Skirt May 2015

A u g u s t A , A i k e n & e v A n s

“My favorite thing is to go where i’ve never been.”

Diane Arbus

It turns out, you can take it with you—and

bring it back home again. Your heart and soul

long for distant and unfamiliar landscapes,

for memories that last a lifetime, for history

and the sublime chatter of foreign languag-

es, for experiences that you can’t hold in

your hand or give away or sell. When you’re

away from home, time slows down. You can

step outside of your comfort zone and right

back in without judgment. You start think-

ing globally...travel is an education that you

can’t get in school. You’ll meet people who

have lived completely different lives that

you’ll find fascinating, and vice versa. On

the road, strangers become friends, travel

buddies, listeners, storytellers, and people

we will never forget. You don’t have to have

experience to wander the planet, and you

can start as small as your own backyard or

as big as a three-month sabbatical to study

art in Italy. Fall in love in Paris. Get caught

in the rain in Amsterdam. Glide through

the canals of Venice in a gondola. Spend

an entire day in a city where you don’t

speak the language getting lost in art mu-

seums. Do something that makes you feel

uncomfortable until it doesn’t anymore.

Give yourself enough time so that you

miss being home because, as we all who

have wandered know, the best thing

about wandering away is coming back home.

e s c A p e t h e o r D i n A r y

cover Art: kristen solecki

M A y

f r e e

www.skirt.com may 2015 3

4 may 2015 www.skirt.com

Foundernikki hardin

Creative Director caitilin Mcphillips

[email protected]

Market ManagerAshlee griggs Duren

[email protected]

Contributing Editor gracie shepherd

[email protected]

Sales DirectorLisa Dorn

[email protected]

Sales ExecutivesDoressa hawes

[email protected]

Lisa taylor [email protected]

Maidi McMurtrie thompson [email protected]

Mary porter vann [email protected]

CirculationDoressa hawes

[email protected]

PhotographyJon Michael sullivan

Advertisingsales: 706.823.3702

fax: 706.823.6061 1.800.622.6358

skirt! is published monthly and distributed free throughout

the greater Augusta, Aiken & Evans area. skirt! reserves the right to refuse to sell space for

any advertisement the staff deems inappropriate for the publication.

All content of this magazine, including without limitation the

design, advertisements, art, photos and editorial content, as well as the selection, coordination and

arrangement thereof, is copyright © 2014, Morris publishing group,

LLc. All rights reserved. no portion of this magazine may be copied or

reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher.

skirt!® is a registered trademark of Morris publishing group, LLc.

FeaturesWalk This Way Ingrid Steffensen ............................................. 10

On A Whim And A Prayer Mary Zalmanek ..............................................15

In thIs IssueLetter from the Editor ...................................4

He’s So Original ...............................................9

Skirt of the Month .........................................18

Meet ..................................................................30

Product .............................................................13

LIke to see your ad In skIrt! MagazIne? 706.823.3702

february2015

There’s an unmistakable bond between all world travelers, whether seven-

continent-hopping pros or beginners just getting started. Something

about exploring and breaking out of our personal comfort zones breeds

in us not only a desire to share those experiences with others, but also a

desire to listen to other people’s stories. When we were putting together

this issue, interviews quickly turned into travel story swap meets and I

left each one with a renewed commitment to travel more. It’s hard to

set aside time and resources to travel purely for pleasure, but I’ve never

regretted doing so. So here’s to taking small steps in the direction of

traveling more - even if it’s just a keeping a list of places I want to visit,

or getting a travel magazine instead of Vogue in the

checkout line.

Gracie Shepherd

[email protected]

SKIRT! THIS MONTH

may2015

Cover Art: If you’re an artist

and would like to submit your work, please send

a link or low res artwork to [email protected].

The WANDERLUST Issue

Are we there yet?



www.skirt.com april 2015 7

He’s So Original | Walker Posey

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Between helping to run his family’s business, managing the brands of several professional athletes, traveling the world as a motivational speaker and working to

promote local organizations including the Family Y and PressOn, it’s fair to say that Walker has a few irons in the fire. He sees a common thread throughout all of

his endeavors, and that’s a desire to help people tell their own stories and celebrate the stories of others. Through his work at his family’s business, Posey Funeral

Directors in North Augusta, he has helped to introduce new ways of doing business so that the increasingly mobile society helps and not hinders the human

needs of grieving and healing. Whether it’s memorial websites, live funeral webcasting or tribute videos, he’s enabled his family’s business to lead the industry in

new ways to serve their customers. “It’s a challenge to get people to slow down enough to make sure those needs are met,” he says. “I like being able to create

relevant things that are meaningful to people.”

may2015




february2015

Lilly Pulitzer “She She Shells” Tumbler with Straw

Cudos1257 Augusta West Parkway, Augusta

706.737.8383

Rebecca Minkoff Tassel Key Key Fob Shoes at Surrey

487 Highland Avenue, Augusta706.504.3532

May Loves

Scout “Sari Charlie” Pleasure Chest CoolerCaroline’s Boutique

151 Laurens Street SW, Aiken 803.644.5606

FOr tHE tHIrStY trAVELErIn sizes from kiddie cup to 12-22 ounce bottles

for grownups, these Lifefactory travel bottles are BPA free—because they’re made from glass protected

by an outer shell—and they’re spill proof! the colorful protective silicone sleeve provides

protection plus a non-slip grip. LifeFactory.com

may2015

TH

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ANDERLUST ISSUE

MAY2015



in a darkened room with an angry scorpion. I was screaming louder than a howler monkey; Jim was as still as a church mouse. Always calm in the face of crisis, Jim managed to �nd the light switch, step on the scorpion, and �ush him down the toilet.

We saw six more scorpions during our stay. Each encounter had its own high drama. Near the end of our trip when Jim’s par-ents and siblings were visiting, a scorpion stung my thumb. Jim’s family and the employees were compassionate and helpful. To tell the truth, it was more like a mild bee sting than the excruciat-ing pain I’d imagined. If I would have known early on how mild these scorpion stings were, I could have done that trip with a lot less whooping and hollering.

Except for the scorpions, it was like paradise. The creatures of the rainforest were a constant source of enchantment, amuse-ment, and sometimes terror. We admired the brilliantly colored parrots and toucans, and envied the graceful and silent �ight of vultures. I stood my ground between an uninvited coatimundi, a furry little four-legged beggar who came for breakfast, and the guests eager to feed him. Jim joined forces with the inn employ-ees and a neighboring farmer to capture a runaway cow.

It didn’t happen every night, but sometimes the beauty of na-ture gave a command performance. I had no choice but to drop

everything and watch the sunset through Max�eld Parrish eyes. The white, rose and apricot clouds stood out

against a brilliant and constantly changing blue sky. The lush greens of the grasses and trees

on the rolling hills of the distant shore were different in each moment as we watched them. The light on the trees right outside the Villa competed for our attention. In ten or �fteen minutes the show would end and we were released to go on with the task at hand.

During our two-month stay, �fty percent of the guests who had booked reservations cancelled due to the ter-rorist attack. Some of the guests who did come were from New York City,

and were eager to share their stories. Winston had been walking to his of�ce in

a building next to the World Trade Center Towers after the �rst plane hit. When the sec-

ond plane hit, he ran away so fast he lost one shoe. With a catch in his voice, he whispered he had

seen his missing shoe on TV. In his glistening eyes, I saw his grief for greater losses, and his gratitude for life.Jim and I often think about what a gift we were given–a gift

of paradise and time enough to breathe it all in. Even after all these years, I still challenge myself to continue to appreciate the ordinary beauty of every day. I now see bears and blue jays that frequent my back yard with the same sense of wonder that I had for the monkeys and toucans. I greet people of different races and customs with the same respect and lack of fear that I have for the Costa Ricans who gather their food with machetes and spear guns. I try new things and laugh at my mistakes with the same good humor that I did in paradise.

...I realized the man I had married

expected me to start cooking. This was a role

I had somehow failed to envision for myself.”

y husband Jim and I had never been to Costa Rica until April 2001, but �ve months later we returned as innsitters to allow the owners to take a va-cation. We had no experience as innkeepers. We didn’t speak the language. We weren’t familiar with the country. In spite of that, Bill and Jeff made us an offer. On a whim, we said yes. For two months in the fall, we would take care of an inn with four guest rooms in the main building and three private casitas. The property sat on seven acres overlook-ing Lake Arenal. Costa Rica was a paradise to us, and we were excited to return.

Jim and I took a crash course in Span-ish so we could converse with the �ve employees who spoke little-to-no Eng-lish. Since we would be there during the off season, we encouraged family and friends to take advantage of the dis-counted rates.

Eight days before we were due to leave, high hopes were replaced by heartbreak. September 11, 2001. Terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center and attacked the Pentagon.Planes were grounded. Our nation grieved. I prayed.

After several days of uncertainty, we decided to follow through with our commitment. Bill and Jeff gave us a few days of training when we arrived. Our job was to talk to guests (all of them spoke English), cook breakfast, shop for groceries, make reservations and handle the money. The employees cleaned rooms, washed dishes, and maintained the grounds.

Since we were just �ve months into our Spanish lessons, we were never far from our dictionary. With our meager vocabulary, hand signals and sincere smiles, we befriended the staff. Mainor and Manuel invited Jim to their soccer games, and Nuria taught me to cook many delicious Costa Rican recipes.

One night after dinner, I stopped in the bathroom. As I was leaving, I noticed an apparently dead scorpion behind the door. He was �at, as if someone had stepped on him with a big boot. I grabbed my camera and asked Jim to join me. He passed the door over the �attened scorpion a couple of times. It was as still as a corpse. Jim asked, “What makes you think it’s dead?” I said, “Well, of course he’s dead. He’s a �at as a pancake.” I tapped my camera near his squashed little head to prove it. Imagine my surprise when he puffed up his full-body attack armor with stinger fully erect and twitching and ran toward us. I jumped back, then �ew out of the bathroom in a single leap. I accidentally turned off the light as I �ed, leaving Jim alone

MOn a Whim and a Prayer

Mary Zalmanek

Mary Zalmanek is the

author of The Art of the

Spark: 12 Habits to Inspire

Romantic Adventures

(artofthespark.com), and is

a frequent contributor of

travel and lifestyle articles

to Motorhome Magazine.

Mary and her husband

Jim live in Colorado.

It didn’t happen every night, but sometimes the beauty of nature gave a

command performance. I had no choice but to drop everything and watch the sunset through

Maxfield Parrish eyes.

www.skirt.com april 2015 15

So much of what you are is where

you’ve been.” Jet Set Candy

“Never let your mind tell your heart not

to wander.” Unknown

What I wonder while I wander

“IF YOU DON’T KNOW

WHERE YOU ARE GOING, ANY ROAD WILL GET YOU

THERE.” Lewis Carroll

Am I who I’m meant to be? | Is this the right way?

Should I stay or should I go? | Do the 7 Wonders of the World have an order?

How many footsteps have landed here before mine? |What does this remind me of?

How long have I been here? | How far have I gone? |Left or right? | Forward or backward?

Am I lost? | Where does the time go? | how soon can I return?

where to next?


So much of what you are is where

you’ve been.” Jet Set Candy

“Never let your mind tell your heart not

to wander.” Unknown

What I wonder while I wander

“IF YOU DON’T KNOW

WHERE YOU ARE GOING, ANY ROAD WILL GET YOU

THERE.” Lewis Carroll

Am I who I’m meant to be? | Is this the right way?

Should I stay or should I go? | Do the 7 Wonders of the World have an order?

How many footsteps have landed here before mine? |What does this remind me of?

How long have I been here? | How far have I gone? |Left or right? | Forward or backward?

Am I lost? | Where does the time go? | how soon can I return?

where to next?


Trina Turk “Millan” skirtOne. 453 Highland Avenue Augusta706.869.2254

WHEREWill Your Skirt

take younext?

I dreamed I packed my skirt,

my magic wings, and flew off to another life

in another land.



dear

I miss those days when you could just push

someone into a pool without worrying about

their cell phone.”Unknown

Converse with caution.

If my eyes are closed, I am asleep. Or meditating.

Or trying to block out images of this plane

falling out of the sky. Do not take this

opportunity to start a conversation with me.

Read the social cues.

Stay in your own seat.

You’re allowed to get up and move about the

cabin when the passenger seat belt light is

turned off, but when you’re in your seat, be all in

your seat. Don’t spill over and wedge half of your

body into my bubble.

Turn it off.

When the �ight attendant says to turn off your

laptop to prepare for liftoff or landing, do it.

What if your device interferes with the plane’s

GPS? What if it messes up the radio signals?

What if we get rerouted or crash into another

aircraft? What if I freak out on you?

Discipline.

Your child is pummeling the seat in front of him

with his feet. This is obnoxious. Don’t make me

get involved and raise him myself.

Remove your elbow from my armrest.

My funny bone was there �rst, so let’s not

�ght for that tiny, two-inch space. What are we,

barbarians?

Use your words.

When it’s time for you to climb over me to go

to the lavatory, there’s no need for you to caress

my leg to get my attention. I can hear just �ne.

Observe proper eating etiquette.

I see that you brought a picnic with you. If you’re

not going to give me a heads up before you

eat your onion sandwich—so I can avert my

nostrils—perhaps you should pick another snack.

Do not grab my arm when we hit turbulence.

I’m not a �otation device (or a parachute) and

have no chance of saving you if this plane goes

down. Which it will. Kidding. Still, hands off.

Now that we have that out of the way…are

you going to eat those biscotti cookies you

left on your tray?


“One of the greatest gifts

you can give is your undivided

attention.”Oprah Winfrey

I miss those days when you could just push

someone into a pool without worrying about

their cell phone.”Unknown



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Deborah Brooks

It would be difficult to find a region of the world that Deborah hasn’t visited. From Cambodia to the trans Siberia, she loves exploring places

that might not be obvious choices. Out of all the places she has visited, Antarctica is the one she believes everyone should experience. “there’s

nothing like it,” she says. “the only place in the world that’s absolutely quiet.” this summer, she’s headed to India to travel via the Palace on

Wheels, a luxury railway car that travels throughout India overnight and stops for touring during the day. Deborah says she caught the travel bug

as a junior in college when she backpacked across Europe for five dollars per day, and has had it ever since. Even with everywhere she’s been,

she still has a long list of places left to see. “I think if you’re a true adventurer, you’ll always be up for a new adventure,” she says.

may2015


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Wrapping up her first year at Georgia Regents University as study abroad advisor, Hannah has been working all year to set up students for study

abroad trips this summer. With destinations ranging from Japan to Salamanca, she’s excited about what these students are about to see and learn

and experience. As an undergraduate herself, she studied abroad in Switzerland, Scotland and Russia. “You learn you can relate to anyone, even

if their worldview isn’t the same,” she says. She encourages students to study abroad because of the way it broadens their perspective, and also

how it provides context for what they learn in the classroom. Hannah grew up traveling with her family, visiting more than 15 different countries,

and studied travel and tourism at the University of Georgia. As study abroad advisor, she now works to make that kind of global adventure as

accessible and unintimidating as possible to current students. “It expands the way you see the world,” she says.

may2015

Hannah Carley


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Patty has seen a lot change in the travel industry during her more than 30 years of experience. When she first started out, one of her jobs

every day was to tear apart paper plane tickets to then deliver to customers. Now, all of her business is conducted over the phone or internet.

Despite all of these changes, Patty says the important things are still the same – she and her staff working hard to help their customers focus

on the actual trip, and not the stress of planning. “Most of our customers are happy customers because they’re doing something they’re really

excited about.” Whether it’s planning a business trip for a corporate client or a trip to Antarctica for a frequent traveler, Patty says every day

and every trip is different. She herself has traveled all over the world, and loves how she can travel vicariously through her customers. “I love

hearing people when they come back, all excited, sharing about their trips,” she says.

may2015

Patty Font



LITTLE KNOWN FACT: One out of eight jobs in the U.S. depends on travel and tourism.

THE HAPPINESS FACTOR: Studies show that money spent on experiences like travel makes you happier than money spent on material goods.

A ROAD TRIP GIVES YOU THE FREEDOM TO

CHANGE YOUR MIND AND

GO WITH THE FLOW.

“ I l o v e a g o o d r o a d t r i p . A n d I h a v e

b e e n k n o w n t o s i n g c h e e s y ' 8 0 s s o n g s a t

t h e t o p o f m y l u n g s o n a w i n d y r o a d w h e n n o

o n e c a n h e a r.”Morena Baccarin “ P e o p l e d o n ' t

t a k e t r i p s — t r i p s t a k e p e o p l e .”

J o h n S t e i n b e c k

“ B l e s s e d a r e t h e c u r i o u s , f o r t h e y

s h a l l h a v e a d v e n t u r e s .”L o v e l l e D r a c h m a n

L e t ’s G o o n a R o a d t r i p

skirt!magazine may 2015 51

TRAVEL TIME FOR AUGUSTA.indd 1 4/28/15 2:57:04 PM


LITTLE KNOWN FACT: One out of eight jobs in the U.S. depends on travel and tourism.

THE HAPPINESS FACTOR: Studies show that money spent on experiences like travel makes you happier than money spent on material goods.

A ROAD TRIP GIVES YOU THE FREEDOM TO

CHANGE YOUR MIND AND

GO WITH THE FLOW.

“ I l o v e a g o o d r o a d t r i p . A n d I h a v e

b e e n k n o w n t o s i n g c h e e s y ' 8 0 s s o n g s a t

t h e t o p o f m y l u n g s o n a w i n d y r o a d w h e n n o

o n e c a n h e a r.”Morena Baccarin “ P e o p l e d o n ' t

t a k e t r i p s — t r i p s t a k e p e o p l e .”

J o h n S t e i n b e c k

“ B l e s s e d a r e t h e c u r i o u s , f o r t h e y

s h a l l h a v e a d v e n t u r e s .”L o v e l l e D r a c h m a n

L e t ’s G o o n a R o a d t r i p

skirt!magazine may 2015 51


“order me two Farm Fresh Eggs,

Grilled Tomatoes,HOMEMADE sausage,

Grits & a pecan waf� e.”

Tybee Island, GA,

has long been known for a

little out of the way, slightly chaotic

great little diner called the Breakfast Club.

The portions are absurdly large

and the atmosphere is crazy fun.

Who knew watching the staff cook

breakfast could be so

entertaining?

LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Owner/chef is a Culinary Institute of America alum and assisted in the catering of JFK Jr.'s wedding.

GET THERE EARLY AND

HUNGRY.

WHY IT’S WORTH THE DRIVE: With a motto like “Open daily from 7am 'til about 1pm every day for the rest of my life!” from the chef, how could it not be?

H o w c a n y o u g o w r o n g w i t h a f r i e d c h i c k e n b r e a k f a s t ?

M a k e s u r e y o u h a v e s o m e o n e t o s h a r e

i t w i t h . S m a l l , c r o w d e d a n d a c o o k w i t h a l o t o f e n e r g y . T h i s p l a c e

r o c k s f r o m t h e m i n u t e i t o p e n s !

I f y o u r e a l l y w a n t a t r e a t , s i t a t t h e c o u n t e r.

W a t c h i n g t h e c o o k s i n a c t i o n i s

l i k e w a t c h i n g a g r e a t r e a l i t y s h o w.

Destination:The Breakfast ClubTybee IslandGeorgia

I ’LL BE THERE IN

H

OURS & 25 MINUTE

S

thebreakfastclubtybee.com

52 may 2015 skirt!magazine



february2015

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Pay attention to life’s small miracles. Always stay positive. Take every chance.

Love every moment.

may

Georgie Latremouille

sIx of my fAvorITe ThInGs: sIx words ThAT descrIbe me:

1. Getting lost

2. watermelon on a summer day

3. hand-written letters

4. daily adventures

5. dandelions

6. walking barefoot

1. dream chaser

2. Aspiring world traveler

3. christ lover

4. Life enthusiast

5. freelance Photographer

6. Avid thrift shopper

2015


Skirt May 2015

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