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| Issue 1.15 | Monday, Dec. 29, 2008 | Forward to your friends! |
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LIST GOOD
NEWS ALSO INSIDE ___::
CALENDAR: Coming events |
ABOUT US CharlestonCurrents.com is a new online twice-weekly publication that offers insightful community comment and good news on events. It cuts through the information clutter to offer insight and news on the best of what's happening locally. More. |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS DEC. 29, 2008 -- With the approach of the New Year, I once again contemplate the fate of our holiday plants. The decision to save or compost rests solely on my shoulders. The Christmas tree gets ground up and recycled into mulch. I remove the withered flowers of the amaryllises and keep them well-watered and well-fed in bright light prior to moving them outdoors. After the last spring frost, I plant them in "amaryllis alley" -- a well-drained, full-sun bed (morning sun and afternoon shade is fine) occupied by many other amaryllises from Christmases past. I plant each bulb so the "neck" is 2 to 4 inches below the ground. Then I blanket the transplanted bulbs with a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch.
The Christmas cactuses stay in my home. If you recently purchased a Christmas cactus, repot it in a well-drained potting mix composed of equal parts of soil, peat moss and perlite. Keep it in a window receiving bright, indirect sunlight. A location within 3 feet of a large south-, east- or west-facing window would be ideal. You can take your Christmas cactus outdoors during the summer, but avoid direct sunlight, which can damage the leaves. After they finish flowering, allow the top half-inch of water to dry out before watering your Christmas cactuses. When new stem growth begins in the spring, water them when the soil surface feels dry. Christmas cactuses need no coaxing to flower during the holidays. After six to eight weeks of short days (12 hours or less of daylight) and cool nighttime temperatures below 65 degrees, flowers buds will naturally appear. When it comes to poinsettias, I ask myself every year: Should they stay or should they go? If you're like me, you keep them in your home throughout the winter months. If that's the case, keep their colorful bracts bright by following these tips:
Poinsettias can be reflowered, although the procedure is somewhat demanding. At the end of March or early April, when the bracts or modified leaves age and begin to fade, prune the plant back to about 8 inches in height or to a point where there are as many empty leaf nodes as you want shoots in the spring. Your poinsettia will look bare after pruning, but eventually you'll see vigorous new growth emerge from the nodes up and down the stem. Keep your plant inside near a sunny window and continue to water it regularly during its growing period.
When the night temperature remains above 50 degrees, move your plant outside. Sink the pot up to its rim in well-drained soil in a morning sun/afternoon shade location. Rotate the pot occasionally to break off the roots growing through its drainage hole. Fertilize the plant monthly during the growing season with a well-balanced, complete fertilizer, such as 10-10-10. Around June 1, you may want to transplant your poinsettia into a pot about 2 to 4 inches bigger than the original inner pot. Use a peat-based soilless mix. If you want a bushier plant, pinch back the shoot tips or prune back the branches. Do not pinch back after Sept. 1. For an eight- to 10-week period starting Oct. 1, keep your poinsettia in complete darkness and at temperatures between 60 degrees and 70 degrees for 14 continuous hours each night. Keep the plant in darkness by moving it to a dark room such as a closet, or by covering the poinsettia with a large box. In addition to continuous darkness, the plant also must receive six to eight hours of bright sunlight daily during this period. If the night temperature climbs too high or drops too low, flower bud setting may be delayed or halted. Also, any stray light, such as that of a streetlight or flashlight, shining near the plant during the critical darkness period may delay or disrupt the blooming process. The poinsettia will set buds and produce flowers as the nights become longer. Depending on the response time of the particular variety you have, the plant will come into full bloom during November or December. I've attempted to reflower poinsettias in the past to bloom at Christmas, but my painstaking efforts resulted in Charlie-Brown-looking poinsettias. At least, that's what my wife called the survivors. Despite my futile attempts, I continue to receive poinsettias from friends and acquaintances who can't bear to toss their holiday plants out. They assume that because I'm a horticulturalist, I'll find a good home for them. Since I
can't bear to compost them either, I follow an annual ritual of planting
these Mexican natives in my "poinsettia patch" in April after
the last spring frost. The people who entrusted the care of their poinsettias
to me have already forgotten about them -- which is good, because by June,
I also forget about them. It's got to be Christmas magic, because every
spring, there's always room for more castoff poinsettias in my "patch." CURRENTS
DEC. 29, 2008 - If you really want to learn about some of the cool stuff going on throughout the South, you probably should banish that continuing subscription to Southern Living magazine and pick up any of three 21st Century publications that are great reads. Charleston's own Garden & Gun certainly has the best title of the bunch. While we're still not sure what to make of the name, the magazine has matured since its launch in 2007. Published by the Evening Post Publishing Company, Garden & Gun has nabbed several top magazine awards over the last two years, including the magazine industry's best editorial team and second hottest launch, both in 2007.
Self-described as the "Soul of the New South," Garden & Gun offers visual and editorial delights in every issue. A recent story on Jacksonville painter C. Ford Riley thrilled. In another issue, we discovered some new potential great restaurants (and planned possible future vacations) after reading John T. Edge's list of 100 best Southern foods. If there's one thing you'll find in Garden & Gun, it's that you don't know what to expect, but when you get the issue, you'll enjoy the whole thing.
The Oxford American, now enjoying a resurrected life at the University of Arkansas at Conway, has a way of explaining what's going on in the South and culture like no other publication. Stories about some unheralded musical talents and those of some familiar heroes packed its recent Southern music issue. The 55 songs included in two CDs in the magazine make a year's subscription a bargain in and of itself. Our favorite story in the new 10th anniversary music issue is about a quirky biracial couple, Elton and Betty White, whose odd musical ditties amused an underground of folks in Little Rock several years back. The OA has struggled over the years, but it's worth the investment to ensure its quality features keep on coming.
The Sun is an independent, ad-free publication based in Chapel Hill, N.C., that is the only magazine that we generally read cover to cover. It's a literary equivalent of a mature hippy trying to make sense of the world. Its Web site says the 30-year-old publication has "used words and photographs to invoke the splendor and heartache of being human. The Sun celebrates life, but not in a way that ignores its complexity." While its interviews focus deeply on something you've probably not thought about in awhile, such as fundamentalism, immigration or the homeless, The Sun's best continuing feature may be its "Readers Write" section. It offers insightful and unexpected thoughts of readers on a different subject every month. Recent subjects: Blood, porches and "Up all night." If you're
looking for a way to learn more about life and the South, curl up with
any of these three magazines and have a good time. Andy Brack is publisher of CharlestonCurrents.com. You can reach him by email at: publisher@charlestoncurrents.com. FEEDBACK To the editor: This is my mom's favorite (knock-knock joke); she is trying to teach it to my son. He is only 2 and laughs like mad when you respond, "Who's there?" to his "Knock-knock," so we have a LONG way to go.
SPOTLIGHT
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents to you at no cost. This issue's featured underwriter is Maybank Industries, LLC of Charleston, SC. With broad experience in commercial and government operations, Maybank Industries applies deep-rooted commitment to teamwork, reliability and personal service to provide innovative business solutions for project development, information technology, logistics, vessel design, shipping agency services and marine terminal operations, both locally and internationally. Maybank Industries applies a powerful blend of professional expertise to research, analyze and develop tailored solutions with thorough plans of action, combining a heavy dose of common sense to solve today's needs that can adapt to changing or evolving requirements. More: Maybank Industries and Maybank Systems
GOOD
NEWS
The city of Charleston's Office of Cultural Affairs is inviting families to ring out the old year and ring in the new at "Happy New Year, Charleston," a free festival on Dec. 31 in downtown Charleston. Activities run from 4 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. in Marion Square and several other venues within walking distance. On the main stage at Marion Square, performances include dance and music, featuring the Blue Dogs, Electric Company and Adande African Drum and Dance. At Kidsfest under the tent on the square, youngsters can take part in arts and crafts, face-painting, balloon art and singalongs. "Smooth Jazz Under the Tent" features the Great Horns of Charleston, with Lonnie Hamilton and Charlton Singleton accompanied by the John Tecklenburg Trio, as well as the Clay Ross Trio. Other events include classical concerts at Second Presbyterian Church, gospel concerts at Citadel Square Baptist Church, and improv from the Have Nots! at Theatre 99. Food vendors will be on hand around the area. Admission to all activities is free. For more information, see this brochure. CSO reports upbeat sales, attendance for December concerts The financially-strapped Charleston Symphony Orchestra brought in more than its financial goal in single-ticket sales for December performances, as well as 7 percent increase in the number of people attending the annual Holiday Pops concert. The CSO
has offered six holiday concerts this month. The overall single-ticket
sales goal for the six events was $71,000, but total sales revenue reached
$90,427, according to the CSO -- 27 percent over the goal. In addition
to the single-ticket sales revenue, more than $13,000 was raised through
a Dec. 16 benefit concert, organized by CSO musicians, at First (Scots)
Presbyterian Church. With a Dec. 31 deadline looming, Charleston Stage is looking to raise $15,000 to secure a $50,000 challenge grant that will help keep the struggling theater group afloat. Donations received by year's end will be matched one to one by the grants, which will be provided through the Dorothy and Gaylord Donnelley Foundation and Dr. Fred Pittman, two of the company's supporters. In a press release Dec. 26, Charleston Stage officials said they had already raised about $35,000 of the $50,000 needed to secure the grant. Amounts donated had run the gamut from $8 to $5,000. Charleston Stage is South Carolina's largest professional theater company and offers some of the most comprehensive arts education and outreach programs in the state, reaching 20,000 Lowcountry students every season. Donations to the group are tax-deductible. To contribute
or learn more, go to http://www.charlestonstage.com/donate.php
or contact Blake Whitney, executive development assistant, at 577-5967
or bwhitney@charlestonstage.com. REVIEW
I highly recommend "The Nine -- Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court" by Jeffrey Toobin. This is the best book on the Supreme Court I've ever read, and that would include Bob Woodward's "The Brethren," which was published decades ago. Anyone who has even a remote interest in politics will enjoy this book. It has a lot of personal details about each of the justices, who are the most powerful men and women in the country who couldn't be named by 90 percent of Americans. Regardless of your political inclinations, it also makes it clear how important presidential elections are in shaping the makeup of our highest court.
The second recommendation isn't a festive read but it is certainly timely- - "The Big Squeeze - Tough Times For The American Worker" by Steven Greenhouse. Greenhouse's book was published in early 2008. Unfortunately, Mr. Greenhouse's prediction that the problems he discussed would become even worse when the inevitable subprime mortgage crisis peaked was an accurate one. Finally,
I would recommend Clyde Edgerton's "The Floatplane Notebooks."
I see that one of the recommendations listed (in the "On the Bookshelf"
section) is for a book by T.R. Pearson. I've enjoyed everything I've ever
read by Pearson or Edgerton. They both get it right when writing fiction
based on living in a small Southern town. … If anyone is looking
for a 2009 resolution, I'd suggest "read, read, and read some more!"
HISTORY
SPOTLIGHT Hoppin' John is a pilaf made with beans and rice. The recipe came directly to America from West Africa and is typical of the one-pot cooking of the South Carolina lowcountry. As the recipe moved inland, it became the traditional dish for good luck on New Year's Day throughout the South.
The first written appearance of the recipe in English was in Sarah Rutledge's The Carolina Housewife, or House and Home, by a Lady of Charleston, published anonymously in 1847. Though most often made with black-eyed peas, the original Charleston version called for "One pound of bacon, one pint of red peas, one pint of rice." Red peas are cowpeas, or dried field peas, which are, as are black-eyed peas, more akin to beans. Neither botanists nor linguists are in agreement on the origins of the dish or its ingredients. Likewise, none of several popular studies that attempt to explain the origin of the name of the dish are convincing. The culinary scholar Karen Hess believes that both recipe and name are derived from Hindi, Persian, and Malay words that mean, simply, "cooked rice and beans." Whatever
its origins, the dish, originally made with pigeon peas in West Africa,
arrived in Charleston and became a favorite of the rice-plantation owners
as well as the enslaved. When Sarah Rutledge - who was the daughter of
Edward Rutledge, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the
niece of Arthur Middleton, another signer - included the recipe in her
collection, it was well established along the eastern seaboard as a classic
Charleston dish.
CREDITS CharlestonCurrents.com is provided to you twice a week by:
© 2008, Statehouse Report LLC. All rights reserved. CharlestonCurrents.com is published every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261, Charleston, SC 29413. |
PUBLICATION
NOTE Today's issue marks our last of 2008. We are excited about all of the good news and information that's coming in the new year. We'll resume our Monday and Thursday publications on Jan. 5, 2009. Have a happy -- and safe -- New Year's celebration. Wentworth's favorite poets
South Carolina Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth, who lives in Mount Pleasant, names her five favorite poets:
"Southerners can't stand to eat alone. If we're going to cook a mess of greens we want to eat them with a mess of people."
(NEW) Kwanzaa Festival: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. today, St. Julian Devine Community Center, 1 Cooper St. The city of Charleston sponsors this community-wide event, which includes a parade, African drumming and dancing. More info: 724-7350. Happy New Year, Charleston: 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31, Marion Square and surrounding locations, downtown Charleston. See Good News for details. Holiday Festival of Lights: Through Jan. 4, James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive, James Island. Millions of sparkling lights and hundreds of imaginative displays line a 3-mile drive through the park. Also includes marshmallow-roasting and activities for kids, gift shop and walking trail through Winter Wonderland. More info. Also see more here. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON Customer Relations Coaching: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Jan. 7, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2750 Speisegger Drive, North Charleston. Part III of the chamber's "Managing Through an Economic Crisis" series. Session focuses on how to deliver the kind of customer service that wins and retains clients. Cost: $15 for chamber members, $30 for nonmember. Click to register. (NEW) Oyster Roast, Civil War Walk: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 10, Dill Sanctuary, James Island. Charleston Museum's annual oyster roast includes curator-led tours of the Civil War fortifications, views of the Stono River and bluegrass music by Blue Plantation. Barbecue and all the fixings, as well as a full bar, are included in the ticket price. Cost: $25 museum members, $35 nonmembers. Civil War walks begin at 3 p.m.; food and drink available throughout the event. Reservations: http://www.charlestonmuseum.org or 722-2996, ext. 264. (NEW) Digital TV Primer: 11 a.m. Jan. 10 and Jan. 17, John L. Dart Library, 1067 King St. (722-7550); 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12, Dorchester Road Regional Library, 6325 Dorchester Road (552-6466). The Digital TV conversion happens on Feb. 17. Are you ready? What do you need to know? How will this change your television viewing? Experts from WCSC-TV (Channel 5) will explain the ins and outs and answer questions. Power
of Making a Difference: 7 p.m. Jan. 15, Admissions Auditorium,
Robert Scott Small Building, College of Charleston, St. Philip and Calhoun
streets, Charleston. Speaker: Former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan, author of
"What's Possible! 50 Real People Who Dared to Dream They Could Make
a Difference" and founder of the inspirational online community,
DarynKagan.com.
Cost: $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Information/tickets: Center
for Women, Sophia
Institute or 720-8528. (NEW) Marsalis at Music Hall: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16, Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St., Charleston. Multiple Grammy Award winner Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform at a benefit for the Charleston Concert Association. A fundraising gala will follow at the William Aiken House, 456 King St., featuring a black-tie dinner with the musicians and entertainment by local jazz musician Quentin Baxter. Tickets for Marsalis' performance are $35, $55 and $100. Gala/dinner tickets are $250, which includes a ticket to the concert. Call the Charleston Concert Association at 571-7755 or Ticketmaster at 554-6060. MLK Concert:
4 p.m. Jan. 18, Mount Moriah Family Living Center, 7396 Rivers
Ave., North Charleston. "Perseverance: Where Do We Go From Here:
A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.," presented by the Charleston
Symphony Orchestra Gospel Choir and the city of North Charleston's Cultural
Arts Department, featuring music, historical audio and video footage.
Free; donations will be accepted at the door to support the choir's community
outreach work. First-come, first-served entry tickets available at the
Gaillard Auditorium Box Office in downtown Charleston; Mount Moriah Family
Living Center in North Charleston or the North Charleston Cultural Arts
Department. (NEW) Camellia Clinic: 1 p.m. Jan. 24, Garden Market and Nursery at Middleton Place, Highway 61. Free seminar on camellia care with Sidney Frazier, Middleton's vice president of horticulture, and nursery manager Matt Jackson. Learn about which varieties work best in local gardens and get advice on when, where and how to plant. In addition, seedlings from some of Middleton's historic, internationally known camellias will be available for purchase. More info: http://www.middletonplace.org. 26th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 25, Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant. Enjoy oysters, live music, an oyster shucking and eating contest, and a kids corner with pony rides and a jump castle. Sponsored by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association; money raised goes to Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center, and Charleston County Schools Science Materials Resource Center. Tickets: $10 in advance from the GCRA Web site or Applebee's restaurants; $12 at the gate; free for children under 10. Oysters sold by the bucket (3 dozen to 4 dozen for $8). More info: 452-6088. In this section, we offer a list of good reads that you might want to consider reading:
FOCUS ARCHIVES 12/22:
Lindbergh:
Group for gifted THRASH ARCHIVES 12/18:
Holiday
spirit is alive BRACK ARCHIVES 12/22:
About
those knock-knock jokes LIST ARCHIVES 12/22:
Felts:
Five wine gifts SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
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