The Wonderful World of Larkspur Lane & Creator Lib Mead

When you first walk into Lib Cummings-Mead’s home on Dalton Street in Daniel Island Park, you aren’t aware that upstairs, on the third floor, Lib is busy creating a whole other world. Downstairs, her elegant Charleston home is tastefully decorated for the holidays, the dining room table set and ready for the next round of guests to arrive. But if you look closely at the decor, you begin to notice that a collection of charming figures has found their way onto shelves, tables and other nooks and crannies throughout, playfully beckoning you to search for more.

These are members of “Larkspur Lane,” Lib’s world of bright, wonderful, whimsical characters, all created in her third-floor studio, which she shares with her husband and the family dog, “Sparky Pancakes.” Inspired by attic treasures, Lib has created a storybook world, brought to life using paper mache, vintage colors and her vivid imagination.

Lib, who began her career as an illustrator, began working on “Larkspur Lane” six years ago. Named after the location of her previous home in Minnesota, the line of adorable figurines includes a variety of characters with names like “Tadgarrish,” “Bearly Right,” “Bearly Wrong” and “Bearly There.” Each year, she creates a new line of characters for select holidays, including Halloween, Easter and, of course, Christmas. Her handmade prototypes are shipped to China, carefully reproduced and sold to collectors and retail outlets throughout the country.

“It’s a labor of love,” Lib says. “I really become attached to these characters, and I enjoy bringing them down from the third floor to decorate my home for the holidays each year.”

The “Larkspur Lane” line is currently in transition while Lib switches to a new manufacturer. But she is hard at work on next year’s line – a colorful cast of angel characters – which she expects will be in stores by next winter. In the meantime, you can check out some of the characters from previous lines in the photo gallery below:

Island Resident Serves Up the Perfect Pie

Not long ago, Daniel Island resident David Orlando was happily living – and cooking – in Italy, when his brother called him with an offer that ultimately brought him back to the states. “He had seen an ad for a business that was for sale on Daniel Island, and he thought it would be a great opportunity to add something that the Daniel Island community was lacking – great pizza,” David explains. “He wanted me to come open it with him.”

Although leaving Italy was difficult, David seized the opportunity, packed his bags and moved to Charleston. Seven years later, Orlando’s Brick Oven Pizza is now one of the most popular dining spots on the island.

That’s not to say that it’s been easy. “It took me two years to perfect the crust, says David, who is originally from New Jersey. “I learned to make pizza in Italy, but there are so many factors that are involved in coming up with a recipe that works – the oven, the climate, the ingredients that are available to you – it takes a while to bring it all together and create the right formula.”

And then there are the usual challenges of owning and operating your own business: Long hours, staff turnover, changing food costs and more are just some of the components that David has learned to manage. But he’s managed the challenges well. His loyal customers are a snapshot of Daniel Island itself – young families looking for a kid-friendly place to dine, professionals who work on the island and want an affordable spot for lunch, students at nearby Bishop England High School. Basically, if you live or work on Daniel Island, chances are you eat at Orlando’s on a regular basis.

The Orlando’s menu is a classic selection of traditional pizzas, salads, signature pastas and two sandwiches – a meatball sub, and the latest addition to the menu, an authentic Philadelphia Cheese Steak. No matter what you order, you can’t go wrong – everything is delicious.

As for David, he’s found a way to balance his long hours as a business owner by moving to Daniel Island to reduce his commute time. “Two years ago I took advantage of a great deal on a condo on the island,” he says. “Now I can come and go throughout the day, and I don’t worry so much when I take a day off. If something goes wrong, I’m literally three minutes away.”

You can visit Orlando’s at 295 Seven Farms Drive in downtown Daniel Island, or call for take-out at (843) 884-6292.

Home For The Holidays!

Every November, island resident Heather Platzer gets a certain twinkle her eye. Since she was a child, she’s been collecting Christmas ornaments, snow globes, Christmas trees and Santa Claus figurines. And each year, Heather’s husband James hauls down endless boxes of Christmas decor and delight from the attic in their Daniel Island Park home, where the boxes take up a vast majority of the space!

From start to finish, it usually takes Heather about three weeks to decorate their home for the holidays. She spends four days alone on the main Christmas tree in the living room, which boasts more than 1,000 ornaments!

“I’ve been collecting ornaments pretty much since birth,” recalls Heather. “Really! I’ve got ornaments that friends and family gave my parents when I was born. My entire family has always been really into Christmas so you could say I come by it honestly.” Her mom, Re, also lends a hand and, according to Heather, her husband James is almost a professional when it comes to putting the lights on the Christmas trees!

There are a total of four (yes, four!) Christmas trees each year in the Platzer home. The beautiful 10-foot giant in the downstairs living room is accompanied by three other themed trees throughout the house. Each theme tree takes Heather approximately two hours to decorate with more than 250 theme-specific ornaments per tree! In the breakfast nook, a fruit-themed tree displays ornaments of strawberries, blueberries, oranges, pineapples and all varieties, shapes and sizes from the fruit family.

A couple of years ago, Heather surprised James, an avid Disney fan, with a special Disney-themed Christmas tree for their master bedroom. Featuring colorful ornaments of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and other Disney characters, the “Disney Tree” tree is bright, whimsical and fun — sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. On the third floor of the home, an “Americana Tree” pays homage to our country and its patriotic spirit. The “Americana Tree” can be found in the couples’ office, which displays mementos and memorabilia from James’ great-uncle Al who worked as Assistant Director of the FBI during J. Edgar Hoover’s tenure.

A number of Heather’s decorations were passed down through both her and James’ families, and many were gifts. The ceramic nativity scene beneath the main Christmas tree was created by Heather’s grandmother during the 1970’s, which she left to her only granddaughter. The beautiful set of red glassware on the dining room table belonged to James’ great-grandmother and dates back more than 100 years. Several of the snow globes in Heather’s collection were gifts from friends and family. And a number of the ornaments from the “Americana Tree” were presents from a friend who worked in Washington, DC.

Heather also purchases many of her ornaments and Christmas trinkets on trips and vacation with her husband. “I love buying ornaments from other places,” she says. “It’s a small little purchase, but every year, when I pull the ornament out of the box, I’ll remember that specific trip and the place where I bought it. To me, that’s more special than anything else I might bring home.”

For more pictures of Heather and James’ festive Daniel Island Park home, take a look at the photo gallery below. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Island Resident Lorraine Vale Shares Her Tips For The Perfect Christmas Tree

For island resident and interior designer Lorraine Vale, it’s all about the tree…

By Lorraine Vale

When we first moved here from New England, I needed to retool my idea of Christmas decorating to fit in with our new surroundings. So, red and green, steeped in tradition and cute all over (I never did ‘cute’), wasn’t going to work for me and my new home. Our new life in Charleston called for fresh, new and exciting, and I was ready for it!

Christmas decorating comes with its own set of challenges, especially for a professional designer. The pressure is really on to have the most put together, perfect tree with all the perfectly coordinating holiday decor. There’s just one problem: I’m not perfect. I’ve learned through years of trying, one cannot achieve perfection. Besides, it’s probably boring.

Take on a new approach to decorating this year: Think of what you did last year, the year before (yawn), and the year before that, and forget it. I know it’s against some unwritten rule for Interior Designers, but in the case of my Christmas Tree – pre-lit faux – it’s the way to go! It’s more conducive to my decorating style, and besides, faux trees start out perfect! Less is more is my mantra for interior design – edit, then edit some more – but when I decorate a tree, more is more. The key is control and knowing when to stop.

We have a 9’ tree with 1,200 white lights. The problem with some of the pre-lit trees is a that the lights are all on the tips, leaving the center of the tree dark. I have supplemented with additional lights placed towards the trunk of the tree. This makes everything glow from with in! Try a color for added dimension.

Here are six steps that will help you take your tree decorating to new levels:

1. Be Practical: Assess the space – traffic patterns and safety.
2. Make sure the lights work before stringing the tree!
3. Take a moment, stand back and look at it from all angles to be sure it’s straight. Secure it tightly in the stand.
4. Plan:
5. Color – Traditional red and green can be challenging in any decor. It could be time to try something new. Get inspiration by walking out your door. I love the tonal colors we have all around us in the marshes and magnolia leaves – browns and green. Throw a bright color in there for the element of surprise – purple, chartreuse, fuchsia. Don’t forget the sparkle.
6. Themes: This is a great idea for continuity through your home’s holiday décor – nautical, beach, pets or old fashioned Santas can be fun and reflect your interests and personality. The use of color or natural elements can be used as a theme for a sophisticated look.

These are great things to keep in mind while you shop or while your hunting outside. Now you’re ready to begin!

The first step is to string the lights. Address the whole tree, not just the branch tips. Wire from the inside out. Second is to put on the tree topper. If you don’t need to follow tradition, do this first. Saving it for last risks disturbing what you just spent hours doing or breaking branches. Your topper can be anything that crowns your tree in glory. Rethink that one star at the top. Think about a bunch of stars of different sizes and colors Use floral tape to hold them together and stick them in the top, securing with floral wire. Not one angel, but imagine a flock of them hovering around the top. I have taken those pointy toppers, you know the ones that you’re suppose to stick the highest branch into the bottom of? I’ve grouped them together at the top so they point in all directions. It’s effective. The point is, it doesn’t need to be an angel or a star. You are only limited by your imagination!

Next, add the garland. Materials like natural rope on a faux tree or an artificial one on a natural tree add an unexpected element and add volume to an otherwise sparse tree. If you want to stay traditional, use popcorn or cranberries…if you want to pump up the volume, try embellished gold branches, glitter burlap, or extra-wide wired ribbon. Starting at the top, weave your garland in and out of the tree in an elongated spiral.

Here’s the fun and creative part:

Composition: Hang the largest ornaments first, setting up a visual rhythm that keeps the eye moving; left to right up and down. Work down in size from there, placing the most beautiful or sentimental ornaments front and center.

Important: To prevent your tree from taking a face plant, distribute the weight all around the tree.

Layer with textures: Textural depth and interesting shapes add an unconventional twist. Spray paint palm fronds and ferns that you collected outside. These are the elements that can break the triangle’ shape if placed strategically in the tree. They can also be functional, plugged into bare spots or placed to hide extension cords. Remember to add the sparkle. Play with scale and proportion by thinking outside the box.

In summary:

Tis the season of the 4 Re’s:
1. Re-use: Give a new look to your existing ornaments by bunching three ornaments together for a dazzling impact.
2. Re-purpose: Head outdoors to the garden to hunt for potential fillers for the tree.
3. Re-cycle: Consider a living tree for replanting. However, the life of a faux tree can be 5-7 years.
4. Re-think: This year, try coloring outside the lines and watch the magic happen.

Have fun and add the sparkle!

Daniel Island Residents Are In The Holiday Spirit!

Every December, the Daniel Island Property Owner’s Association holds a contest among island residents for the best, most festive, brightest homes decorated for the holiday season. And this year, island residents did not disappoint!

The Daniel Island Garden Club judges all the homes on the island and selects the winners for each neighborhood. Below is a list of all the winners!

Barfield Park
Front door – Len & Ruth Peters | 1128 Barfield St.
Children’s – Barbara Bruggemann | 1400 Elfe St.
Overall – Mark & Brenda Berkland | 1118 Barfield St.

Center Park
Front door – Deanna Simpson | 1066 Blakeway St.
Children’s – Shawn & Lauren Templeton | 1072 Barfield St.
Overall – Steve & Kim Cramer | 9002 Merchant St.

Cochran Park
Front door – Beth & Dan Brannan | 843 Dunham St.
Children’s – Cody & Kem Baker | 704 Netherton Ct.
Overall – Becky & Ross Robinson | 925 Cochran St.

Codner’s Ferry
Front door – Barb & Jan Visser | 242 Beresford Creek
Overall – Brittny & Mark Petyak | 119 Shipwright St.

Daniel Island Park
Front door – Toni & Chris Carson | 85 Iron Bottom
Children’s – Joe & Teri Mullaney | 410 Hidden Bottom
Overall – Mr. & Mrs Branigan | 557 Park Crossing St.

Etiwan Park
Front door – Linda Phillipi | 120 Bounty St.
Children’s – Carole Campbell | 162 Brady St.
Overall – Melanie & Jim Murphy | 117 Scott St.

height=”192″ />

Pierce Park
Front door – Benji & Suanne Dandridge| 1899 Pierce St.
Children’s – Jim, Terri, Joseph, & Jane Garvey | 1890 Pierce St.
Overall – John & Nicole Dalzell | 1820 Beekman St.

Smythe Park
Front door – Amy & Jason Moyer | 1746 Pierce St.
Overall – Donna & Dale Corcoran | 1275 Blakeway St.

Ten “Top Ten” Lists for Charleston

Each year, it seems, our fine city scores an increasing number of national accolades touting various aspects of the quality of life that Charleston offers both residents and visitors. There are always the “usual suspects” — such as Southern Living magazine’s “Readers’ Choice” Awards and the coveted title of “Most Mannerly City” (which Charleston has won so many times, it now holds a “Lifetime Achievement Award”). But this year, in particular, Charleston rose to the top of some highly visible global lists, including one that recognizes the area’s economic development practices – a good sign that we are poised for a strong recovery as the economy begins to improve.

Here’s a round-up of Charleston’s latest bragging rights:

Top 10 Smartest Cities in the World
Forbes Magazine
Forbes’ list of the world’s “Ten Smartest Cities” was compiled by evaluating infrastructure, livability and economic fundamentals. Charleston, which shares the spotlight with cities like Singapore, Amsterdam and Seattle, is praised for promoting economic expansion while preserving the city’s historic core, and is described as being “poised to emerge as a major aerospace center,” now that Boeing has announced plans to build a Dreamliner assembly plant here.

Top 10 Places in the World to See in 2010
Lonely Planet Travel Guides
This annual collection of the best places to go and best things to do in the year ahead included Charleston in its collection of top cities to visit — the only U.S. city on the list! Istanbul, Vancouver and Abu Dhabi were among the other places recommended as “must see” destinations for the new year.

America’s Most Livable Cities
U.S. Conference of Mayors
For the past 30 years, cities have competed for this prestigious award, which recognizes mayoral leadership for developing and implementing programs that improve quality of life. This year’s winning cities — Charleston and Chapel Hill, N.C. — were selected by former mayors from a pool of more than 200 applicants.

Top Ten Cities for Technology Jobs
Forbes Magazine
This year’s list of the top cities for technology jobs was powered by factors including tax rates, the cost of housing, the overall climate toward business and entrepreneurial spirit. Charleston, which has posted a 21% increase in information sector jobs since 2000, is in the company of cities large and small, including Seattle, Madison, Wisconsin, Santa Fe and Boise, Idaho.

No. 2 Top American City
Conde Nast Traveler Magazine
Readers of Conde Nast Traveler have named Charleston among the “Top Ten U.S. Cities” for 17 consecutive years, but this year the city nabbed the number two slot, topped only by San Francisco. This ranking maintains Charleston’s listing as the top east coast destination.

Top Ten Cities in the U.S. and Canada
Travel & Leisure Magazine
For the second year in a row, Charleston has been ranked as the fourth best city in the U.S. and Canada in Travel & Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards.” Last year, the “Holy City” moved up from its previous number 6 slot. It is now led only by New York, San Francisco and Quebec City in the U.S./Canada division.

Best Southern City
Southern Living Magazine
Every year readers of Southern Living magazine vote on their favorite cities in a variety of categories. This year, Charleston once again nabbed the title of “Best Southern City,” along with “Best City for Families,” “Best Festivals” and “Best Weekend Getaway.”

America’s Friendliest City
CNN Headline News & TravelAndLeisure.com
In a survey conducted by these two media giants, 125,000 people rated American cities in 45 different categories, covering everything from the attractiveness of the people to the quality of the food and dining. Charleston residents were ranked as America’s friendliest people. The city also earned second-place rankings for its noteworthy neighborhoods, vintage stores, flea markets and peace and quiet.

Top Ten Shopping Districts in the U.S. (King Street)
Forbes Traveler
Just ten years ago King Street in downtown Charleston was a sleepy shopping district that was hardly worthy of national recognition. Now, however, its mix of antique shops, eclectic boutiques, national chains, locally owned businesses and luxury retailers has helped it land on this national list of top shopping destinations.

Top Ten Best Places to See Before You Die
Andrew Harper
This internationally-known luxury travel expert included historic Charleston on his annual list of ten top American places to see, calling the Charleston Battery and its surrounding areas among the “prettiest neighborhoods (he’s) ever seen.”

Holiday Fun on Daniel Island!

Cheryl Provost and Valary Dreyer are two local photographers AND Daniel Island residents who were on hand at the 2009 Daniel Island Holiday Festival this past Saturday at the Family Circle Tennis Center. Throughout the day and into the evening, they photographed hundreds of Charleston and Daniel Island residents who shopped, ate and drank, and enjoyed tons of dancing and musical entertainment. The Holiday Festival was a great place for Cheryl and Valary to capture all the fun of life on Daniel Island!

Cheryl Provost – Cheryl was everywhere! She was busy checking out all the great holiday gift goodies, watching several local choral groups sing carols and taking in all the great sights of the festival !

For more information about Cheryl and her photography, visit her website www.CherylProvost.com.

Valary Dreyer – Valary focused her lens on more than a hundred kids and teens who participated in the Daniel Island Hip Hop Troupe dancing extravaganza!

For more information about Valary, feel free to email her at ValaryDreyer@bellsouth.net or call her at (843) 216-0542. Her website, www.valarydreyer.com, is currently in the works so check back sometime soon!

“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!”

The Daniel Island Holiday Festival elves have been hard at work this week, transforming the Family Circle Tennis Center from an award-winning tennis facility to a wonderland of festive gifts, delicious food and fun holiday entertainment! This annual festival will be held this Saturday, December 5th from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Barbara McLaughlin, festival organizer and Manager of Community Services at the Daniel Island Property Owner’s Association, has been involved with the festival for the past 5 years and still enjoys every minute of it. “I’ve always loved the holidays,” Barbara told us. “I just happen to be lucky enough to be able to spread that joy with others during this wonderful time of year!”

And she gets everyone involved in the process! The Daniel Island Garden Club was working hard this past week, decorating the Family Circle Tennis Center with Christmas trees, sparkling lights and beautiful wreaths.

More than 120 of Charleston’s best vendors will descend upon Daniel Island with a variety of great holiday gift items for everyone – art, jewelry, books, games and much much (for a complete list, click here). “It’s been exciting to watch what began as a small holiday bazaar with only 20 vendors grow into such a wonderful event that brings the entire Lowcountry community together,” said Barbara. “While the holiday festival has grown, I still strive to maintain that “small town” feel that appeals to so many people”.

Throughout the day, local dance and choral groups will be performing on the Center Stage, leading up to the grand finale — Santa’s Rockin’ Christmas Countdown at 5:00 pm followed by a Holiday Disco Dance Party! For a complete schedule of entertainment, click here.

“I consider it an honor to be involved in the planning of the Daniel Island Holiday Festival,” said Barbara. “It brings joy to so many people of so many ages. That sense of enthusiasm, anticipation and pride wells up in my heart every year when I see that large community Christmas tree go up, followed by all of the decorations that make our island town sparkle”.

Check out the photo gallery for pictures from previous years at the Daniel Island Holiday Festival.

Daniel Island Gives Back this Holiday Season

The Daniel Island Property Owners Association (POA) is calling on all island residents, businesses and the greater community to pitch in and help bring holiday cheer to our neighbors in need this season. The POA office will be a drop-off point for two initiatives benefiting clients of East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), a non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance for food, clothing, household furnishings and financial needs, and ongoing medical, dental, education and counseling services for neighbors in the greater East Cooper area.

There are two ways to participate:

Community Coat, Clothing, and Linen Drive

Bring your unwanted, gently-used, clean items for men, women and children to the POA office this month. ECCO reports that the items most needed incude blankets, winter coats, new socks, towels and wash cloths.

Santa’s Closet

Adopt a family in need this holiday season. It’s easy to do: Just go to www.eccocharleston.org and pick a family to adopt. Each family’s needs are described on the site, and range from clothing and food to bicycles and toys. ECCO requests that all items be provided unwrapped.

The POA office at 130 River Landing Drive is happy to be a drop-off point for members of the community who wish to participate in either of these programs. Please drop your clothing donations and/or Santa’s Closet gifts by Tuesday, Dec. 22 and they will deliver them.

For further details, visit www.eccocharleston.org or call the POA office at 971-9200. Thank you in advance for helping to make the holidays a little brighter for those less fortunate in our community!

The Holidays are here! What are you doing to stay healthy?

Tina Arnold, aka “The Holistic Chick”, has had a passion for healthy living and helping others for more than a decade. She used this passion and started Holistic Chick, LLC, a health and wellness business on Daniel Island designed to empower your life with health and happiness! An island resident, Tina is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives through exercise, nutrition and environmentally friendly living. Now she’s sent us a few great tips for staying in shape this holiday season.

I love this time of year, which is rich in traditions for so many people. A lot of those traditions include consuming delicious foods and other yummy treats, but you shouldn’t worry about depriving yourself completely from all the scrumptious goodies of the holidays!

Instead, here are a few tips to keep you on track this holiday season.

• Don’t be afraid to say no! Whether it’s Aunt Rose trying to shove more food down your throat, a friend that has just invited you to the 3rd cookie exchange or someone trying to get rid of their party leftovers on you because they don’t want them…Just Say No!
• Use a program like www.fitday.com to keep track of what you’re eating so you can tell if you’ve been overeating and under-moving.
• Cut back on high calorie and high fat items during the day you if you plan on attending a party that night. BUT, this doesn’t mean skip meals so you can gorge at the party! Enjoy the party but practice moderation in your eating and drinking.
• Use your time off and your time with the kids to fit in some extra exercise.
• Drink alcohol with food, not on an empty stomach.
• Don’t strive to be perfect and don’t expect to lose a lot of weight this time of year. Enjoy yourself but maintain some discipline when it comes to eating, drinking and being merry!

Here’s to a happy, healthy holiday season filled with traditions, friends, family and a little self-control!