by: Lauren Hodges

Re-Vision: A Change of Art
Featuring UNCW Creative Writing
students, and voluntary donations benefit DREAMS of Wilmington
Parallelogram • 3rd and Castle streets
October 23rd, 6-9pm

The art community is (ideally) self-explanatory: a community of creative folks who lean on each other for support and inspiration. Yet, the need to distinguish one’s own medium from others can sometimes feel like a heavy job, causing isolation and competition.

“Art can be made out to be a lonely business,” Christiana Guppy, a creative writing grad student at UNCW, says. “But it doesn’t have to be. It’s important for artists of all mediums to seek each other out and support each other whenever we can. We’re in the same tribe.”

encore talks to Guppy, along with Rochelle Hurt, about the upcoming art show, Re-vision: A Change of Art, featuring visual art from the Department of Creative Writing at UNCW.

encore: Tell us about Re-vision and where the idea generated.
Rochelle Hurt: The theme is borrowed from the poet, essayist and feminist theorist Adrienne Rich. Our use of the term is slightly different from Rich’s, who was speaking of a change of perspective but similar in spirit. We’re interested not only in the idea of revision that we use everyday as writers, but in the idea of seeing old or familiar things, again in new ways—not only transforming our conceptions of those things, but transforming them visually and physically. ... we’re transforming or re-envisioning everything from household items to cultural and spiritual practices.

Chris Guppy: The show itself started a few years ago when a group of students in the MFA writing program at UNCW wanted to band together and create visual art. Janie Miller, a recent graduate of the program, was a great champion for the project in the years she was in the program, and she’s actually been a great help this year, too. Not only is it an opportunity for our program to make ourselves visible in the community where we live, but it’s also important for us to reach out and make connections with other artists in Wilmington.

e: What can we expect to see at the show?
CG: One of my favorite pieces is a book-arts piece by Rachel Jenkins. She’s taken an old book cover and added a fold-out “comic strip” that combines old Peanuts comics and text from an old Rorshach inkblot test book, with responses from subjects filling in the Peanuts kids’ speech bubbles. I think it’s a great example of taking something originally intended for a different purpose and juxtaposing it with something totally disparate, for a new effect. It’s clever and funny.

RH: A great is example of the kind of transformation described above is Chris Guppy’s sculptural representation of the Tree of Life, a sacred symbol taken from the Kabbalah, constructed entirely out of Tinker Toys. Not only are the toys themselves transformed as objects, but the very concept of the Tree of Life, and of spiritual symbols in general, is “revised.”

e: What is the connection between the Creative Writing Department and visual art?
RH: I think that writers, just like other artists, need creative outlets outside of their professional endeavors. Many of the writers at UNCW are also visual artists, filmmakers, crafters and musicians, so organizing all this creative energy into a show like this one is very important to us. In the writing world at large, visual art and writing have always been, and continue to be in conversation with one another, offering new sources of inspiration and collaborative opportunities, from ekphrastic poetry to biblical paintings, to illustrations in children’s books and graphic novels.

CG: Personally, I find that when I’m not working on my visual art, my writing stagnates, dries up. They feed each other. And on a literal, practical level, a lot of the pieces featured in the show include textual elements. I have a collage piece that’s a response to a poem. Some of the drawings and collages in the show include ripped pages from journals, or writing scrawled over an image. The combination of word and image engages the whole brain­—the right imagistic side, as well as the left verbal side.

By Emily Rea and Shea Carver

Every year my assistant editor, Emily, and I sit back and discuss the
items of interest that seem to weigh on the minds and fall from the lips of our community. The spur-of-the-moment list always begins with topics we are enjoying talking about; other times it stems from the popularitywe observe as being part of the media and everyday society. Regardless of how we cull our annual hot list, we never run out of conversations (or jokes) when it comes to filling the slots with suggestions and/or simple fun readingeach and every July—a month apropos to anything hot. Here is the 2009 Hot List.

SOCIAL NETWORKING
Social networking on the Internet is nothing new, but we have to admit: This year it’s been hotter than ever! With the recent boom of Tweeters (Twitterees?), and everybody and their mamas on Facebook (literally), the Web has become something of a final frontier: expansive in scope, limitless in potential, openly available, and enthralling to all who dare to step foot in its terrain. Now it seems as though everyone has a voice, from 140-word status updates, to blogging, to discussion threads on Facebook pages. The sharing of information—however personal, vain, exploitative or even, at times, insightful—has become practically infinite. The media no longer has a stronghold over what we see, hear and know. Want news on the war in Iraq? Follow that friend from high school, now in uniform, on Twitter to get the real story behind enemy lines. Want to know what it’s really like to be a celebrity, other than all the drama printed on covers for higher magazine sales? Hey, we can even follow P. Diddy along his daily activities and general playa-ing!

Especially hot in the land of social networking—that has now spread even beyond the Web, onto T-shirts, etc.—is the “likes-this” phenomenon. So thrilled are we to express our undying adoration of what people have to say or the picture they posted from that crazy night out, that people are likes-this ranting all over the place. There is now even a group on Facebook called “Dislikes This”—of course, for those just as willing to express their heated disapproval over one’s continual commentary or change in “relationship status.” Yikes. With such public scrutiny of our every action, thought and dress, it would seem we have entered the realm of the Everyman celebrity!

Good or bad the way anyone perceives this über-connectedness to be, we have found it is best to keep up with the hottness than to be left behind in the pop-culture dirt. With the infatuation for social networking at all-new heights this summer, we at encore don’t expect to see this bad boy waning any time soon. Oh yeah—we like this.

HULA-HOOPING
What’s that we type? Hula-hooping? Yes, my friends, and it is not our mama’s ‘50s-sock-hop kind, either! This latest craze from the past is back in full “swing,” so to speak. It’s the circular nature of trends, that all things old are made new again. (I think one of those Lion-King characters sang about it once.) Some things, it would appear, are never truly “out”—just below the radar for a while. Hula-hooping in its new-millenium form is not just for kids anymore but adults, too! And it’s everywhere, even in the truly hottest of locales, like Wrightsville Beach (encore has indeed spotted quite a few hoopin’ hipsters on its sandy shores these past couple months). Even the ever-popular Nintendo Wii Fit has incorporated the hula motion into its all-encompassing workouts. But why Wii when we can do the weal (er, real) thing?

For those of us a bit out of touch with our hip-swirling inner selves, Radiant Hoops of Wilmington is here to offer a little help in getting our bodies in motion. “Hoop dance” is the latest way to swing that hoop, and Radiant Hoops specializes in instruction, fitness and performance. “This unique form of physical activity provides confidence, empowerment and a total sensation of mind-body well-being through the revolving properties of the hoop,” its Web site, www.radianthoops.com, states. From out-of-town camp retreats, to dance workshops, to Hoop Fit classes, Radiant Hoops has put an all-new spin on this classic activity—pun intended! Check ‘em out on the Web or at the Riverfront Farmers’ Market every Saturday.

FRONT STREET CLOSING
What’s hot isn’t always easy, that’s for sure. Wait—let me rephrase that. Sometimes what’s hottest on the lips of people about town isn’t always about a fun new trend or favorite hot spot. Complaints and unpleasantries will, unfortunately, never go out of style. Take, for example, the upcoming closing of downtown’s Front Street, a topic that has been firing the tempers and opinions of Wilmingtonians ever since it was first mentioned and scheduled.

For any readers who don’t live downtown and/or who aren’t in the know yet, here’s the deal: The City of Wilmington is planning to shut down the first two blocks of North Front Street for six months to reconstruct pipelines, water and sewer, as well as to improve its landscaping. At first, they said their plans would take roughly six months, beginning in October, lasting through the Christmas rush.

Recently, we asked encore’s Facebook fan-page members to comment on the timing of all this and its effects on downtown businesses. Answers ranged from somber (“This is a death sentence for downtown,” Jennifer Caslin said) to downright indignant (“This is a horrible, horrible idea . . . Wilmington needs to be more mindful of its actual residents than of the people who litter our streets and sidewalks for the festivals and sunshine,” Lauren Hodges ranted).

Despite any positive intentions or outcomes, there is no doubt in the minds of many that closing Front Street for six months will be a huge detriment to downtown businesses and the to navigation of downtown in general, among other things. However, a positive is that it won’t be affecting the holiday rush. They’ve now scheduled it to begin in January. Regardless, it’s a hot-button topic sure to be sending smoke from locals’ ears for months to come. Someone get the fire extinguisher—this one’s a flame we don’t want to fan!

COMEDY
If anything is in high demand these days in the crux of a recession, it’s a good laugh. Laughter is the cure-all for a bad day, even if temporary, an instant mood-enhancer with all those happy endorphins it is known to release. And when people need to escape the harsh realities of their daily lives, a comedy routine is both timely and healing—not to mention quite entertaining!

Fortunately, Wilmigtonians have lots of comedy options from which to choose this summer, including the popular Nutt Street Comedy, back in action on the basement floor of the Soapbox Laundro Lounge. Starting in mid July, Nutt Street will provide improv comedy routines for our viewing pleasure on Wednesday nights at 9pm. Open-mic stand-up routines (for any local amateurs willing to give it a go) have already started on Thursday nights, also beginning at 9pm. But perhaps the biggest draw of all are the featured comedians on Friday and Saturday nights, starting the last weekend in July and running through the month of August.

“These are high-caliber comedians out there on the comedy circuit from L.A. and New York,” cofounder Brent Watkins says. “They’re the real deal. The shows will take cues from a Comedy-Central, Reno-911 style of comedy.” Shows will be $8 in advance, $10 at the door, and $6 for students and those in the service industry. The basement will operate as a bar from 10pm-2am. The Soapbox basement, which can hold up to 100 people, will also be available to rent out (call 910-251-7881 for details). “It’s a pretty cozy environment for private parties,” Watkins says. For more information about Nutt Street Comedy, call 1-888-727-Nutt (6888).

Also jumping on the comedy train is Guerilla Theatre, whose latest weekly sitcom, “Sides,” shows every Monday at 9:30pm at Browncoat Pub and Theatre. Having originated from local actor Tony Moore and Guerilla Theatre’s director, Richard Davis, “Sides” was born from “the concept of ‘Shelf Life,’ performed at Bessie’s many moons ago,” according to Alisa Harris, who performs alongside a talented slate of actors, including Quinn Kishpaugh, Hank Toler, Carl Guthrie, among others sucha s Moore and Davis. “‘Where ‘Shelf Life’ was a parody of soap operas, ‘Sides’ really comes off more like a dramedy.”

Made up of actors in their ‘20s, the show is written and directed by Moore for most episodes. He enlists cameos by local guests, such as Steve Vernon, so the audience is always in for a special treat.
“I play a recurring character, Vera,” Harris notes, “the lusty landlady who’ll let the rent slide for ‘services rendered.’”

The doors open every Monday at 9pm. For a $5 cover charge, folks will enjoy live acting with local talent, something that sure as hell beats the rigmarole of watching “Jon and Kate Plus 8.”

DUCK AND DIVE
No, it’s not a new drinking game, nor is it the way to avoid the war on terrorism (although, it may work just as well). Duck & Dive is downtown Wilmington’s newest hot spot—a British pub offering its barflies weekly specials and entertainment never to disappoint.

Operating as a sister bar to 4th Street’s Goat and Compass, Duck and Dive—-cockney slang for “hide”—-has, in fact, become the hideaway from Front Street, located at 114 Dock. They have outdoor benches allowing for perfect people-watching any given day of the week and a side courtyard to transport any Wilmingtonian to some New-Orleans hideout.
Their specials range from half-price wine on Wednesdays, to Mickey Mondays (where patrons are encouraged to solve the riddle under the cap), to Red-Bull bombs offered any day of the week. And as any true pub should be, cold beer runs from the tap and bottles freely, offering a variety of some of the best hops and ales in town.

Duck and Dive brings in live entertainment that has seemingly appealed to the masses since its opening day back in February. Currently, they welcome another hot list member, No Dollar Shoes, every Wednesday night, where patrons pack in the space for sheer bluegrass enjoyment. Fred Flynn, Wes Sayer, Shane Griffith Project and others often take the D&amp stage, as do numerous open-mic contenders every other Monday night, who are accompanied by the talent of Jane Beck, guitarist, drummer and all-around impressive musician. Even the “One Tree Hill” cast can be seen hanging out here every now and then, seeing as Sophia Bush hosted an open-mic a few short weeks back.

Drop in and say hi to their bartenders: Todd, Greg, Fred, Misty, Charlie, Misty, Kallie and the crew. Chances are, you’ll never want to leave.

REFRESHING BEVS
OK, so with the steamy nights of July come many a thirst-quenching coolants. Aside from the enormous amount of beer choices we have around town (Mojo IPA is one pick from a local who swears by its crisp grapefruit notes), there are a slew of refreshing bevs, a la wines and bubbles, that turn any sweltering, unbearable afternoon into a celebration of fresh enjoyment.

One of our favorite summer wines at encore include the Portuguese Vinho Verde—literally meaning “green wine.” Harvested from the Minho region in the far north part of Portugal, farmers train the vines to grow high off the ground so families can till the soil for vegetable crops below. The wine itself is effervescent, light and refreshing, offering floral and fruity flavors perfect for the South’s hot, humid days. Many local eateries and bars carry the vino, so it’s enjoyment is never too far of a sip away (Nikki’s Sushi Bar, downtown, and Duck & Dive, both of whom stock Broadbent, offer it half-price on Wednesday nights).

Also on our list of refreshing bevs: bubbles. Yes, we love champagne and sparkling wine, so much so we often do a little “bubbles dance” on Fridays. What can we say? Simply knowing a flute is awaiting us entices our best work.

Of the numerous choices around town, from Duvel Leroy (at Caprice Bistro) to Prosecco (at Bottega Art and Wine Gallery), a glass (or bottle) can make anything ordinary rather extraordinary.

One of our favorite sparklings comes in the form of rosé. Schramsberg 2005 Brut Rosé really tips the richter scale of luxe flavor, but it’s a bit hard to find nowadays. Yet, a visit to Deluxe, Ruth’s Chris, or any local wine shop will offer other varieties sure to bring a nice dose of fizz to the palate.

SMOKING BAN
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But on January 2nd, 2010, there won’t be either in bars or restaurants throughout North Carolina. Even though many people fought against tobacco country’s smoking ban, it looks like the bill will be passed anyway. House of Representatives voted 62-56, and the State Senate passed it as well. Now it awaits Givernor Bev Purdue’s and President Obama’s signatures.

What this means for smokers is quite simple: no firing up the cancer sticks at the bar, in a restaurant, or anywhere within their four or so walls. Of course, there are exclusions to the rule, all of which include cigar bars, private clubs and nonprofit organizations.

The question at hand from most folks is: “What determines a private club?” As it was explained to encore from a local bar bouncer: Private clubs refer to our area’s country clubs and yacht clubs, while nonprofit organizations refer to the American Legions and such around town. Private bars, such as those that require membership, are not exempt from the ban. If a bar has a high percentage of alcohol sales, it will be a no-smoking facility, bottom line.

But for those who want to savor every last draw, outdoor areas will still be open to fire up. Of course, it’s probably only a matter of time before it’s banned in public completely.

MICHAEL JACKSON
No, it’s not kosher for celebrity deaths to make our hot list. But don’t get us wrong; it’s not like we’re hoping for the death of an A- (or B- or C-) lister to happen again. Really, we’re not that gruesome.

Simply put: How can we have a hot list in July 2009 and not mention June 25th, 2009, the day Michael Jackson passed. Yes, we know, people die daily. And the world keeps ticking with or without them. But encoreans were completely abuzz—as was the rest of the world—after seeing the flashing news tickers projecting the sad and unbelievable news to fans everywhere. There wasn’t one TV or radio channel avoiding the report on the pop icon’s tragic life and death. Almost instantly, we started seeing music videos once again, as MTV, VH1 and BET immediately ran retrospective hits for days on end. People were crying, speaking out and connectively devastated by Jackson’s cardiac arrest.

As the world truly was his stage, not one person can deny the King of Pop’s power to attract multitudes of insanely dedicated fans. Jackson transformed pop culture on many realms, diverting music videos from fun little ditties with pictures to full-on mini movies. And he danced with a force—his feet and legs made of rhythm that no one else could come close to replicating and probably never will.

Through his untimely death, and even two weeks after, as endless information is revealed about its causes, the world still mourns. By the time this paper is out, his public memorial will have taken place at the Staples Center in L.A. Yet, his life will also be commemorated in Wilmington with this Friday’s Downtown Sundown, featuring the Michael Jackson tribute act, Who’s Bad? The show will start in front of the Federal Building off Water Street Friday night around 7pm or so, and vendors will be out for patrons to buy food and beverages. Afterward, a Michael Jackson Tribute Dance Party will be held at Odessa. Come one and all, white sequined gloves and red-leather jackets alike. Let’s dance one last time for “the man in the mirror.”

SMOKING BAN
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But on January 2nd, 2010, there won’t be either in bars or restaurants throughout North Carolina. Even though many people fought against tobacco country’s smoking ban, it looks like the bill will be passed anyway. House of Representatives voted 62-56, and the State Senate passed it; now it awaits Governor Bev Purdue’s and President Obama’s signatures.

What this means for smokers is quite simple: no firing up the cancer sticks at the bar, in a restaurant, or anywhere within their four or so walls. Of course, there are exclusions to the rule, all of which include cigar bars, private clubs and nonprofit organizations.

The question at hand from most folks is: “What determines a private club?” As it was explained to encore from a local bar-back: Private clubs refer to our area’s country clubs and yacht clubs, while nonprofit organizations refer to the American Legions and such around town. Private bars, such as those that require membership, are not exempt from the ban.

But for those who want to savor every last draw, outdoor areas will still be open to the puffs and pulls—that is until it’s banned in public completely.

NO DOLLAR SHOES
What would an annual hot list be without a local band making its mark? Working for an arts and entertainment pub means we get exposed to many variations of sound and bands in Wilmington—and we mean many. But one local act who has turned our zombie-like smirks (thank you, weekly deadlines) upside down and our stationary feet into dancing balls of fire is local bluegrassers No Dollar Shoes (NDS).

Made up of twin brothers Jesse and Carson Jewel (guitar/vocals/harmonica), Ryan Eversole (fiddle/mandolin/vocals) and Benji Smith (bass/vocals), NDS claim a brand of ‘grass that’s part country-punk, part rockabilly and a whole lotta Americana. They make three-part harmonies sound downright sinful, and they’re musicianship onstage manages to consistently hypnotize audiences into a deep love affair with string instruments. It can’t be denied that the foursome’s high energy combined with precise, soulful artistry makes them
lethal—and overdosing to their rhythms is not something to avoid.

Luckily, music lovers can get their fix on any given night of the week, as NDS take the stage frequently, including Wednesday gigs at the Duck & Dive. Their schedule keeps them moving about all over town, too, from 16 Taps to the Soapbox, Goat and Compass to The Ocean Grill. Check them out on their MySpace page, myspace.com/nodollarhoes, to hear the music, and plan to attend one of their upcoming shows, which are listed there, too.

ASIAN FOOT SOAK SANCTUARY
Our feet carry us day in, day out, through our lives, and all of its stresses and enjoyments. It bears the brunt of our weight, often harboring our bodies’ discrepancies. Massages—the full-body kind or otherwise—help move the toxins through our bodies and release the tensions we carry. The latest alternative approach to such enchantment includes reflexology, now practiced at the Asian Foot Soak Sanctuary at 260 Racine Drive.

Focusing only on the bottom half of our body, the Asian Foot Soak works various areas of the feet, which correlate and help with other parts of our bodies in hopes of cleansing and purifying our qi (energy flow). For instance, releasing blocked energy from our big toe may also help our sinuses, while our heel also corresponds to our sciatic nerves.

The reflexologists at Asian Foot Soak Sanctuary provide a relaxing environment for customers to sit back and let go. Offering an herbal tea soak first allows for the feet to settle and ease the tension before being carefully worked with deep massage techniques. Anyone who spends time on their feet often, or who harbors stress in their legs and feet, will be in a different realm of appreciation after one session here. The best part: a one-hour foot massage is only $40, while a half-hour is $25.

Four reflexologists will be on staff starting this week; feel free to make an appointment ahead of time, or just walk on in and enjoy its tranquility.

by: Carolyna Shelton

“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens/Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens….”

These may be somebody’s (a former nun’s; life is sparse in the convent) favorite things, but I think my list is better. My “These Are My Favorite Things” song goes like this:

“Godiva chocolate to eat all I could/cold beer and naptime and good morning wood…”

What? Like it isn’t one of your favorite things, too.

I have been researching penises, which makes being a sex writer a fantastic excuse to surround myself with books that have titles like, Why Do Men Have Nipples? (Leyner and Goldberg, Three Rivers Press). I also have Men’s Health, which is my favorite men’s insecurity magazine, and a font of helpful info about men and their twigs and berries.
Studying so my readers can be uplifted has been a hard challenge, but I am up for the task; so, pass the KY and let’s get to it, shall we?

Top 10 Phallic Phacts (brought to you by Trojan Magnums, the condom you have to buy unless you want to announce that you have a wee winkie):

10. Let’s start with morning wood, aka Morning Glory, or in more medical terminology, “Nocturnal Tumescence.” According to Leyner and Goldberg, these involuntary erections occur during REM sleep, which is common just before waking up. One benefit of morning wood is that erections inhibit urination so when one has a full bladder in the early morning, he doesn’t pee pee the bed and risk a seriously un-sexy occasion Now isn’t that a thoughtful design touch, men? Who wants to wake up smelling like a nursing home laundry hamper? Plus, it helps to be able to tell the missus she’s responsible for the lumber. Everybody wins!

9. To break or not break the boner! While there’s no actual bone there, one can actually fracture his penis, which requires emergency surgery to correct. And what’s the most common reason for a phallic fracture? Vigorous masturbation, says Mike Zimmerman of Men’s Health, who also notes, “Some risks are just worth taking.”

8. Foreskin from circumcised babies has been used for skin graphs for burn victims. According to Zimmerman, one foreskin can stretch to 23,000 square meters, which, when considering the United States covers 9,629,091 square kilometers, that would mean he would have whacked off the foreskins of 418,656,130 infants, we could solve our UV woes with an expandable tarp.

7. Speaking of male circumcision, here are some snippy facts from Why Do Men Have Nipples?
· Circumcision was advocated in the 12th century to curb men’s sexual appetites.
· It was used in English-speaking countries in the 1800s to reduce masturbation.
· Non-religion circumcision is performed far more often in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world. Sixty-five percent of boys are circumcised, having 33-50 of their penile skin removed as well as nearly all of their neuroreceptors.

6. Any guy wondering what he’s missing? Well, turns out guys can grow their foreskin back. The curious can visit www.cirp.org for help, but be forewarned: The need to attach wiener weights may cause security issues at airports and government buildings.

Airport guard: “I don’t understand it. You’re still setting off the metal detector.”

You (whispering desperately): “It’s my wiener weights.”

Airport guard: “Your weiner weights? Security! We have a code ‘4-Skin’ at Gate 6!”

If wiener weights are a bit off-putting, apparently, men can resort to a more manual form of growth encouragement called “tugging.” Seems to me that “tugging” is an imperative man-thang from the time he-babies develop the “seek and grip” reflex; why don’t they all grow new foreskins if this works?

5. Guys are either “growers” or “showers,” meaning the presentation when they are not thinking about sex (which is only during prostate exams or when seeing their grandmother’s in the shower) has little(!) to do with the presentation at show time. Also, the average length of a male’s penis for Kinsey’s study in 1942 was 6.2 inches. The average length in a 1991 study was 5.1 inches. This trend indicates some bad news, men. (Oh, and men who have a penis that is more than 2.5 standard deviations smaller than the norm, well, they have a micropenis, which is hardly(!) a designation any guy wants when shopping for condoms.)

4. Penises are really shaped like boomerangs. The root of the penis is inside, attached to the pubic bone, creating the boomerang shape. So I think a great new euphemism would be the “Thunder from Down Under.” Though, if any man said that to me, I would laugh helplessly before giving up and turning to the Internet for sex.

3. Penises have a mind of their own. Hahahahaha! Who knew? Erections answer to the sympathetic nervous system, which as it turns out, doesn’t feel sorry for any man’s penis, even just a little. Wood happens. It’s as simple as that.

2. German researchers say the average bout of intercourse takes a surprisingly efficient (and hardly satisfying for one of us) two minutes and 50 seconds. Kind of makes one wonder why such a brief endeavor occupies 740 hours of thought a year, according to one of my favorite afternoon radio shows.

1. And the number one phallic phact: Ejaculation requires no brain activity whatsoever. The order to climax comes directly from the spinal cord (or perhaps a dominatrix). Getting off is truly a no-brainer after all.

Despite all of the oddness, they still are among hot among “My Favorite Things.” Beats “schnitzel with noodles” any day.

by: Tiffanie Gabrielse

Following September 11th, 2001, everyone vowed to remember where they were when the Twin Towers fell. That morning I was in a dorm at Dartmouth and was awakened by a hysterical phone call from my mom. Since then the roster of novels and texts addressing 9/11 and its consequences has grown steadily. Within our book club, Nicholas Sparks contributes to the list, and Dear John takes our political climate in the 21st century to yet another level: escapism.

Narrator John Tyree is a rebel son of Wilmington, N.C., improved first by the service and later by angelic college-gal Savannah Lynn Curtis. Her old-fashioned virtues, her devotion to remain a virgin and her commitment as a church-going teetotaler are cherished by John, and so begins his crash course in true love.

While home on leave, the couple spend two passing weeks together, including a harmless scene under a half-built roof that’s as cliché as they come. For more than a year, he pines, and she bears the hardship that is military life. Then the Twin Towers fall. Rather than getting honorably discharged from the Army and returning to his love, John makes the ultimate sacrifice and re-enlists.

In January 2003 his unit is sent into Turkey, then transfers to Kuwait. In March he participates in the invasion of Iraq. John’s days play out in the desert, but for Savannah, his prolonged post-9/11 absences erode their relationship. Finally, he receives the infamous titular letter from Savannah, and she must face her own unlucky destiny.

In a plot ridden with love, new and lost, the question remains steadfast for book-club readers: Was Sparks’ work enough to make them participate in a Kleenex sales hike and many-a-boyfriend antsy? New encore fan, Jim Smith, of Wilmington, begins our review with a powerful and personal interpretation.
“I happened to come across your article on business in Wilmington. I picked up Dear John in the airport and read it on my trip across country, and became saddened to hear your dislike for his work. Paul Newman once said, ‘If you wake up and you have a pulse, then you have a purpose.’ For John Tyree and I (who did two tours in Vietnam, 75th Army Rangers), two military warriors who have both seen combat, it was not to take a life but to give one by letting go. Certainly I’m not a literary critic, but in reading anyone’s work, should it be Nicholas Sparks or Web Griffin, I try to allow the story to place me there as if I am standing invisible and watching the story unfold. By doing this, I can really feel a part of the story. If it is able to keep me there then, for me, the writer did a good job.

“Would Nichols Sparks write a happy-ever-after ending? No, he wouldn’t. However, the ending is a life lesson that things don’t always turn out as we think they should and that sometimes the greater good is when you give up something you love so someone else can be happy.”

Allow me to first and foremost begin by thanking you not only for your personal and insightful review, but also for your service and bravery in Vietnam. I understand and agree that the message within the work is to demonstrate that the greater good in life is not to put oneself first. I also agree with your later sentiments that all books, or at least most of them, have a tendency to dwell too long on transfer points and can cause readers to become unattached. That point in Dear John can be found when he is back overseas and ready to leave Savannah behind.

Call me selfish, Jim, but I have to disagree. When it comes to love in war, one should always hang on tight—no excuses.

In Dear John I feel Sparks made a giant mistake with Savannah. We experienced her relentless commitment to God, chastity and charity. But where was the same commitment to John? Alas, I didn’t see it, I didn’t feel it, and it made me so angry that ultimately the work lost me. Yes, as readers, we’re meant to take part in John’s sorrow at Savannah’s defection, but Sparks’ sticky and soft vision of her character—half Doris Day, half Saint Jude—personally provoked within me a different reaction to their breakup. I wasn’t saddened, I was relieved from the long, monotonous experience.

Complementing my feelings, Sergeant Mark Koop writes and insists, “Tiffanie, each time I come to Wilmington, I look for your articles. You’re the first critic I’ve come to respect. You’re tough, honest and no doubt a Marine wife. But next time, do me a favor? When you want a military read to escape into, review The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo. It will be the book-club‘s male version of Jersey Barnes—guaranteed.”

Sergeant Koop, we may have to take you up on that advice.
Within her second review for our book club, Kristy Totten agrees. “There has to be something better out there. Like you, Tiffanie, I’m not that sappy girl either. You’re not alone! I heard Sparks is one of the first to set the age-old boy-meets-girl love story in the post-9/11 world, but he failed to dive into how the war truly affected their relationship. I feel key factors that test the nature of relationships in the military were missing. If he did this, maybe more girlfriends or wives could relate. Maybe I could relate. And I believe that’s the goal for any woman regarding this novel: to relate.

“The interactions between John and his father did create a nice sub-plot, and the descriptions of North Carolina were interesting, but that’s just because I can say, ‘I know where that is!’
“I will definitely see the movie, though. According to Vanity Fair, Channing Tatum and the star to Step-Up have signed on. Hopefully producers will depict the rigors of military relationships better.”
In the end, regardless of whether or not readers feel that his plots are unbelievable and unoriginal, Sparks’ story undeniably left club members emotionally stirred as it echoed the effects of loneliness, longing and separation. Dear John not only created a reaction among current club members but also enlisted new members to join our ranks. Because of this, Spark’s work succeeded within our club wonderfully. For me, however, the story was a cookie-cutter tear-jerker, depicting two characters who were blind to love‘s depths in the hour of separation.

encore Book Club’s next read is our very own movie critic’s latest novel, The Fence Mender, by Anghus Houvouras, available at Old Books on Front St., Pomegranate Books and Two Sisters Bookery. Questions for author should be sent to Tiffanie by July 25th: tiffanie107@hotmail.com.

Jones Fish Camp
7770 Market Street
(910) 681-1000
3 stars (out of 5)

by: Rosa Bianca

I am sometimes asked, rather wistfully, by friends what it is like to be a restaurant critic. “Well,” I tell them, “you eat your way through a lot of fried-seafood combo platters.” This always makes them pause, their visions of weekly five-star meals in five-star ambience dashed against the greasy realities of meat-and-three ambiance. But the truth is, living in a coastal town means eating where the locals eat. And the locals tend to congregate at the bars, grills and seafood diners. A good portion of my summers are spent wandering up and down the beaches, stopping at every seafood shack with a roadside sign. Luckily, I’m quite fond of fried-seafood combo platters.

I love them, actually. I love the taste of hot corn breading and cool, crunchy slaw. I love the sweet, juicy burst of flavor from the shrimp or oysters hidden under their breaded crust. I like the taste of tartar sauce and love the taste of restaurant cocktail sauce almost as much as I hate the taste of restaurant marinara. I like squeezing lemon juice all over my order. I love the baskets of hush puppies and the side dishes of sweet corn; the crunchy, sweet taste of coleslaw; and the cool, clean taste of the sweet tea to wash it all down. Really, there is nothing not to love about a good, fried-seafood combo platter. About the only way to ruin it is to burn the food, and whatever someone thinks about the seafood shacks in the area, that is the one thing they never, ever do.

The latest seafood restaurant to come within my purview is Jones Fish Camp, newly opened on Market Street in Ogden, where the old Wahoo Wilies used to be. It is part relocation, part reinvention. The original Jones Seafood was a little further down the street, closer to town—one of the Port City’s local best kept secrets. Actually, according to the menu, the original Jones Seafood was opened in the ‘60s in Calabash, NC, which is why they can say even 50 years later that they serve “Calabash-style seafood.”

The new location has the advantage of being much larger, and with a much bigger parking lot, but devotees of the older restaurant will be pleased to note that the menu remains constant. This is first and foremost a fish house. A seafood joint. Or as they say at Jones: “a fish camp.” There are a couple of non-seafood items offered, but they are afterthoughts. Even the New York strip steak comes with shrimp (boiled or fried), and it is indicative of the singe-mindedness of the place that the first item under the salad menu is fried shrimp, the second is fried oysters. Lettuce, it seems, is only an excuse for eating more seafood. Even the sides, which in any self-respecting Southern diner would have things like lima beans or corn, even this is dominated by seafood—catfish, trout, oysters, deviled crab, shrimp, scallops. There’s a “vegetable of the day” at the end of the list, sure for no one to pay attention to. Diners will be happy know that when they order their Calabash-style fried combo platter with shrimp, oysters and clams, they can also ask for a side of catfish to round out the meal and give it a little diversity.

There is something rather wonderful about eating at a place that insists on feeding everyone fried-seafood no matter what. Really, when Fay and I sat down for dinner last week, I took one look at the menu and one more at the heaped plates of golden-brown breaded things in front of the diners around us, and I knew I’d never have the gumption to ask for the grilled chicken. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that particular item is on the menu for show, and they go weeks without having to actually fix it. No, I dutifully kept my eyes trained on the part of the menu that said “Calabash-Style Combination Seafood Platters.” Regardless of what was actually offered, I knew my real choices here were between the fish and the shrimp, the oysters and the clams. I went with trout, clams and oysters. Fay went with oysters, scallops and shrimp. I asked for fries. She wanted a baked potato. We both agreed to the coleslaw, which was practically the only item on the menu besides the sweet tea not served breaded and fried.

I noticed, while we waited, that the place was absolutely full. Even the parking lot was full. And by full, I mean, we had to park all the way in the back, on the grass. It was 90 degrees out, and there were still people seated at the tables on the outdoor screened porch. Fay and I, both in our 40s, were a little unusual in the crowd—most of which were either over 60 or under 12. It’s that kind of a family restaurant. If it hadn’t been a Friday night, I would have said we were seeing the after-church crowd. But, perhaps, this is where the after church crowd goes to eat when it isn’t a church day.

Our meal was served lightning fast, and the food was so hot we both burned our tongues on the first bite. As fried-seafood combo platters go, this was excellent. The term “Calabash-style” is a murky one. It is a claim made by many, many restaurants up and down the coast with little justification or explanation. In fact, not many places can explain what “Calabash-style” actually is.

I can tell you what it isn’t, though.

It isn’t some secret special seasoning to the breading. It isn’t a special frying technique or accompanying special sauce. Technically, Calabash-style seafood is seafood served in the town of Calabash, NC, close to the border of South Carolina—a place famous for its fishing fleet and the fact that there is one restaurant to every four residents in the town limits. The average time between when a fish is caught and when it is served is under a couple of hours. But once there, the seafood is fried pretty much as seafood is fried anywhere. All cooks have their favorite ratio of bread crumbs to cornmeal or flour, but there isn’t anything in it that is unique to the town. No, Calabash-style seafood is called “Calabash-style” simply because it is served in the town of Calabash. Anyone significantly outside the area is serving something else. The seafood may be prepared much the same way, but it isn’t the same seafood. It would be like serving Vidalia onions that weren’t grown in Vidalia, Georgia (which happens more often than we may think).

The Jones Fish Camp version of “Calabash-style” involves a breading that is lighter than most and uses more cornmeal. All the food, even the hushpuppies, which were obviously made from scratch, is cooked to a universally warm gold-brown color. About the same color as the wood paneling on Fay’s mother’s kitchen cabinets. I had heard it tended to be on the oily side, but Fay and I didn’t find this to be so.

My fish and oysters, especially, were delicious. The clams slightly less so. But perhaps that is in the nature of clams, which will never quite measure up to trout, much less oysters. The oysters were my favorite, with a sweet, clean taste. But the trout was excellent as well—it was an entire fish, neatly filleted and butterflied, with not a single stray bone and not a spot overdone. Needless to say, there was a heaping pile of food on the plate—far more than I could finish. The only thing I didn’t like were the fries, which were mealy and pale. The coleslaw was a little too heavy on the mayonnaise for Fay, but I liked it.

Overall, it was great summer comfort food—so great that the rest of Wilmington must have thought so as well, as we had some trouble getting a booth. And when we left, we had trouble getting out of the parking lot for the long line of SUVs (why are people still driving those?) turning in to park. So my advice is: Go, but go early. Usual supper time hours will keep diners spending more time waiting for a table than actually eating their meals.