Sazerac September 2026
Sazerac September 2026
Sazerac September 2026
En garde!
Photography courtesy of Serge Timacheff/USA Fencing
It’s easy to underestimate 17-year-old athlete Abe Kaplan. He’s not a big kid. Cerebral palsy limits the use of his right hand and leg. By the age of 13, he’d tried karate, soccer, flag football and horseback riding. Then his parents, Eric and Karen, encouraged him to try a class at the Greensboro Fencing Academy — and something clicked.
“Abe’s mom took him to an introductory class on Saturday morning and he asked her to take him back for another that afternoon,” Eric says with a laugh. Within months of taking up the sport, Abe was winning tournaments against competitors who had no disabilities. While he understood that his disability would hold him back in able-bodied competition, he was reluctant to transition to para fencing, an adaptive form of fencing for athletes with physical impairments.
In 2023, Abe and his dad were visiting Washington, D.C., when they had the opportunity to attend a para fencing tournament. It was not what they’d expected. “If you haven’t seen it, you think, ‘Oh, it’s just disabled fencing,’” Abe says.
“But these people were athletes — strong, fast,” Eric comments.
A month later, the Kaplans were invited to Florida for a weekend training camp led by a para fencing coach for the U.S. team. After more months of training with national coaches in Atlanta, Abe flew with his father to his first competition in Warsaw, Poland.
The learning curve was steep. “Especially when you’re 14 years old and fencing grown men,” Eric explains.
Now, after three more years of training and international competition, Abe has advanced his world ranking. He could earn a spot on the team that will compete in the Los Angeles Paralympic Games in 2028.
He fences three hours a day, six days a week. He’s lithe as a panther and just as quick. I wouldn’t underestimate Abe Kaplan.
— Ross Howell Jr.
Window to the Past
Photography Courtesy of High Point Historical Society, High Point, N.C.
Thomas Built school buses are an iconic part of the American school experience. Built and manufactured in High Point since 1936, when Perley A. Thomas swapped cars for buses, these unmistakable vehicles have carried generations of students. Painted an iconic golden-yellow — now named National School Bus Glossy Yellow, according to Canada and the U.S. — they’re easy to spot but much harder to catch once they’re on the move, especially if you’re a sleepyhead running a minute or two late. After all, those wheels were made for rolling, so that’s just what they’ll do.
Indie Scene
Ingram, Brett. Digital-to-Analog Converter. 2019–26. Mixed Media, 19″ x 14″ x 8″.
From junk to treasure: Brett Ingram — UNCG graduate, director of two documentary features (Monster Road and Rocaterrania) and author of novel The Secret World of Renaldo Kuhler — has recently added tactile artist to his growing list of accomplishments, giving life to objects that would otherwise be tossed. And, what better way to showcase his love for salvaged parts than through assemblage art, a 3D medium that blends disparate parts, obsolete everyday objects and scraps into sculptural works. Ingram sources his materials almost exclusively from the world around him. “Largely, I get stuff off of the street when people put it out there to be picked up by the city,” he says. His pieces often feature analog items including microphones, cameras, gears, lenses and other mechanical components. If it once had a motor or moving parts, chances are Ingram can breathe new creative life into it.
While analog technology has experienced a resurgence in recent years, Ingram never abandoned his appreciation for it. In fact, the shift toward digital equipment became an unexpected advantage. “I could find lenses that are obsolete and could take them apart and use them in my art,” he says. What many considered outdated became the building blocks of his artistic vision.
From Kernersville news reporter to high school physics teacher to author, he has made use of his many skills throughout the years. So, how did he discover assemblage art? For Ingram, 2020’s COVID-19 isolation wasn’t just a boredom fest, it sparked some newfound creativity. “At one point, I had done stop-motion animation. I made the puppets out of found objects and that got me into that aesthetic.” He stopped making films, but kept on amassing parts and soon his art form was born.
Ingram doesn’t see assemblage art as making do with less, he sees it as making possibilities where others see waste. His approach shows that limitations inspire innovation and creativity can grow when resources are scarce. “I used to teach my students that a lot of the time what you end up doing is driven by the obstacles that you have to overcome.”
Though Ingram’s first ever solo exhibition at The Center for Visual Arts passed by earlier this year, you can still find pieces of his 3D art, his short documentaries and keep up with his works through his website, brettingram.org.
Unsolicited Advice
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but we’d like to think our morning drink plays a major role in that as well. Your choice of morning bevvy has just as much significance as your stack of pancakes. Some reach for caffeine while others prefer something milder. Either way, we bet your sip choice says a lot about who you are as a person.
If a piping hot mug of salubrious tea is what shakes the slumber out of your eyes, then we’re going to guess your yoga set matches. While you probably flaunt a healthy heart, we can’t help but think that your daily tea craving is just for show. Though, with a gut as clean as yours, who cares what others think? You’re healthy and you know it, so toot that health horn as loud as you want.
For those addicted to the bitter taste of coffee, we’re almost certain you’re the backbone of our society. From unexpected deadlines to awkward conversations, there’s nothing they can throw at you that you can’t handle after you’ve indulged in your morning cup of joe. We bet your planner is packed to the brim and we know that you will check off every last one of those tasks — but first, coffee.
Energy drinks? More like pure rocket fuel. Whatever problems our carbonated connoisseurs are faced with in the morning, we know it won’t stand a chance against them and their can of spark. With an overly fizzy flavor and enough sugar to match a jumbo bag of Skittles, only the ones committed to utilizing every second of the day are among this group. Tea drinkers fear you and coffee lovers commend you — but you’re probably too jumpy on your jitter juice to notice.
JOI DE VIVRE
The other day I decided to take a walk. After spending the day comparing my life to that of other people my age — those who had moved out of state, started new chapters or seemed to have everything figured out — I know it’s time to shut off my overthinking brain and get some fresh air at Country Park. As soon as I step foot on the path, that familiar Carolina breeze runs through my hair and the barks of excited pups greeting each other in the dog park can be heard from a mile away — as if a simple butt sniff greeting isn’t enough. A little girl, so captivated by the pedal boats that she isn’t watching where she was going, wanders right into my path. We bump into each other. “Oh, excuse me. Sorry ma’am,” she says as she picks up speed. A man and his dog lie in the dirt near the lake, guarded by a family of ducks. The ducks take turns splashing in the lake but ultimately return back to their post, protecting the man and his dog from the dangers of the lily pads. That’s when it hits me: I wouldn’t have my life any other way. I have a Tar Heel soul in need of that refreshing North Carolina air — even if it is hot and humid. Just then, that curious little girl and her parents make their way back from the pedal boat station. They’re soaking wet from head to toe, but the little girl flashes a toothy grin. Her mother playfully scolds her father for agreeing to let her in the driver’s seat. As they walk by, I catch a glimpse of the words on the mother’s shirt, “North Freaking Carolina.” I can’t help but smile. Yes ma’am, indeed it is.
— Joi Floyd
Staying focused on film: “It was kind of senseless, but it was something I felt compelled to do,” says Angus MacLachlan, indie filmmaker, North Carolina native and University of North Carolina School of the Arts alum. MacLachlan’s latest, A Little Prayer, isn’t just a movie made in North Carolina, it represents the state. It explores the unlikely bond between a young woman, Tammy, and her father-in-law, Bill, determined to protect her from the hard truth of his son David’s affair. After its premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film festival, A Little Prayer made all the buzz and was soon picked up by a distributor to be released publicly in August 2025. Filming in his hometown, Winston-Salem, MacLachlan decided the best neighborhood to use was Konnoak Hills, where a few of his childhood friends grew up. “When I imagined the film, I just somehow imagined it being there,” he says. Other hotspots shown in the film include both Reynolda House and Old Salem Museums & Gardens, two Winston-Salem landmarks.
Lately, avid readers have been ditching big-box book retailers and instead hitting up independent bookstores, and — luckily for us — Greensboro has volumes of them. With collections curated for the community, these bookstores are writing their own stories. This month, we dare you to support locally owned bookstores by gobbling up novels, nonfiction or even children’s literature handpicked specifically for Greensboro, by Greensboro, and see what stories speak to you.
If you have never owned a pooch, then visiting a dog owner’s home may seem a little strange to you. They don’t operate like houses without wagging-tail greetings. You’ll hear phrases or words yelled over and over again. And, if you neglect to use them while visiting, you might be met with fluffy ears cocked in confusion. Take it from us, you don’t want to be caught without the proper puppy parlance. Don’t fret, we’ve compiled a list of useful common phrases to know before you hit the homes of these happy hounds.
UNCG biology student Kayden Friddle knows that there’s an art to blazing a path forward. Born and raised in Summerfield, Friddle is an artist whose pyrographic work consists of burning wood and leather with sketches of bears, dogs, birds, cats and just about anything you can find in the wild — or at home with a wagging tail. “I use a really hot tool that burns the wood to make patterns,” says Friddle, “the same way you would draw with a pen.” While it may sound simple enough, woodburning requires precision and patience — oh, and, at the very least, an artistic hand. As a child, Friddle says all the content she consumed — documentaries and TV shows — and the toys she played with were, you guessed it, animal related. Inspired by traditional pyrography artists, she began experimenting beyond wood. With a steaming-hot pencil in hand, Friddle crafted her own method, discovering new techniques. “I had seen where people have done pyrography and wood burning but, at the time, I hadn’t seen anyone do it on leather.” So, she adds, “I crafted a method to do it.” Her love for animals extends far beyond her medium. Merging her creativity with compassion, she has auctioned her work and donated from 50%
If you haven’t yet wandered through The Marshall Muse Gallery’s newest exhibit, “Nature’s Kingdom,” take a cue from a curious deer and stop in to discover what animal-inspired artworks are waiting around the bend. For instance, Linda Reville’s Strength & Courage watercolor features three bucks and a bald eagle, and dips deeply into Mother Nature’s palette, from earth tones to indigo blues. Other works, says gallery owner Tracey Marshall-Becker, are “very diverse from pottery, wood, sculpture, fiber art, paintings, acrylic oil and watercolor,” July 1–25. Info: themarshallmusegallery.com.
A nosy Nelly knocks at our door: In my second year of college at UNCG, I went back home to Goldsboro during fall break, where I met our family’s newest addition, Nelly — or what I like to call her, Nosy Nelly. There she lay, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, pulling the threads from the comforter on my bed. A bit shy and reserved — and occasionally snoopy — our white-furred cat with blue eyes isn’t the sweetest kitty on the block, but somehow she found a soft spot for my sister, Bre, and me. Our soon-to-be-Nelly was first found in a loved one’s garden, digging up more than just weeds, and had to be moved to a home that would accept her, claws and all. And if anyone will take in a stray, misbehaving cat who doesn’t listen, it’s my sister. We’d fostered many cats since moving to our latest house and, like the rest of them, our mother let us keep Nelly until we could find her a forever home — which turned out to be closer than we thought. A few months passed and my mother finally gave up the pretense. Nelly had settled in our house with no intention of leaving. When guests visit, she’ll peek out curiously from underneath our beds, ultimately deciding it’s not worth her time, and slide back into hiding. Sometimes considered rude or aloof, she just might surprise you. In fact, if you’re lucky enough — or shake a treat in your hand — she may find her merry way to your lap for an evening nap. A year ago, I asked my sister why she chose the name Nelly, half expecting it to have originated from the phrase “nosy Nelly,” fitting for a curious cat who’s torn up our blinds to sneak a peek outside, but that seems not to be the case. To this day, my question remains unanswered. All we know is that the name fits her all too well. 
Dear Diego: Elementary school plays a key role in a child’s development, but for shy and reserved Joi, who found it hard to make genuine friends, she spent most of it by herself. That was until I met Diego. “Joi, could you please stop that!” yells Mrs. Perkins, my fourth-grade teacher, during our class walk to the playground. I’m near the back of the line and have, unknowingly, slipped into a daydream, humming a tune the entire walk back — loud enough for her to hear me from the front of the line. A little embarrassed now that my classmates are staring at me, I walk the rest of the way back with my head down. “I thought it sounded good,” says a voice behind me. Diego. He has a Go, Diego, Go! backpack — fitting, isn’t it? — and light-up Skechers he wears everyday. From that moment on, Diego and I are two peas in a pod, never leaving the other’s side. He becomes my first best friend and later evolves into a crush. I am fascinated by his ability to climb the monkey bars just as he is fascinated by my swift running skills — so much so that he brags to all his male friends that I could beat them in a one-on-one race if they dared to challenge me. Sadly, a year later, his father, who is in the military, is stationed overseas, which means Diego has to leave. Now as an adult, I appreciate the love Diego showed little Joi when she needed it the most. I hope he has grown up to impact other people as much as he impacted me. And who knows? Maybe we’ll meet again one day. Until then, I’ll keep an eye out for light-up Skechers. 
“Once I started doing film acting at the studio, I just fell in love with it,” exclaims Emi Curia — a Winston-Salem native and actress. A year after graduating from UNCG, Emi’s career continues to rise. At 22, she’s already a veteran of the hit TV series 
Father’s Day is right around the corner and we’re bracing ourselves for a day where we hold back the eye rolling as the corniest puns ever, aka dad jokes, exit the mouths of our fathers. They’re a comical and fun play on words, but, if your father is like most, he probably feels unashamed when blurting out the same joke over again and again — on repeat forever and ever. And, if you’re not careful
