WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND IN CHARLESTON!
TASTE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, SAT. JUNE 26TH FROM 12-4PM AT WHOLE FOODS. Meet the local vendors and taste their food and hear their stories.
KINDNESS BEATS BLINDNESS RP AUCTION Sat., June 26, 6 p.m. Bid on items at the Riverdogsgame to benefit MUSC’s Storm Eye. Items include tickets to a Broadway show, fine jewelry, spa retreats and much more.
SHAG AWAY AT THE BOONE HALL BEACH BLAST SAT. JUNE 26 at Boone Hall Plantation. Gates open at 11:00 a.m. Enjoy the music of Tommy Emanual and more.
If you just want to stay cool and have some fun remember there is always fun to be had at any of the Charleston County Parks or you might want to be inside in the air conditioning at the SC Aquarium visiting the Albino Alligator. Whatever you do stay cool and be safe.
Flood Insurance
The following information came from the FEMA concerning the expired National Flood Insurance Program
Congress Abandons Critical Housing Programs – Again
Once again, Congress left town without reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Section 502 Rural Housing programs. The NFIP is now expired. The Section 502 Rural Housing program has exhausted its funding and lenders have stopped accepting applications.
Until Congress extends NFIP, no new or renewal flood policies can be issued. Without the flood insurance coverage provided by NFIP, thousands of residential and commercial transactions are on hold.
Congress has also abandoned the Section 502 Rural Housing Program. The housing program provides zero-down-payment mortgages to eligible families in rural area of every state. Many of these families signed contracts before April 30th and plan to utilize the home-buyer tax credit. If this program is not restored soon, they will lose their chance.
What’s Happening in Charleston This Weekend for Father’s Day!
If you are looking for a way to treat dad for Father’s Day, here are a few options:
On Saturday, June 18, Woodlands Inn in Summerville is grilling out (and dad doesn’t have to man the tongs, like at home) with their Beer and BBQ Tasting with Palmetto Brewery. It’s $55 (plus tax and gratuity), which covers four courses: grilled shrimp, togarashi, pickled watermelon rind, and cucumber; Carolina-style smoked chicken and pulled pork with Anson Mills grits; a main course of Moroccan spiced Lamb, tangine, and saffron couscous; and a dessert of warm chocolate and espresso cake with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge. Of course, there’s also beer pairings with each course, and dad even gets an after-dinner cigar and bourbon. Reservations are required.
On Sunday, June 20, there will be a Father’s Day Brunch buffet style featuring BBQ Benedict, Red-eye gravy, shrimp and grits and much more. Cost $55. There will also be a kids menu for kids (4-12).
If you want t dine in a more casual venue you can grab a steak at Outback and dad has a chance to win FREE Outback for a year! The special goes from June 18-June 20.
SC Aquarium has free admission for fathers with a paying guest or child. Sunday, June 20 from 9am to 6pm.
If your dad is the outdoors type, take him on a k ayaking trip with Sea Kayak Carolina. The tour begins at 7:30 am to the launch point at Battery Island and goes to Sandy Point on Kiawah Island. Rental kayaks are $30. You can bring your own kayak
If you want to give dad a different gift for Father’s Day because you are tired of giving him the same old things, check out Bellezza Buzz spa and give dad a relaxing treatment.
Groom Your Puppy and Help with the Oil Spill!
If you are feeling helpless about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, you can stop! There is a way for concerned citizens to help. I was very thrilled to stumble upon information about an organization called Matter of Trust. Matter of Trust is working with some local pet groomers and veterinarian offices to collect pet hair in order to help clean up the oil spill.
The donated pet hair is collected and stuffed into nylon stockings and Matter of Trust makes booms that are put in the water to absorb the oil.
Booms
Watch video showing the process.
Participating groomers and vets are:
Yuppy Puppy (843) 884-7666
Animal Medical West (843) 766-7387
Bark Avenue (843) 471-2275
Daniel Island Vet Hospital (843) 881-7228
My Three Dogs (843) 884-8818
4 Paws and a Tail Mobile Grooming (843) 810-3706
For more information about this go to Matter of Trust.
What’s Happening In Charleston This Weekend!
Friday June 4, Wine Tastings – Enjoy appetizers paired with featured wines at Ted’s Butcherblock - Cost is $5.00.
Friday, June 4, Piccolo Spoleto Beach Party in Downtown Charleston at the US Custom House from 7pm-11pm. Free!
Friday, June 4, Hazelnut Hang - Enjoy the music of Sister Hazel at the Windjammer on the Isle of Palms. Cost $25.00
Saturday, June 5, Annual Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival 10:00 am – 8:00pm at Waterfront Memorial Park in Mt. Pleasant. There will be several mini-events and activities with crafters, quilters, gospel singers, Gullah storytellers, the ADANDE African Drum and Dance Group, and much more.
Sunday, June 6, Daughtry will be at the North Charleston Colliseum with special guests Lifehouse & Cavo. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
FOR THE KIDS
If you’re looking for a place to take the kids go to the Joe Riley Stadium.The Riverdogs will be home all weekend. Remember that Fridays there’s fireworks after the game. Saturdays there are free giveaways and on Sundays there’s free parking and kids eat for free.
Another fun thing to do outdoors with the kids is climbing the wall at the James Island County Park. South Carolina’s tallest outdoor climbing facility. It’s open 7 days a week, from Noon to 8pm on weekdays and from 9am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Whatever you decide to do, have a great weekend!
IT’S SPOLETO TIME!
An exciting time in Charleston for the arts – is when Spoleto is here. Every year we can count on looking forward being entertained by wonderfully talented artists in theater, dance, opera, visual arts & jazz.
Initially the festival started in the acient city of Spoleto, Italy in 
the provence of Perugia founded by Gian Carlo Minotti. Named Festival dei Due Mondi which means Festival of Two Worlds, the intentionwas to have the worlds of American and European culture facing each other in his event; this concept would then be strengthened by the fact that it was held in conjunction with its “twin”, the Spoleto USA Festival.
I have been fortunate enough to attend a concert by Frank Emilio Flynn, a Cuban jazz piano player as well as a production of Mamba’s Daughters, at the Dock Street Theater. Both performances were outstanding.
If you are interested in attending any of these events, you can to www.spoletousa.org.
If you would like to take advantage of the Spoleto experience but are a little tight on cash, you might want to check out the events of Piccolo Spoleto. Launched in 1979, Piccolo Spoleto was designed to offer the Spoleto experience to everyone regardless of their economic, social or physical circumstance.
Whatever you decide to do, just get out there and enjoy Charleston!
When Buying A Home in Charleston
Buying
When buying a home you are faced with many decisions and many questions. We are here to help you on your journey of buying a home. Are you ready to purchase a home? Locating the perfect home is not always easy and obtaining a mortgage loan can be a frustrating process. Although, once you have determined you are ready to move forward towards your home-purchasing goal, the rewards are well worth the effort.
We are here to make the process of buying a home an enjoyable experience. We are familiar with the current homes on the market, we know neighborhood values and we can help you determine which properties are fairly priced before you start your search. We will help you locate and review properties for sale that match your requirements and guide and direct you throughout the process of buying. We will help you prepare so the seller will see you as a qualified preferred buyer.
Your first step is to list what kind of house you’d like and where you would like it to be. Be specific. Separate the “must haves” from the “want to haves.” Do you want to be in the city of Charleston on the Peninsula or in the suburbs, West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, North Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville, Mt. Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island or Folly Beach.
Your Next Step: Loan Pre-Qualification
Once you have addressed the above needs, your next step in the purchasing process is to get pre-qualified with a mortgage company. This can be done over the phone or even online in a matter of minutes.
Call us and we will refer you to a mortgage professional that has an excellent reputation and track record for successfully acquiring loan approval for his/her clients.
We Will Find The Right Home For You
Once you’ve been pre-qualified and know what price range you want to stay in, we can help you determine which properties fit your needs by using the (MLS) Multiple Listing Service system to locate them.
We Will Help You Every Step Of The Way
We will help you complete your financing and inspections, and closed on the transaction. Our top priority is to make sure that your home buying experience is pleasant, cost-efficient, and successful.
Educating our clients
With our MLS listing inventory being in the 9000 to 10000 range our challenge in today’s market is how to help our sellers get their houses sold.
Our first priority is to educate our sellers on what is really happening in the market place. Of course they do have an idea; although, we have to be more specific, explain the supply and demand issue. What the odds of selling are in their specific neighborhood. We have to show them our market penetration. Houses selling today are either in perfect condition or the best value, price per sq ft. Our job is to give them all the facts so they can base their decision on what is best for them in today’s market.
The seller wants to know how we find our Buyers. We have to have a clear precise plan on how we find our buyers. How you market to other agents, what internet sites are you advertising on, the exposure their house will be receiving besides placing it on MLS. They want to be kept informed on a weekly basis and want to know the comments the buyers are relaying to their agents about their house.
It’s important that we keep ourselves informed so we can give our clients the facts.
Here’s What’s Happening for Kids in Charleston this Weekend
KIDS
Saturday, May 22nd:
Celebrate the sea turtles’ return to S.C. from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. featuring exhibits, arts and crafts, live animals, and more at Edisto Beach State Park hosting TurtleFest
In Mt. Pleasant, the Spirit of South Carolina hosts Shipyard Shindig at the Hobcaw Shipyard from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Spirit opens its docks to the public with live music, food and drinks for purchase, activities for kids, and more.
Charleston Pirate Tours presents a family-fun event commemorating Blackbeard’s Siege of Charleston. The presentation begins at 11 a.m. in the Powder Magazine Museum.
DON’T FORGET – the waterparks are open now on the weekends. Splash Zone Whirlin’ Waters & Splash Island Waterpark . For more information about the Charleston County Parks go to Charleston County Parks & Recreation .
TRUNK SHOW IN CHARLESTON?!!!
While researching what’s going on in Charleston this week, I came across a headline that said Luau and Trunk Show. Trunk show…hmm just what is a trunk show. I envisioned several things it might be. A parade of elephants showing off their bedazzled trunks, a bunch of cars with their trunks open to see who had the coolest things inside or lastly various different old trunks like the one I used to pack every fall with my things for college. I decided to stop guessing and do some googling to get my answer. For those that don’t know, a trunk show is a special sale in the fashion world, commonly taking place in a boutique, in which a designer puts on a special display of his or her work. The designer will literally show up with a trunk of merchandise to show, hence the term “trunk show”. That being said let me get to the important stuff! On Wednesday, May 19, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. there will be a Luau and Trunk Show featuring glasses and sunglasses by designers such as Maui Jim, Hugo Boss, Vera Wang hosted Crave Kitchen & Cocktails. So get ready for summer and get yourself some hot new eyewear while you sample some tasty treats and have a few cocktails. There will be gifts with each purchase. For more information call (843) 884-1177.
