Charleston magazine Society blog

Not even a unexpected rainstorm could keep cowboys and cowgirls from showing up to support the Hemangioma Treatment Foundation’s “Cowboy Couture Gala.” The event was held at Patriots Point Links and upon arrival, guests were greeted by the “Cowboy Couture” mascot Titleist. By the way, Titleist is a bull. Yes, a bull. My curiosity got the best of me so I had to take a closer look. Of course, having a bull at any event would draw a crowd, and guests were so surprised at how calm and gentle this animal appeared to be. PDA project manager, Todd St Onge, was one of the spectators, and I convinced him to take a picture with Titleist. He was a little reluctant at first but ended up being a good sport about the whole thing. Thanks Todd.  

Before the three-course dinner was served, guests were treated to cocktails and music by fiddlers David Sheppard and Ivy Lindley and American country music group Jypsi in the saloon. The signature drink of the night, the Huckleberry martini, was served up through an ice sculpture shaped like a pistol. Talk about taking a shot!

As the mingling continued, I ran into City Paper columnist Stella Minx, who had been working with Lisa Thomas from Ooh Events on the décor setup. Stella told me that she had blisters on her hands from all of the mesh chargers she had to cut out and handmade napkin rings she had to put together. And from the looks of the magnificent room, those blisters were well worth it. The space had such a natural feel with hanging floral chandeliers, candlelit branch candelabras, and variety of birds nests that were filled with chocolate egg treats.As the cocktail hour ended, guests took their seats and enjoyed a creative “home on the range” dinner by J.B.C. Catering with paired wines by Francis Ford Coppola. The three courses consisted of camp-fired skillet salmon over chopped salad, Beef Wellington with famer’s cheese and vegetable corn medley, and a roundup of wild berries crisp topped with an individual S’more.

As everyone was finishing up dinner, Hemangioma Treatment Foundation executive director Jane Milner thanked guests and sponsors and asked everyone to stick around and kick up their heels for dancing in the saloon. The crowd went hog wild.

All proceeds will go directly to The Hemangioma Treatment Foundation to help children who are in need of surgeries for vascular deformities.

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The 28th annual Taste of Charleston was held at historic Boone Hall Plantation on Sunday—rain or shine. And yes, we got rain.  But before the torrential downpour, attendees did get a chance to enjoy this year’s festivities.
 

More than 40 local restaurants offered guests a sample of their favorite dishes. My strategy wasn’t to hit every single booth, but to seek out those with the longest lines, after all people will normally queue up for great food. Social Restaurant + Wine Bar was one such hotspot offering their signature sliders with coconut onion rings, fried quail eggs, and Tillamook cheddar. Giuseppi’s Pizza and Pasta had what I thought was the best bang for your buck, offering cheese and pepperoni slices for only 1 ticket ($1 per ticket) versus other restaurants that were asking three tickets or more per sampling.
 

This year, organizers added cooking demonstrations, offering festival-goers more culinary education, and kept the ever-popular Waiter’s Wine Race. The cooking demonstrations were a homerun because every seat was filled during every session.The Waiter’s Wine Race drew a huge crowd with three-time race winner Mark Drabik of Oak Steakhouse taking first place.

Although food was the main attraction, the main stage came alive with the East Coast Party Band, who played favorites from the ‘70s and ‘80s. One little girl positioned herself right in front of the stage and twirled her little heart out.
 

As the clouds rolled in, everyone was hopeful that the rain would just blow over. As soon as that thought came and went, the rain took over the entire festival. The crew from Social was kind enough to allow my husband and me a safe haven until the rain was over or at least lightened up. Alas, it did not and we just made a dash for the car. Needless to say, I was covered in mud and totally drenched. Still all in all, a good time.
 

Money raised will go the Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center, and local educators.

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McCrady’s was the venue for several hundred guests in attendance at Wednesday night’s A Night for the Children Gala, benefitting Carolina Youth Development Center. I heard that McCrady’s had created a new space, “The Gallery,” specifically for events, so I was interested to see what it looked like. With soaring skylights and dramatic windows, The Gallery offered a split-level space showcasing signature works by renowned local artists.  In one area, guests were able to view and bid on silent auction items. Beautifully displayed delectable food offerings complete with two carving stations were set up in the center of the space.  On the other side, handmade chairs and tables with crisp white linens were set for guests to dine while listening to the soulful sounds of Rivers and Company.  McCrady’s operating partner, David Howard said the space was ideal for distinctive special events and tonight’s event was the first of many.
 

CYDC CEO Barbara Kelley Duncan was being pulled in all directions greeting guests and thanking sponsors. I did finally get the opportunity to speak with her and she was one of the most passionate and sincere women I have ever met.  She told me that she has been in her position for five years and at the end of the day it is still all about “her” children.  The CYDC’s mission is to make sure that every child in the tri-county area has a safe home environment.
 

The live auction started around 9 o’clock.  The ever so popular Ken French was the auctioneer. I have seen Ken at the past two events that I have covered.  He really knows how to get a crowd excited about spending money for a good cause.  The live auction items were very unique. Guests had the opportunity to bid on a handwritten lyric sheet for John Lennon’s “Real Love”, two VIP tickets to the Colbert Report in New York City, and a week stay in a two bedroom condominium at the West Bay Club on Turks and Caicos Island compliments of Linda and Tony Bakker that went for a whopping $6,300.
 

This was a highly success event, with more than $90,000 raised to provide homes and treatment programs for abused and neglected children.

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