Summer is O'Neal of the Week!

Katherine Summer O’Neal was on Ocracoke last week for just over 24 hours and she was gracious enough to spend a small part of that time being interviewed for the Current. I lured her over with a promise of all the fresh herbs she wanted from my garden, so while she picked basil and mint, I peppered her with questions.

Summer and her boyfriend, Christian Fink, drove all the way from sea to shining sea – from California to the east coast – to go to her cousin’s wedding in Philadelphia last week. It took them five days.

“I’ve always wanted to drive cross country,” she said. “And it wasn’t too expensive in my Volkswagon diesel.”

After the wedding, they headed down to Ocracoke for a brief visit with Summer’s family.

She came to see her dad, Michael O’Neal, her grandma Mickey, and her little sister, Stacey. This was a bittersweet visit for Summer – her first since her grandfather, Conk, passed away in December.

"It's hard to be here without Poppy," she said.

Summer grew up in Raleigh, spending summers on Ocracoke. From age 14 – 22, she was here every season to work and be with family.

“I always wanted to be here more,” she said. “I was always begging to come here for school.”

Summer attended high school in Raleigh, then went to college at Appalachian State, and then Carolina, where she got a degree in English and Creative Writing.

Then she was off to San Francisco to fashion design school. Now she teaches Sewing and Pattern-making at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

OC: Atlantic or Pacific?

Summer: The Atlantic is a lot warmer and friendlier, but watching the Pacific is more fun. It’s more grandiose.

OC: Where did you work when you came here for all those summers?

Summer: Books to Be Red, Hettie’s Nursery, the Back Porch, the Coffee Shop, the Island Inn, for Aunt Kathleen [Island Artworks], the Harborside, and washing hair for Linda Ihle. I was her shampoo girl and one time I got Elizabeth Howard totally soaked!

OC: What do you miss about Ocracoke? 

Summer: Being close to family. A beach where you can swim – you can’t ever swim in San Francisco. Springer’s Point. Susie O’Neal. How much fun it is to live and work here in the summer.

One of the things I’m happiest about is the Ocracoke Album on Facebook. I started it about a year ago, posting some old photos I had. I thought if I have all these old photos, then other people must have some, too, and we can share them.

It’s a way for me to be a part of the community even though I’m not here anymore.

It’s amazing how you can see the resemblance in those pictures to people here now. It makes me wonder, if you could travel back to the 1700’s, would you recognize your people?

OC: What’s your favorite traditional Ocracoke food?

Summer: Crab cakes. I loved the crabcakes at Creekside, ‘way back when Darlene and Chris had it above the Slushie Stand.

And fig cake!

OC: Does everyone on Ocracoke know you’re a belly dancer?

Summer: Oh, probably. Mostly, I just make costumes.

(Intrigued? Check out her website here.)

I also do a lot of bridal work, using fancy super-expensive fabric, lots of beadwork, I love anything that takes forever.

OC: Did you watch the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?

Summer: No, but I did look at pictures. I like to see Kate Middleton’s dresses – I think she dresses really well.

OC: What’s the one thing you wanted to do (besides be O’Neal of the week) while you’re here on Ocracoke?

Summer: Cook a meal for my grandma. Actually, Christian’s cooking – he’s an amazing cook, and he’s doing it all while I’m here getting famous.

OC: What’s the best part about living in San Francisco?

Summer: Well, I don’t live in the city anymore. I live 20 minutes north of Berkley in a town called Crockett. I live on a hill and the best thing about it is the view. It’s a more grandiose view, watching big ships go by, but it reminds me of the canal behind my grandma’s house. 

OC: What’s the best book you’ve read lately?

Summer: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I read it aloud to Christian. It’s an awesome book – I couldn’t put it down. I think of the world as settled, but this book is captivating because it’s an epic adventure life story that happened recently.

OC: Do you read Ocracoke Current regularly?

Summer: No, but I will now!

At this point, Summer whipped out her cell phone and “liked” Ocracoke Current’s facebook page.