‘Tis the Season to be Merry!

Daniel Island residents and visitors will kick off the holiday season the first weekend of December with a special Community Tree Lighting Ceremony and the annual Holiday Festival at the Family Circle Tennis Center.

The lighting of Daniel Island’s Community Tree will take place at 6:00 pm on Friday, December 2nd at the entrance to the Family Circle Tennis Center. Afterwards, enjoy a “Chili Bar” hosted by Daniel Island Young Life and Wyldlife, plus a hot chocolate and cookie station hosted by the Daniel Island “Flying Fish” swim team.  The entire family will also enjoy holiday caroling, story favorites and a visit from Santa.

On Saturday, December 3rd from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, the Family Circle Stadium will be transformed into an exciting Holiday wonderland. Shop for gifts and crafts from more than 120 of Charleston’s finest vendors, enjoy some tasty treats, and be entertained by a full line-up of events scheduled to take place on Center Court Stage.  A special attraction this year is the outdoor skating rink!  Rent or bring your own ice skates and take in all the sites and sounds of this year’s Holiday Festival.

Don’t miss this popular Daniel Island tradition – it’s a great way to kick off the holidays with the entire family! Admission is free and open to the public. Free parking will be available, and an ATM machine will be located on site. For a complete line-up of vendors and events, visit danielislandholidayfestival.com.

Popular Daniel Island Restaurant Gets A Makeover

There is certainly no shortage of good places to eat on Daniel Island.  Whether you’re looking for a wood-fired pizza, fresh sushi or a juicy burger, there are plenty of diverse options. Not to be overlooked is one of the island’s long-time favorite dining destinations, Queen Anne’s Revenge, which has recently undergone some exciting changes, both in decor and its culinary offerings.

“We felt the bar had grown tired after a successful ten-year run with the same décor and furniture,” says David Howard, Owner and President of the Neighborhood Dining Group, which owns and operates Queen Anne’s Revenge.  “A few years ago, we added a landscaped deck with more of a contemporary design, and we wanted there to be more continuity in design between the deck and bar.”

While the bar got a complete makeover, the menu was also refined. The Neighborhood Dining Group also owns and manages downtown Charleston’s McCrady’s and Husk (which was recently named the Best New Restaurant in America by Bon Appetit magazine). In these establishments, James Beard award-winning Chef Sean Brock has carefully masterminded menus that emphasize local, southern ingredients.

“At Queen Anne’s Revenge, Sean plays an advisory role in seasonal menu changes, menu development and tastings,” says Howard.  “Executive Chef Brent Quiggle has been with Queen Anne’s Revenge since day one. Like many chefs he has been inspired by Sean’s passion and vision and has tapped into many of his relationships to acquire premium local and regional ingredients.”

Queen Anne’s remains committed to buying the best ingredients and the freshest seafood possible. They have listened and responded to their customers requests, offering local favorites such as Baked Oysters Rockefeller, Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef and Pecan Peach Chicken with Creamed Corn and Vidalia Onion Potato Puree.

Looking for something a little different this weekend?  Swing by Queen Anne’s and try out one of their weekly specials.  They also serve Sunday brunch.  Become friends with them on Facebook and keep informed about happy hour specials, live music, and more. www.facebook.com/QueenAnnesRevengeRestaurant

Jeff Davis, General Manager, recently announced a 10th anniversary special that offers Daniel Island residents and businesses 10% off your meal every time you dine through February 29, 2012. For details go to www.qarevenge.com

Bishop England Volleyball Team Wins 12th Consecutive State Championship

Daniel Island’s Bishop England High School is scoring big in the athletic department, particularly when it comes to volleyball.  Earlier this month, the school’s girls volleyball team defeated Gilbert High School to win their 12th consecutive Class AA Volleyball State Championship and 22nd state championship overall. With 22 titles under their belts, the team is now tied with Burris High of Muncie, Ind., for the most state titles held by a high school girls volleyball team. Bishop England’s impressive capture of 12 consecutive state titles places the team in fifth place on the all-time list for  state volleyball titles.

Congratulations to the team for all their hard work and dedication in once again accomplishing the state championship this year!

Golf and Good Times at the 2011 Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island

The Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island wrapped up on Sunday, October 30 following an exciting week of special events and fierce competition as the season’s top 60 money-winners battled it out to be one of 25 to leave Daniel Island with their PGA TOUR cards for 2012. The picture-perfect fall weather brought residents and visitors out to the Daniel Island Club to experience PGA-sanctioned golf and catch a glimpse of some of the sport’s future stars. In the end, Ken Duke of Hope, Arkansas captured the Championship title and took home the $180,000 grand prize along with his PGA card.

Check out these highlights from the 2011 Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island:

Daniel Island Girls “DIG IT”

“If you live in the Daniel Island, SC area and are looking for other women to keep you motivated in your running, biking or swimming, Daniel Island Girls in Training (DIG IT) can be your networking place. 

We are fortunate to live on a beautiful island with miles of paved and natural paths for running and biking. We also have an outdoor lap pool, Pierce Park Pool, open to residents April-October for lap swimming. 

Members of DIG IT can schedule weekly runs, share their routes, organize pace groups, plan meet-ups at area races, or just communicate with fellow members.

 Can you DIG IT?”

Molly May certainly can DIG IT. This is the description found on the Facebook group that Molly May started last March when she was trying to recruit some running partners. Since then, her group has grown to more than 65 members, all of whom are island residents that are dedicated to getting fit on Daniel Island.

“After I had my third child, I was finding it hard to get back to a regular running schedule,” says Molly.  “After meeting female runners through various social groups on the island, I started wondering if women runners could benefit from a running network where they could arrange meet ups for training or race events.”

That’s when Molly decided to create a Facebook group where members could easily communicate and post comments regarding daily runs.

“I had no idea that the group would grow so fast,” says Molly. “The motivation and camaraderie that the Facebook group offers is really amazing.”

Whether you can run one mile or 10 miles, the group organizes runs that can be modified to everyone’s ability.

“I’d say we have about ten girls in the group who run consistently with one another,” says Molly. “Some of us are training for marathons and others just want to get in shape. We had one girl join us the other week that ran her very first mile ever!”

And the members don’t only run.  It’s a very diverse group that also has members who spin, do Crossfit, Hip Hop, practice yoga and participate in boot camps.

“What I love most about it is that we’re all out there for similar reasons – to excersie, for a mental release and for the camaraderie.  It’s very therapeutic!” says Molly.

Jennifer Jones, an active DIG IT member, recently moved to Daniel Island  from Jackson, Tennessee.

“When deciding where to live, my husband’s boss recommended we take a look at Daniel Island. One step on the island and we knew this was the place we wanted to be. We didn’t have to look anywhere else. The only downside was that we didn’t know a soul. It’s hard to move to a new place when you don’t know anyone,” says Jennifer.

An avid runner herself, Jennifer was a member of a co-ed running group while living in Tennessee.

“I just loved my running group back in Tennessee, so when I found out about DIG IT I was immediately eager to get involved. I’ve met so many wonderful women. The experience has been amazing! Molly and I are currently training for the Savannah Marathon,” says Jennifer.  “I could not be running the mileage I am without the support and camaraderie that I’ve received from the group.”

Because DIG IT is a members-only Facebook group, postings are private. “This makes the group not only safe, but members have also started to feel comfortable using the Facebook page as a resource to find a babysitter or to get a recommendation for a good hairdresser.  But even though the group is private, all women are welcome to join,” says Molly.

“I’ve made so many new friends through DIG IT. Not only do we organize runs together, but we also schedule social gatherings and outings,” says Jennifer.

Getting healthy and spending time with good friends. Sounds like a wonderful recipe for success.  And rumor has it that they are even designing their own t-shirts.

If you are a woman and would like to get involved with DIG IT, you can find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/danielislandgirlsintraining/

Daniel Island’s Church of the Holy Cross Cited for Architectural Excellence

The City of Charleston’s Design, Development and Preservation division, which works with architects and advises city review boards on new and renovated architecture, has launched a new awards program to highlight the city’s best buildings and foster excellence in architectural design. The awards, announced earlier this month, reflect what its staff considers six of the best new buildings built in the city limits since 2000.

Among the buildings honored is Daniel Island’s own Church of the Holy Cross. Designed by Charleston’s Stubbs Muldrow Herin Architects and located at the corner of Daniel Island and Seven Farms drives, the iconic white building enjoys a prominent location at one of the island town’s key intersections.

Dennis Dowd, city architect and preservation officer, cited the church’s relationship to the corner, it’s simplicity and scale and its tower and entrance among the attributes that make it a great new building.

The Church of the Holy Cross is a friendly and fast-growing Episcopal church with three locations in the Charleston area, including on Daniel Island. The church aims to provide relevant, life-oriented teachings in a friendly and fun atmosphere. It has been a part of the Daniel Island community since opening in 2006.