Our resident sommelier, Matthew Sayer, reveals his
latest wine recommendation for the spring season: the
2022 Muga Rosé. This refreshing rosé boasts tasting
notes of peaches, strawberries, and a hint of white
blossom and citrus. Grown with Garnacha and Viura
grapes in the fertile soil of Valle del Oja, Spain, Muga
Rosada is the finest palate experience and pairs
wonderfully with pasta dishes, fresh salads, and light
appetizers. Matt notes that this wine is like ‘spring in a
bottle’, so be sure to enjoy a glass with us this season!
Category: Uncategorized
Your New Favorite Reads
As the warmth returns, there’s nothing better than stretching out in the Springtime Southern air with a good book.
LOCAL AUTHOR: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Those who follow new releases will know that Poston has taken the romantic comedy world by storm, but did you know that she grew up just down the road in Lexington? The Seven Year Slip has Poston’s signature depth of emotion and humor, with a tiny dash of magical realism thrown in.
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel
This wild and unpredictable true crime story seems too strange to be real, following the world’s most prolific art thief, Stéphane Breitwieser’s insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.
The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading by Dwight Garner
Dwight Garner, New York Times critic and the author of Garner’s Quotations, shares his joy of books and food in this comic, personal, tender memoir—best savored slowly.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
This sweeping historical fiction novel follows many generations of a family from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, and a pair of twins that are grappling with their family, communities, and racial identities.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
The acclaimed author of The Guest List and The Paris Apartment returns late this Spring with a new thriller, a classic locked room murder mystery set at a luxury resort.
Our Poolside Renovations
With the arrival of spring comes the warmth that makes the Palmetto State so famous. One of the best spaces to relax at The Willcox has always been around the pool, which has undergone recent renovations in time for the spring and summer.
The Willcox now offers more room for al fresco dining and outdoor event space with the additions of fresh brickwork and an expanded layout. In addition to a larger poolside space, you might also notice a variety of landscaping enhancements surrounding the area.
Whether it’s a dip in the pool, brunch, or a celebratory event this spring, you are invited to check out these recent improvements upon your next visit!
Interested in booking your next event with us? Contact Katherine Grantham at kgrantham@thewillcox.com for more information.
Introducing The Willcox Mobile Kitchen
As vegetables and fruits spring forth from the soil this season, edible roots intertwine with Southern culture and American Cuisine. The Willcox has always been proud of their award-winning Restaurant and executive team who work to create innovative dishes that are sure to please even the most discerning guest.
Over the years, The Willcox Hotel has earned the affectionate nickname of “Aiken’s Living Room,” and with it, a robust menu has evolved to satisfy the hungry bellies of those who gather there for celebrations of all kinds. “From an intimate wedding celebration to a large corporate gathering, we are honored to provide each and every guest with the very best dining experience possible,” says Katherine Grantham, Director of Catering and Events for The Willcox.
Although a destination for locals and travelers alike, The Willcox Hotel now aims to push the boundaries of what it means to offer the very best in gourmet experiences. Now reaching beyond the four walls of this historic building, The Willcox is expanding their renowned restaurant with the addition of a mobile catering kitchen for offsite events. “We are excited to expand our offerings and meet the Aiken community with creative dishes, wherever they might be celebrating,” says Executive Chef Phillip.
The Willcox Mobile Kitchen is a state-of-the-art mobile catering kitchen with the capacity to serve parties only limited by one’s imagination. “This is a new chapter for us. Food brings people together, and it’s often at the forefront of any great celebration,”
remarks Shannon Ellis, co-owner of The Willcox alongside her husband, Geoff Ellis.
Whether it’s on the polo field or in the backyard of a proper garden party, The Willcox Mobile Kitchen is poised to meet you anywhere to delight in the season’s current flavors. To learn more about The Willcox Mobile Kitchen, click here to contact Katherine Grantham, Director of Catering and Events.
Get Steeplechase Ready
This year marks the Aiken Steeplechase Association’s 57th Annual Spring Steeplechase Championship, slated for Saturday, March 23rd at the Aiken Steeplechase Racecourse. As locals and visitors alike travel to witness this historic tradition of equestrian pageantry, it’s one of Aiken’s most wondrous spring occasions. Although the big event all whittles down to equine excellence, steeplechase festivities breathe exciting energy to the City of Aiken with a carriage parade, stick horse races, hat contests, tailgate competitions, tent parties and more.
Cheers of onlookers echo as scents of spring fill the air, and women’s decorative hats and men’s seersucker suits blend seamlessly with the surrounding excitement. To help the Aiken community and its visitors get Steeplechase-ready, downtown Aiken abounds with a variety of local shops and boutiques to help you celebrate race day in classic style.
Whether you are a local or visiting this spring, Aiken’s equestrian roots are a way of life in this corner of the Palmetto State. For quintessential southern expression, explore the City of Aiken’s list of local retailers here. For more information regarding ticket purchases and how you can keep the steeplechase traditions thriving in Aiken, visit aikensteeplechase.com.
Tea Parties, Hattitude, And The Southern Spririt: An Interview With Sissy Brodie
A lifelong resident of Aiken, Sissy Brodie is the definition of a Southern Belle. Some of her earliest childhood memories consist of posing on the steps of The Willcox with her little sister for family pictures. “I loved to get glimpses at the elegant woman inside. I would see their beautiful dresses and hats and listen to them stirring the sugar in their iced tea. I swear I can still hear them today,” Sissie recalls.
Her love for tea parties began in her early years, when her imagination ran wild around a miniature table adorned with play tea sets. As she grew into adulthood, her affection for timeless manners and Southern traditions never waned. This great love affair would continue to grow, eventually culminating into her famous tea parties. Little girls who received invitations to these famed gatherings would be required to send both a handwritten letter of acceptance and a thank you note in order to attend.
Along with her adoration for Southern culture, time-honored etiquette, and the lightheartedness of a graceful tea party, Sissy has also accumulated a stunning collection of hats over the years. Whether she has acquired them herself or received them as heirlooms from others in the Aiken area, Sissy refers to the idea of “hattitude”. Adorned in her cream beret on a beautiful day outside of The Willcox, learn more about Sissy’s fascinating story by watching the video below.
Golfin‘ Around Aiken
Did you know one of the first incorporated golf courses in the country was founded in Aiken in 1892? Thomas Hitchcock Sr., a prominent sportsman from Long Island, along with his good friend William C. Whitney, started The Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, which is considered the oldest continually operated 18-hole golf course in the Southeast and 2nd oldest in the Country.
Aiken, often referred to as The Sports Capital of the South, is home to world-class equestrian, tennis and of course golf. With Augusta National Golf Club, home of the famous Masters Golf Tournament, and many other world-class golf courses, the area continues to draw the interest of golf lovers from around the world. It comes as no surprise that new clubs continue to spring up across Aiken’s landscape, each featuring distinct character that adds to this rich tapestry of golf in South Carolina’s heartland.
When you visit The Willcox and head out for the greens this spring, know that you’re teeing off in the setting of a long, fascinating golf story that continues to grow alongside this rich city. It’s incredibly exciting to witness the remarkable proliferation of golf courses across Aiken and welcome the wonderful guests who come to visit them. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there’s a slice of green heaven for players of all ability levels located just minutes from the hotel.
Learn more about these stunning courses in the Golf Digest article at the button below, which covers the exciting details about golf in Aiken.
Sommelier’s Corner
We sat down with our resident sommelier, Matthew Sayer, and discussed this season’s wine recommendation (and yes, we discussed over a glass!) This beautiful, ruby color wine with an amazing fruit aroma has a warm, long finish- Perfect for those cool winter months! We learned that it comes from a variety of grapes native to only Italy, specifically the Friluli Foothills, Province of Pordenone. We can’t wait to try a glass with what Matt recommends-A savory pasta dish or a charcuterie board of salami and cheese.
Next time that you’re visiting with us, enjoy a bottle and embrace the moment. Think of all the warm memories that you have made this season, and those that you have yet to make.
Want to purchase by the bottle? Visit Aiken’s local bottle shop,
Cork & Cap, on Laurens Street to shop for one.
Meet The Suites: The Roosevelt & The Churchill
Throughout the years, we have had thousands upon thousands of guests visit with us. Guests who have traveled from around the world to stay at The Willcox and guests who have come from as close as just down the street. We have hosted guests just traveling through town, ones that are staying with us to celebrate momentous occasions in their lives, those that are with us for the week of The Masters, couples on romantic getaways, and everyone in between. While every guest has made a lasting memory at our hotel, there are a few from our past whose visits made a mark on history. We’ve honored these past guests with their own named suites, and have pulled together their stories to share with you.
Roosevelt Suite
While both President Theodore Roosevelt and President Franklin Roosevelt vacationed in Aiken, staying at The Willcox, it is FDR’s visits that are most whispered and written about. Before Roosevelt became president, he began an affair with a woman by the name of Lucy Mercer, who later moved from Washington to Aiken. The Willcox, a prominent hotel for dignitaries to visit, became a place for Roosevelt to conduct not just global affairs, but those more “domestic,” too. He met here with world leaders, including Winston Churchill, to confer on matters of state. Other times, it is rumored that he visited Lucy, leaving his railcar on the historic cut that runs directly behind the hotel to slip quietly through a back door.
The Roosevelt Suite evokes romance and exudes an aura of stories not fully told, and perhaps those yet to be discovered.
Churchill Suite
Winston Churchill, regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, was an officer in the British Army, a historian, a writer, and an artist. He was even awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature, and was the first honorary citizen of the United States. Churchill was also a friend of President Franklin Roosevelt. It began as a wartime relationship during the Second World War and it grew into a friendship over the years. The two famously met at The Willcox where they talked strategy in our lobby, warmed by hot toddies and a crackling fire in the fireplace.
The Churchill Suite pays homage to the role of Aiken in the conduct of world affairs.
We Love Local: Irongate Candles
STEP OUTSIDE IN AIKEN, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND INHALE—the scents of Aiken are all around you. At Iron Gate Candles, located in the heart of our downtown retail district, owners James and Jamie have been handcrafting small bath natural candles, soaps, lotions, and bath bombs in easily recognizable Aiken scents. They draw their inspiration from the fragrances that can be found around town: the deep, woodsy scent of Hitchcock Woods; the floral aromas that surround you in Hopelands Gardens; and the aromatic scents of freshly brewed coffee from our local coffee shops.
Family owned and operated, Iron Gate Candles specializes in 100% soy candles that are all nature and handmade right here in Aiken. Every product is not only environmentally friendly, but they’re also handcrafted in small batches to control the quality and to provide the very best product to their customers. An immense level of love and care goes into everything they do! Originally a regular vendor at local farmers markets around the region, they grew into their own brick and mortar store and online shop due to their success and the wild popularity of their products. Their small business is incredible, and we’re proud to include their product in our Premium Rooms and Suites for our guests to enjoy!
When you stay with us in a Premium Room or Suite you’ll find one of Iron Gate Candles’ handcrafted bars of soap in your room for your use during your stay and for you to take home with you afterwards. Each bar of soap not only smells fantastic, but has produced in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. Not only that, but their line of soaps are all natural and blended with skin safe fragrances and essential oils. The specific bars offered in our rooms were handmade with us in mind. It’s a special blend of lavender and camomile that will always remind you of The Willcox. What’s not to love?
If you find Iron Gate Candles’ soap as irresistible as we do, you’re in luck. You can purchase your own bars of the specially handcrafted Willcox soap from our retail shop and we’ll ship it straight to you! Or, if you’re in town, drop by Iron Gate Candles to shop their full line of natural candles, soaps, lotions, and more in their brick and mortar location. They are located just half a mile away from our hotel on Park Avenue.
We’re grateful to have amazing small businesses and fabulous entrepreneurs right here in our home town of Aiken. James and Jamie have brought a wonderfully unique store to town that has not only introduced us to their divine product line, but has also helped us share a snippet of what we love about Aiken with our guests.
Shop Iron Gate’s Willcox Bar Soap
Learn more about Iron Gate Candles
