Best Day Wilmington: Mimi Windham

If your schedule presented you with a free day in the Port City – no prior commitments, no budgetary considerations – how would you spend it? 

For December’s installment of Best Day Wilmington, meet MIMI WINDHAM, the co-owner of Yellow Diamond Bartending Academy. The certified mixologist has more than twenty years’ experience in bartending. She and business partner ATIBA JOHNSON opened Yellow Diamond in February 2021. Windham teaches and certifies local bartending students, and since opening, she’s trained and built up a network of about one hundred bartenders whom she can call upon for various bartending events on behalf of the company. 

Windham says her line of work is simply fun. “It’s something like art,” she says. “I love the beauty of it. It’s all about creativity.” 

Read on for Windham’s version of a perfect Saturday in Wilmington (she says a perfect Sunday involves time at her beloved church, The Sanctuary of Wilmington) – and yes – delicious drinks are included. 

How are you starting your day? 

“Every morning when I wake up, I thank God and do a little yoga to some jazz/neo-soul music. I love all music, but once I move to a little Sade, Kenny G, Erykah Badu, or Jill Scott, my body and mind wake up.” 

Where would you go next? 

“I’m having breakfast at Brunches with family and friends. I’ll get the Bronx Bomber Bowl with scrambled eggs with cheese, with a hashbrown base and side of avocado.” 

What happens next?  

“I would ride my 2001 Suzuki GSX-R down to Wrightsville or Carolina Beach with my sisters (who also ride motorcycles). Then we will take a walk down the boardwalk or listen to the beautiful sound of the waves.” 

What’s for lunch? 

“For lunch, there are so many choices! But I would go to Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp and have their delicious crab dip and amazing shrimp bread, maybe stop by On Thyme Restaurant on Castle Street for an awesome shrimp burger, or Zora’s Market and Kitchen on Castle for a flounder seafood plate!” 

Where to next?  

“I love to shop at Trader Joe’s, T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Roses, Gabe’s, and Big Lots; they have hidden treasures for snacks and drinks! Especially if I’m creating a cocktail or mocktail for an event. At the checkout section of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls, they have all kinds of great syrups to put in coffee or mixed drinks. There are many brands, but I usually go for Master of Mixes or Torani syrups. I make my own ‘super syrups’ at home, but I love the sugar-free lavender, dragon fruit, and there’s an orgeat syrup (almond flavor) for amaretto sours. Raspberry, blueberry, hibiscus – a lot of grocery stores don’t have what they have.” 

 How about dinner? 

“I love having an early dinner and I love a good steak. G Prime is my favorite! A nice medium-well will make my evening swell! 

How are you spending the evening out?  

“I would go out with my grandbabies. We would catch a movie at The Pointe 14 and go to Kilwin’s for ice cream afterwards. I love pralines and cream. There’s something about that praline crunch and that caramel. It is so good! 

Later in the evening, I would hang out at Ree’s Social, LLC lounge for a nice cocktail or mocktail with family and friends. My mocktail would be a virgin Seabreeze – orange cranberry and pineapple with a lemon. For a cocktail, I’d get a nice Lemon Drop made with Ciroc Limonata. We may have a good time with karaoke! I sing sometimes with my aunt. When I grab that mic, I’ll sing Sade, ‘Cherish the Day.’”  

Editor’s note: Some responses were edited for clarity and length. 

To view more of photographer Aris Harding’s work, go to arisharding.com.

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