CF/W 2009

Stage design by the one and only PDA (check out their blog)

Charleston Fashion Week is going on right now and it's taken over the city! I am not tricking myself into thinking I'm as fashionable as I can be this year (still wearing stretchy maternity pants, thank you very much), but I CAN keep you in the loop. Hopefully these links will school you in CF/W.

Follow Ayoka Lucas' blog, The Fashion Statement. Ayoka is CF/W's creative director and Charleston Magazines style editor. Also check out TheDigitel.com's coverage, and tweet your heart out with contributor Svetlana Minx!

Check out photos from Charleston Picture Company, above, and Diana Deaver Photography.

Keep an eye on Charleston Weddings Magazine's bridal blog for coverage on CF/W's Bridal Couture Show! Event designer Heather Barrie of gathering floral+event design will make the show look chic, can't wait to see photos!

Okay, now your head is spinning with CF/W, I've done my part!

Photos: CharlestonPictureCompany.com & CharlestonFashionWeek.com

Tasty Sunday

Taste of Charleston is this Sunday at Boone Hall! It's gonna be huge, get there early, traffic's a beyotch. More info HERE.

We have a few events this weekend I'll be sure to post about them ASAP, thanks for understanding.

I feel funny saying Furry Affair!

I do feel funny saying Furry Affair, but that's what happened at Memminger Auditorium (obvs the new event hot spot!) this past Saturday evening. The "affair" was a combination silent and live auction benefiting the Charleston Animal Society. Tristan restaurant provided the food again this year, and as always it was delicious. Group Dynamics also sponsored rentals and linens this year-- if you haven't been to their new place on the JI, you should see what they've got.

Party time

PDA and Stolzle teamed up last Thursday for an awesome showcase at Memminger Auditorium, and it was not to be missed. PDA designed a number of vignettes which allowed guests to visualize all different types of events and what could be done in the production department-- an event/wedding tent, a concert stage (with Guitar Hero!), a gala vignette, etc.

Stolzle, a high performance glassware company, showcased their chic collections at the event as the bar served drinks in their glassware so everyone got a chance to try them out.

The plentiful and artistic food displays were designed by the Culinary Institute of Charleston, you should have seen this cheese display, it was literally insane!!!

Above, my favorite PDA peeps, Jeff, Nicole, Todd

Jacqueline Lawrence, Allison Cox-McCutcheon, and yours truly

The night was capped off by performances from various entertainers in the different vignettes. The best part, for me, was the Justin Timberlake Rock Your Body-esque stage you can see in the background of some photos, and the video below for fun!

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

photos: CharlestonPictureCompany.com

Hot Spoleto

Highly anticipated US debut of Monkey; Journey to the West

Spoleto is kicking off next week, and if you're not familiar with this festival or Charleston, it means 2.5 weeks of constant buzz of artistic energy around town! Along with the Spoleto wave comes the City of Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto, featuring a lot of local genius-ity, and various other endeavors, like Philip Hyman's Evolution art show(s), and live music everywhere.

Above, Charleston Ballet Theater is performing for Piccolo, and
below, Evolution art show poster.

Latin Love Tomorrow

Charleston’s third annual Cinco de Mayo Festival will take place on Friday May 2, 2008 at the Visitor's Center Bus Terminal (375 Meeting Street) in downtown Charleston from 7p.m. to 11p.m.

Guests are invited to sample local Mexican foods while relaxing with Margaritas and Mexican beer and enjoying live entertainment. Tickets for the festival are $10 at the door. Food and alcohol will be sold separately at a cash bar. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Trident Literacy Association.

May 5th marks the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the United States, this day has become a celebration known as “Cinco de Mayo.” It has become a time to commemorate Mexican heritage and culture.

Mark your calendars to come join the fiesta this year on Friday, May 2, 2008!

Weekend Wrap-up

There's so much to post about for the upcoming weekend, but I didn't want all my latest posts to be just about upcoming events, so quickly, there's Kulture Klash 2 this Saturday night at 10 Storehouse Row in Noisette. For those in the dark, Kulture Klash is an event for artists by artists (well, by ART Magazine); a mixed media event with live art demonstrations--visual, performing, etc.

This should be a really good time, it's only $10 at the door. I heard the last one in November was was a great time, I had an event--same with this time, can't go, but I'll look for some pics! Peep a vid from the first Kulture Klash by Charleston'sMostUnique.com.

Speaking of North Charleston, check out the 2008 Charleston County Earth Day Festival, also this Saturday from 11am-3pm, in Park Circle. This event will be a waste-free event, everything will be recycled or composted, can you imagine?!?!

photos: Charleston City Paper blog, Get Inspired Charleston blog

Event I'd Like to Attend - O - the Month

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) unveiled the new Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) on its campus earlier this month with an ultra contemporary, star-studded event. Tables for the party went from $25,000- $100,000, dang! By the looks of it, it cost a lot to put on. The gala(?) raised more that $5M.

I booked my flight to California the other day to visit one of my best friends, Nikki. She resides in the L.B.C., but I hope we'll get some time to hangout in LA and go Brit-watching and shop at H&M, oh, and maybe check out BCAM at LACMA.

Save $$ on servers by carving them out of ice, that's what I always say.

Last time I visited, we were so stoked to stumble upon the real Beverly Hills High School, so Brenda Walsh of us!

Their mascot is a Norman,

I wonder how they slip that into their fight song!

Photos: BizBash, newyorksocialdiary.com

Art of gold

OMG, I know I didn't just title this post "Art of Gold", I was trying to come up with something that tied in art and Valentine's Day... n-e-wey. This looks like it will be a fun way to spend your Valentine's Day this year, see for yourself (click for bigger pic):

For a good cause and the sake of art. Plus Kiki will be there! Purchase tix HERE.

Bendy people

I helped my friend LK on Saturday night with her Super Sweet 16 gig, and it was quite a show! Other than gawking at what the teens were wearing, the most fun to watch were the performers from Acroback. Based in NYC they are truly amazing performance artists who can do just about anything, and travel anywhere. Shout out!

photos: acroback.com

Let's go inside this time

Okay, now that I have my head screwed on straight from the gala, I wanted to thank and link to all the vendors that made it possible! We held the event at the Daniel Island Club this year, which is a beautiful space with a stunning view.

Our guests entered to the Kevin Hackler trio playing light jazz music and nibbled on scrumptious passed hors d'oeuvres of beef tenderloin carpaccio, bacon wrapped sea scallops and tomato mozzarella crostini. They viewed the auction items in the foyer and sipped on drinks for the cocktail hour.

After that, we opened the ballroom doors as we asked guests to "board the plane". Tables were draped in luxurious pin tuck linen from BB&J, and hydrangea centerpieces evoking fluffy clouds from Tiger Lily were beautiful in the various sized milky white vases. At each table setting was a gift from Chocolate Perfection with an edible copy of our invitation cover printed on it. OtherBrother Entertainment lit the room in cool hues of blues and aquas to complement the color scheme and provided an inviting all white dance floor. Stephen Duvall Decor created seating areas on each side of the dance floor.

Our emcee/flight attendant Trixie Layover (fabulous actress Mandy Denaux) introduced the evening's festivities with a witty monologue filled with flight attendant lingo. Vintage Velvet played as guests noshed on a four course meal of tomato bisque with lump crab and basil oil, boston bibb salad with goat cheese buttermilk dressing, thyme-roasted prime rib of beef and a duo of desserts of whiskey bread pudding and bittersweet chocolate mousse, for the men and women respectively. On the two large screens I played a looping video of clouds which transported guests through the air -- and the evening.

Doug Warner, Mandy "Trixie Layover" Denaux, and me!

When dessert was served, Doug Warner, our speedy auctioneer extraordinaire, ran through our six auction lots in less than thirty minutes with a few bidding wars over the jet-setter and travel-related auction items. After the auction, guests danced to VV's swanky tunes and made their way outside to the Sky Club Lounge where mod furniture from Stephen Duvall Decor, and OBE's red and amber uplighting on the columns, was the talk of the party.

Thanks to all our wonderful vendors, you ROCK!

Photos by Charleston Picture Company.

week before Thanksgiving = chaos

I feel like I have been slacking on my blog lately, but I have to admit I've been very busy studying up on how to be the perfect hostess for a Thanksgiving feast. Our first year in our new home and my husband up and deemed our house as THE PLACE TO BE for 7 + our baby nephew. I had a great entry to post yesterday, Jesse was going to be my guest blogger about holiday fashion and style, because that's her thing. Alas, I couldn't open her file so, I'll have to post this juicy info next week.

You can check out my dear friend Laura Kate Whitney's new blog, Sense Charleston. LK's approach to exploring the senses will inspire you to do the same!

Anywho, as I'm basking in my turkey-frying virginity and figuring out the best way to organize my crazy shopping list, I'll try to post a bit here and there next week. I'll even post the pics of my triumph or loss-- for the record books. Ciao!

photos: Epicurious.com

Old is new and inside is out!

Saturday, October 13, the ladies from Gathering Floral + Event Design turned the Gibbes courtyard from peaceful to posh for a beautifully designed wedding reception. Guests were led from the church to the cocktail hour at the Gibbes by the River City Dixieland Jazz Band in their signature N'Awlins style. James Burns of JBC Catering enticed palettes with passed hors d'oeuvres like oyster ponzu and Maine lobster rolls with truffled drawn butter.

Guests enjoy a cocktail hour on the first floor of the Museum

Gathering decorated day and night to get the look just right

In the courtyard the large clear tent was decorated with elaborate crystal chandeliers, tables of various shapes and sizes for the seated dinner, and flowers in warm tones and different heights. Gathering also brought in large wrought iron seating arrangements for the garden lounge area, and complemented the color palette with textured throw pillows and beribboned lanterns.

James and his crew plate the main course

Guests noshed on a delicious four course meal by JBC, and orange and triple-sec butter cake by Jim Smeal for dessert. When dinner was over, the Legendary JC's out of Orlando, Florida rocked party-goers into the night on the whimsical dance floor by OtherBrother Entertainment.

Vendors: Gathering Floral + Event Design, Snyder Event Rentals and Staffing, OtherBrother Entertainment, Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal, JBC Catering.

Travel Series: Toronto Metro Style

I loved writing those Travel Series posts about things going on all over the world, but it became really hard to find new and exciting topics. I found something this week that's kick ass and it motivates me to do some more digging for future Travel Series entries. I don't know about you, but there are a lot of exciting memories for me about traveling by metro. My last experience was weaving in and out of the Paris underground, "Parodon, pardon...", and the MetroRoma, "Permisso, permisso!". It was hectic and confusing at times, but it was a vivid glimpse into culture that I often day dream about.

In Canada they call servers caterwaiters, descriptive, right?

Enough about my European vacation, and speaking of metros, check out this party and venue in Toronto! It's an abandoned subway station that is sometimes still used for filming. And apparently hot parties. This party was for Film Italia, the Italian Trade Commission's celebration of Italian Cinema.

If I had access to a subway station, I'd throw an all-night RAVE; we could all wear white, and suck on Ring-pops... and watch the pretty lights... that would be just like I was back on Panama City Beach, Spring Break '99, SWEET!

photos by BizBash