Can't get enough of...

I know it may be a little 2006, but I can't stop listening to Cold War Kids' Hang Me Up to Dry. This song has a really catchy beat and they look like the unassuming rock band guys next door. They are from the LBC like my friend Nikki, what what!!! Take a break and enjoy. (You might want to press play, then pause, let it *buffer* for a few seconds, then press play again)

Hotness!

Just saw these sultry photos of the Washington National Opera's gala and had to post. Very bohemian... fitting really, seeing as they celebrated their opening night performance of La Boheme. Love the gobos in the different patterns and the washes of deep color!

photos by BizBash

The long and short of it

Who am I??? Just talking about my blog with Mitchell Crosby of JMC Charleston and he said it took him a while to figure out what is going on with me, this blog, my website and the Gibbes. Basically, I work full time as the Sales & Special Events Planner at the beautiful and historic Gibbes Museum of Art. I also have my existing side venture SOCIAL Event Design & Planning, which allows me to expand my planning horizons every now and then, and I run this blog, Being SOCIAL, that I update every other day or so. I also post portions of some of the blog entries on CharlestonPartyPlanners.com, and now on CreateMyEvent.com.

I love blogging about the event industry, in general, and also about events that take place here in Charleston. A lot of what I see are the weddings that take place here at the Gibbes since I'm here too, and I enjoy highlighting all the vendors involved so people can see their work! Eventually I want include posts about other industry leaders in the city, and what they are doing to move Charleston forward (like Mitchell!). I take this blog home as "homework" and look forward to bringing it to you and having more fun with it as time goes on. Ciao!

In the year 2000... In the year 2032

I'm going through my new issue of Special Events Mag, they have a really fun article surrounding their 25th birthday, it's called "It's 2032... How's Your Event?" Here is some amusing, sometimes goofy, Q&A they gathered with event professionals across the country (mostly Cali):

"In 2032 what will event food be?- "Food will be tiny morsels that are fat- and calorie-free, taste like whatever fattening food you choose, and be good for you all at the same time. There will be different price points for different levels of flavors - we can't let a shrimp bite out the door at the same price as a pretzel bite. Buffets are non-existent and everything is served from moving kiosks, where you can make your selection, and it is served up on the spot."

Ruth Moyte, Extraordinary Events, California

Looks like gnocchi is in our future

What will we use for invitations? - "Who has time for those anymore? At the press of a button, or even just thinking a thought, the host's face will appear in front of the invitee via hologram and give a personal invite." Tom Bercu, Tom Bercu Presents, Los Angeles, CA

What will event beverages be?- "All harmful side effects of alcohol will be genetically removed from the base liquid, leaving only the pleasant after-effects. By far the most expensive and rare beverage will be fresh spring water." Carl George, Luxevents, Los Angeles, CA

What events will we be celebrating? "Incentive trips on the space shuttle." Matt Brown, Harith Productions Ltd., Willow Grove, Pa."

HERE is a link to the full article! I think in 2032, hmm... hopefully we will have those awesome Black & Decker Hydrators, like in Back to the Future Part II. How Epcot Center of us! We will still be looking for ways to throw the newest, the next, the best parties though, that will never change!

Back to the Future (food)
Uploaded by donaldtheduckie


photos by Special Events Magazine

Hump day Hawt-ness

Brangelina! Major heat. See a mesmerizing commercial for Shiseido by Angelina, and good clean fun Brad.

Chucktown get down

Just when the weather starts to cool down, here's a hot event! The Second Annual Charleston Music and Heritage Fesitival, aka ChazzFest is taking place this Saturday at the Family Circle Tennis Center on the DI (Daniel Island... EVOO= Extra Virgin Olive Oil...). I didn't go last year, but I love me some music festivals! This year's lineup seems to be party after party, including Kool & the Gang, and who I would love to see, the Soul Rebels Brass Band-- gotta rep the NOLA!

Tickets start at $35 and you will be doing mucho goodness supporting this fledgling festival, if we build it, they will come! Word.

So Glossy

I love looking at well put together photos of the little details of events. These types of photos are pretty inspirational for planning an event, because it's not about the people at the party for me, it's the the way it looks and feels before anyone has a chance to trash it!

NYC-based creative mind, Rebecca Thuss, has a great gallery on her website of her vast portfolio of photo styling for Martha Stewart Publications. She also designs for weddings and events. Here are some beautiful images!

photos: rebeccathus.com

Happy birthday hotness

Hey ya'll, this is my handsome husband, Greg Bradley. Not only is he mega hot, it is his birthday today! Love you babe! He's so GQ.

Never Forget

It's the 6th anniversary of 9/11/01 today.

Event I don't know if I'd like to attend O' the week!

I'll admit, I'm a pop-culture-lovin' fool! I watch all the shows, read all the gossip and know how to buy into most of the hype. This brings me to the biggest pop-culture event of the weekend... How exhausting was it to be the planners behind the MTV VMAs and all that goes along with them?! I sometimes contemplate moving to a big city and getting into planning these glamorous, star-studded parties but I wonder how much crap they really have to put up with!

In Vegas this year, the VMAs took over the strip and someone was responsible for securing the Palms Hotel & Casino and orchestrating the red carpet in the lobby, the performances in the suites, letting the right people in and keeping the wrong people out, etc. SWAG suites everywhere- each probably requiring their own designs, F&B, rentals, entertainment, oh- and all that CRAP they give to rich people for FREE!!!

I read somewhere that Kanye West demanded all the furniture in his suite be removed and customized furniture be made and brought in for the 72 hours he was there... how'd you like to be the gopher for that? Securing liquor sponsors (prolly not that difficult), pleasing celebs, their managers and publicists, throwing parties and putting on concerts... and OMG the CLEANUP!!! Yeah, as glam as it may seem, I'm glad I was on this side of the boob-tube cringing at Britney and dancing along with Chris Brown, instead of actually working. Enjoy Chris Brown and Rihanna below, espesh if you love to break it down!

photos by BizBash

Yay ME!

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!!! When I started this blog I never had any expectation it would go anywhere, but in addition to my postings on charlestonpartyplanners.com with the jack of many trades, Paul Cheney, I now have been invited to post on createmyevent.com. I will be posting on Saturdays there, and it looks like a blog with different contributors from the event industry around the country, so I think I'll go with the whole "I'm from the South, let's do a charming Charleston event"-type posts, highlighting trends and ideas from our holy city and the south. Anyway, I'll post it here first on Saturdays and then there! Exciting stuff! Woohoo!!!

R U A CYP?

I'm on the Event Committee for Charleston Young Professionals and I feel I have a duty to promote them and their mission;"To engage, cultivate and empower young professionals by facilitating: access to local industries and government, constructive networking, and professional development." It's nice to network with peeps around the same age, how awkward is it when you're in a room with old execs who like to talk about tee times and double bogies? Well, it is, let me tell you.

CYP is having their second anniversary celebration at Magnolia Plantation on Thursday, September 20, from 6pm-8pm. Last year they had their kick off party at the Gibbes, and through the pouring rain people partied, they were hard core! Mark your calendars and plan to attend, membership is only $45 per year and it's a great way to get involved in the business community and make use of all their available resources. Expense it and if your boss asks you what's in it for the company, tell 'em CYPs are the future, oh and SHOVE IT!

These are a few of my favorite things:

JBC's innovative presentation

Of all of the catering companies that have rolled through here, I've definitely had more than my fair share of their food (apparent in a dang 15 lb. weight gain when I first moved to Charleston; but that's neither here nor there). Having learned how to control myself when the passed hors d'ouevres come around, I've found I have favorites that I still crave, and here they are, please feel free to share your faves too!

1. JBC Catering- anything with their fried oysters. James Burns does this thing with a fried oyster on a yummy cornbread thing with a dot of remoulade, to die for. Also, for our Smith Circle Dinner last winter they did a crisp oyster atop wilted baby spinach with gorgonzola, pancetta and a maple cider vinaigrette... yeah, it was freaking good!

2. Hamby- Love, love, love how they make shrimp and grits into a passed hors d'oeuvre. Shrimp on a small grit cake, that melts in your mouth, with the fixin's on top! And of course the famous finger sandwiches, my favorite's shrimp salad.

Stephen Duvall's awesome glamour shot

3. Stephen Duvall- We booked them for our gala last year and this soup they did for the first course was AMAZING, curried butternut squash bisque with toasted pumpkin seed oil and fresh chervil, I wish I could order that in bulk :) Let's see, they also did a yummy mandarin orange creme brulee with fresh raspberries.
4. Mediterra- Their roast beef po'boys at Jesse's wedding were so simple, yet SO GOOD! For another Gibbes party last year, Made in China, they fried fresh panko-breaded drunken chicken skewers with a selection of sauces, and fresh fried food is the best.
5. Good Food - Orzo pasta salad with dried cranberries, pine nuts, roasted vegetables and olive oil... I tried to make this at home, there is no comparison. They also did this shredded pork basted with Bermuda honey on a sun dried tomato crostini, better than any shredded pork I've ever had!

Granville's take on a nicoise salad

6. Granville's- yes they cater! South African sweet peppers filled with goat cheese; creamy, tangy, sweet and spicy! Do I sound like Giada with my food porn descriptions?

7. Ted's Butcherblock- Among the tons of good stuff you can get here, the best and freshest catering item I've tried is a simple caprese-style hors d'oeuvre with mozarella, plum tomato and basil on a fresh crostini drizzled with balsamic glaze. I tried to make this one at home, too, but it just wasn't the same.

Photos by JBC Catering, Stephen Duvall, and Charleston Picture Company

Welcome BACK!

You know when you're at work and you need something to pick you up? Here's some music, you can come here and play it for something different today! By the way, I'm glad to be back to posting somewhat regularly and I think I have some great blog topics coming up, are you ready for the fall event season???

Now see it on the sidebar ----->