Chamber Music Charleston, Turtles on the Town, and Shrimpin’ & Shaggin’
The Calhoun Mansion was a portal back in time on Friday night when supporters of Chamber Music Charleston gathered in the garden for cocktails before heading inside to the drawing room for an hour-long concert.
Saturday’s breathtaking sunset was all the decor needed for the S.C. Aquarium’s Turtles on the Town auction, the culmination of a year-long project that placed uniquely painted fiberglass turtles around the Lowcountry. Artists and sponsors gathered on the Aquarium’s wharfside steps for a pre-auction party; people posed with their creations, ate paella, and enjoyed the sound of steel drums.
Around 8 p.m., we were escorted to a large tent in the midst of Liberty Square. Rows of chairs faced a stage that was flanked by two large video screens— an effective auction set-up. The temperature inside the tent quickly rose as people packed inside (and the use of red lights only made it seem hotter), but no one seemed prepared for the hotseat gauntlet that auctioneer and PBS Antiques Roadshow contributor Stuart Whitehurst threw down by opening the auction with a string of high reserves. A gentleman in the front row broke the tension by consistently offering $1,000 opening bids despite Whitehurst’s higher requests, and this back and forth banter set the tone for an active auction that ultimately raised more than $100,000.
I paid particular attention to the bidding on Viva Las Tortugas Marinas because I met the artist, a wonderfully talented illustrator named Brenda Gilliam, at the Sip with Skirt event last week AND because my friend Randall Goldman (managing partner of Patrick Properties) sought to permanently acquire the turtle, which had been on display in the atrium of FISH restaurant.
Stephanie Christensen showed me where all the high school aged TheatreWings Apprentices that she works with at Charleston Stage signed the bottom of their turtle before our conversation turned to their upcoming wine auction set to take place on Thursday, September 27.
I gained even more wine auction inside track when I walked the bridge with auction chairwoman Celeste Patrick the next morning. Building upon the theme of La Bodega, event designer Mitchell Crosby took his cue from the rich Spanish traditions that run concurrent with the vibrancy of life in Spanish-speaking countries. Unlike the refinement of past French themes, this year’s auction promises to be infused with the passion of wine and lots of color. More than 1,000 stems of roses in rich red and orange colors will blanket the room, while luxe patchwork linens will adorn the dinner tables. Capacity for this event is 400, and as of today, only a few seats remain. Visit http://charlestonstage.com/ to learn more.
After nearly being blown off the bridge with Celeste, I made my way down to the Maritime Center for the annual Shrimpin’ and Shaggin’ Festival. The smell of steamed seafood and the sound of beach music met me in the parking lot, and the gusts of wind, which caused little kids to squeal and throw their arms wide open as if to hug the breeze, ratcheted up the level of frenetic festival energy.
A dozen local restaurants and caterers sold bite-sized portions of their best shrimp dishes, everything from plain old peel-n-eat to a shrimp with fig and Marscarpone cheese salad. The S.C. Shrimpers Association cornered a large portion of the action partly because their mobile cook station—a giant bus— dominated the Maritime Center’s waterside sidewalk (plus their shrimp burgers and sweet potato chips were delicious).
My favorite part of the day was buying fresh shrimp off the back of the shrimp boat Carolina ($3 per pound, heads on; $6 per pound, heads off) and listening to a smart-talking eight-year-old explain how to pop the heads off to Lowcountry transplants.
Proceeds from the day benefitted the S.C. Shrimpers’ Association, Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding, and the National Association of Catering Executives’ scholarship program.
