Gwen Pratesi

The name “Kounter” seemed fitting since this space is home to the original counter where the Friendship 9 staged their sit-in 60 years ago demanding service at the white-only lunch counter. When Chef Masone, who owns Kre8 Xperiences, an event and party planning company, and two culinary concepts in Florida, decided to return home and open a restaurant, he was especially interested in the event space at the back of the building at 135 E. Main Street. When Williamson finished school at Friendship Junior College, he said he couldn’t find work in Rock Hill. Mr. Williamson and his family were able to come in and be the first people served at Kounter, and Masone said, “

The name “Kounter” seemed fitting since this space is home to the original counter where the Friendship 9 staged their sit-in 60 years ago demanding service at the white-only lunch counter. When Chef Masone, who owns Kre8 Xperiences, an event and party planning company, and two culinary concepts in Florida, decided to return home and open a restaurant, he was especially interested in the event space at the back of the building at 135 E. Main Street. When Williamson finished school at Friendship Junior College, he said he couldn’t find work in Rock Hill. Mr. Williamson and his family were able to come in and be the first people served at Kounter, and Masone said, “

For me, this includes wishful thinking about traveling again (beyond a quick road trip), planning future escapes to new destinations and revisiting a few familiar ones, and using those new travel items I purchased or had a chance to review over the last year. I owned a hard-sided beauty case that was a favorite luggage piece of mine many years ago, so when I saw this one online, I couldn’t resist. Like the time I spent every night awake in a hotel in Mexico City thanks to all-night-long rooftop parties when nothing would cancel out the noise, including listening to music through earbuds with my iPhone and a pillow over my head. If you spend a lot of time outdoors on the water and are looking for a pair of durable and lightweight sunglasses that won’t disappear into the depths of the deep blue sea, then check out Rheos Nautical Eyewear.

The Cuvée 20 goes great because it has this nice acidity that cuts through the richness of the pork, and it really showcases the apple notes in the wine with the savory BBQ sauce and acid-driven marinade on the pork. The red fruit notes really pop in the Brut Rosé, and the herbs in the marinade bring out the herbaceous notes I get in the Brut Rosé. We enjoyed the Cuvée 20 on its own, mostly while preparing the meal, and then paired the food with the Brut Rosé, which was an exceptional pairing for some of the same reasons Chef Shelton mentioned. Elegant and lively, our J Cuvée 20 Brut offers is a classic Russian River Valley sparkling wine, offering a dance of bubbles across a complex palate that expertly balances appealing fruit notes, rich nuttiness from years spent aging on the lees and a crisp, clean finish.