Month: January 2012

How to make sweet tea (or plain iced tea)…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe4 Comments

I realize that knowing how to make tea isn’t difficult. I used to live in Michigan. Iced tea was different there. I live in the South now… have lived here since 1989. When I came to Charleston, one of the most fabulous treats was SWEET TEA! It seems like I could drink it sweeter in my younger days. Syrupy sweet tea is too sweet for my taste, and with all the talk about how you shouldn’t eat sugar, here’s a way to have your sweet tea and be able to drink it too! Making sweet tea isn’t rocket science, really… The way we made tea in Michigan was to put water and teabags in a jar and set it in the sun. And. Wait. And. Wait. And. Wait. Then we would pull out the teabags, pour it over ice, stir in some sugar that went straight to the bottom, and a squeeze of lemon. Ohhhh, how I loved iced tea in the summertime. Since there isn’t a lot of sun in the winter, we never had tea in the winter, something that we in the South have on a daily basis… Here it’s not milk with dinner, it’s tea (for the record, I still drink milk with dinner, but I drink tea during the day). Tea has lots of good stuff going for it. Obviously the more sugar you add the less “good for you” it is, but you will be amazed at how a small amount can be plenty! Trust me on this… If you’ve developed the taste for unsweet tea, follow the directions below and skip the “add sugar” part!

Brewed Sweet Tea – Makes 2 quarts

Ingredents:

Water

2 FAMILY SIZE teabags (good if you can get the ones for iced tea, doesn’t matter what brand…)

Sugar (I buy cane sugar, not granulated sugar, it’s more of a tan color, hasn’t been bleached), but whatever you’ve got will work

First, fill a saucepan with a few inches of water, cook on high until it starts a rolling boil… then…

Turn the burner off. Add two FAMILY SIZE tea bags and dip em around good… then set the timer for 5 minutes… gives em time to get a nice hot soak…

When the timer goes off after 5 minutes. Remove the teabags. Then add 3 tablespoons of sugar. That’s how much I use for 2 quarts. You can start with that and add/subtract until you get it how you like it…

Now give it a good stir, kinda like Jello, need to stir in the sugar… don’t want to crunch! Now let it cool a bit…

Now pour the concentrated mixture into a 2 quart pitcher…

Finally… add cold water to the container until it’s full… (I use cold filtered water from the fridge). Then pop it in the fridge and enjoy whenever you like!

Hope you enjoy! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Workshop with artist Colin Page April 6 & 7, 2012! Charleston,SC

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, THOUGHTS3 Comments

Image: ColinPagePaintings

One of our favorite artists, Colin Page, from Maine will be here in Charleston, SC this coming April. Mark it on your calendar! He’ll be here as part of a show at the Smith Killian Gallery, located in downtown Charleston. Colin will also be giving a workshop here on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, 2012. My husband and I met Colin several years ago, he’s a down to earth nice guy as well as a fabulous artist. We met him and a group of artists he was painting with in a cottage down from ours. We were lucky enough to see the artwork after they spent a week out every day painting rain or shine… and the work was nothing short of amazing. Jaw dropping. No kidding! My husband and I were fortunate enough to buy a piece of his work that year, and we absolutely LOVE it! Colin has the uncanny ability to take something mundane and turn it into something spectacular! Check out his WEBSITE (hint: his journal is FULL of information!). Also… contact the Smith Killian Gallery for more details!  Hope to see you there! Here’s some info for the workshop. If the image is too small you should be able to click on it to enlarge…  Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photo… Lifesaver at Shem Creek Park, Mt. Pleasant, SC

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL3 Comments

There is nothing better to me than to be able to catch that golden light at sunset… I’m a crazy person snapping pictures, because you never know which ones will be “magic”. How nice to live in a digital era. To be free of buying film, loading film, worrying about running out of film, taking it to get developed, etc. etc… Now trees are saved, no one prints as many photos… you have them if you need them and can print them in the blink of an eye, or send them into cyberspace where they will be printed and mailed to you. Very cool indeed.

I love the golden light on this bright orange lifesaver float. I swear lightbulbs should mimic this light… especially in big stores with lots of lighting… the world would be a happier place! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Time to make a reservation at the Island House Hotel? Psssst, artists… this is a GREAT place to paint!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL5 Comments
Approaching the island and The Island House Hotel!

Ahhhh, the Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI. A place to relax, recharge, get out and walk, bike, then come back and have the best meal of your life! Start thinking about making a reservation soon… The 2012 season is from May 4 through October 27. We’ve never been there early in the season, I would think it could be quite exciting! As a kid we would always go during the Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race (mostly it was the dads who sailed sailed, then “the kids” and the wives drove and met them, then we would all squish into the car with all our bags for a nice ride home… back in the day of no A/C! Bless us. Ha.) which was in July, a busy time on the island. There would be so many people (from the sailboat race mainly) it was the best time growing up! My husband and I stayed on the island a few years ago around September, and once in October, we had the best time ever. It’s much quieter, especially in October. We don’t mind it being chilly… we rather welcome it, since it’s still warm here in Charleston (and as I write this, I’m extremely confused with our “winter” this year, 60’s and 70’s, which is nice, but it’s not winter!??)!

Rooms with a view! Image: TheIslandHouse.com

The rooms are lovely and you just can’t go wrong with any of them. Some have a view of the water, and it’s heavenly! There is an indoor pool, nice for a quick dip, or if you’d like to do a few laps to burn a few calories, since you will no doubt indulge in some fabulous food!

Back side of the island... heaven!

Psssst: ARTISTS… what a fabulous place to paint! One side of the island is more the “town” area with shops, etc., then there is the inner island, with gorgeous state park trails and views that can’t be beat. On the back side of the island it’s more cliff like and rocky. Trust me on this… I’m not sure why artists aren’t swarming like they are on Monhegan Island, Maine? Check out the Island House WEBSITE for reservation info!

For more on this hotel, read my review on Trip Advisor… Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Kevin McNamara!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Fish House, FL, No. 2 by Kevin McNamara / Image: KevinMcNamara.us

Kevin McNamara is an artist that can capture the sky in the water magnificently! I love the looseness of this painting. There are two fishing houses on his website, No. 1 and No. 2, it was tough to decide… the color of the sky in No. 1 was mesmerizing, but something about this one really grabbed me.

A blip about the artist from his oh so fantastic website:

Kevin Mc Namara was born in Manchester of Irish parents but was brought up in Ireland. He studied art at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, where he took his degree in 1985. A year before leaving college he had his first exhibition when he was included in the ‘Emerging Artists Show” organized by Guinness Peat Aviation, and that same year same year he took part in the influential ‘ Young Artists’ exhibition in Dublin.

Since then he has shown regularly in group exhibitions in Ireland, England, and the United States. He has also worked on a number of portrait commissions and in 1992 painted a mural for the Irish Pavillion at the Seville Exposition.

Artists who have influenced him are Velasquez and the nineteenth century Russian painters Ilya Repin and Valentine Serov.

Besides easel painting, Mc Namara has spent time in the United States working as an artist in film production. Kevin McNamara’s subject matter is mainly landscape and figurative. He is fascinated by the way in which light affects the atmosphere and mood of a scene and hence our relationship to it. In his paintings there is intense realism. Despite an impressionistic approach, the colors, seen at a particular moment in time, becomes the primary focus of his endeavour. This, combined with a consciousness of spatial relationships and tonal values, creates a quality of light and mood in the scenes that concentrate our attention on those things that so excite him.

Typical of Mc Namara’s method of working, the paint in these pictures is applied ‘fat over lean’, whereby the artist increases the amount of oil or medium as the painting progreses in order to produce a surface that is rich in textural terms.

Mc Namara normally works out of doors reacting directly and spontaneously to his subject. His view and treatment of a scene are therefore in the broad tradition of plein air painting. He seeks precise color temperatures, tonal values and harmonies of relationship.

The mood of his paintings is usually one of tranquility rendered through close observation, although occasionally he becomes more preoccupied with a more emotional response. Mc Namara, despite working in a tradition with long precedents in Ireland, brings a freshly personal view to his treatment of his subject.

Just as nature constantly refreshes itself, artists like him find new ways of drawing our attention to the wonders around us.

S.B. Kennedy – Curator, Ulster Museum

Hope you enjoyed! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Restaurant Secrets Revealed… thank you Dr. Oz!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH2 Comments
Image: DoctorOz.com

The thought of a lemon in my water at a restaurant makes me queasy… I used to love it, but now, unless I have it at home I simply can’t do it… My thanks to Dr. Oz for letting us in on some of the SHOCKING RESTAURANT SECRETS. Many are common sense (did you really think restaurants have the time to wash the lemons, cut them up and serve them to you with a gloved hand?)…

This is from the DoctorOz.com website (click on above link to see from his site), it will change the way you eat out… Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t STOP me, it just helps me make wiser decisions… Like how the h#!! can a lemon be truly that nasty?? Oh, heavy sigh…

Secret: Restaurant lemons are often as dirty as the floor.

Most restaurants never wash their lemons. They stay in the box that they were shipped in until they end up on your plate. In an independent test, Dr. Oz discovered five out of five lemons from five different restaurants were coated with germs including mold, bacteria, staph and Candida yeast – the type found in the mouth and vagina.

Ohmygosh! Enough said… No more lemons out… EVER.

Solution: Always order your lemons on the side and squeeze them into your drink or onto your plate yourself. Make sure that the juice doesn’t touch the germy lemon rind.

Secret: A dirty bathroom means a dirty kitchen.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to associate a restaurant’s bathroom with their kitchen, these two places often share the same level of cleanliness. If a restaurant can’t be bothered to keep the toilets and sinks clean, then imagine what their refrigeration and workspaces look like in the kitchen.

Never really thought about this one… but it makes sense, if they can’t keep the places that you see clean, then holy cow… No more restaurants unless bathrooms are C L E A N !

Solution: Do not eat at a restaurant where the bathroom trashcan is more than half full. This means the bathrooms are not being regularly monitored and cleaned.

Secret: Buffets are breeding grounds for bacteria.

Part of the danger of buffets is that the food sits out at inconsistent temperatures. The food on the bottom is burnt, while the food on the top is too cold. Additionally, you don’t always get real ingredients at buffets. A recent test from West Virginia University concluded that scrambled eggs from two restaurant buffets were not made from real eggs. Instead, the samples were made from liquid egg substitutes containing less protein and more water.

Thank goodness I’m not a buffet type gal… never liked em… I call it ‘achhoooooo food’ – of course there are exceptions, but for the most part, this is a good rule. And eek, those eggs you think have lots of protein may not have any at all… 

Solution: If you want to eat at a buffet, go when it first opens to ensure the highest quality of freshness. For for lunch, aim for noon, and for dinner, go at 5 p.m.

Secret: The daily special is often a bad choice.

Restaurateurs know that many diners will order a special, and consequently raise the price. Sadly, the daily special may not actually be special; instead, they are usually made of the food the chef needs to get rid of fast. This includes aging meat and fish, old veggies and leftover sauces – all of which could cause a nasty case of food poisoning.

This one is N E W S  T O  M E ! Since the “specials” usually cost more, thought there was something “special” about them… 

Solution: If the day’s special appeals to you, don’t be shy about asking the waiter questions about the ingredients.

Secret: Veal is often actually pork.

Veal is expensive meat; often, restaurants will swap it out for pork. Once the meat is pounded and slathered in breadcrumbs and sauce, only a discerning diner can tell the difference.

Eyeeeew, I don’t care for slathered meat… so I don’t have to worry about this one, whew!
Solution: Ask for veal to be grilled and never breaded. It’s healthier and you can more easily assess the quality of the meat.

Secret: All-you-can-eat deals contain low-quality foods.

When it comes to food, you get what you pay for. Anything that’s all-you-can-eat is usually either low quality or food made from starch or heavy in fat.

Makes sense! I don’t like all you can eat places… I don’t like big portions, therefore thought of it as a waste, without realizing it’s super cheap to start with…

Solution: If you want to get an all-you-can-eat option while dining out, order pasta, grains or veggies; avoid any meat.

Secret: Decaffeinated coffee masks as caffeinated coffee.

If you order coffee past 8 p.m., it’s most likely decaf. Restaurants don’t want to wash two pots so they often use one and fill it with decaf. It saves them time and money to serve only one option.

For this one I say…. YAY! On the show they mentioned that it’s better this way, than to order decaf and get regular… So true! THANK YOU RESTAURANTS FOR DOING THIS!! I can’t tolerate any caffeine at night and a cup of regular coffee would do me in until morning. I know. It’s happened.

Solution: If you need caffeine, order an espresso or cappuccino. Because these options are made when you order them, there is a better chance they are caffeinated.

Eat smart y’all, catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… John Carroll Doyle!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Emerald and Pink by John C. Doyle /Image: JohnCDoyle.com

John Carroll Doyle… if you are from Charleston, SC, you undoubtedly know John. He’s a fabulous artist full of wonderful stories. I love how each painting has a story, its part of what makes his gallery such a treat to visit! This painting, entitled “Emerald and Pink” is fabulous, I love the movement in the water, and how the light pink plays against the greens, very nice! John is a fascinating guy, if you’re ever downtown you must visit his gallery! If you aren’t fortunate enough to be in the area, check out his website, it’s a good one!

I remember years ago when my husband and I were renovating our kitchen… it took months, and for months we ate at this neat healthy grocery store called EarthFare that also had a hot bar with healthy choices. We ate there daily. With no sink and no kitchen, it was easier to walk over to EF, eat and walk home. No clean up, ha ha… We saw John there each day having dinner… My husband and I were in line when a few women spotted John sitting at a booth eating and reading… “OHMYGOSH… DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS???!!!” said one… “JOHN DOYLE!!!!!”, it was too funny, they were trying to decide whether or not to interrupt his dinner, they were SO EXCITED! Almost like seeing one of the Beatles, ha ha… On our way to a table I gave John a heads up, in case he was bombarded, it was too funny… instead of speaking to him, they just watched him eat. Oh, I’m so glad I’m not a star in Charleston!

Here’s a blip (and a photo) about John from the gallery website…

John Carroll Doyle was born in Charleston in 1942, and is nationally known for his energetic, light filled paintings of subjects as diverse as blues musicians, blue marlins and blue hydrangeas.  The artist got his start with his distinctive sportfishing paintings which have graced the covers of many popular sportfishing magazines in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.  He continued to make a name for himself throughout the 1980’s with his now famous and large scale commissioned paintings that can be seen on the walls of many of downtown Charleston’s beloved restaurants, as well as clubs and restaurants as far afield as Chicago, Illinois and Alexandria, Virginia.  

With a career that spans four decades, John has become a seasoned American Impressionist whose muse has always been Charleston and the surrounding lowcountry.  From wildlife to still life, John Doyle paints with a passion and understanding that makes it hard to believe he is self taught.

Doyle claims as his “teachers” the wooden boats at the Charleston Yacht Basin, lavender shadows on Charleston stucco, and the coastal sunlight that floods this city year-round. In 1997 the artist completed an autobiography entitled John Carroll Doyle: Portrait of a Charleston Artist. Lavishly illustrated with color reproductions of the artist’s work and vintage black and white photographs of Charleston from the 1940’s and 50’s, the book tells not only the story of Doyle’s development as an artist, but also the transformation of Charleston from a sleepy town to a bustling tourist destination. 

In 2008, the John Carroll Doyle Art Gallery moved to 125 Church Street, which was formerly the Margaret Petterson Gallery.  Margaret Petterson, a fellow native Charleston artist, has retired from gallery ownership but is still producing her beautiful paintings and monotypes which are featured exclusively at the new John Doyle Gallery at 125 Church Street.

Catch you back here tomorrow!!

A granola recipe you will make for the rest of your life!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe8 Comments
green bowl with granola, jar of milk, red towel, wood table

Years ago, well, 2002 to be exact my sister was telling me about this wonderful granola recipe she was addicted to. She sent me the recipe, and I made it several times, it was wonderful, I think she got it out of a magazine in a waiting room somewhere… since then I have made a few notes, sometimes I use less sugar, more cinnamon, different nuts, different dried fruit. It’s just granola, so add more of what you like and less of what you don’t! It’s wonderful on top of yogurt, in a bowl with milk (and fruit) or all by itself! I add more cinnamon if I think i’ll be eating it out of hand, less if I think I’ll be topping yogurt and fruit, but it’s up to you my friend, do what you like! This is what I do…

Hint… this is especially good… plain Greek yogurt, a swirl of honey, a few tablespoons of granola and a sliced banana… it will keep you going strong for hours!

INGREDIENTS

ingredients for granola, sour cherries, almonds, oatmeal, olive oil, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon

4 cups old fashioned oats (any brand will do, but old fashioned and not the quick cooking, it won’t be the same, I speak from experience!)

1 1/2 cups (or more) slivered almonds (this is key… the thicker crunch, the TASTE of the almond, oh yeah, SLIVERED, not SLICED)

1/2 cup (or less) LOOSELY packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon (or less) cinnamon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon (real) vanilla

1 1/2 cups (more or less depending on your taste) of dried tart cherries (you can use ANY DRIED FRUIT YOU LIKE, I find cherries to be especially scrumptious, decadent and GOOD FOR YOU!) – Note: dried fruit is optional. Often I skip the dried fruit and opt for fresh berries when I’m ready to eat it…

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. If you’re using a dark pan, you might want to bump it down a bit, every oven is different, just keep an eye on it!

almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, oatmeal, salt, ingredients in a bowl

In a LARGE bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, sugar, salt and cinnamon with a wooden spoon. (This is the pre-stir together pic, go ahead and stir it up good, but gently, don’t want to break up the oatmeal).

Measuring cup with honey being poured into it, olive oil on the counter

HINT: when measuring this mixture, use the measuring cup to measure the OLIVE OIL first, then the honey, it will slide right out!

measuring cup with olive oil and honey, ingredients in the microwave

Warm the olive oil and honey mixture. You warm this mixture by placing it in a small pan on the stove (low), or in the microwave if you PROMISE not to walk away from it, you don’t want it HOT, you just want it warm enough to mix together… it doesn’t take long! Hmmm, sounds like I’ve repeated this step before, doesn’t it?

Once the olive oil and honey mixture is WARM (not hot), add the vanilla… PURE vanilla if you’ve got it.

oatmeal ingredients in bowl, honey and olive oil mixture being poured into it

Now you want to drizzle the warm honey/olive oil/vanilla mixture over the dry oat mixture. You want to drizzle and not pour like I did in this photo… Do what I say, not what I do… ha. I was trying to take a photo and pour, apparently I don’t have those skills down pat… yet! Give me time! Good grief, what part of DRIZZLE didn’t I get?? It’s all good, some quick subtle stirring is needed to coat the oat mixture with the oil mixture… gentle, remember you don’t want it to be the consistency of flour when you’re done…

Granola, Ready for the oven

I know, I know! This looks a tad pale… trust me, after it basks in the warm glow of the oven it will turn a magical color… Now pour this mixture onto an ungreased 9 x 13 cookie sheet. It’s ready for the oven! Bake it at 300 degrees for 40 minutes total… STIR IT AROUND EVERY TEN MINUTES!

After it’s done, pull it out of the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

Once cooled, go ahead and add the dried fruit. In my batch, I’m adding dried tart cherries.

Store the granola in an airtight container and it will last for 7-10 days(+), or freeze it and it will last 3 months!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Brian M. Smith!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Midwinter Melt by Brian M. Smith / Image: BrianMSmithFineArt.com

I ran across Brian Smith’s work while perusing the  Tvedten Fine Art Gallery website. The gallery is located in Harbor Springs, MI, which is on the northwest coast in a beautiful location. This painting captured my attention… I think it was the trees that did it. I love these trees, the colors, the light and shadow, very very nice!

Here’s a blip about the artist from his website, catch you back here tomorrow!

Smith is a talented landscape artist who began drawing and painting at an early age. Largely self taught, Brian has become a recognized plein-aire and studio painter who’s works are included in many private and corporate collections in the U.S. and Germany. Working in oils, he paints frequently on location striving to complete works in a single session, as well as using plein-aire studies as models for larger studio works.“Art follows what I ordinarily do,” Smith says. “Being an outdoors person, I hope my landscapes evoke the sense of a moment in time: light reflecting off wet rocks on a distant shoreline; a sky that as kids made us imagine clouds as objects; reflections in a quiet pond or special mornings and evenings between sunlight and darkness. Painting, especially en plein-aire is as pleasurable as it is difficult. An acquaintance once told me until seeing a show of my work he rarely looked at the sky and now does as a habit. That’s a response I’m very thrilled with.”

Featured artist… Robert Lange!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

"The Joy of Painting" by Robert Lange / Image: RobertLangeStudios.com

To see his work is amazing. You really have to see it to believe it! I captured this image from Charleston Magazine website, you’ve got to go there and click on any image to start a slideshow. Check out the whimsical brilliance this artist has to offer. The above painting is entitled “The Joy of Painting” and to watch Robert paint truly is a joy, you just wonder HOW anyone can be so precise! Robert and Megan (wife) own the RLS gallery… which is nothing short of gorgeous, located downtown Charleston, SC it’s a treat for the eyes!

Here’s a blip about Robert from the gallery website:

Born in 1980 in Colorado, Robert Lange began painting at a young age but was recognized as a mathematical prodigy and subsequently followed his gift to college. It wasn’t until his second year at Northeastern University, which he attended on a full math scholarship that he decided to follow his passion for art and transfered to Rhode Island School of Design, where he was again awarded a full scholarship but this time for his painting abilities. He was most influenced by teacher and painter Julia Jacquette, who taught him new perspectives leading him to become professional in 2003. That year he both graduated from RISD and opened his first gallery, Robert Lange Studios, in Charleston SC.

He first specialized in realist painting, particularly of people, emphasizing narrative moments. In 2010 he opened his second gallery, RLS Gallery and his work became more surreal, following into the category of hyper-realism or surrealism. His most notable bodies of work Measure (2009) and Go (2010) were nationally recognized and internationally collected. Lange has been featured in numerous magazines, including the cover of American Art Collector and Art Magazine, and in New American Paintings.

“Robert’s depiction of a heightened suburbia distances his work from the political commitment and social self-importance of most contemporary postmodern painters. Someplace between Charleston’s cobblestone streets and New York’s stark concrete living rooms, is the work of Robert Lange.” – City Paper 2008

UPCOMING EVENT… THE OBSERVER, Opening February 3 from 5-8pm, 20 round paintings by artist Robert Lange…

Here’s a glimpse into the gallery (located at 2 Queen Street, Charleston, SC), but check it out in person, it’s even better! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: RobertLangeStudios.com/

What does 80,000 pounds of oysters look like? Come see at the Lowcountry Oyster Festival!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, TRAVELLeave a comment

Image: CharlestonRestaurantAssociation.com

Aren’t you curious what 80,000 pounds of oysters looks like?? Come out to Boonehall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, SC on January 29th to see… It will be a big time AND all for a good cause, as you’ll see below the money goes to several local charities!

Here’s a blip from Charleston Restaurant Association’s website:

 

29TH ANNUAL LOWCOUNTRY OYSTER FESTIVAL – JANUARY 29, 2012

Get directions.

Who’s ready to do some oyster shucking? How does 80,000 pounds of oysters sound?

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is the world’s largest oyster festival and has been named one of the “top 20 events in the southeast” by Southeastern Tourism Society. Highlights include the legendary “Oyster Shucking” and “Oyster Eating” Contests, live music from the main stage, wine, a selection of domestic and imported beers, a Children’s Area complete with pony rides and jump castles and a “Food Court” showcasing a variety of local favorite restaurants to satisfy everyone’s taste.

Buy tickets online now or buy them at any area Southcoast Community Bank

Sunday, January 29th, 2012   10:30am – 5pm

Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant

Kids 10 and under are free with an adult; Bring your own knives and gloves or purchase them on site; No Coolers; No Pets; No Tailgating; Rain or Shine; Free Parking

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is a charity fundraiser benefiting: The Ronald McDonald House, Hospitality Heroes, Hollings Cancer Center and Charleston County Schools Science Materials Resource Center

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Dick Cole!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Slickers by artist Dick Cole                                        

I love paintings of interiors and I love how artist Dick Cole captured the light in this watercolor… fabulous! I ran across his work while surfing through a Sonoma gallery (Fairmont Gallery), stunning! This image was entitled SLICKERS, so I’m assuming that’s the name of the painting. I saw this image on Dick Cole’s website (very nice!), if you aren’t near a gallery that represents his work, check out his website, it’s very nice!

A blip about the artist from his website:

Dick Cole is an illustrator / watercolorist with over 30 years experience in the field.

A graduate of U.C.L.A. and the Art Center College of Design, he has worked as a graphic designer, art director, and illustrator in New York, Palo Alto, CA and San Francisco.

A fourth generation Californian, he has traveled widely, has a passion for jazz and classical music, and enjoys fly fishing and writing poetry.

He shares his Sonoma home and studio with his wife, Diane Noyes-Cole, and a small spoiled dog, Max.

Image via DickColeWatercolors.net!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston (SC) Restaurant week, NOW through January 22, 2012!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment

Image: CharlestonRestaurantAssociation.com/

I have heard so many wonderful things about Charleston Restaurant Week in Charleston, SC. Sorry I am late in posting this… The link to Charleston Restaurant Week from the Charleston Restaurant Association’s website is fantastic… it shows the price for each restaurant (some are 3 courses for $20, 3 courses for $30 and 3 courses for $40, some vary a bit, but it shows the price AND THE MENU FOR EACH RESTAURANT… OH how I love a menu!). These prices may not seem ultra cheap, but these restaurants aren’t cheap. They’re fantastic, beautiful, well known restaurants that for a few weeks each year offer a limited menu for a lesser price, so that everyone can experience these restaurants at a reduced cost. Click HERE for the link that shows restaurants/menu’s etc. – a blip from their site:

CHARLESTON RESTAURANT WEEK JANUARY 12- 22, 2012

Mark your calendars! The dates for the next installment of Charleston Restaurant Week are January 12 – 22, 2012. The event is part of Restaurant Week South Carolina sponsored by the South Carolina Hospitality Association.  Charleston Restaurant Week, executed by the Charleston Restaurant Association (CRA), is one of the most highly anticipated culinary events in the Charleston area.

It is an opportunity to enjoy the world-renowned cuisine of the Lowcountry as participating restaurants offer prix fixe menus consisting of three items for one price. 3 items for $20, $30 or $40. View all restaurants participating and their Restaurant Week menus below. Bon Appetit!

Catch you back here tomorrow!