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J AN U ARY Charleston, SC
Escape the ordinary
A new year brings a fresh start, a blank slate, a beginning, a chance to write your beautiful story all over again. Out with the old, in with the new. Throw out the resolutions and count the blessings instead. Wish for more. More love, more light, more harmony, more peace.This is the year to stop saying “maybe” and say “yes” to all the potential good the world sends your way. Choose your own theme for the year: Peace. Love. Wonder. Miracles. Choose a new motto: Right now is more important than later. Choose a new mantra. C’est à moi! (It’s my turn!) Look forward instead of back. Stop focusing on failures and love the life lessons they give us. Ring out the losses, the setbacks, the obstacles, the stumbles and the falls. Ring in the the wins, the happy moments, the adoration, the fortune, the charmed life. Reserve judgment. Make positivity go viral. Hand out compliments like you’re getting paid to do it. Receive them graciously. Buy that pricey pair of heels you’ve had your eye on forever, call them your happy shoes, and wear them until they go from broken in to broken down. There’s another pair waiting right around the corner. Kick up those heels like you don’t have a care in the world and toast to a carefree 2015!
“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” Rainer Maria Rilke
The Dauphine Range Arrives in store February 2015 642 Coleman Boulevard Mount Pleasant South Carolina 29464 t: 843 216 3900 Factory Store for: www.stevenshell.com “More than just a great furniture store� Any of our 1200 models are available in one of our 200 colour options.
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january
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” Walt Disney
Regional Vice President Michelle Schneider michelle.schneider@morris.com
The Kick Start Issue
Creative Director Caitilin McPhillips caitilin.mcphillips@skirt.com
Features Goodbye 2014. Hello 2015...............28
Associate Publisher Jenny Dennis jenny.dennis@skirt.com
Spinsters Rock Jeanette Bouchie.............................................30
Account Executive Alex Weishaupt alex.weishaupt@skirt.com
Game Changers........................................32
Ad Service Coordinator Cristina Young CHSads@skirt.com
Kick Start You!.........................................39
Office Manager Justin Burke justin.burke@skirt.com
25 Ways to Stay Warm......................52 Write Now
Contributing Writers Katie Toussaint Teri Errico Ashley T Caldwell
Dean Lofton.....................................................37 The Reluctant Cook
Photography Alice Keeney Fashion & Product Stylist Jeanne A. Everett Advertising Sales: 843.958.0028 Fax: 843.958.0029 sales@skirt.com
Ananya Bhattacharyya...................................50 In This Issue
SKIRT! THIS M O N T H
Theme: The Kick Start Issue........................27
We’re kicking off the year with some fun kick start tips and challenges for skirt! is published monthly and distributed free throughout the greater Charleston area. skirt! reserves the right to refuse to sell space for any advertisement the staff deems inappropriate for the publication. All content of this magazine, including without limitation the design, advertisements, art, photos and editorial content, as well as the selection, coordination and arrangement thereof, is Copyright © 2015, Morris Publishing Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher. SKIRT!® is a registered trademark of Morris Publishing Group, LLC. We’re on Facebook and Twitter! Facebook.com/skirtCharleston Twitter.com/skirtCharleston
you in our pages this month. We love the fresh start and the kick in the pants that a new year brings, the sigh of relief that we made it through the holidays, the promise of fresh starts and new beginnings. We all need a kick start and, while we hope it doesn’t take a loss of a loved one or job to get you heading in a new direction, we’re featuring some amazing
He’s So Original..............................................34 Profiles........................................................ 45, 46 Dear Pinterest:.................................................48 Food and Drink...............................................55
people in this issue who are inspired and charged up about their passion projects that involve helping other people. Community is what we’re
skirt! Connects..............................................57
all about and we’re thrilled to bring you fresh voices and faces in our first issue of the year. We’re excited about 2015—so prepare yourself!
Meet...................................................................58
We will bring you the “I Do” Wedding Book special section in February, Women at Work special section in April, and a special double issue for June/July with The skirt! Girls Guide to Summer. It is going to be a busy six months for our team hereyear at skirt! A new brings We hope this issue inspires you...here’s to an amazing 2015!
The Smile List..................................................61
Cover Art: If you’re an artist and would like to submit your work, please send a link or start, low resaartwork a fresh blank to submissions@skirt.com.
The Last Page...................................................62
slate, a beginning, a chance to write your beautiful story all over again. Out with the old, in with the new. Throw out the
Like to see your resolutions ad in skirt!andMagazine? count the 843.958.0028 blessings instead. Wish for more. More love, more light, more harmony, more peace. This is the year to
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“All glory comes from daring to begin.” Abraham-Hicks
“ T h e re i s n o p o i n t a t w h i c h y o u c a n s a y, We l l , I ’ m s u c c e s s f u l n o w. I might as well t a k e a n a p .” Carrie Fisher
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TEN PEOPLE TO SALUTE, ADMIRE, APPLAUD, HONOR, RESPECT, TOAST, AND REMEMBER: Emma Watson—for her speech advocating for gender equality at UN headquarters. Roger Federer—for holding the #2 spot in men’s tennis worldwide and still modeling for Rolex...and us. Diem Brown—for allowing her courageous cancer battle into the public eye. Robin Williams—for too many roles to list here that we’ll never forget. Goodnight, Genie. Joan Rivers—for giving us laugh after laugh.
goodbye2014
Maya Anjelou—for her legacy of wisdom and fight for civil rights. Jamie Anderson—for snowboarding her way to a gold medal at the Sochi Olympics. Sheryl Sandburg—for being the face of gender equality in the workplace. Zoe Sugg—at 24, on track to becoming the most successful British writer since J.K. Rowling. Diana Nyad—for swimming the 110-mile distance from Cuba to Florida at age 64, her fifth attempt.
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“I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop. (Emma Watson)
hello2015
TEN THINGS TO CELEBRATE:
TEN THINGS TO JUST BE:
Letting go of the old and inviting the new.
A month free of mandatory socialization.
Poor memories and clear consciences.
A brand new day planner (we still love handwritten lists).
The NY Times Sunday Style section.
Breakfast in bed. Breakfast for dinner. Breakfast.
B B B B B B B B B B
NICE MEMORABLE THERE amazing KIND BRILLANT SPECIAL GREAT SMART YOU
ONE THING TO HOLD DEAR: “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. (A. A. Milne)
A windowsill full of paperwhites.
Not waiting for sleep to dream.
Tomorrow being a blank page.
31,536,000 seconds ’till 2016. Lets Have a Ball!
Finding things we thought we’d lost.
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Spinsters Rock Jeanette Bouchie
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doing anything she wants to do. If she feels like going out, she goes. I have known her to dance the night away, completely unconcerned about being the only one on the floor. She buys herself flowers on Valentine’s Day and serves dinner in the local shelter on Thanksgiving. Annie enjoys the company of men, and dates from time-totime, but hasn’t yet connected with “the one”. However, she’s not a bit anxious about that fact. “Why should we be worried?” she once said to me. “We’re fantastic just as we are. What makes you so certain you would be happier with a man in the picture?” She has a point. When you’ve reached a certain level of maturity, you realize that you don’t need a partner to complete you. This bit of wisdom is finally starting to sink in. I’ve spent too much time at bars, parties, and, yes, even hardware stores, searching for “Mr. Right”. That’s time I could have used to visit ou never know what is going to give the theater, enjoy the company of interesting people, or write the you the kick in the pants you need to change your life. What great American novel. galvanizes us can be a magnificent sunrise, an adorable puppy, Annie doesn’t hang out in the frozen-food aisle of the suor a serene churchyard. Today, my muse is a six-foot-two, twopermarket in hopes of staging a meeting with the hottie from hundred-pound, 42-year-old woman named “Annie.” And right produce, nor does she scour online dating sites for hours on end. now, she is reacting calmly to the pitying look being given to She’s too busy living. I have only recently adopted this philosher by “Pierre,” the host of a trendy eatery. ophy and, already, I feel tremendous relief. I no longer obsess “Did you say you wanted a reservation for only one on Saturabout what others will think if I don’t bring a date to my cousin’s day evening, Mademoiselle?” he asks sadly in a French accent that wedding, nor do I study the groomsmen, panicked that I’ll miss makes me wonder when the Bronx joined the European Union. an opportunity. Annie doesn’t lower her head in embarrassment, Instead, I kick up my heels when the band demand to know what business it is of his, or starts to play. I still have my moments, espeburst into humiliated tears – all possibilities cially when Great Aunt Sally wants to know were I in her size 12 heels. Instead, she gives if I’ve been seeing the therapist she recoma flirtatious wink and replies, “Unless mended, to help me “get my unfortunate you’re free for dinner, Lamb Chop.” situation straightened out”. I’m learnAnnie is my hero. Like me, she is still ing, though. And, as with anything Annie doesn’t unmarried in early middle-age. Unlike worthwhile, it takes practice. hang out in the frozen-food me, she wears the label “spinster” with For me, “spinster” is no longer a aisle of the supermarket pride. Sporting flame-red curls, an emderogatory term. It’s Queen Elizain hopes of staging a meeting erald mini-dress, and indigo eyeglasses, beth I, it’s Coco Chanel, it’s Annie, it’s with the hottie from produce, she is no one’s idea of an old maid. I me. I’m in the company of some truly nor does she scour online strive to take her approach to life and amazing women. So, I say to you, dear dating sites for hours on end. make it my own. readers, spinsters rock! She’s too busy living.” Despite advances made in our ongoing fight for equality, society still views the unmarried woman as a sorry creature in need of sympathy. I can assure you that this is rarely the case. There are many reasons why a modern woman remains unmarried. Perhaps she’s being selective, “We’re not wanting to saddle herself with a companion who would fantastic just only make her unhappy. Maybe she prefers her independence— as we are.” there is something to be said for not having to explain why you spent $200 on your fifteenth pair of stilettos. It could be that she simply hasn’t had the time to search for a mate, preferring to devote herself to her career or to charitable works. There are as many possibilities as there are stars in the sky or fish in the proverbial sea. And very few of them are cause for pity. I grew up in a warm and loving home with parents who have been married for more than fifty years. I admire them for their commitment to one another. I respect the work that goes into making a strong union, and I know they are happy. However, Jeanette Bouchie is a LifeI’m happy, too. I have a fulfilling career, caring family, and an incredible network of friends. I’ve traveled the world, attained a writing both fiction and long Learning Librarian. reasonable amount of spiritual harmony, and given of myself for nonfiction from the time She is fascinated by everythe betterment of my fellow man. Why should I be made to feel she was old enough to reone and everything she less than adequate because of my failure to snag a husband? imagine the stories of her encounters, and has been Annie doesn’t let the “Pierres” of the world get her down. And she certainly doesn’t let her single status keep her from favorite movie characters.
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Cheers to Kickstarter FOR changING the game for female entrepreneurs.
WINGS.
A recent study shows women outperform men in raising money online via crowdfunding sites, such as Kickstarter, where backers make monetary contributions to projects they like in exchange for rewards—such as sharing a piece of the project and getting limited editions of the creative works.The study randomly selected 1,250 Kickstarter projects from 2010 to 2012 that sought at least $5,000 and found that women overall were 13% more likely to meet their Kickstarter goals than men, and the effects were especially evident in the area of technology.
gamechangers
C.O. Jackson
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Funded projects to celebrate: From Kickstarter to Macy’s Day Parade. If you watched the Thanksgiving Day parade last year, you might have seen a float dedicated to GoldieBlox, the brainchild of founder and CEO Debbie Sterling. Sterling graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford, but was concerned about how few women there were in her program, She became obsessed with the notion of “disrupting the pink aisle” with a toy that would introduce girls to the joy of engineering at a young age. One fully funded kickstarter later, GoldieBlox is taking over the toy aisle. Find out where to buy or order online at GoldieBlox.com.
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“There’s lots of bad reasons to start a company. But there’s only one good, legitimate reason, and I think you know what it is: it’s to change the world.” Phil Libin
Women-driven, American made. The Whole Works began as an idea to compensate for the loss of clothing manufacturing jobs in the U.S. The Whole Works is a women owned, Colorado-based apparel manufacturing facility. Together with GarCo Sewing Works (a non-profit employment preparation program) they are investing in women who are transitioning back into the workforce from Federal assistance. Successfully funded in 2014, check them out at thewholeworks.co.
Unlike traditional non-profits, Hot Bread Kitchen creates its own funding stream by selling a line of multi-ethnic breads. Every loaf they bake supports women as they pursue their passion for the culinary arts. In 2014, they took to Kickstarter to fund training positions so women will be able to pursue their passion for the culinary arts and build a secure financial future for their families. The Women Bake Bread Scholarship is an alternative to expensive culinary school for low-income, immigrant women. The project completed in November with $70,995—131% over its $54,000 goal! hotbreadkitchen.org.
34 days. 17 inspirational women. Five female filmmakers. One dream. The Empowerment Project is a feature-length documentary about five female filmmakers traveling across the US to inspire the next generation of strong women to go after their career ambitions. Producers Sarah Moshman and Dana Michelle Cook who started Heartfelt Productions in 2009 as a way to focus on positive content for women. Their Kickstarter was fully funded to the tune of $28,000 in 2013 and production is still ongoing. Follow their progress at heartfeltproductions.com.
Want to fund the next amazing croWd-funded entrepreneur? We LiKe the oddS on theSe great ideaS:
Bitsbox takes a “free play” approach to teaching kids to code. Different apps teach different concepts and language, but none of that is apparent to the kids—they end up learning to code as a consequence of having fun. Needs: $45,000 Ends: January 22, 2015.
Berry Jane Yoga clothes are made in the USA using locally sourced, sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics such as Recycled Polyester (aka plastic bottles), Bamboo, Modal, Tencel, Soy as well as leftover fabrics that some top designers “toss” at the end of each season. Help kill the landfill and fund Ava Carmichael’s amazing line of yoga wear. Needs: $8,000 Ends: January 6, 2015.
SafeBand is a smart, secure and trustworthy solution to keep your daily life as protected as possible. It’s a wearable safety solution that can be a smart watch, a way to control all your valuables (including children and pets), a fitness tracker and a smart alarm at the same time! Needs: $100,000 Ends: January 7, 2015
You Matter is a project by author Anne Kubitsky. She has been collecting grateful messages from the community at large and has already published four books on the subject, but recently partnered with photographer Corey Hudson for the You Matter book, which will feature striking portraits and compelling stories that promote compassion. Bonus: 100% of the money from this Kickstarter goes to the Look for the Good Project nonprofit. Needs: $5,000 Ends: January 10, 2015.
The King’s Baker wants to provide quality baby products to consumers, while donating to mothers and babies in need. New mom Lauren Rey says “It’s expensive becoming a parent. There are tons of “must-have” items on the market that are too pricey. “I want to be able to provide quality products that last, but won’t break the bank.” The real win: With every product purchased, an item will be donated to a baby in need! Needs: $5,000 Ends: January 16, 2015.
Go to Kickstarter.com and search for the name of the project to get in on the action.
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2015
Photo by Alice Keeney
january
He’s So Original | Robert Short found his dream playground. The Hawaii native grew up in Kailua-Kona, home to the famed Iron Man Triathalon and what he calls “an outdoor playground.” He grew up watching the triathletes biking past his house, amazed at their physical endurance, and spent most of his time surfing, spear fishing, climbing on lava rocks and playing football. As an adult living on the mainland, Robert says that opening a gym was a natural progression of where he saw his life heading. “I knew I wanted to do something everyday that had a positive impact on people,” he says. He founded the Old Village Gym 14 years ago with the goal of creating a “playground” atmosphere to make working out a fun and positive experience. “I have a very zen approach to working out,” says Robert. “ I have learned over the years that the more intuitive you become at listening to your body, the better it responds.You don’t have to kill yourself to get into great shape.” He adds, “I’m serious about getting my clients where they need to be, but I am going to make sure they have fun along the way.” His fitness philosophy? Modify workout plans (and change them frequently) based on the needs of individual clients. Robert explains that “there just can’t be a cookie cutter approach when you are dealing with people. I want them to leave the gym looking forward to their next workout!” What do you like about reading skirt!? “It gives me a flavor of what’s going on in the community and it gives me a break from social media.” What do you like about wearing a skirt? “I have a 13-year-old daughter and I’ll use any excuse to embarrass her.”
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Write Now Dean Lofton
I
Sometimes writing is a prayer, a meditation, or a negotiation with yourself. Having a little existential crisis? The best place to find yourself is on the page. There’s no better place to work out ideas—safe from critics, doubters and haters. Putting pen to paper is stepping up and saying yes to the big “I am. I exist.” It’s claiming yourself, your life, your thoughts, your feelings, your power and purpose. It’s more than the very adult sounding “taking responsibility for your life” —it’s an act of radical self-care to honor yourself with the time and effort to really get to know yourself. It’s bravely stepping around our culture’s limiting idea of only some people qualifying for the joy of being a writer or artist, and relegating the rest of humanity to only observing and admiring. As the pen moves across the page, the topics may range from the mundane to the esoteric. The physical act of writing shifts energy from ruminating thoughts looping over and over to n 18 years of teaching writing workshops I’ve shared details, emotions, facts, possibilities—words on paper, now more many concepts for putting pen to paper. Initially I was inspired tangible for contemplation and motivation. by other writers such as Natalie Goldberg (Wild Mind: Living I’ve found a positive side effect of a consistent writing the Writer’s Life) who teaches us to keep the pen moving for practice is better conversations. When I’m not writing regularly, 10 minutes for “writing practice.” And Julia Cameron (The ArtI chit chat more about trivial things, and sometimes feel I’ve ist’s Way), known for recommending writing three “morning wasted opportunities for more meaningful conversations simply pages” each day. I start classes with a “download” or “mebecause my head isn’t as clear and focused. For me, daily writing andering monologue” which encourages students to write gets the negative and petty stuff on the page instead of spreading about whatever is on their mind to shift from the business (or it around to the people in my life. “busy-ness”) of everyday life to being present in class. After 18 years, I’ve wondered at times if people In my classes and my personal life, I love writing still need a Write Your Life class. Especially in reby hand. While plenty of studies show the value of cent years as we’ve begun writing, blogging, writing by hand, I also understand the appeal Tweeting, and Facebooking our lives. But of the efficiency of writing digitally. Stepping every time I reach a point where I start to away from every act being geared toward believe that my classes are less relevant, the profitability drive that capitalism has something usually happens that reimposed on all areas of our life, feels a minds me of the amazing effect of writUnlike everyday life, little rebellious and very creative. Dooing in my own life and in my students’ where we edit and tweak for dling in margins of gorgeous journals, lives. I’ve had former students send me politeness, strategic efficiency, choosing between favorite pens and songs that began as a writing exercise space limits and business rules, pencils, lingering in the physical sensain class, email me later to tell me about in a personal writing practice tion of writing by hand grounds me. very real and life-changing epiphanies there is the freedom of having Whatever you call it, let’s go with they had during class or their writing no concern for spelling, simply “writing,” and however you do practice that began there...these stories grammar or transitions it, —pen and paper or digitally—a perhappen often enough that I am steered to new topics.” sonal writing practice works wonders for back to scheduling new classes. everyone. It’s a transformative experience The real beauty, value and purpose of no matter what your approach—goalless and writing, and any art form, is not the final simply enjoying the process or strengthening your product or the reader’s response. It’s not the writing skills for projects you’d like to publish, or as a crebranding or the number of readers or attendees ative outlet to support to other endeavors. The powerful effects or web hits or units sold. It’s the joy of the actual of stream-of-consciousness, full-on rambling, blathering and act, even when it feels messy, and the transformation of unrelated tangents are always amazing. the writer from the experience. And art will transform you— Unlike everyday life, where we edit and tweak for politewriting regularly will change your life. That’s why we procrasness, strategic efficiency, space limits and business rules, in a tinate or rush to it, often simultaneously—it’s scary and exciting personal writing practice there is the freedom of having no conand shines the light on what we already know: that we must cern for spelling, grammar or transitions to new topics. There’s keep evolving. Rapid evolution and radical self-care are really room for messy ranting, swearing, whining and weeping. It’s what we all need and what the world needs from us. also great for boasting, gloating, dreaming big and planning to make the dreams a reality. (Note: you can’t whine too long on Now based in Austin, paper or you naturally begin to bore yourself and write about Texas, South Carolina possible solutions.) With the nearly constant bombardment of demands in life ex-pat Dean Lofton is a and messages and information in our digital world, a few minShe blogs at DeansListAusfreelance writer, workshop utes on the page gives you quality time with your own mind tin.com, and also leads The leader and writing coach. and feelings. The conversation with yourself gives you the opLofton Agency as a media portunity to be a patient, listening friend to yourself. It connects and PR consultant. you, to you—the most important relationship you’ll ever have, and the one that makes you better at relating to others.
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“she believed She could, so she did.” Unkown
time to kick it up a notch! “ W o o h o o , i t ’s 2 0 1 5 ! ” The skirt! Staff
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drink in a little more kick in your water. ADDING A FEW SLICES OF CUCUMBER TO WATER IS A FRESH WAY TO HYDRATE. BONUS: CUCUMBERS HAVE NATURAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES. ADD A TWIST OF LEMON FOR A VITAMIN C BOOST.
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decide to kick the old ATTITUDE AND BRING ON THE NEW YOU!
g n i k r o s s s w a r y r u s g o u y b n f o i w o t y o ic e. m r t m ’ i n n o ne o o ree tsg i skirt!magazine
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make TIME TO KICK START YOUR BRAIN. how to make button holes and install a zipper, the ins and outs of beef, lamb and turkey burgers, what plants will attract butterflies, how to squat free of injury and pain, conversational spanish, getting to know your ipad, and emergency care for your pet. All of the above available as part of Trident Tech’s Continuing Ed Program, TridentTech.edu for a complete catalog of courses.
delight in KICKing around some new ideas. kate spade saturday has teamed up ON A LINE OF PRETTY FUNCTIONAL, graphic, colorful KICKS. Wheres your next big idea?
Ken Blanchard
Available in February at New Balance and Kate Spade Saturday stores and online at newbalance.com and saturday.com.
resolve to kick a bad habit. AND BRING ON A GOOD ONE. BARRE EVOLUTION HAS CLASSES AT ALL LEVELS TO IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY AND GET YOU INTO SHAPE. BONUS: IT’S FUN! BarreEvolution.com.
GET A KICK OUT OF GIVING TO A GOOD CAUSE. Dollar a Day is a simple and easy new way to discover charities in need. Sign up for the daily email at dollaraday.co and feel good about your day, every day.
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“None of us is as smart as all of us.”
KICK morning into gear with a mug THAT INSPIRES YOU AS MUCH AS THE CAFFEINE. Etsy.com/ClickandBlossom.
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2015
Photo by Alice Keeney
january
Dr. Youlanda Gibbs helps fill in the gaps. There are a lot of programs for families in crisis, specific to pediatric care, military families, and so on. Many families in an urgent care situation with a medical emergency don’t qualify and “fall into the gaps,” as Dr. Youlanda Gibbs describes The Palmetto Palace, the support agency she leads as founder and executive director. She has been working on her passion project for years, holding down full-time jobs in the education and nursing support fields, but left her full-time job last year to dedicate her time to The Palmetto Palace. “When you work at something a little bit, you get a little bit. When you work at something a lot, you get a lot,” says Youlanda, explaining that the loss of a friend last year in an accident caused by a drunk driver “woke her up.” While her day jobs gave her a lot of experience in the healthcare field and a perspective on what caregivers and family members need, she says that the loss spurred her on. “Life is too short to postpone doing what you’re most passionate about.” And passionate she is. The Palmetto Palace provides everything from lodging to community support services to overnight care kits to families in hospital waiting rooms.The organization is in desperate need of donations—individual, corporate, and in-kind—especially from hotels in the area. “When your loved one is in crisis, you don’t think how, you just think ‘get there.’ We are the safety net for caregivers and we can only be as strong as the community that supports us.” See how you can help and read more about the organization at ThePalmettoPalace.org.
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Photo by Alice Keeney
2015
janurary
Clarissa Hellberg is a cheerleader for childhood literacy.
Ask the volunteer and intern at Reading Partners about her work with the literacy nonprofit, and she lights up like New Year’s Eve.The organization’s mission statement, “one child. one tutor, infinite possibilities,” describes its one-on-one tutor and mentoring model and Clarissa has been involved with the program since September, as she works on her MSA with a concentration in philanthropy and fundraising. Her youngest child (of three) entered high school last year and Clarissa decided to pursue a higher ed degree and volunteer in her field. “I can have a career and give back at the same time,” she says. “And every Tuesday and Thursday when I see a big smile on my student’s face...that’s why I show up every week.” She can tell you a lot about her student, a 5th grader named Jarell. “He loves to draw, loves facts about animals, reading about reptiles, and, recently, wrote a sentence that he wants to go to university.” She pauses and adds, “we talk about him going to college a lot.” Volunteers in the program don’t have to have a background in education; what matters most is that they show up for their student. Reading Partners offers training and curriculum, plenty of on-site support, and—most importantly—every time a new volunteer signs up, a child on the very long waiting list can enter the program. “You get to make a direct impact on a child’s life and see the results in real time,” says Clarissa. “There’s no better feeling in the world. Our tutors are our heroes!” Get involved by signing up at ReadingPartners.org!
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Dear Pinterest: WE LOVE YOU BUT, OUR CUP RUNNETH OVER AND THESE ARE THE THINGS WE WILL NOT BE DOING THIS YEAR:
We will not be making homemade foot cream. We will not be making slow cooker hot chocolate. We will not be taking
We won’t be making our own
the 1000 squats in 20 days
ironic cardboard mounted deer
challenge...Nor will be doing
head, painting it, or hanging it on
the 3 moves that give our
our wall. We will not be learning
ta-tas more va-va-voom.
how to cut our own bangs at home. We did it in high school
We will not make time to
and it did not turn out well.
watch the the 25 super cute hair tutorials and we would never dream of making bacon cheeseburger soup. We will skip the make your own bar cart instructions and the tutorials for the 32 things you must have for your child’s bedroom. We just want them to go to bed on time.
dearpinterest
We’re not doing family meal
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“projects” that involve more than three ingredients.
We love the inspiration that we get from Pinterest and our boards are full of “to-dos,” but this year we’re giving ourselves a little break from being perfect at everything.
figh br
When you stop fighting things and just live, breathe and try your best to treat people right, life just flows. It’s that simple.” Dau Voire
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci
“We’re fantastic just as we are.”
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The Reluctant Cook Ananya Bhattacharyya
W
My husband taught me how to make a few dishes, and I rotated them through the week, cooking every other day. Indian cooking is labor-intensive—one must chop onions, fry spices, and simmer curries—which requires involvement and passion. For me, doing the same thing over and over again, week after week, was like Chinese water torture. And any experimentation or adventure I ever undertook in order to make the process interesting was unacceptable to him. I couldn’t have gotten away with cooking pasta, for instance. t is to be expected perhaps that when someone doesn’t enjoy an activity and feels coerced, the result will not be great. And the fact that my husband didn’t believe in positive reinforcement made things worse. Sometimes he would cook huge meals over the weekend so that he could eat good food every once in a while, he said. When people came over, I would hen people come over for a get everything ready for him, and he would heat up pans and meal, I often catch myself apologizing preemptively for the throw ingredients together with flourish. As guests ate and food I’m about to serve. If and when guests praise the food praised the food, he would acknowledge that he had made on their own, I find it hard to believe they aren’t simply being the meal. The guests would call me lucky, for marrying a rare polite. My cousin once told me that I should stop behaving in entity: an Indian guy who cooked. I attempted to try to think this strange manner. Why not handle the situation with calm the same thing, but there was one obstacle: food wasn’t the grace, her expression implied. center of my existence. I came to the United States from India on a spouse visa, While my passion was in the intellectual realm—books and and we ate Subway sandwiches for dinner the first night. films—my husband’s family was all about food. When my in Then, once groceries were done the next day, I realized the laws visited, trips would be made to the Bangladeshi man I had married expected me to start cooking. store to buy frozen Hilsa fish, which would then This was a role I had somehow failed to envibe elaborately cleaned, scales flying in every sion for myself. I remember making chocodirection. Tiger prawns were brought from late fudge by following the recipe on the Costco and simmered in coconut curry. label of the Nestle condensed milk can Ducks’ eggs would come from the Asian very exactingly as a teenager, but that store, to be boiled, then made into a is as far as my actual cooking expecurry with tomato and onion. As one riences went. Prior to my marriage, meal was being consumed, plans for I worked as a journalist in Mumbai, ...I realized the next meal were being carefully where I ate meals cooked by men the man I had married plotted. Since I was the non-insider, from Kerala at the working women’s expected me to start cooking. they insisted on regaling me with hostel I lived in, or else at restaurants This was a role stories about restaurants they had offering wholesome yet cheap South I had somehow failed been to and meals they had cooked, Indian meals. to envision for myself.” again and again. I felt overwhelmed The privileges of Indian middle but kept my feelings to myself. class existence—where cooks and maids n retrospect, it is clear that we are affordable, and food is relatively were a terrible match. While cheap—combined with my belief that I was ours wasn’t an arranged mara feminist (and the one feminist act I had underriage, the culture of arranged taken was to not change my last name upon marrying), marriages we had grown up meant that household tasks held no appeal for me. Simoin allowed us to think it was ne de Beauvoir says: “Few tasks are more like the torture a good idea to marry without really assessing our comof Sisyphus than housework, with its endless repetition: patibility. Phone calls, emails, and letters were the foundation the clean becomes soiled, the soiled is made clean, over on which we expected to build a life-long relationship. While and over, day after day.” And that feeling fully resonated I knew others who had made similar hasty decisions and had with me. ended up lucky, we certainly hadn’t. t bothered me that the man I had married didn’t We were together for seven years before our marriage endunderstand that being thrust into the role of ed. It ended because of other reasons. Yet, when I think about housewife—after having lived a carefree, indepenthe marriage, what I remember most is cooking unhappily, for dent life—was a struggle for me. He too must have a man who complained about my cooking, even though by no resented me for not being more like his mother, means was I cooking all the time; I went to graduate school who seemed to enjoy what I couldn’t: cooking, and began to work part-time. feeding her family, and eating. This is not to say our marAfter we separated, I continued to cook. By then I was a riage broke down immediately because of this. We must have mother. Eating out all the time was neither affordable, nor had an argument or two, after which I realized that since healthy. So I’d create spartan creations, balancing all food I couldn’t work because of my visa situation, it was only groups; a typical meal might be: brown rice, sauteed black logical for me to be doing the housework. So I did it. But I beans, steamed broccoli and eggs. Little wonder our once-adidn’t enjoy it, and resentment, all the more potent for being week trip to Chipotle was so exciting. unexpressed, simmered within me.
I
I
I
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...when I think about the marriage, what I remember most is cooking unhappily, for a man who complained about my cooking.”
You Move Me Beautiful, expressive artwork, custom created by internationally renowned Maui artist Charlie Lyon.
Dolce & Gabbana • Prada • Tiffany & Co. Persol • Tory Burch • Versace • Mikli & DAUGHTERS
“ Ignorance is surely bliss, I thought, smiling.”
A
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nd then, about a year ago, I heard my son refer to me in passing as a good cook. I stopped what I was doing. I made him repeat himself. Apparently he hadn’t suddenly transformed into a sarcastic nine-year-old. He was being earnest. He actually believed I was a fine cook. Ignorance is surely bliss, I thought, smiling. However, as I contemplated his words, I came to realize that, indeed, a shift had taken place. First, after spending 14 years in the United States, I have come to appreciate the fact that housework is a necessary evil. America is egalitarian in some important ways. I came to realize that what had allowed me the sort of existence I had in India was systemic poverty and inequity. And my own attitude toward housework had been that of an entitled person’s. Second, I have started experimenting in the kitchen. While the skillet shepherd’s pie, for instance, was a disaster (the meat at the bottom was burned, the potato slices at the top were uncooked), there have been other successful dishes: quinoa with peas and cashews, simmered in coconut milk; grilled salmon marinated in tequila lime seasoning; pasta with Gruyère and walnuts. I have a repertoire of eclectic dishes that taste pretty okay! ne of my son’s friends came over for a playdate the other day, and I made Thai-style fried rice for lunch. The little boy asked for a second helping. As I served him, he said, “This is so good. I can eat this 24/7.” I laughed. And in that moment it felt as though his over-the-top praise had yanked me out of the stew of culinary self-doubt, for good.
O
Ananya Bhattacharyya (@AnanyaBhatt) is an
Her articles have
assignment editor at
appeared in
the Washington Indepen-
The Guardian, The
dent Review of Books.
New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Washingtonian, and Northeast Review.
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Open your house curtains during the day to let in natural heat, but shut them at night to keep out the cold.
Park Café will warm you up with Charleston Fog tea and Hot apple cider with cinnamon. Toss a towel in the dryer just before you shower to make drying off even warmer.
“A cup of tea is like having a bath on the inside. Unknown
Sweat ‘til it feels like summer again (and burn 500 calories) with a 9 Rounds workout.
ways TO STAY WARM THIS January.
St a y t r u e t o yo u r southern r oot s and dr op do wn tha t convertible t op— while cranking the hea t on high.
9round.com
M u s i c a l d u o, S h ov e l s & Ro p e , bring their no-frills f l a i r to t h e N o rt h C h a r l e s t o n P e r f o rm i n g Ar t s C e n t e r . jan 15!
Blue bicycle has endless good books to snuggle up with in bed this winter.
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W ho K new ?
Roast s’mores atop your tabletop at Voodoo Tiki Bar.
Reserve a lane and GIVE YOUR ARMS (AND THIGHS) A WORKOUT with a night of bowling at The Alley.
MICROWA V E a bag of beans as a makeshift heating pad.
Travel to Paris— or attend Chase for a Cure’s Parisian-themed gala event featuring American Idol’s, Quiana Parler. January 31 Legare Farms, Saturday September 13, 4 PM. r ain or shine!
A Basico Burger is anything but basic with cotija pimento cheese and spicy aioli.
Find peace of mind, a n d a w a r m p l a c e t o w o r k o u t, with Yoga House Charleston’s V i n ya s a F l o w Yo g a .
the sweetest start?
a warm, gooey iced cinnamon bun at Charleston Bagel. You won’t even notice the cold after you cross the Charleston Marathon’s finish line.
yum
Keep yo u r t oots ies t o a s t y w it h T he Backp acker’s c u s h io n ed and colorful S ma r t w o o l Ma r g a r it a S oc ks.
STARS’ Rooftop heat lamps let you enjoy the best views in Charleston year-round.
Sip the adults-only hot chocolate at Brasserie Gigi.
Duck in from the cold as Park Circle Films presents “A Path Appears,” an indie about the adversity women face worldwide.
Jan 17 • 4:00 pm
Heat up your nights with Flashdance the Musical.
If yo u ’r e o u t in h ist or ic S ummer v ille, Ma t t ’s Bu r g e r s has some o f t he bes t c h il i ar ound .
run sweat jump lunge salute the sun, kick. swim, dive, lift & bike (that should do the trick!)
Toast yourself and toast your brew by the fireplace at Poe’s Tavern.
JAN. 25 Nothing beats shucking those
STEAMY shells at the Lowcountry Oyster Festival.
jan. 13-14
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Something for the
Whole Family
Have you been looking for a new home for your family? We can help you find a neighborhood well suited to your needs.
• Sales and Rentals in the Historic District and BEYOND • 11-A Isabella Street • Charleston • 843-577-3193 • fax 877-241-6941 melaina@pateproperties.com • www.pateproperties.com
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THIS MONTH, A local MEAT COMPANY CALLED SOLO VERDI THAT RAISES GRASS FED BEEF IN A SMALL RURAL TOWN In South Carolina made sure we didn’t go hungry AND CHARLESTON DISTILLERY stopped by WITH not one but TWO DRINKS! [A PERFECT TRIPLE OPPORTUNITY for us to unwind WITH PRESS DAY looming.] [WOW! and YUM, YUM!]
(JEALOUS?)
We love what his bumper sticker says!
2015
january
“Know Farmers. Know Food. No Farmers. No Food.”
AND DRINK Sol o VERDI mea t s
What sets Solo Verdi beef apart is that, unlike many farms and beef producers, its bulls, cows, and calves, are all born, raised, and finished on naturally cultivated premium quality grasses; there is no corn, soy, wheat, or grain of any kind in their diet, and they don’t use antibiotics, growth hormones, or inhumane confinement.
Current Cuts of Meat Available: Steaks Skirt Steak Flank Steak Bone-in NY Strip O ther: Bone-in Ribeye Filet Mignon Soup Bones Roasts Marrow Bones Cross-cut Shank Beef Liver Chuck Roast Dog Treats Oxtail Beef Neck Short Ribs
Lucky us! The Lot (1977 Maybank Hwy., Johns Island) features an $8 burger night every Tuesday, but Solo Verdi burgers are always available at the bar.You can also find Solo Verdi at the Homegrown Market on Johns Island through the winter and early spring.
Meet Pearson King, Sales and Marketing Director: Best burger I ever made: Just last night I mixed a bit of Worcestershire sauce and feta cheese into the burgers before grilling. We topped with Havarti cheese and a sunny side up duck egg from Wishbone Heritage Farms. This is my new go-to burger. I can’t stop thinking about it. My Favorite Winter dish: Braised short rib and oxtail stew.You really can’t beat fork-tender beef!
Purchase Solo Verdi Meats by calling (843) 830-6579 or visit SoloVerdiMeats.com, follow them at Facebook.com/SoloVerdiMeats or on Instagram @SoloVerdiMeats.
This is such a nice bottle! You will want to keep it. CHA RL ESTO N Dist ill ing C o .
A former attorney, Brent took one class on brewing and was hooked. Along with partner Carlton Elliott, they created a distillery in the heart of Historic Charleston that has to be seen to be believed...with huge copper stills and barrels of aged whiskey. All of Charleston Distilling Company grains are milled on-site in their own Millhouse at Flowers Farm in Summerton, South Carolina, then delivered to its King Street Distillery. Available at local liquor stores or the Charleston Distilling Co. distillery on King Street..
The best way to get to know more about us is to enjoy a taste (or two) of our spirits and take a tour of the distillery.
Tolerance Cider South of Broad Make a large pot of the cider blend by using two (64 oz.) jugs of apple cider and one bottle (64 oz.) of cranberry juice. The ginger and cinnamon pair perfectly with the mulling spices 1 part cranberry juice
This cocktail is a take on the classic “Southside.” The juniper of the gin plays perfectly with the balanced tartness of the lime juice and the sweetness of the grenadine.
mulling spices
1.5 Ounces Jasper’s Gin
Tolerance Whiskey Liqueur
1 Ounce fresh lime juice
Cinnamon sticks for garnish
1 ounce homemade grenadine (simple syrup of equal parts pomegranate juice and sugar)
2 parts apple cider or apple juice
Combine cider and juice in a large pot. with 2 or 3 ounces of mulling spices in a spice ball and boil. Lower to a simmer and add several ounces of Tolerance Whiskey Liqueur. Cook for one hour. Most of the alcohol will cook off during this process. Serve warm. Fill the mug with Tolerance Whiskey Liqueur to desired strength (usually 1-2 oz.) and ladle the cider mixture over top to fill, add a cinnamon stick.
Perfect for a crowd. It makes the house smell just as good as it tastes.
Fresh mint
Combine the gin, lime juice, grenadine and a few mint sprigs in a shaker. Add some ice cubes and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with mint leaf, smacked to release the oils, and float on top of the cocktail.
Smooth and wonderful WITH the most beautiful color. the mint really shakes it up.
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New Year... New YOU!!! Recreate yourself (and your home!) on the CHEAP at
Furniture and Fashion for Everyone
1610 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. West Ashley 843.225.9055 • www.consigncharleston.com
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APPS TO CHECK OUT
For the mommy-to-be: An app that has saved my curious mind has been the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Enter your due date and it educates you on your changing body and tells you everything you need to know. There’s also the “What to Expect Baby” app, which allows you to put in your child’s age to walk you through the wonders of early parenthood.
Businesses: The Google Apps suite literally saves mine and my teams’ lives on a daily basis. We’re able to stay super organized, collaborate in real time and keep all of our documents in one place. I <3 Google!
Attention Business Owners: It’s a new year, which means new changes in digital marketing. As a business, use this checklist to kickstart your marketing: Is your website MOBILE friendly? Do you have a digital marketing STRATEGY and game plan in place? Using Facebook? January marks the start of blocking promotional content organically. What’s this mean? Focus on CONTENT your audience cares about. Are your tactics focused and segmented? There’s no use in wasting your time where your audience is not. Tracking. Do you have proper tools in place to measure the success of your efforts?
Sdg Social Do Good A favorite local organization of mine is the Harbor Entrepreneurial Center (Harborec.com) that offers support for local businesses. From startup accelerators and education to local office space and mastermind groups, this group is a fantastic staple to the growing creative and tech industries in Silicon Harbor.
For Those with Health in Mind: The MyFitnessPal app is a personal staple. You can scan the barcode on food packages to keep track of calories, log your exercise and motivate your friends. Keeping a food diary even every once in a while is really eye opening to see the actual number of calories we consume.
“Just be nice, take genuine interest in the people you meet, and keep in touch with people you like. This will create a group of people who are invested in helping you because they know you and appreciate you.”
Latest Loves
Happy 2015!
checklist
getting social with Ashley T. Caldwell
Barre Evolution I leave each class feeling empowered. It isa a GREAT alternative to happy hour with friends! BarreEvolution.com
Browsing the local photography at Images on King Street (328 A King Street.) Seeing the Lowcountry from so many different viewpoints inspires me to revisit classic Charleston scenery again and again. Geeky Gadjets
Smartphone Projector: Wanna watch a YouTube video, show a work presentation on the go or show your friends your vacay photos? This Projector makes it happen! uncommongoods.com
Rain Showerhead with Bluetooth Speakers Start your day with an invigorating shower and music or podcast playing right from your showerhead. H2oVibe.com
Guy Kawasaki
Ashley T. Caldwell is the Founder & CEO of The Modern Connection, a social media and digital marketing firm. Even though she’s known for her social media prowess, Ashley LOVES putting down her iPhone and experiencing the beautiful Lowcountry IRL. She’s also an expectant mother excited to rock the career AND the family life.
“Social media is an amazing tool, but it’s really the face-to-face interaction that makes a long-term impact.” Felicia Day
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2015
Photo by Alice Keeney
janurary
Meet Alex.
Our newest addtion to the skirt! office. She’s a graduate of Boston College, former news reporter, proud aunt, night owl, perfectionist and neat freak. A paddle boarder, kayaker, Bikram yoga addict who loves foreign films, neutrals, Champagne and St. Germaine. She vacations at Cape Cod, is fierce about her “me” time, and the motto she’d have printed on a t-shirt is: “Life is short...buy the shoes!”
Alexandra Weishaupt, Account Executive, alex.weishaupt@skirt.com
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PAINT YOUR OWN POTTERY AND GLASS FUSING STUDIO
MT. PLEASANT 1256 Ben Sawyer Blvd.
843.416.8075 www.artpirationstudio.net
DIVORCE WITH DIGNITY
Jill E.M. HaLevi Attorney, Mediator, Guardian Ad Litem Certified in Collaborative Law
843.819.0557 jill@charlestonmediator .com 102 Broad Street | Suite C Charleston, SC 29401
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( Abide-AWhile Garden january Center, Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Nothing classes up a room like a sparkling chandelier. We love the modern touch on lighting from Ro Sham Beaux (39 Broad St.). Stop in to see more lighting whimsy!
2015
finally:
Powering up:
Put your house plants to work. If your home is dry during the cool months, add extra humidity by placing potted houseplants on trays filled with pebbles and water to increase air humidity. For more great seasonal tips, visit Abide-A-While in Mount Pleasant.
Shem Creek has a beautiful new restaurant with a bar that has a great view of the water. We are looking forward to eating the fire roasted oysters and the pan seared scallops with tomato jam again!
executive chef, Katie Lorenzen- Smith
Stock the fridge! Suja cold-pressed juices are now available in 49 oz. jugs...super-sizing that we approve of! Easy Greens for newbies, Power Greens for pros, $13 at Whole Foods.
thesmilelist What Makes Us Happy.
25 Things That Make Us Happy
G R E AT S H O E A N D G R E AT P R I C E ! Jazz Original Shoe by Saucony, athleta .com
air clapping: Because Downton Abbey premiers January 5th. There go the January blues!
Live Music • WINTERTIDE ACOUSTIC SERIES January 16, 23, 30, 7-10pm on the Upper Deck at Morgan Creek (do we even need to mention that view?) Wintertide is an acoustic, listening room environment where people come together to listen and support original music by talented songwriters.
resting easY: Now that we know our morning caffine addiction has a name.
Our new favorite tech-savvy way to change up our workouts:
“‘With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?”
OH, THE BRILLIANCE:
The Jump Rope Workout app is like a pedometer for jumping rope. It attaches to thigh, waist, or arm and accurately measures rope jumps (with or without rope!).You can share results on social media (or not), but it’s fun to keep track of your progress either way. Free for iOS in the iTunes store.
Stack Wine is the ultimate "take it with you" adult beverage. Each stack has four prefilled and sealed glasses of vino. No corkscrew required! DrinkStack.com.
“The quieter you become the more you can hear.” Ram Dass
Oscar Wilde
We agree, but would like to throw in this wonderful photo and good looking sofa just for good measure. Lyndon Leigh, Mount Pleasant.
A S O F N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 4 5 8 c o l l e g es an d u n i vers i t i es are 1 0 0 % toba c c o - free !
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2015
january
AND SOME NICE PERFUME AND END WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT
See you in Febraury for the XOXO issue!
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“We take great pleasure in making sure evey patient has a welcoming and positive experience. I feel honored to be a part of their transformation, and I make sure to deliver only natural-looking results.”
Thomas hahm, m.d. Board Certified plastic Surgeon Fellowship trained at the Renowned Johns Hopkins university
face value Traditional or Contemporary? Surgical or Non Surgical? All these choices can be confusing. Trust the expert, and let Dr. Hahm help guide you through your options.
FA C E
843.884.1400
CarolinaCosmeticSurgery.com 180 Wingo Way • Suite 205 • mt. pleaSant
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Botox®, Restylane® and Juvédern® Clear + Brilliant and Thermage Breast Augmentation, Lift, Reduction and Reconstruction Facelift and Eyelid Surgery Rhinoplasty Laser-Assisted Liposuction and Tummy Tuck skirt!magazine
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