|
Subscribe
today for free |
|
|
|
Issue
1.17 | Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009 |
Forward to your friends!  |
|
|
FEEDBACK THE
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. |
|
TODAY'S
FOCUS JAN. 8, 2009 -- "I've got $250, looking for $300, he'll give me $350. Now $400. ..." Auctions: One of life's pure thrills. There's nothing like an auction to get your juices flowing. In these times of a softened economy, many people would be smart to turn to auctions for their household needs.
At auctions, one can find anything from sterling flatware and estate jewelry to an antique Louis Vuitton steamer trunk and vintage fur coat. Most of these items come from estates and individual consignors, and the price to be paid is determined by you, the bidder. My wife, Natashia, and I have been antiques dealers and auction addicts for the past eight years. We started going to auctions as a way to buy small things to sell online. As we attended more frequently, we quickly discovered all the amazing things we could buy for a song that fit right into our home. Today, we have a beautiful new home, filled almost entirely with quality items purchased second-hand from auctions and estate sales. Auctions
are a thrill ride and, in some ways, a legal form of gambling. In my world,
there is no bigger rush than previewing an auction, researching an item,
then bidding against multiple parties to win that object of desire. Auction
prices can be all over the place, and in many instances, items sell far
below their fair market value. Other times, the item is no longer produced
or is something an individual collects, and prices can reach or exceed
full market value. Our 1910
mission oak dining table and chairs ($500) were an auction house discovery
that we purchased for pennies on the dollar compared with the price of
a new, inferior-quality table. In general, if there is something you need
or desire, it will come along at auction, provided that you have the patience
to wait. Our two
favorite auctions are Linda Page's at 1460 Ben Sawyer Blvd. in
Mount Pleasant and Roumillat's at 2241 Savannah Highway in Charleston.
Linda has a down-home, personal appeal with a good mix of junk and treasure
and a real chance of finding a bargain. Roumillat's tends to be a bit
more upscale and higher priced. In both places, one can find a deal on
furniture and decorative collectibles, generally far below the price of
comparable new items.
Lee Lazarus and his wife, Realtor Natashia Nelson-Lazarus, are antiques dealers and estate sellers. They can be reached at www.totalestatesales@gmail.com or via their Web site, http://www.totalestatesales.com. CURRENTS JAN. 8, 2009 -- You might say that Tom Gengo is trying not to count his chickens before they're hatched -- even though what might hatch would be a heck of a nest egg.
The Charleston resident recently found out that he's South Carolina's winner in the National Chicken Cooking Contest, which features a grand prize of $50,000. Sometime this month, he'll find out whether his recipe for Whole Chicken with Honey-Fig Sauce has won the regional semifinals. If he beats contestants from the eight other states in the Southeast region, he'll be heading to San Antonio, Texas, in May to compete for the top prize. This is the first cooking contest he's ever entered. "I looked at the names of the other finalists' recipes at the contest Web site and I really feel like my recipe is pretty solid," he tells CharlestonCurrents.com. "I've served it a number of times at my house and it's always gotten rave reviews. People always ask for the recipe."
The National Chicken Council sponsors the contest every other year. The prize money is second only to the $1 million grand prize that goes to the winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off. The specifics of Tom's recipe have to stay under wraps until after the contest, but he was able to share a few mouthwatering details. He says the dish starts with a brine that's based on a recipe he found in The Post and Courier. Brining involves soaking meat for several hours in a solution of salt, water (or another liquid), and flavorings. Through the magic of culinary chemistry, brining adds extra juiciness and flavor to the meat. Tom's special brine includes molasses, garlic, black peppercorns, allspice, cloves and honey. He removes the backbone from the chicken, boils and cools the brine, then lets the bird rest in the mixture in the fridge for eight to 12 hours. After removing the chicken from the brine and placing it in a baking pan, he pushes the bird's thighs up on top of the breast meat. "That really helps prevent the breast from drying out and overcooking," he says. A homemade spice rub and honey-fig glaze add the finishing touches. "The only improvement I would make since I submitted the recipe would be to add some minced chipotle peppers to the glaze," he says. "I think that would really bring another flavor dimension to it." It's clear from talking to Tom that he's passionate about food and cooking. He says he's currently teaching himself the art of charcuterie, a classic French technique that involves salting, smoking, cooking and curing meats to create favorites such as patés and sausages. He's made homemade versions of bacon, pepperoni and pastrami, and wants to learn to make Genoa salami, "but that's more microbiology than cooking," he says with a laugh. Somehow that doesn't seem like much of a stretch for a man who was a biology major in college and worked as a cancer researcher in Virginia. That was before life took a couple of turns and he wound up in the mortgage business; currently he's a senior loan officer with a local mortgage company. Tom has been a Lowcountry resident for the past nine years. "I love it here," he says. "I love the outdoors, I love fishing, and I've got raised beds that I work on in my garden." He's a big fan of the Slow Food movement, which promotes the connections between the pure pleasure of food and a commitment to one's local community and the environment, and he believes in eating local when possible. Tom promises to keep us posted about the progress of the contest, so stay tuned and we'll let you know how he does. And as soon as that recipe is available, we'll post it here. Good luck, Tom! We're rooting for you. Ann Thrash is editor of CharlestonCurrents.com. You can reach her by email at: editor@charlestoncurrents.com. FEEDBACK To the editor: In the latest issue of Charleston Currents, I was upset be the article about the student group being formed the Charleston School of Law. The most upsetting is the reference to having the HSUS [Humane Society of the United States] come here to advise them. To make it simple, Animal Welfare is about rescue and helping needy animals. This is what most people want and support. But HSUS and PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] are allied animal rightists. The animal rightists want to end all pets and all uses of animals. They would like for us all to be vegans. These are the groups that put the monks at Mepkin Abbey out of the egg business.
SPOTLIGHT
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents to you at no cost. In this issue, we highlight the Joye Law Firm. Committed to fighting for the rights of the wrongly injured in South Carolina for more than 40 years, the experienced, dedicated personal injury lawyers of the Joye Law Firm want to help you get every dollar you truly deserve for the injuries you've suffered. Whether you've been injured in an auto accident, by a defective product, in a nursing home, or on the job, we may be able to help you. For more information, contact Joye Law Firm at 843.554.3100 or visit online at: http://www.joyelawfirm.com.
GOOD
NEWS U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley will speak next week at the College of Charleston on the global challenges of the 21st century. The program is free and open to the public. Moseley will speak Jan. 14 beginning at 6 p.m. in the Admissions Auditorium in the Robert Scott Small Building. He's expected to discuss the global strategic landscape and the challenges facing the world community, as well as the effects of recent and unprecedented changes in technology and the growth in access to information. Moseley will also discuss how those issues impact economic, cultural and military activities, and how they offer emerging opportunities for the United States to partner with key players on the world stage, including Japan, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, India, the European Union, and Central and South America. As Air Force chief of staff, Moseley is the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping nearly 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he and other service chiefs function as military advisers to the Defense secretary, National Security Council and the president. For more information on the program, call Jenny Fowler at 953-6526 or fowlerj@cofc.edu. Fossil fest at Cypress Gardens includes displays, digs Think you're an old fossil? Well, not quite - at least not compared to the seriously old fossils that will be on display at "Frozen in Time," the winter fossil show coming up Jan. 24 at Cypress Gardens, 3030 Cypress Gardens Road, Moncks Corner. The show, sponsored by the Talking Phone Book, runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes displays of both local and exotic fossils, a children's dig, tips on how to spot fossils in the world around us, identification of fossils by experts, and door prizes. The cost of the show is $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and $5 for ages 6-12. More info: 553-0515 or http://www.cypressgardens.info. Charleston Stage to perform benefit for Boys and Girls Club Charleston Stage will donate $5 from every ticket sold for its Jan. 23 performance of "Charlotte's Web" to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Trident Area. The agency has been struggling to keep local activity centers and programs up and running during the economic downturn.
"Charlotte's Web" will play Jan. 16-25 at Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain St. The play tells the story of a remarkable pig named Wilbur who is befriended by a kind spider named Charlotte. With help from all their barnyard pals, they devise a plan to keep Farmer Zuckermann from turning Wilbur into bacon. The story is full of lessons in friendship that both children and grownups can appreciate. Tickets for all shows are $10-$19 and are available online at or by phone at 577-7183. A limited number of $10 bargain seats are available for all shows. Art & Antiques Forum announces speakers, program highlights "Town and Country: Life in Early America" is the newly announced theme for the 12th annual Charleston Art & Antiques Forum, scheduled for March 18 through March 22.
A prominent part of Charleston's increasingly popular "Antiques Week," the 2009 forum will look at life in urban and rural America before 1860 through its material culture, with lectures and tours focusing on architecture, furniture, paintings, silver and ceramics. The forum benefits education programs at the Gibbes Museum of Art. James Hervey-Bathurst, president of Britain's Historic Houses Association, will deliver the keynote address, "The Restoration and Redecoration of Eastnor Castle," a Regency mansion built on the Welch border in the early 1800s. Other forum highlights include an afternoon of on-site discovery with curators at Drayton Hall; talks by experts from major museums, historic properties and private collections; receptions in some of Charleston's landmark buildings; and four optional tours, including a trip to Friendfield Plantation, a privately held antebellum rice plantation near Georgetown. The Magazine Antiques has called the Charleston Art & Antiques Forum "the best fine and decorative arts program in the country today." Participants at last year's sold-out forum came from 22 states. Ticket packages and further information are available online at http://www.charlestonantiquesforum.org. To receive a program brochure by mail, call 722-2706, ext. 22. REVIEW
HISTORY
SPOTLIGHT Edward Tynte (?-1710) was from a Somerset, England, family that had recently risen to a baronetcy, but neither his parents nor his date of birth are known. His family connection is established through the arms on a large seal that he used to ratify legislative acts in South Carolina. Surviving documents refer to Tynte variously as major or colonel. Other family members attended Oxford, and many of the men who came to South Carolina with Tynte to serve in his administration were lawyers. In a Latin poem expressing high hopes for Tynte's administration, the Tory writer William King implies that Tynte was also a man of culture: "Tynte was the man who first, from British shore, / Palladian arts to Carolina bore; / His tuneful harp attending Muses strung, / And Phoebus' skill inspired the lays he sung." Frustrated by nearly a decade of paralyzing factionalism between the church and dissenter parties in their colony, the Lords Proprietors decided to institute a wholesale change of government and began by commissioning Tynte as the new governor on December 9, 1708. After almost a year's delay, Tynte arrived in Charleston and was proclaimed governor on November 26, 1709. Unfortunately, he had little opportunity to realize the proprietors' ambitions. Tynte died on June 26, 1710, after only seven months in office. The first of the acts that would eventually establish a free school system in the colony was the only notable legislation of his administration. By the terms of his will, Tynte left his entire estate to Frances Killner, spinster of London.
CREDITS CharlestonCurrents.com is provided to you twice a week by:
© 2008-2009, Statehouse Report LLC. All rights reserved. CharlestonCurrents.com is published every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261, Charleston, SC 29413. |
You can now also subscribe by RSS. Click here or check the options on our blog. Five favorite weather months
WCBD-TV Chief Meteorologist Rob Fowler shares his five favorite weather months in the Lowcountry. Check out Rob's weather page.
"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis."
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. 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. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON MLK Breakfast: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Jan. 14, Gaillard Auditorium, 77 Calhoun St., Charleston. Annual business and professional breakfast, hosted by the YWCA of Greater Charleston, to honor the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speaker: Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers Jr., president of Voorhees College. Cost: $25. Tickets: 722-1644. 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. 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) City Leaders' Talks: 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Jan. 21, Holiday Inn Mount Pleasant. Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Mac Burdette will speak to the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce's East Cooper Area Business Council about what's happening in the town and what to look for in the year ahead. Part of the chamber's Mayor's Month series. Up next: Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Doubletree Guest Suites Historic Charleston, 181 Church St. Cost: $15 chamber members, $30 nonmembers. More info: http://www.charlestonchamber.net or Diane Owens, 805-3094. (NEW) E-commerce for Small Businesses: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 21, Charleston County Public Library Main Branch, 68 Calhoun St. Free class to help small-business owners learn about choosing e-commerce solutions, including choosing the right software, selecting a cost-effective e-payment system and picking a reliable web hosting service provider. Speaker: Tina McDuffie, WebWoman LLC. More info: Click here or 805-6930. 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. Murray Boulevard Centennial: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28, Charleston County Public Library's Main Branch, 68 Calhoun St., downtown. The most scenic drive on the Charleston peninsula celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2009. Using archival documents and images, Dr. Nic Butler of the Charleston Archive will present an illustrated review of the boulevard and how it was developed by the city. Details: 805-6930. (NEW) Southeastern Wildlife Exposition: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 14; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 15, downtown Charleston (eight venues). SEWE features 120 artists, lectures, Busch Wildlife shows, sporting outfitters, and conservation exhibits. In addition, the popular Dock Dogs competitions return, along with retriever demos, free flight shows by the Center for Birds of Prey, and children's activities. Tickets start at $10 & kids 10 and under are free. VIP packages available. More info/tickets: http://www.sewe.com or 723-1748. In this section, we offer a list of good reads that you might want to consider reading:
FOCUS ARCHIVES 1/8:
Lazarus:
Fun with auctions THRASH ARCHIVES 1/8/09:
Local
man moves up in contest BRACK ARCHIVES 1/5/09:
Manning
band is inspiring LIST ARCHIVES 1/8:
Fowler's
top weather months SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
|
