Paige Funkhouser and Donna MacPherson
It’s time for all goblins, ghosts and ghouls to gather together! Friday night is Halloween! We got a head start on Saturday at the Witches Hour luncheon hosted by my friends, Donna MacPherson, of photography fame, and Paige Funkhouser, owner of the wonderful Golden Isles Olive Oil shop in Redfern Village.
The place for all of the festivities was on of my favorite local restaurants, Coastal Kitchen. Owner, Jeff Montaigne, greeted us all with a bar full of bubbling, smoking libations to kick off the event. You might have thought you were walking into a local “coven” instead of a party, everyone came dressed as their favorite witch!
The meal began with “Chicken Wands”, spicy chicken, corn and potatoes wrapped in a flour tortilla, flash fried and served with a delicious cilantro honey emulsion…..can I just say YUM!
In keeping with the occasion the next course was “Eye of Newt Milk of Goat over Arugula” a tasty salad with a herb crusted goat cheese fritter served over a bed of Baker’s Farm arugula, topped with basil vinaigrette and “newt eyes”.
Next, we feasted on “Cake of Gecarcinus Quadratus”, a delicious crab cake served atop Boursin cheese grits with haricort verts and a zesty remoulade sauce on the side.
We took a break from food while awards were presented for various categories. Everyone was in full party mode by now and the prizes were fabulous. Jan Carpenter took the microphone to emcee with Paige and Donna as local photographer, Nancy Kirkpatrick, snapped pictures of the going’s on.
Dessert followed with a delicious pumpkin cheesecake……the perfect end to a wonderful meal.
With full bellies all we made our way outdoors for Nancy to snap a group picture of us all in full dress with Jeff and our servers in two. These guys were having a great time with us all!
That isn’t all…..oh no…not nearly. In our car’s we went to pay a visit on our favorite produce guy “Uncle Don”, whose lovely wife, Hollie, won scariest with for her spider witch costume. We swept him away with our costumes and high flying party moods! Yes, that was a rainbow witch you saw waving at traffic if you drove by late Saturday afternoon. I learned that Paige Funkhouser knows how to have a good time. I already had a clue from other lunches we’ve attended together. This lady knows how to party!
And finally here’s my award for most authentic witch. I’m not showing pictures until Wednesday. I put my costume together with a bit of help from my daughter and friend, Judith Paixao, who was unable to attend the event since she was busy with a room of ladies attending her wonderful “Salon” at Glynn Visual Arts. Bermuda Sea Glass Jewelry has had a great week and the fun continues through Friday…if you haven’t been in to see Judith, it’s not too late! Tonight is ladies night….the champagne will be flowing!
A good time was had by all! You do NOT want to miss this event next year!
Many thanks to Donna, Paige, Jeff and his wonderful staff!
T
9 Responses
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Nancy Kirkpatrick Says:
Stay tuned on Nancy Kirkpatrick Photography page for some great, fun images from the Witches Hour!! What a bunch of creative and fun loving witches!!
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Ann Payne Price Says:
Enjoyed so much and congrats on being most authentic witch! I think you are too pretty for a witch.
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Melissa Says:
Thank you Ann….my husband said that as well. But it was great fun!
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Velda Brotherton Says:
Melissa, What a grand time. You guys sure know how to party, as you said of your friend. Congratulations on winning the award. Happy Halloween.
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Blaise Dismer, LCSW Says:
Very cool, Melissa. My daughter Meg informed me that her street in San Diego is renowned for trick or traters. One of her neighbors had 4,000 visitors last year. They are putting up lights in the palm trees for a documentary being shot there in 4 days!!
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Melissa Says:
Oh that would be way too much for me! If we have four to five little ones here in our neighborhood we’ll be shocked! 4,000…no way!
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Jackie Turbidy Says:
Judith has made our island a bit prettier with her wonderful creations from sea glass.
Mine is the one she calls “Carmen Miranda.” Judith and serveral of her patrons went to dinner at Del Sur last week. A very good time was had by us – and the men next to us!!! Fitting of bras at Soma and thongs aroused a lot of curiosity!!!
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Melissa Says:
Jackie, you’ve started my day with a smile! Yes, Judith has made the island prettier! I treasure her friendship!
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judith Says:
There are so MANY creative, energetic, wildly curious and passionate sister spirits on St Simons!!! I’m so lucky to have found my place here and help create objets d’art such as Jackie’s “Carmen Miranda” … and truthfully, I’ve never laughed as much as Jackie and I did the other night w/Sue Cansler and Martha Jane Dodson … the men at the table next to us should have bought our dinner simply to thank us for their entertainment!!!! thanks to all my dear friends here for embracing me (and my sea glass!) so enthusiastically!!!
