Beer, Bella: The Aiken Brewing Company
And so it begins, rightly so, right next door to the Bella Magazine Studio, in downtown Aiken, South Carolina — the first brewery on my beer journey. I moved to Aiken in 2001 from Golden, Colorado. I distinctly remember that The Aiken Brewing Company was one of the first places I stopped into and ate at, well, because it was a brewery. It’s a whole different experience to sit down and drink the beer when you know more about who is making it, how it is made, and how the business came about. Georgia passed the brewpub law right before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in ’93 — it allowed […]
Irish Coffees | Lux Libations
Irish whiskey cocktail is obligatory for March because the whole month is basically St. Patrick’s Day, right? What else is there in March? Well … Julius Caesar’s death, but what would we drink to honor that? Wine? Ouzo? Exactly — so whiskey it is. You immediately reach for your bottle of Bailey’s. Et tu Brute? Hold on, y’all. What if I told you the best Irish coffee has exactly zero Bailey’s Irish Cream in it? Sure, you can definitely end up with a tasty beverage with the quintessential Irish cream, but hear me out. This recipe will make you forget everything you thought you knew about the Irish coffee. The […]
Little Sean’s Jalapeño Goat Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote | From the Kitchen of…Fuse Aiken
Sean Butler, AKA Little Sean, has been a core member of Fuse since just before we opened here in Aiken. After his interview, we realized we had a lot in common — thinking outside of the box and making sure that our ingredients were as fresh and locally sourced as possible. His position at Fuse is extremely important, as he is responsible for the first and last bites most tables will have. The kid is crazy, and that comes through in the best way in his dishes. You Will Need • 7” spring form pan • mixing bowl • cookie sheet Filling • 12 oz goat cheese (Trail Ridge has […]
What It’s Like …On The Road Singin’ For Her Supper: Solo Singer/Songwriter Josephine Johnson
As the live music landscape continues to shift, it’s nice to know these places in Aiken are doing great things to keep music alive and keep patrons safely entertained. Solo Singer/Songwriter Josephine Johnson Did you always know what you wanted to be when you grew up? I did. As a toddler I sang Jackie Wilson songs into my mom’s wooden mixing spoons. A couple years later I sang along with Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” until the cassette tape snapped. In high school I did musicals and played guitar. My whole life I’ve always known I am a musician. I didn’t know, however, the twists and turns it would […]
Letter From the Editor
The dialogue took place in church, in late August 2019, just before the service began. Ladonna and I had become closer friends in the month before, and she seemed a bit stressed. me: “Everything OK?” Ladonna: “No, we’re behind on Bella and I’m up against the deadline.” me: “How can I help?” Ladonna: “What can you do?” me: “I’m a trained proof reader.” Ladonna: “Can you be at the studio at 6?” me: “Yup.” And then the music started. So for 18 months I have edited all of the content in Bella. I was fortunate to be raised by parents who were meticulous in their use of the English language. […]
Be Lucky
“If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.” John Irving March is The Luck Issue! I always thought of March as a lucky month. It the month of spring’s arrival and rebirth, a week’s vacation for spring break that almost always includes travel, horse racing and hats, St. Patrick’s Day, and the occasional Easter, and it is the month in which I was born. Lots of things to celebrate! This month we completed an entire year of surviving a pandemic. So much has changed, and I feel extremely lucky that Bella and I have both survived […]
