THE NOBLE TRADITION OF PROSECCO

It’s a good time to be in the prosecco business. Over the past 15 years, Prosecco sales have shot sky-high to reach 700 million bottles each year. Easy drinking and a great value, Prosecco has become synonymous with sparkling wine and good times. And yet, the people behind the wines would respectfully like to remind us […]

THE COLOR OF WORDS

It was a milestone birthday, and Jenan McClain was celebrating in style. She invited two dozen friends to her home to welcome a new chapter in her life—sage was burned, the house was cleansed, and an oracle reader was on hand to provide insight to her guests’ lives. A “poetic painter,” McClain marries her love […]

HOME AS A SANCTUARY

“We live in a chaotic world, but when you’re home, you’re safe,” artist Vicki P. Maguire tells her sons. I feel like her mantra should be broadcast from Jumbotrons right now.  By design, Maguire’s peaceful, ethereal oil and acrylic paintings make people feel good. She humbly says her goal is to “take the beauty of the […]

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

The quality of the light in the Lowcountry—sunrise, sunset and everything in between—is what drives Helli Luck’s passion for painting in the coastal region of South Carolina. “I painted in Paris a lot before COVID,” says Luck in her soft British accent. “The light here is beautiful, but the light in Paris is amazing. That’s the […]

FOR SALE

Real estate agent Lauren Zurilla isn’t the person who sets a for sale sign in the ground and walks away, satisfied in securing a listing agreement with a homeowner. Although 65% to 75% of her business is as a listing agent for Charleston-area sellers, she says there is so much more effort that goes into the real […]

SPIRITUAL RETREAT

When Laura Fontaine was 4, her preschool teacher had to have a talk with her mother. The class had experimented with painting that day, and Laura got in trouble because she flatly but politely refused to leave the easel. She hasn’t stopped painting since. Today, Fontaine’s dreamy, contemporary impressionistic Lowcountry and mountain landscapes are represented […]

GET BUSY LIVING

If you’ve ordered outdoor furniture recently, you’ve likely been surprised by lead times that range from three to six months. It’s disappointing and frustrating for consumers, and it’s a supply chain model begging for disruption. Disruption is precisely what Cliff Wooldridge had in mind when he started Harbor Classic, a high-quality outdoor furniture brand that […]

HEAD TO TOE

Magical things can happen over a glass of good wine. Romances are kindled. New friendships are forged. And for Michael Tonello, a casual conversation led to connections that catapulted his unique product to swift success. Author of the best-selling book Bringing Home the Birkin, Tonello was chatting with fashion industry icon Fern Mallis at The Polo Bar […]

AN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION FOR ART LOVERS

As folks from the region well know, Charleston is now one of the top destination vacation spots in the United States. Scores of tourists from all over the world come to enjoy its beautiful scenery and beaches, soak up the rich history of the region and experience this community’s thriving performing and visual arts, all while […]

TIMELESS ART

An emerald green spring leaf blown up to reveal tiny dew drops; an orange, freeze-framed, splashing into water; a bigger than life cheetah caught mid-stride; a sun-drenched dome on an ancient Greek Isle; a glacial crystal resting on black volcanic rock. Gary Whalen of GD Whalen Photography walks the world with camera in hand, drawing attention […]