO photography: LAUREN K. ACOMO Gardens in Manteo, North Carolina. Adjacent From shelling tours to lush gardens to birding events, to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Park on North Carolina holds the key to a nature lover’s heart. Roanoke Island, these gardens are a living memorial to the men and women of the Roa- noke Voyages. The gardens are also home to many species of birds, which made it an ideal place to go birding. Our guide, Jeff Lewis, armed with binoculars and a telescope, navi- gated the world of birds, frequently pointing into trees and calling out bird names. Be sure to bring binoculars! Jeff was nice enough to set up his telescope and focus on relatively stationary birds. Birds you are likely to see include warblers, wrens, orioles, and sparrows. Jeff often made a “shushing” sound, which

Thorete ical physicist Albert Einstein is known in the birding world as “pishing.” wrote, “Look deep into nature, and then you Making any small, repetitive noise in an ef- will understand everything better.” Studies fort to attract birds can be considered a type have shown the closer you live to nature, the of pishing. The sound is similar to alarm calls healthier you’re likely to be. Being outdoors from many small birds, and those birds are ac- is a necessary recess from technology and the customed to mobbing together to chase away rat race we so often find ourselves willingly larger predators. Highlights of the garden participating in on a daily basis. As an east include a thatched roof, sixteenth-century- coaster, North Carolina fit the bill. It’s within style gazebo that overlooks Roanoke sound, driving distance of Pennsylvania and (often) a marble statue of Virginia Dare carved in offers milder temperatures in the winter. Italy, a bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth I, and an ancient Italian Renaissance fountain.

W INGS OVER WATER More popularly known as OBX, the Outer Banks is a 200-mile-long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Caro- lina and a small portion of Virginia. They play host to an annual event dubbed Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival. This six-day event celebrates the natural wonders of the area in the form of birding tours, kayaking trips, nature walks, and photography tutori- als. Proceeds of this festival go to the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society. The maritime forest sunset kayak tour winds paddlers through Kitty Hawk Woods. Calm waters make this tour perfect for beginners new to kayaking.

6 AL 7 This eight-and-a-half- mile-long barrier island just south of Wrightsville Beach is accessible only by boat. Roaming around searching for shells on this uninhabited island feels like a scene out of Castaway, minus the whole “need to survive” plot. WRSV IGHT ILLE BEACH Easy bike rental at the Holiday Inn Resort on Lumina Avenue provides morning exercise in beachy surroundings. They say you never forget how to ride a bike—only partially true. After a biking hiatus of at least fifteen years, balance had to be fine-tuned, which led to giggles and free entertainment for bystand- ers. The River to the Sea Bike Route expands from Riverfront Park—just off Market Street in historic downtown Wilmington—to John- nie Mercer’s Pier in Wrightsville Beach. This route is mainly residential and quite peaceful.

Sufficiently humbled by the bicycle, we head- ed toward Wrightsville Beach to greet Cap- tain Joe and his boat. Christened the “Sham- rock,” this custom-built twenty-seven-foot catamaran has a shallow draft which allows her to land passengers on the shore of Ma- sonboro Island . . . almost. A half-graceful leap with a bit of gusto and my feet touched sand. This eight-and-a-half-mile-long barrier island just south of Wrightsville Beach is accessible only by boat. Roaming around searching for shells on this uninhabited island feels like a scene out of Castaway, minus the whole “need to survive” plot. As far as the eye can see, there is sandy beach and blue water. Common shell finds include the Scotch bonnet (the state shell), angel wing (pholadidae), and horse conch. Captain Joe has a master’s degree in environmental sci- ence, and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the wildlife of the region.

8 AL 9 AL IR IE GARDENS Hands down a highlight of our nature trek in North Carolina, Airlie Gardens is comprised of sixty-seven acres of historical gardens, with more scenic spots than you can count! The lookout points over the lake are quintessential North Carolina, with wispy grasses set against a golden-hued sunset. A pair of swans take up residence in the freshwater pond. The 467-year-old live oak is a sight to behold, with bunches of Spanish moss grace- fully dripping from its branches. The azaleas bloom from mid March to mid April. Be prepared to walk; there is a lot of ground to cover—magical ground. This place is so en- chanted, fairies should be alighting on the branches of the trees. Don’t miss the bottle chapel constructed in honor of Minnie Ev- ans. The gatekeeper of the gardens from 1949

to 1974, Evans would set up her artwork on

the lawn, offering many pieces for only fifty cents or a dollar. Her art has an almost kalei- “ doscope feel to it, often featuring angels and of sweet-seekers. Flavors include irish cream mystical creatures, with floral adornments in and champagne! bright colors. A seventeen-foot-high, seven- sided chapel was constructed in her honor Kill Devil Grill in the Outerbanks is a must! using thousands of glass bottles, cement, and This piece of history is fronted by a 1939 metal armature. Wilmington artist Virginia Handsown d a highlight of our nature trek in North Carolina, Killman diner, making the Kill Devil Grill Airlie Gardens is comprised of sixty-seven acres of historical gardens, Wright-Frierson created this one-of-a-kind one of only six diners in the national regis- with more scenic spots than you can count! The lookout points over the fitting memorial. try of historic buildings. The famous eatery lake are quintessential North Carolina, with wispy grasses set against a features bar-top jukeboxes and legendary golden-hued sunset. WMGTONIL IN key-lime pie. All wine bottles are half price On a carriage ride through downtown Wilm- on Wednesdays. ington, I learned this city is also known as “Hollywood East.” It's garnered hundreds of If you’re looking for something a bit different, movie and television show credits, making it look no further than Our Crepes and More. the third busiest filmmaking destination in Run by France-natives Sylvain and Jacqueline the United States. Popular young adult shows Marguerat, this offbeat creperie offers a smor- like Dawson’s Creek were filmed in this town gasbord of savory and sweet crepes, as well as filled with picturesque settings. In fact, Ka- sandwiches and salads. If you have celiac dis- tie Holmes bought the house that she lived ease, you are in luck! They offer gluten-free in while shooting her claim to fame. Feature crepes cooked in separate skillets, so you can film, The Secret Life of Bees also called Wilm- enjoy without worry. Try the cinnamon and ington home. sugar crepe with strawberries, finished with a chocolate syrup drizzle. EXTRAS AL :: www.visitnc.com While you’re touring the charming downtown Wilmington, stop into Kilwins for chocolate truffles sure to satisfy the pickiest

10 AL 11 FODO Veggie Devotion NO MEAT, ALL DELICIOUS text: KIM O’DONNEL photography: MYRA KOHN carrot-fennel soup Take a vegetarian diet out for a test ride with recipes from S E R V E S 6 The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations by Kim O’Donnel (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2012).

ingredients: cooking instructions:

1 fennel bulb (about 3⁄4 pound) 1. Remove the fronds from the fennel bulb, and cut the bulb into slices 3 tablespoons olive oil about 1⁄4-inch thick. 1 medium-size onion, chopped roughly (about 11⁄2 cups) 2. In a large saucepan or soup pot fitted with a lid, heat the oil over medium 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole heat. Add the fennel, onion, and garlic, and cook until the fennel 1 pound carrots, scrubbed thoroughly, peeled, and onion are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sweet potato, and cut into 2-inch pieces and stir until coated by the oil. Stir in the salt, coriander, paprika, (about 5 medium-size carrots) and thyme (if using), making sure the seasonings are well distributed. 1 (11⁄2-pound) sweet potato or garnet yam, scrubbed thoroughly, peeled, and 3. Pour in the water, which will just cover the vegetables. Increase the cut into 2-inch pieces heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat 1 teaspoon salt to low, cover, and simmer until the carrots and sweet potato are fork 1 teaspoon ground coriander tender, about 25 minutes. 1⁄8 teaspoon paprika or medium-heat ground chile pepper 4. Meanwhile, place the fennel seeds in a skillet over medium-low heat, A few whole sprigs of fresh thyme and toast until slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Shake the skillet to (optional but nice) keep from burning. Remove from the heat, and reserve for garnish. 4 cups water 1 teaspoon toasted fennel seeds, for garnish 5. Remove the thyme sprigs. Carefully puree the soup (it will be hot!) using an immersion blender, stand blender, or food processor, until smooth and well blended. If pureeing off the stove, return the soup to the heat, taste for seasoning, and adjust accordingly. Heat until warmed through, and serve hot, with a sprinkling of the fennel seeds.

12 AL 13 long noodles with salted black beans and bok choy S E R V E S 6

ingredients: cooking instructions:

12 ounces dried Chinese egg 1. Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil, and add the noodles. Cook for 6 noodles or Italian spaghetti to 7 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold running water. 3 tablespoons salted black beans, chopped finely 1⁄3 cup water 2. While the noodles cook, combine the black beans, water, rice wine, soy 3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry sauce, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl, and stir together. This is 3 tablespoons soy sauce your sauce. 3⁄4 teaspoon granulated sugar 3. Heat a wok or 12-inch-wide skillet over medium-high heat until the pan 11⁄2 teaspoons sesame oil is very hot. Swirl in the oil, coating the surface. Add the shallots, 3 tablespoons neutral oil and stir-fry, tossing and stirring, about 1 minute. Then add the ginger, 1⁄3 cup minced shallot (2 to 3 bulbs) garlic, and chile pepper, stir-frying for an additional 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger the bok choy, tossing to coat with the aromatics. Stir-fry for about 3 (a 2-by-1-inch hunk) minutes; the greens will wilt and shrink. Add the sauce, and bring to a 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced boil, about 90 seconds. 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 fresh chile pepper of choice, seeded and minced, to taste 4. Add the noodles, using both tongs and maybe even a large spoon to 4 to 5 cups bok choy that has been washed and toss and coat the noodles with the sauce and the vegetable mixture. dried thoroughly, then cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces 1⁄4 cup minced scallions, 5. Keep the noodles moving until they are heated through. root and dark tops removed Sprinkle the scallions on top, followed by the cilantro and the sesame 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped finely seeds. Serve while hot. Sesame seeds, for garnish

14 AL 15 raw kale salad S E R V E S 6

ingredients: cooking instructions:

1 bunch lacinato kale (also sold as Tuscan 1. Wash the kale leaves, and dry thoroughly in a salad spinner. Stack and dinosaur kale), middle ribs removed several leaves in a small pile, and cut into thin strips (also known as (about 5 cups) to chiffonade). 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons, depending on size) 2. Place the chopped kale in a medium-size bowl, and add the lemon juice, 1⁄4 cup olive oil olive oil, garlic, and salt. With your hands, massage the seasonings into 1 clove garlic, minced the kale; this not only ensures even coverage but also helps tenderize 1⁄2 teaspoon salt the raw greens. Allow the greens to sit and marinate for at least 20 minutes. 1⁄4 cup unsalted almonds, chopped 3. Toss in the almonds, and taste. There is usually so much flavor that the OPTIONAL ADD-ONS: cheese and bread crumbs are unnecessary, but they are terrific extras 1⁄4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano that really gild the lily. Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. or pecorino cheese 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 cup dried bread crumbs

16 AL 17 delicata boats with red rice stuffing S E R V E S 8

ingredients: cooking instructions:

11⁄2 cups water 1. Bring the water and the rice to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Lower 1 cup Bhutanese red rice the heat to low, cover, and cook at a simmer, 20 to 25 minutes. The rice 3 to 4 delicata squash (about 1 pound each) will be done when water is absorbed and grains are tender to the bite. 1⁄8 cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing (Kept covered for 5 to 10 minutes, the rice will continue to cook.) 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste Freshly ground black pepper 2. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 1⁄2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 3. Trim both ends of each squash, and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out 1⁄4 cup unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped (other options: walnuts, almonds, and discard the seeds and the attached pulp. Brush both sides of the or pecans, also chopped) squash with the olive oil, and season the inside to taste with salt and pepper. 1⁄3 cup dried cranberries or cherries, chopped 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 4. Roast until easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes, and remove from the oven. Lower the oven heat to 350°F. 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger Zest of 1⁄2 lemon or orange, plus 1 or 2 squeezes of the juice 5. While the squash roasts, make the filling: Transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl. Add the 1⁄8 cup of olive oil, and the parsley, nuts, dried 1⁄8 teaspoon ground chile pepper of choice fruit, fennel seeds, ginger, citrus zest, and chile pepper. Stir until the rice is coated with the oil, and the mixture is well mixed. Add the 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt, stir, taste, and reseason if necessary.

6. Fill each squash half with about 1⁄4 cup of the filling. Return to the oven, and heat for about 15 minutes, until the rice is warmed through. Serve immediately, or lower the oven temperature to 225°F, cover with foil, and hold until ready to serve.

18 AL 19 HITORS Y

Tllse u about the history of barnstars: Barnstars, painted directly on the sides or gables of barns, are a Pennsylvania Dutch folk art that dates back nearly 200 years. The original ones were painted on wooden insets in the stone gable end of a barn, which we Over the decades, as people stopped repainting these old barnstars and the call gable end recesses. As the stone was be- art form was passed down from generation to generation, the interpretations ing laid all the way up to the peak, they would changed according to the times. put in this wooden circular inset that had a star design and usually dates and the initials of the owner. In the 1830s or so, they began placing the barnstars on the forebay, the por- The barnstars usually consisted of eight- front of the barn or to represent different written down. In the 1930s or so, as we be- tion of the barn that extends over the front point, six-point, or twelve-point stars. The things (good luck, good health, ward off evil, came more modernized, a lot of history and base of the barn to give the animals some angles of the star points all come from the prosperity for the farm, etc.). If you talk to traditions went underground. When World shelter below (as seen in the full barn picture geometry used with the compass and thirty-, ten different old-timers, you’ll get ten differ- War II was going on in the forties, people on the opposite page). sixty-, ninety-, and forty-five-degree tri- ent meanings and representations. Some say didn’t want to speak Pennsylvania Dutch— angles. Many of those early barns still stand they were just for looks and were put up for which sounds just like German—so they today with a ghost of the original barnstar decoration. Others believe they were put on weren’t teaching their kids the language. Sub- scribed in the wood. Different colors of paint there to protect the barn. Even the meaning sequently, a lot of the history and traditions had different weathering characteristics, and of the barnstar’s symbols is a subject of much fizzled away during those years. We are try- the unpainted wood eroded even more from debate. Over the decades, as people stopped ing to bring a lot back now. Barnstars and Hexsigns wind and rain. Over the years, the wood de- repainting these old barnstars and the art PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FOLK ART graded, leaving the protective painted part form was passed down from generation to Ae r the surviving barnstars text: ERIC CLAYPOOLE photography: ERIC CLAYPOOLE protruding as the rest of the wood shrank. generation, the interpretations changed ac- well-documented, or is there still AN The history of barnstars and hexsigns is equal parts folklore, superstition, and decoration, and The leftover design looks like it is carved in, cording to the times. I think the barnstar element of discoverY when you find a painter Eric Claypoole is determined to carry on the multifaceted tradition. but it is actually sticking out of the wood. symbols represented certain things to the new one? Pennsylvania Dutch. But who is to say this My good friend Patrick Donmoyer, who is Whtas a w the significance of meant this and that meant that. the site manager for the Kutztown Heritage barnstars? Center, drove all around Berks County one People argue over why they were incorporated We do not know their meanings for cer- summer and documented every barn visible on the barn—some say it was to fill out the tain because it was not something that was from the road for his senior paper in college.

20 AL 21 He had over 400 barns that you could they commissioned potters, chair mak- and what their grandfathers told them. It is the history. We are losing barns left and see from roads—which doesn’t include ers, and candlemakers to demonstrate their Over the years, I started putting a little bit of right to developments. A lot of barns are the ones that might be tucked back along work. For the hexsigns, a guy named Mil- a different twist on it. I took over my father’s getting covered up with siding. So painting the half-mile private driveways through- ton Hill was commissioned to demonstrate business in 1996, and now ship hexsigns all them right on the barn is my way of keeping out the area. What we have been look- painting barnstars. Milton Hill of Virginville, over the country. the tradition going. I love doing it. I repaint Over the years, the wood ing for in the last ten years—with him, the Pennsylvania, was one of the early barnstar an average of five to ten barns a year. I am last five—are those gable end recesses, the painters beginning in the 1940s through the degraded, leaving the Dyuho o ave a particular style when a full-time carpenter at the same time, and I original barnstars that were built right into 1960s—although there is evidence that he protective painted part creating these works, or do you just have a studio at my house where I paint hex- the stone. Most were found in Berks County, was repainting some barnstars as early as protruding as the rest of strive for historical accuracy? signs and answer orders on nights and week- but others were found as far away as Lehigh, 1902 when he was approximately fifteen years I like to keep the barnstar designs fairly accu- ends. And I paint a lot of other things too the wood shrank. The Montgomery, and Bucks County. The earli- old. People at the festival were interested in rate. You can make your star points as wide or with the hexsign motif—like blanket chests est barnstar I have found in this area is dated getting their own hexsign. So the following leftover design looks like as skinny as you want, but there are methods and chairs. 1819. It is built into the stone featuring a year, hexsigns were cut out on plywood disks it is carved in, but it is to get the proper angle for everything to work star design, the date, and the initials of the and sold as gifts and souvenirs. Although actually sticking out of out the way they were originally. It is amazing I like to talk about it. I used to hate public original owners. the word hexsign had been around for thirty how a square and a compass work together speaking. But after my dad passed away, I the wood. years, you now had something that you could on the barnstar to get the correct angles. realized people want to hear about it. They Whti a s the difference between the give to someone. want lectures about it. They want to know terms barnstar and hexsign? My work covers a variety of styles. I pieced to- about it. So I present ten lectures a year to Hexsigns, as we know them today, came Today, you have all kinds of mass-produced gether characteristics from all three styles— organizations like historical societies, senior into existence in the 1950s as a way to make hexsigns—like silkscreen hexsigns prints. Johnny Ott, Johnny Claypoole, and Milton groups, schools, and groups of that nature. To the barnstar a more portable art form. The What I do is hand-paint hexsigns, as well Hill—and made my own. I tend to do more of me, it is just fun to keep it going. It is good to designs, ranging in size from eight inches as hand-paint barnstars right on the barn. the traditional barnstar when I am painting keep the old traditions alive like that. to four feet in diameter, are painted on a Sometimes I will repaint the old ghosts; other them right on the barn. Milton Hill was the wooden disk, and can be hung anywhere, times, when a whole barn is being re-sided, I same way in that he only stuck with painting It is a very interesting art. It is controversial indoors or outdoors. The term hexsign was will paint a new design on brand-new wood. stars and rosettes. On the other hand, John- in its meanings. It is mystical. There is a lot of actually coined by Wallace Nutting who was ny Ott, who started soon after Milton Hill, history. There is a lot of legend. There is a lot a well-known photographer in the twen- How did your family get involved in added all the hearts, birds, and tulips. He of mystery. You have to filter out some of the ties. He traveled and wrote a book on every this art form? was known for giving some of the meanings fluff that makes for a good story, and find the state. While traveling throughout southeast- My dad grew up in Philadelphia, but always and representations to those symbols. All of truth. The history might be a little flavored, ern Pennsylvania, he tried to ask about the wanted a farm in the country. After World those heart, bird, and tulip designs derived but to me, it is all part of the art. mysterious signs painted on the beautiful War II, he bought a farm up here, which I from old Fraktur art taken from the 1700s to AL :: www.claypoolehexsigns.com Pennsylvania bank barns in the area. (The own now. Although he worked as a welder 1800s, where everything represented some- barn was built into a bank, letting you access at a few fabrication and welding companies, thing positive to the Pennsylvania Dutch. the second floor from the back of the barn he was always fascinated by the barnstars he The traditional designs, which became the by driving right into the second floor to un- would see while driving to work. One day, my basis for barnstars and hexsigns, were found load hay, thrash your wheat, and store your father read in the paper that Johnny Ott, a on official documents and certificates (like goods.) Being that he was an outsider, or well-known hexsign painter in Lenhartsville, marriage or birth certificates) in use by the as the Dutch say Auslander, the local farm- was interested in an apprentice. He taught Dutch. The art form is very indigenous to this ers weren’t interested in telling their secrets my dad how to paint them. When Johnny area. Yet it all ties together from the star on (the Dutch were kind of tight-lipped; they Ott, the self-proclaimed doctor of hexology, the barn. didn’t really tell you much). So Nutting actu- passed away in 1964, my father basically took ally coined the term hexsign in 1923, derived over Johnny Ott’s business. Recently, I have been trying to reproduce from the Pennsylvania Dutch word hexafoos some of the ghost effects on wood. I take which means “witch’s’ foot.” Superstitions I learned from my father as a kid. Along a bare piece of wood, like a fresh pine, and began to arise after this and have made the side my four brothers and two sisters, we all scribe in the design. Then I take only half the hexsign a fun part of the Pennsylvania Dutch dabbled in the art form, but it stuck with me. star point, and I let it weather outside in the folklore. I was thirteen years old when I painted my sun and rain. The wood degrades back, leav- first barnstar with my father. When we would ing the design sticking out. I have left them The first commercial hexsign that was sold go to shows and sell hexsigns, we would chat out for a couple years now. So far, the tech- was in 1949-1950 at the Kutztown Folk Festi- about what they mean. As I got older, I start- nique is working. val. When the folk festival started, the orga- ed to question the history behind the art. I nizers tried to get visitors to come see what started looking into it more, talking to old- Whyas w it important for you to take the Pennsylvania Dutch did for a living. So timers and asking them what they thought back this tradition?

22 AL 23 Low-Country Beat TRAVEL IN AND AROUND CHARLESTON This adorable teaching kitchen/retail shop has every kind of gadget your inner chef text: KELLER ROSE photography: KELLER ROSE could want. We sampled benne wafers, a thin Charleston has a melody and a rhythm all its own, the beat of which comes through in its restaurants, people, music, and heart. confection made of butter, sugar, and sesame seeds. Unique to the Low Country, benne was We sampled benne wafers, brought from East Africa and planted exten- a thin confection made sively throughout the South. of butter, sugar, and Next stop on the tour: The Spice and Tea sesame seeds. Unique to Exchange (170 Church Street, Charleston). the Low Country, benne Rows of jars on wooden shelves flank the was brought from East walls of this gourmet spice shop. Vegetables, Africa and planted bread, and crackers were set out with a va- extensively throughout riety of sour cream dips and dipping oils to the South. sample, like Cheesy Spice Girl and Vik’s Gar- Rgte a im jazz. 4/4 time. Syncopated lic Fix. Don’t miss the section of flavored sug- rhythms. Forward kicks and backward ars—they smell divine! motion. This is the melody, the beat, the motion of Charleston—the dance and the city. On to Market Street Sweets (100 North Mar- Grab a partner, or rock it out on your own. ket Street, Charleston), where visitors are Let’s dance! greeted in the long and narrow shop by the aroma of pecans and chocolate. Home to the Sloeo t ps “World Famous Praline,” this business origi- Savor the Flavors Tour: nated in Savannah, Georgia, and expanded to Presented by Bulldog Tours, this two-and- Charleston in 1984. A private tasting near the a-half-hour foodie trek around downtown back of the shop involved fudge, praline, and Charleston celebrates the classic flavors of caramel treats on a tray lined with parchment the Low Country. (www.bulldogtours.com) paper. Winner: chocolate fudge! Stop number one is the small, but mighty Di- xie Supply Bakery and Café (62 State Street, This taste bud–pleasing odyssey wrapped Charleston). Once a stop on the Food Net- up at the not-to-be-missed Nick’s Bar-B-Q works’ Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, this mini on King Street (288 King Street, Charles- eatery offers tour-goers samples of creamy ton). Pulled pork, collard greens, and cheese grits and sweet potato corn bread. And of biscuits composed the grand finale of deli- course a visit to Charleston wouldn’t be com- ciousness. Make a mental note to return to plete without some sweet tea. this place for a larger portion of the pulled pork—the sauce hits the spot, and is gluten- Our guide educated us on all things corn. It free to boot! turns out grits, polenta, cornmeal, and masa all come from the same source, with grits being the most coarsely ground and masa being the finest. She also waxed poetic on Dixie Supply’s tomato pie before directing the group onto East Bay Street to Charleston Cooks! (194 East Bay Street, Charleston).

24 AL 25 Charleston Strolls: church earned its place in the National Reg- The first St. Philips History buffs and casual trivia fans alike will ister of Historic Places. Fun fact: Charleston on this page find fulfillment in this easy walking tour is known as the Holy City, in part as a nod Battery Park looks out across was built in 1680 on Charleston Harbor. through Charleston, presented once again by to the plentiful church steeples that color the the present site of Bulldog Tours. You’d be doing yourself a dis- skyline, but also to acknowledge this city was St. Michael’s Church. service if you don’t carve out a couple hours one of the few places in the original thirteen to immerse yourself in some southern his- colonies that provided religious tolerance to tory. Charleston’s story deserves to be told the French Huguenots and the Jews. and heard. Established in 1670 as the capital of South Carolina, Charleston began as a re- St. Michael’s Episcopal Church: This majes- spite for plantation owners who found their tic structure holds the title of oldest church way inland to escape the humidity and mos- edifice in Charleston, and holds Sunday and quitoes. Charleston natives are protective of weekday services. Built between 1752 and their turf and culture, and there is a divide 1761, St. Michael’s was constructed out of a between natives and new transplants. The need to accommodate more parishioners. It tension feels more like a sophisticated fenc- is best known for its large steeple and ring- ing match than a tavern brawl. Charleston’s ing bells. After the 1989 hurricane, the bells gentility and refinement is endearing, and were sent back to London to have all the fit- gives the city a character all its own. tings replaced. In 1993, the bells were rehung by the original foundry. Fun fact: A bell does It’s not hard to see why out-of-towners would not ring unless it actually swings, which re- be enamored with this charming place. And quires ropes and one ringer per bell. Chim- the challenge of historical property restora- ing, however, can be handled by one person, tion has piqued the interest of transplants and is now performed from a keyboard in the with money. The rules for restoration are choir loft. strictly governed by the city’s Board of Ar- chitectural Review (BAR). Everything, from City Market: Built on land willed to the town the color of the front door to replacing a of Charleston by a wealthy family, this land- window must be approved. There is a slate mark has withstood countless assaults by na- of approved “Historical Charleston Colors” ture, including hurricanes and earthquakes. (Sherwin-Williams) to choose from. Four buildings make up this colorful and bustling market, with merchandise ranging St. Philip’s Episcopal Church: The first St. from traditional Gullah sweetgrass baskets Philip’s was built in 1680 on the present site to handmade soaps to authentic barbecue. It’s of St. Michael’s Church. In 1710, it was badly open seven days a week. damaged by a hurricane, and construction began on a new building at the current site. The Battery:Also known as Battery Park, this After a series of delays, construction resumed popular spot in downtown Charleston offers in 1721, and the first services were held two can’t-be-beat views of Fort Sumter and Sul- years later on Easter Sunday. More misfor- livan’s Island Lighthouse. When you’re fin- tune for this church reared its head in 1835 ished gazing out over the water, cross East when the church burned to the ground. The Battery Street, and check out some notable present stuccoed brick structure was built Charleston mansions—the Charles Drayton in 1836, featuring a tower and three Tuscan House and the Edmondston-Alston House pedimented porticoes. In 1973, this regal are next door to each other.

26 AL 27 Tndema ricks Old Village Post House: Nestled in a neighborhood in Mount Pleas- ant, this nautical-inspired gem should be on every traveler’s list of favorite places to dine. Friendly and attentive staff treat you like family. They didn’t skip a beat when I men- tioned my food allergy (gluten), and were extremely knowledgable on the subject. The pan-seared duck with mushroom risotto and pinot cherry sauce melts in your mouth. You’ll come back the next day for more. The cocktails are innovative and slightly offbeat. For something on the sweeter side, try the Charleston cocktail—sweet tea, lemonade, vodka, Madeira, and mint-infused syrup. If you can handle a bit more punch, try the Or- chard Breeze made with spiced pear vodka, apple juice, TUACA®, and ginger ale with a cinnamon sugar rim.

Fleet Landing: KiT ick n’ unes This casual waterfront spot hits all the right Second Sunday on King Street: notes for a lunch in the Carolina sunshine. This monthly event turns a busy, downtown Encased in a hurricane-proof, 6,000-square- street into a stroller’s paradise. King Street is foot concrete maritime structure, Fleet closed to traffic from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Landing juts out over the marsh on a rein- allowing residents and tourists alike to shop, forced pier and boasts an unobstructed view relax, and catch some great live music. The of the Charleston harbor. Nothing says “vaca- V-Tones, part of a concert series with Laura tion” like munching on tortilla chips dipped Ball and Friends, entertained the crowd with in warm spinach and artichoke dip. I kept it some postmodern ragtime mixed with gypsy light with a mixed green salad with grilled jazz, perfect for dancing. As fate would have The V-Tones, part of a concert series shrimp, red grapes, spiced pecans, Gorgon- it, a group of swing dancers had already gath- with Laura Ball and Friends, zola cheese, and mixed berry vinaigrette ered to express the music through movement. entertained the crowd with some drizzled over top. Yum! And just enough Being a swing dancer myself, I’m thrilled to postmodern ragtime mixed room in my stomach for some crème brûlée, say I did the Charleston in Charleston! with gypsy jazz, perfect for dancing. glazed and perfectly crackled, garnished with a strawberry. Holy City Blues Exchange: Now in its fourth year, this annual event Charleston Crab House: draws blues dancers from across the country The Market Street location features a roof- to spend a weekend in Charleston dancing top patio for dining with a view. This down- until the wee hours of the morning. Satur- town restaurant and lounge has a great vibe, day night’s dance featured powerhouse singer and even greater shrimp and grits! The she- Stacy Brooks and her band. Eli Cook, a blues crab soup is a Charleston tradition, and the guitarist and vocalist from Nelson County, Charleston Crab House’s rich and creamy Virginia, took the reins for the late night version certainly does it justice. dance at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio.

28 AL 29 Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea all come from the same plant— Camellia sinensis. The difference lies in the processing.

Sgwin in’ Sights room feels cozy, fresh, and meticulously of tea leaves while weaving in the history of Fun fact: Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea Charleston Waterfront Park: clean! You can’t beat this location, especially the plantation. Originally owned by the Lip- all come from the same plant—Camellia si- One word: swings! They are giant-size bench during Second Sunday on King. I walked out ton company as an experiment, it caught the nensis. The difference lies in the processing. swings on a pier, to be more specific. Featur- the door of the hotel and right into the festiv- eye of third-generation tea taster Bill Hall. Black tea leaves are oxidized for fifty minutes. ing grassy areas, picnic tables, and fountains ities. Parking is available in a nearby private After reading in an article that tea couldn’t Green tea leaves are steamed before they are to splash in, this twelve-acre park is the ideal lot, making your stay completely hassle free. be successfully grown for commercial use ground and dried. Oolong tea is allowed to place for family fun or solo people watching. in America, Hall thought this piece of land oxidize, but for a shorter period of time than Charleston Tea Plantation: might prove them wrong. black tea. Fulton Lane Inn: If you want to feel like you’re in Low Country, Staying at this beautiful inn feels like being hop in the car, and head southwest to Wad- Hall is a quirky and fascinating character, Award-winning food, nature, culture, his- hosted by that wealthy aunt you never had. In malaw Island, about a half hour drive from with his long blondish gray hair and wire- tory, music—Charleston has a melody for ev- fact, the staff feels like family, bending over Charleston. The visitors’ center/gift shop fea- rimmed glasses. His apprenticeship spanned eryone. Come visit, and have a listen. backward to help out in any way they can. tures a sprawling porch with rocking chairs four years in London, where he tasted hun- AL :: www.charlestoncvb.com Small touches make this place memorable— to lounge yourself in the sun while sipping dreds of cups of tea a day to learn precisely the crocheted canopy bed, fireplace, kitchen- free tea samples—both hot and iced! The what is high quality and what is not. He part- ette, a small floral tablecloth–covered table ten dollars for the twenty-five minute trol- nered with the Bigelow family in 2003, and and chairs set in the corner, and a soaking tub ley ride was money well spent. The driver now they run the only commercial tea plan- with jets. The daisy-yellow and white-washed doubled as a tour guide, navigating the fields tation in America.

30 AL 31 DESN IG 3

TheeT r ables as a Cube Bookcase IKEA Iterations Assemble two tables, and have a third ta- THE LACK TABLE THREE WAYS bletop on hand for the base (we used three text: sherrynd a john petersik photography: Kp i dAWKINS high-gloss white Lack tables). Use a drill (try Learn how to modify an affordable table three different ways a 1/4-inch bit) to make centered holes in the with this how-to excerpted from Young House Love by bottom of all eight legs, and insert a two-inch Sherry and John Petersik (Artisan Books, 2012). wooden dowel into each hole (you can pick up eight extra dowels from the IKEA spare parts area or at a craft store). Use the same drill bit to make matching holes in your This iconic and affordable table is spare tabletop and in the top of one of the always fun to tweak, especially since it constructed tables (our trick was to drill up through the existing holes IKEA made for the comes in a bunch of colors. Here are legs to be sure they were perfectly placed). teeahr w ys Stack your tables, lining up your dowels with the holes in the tabletops for a secure fit. to take one über-cheap table (or a few Cost: less than $45! of them) from so very IKEA to

one of a kind.

32 AL 33 1

OeT n able as a Shelf Use the tabletop as the backdrop for a series of shallow floating shelves made from the legs (we used one Lack table in the black-brown finish). We held each leg in place and screwed them in from the back of the tabletop. Try drilling pilot holes

© Kip Dawkins to make this process easier, and be sure to check that each shelf is level as you go. Use the existing holes on the back to hang your new shelf over a couple of screws drilled into studs or heavy-duty anchors in the wall. Cost: less than $10! AL :: www.younghouselove.com 2 800-434-IKEA(4532) Tow ables as a Headboard www.IKEA-USA.com Arrange two tabletops and four legs side by side and staggered to create a headboard for a full-size bed (we used two high-gloss red Lack tables). We flipped our design over and laid three one-inch-by-three-inch boards across them—across the top, the middle, and the bottom. Once we screwed the boards tightly to the table pieces to hold them together (through pilot holes that we drilled first), not only was our headboard secure, but the boards © Kip Dawkins also created a small ledge for hanging it on the wall. You can use three Lack tables to create a queen-size headboard (and attach two-by-four legs for added stability). Cost: less than $30!

34 AL 35 The Hole Story BSESSU IN DIGGING INTO THE DOUGHNUT WORLD We start with six standard ones—the butter- always really happy, even if they have to wait text: AS NOTED photography: AS NOTED milk old-fashioned, the gingerbread stack, in line. You just can’t make someone mad These dedicated owners have made doughnuts the center of their the three kinds of glaze, and the jelly-filled. with a doughnut. That is the really fun part. work world, and the payoff is a business with delicious rewards. Then we have a daily special. Those are a little more fun. Sometimes when people on Twit- Tllse u about a moment with a ter or Facebook request a flavor, I will put customer that you will never forget: that on special for them if there’s a good day Some days, it gets really crazy as I move as for them to come in. Or I will just put things fast as I can to get customers through the in rotation and change them out to do some- long line—all the while playing hip-hop way thing different every day. We’ve had a choco- too loud, which you can imagine is kind of late almond glaze, which has two layers of chaotic in this tiny room. When I begin run- glaze and toasted almonds on top; a pistachio ning out of doughnuts, I will announce, “I’ve doughnut; and a birthday cake doughnut, got this many doughnuts left and this many which is a fun, unique one that literally tastes people; how many is everyone getting?” No like birthday cake. matter how long people waited or how many they originally wanted, I can count on my Whtiy a s our trick for overcoming right hand the number of people who’ve been creative blocks in the kitchen? selfish and kept the remaining doughnuts all There are so many talented people floating for themselves. Most of the time, even if they around, it is always easy to get a conversation were planning on getting a dozen, they’ll only strummed up about different flavors. We re- get two so that everyone else can have one. ally rely on each other. There is a lot of time Doughnuts bring out the best in people. spent coming up with some really weird stuff thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com doughnut vault chicago, illinois until we get to something good.

B r e n da n S o d i ko f f : : ow n e r Whth a as been the craziest flavor combination you have served? Probably nothing that we have used; we tend to be more conservative with our flavors. hw o The Doughnut Vault came to be: made to look antique and old. It is very ador- We’ve talked about doing infused doughnuts. The Doughnut Vault began as this odd space able in that way. The menu is hand-painted One of our guys still really wants us to do of real estate that the owner (who also owns on mirrors, and we also have a chandelier— an avocado and herb doughnut. We played the restaurant we are attached to) wasn’t because we obviously needed one in a space around with doing a savory doughnut once quite sure what we could do with it. At the that is 200 square feet! with salami and cheese. time when we opened, there weren’t any good doughnuts anywhere—unless you went to Whta a m kes your doughnuts unique? Whti a s most fulfilling about the very edges of the city to really old-school We do them by hand in small batches, so specializing in doughnuts? ones that weren’t convenient to get to for a lot there is a lot of care and attention to detail. Because I run the shop and sell them every of people. We thought it would be great to do We spent a long time on the recipe. We don’t day, I get to see how people react. The best something fun with doughnuts to bring back stop when they are really good. Our motto is, part honestly is nobody is ever mad at you that nostalgia for a lot of people. We decided “If it is really good, try it again to see if we can when you hand them a doughnut. People are to make really great doughnuts and see what make it better.” happened, and it just worked for this tiny little space that we have. Whtis a n pires your recipes? We stuck with mostly classics, just sort of Dscrb e i e the shop: taking it back to basics. They are very simple, The space was originally a vault, so the shop but really well-done versions of old-school is really small, like a walk-in closet. It is hand- doughnuts. We get a little bit quirkier and fun painted in blue with subway tile, which is with some of our specials.

fry them in an organic palm oil shortening, which makes them really special. And then we use unique flavors and flavor combina- © Robin Jolin tions. Each batch of doughnuts is flavored for © Robin Jolin that batch. For instance, our vanilla doughnut is completely different from our rhubarb Mstoo P pular doughnut: doughnut; we don’t just add rhubarb to it. The most popular doughnut by far is the ba- dynamo donuts san francisco, california Each batch of They are all individual recipes that I have de- con maple doughnut. It was from the begin- doughnuts is veloped. So we have some unique flavors and ning and still holds true. SARA SPEARI N : : o w n e r flavored for that flavor combinations. batch. For instance, Dyuo o ever get sick of doughnuts? Whth a as been the craziest flavor No, I do not get sick of doughnuts. I still eat our vanilla doughnut combination you have created? them every day. I used to try a doughnut from is completely Crazy is all in perspective. The Monte Cristo every single batch that I made. And now that Whtis a n pired you to open YOUR in my head of what I wanted to eat. It is an different from our is a ham and cheese doughnut with a home- I am not doing the physical hands-on baking OWN Business? actual flavor and texture that I was hoping rhubarb doughnut; made plum jam inside. The Guinness pear is as much, I will grab one to enjoy somewhere I was always in the restaurant business, and I to achieve. The creative flavors came from a really popular one—it is a molasses dough- where I am not standing in the kitchen, and knew I had wanted to start my own venture. seasonal ideas that we would toss around as we don’t just add nut with poached pears and candied ginger be amazed at how good they are. It is out of I was hunting around, trying to figure out we are making doughnuts. We started with rhubarb to it. which has a Guinness glaze. I try not to let the element of how I always used to dissect it. what I could do and where I could make my about seven different flavors. We have close the creations get too far out there. If I like it, I am always impressed. So I still love dough- mark in San Francisco. I definitely noticed a to thirty-five or forty flavors now that we ro- there’s a good chance other people will too. nuts. I still love my doughnuts, and I eat them lack of artisan doughnuts. There wasn’t any at tate through. every day. But they are much more enjoyable the time. I was trying to narrow down exactly Whtiy a s our secret to having the when I am not working. what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to bake. We do try to infuse new recipes. The process best doughnuts? www.dynamodonut.com I baked in the past, and I was always a pas- has slowed down a lot. But every Valentine’s I think it is putting the time in, making them try chef in restaurants. I was thinking breads Day, we always come up with a new Valen- right, and not taking any shortcuts. We use or something similar when it dawned on me tine’s doughnut. We just created a new cus- quality ingredients and have implemented that there were no doughnut shops. tom doughnut for Twitter, by request. Com- a quality method of baking. We treat the ing up with new flavors keeps it fun and doughnuts with respect. No packaging. No Gies v u an anecdote about a memory interesting. It helps that we are in California processed anything. And we try to do it all that you associate with your love where everything is seasonal. Seasons come by hand. for doughnuts: and go pretty quickly, so that helps too. I was never a lover of doughnuts by any means, so I created a doughnut that was Tllse u about your doughnuts’ unique something I would like to eat. I would say it characteristics: was probably two or three months of solid They are unique for many reasons. The tex- trying and experimenting to get that first ture of the doughnut is not like the typical doughnut to be what I wanted. doughnut that you would see. They are more of a pastry bread quality than a chewy qual- Whtis a n pires your recipes? ity. They are made from scratch every day, so

38 AL 39 doughnuts are different from the norm. All of and set that on the counter and tell them to aoment m with A customer that you our doughnuts are all handmade and hand- come up with a doughnut based on these in- will never forget: cut each and every morning. gredients. That gets them thinking, and it be- It occurred when we first posted on Facebook comes a challenge. I have a great crew—they a picture of the door and the window of our Whtis a n pires such unconventional will come up with some really good ideas. new shop. It was supposed to create a “Where and extreme recipes? is it?” interest because you couldn’t tell where We are always thinking outside the box. We Whth a as been the craziest flavor it was. My wife drove up the next day and have our employees write down their ideas for combination you have served? found something hanging on the storefront. I potential flavors, and once every two weeks, Although we have the Devil’s Death Dance, thought, “Oh, no! We are getting evicted be- we vote on which is the best one. From there, which is the world’s spicy doughnut eating fore we even move in!” She sends me a photo we’ll start playing around with that recipe contest, it is funny to me that people come of this sign that says, “East Dallas loves you!” and implement it into our menu. With that in in and actually want that doughnut just for That was awesome. mind, we also take customer suggestions. If their own sake. It is made with ghost peppers, www.hypnoticdonuts.com we can create a recipe from their idea, we will habanero, serranos, and Chinese chiles. We name it after them, and every time they come also made a doughnut with white frosting into the shop, they get it for free. tabasco and fresh jalapeño—a combination hypnotic donuts dallas, texas that we did because we figured it would be so Howo d you overcome creative horrible—that ended up being so good. But JAMES ST. PETER :: o w n e r blocks in the kitchen? not every flavor combination that we attempt You always want to keep it fresh. If we ever works out. We tried to do an eggnog dough- come across a creative stalemate, I will go get nut for the holidays. It was horrible! I don’t ingredients that I think will work— for exam- know if we just did it wrong, but we could ple, fresh oranges, fresh apples, and ginger— never get that thing right.

We are always Whtis a n pired you to specialize Dyuho o ave a background thinking outside the box. in doughnuts? in baking? After being in corporate America for eighteen No. The best way to describe how I learned to We have our employees years, I had to find a way to get out. I ate a lot bake references The Karate Kid. I was learn- W e are always thinking outside the box. We have our employees write down their ideas for write down their ideas of doughnuts, so I thought I would explore ing from some Asian people who never really potential flavors, and once every two weeks, we vote on which is the best one. for potential flavors, and that avenue. Quick research revealed that out spoke English to me; I had to just watch and once every two weeks, we of the 900 doughnut stores in the Dallas/Fort learn. They would hand me a roller, I would Worth region, 890 of them were supplied by start rolling the dough, and all I got was vote on which is the the same supplier. I knew we could make a “No!” as he slapped me on the hand and took best one. difference here, so I played around with the the roller back. I never really knew what I was idea of opening my own shop. doing. I started filming it on my phone, and would go back and watch it. I kept playing To get our feet wet, we sold doughnuts out around with it, and I finally got it. of the back of our cars. We would announce our location on Facebook and Twitter, and Dscrb e i e Hypnotic doughnuts: take the orders via e-mail. It quickly got to If you have ever seen our doughnuts, they are the point where we were receiving sixty-five obviously unique. Instead of the traditional e-mails for orders after the first couple times, apple fritter, we do a pineapple-jalapeño frit- so we rented a space from a pizza restaurant ter. We do one with peanut butter, bacon, on weekends only, and ran the business there banana, and honey (which is the Evil Elvis). through word of mouth. After doing that We do another fritter which has banana and for a year and a half, we decided to take the peanut crushed up inside topped with peanut plunge and do this as our full-time gig. butter and chocolate. Even our regular glazed

40 AL 41 One of my all-time mighty-o donuts seattle, washington favorites is our Nutty r e ya n k l l n e r : : ow n e r French Toast, a spice cake with vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel, dipped in Tllse u about the shop’s history: a maple glaze (made with Mighty-O started in 2000 with a simple idea real maple) topped to build a sustainable business. Our intention was to make an honest living while being with peanuts. mindful of people and respectful of the envi- ronment. We weren’t interested in producing anything that would just end up in a landfill or contribute to the pollution piling up in the world. Experiencing the Northwest culture, the burgeoning organic food movement, and sharing thoughts with our friends and com- munity, we were inspired to create an organic doughnut. We couldn’t find anyone making a doughnut the way we envisioned. A sweet treat with no chemicals, no genetically modi- fied organisms, and no animal products—our doughnuts would be something everyone could enjoy.

The organic market was still young and growing, and it complimented our innate values. With the little seed money we had, we bought a doughnut machine and a computer. We started researching recipes, and cooking up batches of organic doughnuts in the base- ment of a vintage Craftsman house in Seat- tle: Mighty-O was born. Our first doughnut was a vanilla cake cinnamon and sugar mini doughnut. One of my all-time favorites is our using great ingredients and making it all our- well-known Seattle bakeries and food stores. doughnut—still a classic and customer favor- Nutty French Toast, a spice cake with vanilla, selves from scratch. We make all of our own Now it houses a micro brewery/pub and ite today. Over the years, we’ve continued to cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and orange mixes, glazes, and fillings from our own pro- Mighty-O Donuts. Our tables and counters be on the leading edge of organic vegan bak- peel, dipped in a maple glaze (made with real prietary recipes. are made from reused maple gym floors of ing, adding to our selection organic apple shops, or eating a doughnut with a cup of cof- maple) topped with peanuts. Something a old Washington state high schools. On some fritters, organic maple bars, and other organ- fee, reading the morning paper. Doughnuts little more unique is our Spiced Rum Cake, Whtis a n pires your recipes? mornings and afternoons, you can watch ic fried yeast-raised yummies. Meanwhile, we seem to have been there in the background with a rum glaze topped with coconut. The True to our core values, we strive to pro- us make doughnuts on our locally made continue to produce all of our own dough- for most of our history, and it’s doubtful that Blue Berry Monster is an ugly doughnut, but duce and promote all natural foods. The in- Belshaw “Donut Robot.” nut mixes and glazes from scratch using its going to change anytime soon. There is (or it sure is tasty. It’s made from locally sourced spiration for recipes comes from listening organic ingredients. has been) a doughnut shop in almost every organic blueberries that come from a historic to people—customers, employees, or seeing Whtke a e ps you in the business? town and city in America. farm just a few miles from our bakery. The what other great cooks and bakers are doing. I can’t say I have ever been sick of Mighty-O Whyoug d hnuts? Coffee Bomb (we put locally roasted coffee in Personally, I love researching old recipes that doughnuts. I eat one almost every day. I love Doughnuts are fun and tasty. There is some- Whth a as been the craziest flavor the cake topped with an espresso glaze) is a are out of print, and hunting for old books tending to a growing, sustainably minded thing cool and classic about doughnut shops. combination you have served? Seattleite favorite that’s not for everyone. and articles. business that gives people pure, simple fun Doughnuts are an integral part of American I can’t say we are inspired to make crazy and joy to their day. It all boils down to mak- culture. What other country has a National combinations. You won’t find anything like Whtiy a s our secret to having the Dscrb e i e the shop: ing people happy. Doughnut Day? Think about the Salvation Pepto-Bismol® and Froot Loops™ at our shop. best doughnuts? It’s a simple space in the historic Keystone AL :: www.mightyo.com Army serving doughnuts to soldiers in World We really go for discovering the essence of We are very serious control freaks when it Building in the Seattle neighborhood in War I, Homer Simpson, cops in doughnut what all natural, pure ingredients will do for a comes to making doughnuts. We focus on Wallingford, which once was home to other

42 AL 43 They later went on to join the military—his intricate detail and color combinations. It brother an Army pilot and he a Navy air- didn’t take long before the aviation enthusi- H OBby craft technician. Even after their service, ast made a full-time hobby of his new form the Briggs never strayed far from their pas- of model building, creating complex paper sion of aviation, each ending up in fields re- planes from two or three folded sheets of lated to aerospace doing writing, illustrating, letter-size paper. Huntly’s limitations, there- and advertising. fore, were only limited by how far he wanted to push it. “Compared to when I was a kid But no matter where Huntly flew in life, he al- coloring my paper airplanes with crayons,” he ways seemed to hold onto his childhood pa- reflects, “this is certainly a far better ‘crayon,’ per plane pastime; as an adult, he continued and the results shown over the years would It was the marrying using a basic sheet of paper to create three- have been way beyond my imagination back of computer dimensional replicas of the vintage airplanes then. In fact, it would be impossible for me graphics with folding that he so admired. Although these paper war to achieve this level of sophistication without paper that gave birth planes were elevated miles from the ones he the combination of computer, this drawing to my special way of artfully colored as a young boy, there was no program, and of course, an ink-jet printer. making paper airplanes. getting around the fact that biplane configu- rations certainly did not lend themselves eas- “For my three-dimensional flyable paper Unlike the origami bird, ily to paper construction. Thankfully, much models, which evolved from simple fold- these three-dimensional like how advances in technology transformed and-cut gliders, I focused on biplanes be- paper replicas are the Wright Flyer into the complex aircrafts cause some of those airplanes represented capable of flight. they are today, so did it assist in crafting more the early development of aviation and my elaborate construction layouts. love affair with the aircraft of that era. From my perspective, as an aviation buff, they were “One day, my brother Huntly came into work like birds in nature—graceful, colorful, and and showed me one of his latest paper air- beautiful,” continues Huntly. “Even though planes he had made,” recalls Alfred Briggs, these are models, the desire to attain the who was working with Huntly as a well- added illusion of certain curves and columns established designer at a small agency that on various areas of the wings and fuselage Pint-Size Flights created and produced advertising and cor- required me to continually elevate my skills. GROWN-UP PAPER AIRPLANES porate graphics. “These paper airplanes were Once I developed a successful formula, I text: ROBIN RYAN photography: ALFRED BRIGGS a passion of his, and I was impressed with sought out planes that would offer new chal- Ninety-one-year-old Huntly Briggs has been dedicated to the how they were constructed. I remarked that lenges for more detail and decoration. With hobby of paper airplanes for over eighty years, inspired by vintage he could take advantage of the power of our each new plane, I would further advance my airplanes and military aviation history. computers and their graphic software pro- techniques, incorporating added modifica- grams to apply color, designs, and insignias tions—external guns, landing gear, wiring before folding and cutting them out, and I and drive brake flaps, engine detail—as well would be happy to show him how. Well, here as ways to view them.” Thrt e a of making paper airplanes a slightly better flight trajectory, even if it history. Ever since he and his older brother we are now, more than ten years later, and is a pastime from childhood that I am sure only lasts a few seconds longer before its de- Stephen sat down to watch the motion pic- Huntly has taken these acquired skills to an Crel a fu Construction most can relate to—although if yours looked scent. However, for Huntly Briggs, a ninety- tures Wings (1927) and Howard Hughes’ insanely exquisite level of perfection.” The art of constructing these complex cre- anything like mine, it probably wasn’t much of one-year-old Los Angeles native with over Hell’s Angels (1930) while folding their own ations is just as precise and detail-specific as an art form. From folding a loose-leaf paper eighty years dedicated to the hobby, making airplanes out of paper and coloring them Cnceo ptualizing War Planes in Paper the graphic design process. Huntly will score plane that would usually nose-dive directly three-dimensional paper planes has always in with crayons, the Briggs boys have been Using the drawing application Adobe Illus- the printed sheets where folds will be made to the ground to the card stock construction encompassed so much more than just boost- caught up in the aviation mystique. At eigh- trator made it possible to design and print to assure that they are exactly where they that offered a little more hang time, there was ing flight time. teen and twenty, both started their careers at elaborate construction layouts. Huntly could should be. He then folds carefully, double something innately alluring about discover- Lockheed Aircraft Company before World now refine the plane’s design, the position- checking that the left and right sides of the ing new techniques to manipulate a sheet Huntly has spent a lifetime being infatuated War II, building Hudson bombers and ing of its elements, and the interworking plane coincide by shining light through the of paper into an intricate vessel that gained with vintage airplanes and military aviation P-38 fighters for the British and US Army. relationships of them, all the while adding two halves and seeing that each side matches.

44 AL 45 Once perfect, he will cut out the main folded the elevators, ailerons, and rudder, these pa- plane and its individual pieces, and assemble per models can be made to perform smooth HITORS Y all the parts to the fuselage and wings. See- and steady flights. “My wife, Joy, would pa- ing to it that wing surfaces are straight, paral- tiently stand by while I spent untold hours lel, and that the tail is perpendicular, Huntly at the computer and would just roll her eyes will align and cement everything together as I test flew planes around the living room,” where necessary. Huntly reminisces.

“As my skills progressed in designing and “The fact that these paper airplanes replicate constructing paper airplanes, I would be the designs in the actual real-life aircraft, and inspired by the disciplines the original art being lightweight paper models, they inher- form of origami embraced. Those were to ently have the ability to fly. However, I have to achieve the maximum illusion of shape and obey typical flying dynamics, such as balance volume by folding flat pieces of paper,” ex- and the alignment of wing and tail surfaces, plains Huntly. “However, it was the marrying to achieve stability,” describes the designer. of computer graphics with folding paper that “Most critical is the nose-to-tail weight ratio. gave birth to my special way of making pa- The usual center of balance is under the main per airplanes. Unlike the origami bird, these wing. To achieve this balance, I need to add three-dimensional paper replicas are capable extra weight in the nose that, in a sense, rep- of flight.” resents the weight of an engine. I accomplish this by inserting a wood screw into a carved The initial flight path is straight and level, set- balsa wood block and securing it with cement Using the drawing application Adobe Illustrator made it tling in a gradually descending glide to the in the folded cockpit and cowling assembly, possible to design and print elaborate construction layouts. ground. The plane is to be held at the belly of just behind the nose of the airplane.” the fuselage, under the cockpit, with thumb and forefinger, and then hand-launched like Over the years, Huntly has certainly assem- a dart with a medium thrust. (A light thrust bled quite a historically accurate air force of results in a gradual shallow glide. A strong paper war planes, which he proudly show- thrust makes the plane soar upward momen- cases on his website and in his book to pay tarily, then into a sharp dive, and then recov- tribute to that bygone era of aviation that he ers and continues to glide.) After a few trial- so loves. “With the strong attraction of to- and-error flights, followed by adjustments to day’s powerful computer technology, com- bined with my passion for early aircraft from the golden era of early airplane development between 1915 and 1935, I was able to think It didn’t take long before outside the box and let my concepts fly . . . the aviation enthusiast with meticulously detailed, realistic designs, made a full-time hobby insignias, and color schemes,” Huntly adds. of his new form of model “I’ve come a long way from those early days building, creating of crayons and dimple folds.” complex paper planes from two or three folded Upon request, Huntly also offers free PDF construction sheets for some of his favorite sheets of letter-size paper. models (including assembly tips) for those who want to try their hand at following these challenging steps of printing, cutting out, and constructing these paper airplanes. AL :: www.paperwarplanes.com

46 AL 47 Rock Amick Personal Financial Advisor 44 Markfield Dr Ste G Charleston, SC 29407 www.bigrockwm.com Office: (843) 573-7965