THE CLIFFS AT KEOWEE VINEYARDS
Where are you from, Julie?
Julie: I was born in Minnesota, got a business degree from Purdue, and then went to The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. After getting a degree there, I went to Los Angeles to work. I started styling in 1990, working on commercials and print shoots. I dress actors and athletes.
John: She’s not just a stylist. She’s the best stylist I’ve ever seen. She has dressed Harrison Ford and Michael Caine. Her credits are very impressive!
And you, John?
John: I was born in Virginia. My family has been there since the 1600s. My grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War, and another grandfather fought in the Civil War. So we have a lot of history there. I went to business school at William & Mary and then started producing commercials. Eventually, I became a director and moved to Los Angeles. Julie and I have traveled all over the world, shooting commercials for clients like Nike, Lexus, and Coke. It was a really wonderful career. I enjoyed living in Los Angeles—it was the total antithesis of where I grew up.
How did you meet?
John: We met on a job. My regular stylist wasn’t available, and Julie came highly recommended. We met in a lettuce field in Yuma, Arizona. At the time, both of us were working nonstop. We weren’t really looking for romance, especially not in a lettuce field. But you never know.
Julie: We were both workaholics. Neither one of us thought we would ever get married. John was traveling two hundred days a year.
Where did you go next?
John: We got married in Dallas, lived in Los Angeles for several years, and then we bought a farm in North Carolina in a little town called Mount Airy. I tease Julie because in her adult life, she’s only lived in Los Angeles and Mayberry. While we were there, I taught at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and directed stage plays at the Andy Griffith Playhouse. It was such a thrill.
Julie: John just did a documentary about the Civil War musical he wrote and produced there.
John: We were there for ten years. But it was a sixteen-acre property, and there was a lot of caretaking. The house was built in 1834 and listed on The National Register of Historic Places, so it required a major renovation. We just wanted something simpler. We have friends who have a house on Lake Keowee, and they invited us down for a visit. We took a boat ride and our jaws dropped. It was so spectacular.
Why did you choose Keowee Vineyards?
John: We looked at all of the communities, but we really liked Keowee Vineyards because it was the most established community on the lake. We found a lot that faces north, with great light. We have views of the water, the golf course, and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.
Tell me about the community here.
Julie: We say every day that we are just so excited to be here. The people are amazing. We have a little group of friends and—I’m not kidding—there is something to do every day. Pickleball! Golf! Just last night someone suggested a girls’ night, and we all got together. I’m going hiking this afternoon with some friends and the dogs. And if you need a stick of butter, suddenly there’s a whole text chain about who has butter. We feel like we have real neighbors and real friends.
John: And I want to mention the Cliffs Residents Outreach. It’s a terrific organization that raises funds for schools in Pickens County. I produced a video for them, and I was so proud to help that cause.
Do you spend much time on the lake?
John: Yes! We have a runabout and like to cruise around the lake and look at houses. It’s just so beautiful out on the water. We take the boat to dinner at the clubhouse.
Julie: We anchor our boats with friends and swim. We all have our little noodles and floats and get to spend time together in the water.
Why do you think The Cliffs is so special?
John: The people, of course. And the history here is special. “Keowee” means “the place of the mulberry.” This was a special Cherokee hunting ground, and I feel we’re lucky to be here.
This story was featured in Cliffs Living magazine. To see more stories like this and learn more about The Cliffs, subscribe here.
