Garden in the Parks Needs Your Help!

We all know how important the green spaces and parks are on Daniel Island to island residents and friends.  If you enjoy gardening and being outdoors, then you will definitely want to participate in the Garden in the Parks event at Etiwan Park on Saturday, February 11 from 10am – 12pm. Sponsored by the Charleston Parks Conservancy, this event will help make the pocket garden in Etiwan Park continue to look beautiful! Activities include winter pruning of roses and more.  Don’t come empty handed.  Bring your tools and shears and contribute to maintaining the beauty of this wonderful park.  The Charleston Parks Conservancy’s mission is to care for and improve Charleston’s 120+ parks.  By helping out, you are contributing to the city’s beauty, health and economic strength.  For more information, click here.

Volunteers Needed for the 2012 Family Circle Cup

Calling all Family Circle Cup Tennis fans!  This is your chance to be an integral part of one of Charleston’s signature events.  The Family Circle Cup is currently accepting applications for 375 adult volunteer positions for the March 31 – April 8 event.  This year, the Family Circle Cup will be celebrating its 40th consecutive year, right here in the Best Tennis Town in America, Charleston, SC.

“Without the outstanding efforts from our volunteers, the Family Circle Cup wouldn’t be the world class event it is today,” Eleanor Adams, Family Circle Cup Tournament Manager, said. “They are the reason the fans have such a memorable experience at the event each year and we greatly appreciate their generosity and dedication.”

A good portion of the tournament’s pool of volunteers and temporary staff are island residents, who are proud to have this world-class event take place in their hometown and take pride in the fact that their contributions go a long way towards making the tournament a success. Last year was no exception.  Nancy Heinz, a long-time resident of Daniel Island’s Codner’s Ferry Park neighborhood, served as the Family Circle Cup’s Volunteer of the Year. To read her story, click here.

Adult volunteer opportunities this year involve 17 areas including Guest Services, Player Lounge, Transportation, Media Center, Information Technology, Ticket Office, Ushers, Food & Beverage, Adult Ball Crew and other areas.  The volunteer uniform fee is $60 and provides a week full of benefits.  For more information about adult volunteerism, direct inquires to Jo Cooper, Volunteer Coordinator at Jo.Cooper@familycirclecip.com or by leaving a message on the Family Circle Cup Volunteer Hotline at (843) 849-5309.  Applications are available on line at familycirclecup.com

Q&A with the Daniel Island Club’s Chef Tyler

The following excerpt from “High Standards in the Lowcountry” was originally published in Club & Resort Business, December 2011. Posted here with permission from Harbor Communications LLC. Copyright 2011. Click here to read the complete article.

Tyler Dudley, a newly minted Certified Executive Chef, has held the top chef position at Daniel Island for the past ten years. During that time, he and his team of 25, which includes a Chef de Cuisine, Banquet Chef, Sous Chef and Executive Pastry Chef, have created an exciting mix of fine-dining and casual cuisine that ranks the club with the best downtown restaurants in a great food town like Charleston, which appears regularly on Top Ten lists of the nation’s best dining destinations. The Daniel Island Club has even earned the right to participate in the Charleston Wine and Food festival, which is normally limited to public operations.

Chef Dudley was kind enough to take time to share with us how he continually raises the bar in an exceptional club F&B operation.

Q: Chef, for those who are not familiar with Lowcountry cuisine, can you explain all that it encompasses as far as cooking style, geography and history?  Also, how have you integrated it into your menus at Daniel Island?

A: Lowcountry cuisine is the cooking traditionally associated with the coastal area of South Carolina that stretches from Pawley’s Island to the Savannah River in Georgia. This region has a rich diversity in seafood from the coast, and influences from Caribbean and African cuisine.

Lowcountry cooking has a strong correlation with New Orleans and Cajun cuisine as well. We try to utilize as many local ingredients as possible in our menus, and like to put a modern spin on Lowcountry favorites, such as with our versions of Shrimp and Grits (see recipe at right) or Fried Green Tomatoes.

Q: A huge priority for you has been to get your culinary team out into the community, by participating in events such as the Charleston Wine and Food Festival or fundraisers like “Darkness to Light,” which raises money for the prevention of child abuse. Explain to us the positive impact this has on your relationship with your staff when these become a regular practice.

A: It’s easy sometimes to be “locked in” and focused on the day-to-day operations of a very busy private club, which can lead to forgetting what’s going on in your local culinary community. Our culinary team strives to get out there, not only to support great organizations like Darkness to Light, but also to be involved with events like the Charleston Wine and Food Festival. This not only brings great exposure to the club, it gets our culinary team excited about what we are doing here. And it gives our chefs great networking abilities with the outstanding culinary talent that we have here in Charleston.

Q: Chef, I’m surprised at the number of club chefs who now have extensive gardens on site. Having taken on a huge project with your 100-by-40-yard garden, what tips can you offer for getting beyond just having herb beds outside our kitchen doors?

A: We started about three years ago with a small herb garden, and that soon led to discussions of how to expand that resource. There has been a huge movement, not only in Charleston but also the entire country, around the farm-to-table concept—and when our President of the Daniel Island Company came to us with interest of expanding to a 100% organic garden on the property, it kind of took off from there. Some tips I can give would be to start small, do some research and not only get your culinary team involved but other departments such as course and grounds maintenance, which does the tilling and other upkeep that requires heavy equipment for us.

To read the rest of the article in Club & Resort Business, click here.

Daniel Island Recognized Among the “Best of the Best”

The Golf Course Home Network has included Daniel Island on its 2011 “Best of the Best” golf community rankings as a “Community of Distinction.” This annual compendium of rankings takes into account all major media rankings and accolades received by golf communities and their amenities during the course of the year.

Daniel Island’s accolades as a Top 50 Master Planned Community (Where to Retire magazine) and rankings from Golf Digest for the Rees Jones-designed Ralston Creek course are among the awards that counted towards this designation.

“GolfCourseHome leverages the value of all existing rankings to create a full-scale compilation you won’t find anywhere else,” says GolfCourseHome Network Publisher David Lott. “The best (communities) rise to the top, riding the wave of repeated accolades from a wide variety of sources. We’ve identified these superior communities for our readers and they are, indeed, the best of the best.”

We couldn’t agree more!

Daniel Island Holiday Festival A Big Hit

Thousands of Daniel Island residents and visitors kicked off the holiday shopping season in style on December 3rd at the annual Holiday Festival at Family Circle Stadium. Like magic, this world-class sports venue was transformed into a winter wonderland with over 100 local vendors selling crafts, gifts, delicious treats and more to eager holiday shoppers.  A big hit this year was the ice skating rink that was enjoyed by kids (and adults!) of all ages.  A visit with Santa himself – and a line-up of spectacular performances from singers and dancers from around the Lowcountry kept everyone entertained. This island tradition has become one of Charleston’s biggest holiday events. Check out these photos from the official festival photographer, Spring Dyer. The complete gallery of image can be viewed here.

‘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

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.

Charleston Named Top U.S. City by Conde Nast Traveler

After 18 consecutive years on Conde Nast Traveler’s prestigious Reader’s Choice Awards as a top ten city, Charleston just hit the big time. Our beautiful home town has been named the Number One City in the United States!

Presenting the award in New York to Charleston officials was Emmy Award-winning comedy writer and Charlestonian Stephen Colbert, who aptly stated “I’ve been all over the world and Charleston is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen.”

Voters annually evaluate cities based on six categories: Atmosphere/Ambience, Culture/Sites, Friendliness, Lodging, Restaurants and Shopping. To bring the six categories to life, the Charleston Area CVB launched Charlestonly.com, which describes the characteristics that define the Charleston experience. The website includes great photography, highlights and special packages from the area’s eight 2011 Readers’ Choice Award-winning resorts and hotels, as well as this great video:

Thanks, y’all!!

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