up front
July is a quintessential month, capturing the
American spirit, traditional summer fun and
family picnics—juicy red watermelon, clear blue water action
and a rash of bright white fireworks that fill the night sky
from July Fourth onward — all the spectacle and
T
his issue is packed with
that all-American goodness.
From the sensational cover
story of Allison Breiner Potter and Jenny
Yarborough’s delicate early morning trip
with Walker Golder to witness and photograph
the Bird Islands of the Cape Fear
River, to Estelle and Johnnie Baker’s
eclectic Airlie Road red, white and true
-blue home, it is simply fabulous.
Inside these pages you’ll be inspired
by the retro iconic art of Robert
Holst. The clean, lean lines of his
graphic designs and the dense pigment
of his simple, yet saturated
palette, bring yesterday’s beach to
life today.
A trio of over-the-top gardens
— hand plucked by landscape architect
and writer Pamela Kersting — will wow
you. And where else, but Wrightsville,
will you find teenage boys behind
the wheel of a boat before they have
reached the legal age to drive a car?
July is also the month when out-oftown
family and friends descend for a
visit, and for them we have opened the
vault and dusted off our best kept secret
destinations — ten top picks are right
here in WB with another 15 faves over
the drawbridge. We’ve also featured
a summer fun garb and gear section
showcasing the hottest stuff for looking
cool while you’re at it.
And finally the latest trend in dining
out — the farm to table movement
— illustrates the culinary artistry of this
WBM july 2011
month’s featured chefs. While having
ready access to the freshest local seafood
has always been a privilege of living by
the sea, access to farm-grown food is a
new staple. First with a farmers’ market
and now with regular trips to top-notch
restaurants, diners along the coast can
experience the best local and freshest
food available, short of being down on
the farm.
We waited all winter for this great
weather, there’s no excuse for not
embracing it. Have a great July!
Editor/Publisher
wonder that summer holds here.
Pat Bradford like Estelle Baker hopes
to own an iconic late model red pickup
truck someday.