The Charleston International Film Festival (CIFF) welcomed over 3,000 people this year for fun, free panels and seminars, a taste of independent cinema, and exciting after parties April 23-26, 2009. Whether you wanted to experience independent features, shorts, documentaries or animations, all genres from some of the best seasoned and emerging filmmakers screened.  Filmgoers laughed with the comedies, felt the emotion in dramas, and definitely squirmed during the horror films!

In 2008, over 40 films screened with most movie blocks selling out. The second year  showcased over 60 films from the U.S. and around the world…including South Carolina. Filmgoers also had the rare opportunity to meet these filmmakers, directors, cinematographers and screenwriters during post-screening Q&A’s getting an exclusive inside look into the film and industry.

[CIFF] thanks all the writers, filmmakers, attendees, supporters and sponsors who made the second annual non-profit Charleston International Film Festival a great success!  [CIFF] looks forward to creating and brainstorming in 2009 to elevate to an even better third year next spring.  It’s [CIFF's] pleasure to present to you the 2009 Award Winners below:

2009 CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

Golden Crescent Awards for Film
-Golden Crescent Award for Best Feature: “Anytown“
-Golden Crescent Award for Best Short: “Locker 13: Down & Out“
-Golden Crescent Award for Best Documentary: “Drop Zone Tahiti“

Jury Awards
- Best Feature: “The Narrows“
– Best Short: “The Beneficiary“
– Center for the Documentary Jury Award for Best Documentary: “The End“

Audience Choice Awards
- Best Documentary: “S.O.B. and the Legend of Alan Schafer“
– Best Feature: “All for Liberty“
– Best Short – Comedy: “Clones Gone Wild“
– Best Short – Drama: “ΤΑ ΠΕΡΙΣΤΕΡΙΑ – Doves“
– Best Short – Thriller: “Bottled Up“
– Best Animation: “Little Yellow Painter“

Screenplay Awards
-Golden Crescent Screenplay Competition Winner: Rick Toscano for “Lowcountry“
-First Runner-Up: Marcia Chandler Rhea and Margaret Ford Rogers for “The Grey Man“
-Second Runner-Up: Janice Kennedy for “The Last Hanging in Pike County“

Special Honors
-Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Award for Best Actress:
Tessa Ferrer in “Excision“
-Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Award for Best Actor:
Bill Camp in “Love and Roadkill”

Go to www.Charlestoniff.com for full details

College of Charleston student/West Ashley High School grad Amber Caparas (19), auditioned in Atlanta for season 9 of American Idol and received the coveted Golden Ticket to Hollywood. As you may have noticed, Amber is a regular contributor to GreaterCharleston.com and even delivers our site intro video to the right, so you know we’re EXTRA proud of her. The Atlanta audition show aired Wednesday, January 13th on the FOX network (locally FOX 24). Amber competed in Atlanta against more than 10,000 hopefuls who traveled with friends and family from all parts of the country. Atlanta is one of 7 cities chosen as audition sites for the 2010 season, which premiered January 12th. Amber is among just 25 Hollywood finalists who received the Golden Ticket in Atlanta, joining 30 who advanced from the Boston auditions that aired last Tuesday. Boston also auditioned approximately 10,000 hopefuls. While American Idol audition shows continue for three more weeks covering 5 more cities, the Hollywood round airs starting February 9th, where Amber will continue to compete for the live rounds that begin February 23rd. Watch Amber’s official American Idol Golden Ticket Interview below, and visit the music page at AmberCaparas.com for samples of Amber’s live performances around the area.

Amber attended the Charleston County School of the Arts (SOA) for her first three years of high school, where she was a vocal major as a freshman and sophomore and theater major as a Junior. While at SOA Amber joined the school’s choir in a performance at Carnegie Hall, and later earned All-Star Cast honors from the South Carolina Theater Association for her performance in Steve Martin’s “WASP.” With her invitation to Hollywood, Amber will get the chance to perform on the Kodak Theater stage, home of the Oscars. Amber tells us she was in the final stages in the production of her first CD of all original songs, including her popular “White Dress” and “Last I’m Sorry,” and she wants us to know that the album will could be released as soon as late February. Since earning the Golden Ticket, Amber has begun performing around Greater Charleston, most notably at the Windjammer on the Isle of Palms. We’ll keep you posted of her upcoming local performances as she continues to prepare for all that awaits her budding music career. Past Greater Charlestonians who have earned American Idol’s Golden Ticket are Quiana Parler (season 3) and London Weidberg Gatch (season 7). Please post your best wishes for Amber below! Greater Charleston rocks! Visit AmericanIdol.com for full details and tons of media from Season 9 as it progresses, and click here for the complete season schedule.

Don’t forget to visit AmberCaparas.com to hear Amber perform several popular covers along with a few of her originals. At the Atlanta audition Amber sang the Cranberries anti-war anthem “Zombie,” which is one of the performances she features at her site.  There is also an unofficial-official fan page at Facebook that has been set up by one of her friends.

If the video does not properly load, Click Here to watch it at American Idol’s website.

Window Art Local Knowledge (a.k.a. WALK)  held their inaugural exhibition on May 21st at Billy Reid on King street.  WALK is a program that allows artists to display their paintings and photographs in the storefronts of vacated businesses on King street.  The idea behind the project is to allow the exhibition of local artists as well as dissolve the negative perception related to businesses that have suffered during this economic downturn.The exhibition at Billy Reid featured artwork and free food as well as a location for art fans to congregate and discuss the project and it’s implications.  Placing art in vacant storefronts encourages shoppers to peruse the neighboring shops that are open for Business.  It’s all about encouraging consumers to take that extra step, said Shawn McKay, one of the volunteers for the project.This inaugural exhibition marks the starting point for the project.  Art can currently be seen in the empty storefronts on King street, but McKay hopes that WALK can stretch beyond King Street to other streets in Charleston and ultimately to other cities.

Video and Editing by Kyle Hilliard

Sabine Lisicki's honest emotional outburst was moving and inspirational, and her grace during the trophy presentation was equally heartwarming... (click to zoom)

What a gorgeous week to host ESPN and an international audience of tennis enthusiasts. If you missed it, you missed being in the best place in Greater Charleston last week.

Right off the top professional tennis is among the most exciting sports to watch in person, so you can be sure it’s a very cool experience even in a lesser environment. But the Family Circle Cup is held on pristine Daniel Island right in the heart of Greater Charleston at the time of year when South Carolina weather is at its balmy best. On top of that, you will be hard pressed to find a more family-first big-time sporting event anywhere. Then add in the relaxed festival atomsphere of the Family Circle Cup and pile on the fairy tale story we all saw unfold this year, and you get something magical.

As the 2009 Cup came to a close on Sunday, the crowd had even more reasons to smile extra-wide, as they were treated to seeing beautiful 19 year old Sabine Lisicki (pronounced za-BEE-nuh LEE-si-kee) literally come out of nowhere to win her first professional event ever. Sabine exhibited such skill and passion and grace and power that all in attendance could see this was no fluke, but that a star is born. Despite being ranked just 58^th in the world, German upstart Lisicki made history by winning the prestigious event as the lowest seed (16) and lowest ranked athlete in the history of the cup. Yet as Sunday arrived, no one was surprised by her victory over Denmark’s Caroline Wosniacki – a winners circle veteran – as Sabine’s first round upset of mega-star Venus Williams earlier in the week was a shot heard around the world. The 5^th seeded Wosniacki pulled off a major upset of her own to reach the finals, as her 3 set marathon victory over the top seeded Elena Dementieva (the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist) will long be remembered as one of the most dramatic Family Circle Cup matches in recent history.

Be sure to view our photo essay as it contains dozens of on-court photos from this thrilling match. But in the end, it was all Sabine, and her tearful celebration was as moving as her play was inspiring. She defeates Venus Williams, inarguably one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and then marches through 3 other highly ranked tennis stars on way to winning her first championship. Bravo Sabine… and Bravo Family Circle… thank you for another beautiful week in Greater Charleston!

Click Here to watch our video coverage of the final weekend, wich includes  the full moment that was Sabine’s moving tearful celebration, from right there with her on the court. Also be sure to see our full collection of on-court photos tell a beautiful story. Once in the gallery, be sure to click “Slideshow” for a full screen, customizeable shot-by-shot viewing experience. Feel free to grab a few photos while you’re there. We hope to see you there next year. Enjoy!

Click Here to read all about the Historic Event at FamilyCircleCup.com

Lisicki and runner up Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark poses for us with an honored guest prior to the final match (click to zoom)

Sabine has one of the most intimidating serves in the sport, and she used it well to join the ranks of Chris Everett, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams as Champions of the prestigious event (click to zoom)

Family Circle Stadium was rocking all weekend, as locals joined guests from around the world and a global audience via ESPN to celebrate Charleston's very own International Sporting Event (click to zoom)

Olympic Gold Medalist and number 1 seed Elena Dementieva was graceful and gutty in her semi-final upset loss to Wozniacki (click to zoom)

Wozniacki took a big spill in her semi-final match, but needed just a moment to shake off the clay (click to zoom)

Sabine's sheer athleticism and power left all with the impression that this was no fluke, but in fact a star is born (click to zoom)

Sabine Lisicki begins her moving tearful celebration after winning her first ever professional tournament (click to zoom)

Click Here to see hundred of shots
from the court and of the crowd.
Maybe you’ll even see yourself!

As many as 5000 citizens conducted a peaceful protest rally dubbed "The Charleston Tea Party" in front of the US Customs House, April 15, 2009

The Charleston Tea Party April 15, 2009

It was way more than a tax protest at the U. S. Customs House on Wednesday. It was a genuine expression of American Values and Tradition… the right to peacefully assemble, the right to freedom of speech, the right to say ” I am sick and tired of the same old politicians that are blatently ignoring the wisdom of our founding fathers.” As thousands gathered at the steps of the U. S. Customs House waving impassioned signs of disapproval, one could hardly be anything but proud to witness a peaceful protest against the status quo. The sentiments crossed all races, all ages, and all socioeconomic groups. It was billed as a tax protest, but it was more a statement that our Constitutional Rights have been violated at the pleasure of the U.S. Congress. People are standing up and saying they are sick of the government interfereing with every aspect of our lives. It seems this groundswell may soon become a full-fledged earthquake!  LET FREEDOM RING! More photos soon to come.

Warren Ostergard is a Contributing Editor for Greater Charleston… please post your op-ed or similar content below!

This year’s festival concluded June 7th, so check back soon for our story and video from the Festival Finale held at Middleton Place.  If you weren’t able to attend any of this year’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival… here’s what you missed!

CHARLESTON, S.C.—In its 31st season, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival will run May 22 to June 7, 2009, offering a variety of arts and cultural programs including theatre, blues, jazz, chamber music, early music, dance, literary, visual arts and many free and family-friendly events. The 2009 festival will also draw national attention as one of seven outdoor festivals in the nation chosen to be surveyed and profiled in a report to be released in 2010 by the National Endowment for the Arts. Considered a top cultural destination in the nation by the NEA, Piccolo Spoleto’s programming, audiences and economic impact will be thoroughly studied during the 2009 festival.

“The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs is particularly pleased to present the 2009 Piccolo Spoleto Festival and to be among one of the few outdoor arts festivals in the nation chosen to be studied by the NEA,” says Ellen Dressler Moryl, director of the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and founding director of Piccolo Spoleto. “This year, more than ever, we are focusing on the awesome artistic talents located in our city, state and region to give our audiences the entertainment, the inspiration and the exhilaration that a great arts festival is expected to provide.”

“The 2009 Piccolo Spoleto Festival presents a wonderful opportunity for residents and visitors to forget their daily burdens and experience the magic of the arts,” says Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. “Charleston is so fortunate to be the center of the international arts world for 17-days between the exciting programs offered through Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto.”

The 2009 official Piccolo Spoleto poster image, selected from a statewide competition based on its design qualities and representation of the festival, is Emerging Light, by the late Charleston resident, Jim Innes. The Children’s Festival Poster is Conversation, also by the late Innes. This is the first time one artist has been chosen for two of the three Piccolo posters. The Spotlight Concert Series poster is Midnight of the Voyaging Canoe by Charlestonian, Patrick Servedio.

“Innes’ Emerging Light evokes the essence of what Piccolo Spoleto is…and what it does…representing that amazing connection between the artist and the audience” says Mrs. Moryl. “His colorful abstract design shows a beautiful, radiant light from within, resulting in transcendence and transformation for everyone involved. It was the perfect choice to represent Piccolo Spoleto 2009.”

A centerpiece of the 2009 Festival is The Charleston Jazz Legacy project, featuring internationally acclaimed jazz artist Wycliffe Gordon. Five of the tri-county’s best high school jazz bands will come together with the Piccolo Spoleto All-Star High School Jazz Band to present All that Jazz: A Battle of the Best High School Jazz Bands in the Lowcountry. The evening is opened by the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet, and following performances from each band, the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet will perform will all the students. This finale will include jazz favorites such as The Charleston and When the Saints Go Marching In. This concert is at the U.S. Custom House, located on the corner of Concord and Market Sts., in downtown, Saturday, May 23 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Sunday, May 24 at the Charleston County Public Library at 3 p.m., many of Charleston’s jazz legends will come together with Wycliffe Gordon for a panel discussion. From the evolution of jazz in Charleston to its impact today, panel members will have the opportunity to interact with the audience and offer their insights on the favorite, American genre.

Spotlight Concert Series and Mepkin Abbey Concerts
Presenting chamber musicians from the Southeast, the 2009 Spotlight Concert Series features innovative chamber concerts. Concerts include:

Songs My Father Taught Me with critically acclaimed violinist Lee-Chin Siow and pianist Enrique Graf, both professors at the College of Charleston. Internationally acclaimed pianist Joseph Rackers, performs music by Ravel and Rachmaninoff in the beautiful setting of the City Gallery at Waterfront Park. New Orleans based duo Wilfred Delphin, piano, and Valerie Francis, soprano, perform a recital of arias, songs and spirituals in A Tribute to Miss Marian Anderson. The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Wind Quintet offers a varied program, including Carl Nielsen’s masterwork, Quintet for Winds, Op. 43 plus two modern pieces by Jan Bach and Paquito d’Rivera. Debussy Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp is the featured work in this program that showcases three stars among CSO principal players: Jessica Hull-Dambaugh, flute; Jan-Marie Joyce, viola and Kathleen Wilson, harp, in Musical Impressions. Favorite opera arias are preformed in A Bicentennial Tribute to Mendelssohn featuring Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Donald Portnoy, with soloists Jennifer Luiken, mezzo soprano and Jill Tehaar Lewis, soprano. The History of the Soldier shines the spotlight on the awesome talents of musicians from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Part I features contemporary music for Bassoon and Piano. Part II is Stravinsky’s captivating masterpiece, L’Histoire du Soldat.

Special events of the series include: Beethoven: His Women and His Music, a unique collaboration between Actors’ Theatre of South Carolina and Chamber Music Charleston captures the maestro in a new light, revealing secrets from his journals. Ensemble Argos, a Greenville-based piano quartet performs works by Mahler, Mozart and Schuman. Charleston Chamber Opera presents Mothers, Sisters and Adversaries, a program featuring music from Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Suor Angelica.

The very special Mepkin Abbey concerts include a concert in the abbey church with its perfect, clarifying acoustics, followed by a reception under the shady oaks. The Ensemble of St. Clare at Mepkin Abbey performs May 25 at 4 p.m., Vita Nova by Gavin Bryars, Marcello Oboe Concerto #2 for oboe and strings and Brahms Horn Trio. Featured soloists include John Cunningham, countertenor; Mark Gainer, oboe; Brandon Nichols, horn; Yuriy Bekker, violin and Andrew Armstrong, piano. The Ensemble of St. Clare is comprised of some of the Lowcountry’s leading Chamber musicians, many of whom are members of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

Music of Bloch and Paulus is June 5 at 4 p.m. In this concert, the deeply prophetic voice of The Old Testament is realized in four works by Ernest Bloch: Tacy Edwards performs Suite Modale for flute and chamber orchestra; Suite Hebraique for violin and orchestra is performed by Amos Lawrence; Norbert Lewandowski, cello plays Songs from Jewish Life; and Bill Zehfuss, trombone performs the Trombone Symphony, one of Bloch’s later works. The second half of this compelling and highly spiritual concert is the Stephen Paulus Mass performed by the Taylor Music Festival Choir and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra. Choir prepared by Robert Taylor, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra conducted by Donald Portnoy.

Free Events
Piccolo Spoleto’s mission, since its founding in 1979, is to provide access to the Spoleto Festival USA experience for everyone, regardless of their economic, social or physical circumstances. As a result, many of Piccolo Spoleto’s offerings are free or have minimal ticket prices. These free events are offered as a public service to enrich the cultural diversity of the Lowcountry:

A tradition of turning Charleston into a stage for 17 days, Piccolo Spoleto’s Sunset Serenade, a free outdoor pops concert overlooking the Charleston Harbor at the U.S. Custom House, opens Piccolo Spoleto, Friday, May 22 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. This year, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra plays big band favorites with guest artist, The Wycliffe Gordon Quartet. The Palmetto Posaunen, a group of 40 trombone players with percussion, performs TROMBONES! at 6 p.m. on the East Bay Plaza of the U.S. Custom House. From Greenville, S.C., the Palmetto Posaunen performs favorites, including selections from Baroque and Classical literature as well as Broadway tunes, jazz, and yes, of course, “76 Trombones” from The Music Man.

Also offering many family-friendly activities, Piccolo Spoleto hosts a Children’s Festival in Marion Square. This year, the Festival, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., features a wide-range of exciting activities. These include, The Electric Company, many of the Lowcountry’s finest student choral and dance groups. Face painting, a “fun bus” and arts and crafts will also be among the many offerings.

Planned by the Piccolo Spoleto college interns, Break it Down Now!, a block party Saturday, May 30 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the U.S. Custom House, features music from the 80s, 90s and today. The interns are also encouraging everyone to help them “go green” for the event and will have a “green carpet,” and other environmentally-friendly entertainment and surprises for guests. Artists include 80s cover band Bueller, nationally acclaimed and former American Idol contestant Quiana Parler & Friends, DJ and video artists Spaced Invaders and break dancing group The Electric Company.

From 5 to 9 p.m., June 6 in Hampton Park, Charleston residents and visitors alike are invited to Piccolo Spoleto Finale: A Global Village of World Music, a high energy finale that wraps-up the festival with a line-up of groups, whose tunes span the globe. Artists include Carolina Klezmer from Charlotte, N.C., and Sababah from Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Students in Carolina Studios after school program will open the evening with their original beats. Please note that Piccolo Spoleto is committed to maintaining a balanced and healthy habitat for the ecosystem in Hampton Park and as a result will not have a fireworks finale.

Theatre
The Footlight Players Theatre presents Le Cage Aux Folles and Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead. In addition, the Footlight Players Theatre will host the hit Broadway Musical Revue, Eubie! as well as the lighthearted musical, The Good Time Variety Hour.

The theatre also hosts Season to Season, a drama that explores the relationship between Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner as spouses, colleagues and competitive forces in the midst of their self discovery as painters. Other productions include Sophie Tucker: Last of the Red Hot Mamas, Little City Cabaret and A Time to Dance.

The story of Stede Bonnet, a gentleman pirate, and his encounters with heartache, fame and ultimate infamy will be told through The Gentleman Pirate, presented by PURE Theatre at the Powder Magazine. Also presented is The Emperor is Naked?, a political satire as well as The Island, The Last Five Years and Sheep’s Clothing at Lance Hall in Circular Congregational Church..

The College of Charleston Department of Theatre presents the Stelle Di Domani series featuring Skinny White Comics, the hilarious stand-up comedy of David Lee Nelson and Isaac Witty. Also featured is Moments of Joy, the funny, moving cabaret starring College of Charleston’s own Joy Vandervort-Cobb. Art, The Mind’s I, Quills and Under the Lights are also presented.

The Village Playhouse Theatre presents two musicals, Ring of Fire-The Music of Johnny Cash and Splish Splash-The Short & Spectacular Life of Bobby Darin as well as the comedy, Rounding Third.

Theatre 99 presents Frank Caeti, of MADtv, and Matt Craig, of The Office, in the new sketch comedy, Frankenmatt. Also featured is a Chicago based improv group presenting The Reckonging and a New York based improv group presenting Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company. Also presented is The Complete History of Charleston for Morons, Mary Kay Has A Posse, The Have Nots! Comedy Improv Jam! and more. At the American Theater, a one-woman show about weddings, Meet Bridezilla (The Engagement and Obliged) and many others are presented.

Dance
The Charleston Ballet Theatre presents the perfect lunchtime diversion with Brown Bag and Ballet as well as Off to Oz, The Lullaby of Broadway, The Great Gatsby and The Magical Mystery Tour. The Louisiana based New Orleans Ballet Association, will also perform at Footlight Players in the Dance at Noon series.

Visual Arts
Five of Charleston’s contemporary artists will showcase, together, their works during Piccolo Spoleto, May 22 to June 7, at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park. From painted glass to burned mediums and collage paintings to miniature compositions, the individual works of Dorothy Netherland, Jonathan Brilliant, Ben Timpson, Karin Olah and Ishmael create the collective exhibit, Contemporary Charleston 2009: Revelation of Process. The public is invited to a free, opening reception May 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit is open May 15 to July 26, Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Noon to 5 p.m. During Piccolo Spoleto, May 22 to June 7, the City Gallery at Waterfront Park is open special hours, Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Located at 180 Meeting Street, the New Perspectives Gallery will host the Jim Innes Invitational Exhibition, Celebration and the Patrick Servedio Invitational Exhibition. Celebration features the recent works of the official poster artist for the 31st Piccolo Spoleto Festival, including explorations with Akua water-soluble ink and automaticism, a method of tapping the artist’s unconscious mind. The exhibit is open May 22 to June 7, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Patrick Servedio Invitational Exhibition features the most recent work of the official poster artist for this year’s Spotlight concert series and is open May 22 to June 7, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Another unique visual arts exhibition in the 2009 Piccolo Spoleto Festival is Breaking Out, featuring works from artists with disabilities at City Hall. This exhibition is coordinated by Special Olympics of South Carolina, City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, VSA of South Carolina and the South Carolina Arts Commission and is open May 22 to June 5, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Literary
The Southern Artists Celebratory Series
Premiering this year, the Southern Artists Celebratory Series (SACS) highlights one Southern artist each year. All profits from SACS benefit the Charleston Clemente Course, a free college-level course in the humanities, offered to expand the intellectual horizons of homeless and disadvantaged Charlestonians. For 2009, SACS presents A James Dickey Die-Hard weekend for lovers, and would-be lovers, of James Dickey, a weekend exploration of this, uniquely Southern, 18th poet laureate of the U.S. These events include:

Deliverance at High Noon: Movie and Panel Discussion—Based on Dickey’s 1970 novel, the now-classic 1972 film made a whole generation of men afraid of weekend camping in hillbilly territory. Panelists include Peter Wentworth, Franklin Ashley, Tara Powell and John Lane. May 30 at Noon. Terrace Theatre, 1956 Maybank Hwy., James Island. Tickets: $14.

Camera Obscura, Small Views of Big Poet—Two little-known films, Lord, Let Me Die, but Not Die Out catches Dickey on a three-week poetry barnstorming tour, conversing with passersby, students and poet Robert Lowell. Two Poets, Two Friends provides snippets from the deep and abiding friendship and professional admiration between Dickey and Robert Penn Warren. May 30 at 6 p.m. Visitor’s Center Auditorium, 375 Meeting St. Tickets: $5.

An American Poet Remembered—Introduced by South Carolina Poet Laureate, Marjory Wentworth, Dickey’s widow, Deborah, weaves together poetry readings, memoirs and selected family photos to take a more intimate look at the poet and the man. Sample Dickey’s favorite snacks following the presentation. May 31 at 3 p.m. Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St. Tickets: $10.

Blues and Traditional Music of the Old South
A Red Clay Sunset: An Evening of Old Time (Fiddle) Music—The South Carolina Broadcasters present an evening of old-time Cajun and Appalachian string band music featuring Pain Perdu and The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters present. May 31 at 5 p.m. Charleston Maritime Center, 10 Wharfside St. Tickets: $10.

Tickets may be purchased by calling the Piccolo Spoleto ticket hotline at 888-374-2656, or online at www.TicketMaster.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the Piccolo Spoleto box office, located in the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium at 77 Calhoun St., with no service charges, or at area Publix Super Markets. For a ticket brochure and information on Piccolo Spoleto, call the Office of Cultural Affairs at (843) 724-7305 or visit www.PiccoloSpoleto.com.

The Sandlapper Classic is famous with the athletes for their Olympic styled medals and old-school trophies (click to zoom)

Glaze (here with Coach Luden and Coach Jeremy Morris seated) gets deeply involved in the meet management

Charleston Parks & Recreation Executive Director Tom O'Rourke is one of many volunteers that made the 2009 Sandlapper Run like a machine

St. Johns super-sprinter Greg Roper is one of the Olympic hopefuls Glaze hopes to inspire to the next level (click to zoom)

Great Sponsors! (click to zoom)

Visit www.SandlapperClassic.com for the full story including highlights and photo galleries with all the medal winners and MVP’s, click here to view our huge gallery from the event, and when you see Gettys around town, don’t forget to give him a “that-a-boy,” but prepared for him to ask you to step up as a volunteer or contributor in an effort of your own, or next year at the 2010 Sandlapper. To quote Gettys, “it’s all about the kids. “ ~GC

Gettys joins Head Coach Kevin Shiver, his staff, and his Wando High School Girls Track team after winning the championship against 22 schools representing 3 states. The Wando Boys Team also won, accomplishing an unprecedented sweep at the Sandlapper Classic.

So there I was, on the morning of Saturday, April 4, 2009 — 18 years after I took my first steps in this beautiful town — standing in a crowd of over 30,000 people, about to take part in a ‘happening’ that had me awestruck for most of my childhood. Pretty cool.

A group of girls prepare to run the race in their matching prisoner costumes (click to zoom)

A mother gives her son a piggy-back ride as she runs up the bridge (click to zoom)

Running downhill on the Ravenel Bridge (click to zoom)

Click here to see my short video blog of the race from start to finish.  Enjoy!

Click here to see the full gallery of photos I shot during the race, also from start to finish. I was busy!

Click here for more photos shot by GreaterCharleston staffers at the finish line.

View larger Map

4th of July Bash on North Charleston’s Riverfront Park
By Kyle Hilliard

North Charleston's beautiful new Riverfront Park is appropriately located at the former Country Club and Golf Course at the historic Charleston Navy Base that closed during the 1990's.

Hundreds of people gathered to watch artists like Crowfield, The Blue Dogs and Mary Wilson — who used to sing for The Supremes — perform on stage.There may have been big name musicians and lots of great food, but the largest congregation of parents and children could be seen right by the entrance of the park.  The water fountain had what seemed to be thousands of kids running and screaming in drenched glee as parents watched nervously anticipating a fall or an uncomfortable nose full of water.

A large crowd turned out to see Mary Wilson and two other bands for at the spacious N. Charleston Riverfront Park (click to zoom)

Click Here to view our full photo gallery from North Charleston’s Independence Day Celebration

Video by Tristan Hilliard, editing by Kyle Hilliard, featuring Tsukasa Sato and North Charleston’s 4th of July Celebration attendees, photography by Tristan Hilliard.

Click Here to view our full screen slideshow, or Click Here to see the full gallery with quick-scan thumbnails

From sewe.com:
Now in its 28th year, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition has grown to be the largest event of its kind in the nation, attracting over 500 artists and exhibitors from around the globe who present their offerings to over 40,000 attendees. A 3-day celebration of nature that has earned a reputation for excellence, SEWE now hosts the world’s foremost experts in wildlife and nature art, as well as conservation research and environmental education.

Established in 1982, the first Southeastern Wildlife Exposition took place in February of 1983, with approximately 100 exhibitors and 5,000 people in attendance. Its goal was, and is, to produce an event which contributes significantly to the economy while promoting the conservation and preservation of nature and wildlife through its educational outreach programs and its focus on the visual arts. 

The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition is a critical part of the South Carolina and Charleston calendar. Run with the utmost professionalism and pride, an effort that began as a small winter diversion has now become the largest annual event to take place in South Carolina and one of the most popular and successful events in the country.

For complete details visit the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition website at www.sewe.com

Middleton Place is also recognized for it's high bluffs and rolling hills... giving it the most diverse landscape in Greater Charleston... click to zoom

The central promenade of the terraced lawn leads directly to the Ashley River... click to zoom

One of many romantic little structures on the grounds... click to zoom

The grounds and gardens at Middleton Place are so expansive that it's impossible to enjoy it all in one afternoon... click to zoom

Simply beautiful.... click to zoom

We stumbled upon a beautiful little wedding party... and caught this beautiful little girl and her friends reminding us that the people of Greater Charleston are our most beautiful sights

Click Here to see the full amazing essay, and don’t forget to use the slideshow tool (left side menu at the gallery).

Click Here for full details about Middleton Place including the Google Map and the driving direction tool.

The Pier is a fully equipped surfside fisherman's paradise (click to zoom)

 Click Here for full details on the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier

Click here to see photos of the Folly Beach Fishing Pier in our Gallery, and be sure to try the slideshow while there!

Click Here to jump to our post on Fort Moultrie

Click here to see photos of Charleston Harbor from the beach at Fort Moultrie in our Gallery, and be sure to try the slideshow while there!

 Click Here to get encyclopedic details about the Fort Moultrie at Wikipedia.com

The short trip to downtown Charleston (20 minutes) has made it a favorite choice for both professionals and retirees. It is a quick 30 minute ride to your favorite beach at Folly or Kiawah or just hang out at the pool where you are sure to be welcomed by an impromptu gathering of friends enjoying an afternoon barbecue discussing the last softball game. Lots of great people just sitting on their front porch rockers sippin’ sweet tea and saying “hey” to the walkers. It’s very Charleston!

The development of the Parkside and Woodside sections are complete and lots are now available in the Lakeside neighborhood with larger lots and the small lake as the site feature. There are preferred builders or you can bring your own. You can also take your time to begin building as there is no build out date requirements.

This same Royal Brittish Coat of Arms above the pulpit saved the church from destruction during the Revolution. (click to zoom)

The carving of a Pelican feeding her young (over the door) symbolized the teaching the Gospel for the early American Church(click to zoom)

Click here to see photos of the historic St. James Goose Creek Church in our Gallery, and be sure to try the slideshow while there!

Click Here for encyclopedic information about Goose Creek’s St. James Church

North Charleston Cheif of Police Jon Zumalt

Crime in North Charleston comes to a hault thanks to Chief of Police Jon Zumalt.

On a blustery winter night in Wichita Kansas, a young beat cop was on his way to a reported liquor store break-in. Fresh, continuous snow fall slowed his progress to the crime scene. The liquor store’s front window was shattered and sprinkled amidst a few inches of snow on the front curb. Much more interesting to the cop than glass fragments were a set of recent footprints that lead away from the scene. He tracked the size 11 imprints down the block and to the suspects doorstep. The criminal mastermind not only responded to the ensuing knock on his door, but also put his hands up and emphatically said, “I didn’t rob that liquor store!”

The young cop from this story is no longer so young nor hunting down petty thieves in Kansas. He now leads a resilient and no-nonsense Police Department in North Charleston, South Carolina. His name is Jon Zumalt and he has significantly helped transform North Charleston into – dare I say it – a ’safer’ place to be.

Nine years ago,when he came to the south to take over a problematic police force, a man asked him if he came here on a stagecoach, no doubt a half-witted attempt to link him to another famous Wichita Sheriff – someone named Wyatt Earp. Not a very smooth introduction. At least no one said to him, “your not in Kansas anymore.”

If we look back to 2006, North Charleston was on a top-ten list that no city in the USA wants to be on: The top ten most crime ridden cities list.  North Charleston placed 7th in the county that year. Compton California had a better ranking; thats how bad it was. [Editor's note: Of course, those are "per capita" stats, and some argue small towns shouldn't be included in such lists as they lack the massive populations that temper such stats, but the stats are revealing metrics nonetheless... especially considering the positive turn].

Chief Zumalt inherited a city that seemed to be mired in high homicide counts due to tit-for-tat killings, or revenge murders. The community also harbored feelings of deep-rooted distrust towards the police department. Last but not least, there were not enough police officers to handle all the problems. 
That is the old news – the bad news. Now it is time for the new news – the GOOD news. Since 2006, crime has dropped an unprecedented 33% in North Charleston. This is a truly remarkable and dramatic turn around that marks the largest drop in crime of any American city during that time span. Since crime has dropped so rapidly over the last three years, North Charleston is no longer 7nth on the highest reported crime list. As a matter of fact, North Charleston is expected to place in the 50’s, or maybe even the 60’s, for 2009 – according to Chief Zumalt.

I asked the Chief what the biggest reason was for this amazing turnaround. Instead of taking the credit, he humbly gave the accolades to his loyal police officers. Secondly, safety innovations were incorporated within the North Charleston police force from other successful districts. For example, Los Angeles Chief of Police, Charlie Beck, introduced new ideas to help curb tit-for-tat killings or revenge crimes; something that had been a major problem for Chief Zumalt’s city. Chief Beck’s system worked in Los Angeles, and it has worked in North Charleston as well. With this new, west coast offensive system in place, along with a dedicated police force, Chief Zumalt can proudly and accurately boast that the murder rate in North Charleston has dropped 61 percent since 2006. Statistics like these are nearly unheard of in law enforcement over the last three years. In 2009 alone, there was a 25% reduction of aggravated assaults with a firearm as well as a 37% reduction of violent crimes committed with a firearm.

Another gorge that Chief Zumalt had to cross was the deep trench of bitterness and distrust between the residents of North Charleston and the police department. As recent as three years ago, neighborhood leaders felt that the police could not be trusted and encouraged their communities not to help them. This standoffish attitude made it extremely hard for law enforcement to solve crimes and it also made it extremely hard for communities to enjoy safer living situations. However, thanks to strategies set in motion by Chief Zumalt and his team, the gap between North Charleston community leaders and the police force has been filled with proof of trust – as well as the reassurance that working together is the only answer. Today, leaders in North Charleston that were formerly the most outspoken against the law, are now working hand-in-hand with police units within schools to help eliminate drugs and violence.

The best part of bringing community officials and the police department in North Charleston together is the re-establishment of trust. Just how much trust is there now between these two parties? Consider this statistic: Calls that come in to 9-1-1 lines called “Self Initiated Calls”, or calls that people make on their own to help police solve crimes, are up 100 percent since 2006. Another words, citizens of North Charleston are putting more faith in the law enforcement agency that aims to serve and protect them. Trust has officially been restored, the gap has been closed.

Due to the recent renaissance of trust, the North Charleston Police Department is solving crime at an eye-popping rate. For example, if a murder is committed in North Charleston, Chief Zumalt and his men expect to solve the crime 80 percent of the time. Imagine that, a city that can solve 80 percent of it’s murder cases. Unfortunately, murders still happen in North Charleston, as they do in any major city, just not as often as they used to. However, if there is a murder, it will be solved, in most cases. This is made possible because phone lines are lighting up every time there is a major crime committed. People are helping police solve crime by supplying pertinent leads and the police are helping people by ensuring their neighborhoods become safer places.

The last major problem that Chief Zumalt and the North Charleston Police Department had to face was the glaring need for more cops. After the Chief was denied additional funds to hire more policemen by Governor Sanford, his wish was granted by North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. The resulting increase in manpower had an immediate and palpable influence when it came to decreasing the crime rate. Most importantly, it enabled Chief Zumalt to implement a well thought out plan. The plan was to pin-point problem areas throughout the city where criminals are still running things. Then, make sure that there are two policemen, at any given time, on patrol in those areas. Also, an officer was placed into such neighborhoods as a resident, so his presence can constantly be felt. More men, more patrolling and a bigger police presence means less crime.

Indeed, North Charleston has come a long way in the last three years thanks to a proven leader and a hard-working police force. Although it does not snow here, Chief Zumalt has followed the footprints of success to foster a safer and more inviting city. Now, instead of knocking tentatively, with inconsistent tactics, a poor relationship with those inside, and a lack of manpower – the law in North Charleston is now kicking in the door with progressive – cutting edge techniques, a hospitable public image and enough policemen to get the job done.

Click the hat to see our full screen slideshow!

In addition to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure held on Daniel Island this month, the evening of Thursday, October 22, 2009 brought the businesses and people of the Avondale area closer together in support of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month. Everywhere you looked, windows were painted pink and adorned with the now infamous pink ribbons. Business owners, customers and residents joining in the event wore their pink ribbons proudly to honor their loved ones, friends, co-workers, and neighbors who are fighting the daily war of breast cancer as well as those who ultimately lost their battle.

Just a few of the businesses adorned in pink were Reinvented, Lola Hair Salon, Bungalow Home, Triangle Char & Bar, Pearlz Little Oyster Bar, Consigning Women, FIX Salon Studio, le juice, Poe’s, Voodoo Tiki Bar & Lounge, Lava Salon, ESD (Elizabeth Stuart Design), Charleston Child, Charleston Bicycle Company, and Alchemy Coffee.

Miley Burnette, the 2009 chairperson of the Pink for the Cure committee, stated participation in the cause is up throughout the Greater Charleston area and the $100 entry fee was waived due to the economy woes, which likely helped triple participation. Everyone knows someone breast cancer has touched.

Breast cancer does not discriminate! It invites itself into the home of any race, gender, age, religious preference, or social or economic environment. No one is immune from this life-altering disease, therefore, we must keep donations coming for research, keep events and awareness in the public eye, and keep knocking down doors to find a cure.

You can just CLICK on the link or go to our Gallery and enter Pink Party in the search field to see fun pics of the Thursday evening event. Thanks so much to all who participated.

Homecoming 2009… Greater Charleston Style!
Nothing of the American experience better defines each community’s true personality, nor better unites our common national spirit than the uniquely American phenomenon known simply as “homecoming.” Join us as we visit nearly every high school in Greater Charleston to document in video, photos, and word the fall gala where the jocks slug it out and the band plays all night and the girl next door gets to live out a dream… just like generations before. The footballers, the band majors, the cheerleaders,  the pep squads, the color guards, the dance corps, the referees, the mascots, the troopers and firemen, moms and dads and sisters and brothers,  face painted revelers, and homecoming alumni alike remind us of the best thing that will ever go on under Friday night lights… especially in the South Carolina lowcountry. Click below to find an ever-growing treasure trove of stories, videos, and photos galore.

Summerville Greenwave (vs. James Island Trojans)
West Ashley Wildcats (vs. Colleton County Cougars)
James Island Trojans (vs. Stratford Knights)  
Goose Creek Gators (vs. James Island Trojans) 
Fort Dorchester Patriots (vs. Colleton County Cougars)
North Charleston Cougars (vs. Lake Marion)
Porter Gaud Cyclones (vs. Ben Lippen)
Stratford Knights (vs. Colleton County Cougars)
Burke Bulldogs (vs. Garrett Academy Falcons)
Hanahan Hawks (vs. Kingstree)
Lincoln High (vs. Branchville High)
St. Johns Islanders (vs. Academic Magnet Eagles)
Stall Warriors (vs. Battery Creek Dolphins) 
Wando Warriors (vs. Beaufort Eagles)
Cane bay (vs.  Ashley Ridge)  
Ashley Ridge (vs. Burke Bulldogs) 
Timberland (vs. Andrews Yellow Jackets)

(MORE COMING SOON…. if you have photos or video or a related story of your own that you’d like to share, please click one of the three big buttons at the top of this page and share them with the world!)

SC Shrimp Processing & Biotechnologies, Inc., (SC Shrimp), a subsidiary of AgraTech International, Inc., was incorporated to address the growing need to revitalize the domestic shrimp industry, make it more competitive with shrimp imports and bring a new biotechnology industry to the State of South Carolina, reports company president Gregory Ensign.

Ensign, who is also an attorney, says SC Shrimp will serve two distinct, yet related business opportunities. The first is to purchase, process, and distribute high quality ocean-caught domestic shrimp to grocery stores and restaurants within South Carolina and other Southeast Atlantic areas. The second opportunity is to use the production waste, i.e. shrimp heads and shells, to produce a biomaterial called chitosan (ki´ to zan), that will be sold in a variety of markets, including, among others, agricultural, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and medical. According to Ensign, “these two complementary businesses will support the revitalization of the shrimping industry in South Carolina and the Southeast Atlantic while creating new products from chitosan, which will translate to hundreds of new jobs and a new ‘smart’ biotechnology industry for our state.”

The naturally occurring biochemical called chitin (ki´ tin) is obtained from the exoskeletons of crustaceans, such as shrimp, crab and lobster. This modified form of glucose is insoluble in water and other solvents, making it difficult to process. Chitosan is a soluble derivative of chitin that is the company’s magic ingredient. When in solution, chitosan has proven useful in wastewater treatment, water purification, nutraceuticals (as a “fat blocker”), and many medical applications, particularly as a blood-clotting agent. Chitosan is non-toxic and non-allergenic, making it safe to use in food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices and materials. Ensign puts high stock in the team of scientists and visionaries that are SC Shrimp, and feels they are on the verge of discoveries reminiscent of George Washington Carver’s work with the once lowly peanut.

SC Shrimp’s goals also make sense from a “green” perspective. Shrimp processing companies historically have been required to pay to have the shrimp shells hauled to landfills thereby creating an additional cost. The company plans to use the shells in the production of chitosan and chitosan-based products to turn a cost into a revenue generator, and of course, they plan to continue promoting shrimp as the genuinely “homegrown” culinary delight that it should always remain. That sounds like good business to us. ~GC

Greg Ensign can be contacted at:
greg.ensign@scshrimp.com
Main phone:  (843) 860-8772
Toll Free: (866) 884-9106, Ext. 81

The Ravenel Bridge Bike and Pedestrian Path Towers over Greater Charleston (click to zoom)

The views from the Ravenel Bridge towers are spectacular (click to zoom)

Click here to see photos of The Ravenel Bridge Observation Towers and Bikeway in our Gallery, and be sure to try the slideshow while there!

Click Here to get encyclopedic details about the Ravenel Bridge at Wikipedia.com

With the current dire condition of the global economy, it would be fair to expect Andrade to be running low on enthusiasm and vision. Yet as he toured us through his latest pet project, the Charleston Business Development Center at the corner of East Bay and Calhoun Street (next door to Starbucks), it’s clear he’s more energized than ever. So we sat with Ernest and asked him to give us his 1^st quarter report card on the City of Charleston’s 2009 economic plan, and you should be encouraged by his report.

As we approached the 2009 calendar year, the City of Charleston established six major initiatives for their Economic Recovery Plan. The first one seemed easy enough, as it was a simple Business License fee incentive for knowledge-based businesses, but being easy to implement doesn’t immediately translate to success. Yet Andrade reports that his office at the Digital Corridor is already leveraging the incentive to the tune of two new firms now considering Charleston for their expansion. That’s pretty good for virtually no investment. Nice start.

Second, the city aimed to develop the aforementioned Business Development Center, which is already looking exactly like the plans (see inset photo) and is just a few weeks away from live activity.

An architectural rendering of the soon-to-open Charleston Business Development Center is a clear reflection of Andrade's 21st century business sensibilities (click to zoom)

Third, the city aimed to work with the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) to facilitate the $5 million redevelopment of the Mattress Factory on upper Meeting Street into the MUSC/SCRA Innovation Center. At first glance this project seemed a bit ambitious in the current economy, especially for that part of town, yet the 30,000 sq. ft. facility has already broken ground and is expected to open operations in time for Christmas. Considering the ultra-high need for investment in that part of town, we give that one a strong A.

Fourth, the city plans to launch a web based portal to aggregate news from all sectors of business in effort to stimulate activity among freelancers and other entrepreneurs. We can tell you firsthand how ambitious any form of “live” web portal can be, but Andrade reports solid progress, and we’ll surely be helping promote the portal, so things are looking solid here too.

Fifth, the city aimed to boost the large restaurant community by moving aggressively to eliminate the fees for sidewalk dining permits and damage deposits while also loosening late-night restrictions. In a city known for iron-clad regulations this goal had all the markings of a lost cause, until the Charleston County Council unanimously approved these ordinance revisions on February 24^th. We’ll give that effort an A+ for speed. It’s nice to see red tape get cut to pieces so quickly. If only the U.S. Congress would take a cue.

And finally, for the city’s sixth initiative for 2009, the Department of Business Services outlined a plan to empower existing businesses through a series of new knowledge forums – a continuing business education of sorts – something often discussed but seldom brought to productive fruition. Yet the first forum was held in March and others are soon to follow. Very encouraging indeed.

So while challenges are real and present for all of us, the City of Charleston is feeling pretty good about the future, and if Andrade’s enthusiasm can be used as a leading indicator (there’s no reason to stop now), then Greater Charleston’s flagship municipality is going to survive the future crises just as it has all others in our long and storied past. To quote the very articulate Andrade, “we’re staying very very busy.” That’s very good news.

Photo by William Bullock Jr.

The variables within the complex would be location, which would certainly dictate your view from your townhome; be it marsh, tidal, a partial river view or a full river view. Each duplex has a tandem garage that will hold two vehicles and all the beach toys one might need. Features include three bedrooms, three baths, some offer hardwood flooring throughout, others with stainless steel appliances, all have outdoor shower head in back door entry to garage to remove the sand from a day of fun at the beach. 

Water’s Edge offers residents and guests a riverfront pool, dock (to fish, crab, or just cannonball into the river from) and a few townhomes even have their own boat slip with a remote operated lift. 

Water's Edge riverfront pool

Everything is in walking distance from Water’s Edge; restaurants (Lost Dog Café for a fabulous breakfast and/or lunch, Taco Boy for a fun Margaritaville environment and some of the best Mexican food around, along with a variety of other quaint Folly Beach dining spots), shopping, a park on Center Street, and last but not least, the Folly Beach fishing pier. Life is good and fun at Folly Beach!

Holistic pet care, by its very definition, suggests an effort to be inclusive of the ‘whole’ pet; to take into account the mind, body, and spirit of both the pet and the owner.  All is Well was designed to create a peaceful and “stress-free” environment to promote positive emotions in both the animals and their owners.  Our customers are treated to calming colors, waterfalls, and light music when they walk into a store catering to an upbeat frame of mind.  There is also a small reading area with many life enhancing books by leading authors.  The concept is to make satisfying your pet’s nutritional needs a pleasant and enjoyable experience, and to offer tools to enlighten the mind, body and spirit of our human clients.

All is Well is committed to building and maintaining a reputation as a leader in the nutrition world for pets.  We have done, and will continue to do, tireless research to provide the absolute best products for our community’s pets.  This research will be heavily scrutinized and we will carry only products we truly believe to be the best for your pet.  It is our commitment to our consumers that our sales staff will be up-to-date with the latest nutrition information.

We feel that by creating a purely positive environment and having a knowledgeable sales staff with the latest nutrition information, we will not only educate the community but build long-term relationships with our clients.

While it may seem odd to visit an oak tree in an area where massive oaks are common, Angel Oak is far more than the greatest oak tree in the land of oaks. It is most likely the most ancient object – living or man-made – this  side of the Rocky Mountains. At an estimated age of 1400 to 1600 years, the tree might have been reaching for sunlight 1000 years before Columbus discovered the new world, making it one of the oldest trees on the planet. Yes, there are older objects in the world, but this tree is right here, and it’s rather shocking how few locals have ever visited the appropriately named oak. We’d rattle off some stats on how large it is, but that wouldn’t help you grasp its size. It absolutely must be seen to believe, but the size is nowhere near as impressive as its age… or should we say “youth?”  A drive out to Johns Island to see Angel Oak should also be combined with a visit to Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island or a lunch/shopping trip to Freshfields Village. To make the trip you’ll have to travel the oak-canopied masterpiece that is Bohicket Road, an historic old drive that’s populated by numerous horse ranches and small family farms – making the road one of the most scenic in Greater Charleston, and a genuine Must See. Use the map below to map your course and to get step by step driving directions to Angel Oak and Bohicket Road.

 Click here to see photos of Angel Oak in our Gallery, and be sure to try the slideshow while there!

Click Here to get encyclopedic details about Angel Oak at Wikipedia.com

While most Charlestonians trek to one of the major Fourth of July celebrations downtown, Goose Creek offers a quaint, laid-back atmosphere for people to enjoy the birthday of our nation. Located at the Marguerite H. Brown Municipal Center, the festivities began at 7:00 P.M. concluding with a fireworks show at 9:00 P.M.

The weather could not have been more cooperative with a comfortable 89 degrees as the music provided by The Fabulous Kays from Charlotte, North Carolina, filled the air. A very diverse crowd and multi-generational families spread out blankets and popped open lawn chairs immersing themselves in the music, food, and the open fields where games of football and soccer were played. Many of the smaller children spent their time in the jump castle sponsored and supervised by Goose Greek Recreation.  Most people brought small coolers filled with food and drink, but most of the crowd lined up to purchase fresh-squeezed lemonade, hot boiled peanuts, and of course hot dogs and hamburgers.

As the evening waned and the band continued to play songs that kept the crowd dancing, the children, exhausted from playing, found their way back to their families and readied themselves for the fireworks show. The “ooooooh’s” and “aaaaaah’s” from the crowd confirm that Fabulous 4th In The Creek is a satisfying way to spend a holiday evening.

Some of the country’s hottest improv, sketch, and stand-up artists will descend upon Charleston, S.C., for what has become the annual event you don’t want to miss! Produced by Theatre 99 (Charleston’s Home for Improv Comedy) and the Charleston City Paper (the premier source for news, arts, and entertainment), 38 shows will be performed in nine different venues in just four nights.

Several returning artists are slated to perform in the Charleston Comedy Festival 2010, including Cook County Social Club, an improv and sketch comedy group from Chicago that played to packed houses in 2009. Cook County will team up with The Dangerous Strangers of Cabaret Kiki, the band behind Charleston’s favorite burlesque show who will reunite for a one-night only performance.

Another festival favorite is Elephant Larry, an uproarious NYC sketch comedy troupe who debuted in Charleston at the Comedy Fest in 2006 and returned for that year’s Piccolo Fringe Festival in May. The Uprights Citizen Brigade Touring Company makes its semi-annual pilgrimage to town with Pangea 3000, a four-man sketch comedy group comprised of writers and contributors to The Onion, and Sidecar, a group that will perform a compilation of their greatest sketches.

Plenty of stand-up comedians from around the country will be taking the mic. Kenny Zimlinghaus, a former 96Wave deejay who is now on Cosmo Radio on XM and Sirius, will return to perform and emcee the annual Charleston Stand-Up Competition.

Venues for the festival this year include Theatre 99 (280 Meeting St. above the Bicycle Shoppe), The American Theater and Stars Bar (446 King St.), Charleston Ballet Theatre (477 King St.), Trio Club (139 Calhoun St.), the Music Farm (32 Ann St.), and Eye Level Art 103 Gallery (103 Spring St.). The festival has expanded to the suburbs with two new venues: the Charleston Pour House on James Island (1977 Maybank Hwy.) and Centre Pointe Bar & Grill in North Charleston (4950 Centre Pointe Dr.) This festival is the South’s premier comedy event and the only event of its kind in the Carolinas.Ticket prices range from $5 – $20 and are available at here or by calling Etix at 1-800-514-ETIX.*

Tickets will be sold at Theatre 99 (280 Meeting St.) the week of the festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m (cash or check only). If the show is not sold out, tickets will be available at the door starting one hour before showtime.

___________________________________________________________________________

The Charleston Comedy Festival is almost here and we have a new website! 
www.charlestoncomedyfestival.com

Charleston Comedy Festival tickets make GREAT Christmas presents!

___________________________________________________________________________

CHARLESTON STAND UP COMPETITION PRELIM ROUNDS

The Charleston Comedy Festival expanded its stand-up competition this year, holding four preliminary rounds in the lead up to the final competition on Wed. Jan. 20. Two rounds have been completed with four finalists from each show moving on to the finals.

The final two preliminary rounds are already full of performers, but it’s not too late to make plans to attend:

Friday, January 15 at 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 16 at 10:00 p.m.

Theatre 99 (280 Meeting Street)
Tickets are $5

Call 843-853-6687 for reservations. They go fast!

Click above to watch the 2009 City of Charleston Christmas Parade. Shot and edited by Ryan Ricker.

Videography and editing by Ryan Ricker, hosted by Amber Caparas.

A Hanahan receiver makes a great sideline catch at the FCA Passing Camp

It seems that lately, everything we hear and read about young people in this area is bad. From young men being in the wrong place at that wrong time, to boys who have lost their sense of direction and constantly doing the next wrong thing instead of the next right thing.

Wednesday, July 15th, Charleston Southern University and its partner, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, finished its annual 7 on 7 Passing League and Lineman Camp for area high school football teams. Twelve schools in all came out for the practice and competition, including Ben Lippen HS which came all the way down from Columbia. In all, there were over 250 players and fifty coaches, and scores of parents who came out to support their children and teams. At camp, players practice passing plays against other teams, and the lineman are coached on taking their skills to the next level to be better players.

But the annual camp is more than just a chance for these students to analyze their competition before the fall football season. It is an opportunity for athletes to develop good sportsmanship, learn respect and learn about the spiritual side of football. Each summer, CSU hosts this preseason passing league football camp for local high school teams. The camp, which was held July 13-15, helps players keep in shape during the summer months and gives them a chance to challenge other local teams in a competitive but friendly environment. The players and coaches practice football, but they also learn about how to make the right fundamental decisions in life.

All the centers got plenty of shotgun practice at the FCA Passing Camp

The camp has been held each summer for seven years. The camp accepts both public and private schools. Although CSU hosts the camp, coaches and assistant coaches from each school participate and work with their own players. And at the end of three days, for all the hard work and coaching, the teams with the best camp record to compete in the Championship game at the end of camp. The coaches find this really keeps everybody working hard.

The Lincoln team relaxes after another long day of passing camp

Starting several years ago, CSU wanted to provide students with more than just a chance to practice. So they involved the Lowcountry Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a nonprofit organization that shares a Christian message with coaches and young athletes. “We have been doing this with CSU for three years now. It’s a wonderful opportunity for FCA to be out here with the coaches and players,” says Emmett Morgan, the FCA’s Lowcountry area director. “At FCA, we believe that athletes have a tremendous influence over other students on the campus. We want to make sure that they understand there is more to life than football, girls, and parties on Friday nights. What these players say and how they act can influence a whole campus. We want to provide a foundation through the Gospel for the coaches and players to do the right things.”

At the end of competition, FCA provides the players with ice cold Gatorade and water, and takes a few minutes to share the Gospel with the players and coaches. This week, Darrell Coulter, a former All American quarterback from Morgan State, and Ernest Smith, former Wando HS baseball stand-out, took time from their busy days to come and talk with the teams. “I am always humbled when I am given an opportunity to come out here and talk to young athletes and give them advice on how to be a better football player and, more importantly, a better person,” said Coulter, now a pastor at Joy Baptist Church in downtown Charleston.

West Ashley Coach Jeremy Morris gives his Wildcats a little TLC

“A lot of these players and some of the coaches have a hard life,” said Morgan. “It’s not like when we were growing up. Lots of these kids come from broken homes with no father figure, their brothers and sisters are involved in bad things, and it seems like the only answer is to hide their pain by being in a gang, drinking or drugging on the weekends, or ending up a father at sixteen…. With a little love and a little guidance, these guys can go on to great lives.

Guest speaker, Ernest Smith, ends the camp with some uplifting words of encouragement

Emmett Morgan is a Board Editor, and is the Area Director for the Lowcountry Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Click here to see a full album of photos in our gallery.

The 2009 Spoleto USA official poster (click to zoom)

The 2009 festival concluded June 7th, so check back soon for our story and video from the Festival Finale held at Middleton Place.  If you weren’t able to attend any of this year’s Spoleto Festival USA… here’s what you missed!

Charleston, South Carolina - Spoleto Festival USA has begun! The 17-day season runs from May 22 – June 7. Tickets for the 2009 Spoleto Festival USA are on sale now. Highlights of the 33rd season include: a new production of Gustave Charpentier’s opera Louise; a series of events honoring chamber music series artistic director Charles Wadsworth; and the return of two festival favorites – Britain’s Kneehigh Theatre with a new production, Don John, as well as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Notable festival debuts include Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Spain’s Noche Flamenca and Japanese choreographer/performer Hiroaki Umeda. All three of these productions are courtesy of the Carolina First Dance series. Noteworthy musical events include the Westminster Choir and the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra in a performance of W. A. Mozart’s Requiem led by Festival Artistic Director for Choral Activities Joseph Flummerfelt; two concerts conducted by Music Director for Opera & Orchestra Emmanuel Villaume – Gustav Mahler’s masterpiece Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) and Brahms’s Violin concerto in D Major with violinist Sarah Chang. The Westminster Choir will also perform Dietrich Buxtehude’s baroque sacred masterpiece Membra Jesu Nostri.

Season Details
The streets of bohemian Paris, immortalized in Puccini’s La bohème, serve as both the setting and inspiration for a new production of Gustave Charpentier’s opera Louise. Rarely staged in the U.S. due to its large number of roles, Louise will be directed by Sam Helfrich with Ukranian-American soprano Stefania Dovhan in the title role. The set is designed by Andrew Holland with costumes by Kaye Voyce and lighting by Aaron Black. Emmanuel Villaume, Spoleto Festival USA Music Director for Opera & Orchestra, will conduct. Louise is sponsored by BMW Manufacturing Co.

The colorful and ultimately tragic life of actor and silver screen legend Peter Lorre serves as the springboard for the punk cabaret operetta Addicted to Bad Ideas: Peter Lorre’s 20th Century. A collaboration between director Jay Scheib and New York punk band World/Inferno Friendship Society, Bad Ideas features WIFS’s incomparable front man Jack Terricloth backed by a swinging nine-piece band and incorporates innovative video designed by Scheib and Keith Skretch.

Contemporary music also plays an important supporting role in Don John, the newest production from Britain’s Kneehigh Theatre. The Cornwall-based ensemble’s first American performances of Tristan & Yseult at the 2006 Spoleto Festival USA, proved the sleeper hit that year. The company returns to Charleston for the U.S. premiere of Don John, a highly original new production inspired by Mozart’s Don Giovanni. With a score of specially commissioned music by Stu Barker that adds a sense of playfulness to the story line, Don John embodies Kneehigh’s distinctive brand of physical and imaginative storytelling. Sponsored by First Citizens, Don John is produced in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Bristol Old Vic and will be performed 19 times over the course of the festival.

The award-winning American puppeteer Basil Twist garnered rave reviews in 2005 with a delightful Festival production of Respighi’s La bella dormente nel bosco. Twist returns to Spoleto Festival USA with the elegant and dreamlike Dogugaeshi, which both revives and pays homage to the rarefied Japanese stage technique of the same name. Shamisen virtuoso Yumiko Tanaka will accompany the hour-long production which will be presented in an intimate black-box theater built specially for the production in the Gaillard Exhibition Hall. Dogugaeshi is sponsored by Charleston Place.

Rounding out the theatrical selections of the 2009 festival is the adventurous Dutch theater ensemble Kassys with Good Cop Bad Cop and Welsh artist Hugh Hughes performing the winsome Story of a Rabbit, which won the Fringe First Award following a sold-out Edinburgh Fringe Festival season in 2007.

The Carolina First Dance series features a Spoleto festival audience favorite – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – along with a number of festival debuts. Founded in 2003, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet is known for its adventurous repertoire by international choreographers rarely seen in this country. Described as “extraordinarily gifted” by The New York Post, the 16-member ensemble has been widely praised for its technical aptitude and fierce physicality, both of which will be displayed in a program featuring Norwegian choreographer Jø Stromgren’s whimsical Sunday, Again and Crystal Pite’s Ten Duets on the Theme of Rescue, along with an excerpt from Ohad Naharin’s Decadance. Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet is sponsored by Ginn Resorts.

Also making festival debuts are two international dance attractions: the experimental Japanese choreographer/performer Hiroaki Umeda, whose work employs digital technology and crackling soundscapes in surprising and sophisticated ways; and Spain’s Noche Flamenca with lead dancer Soledad Barrio. Repeatedly singled out by Alastair Macaulay, the chief dance critic of The New York Times, as one of the most important dancers working today, Barrio will lead an ensemble of musicians and dancers in the atmospheric outdoor setting of the Cistern at the College of Charleston. Noche Flamenca is sponsored by Ginn Resorts and Hiroaki Umeda is sponsored by Sherman Capital Markets.

In the midst of a nationwide 50th anniversary tour, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, returns to the Gaillard over opening weekend for their fifth Spoleto Festival USA appearance. The company will offer a celebratory program which closes with Alvin Ailey’s Revelations, set to African-American spirituals. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is sponsored by BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina.

Music plays an integral role at Spoleto Festival USA, and the Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Music series has long been considered one of the jewels in the festival’s crown. Directed and hosted by the inimitable Charles Wadsworth, this series of concerts performed twice each day over the course of the festival has garnered a fiercely loyal following. In 2009, Mr. Wadsworth takes his final bow as director of the series, and the Festival and audiences will pay tribute to this beloved artist with several celebratory events: Wadsworth will be the guest of honor at the annual Opening Weekend Gala held on Saturday, May 23 after the opening night performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; on Sunday, May 31, artists from the chamber music series along with such special guests such as the pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet will present a concert in Wadsworth’s honor; and on Sunday, June 7, a traditional high tea will be held immediately following the 1pm chamber music concert. For complete details and ticket prices for all the above, visit www.spoletousa.org In addition to the above special events, the Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Music series will once again feature different groupings of musicians, many of whom have performed at the Spoleto Festival with Mr. Wadsworth in past years, including cellist Alisa Weilerstein, the St. Lawrence String Quartet; clarinetist Todd Palmer; flutist Tara O’Connor; violists Hsin-yun Huang and Daniel Philips; and pianist Stephen Prutsman, to name a few. In keeping with tradition, the concerts will be performed at 11am and 1pm every day over the course of the festival. Each program is repeated three times and will be announced from the stage.

In addition to the chamber music series, the 2009 music program encompasses a wide variety of musical traditions – from the sacred to the profane. A concert by 68-year-old guitar slinger Beverly “Guitar” Watkins involves possibly a bit of both. A legend in the blues world, Watkins has been described as a “pyrotechnic guitar maven” who has shared the stage with such blues greats as James Brown, B.B. King and Ray Charles. With her flamboyant style, haunting poeticism and sheer physical stamina, Watkins will perform her brand of “railroad-stompin’” blues in concert at the Cistern.

Embracing the traditions of bluegrass, folk and string band, the Punch Brothers were recently described as “totally mind-blowing” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Led by mandolin player and Nickel Creek co-founder Chris Thile, the ensemble is rapidly becoming an important force on the American music scene having been recently nominated as one of the Best Albums of 2008 in National Public Radio’s All Things Considered Listener Poll.

Composed of young musicians from the country’s leading music programs and conservatories, the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, led by Emmanuel Villaume, the Christel DeHaan Music Director for Opera & Orchestra, will take center stage in two concerts, the first to perform Gustav Mahler’s extraordinary “song symphony” Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth). This concert is sponsored by South Carolina Bank and Trust. On June 2 violinist Sarah Chang will join forces with the Festival’s orchestra for Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D major.

Spoleto Festival USA’s longtime chorus-in-residence, the Westminster Choir can be heard numerous times during the festival: Joe Miller will conduct two a cappella concerts at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul; the choir will also perform Mozart’s Requiem under the direction of conductor Joseph Flummerfelt, Spoleto’s Artistic Director for Choral Activities. Also on the program to be performed at the Gaillard Auditorium is Poulenc’s Gloria.

Longtime chorus master of the Westminster Choir, Andrew Megill will lead the choir in a program of sacred work, including baroque composer Dietrich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri along with his protégé J.S. Bach’s Easter cantata Christ lag in Todesbanden.

The 2009 Spoleto Festival USA Jazz Series crosses continents and traditions, from American jazz vocalists Tierney Sutton and René Marie to the solo piano improvisations of Italy’s Ramberto Ciammarughi.

The jazz series will also feature the Hawaiian-born Jake Shimabukuro, recently dubbed “the best ukulele player on the planet,” by The New York Times. With lightning-fast fingers and virtuosic technique, Shimabukuro is credited with expanding the possibilities of this often overlooked instrument.

Florin Niculescu is considered one of the finest violinists on the international jazz scene today whose enchanting gypsy sound is built upon on a classical jazz foundation. Niculescu’s quartet will make its U.S. debut at the 2009 festival.

Also performing at the Cistern is the Grammy Award Nominated Tierney Sutton Band. Comprised of vocalist Tierney Sutton and instrumentalists Christian Jacob, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt, and Ray Brinker, this stellar group of musicians has garnered critical praise worldwide for their fresh interpretations of familiar songs.

Italian jazz pianist and composer Ramberto Ciammarughi performed at last year’s festival as part of the Stefano Cantini Quartet. Ciammarughi now returns solo to perform six concerts of original compositions showcasing the clarity and vibrancy of his playing.

Jazz vocalist René Marie enjoyed an immensely successful festival debut in 2007. She returns to headline the Spoleto Festival USA Jazz series at the Gaillard Auditorium with selections from her new album, Voice of My Beautiful Country, which features Charleston’s own Quentin Baxter and showcases her unique take on traditional patriotic songs and other tunes relating to the American experience.

Two popular music series – Music in Time and Intermezzi – showcase both guest artists as well as members of the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra and singers from the Festival’s opera productions.

Directed by John Kennedy, Music in Time has a reputation for unearthing groundbreaking composers and the 2009 series features numerous American premieres including Julia Wolfe’s Cruel Sister based on an ancient British folk tale, minimalist composer Michael Harrison’s Revelation and an eclectic evening of music from Philip Bimstein, whose work is often peppered with recordings of human and animal voices as well as everyday and environmental sounds. Shamisen virtuoso Yumiko Tanaka, the featured performer in Dogugaeshi, will offer a solo concert of work by Michiko Mamiya. All four concerts will be performed in the Simons Center Recital Hall at the College of Charleston.

The Intermezzi series, held in the graceful setting of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church includes a solo recital of works of Bach, Liszt and Stravinsky by American pianist Andrew von Oeyen; and a chamber symphony program of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 (The Italian) and the overture to Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. The final program of the Intermezzi series will spotlight singers from the cast of Louise in a vocal recital of art song and arias.

The 2009 Spoleto Festival USA will conclude on Sunday, June 7, with the grand Festival Finale concert at Middleton Place. Conductor Marc Williams will lead the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra in their final concert of the season. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and enjoy a picnic on the grounds before settling in for the concert at twilight followed by a spectacular fireworks display over the Ashley River.

Spoleto Festival USA 2009 “Conversations With” Series

Spoleto’s popular Conversations With series features a series of public conversations with festival artists moderated by the Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent Martha Teichner. Guests for the 2009 series include: Story of a Rabbit’s Hugh Hughes; guitarist Beverly Watkins; Jack Terricloth, front man for World/Inferno Friendship Society, and Jay Scheib, director of Addicted to Bad Ideas: Peter Lorre’s 20th Century; and festival icon Charles Wadsworth.

Spoleto Festival USA 2009 Special Events

2009 Opening Weekend Gala
The 2009 Opening Weekend Gala will be held in honor of Charles Wadsworth on Saturday, May 23 at 9:00pm. Following the opening performance of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the gala will feature pre-dinner cocktails, a seated dinner and dancing. $400 per person ($215 tax deductible), which includes a ticket to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and gala dinner.

High Tea Farewell
The festival will bid adieu to Charles Wadsworth with an elegant high tea following the 1:00pm concert on Sunday, June 7. The tea will be held in the garden of the President’s House at the College of Charleston, a short walk from Memminger Auditorium. $100 per person, which includes a ticket to the 1:00pm performance at Memminger Auditorium and a traditional high tea at the President’s House at the College of Charleston, 6 Glebe Street. This event is made possible in part by the College of Charleston.

Ticket Information
Tickets range from $10 to $130. To purchase tickets, visit www.spoletousa.org or call 843.579.3100. Special festival ticket packages are available as well as group sales savings opportunities. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Spoleto Festival USA box office in the Gaillard Auditorium, 77 Calhoun Street, beginning April 20.

Spring is in the air, which means that the Easter Bunny is on his way! Make this year’s Easter gathering especially memorable by attending the Easter Eggstavaganza at Middleton Place, Saturday, April 11th beginning at 11:00 a.m.

It wouldn’t be Easter without an egg hunt, and what better place to look for them than in America’s oldest landscaped Gardens where spring flowers abound with colorful displays.
The Easter Bunny will lead the hunt for candy and prize eggs, hidden for children of all age groups. Remember to bring your Easter basket or bag for all those sweets and treats!

When the Middleton Place azaleas are in full bloom, the world famous gardens are magical (click to zoom)

Advance reservations are required for the Easter Egg Hunt at Middleton Place and can be
made by calling (843)377-0538. Regular gate admission, $25 adults and $5 for children ages
7-15. Children 6 and under admitted free. Members of the Middleton Place Foundation and guests of the Inn at Middleton Place are free. For more information, call (843)556-6020. www.middletonplace.org.

Schedule of Events

11:00 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt begins, kicked off by Easter Bunny.
11:30 a.m. Natural Egg Dyeing, Crafts and Games open.
12:00 p.m. Easter Bunny Meet and Greet
12:30 p.m. Story Time (featuring the works of Beatrix Potter)
1:30 p.m. Pre-School (Ages 2-5) Egg Roll on Parterre
2:00 p.m. Elementary School (Ages 6-10) Egg Roll on Terrace
2:30 p.m. Easter Bunny Meet and Greet
3:00 p.m. Story Time (featuring the works of Beatrix Potter)
3:00 p.m. Natural Egg Dyeing, Crafts and Games close.

Click Here to see our Spring Photo Album of Middleton Place  in our Gallery

Please check with the Town of Sullivan’s Island (contacts below) for leash laws and hours and dates when pets are allowed. Likewise, take note that there is no public parking area, but plenty of road side parking. Just be sure to obey the clearly marked parking signs and do your best to get all four wheels off the pavement.  Zoom in on the map below to locate Station 28 and Station 22, each of which are streets that cross Atlantic Avenue at the beachfront.

Click Here to see a slide show featuring adventure sports and the pristine conditions of Station 28 on Sullivan’s Island during various seasons.

The start of the men's 800 meter run at the 2010 Sandlapper Track & Field Classic

The 2010 Sandlapper Track & Field Classic held at West Ashley High School enjoyed bright sunny skies for a record setting day. Being Greater Charleston’s largest annual event for boys and girls high school track, the 4th Annual Sandlapper Classic hosted a record 29 high schools representing three states and nearly 1000 athletes including nationally ranked superstars and 8th grade prodigies alike. Thousands attend  the season opening extravaganza and GreaterCharleston.com was again a proud sponsor of the all-day event. Local powerhouse Summerville High School won the Overall Championship, while the Sumerville Girls won the Girls Team Championship and the Summerville Boys tied with local rival Fort Dorchester High School for the Boys Team Championship — the first tie in Sandlapper Classic history.  Click here for the full official results at the 2010 Sandlapper Track & Field Classic as published at SCRunners.com.

Click Here to view our full screen randomized slideshow

Click Here to view all photos in our Gallery

Videography and editing by Ryan Ricker, hosted by Amber Caparas.

While we have our own team of writers and multi-media production folks who will be publishing articles, stories, and gallery albums in magazine format, we are also a publicly-driven publishing site. You may have heard the terms Wiki, open-source, and Web 2.0… well all of those aptly describe the organic strengths of this site. But few terms better describe GreaterCharleston.com than “totally free,” always and forever, with no limits to your publishing opportunities. Surf the menu again… we’re sure you’ll see categories where you’d like to be found.

Even now, all of your submissions will be searchable on Google, Yahoo, and all the other major search engines, and you’ll be able to start inviting your friends, your fans, and/or your clients to join others who will be commenting and/or reviewing your submissions. We will publish all business profiles, both those submitted by the public and those produced by our own staff, so if you represent a business be sure you submit as soon as possible so that your competition doesn’t gain all the early traffic. Cheers!

Click Here to see our “off the beaten path” top 10 (in no particular order… until you review them!)

WOW FACTOR 10 , POWER TO SURPRISE 10

This neo-classical country home is not only charming but practical in its design. It is a Moser Design on steroids and is perfect for empty nesters, yet has comfortable spaces for guests or ample room for a large family.

The builder acquired an array of exotic materials to include antique wood floors salvaged from the Buffalo Cotton Mill in Union, South Carolina which has its own conversation piece embedded in one of the planks (are you curious what that might be?). A mahogany mantel on the living room fireplace, believed to be over 500 years old and discovered under the muck of a rain forest in Indonesia, also accents this casual yet elegant home. These unique items were supplied and installed by Chris Bates, owner of Charleston Bay Company.

The 5 bedroom/5 1/2 bath home is a total of 3,464 sq. ft. and lives large for the size. The expansive front porch with exposed beams is large enough to accommodate a porch swing and hammock or the quintessential porch rockers we all love in the south. The large living and dining room area gives an interior designer a broad palette to showcase style, layout creativity and exude a wow factor. An upscale kitchen overlooks the living area so the chef is never left out of the fun. Along with state of the art appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinets, the kitchen’s anchor is the awesome center island that is handcrafted from the oak floor of the first train station in Bristol, Tennessee.

Careful considerations for the owner provides a separate first floor owner’s suite with a beamed ceiling master bedroom complete with private front porch and entry door. The two upstairs bedrooms with ensuite baths are a perfect size for children or guests. Sustainability of design with energy efficiency features are evident by the state of the art Square D Clipsal Control System for all electrical control to make life easier and efficient.

A beautiful screened porch with huge, brick fireplace adorned by a 350 year-old hand-hewn pine mantel separates the main house from the guest cottage with a loft , full bath and mini kitchen. The beams used in the loft are from an old candy factory in Pennsylvania. The guest cottage also has its own front porch and private entry and is guaranteed to be a favorite for guests or as a private in-law suite. Owner beware…your guests may not want to leave this home or Beresford Hall and all it offers residents!

A beautiful tabby covered walkway leads to the oversized garage with a covered patio great for the grill or space to park your boat. Above the garage is a completley finished bedroom with hardwood floors, full bath and ample closet space. This space could be utilized by the owners for a play room, billiard room, fitness room, extra bedroom or a home office.

Although Beresford Hall is situated alongside deep-water Beresford Creek and has many tidal creeks throughout, this homesite is in a FEMA X flood zone, which is a “No flood zone”, and allowed the home to be built on beautiful antique brick pillars versus an elevated home, which you see in some areas of Beresford Hall and in many other neighborhoods.

The home was site planned by JR Kramer of Remark Studio, with careful thought given to taking advantage of the 1+ acre lot’s proper solar orientation with the existing topography and watershed while preserving as many native trees and vegetation as possible. Remark’s thoughtful landscape design also factored in ample areas for outdoor entertaining and relaxing.

The stunning curb appeal is highlighted by a high quality metal roof applied by Southcoast Exteriors, while the inviting entry door is illuminated with large copper gas lanterns that are as easy to turn off and on as a light.

Seeing is believing and this is one residence you’ll want on your list to see!

CLICK HERE to see our extraordinary photo gallery and slideshow of this beautiful home and development!

For more information or a private showing contact: Warren Ostergard
Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS
843-364-8960, 843-364-0440
surfside@aol.com

Charleston residents were entertained and educated recently on topics ranging from the culinary arts to skateboarding at the city’s third Pecha Kucha event. This event was not your typical series of lectures. With blankets and lawn chairs in tow, participants were able to enjoy pizza on the lawn of the Charleston Civic Design Center and watch presentations from six local speakers. Each presenter was given six minutes to get their message across to the sold out crowd of 400. The event was organized by a group of Charleston creatives known as Parliament, and it was the first initiative of the group. Speakers included photographer and mulitmedia artist Kevin Hoth, Josh Martin of the SC Coastal Conservation League, Executive Chef Iverson Brownwell, Julia Jaskwhich and The Buen Ache Afro- Latino Dance Company, world- class residential architect Jane Frederick, and Ryan Cockrell from Pour It Now (a group promoting the growth of skateparks).  Pecha Kucha MC Marcus Amaker was the perfect host for an evening that was mellow, yet stimulating. For more information on the event see www.pechakuchacharleston.com

Story and Photos by Sharea Gordon

Click Here to see Sharea’s full album of photos from the 2009 4th of July party on Folly Beach.

The Ashley riverside courtyard is pristine and idyllic, with numerouns gardens and public areas for casual social gatherings (click to zoom)

Outdoor areas are a whole other thing to rave about! Reverie has the prettiest community pool and pool location in the Greater Charleston area. As you take in the rays by the pool, you can watch the rays (Sea Rays, that is) and river activity or partake in the fun from the Reverie dock. 30’ and 40’ boat slips are also available for purchase, but only by Reverie condo owners.

Reverie's beautiful riverside oaks as viewed from the docks on the Ashley River (click to zoom)

The towering oak canopies of Camp Road (click to zoom)

Many would argue that James Island is quite possibly the truest representation of mainstream Charleston culture, which is no surprise considering it is just a few minutes from downtown and forms most of the southern shore of Charleston harbor. James Island is bordered by the harbor to the east, Wappoo Creek (Intracoastal Waterway) to the north, the Stono River to the west, and Greater Charleston’s largest tidal flats and Folly Beach to the southeast. While approximately half of James Island is still part of the City of Charleston, the balance is part of the recently incorporated Town of James Island. In what has become a peacefully fought legal secession from the city, the new Town is currently winning, but the City of Charleston has appealed to the courts. Considering that James Island is home to Fort Johnson where the fledgling confederates conducted their infamous bombardment of Fort Sumter at the start of the Civil War, we locals certainly don’t overlook the irony. 

Sunset over the Wappoo Creek (click to zoom)

Regardless of their political infighting, as major communities go, James Island truly does have it all.  It has history dating back to the original Charlestonians in the 1600’s. It was home to Samuel Smalls, the subject of the novel Porgy and Bess.  It’s home to many of the most colorful personalities in Charleston. It has authentic oak canopied roadways. It has Folly Beach as its little brother, and also shares a genuine sense of community with West Ashley residents. It has its own dedicated expressway that crosses the harbor directly into the heart of downtown for a dreamy 3 minute drive that lands onto Calhoun Street, the nerve center of the finest complex of hospitals in the Southeast. The to and fro on the expressway is an outrageously scenic short drive… one of the best in America.  It has great public and private schools, including the highly regarded James Island Charter High School, which is possibly the most successful charter high school in the state. It’s home to Charleston Country Club and its pristine Golf Course, and  it’s also home to the City of Charleston’s municipal golf course. It has a huge county park that boasts the state’s most spectacular Christmas light show. it‘s on the Intracoastal Waterway and enjoys the coolest and most elaborate network of deep water channels and marsh creeks anywhere in Greater Charleston.

Sundown on Harborview Road (click to zoom)

For one of the best adventures anywhere, we suggest you take a jet ski from Charleston Harbor and circumnavigate the island… and make sure to venture out to the ocean for some real wave running. You will never forget it… especially when you find yourself cruising by the world famous Morris Island Lighthouse just offshore. Have we left anything out? Surely we have… but that’s James Island for you.  

Click here for encyclopedic information about James Island from Wikipedia.com. 

Bikram practiced Yoga four to six hours every day at Ghosh’s College of Physical Education in Calcutta. At thirteen, he won the National India Yoga Championship, was undefeated for the next three years and retired as the undisputed All-India National Yoga Champion. At seventeen, a knee injury while weight-lifting brought the prediction from doctors that he would never walk again. Rejecting their pronouncement, Bikram had himself carried to Ghosh’s school. He knew that if anyone could help to heal his knee, it was his teacher. Six months later, his knee was fully recovered and Ghosh, a famed physical culturist, was the first to document Yoga’s power to cure chronic physical ailments and heal the body.

Ghosh then asked a grateful Bikram to start Yoga schools in India. The schools were so successful that he traveled to Japan and opened two more. Bikram has since introduced his curative methods of Yoga therapy around the world.

As we age, our muscles tend to stiffen, creating more pressure on the joints. Through regular stretching, we prevent this gradual stiffening and joint deterioration. That is why Yoga is rejuvenating. Through regular workouts, vast amounts of energy are liberated that we can use daily to feel more alive and fulfilled; we look, move and feel younger. In a three year research project at Tokyo University Hospital, Bikram helped doctors prove that Yoga regenerates tissues, and thus helps cure chronic ailments.

Each Bikram Yoga student practices in a heated room– to promote cellular metabolism, detoxification and suppleness of the muscular system and to provide a greater level of safety when doing the poses. Anybody can do Bikram Yoga–at any age, in any size, shape or condition. It is accessible and non-exclusive. We do only beginning Yoga postures — nothing that can hurt or injure. The postures are held still with maximum effort, not continuous movement—a primary principle of Hatha Yoga (Asanas).

Although the main emphasis is on correctness and safety of postures, the Class is very challenging. You will have to make demands of yourself. It requires tremendous concentration, careful listening to the teacher’s precise instructions. Patience, determination, trust and discipline: as these are required of you, they also develop within you.

The Bikram routine is dynamic and exhilarating. The room is intentionally warm so muscles will stretch more easily. The series works equally well for beginning or advanced students. Bikram says: “Never too late, never too old, never too bad, never too sick to do Yoga or start from scratch again.” Wear light, stretchy clothing. Bring a towel and water. Some days, you won’t feel like coming at all. These are the days that will benefit you the most. Yoga “house cleans” your body, mind and habits. Expect many changes–all of them good.

The therapeutic, curative, preventive and overall health benefits of Bikram’s system of Yoga are legendary. Since his 3-year research project at the Tokyo University Medical School (1970-73) proving its positive effects, countless people have practiced Bikram’s Yoga to overcome chronic problems of all kinds. It takes practice, consistency and determination not to give up and to “try the right way,” in order to gain the life-enhancing effects. With Bikram Yoga, you develop the foundation for anything you wish to achieve and maintain in life–athletically, professionally, physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually.

At Bikram Yoga Charleston, as at all schools that teach with the integrity and consistency Bikram insists his teachers hold to, you will discover “The Key to the Kingdom of Health.” You will be encouraged to challenge yourself to improve, to make better and maintain your health, your spine and your life.