o l i n a

C a r irl
G
Online Magazine

Articles:

Buy Local

A One Tank Trip

Profiting From The Green Movement

www.CarolinaGirl.sc $ Priceless $
 Contents
From The Editor 5
Commerical Real Estate - Renting In Today’s Market 11
Neighborhoods 13
Bunker Shot Perfection 16
Rings 18
Staycations - Discover Something Close To Home 19
Bags 20
Zodiac 22
Moving Beyond Your Divorce 23
Hair 24
Beds 26
Earrings 28
Lamps 30
10 Reasons To Plant Trees...Now! 31
Weddings 32
How To Set A Table 33
Clemson 34
Shoes 36
Necklaces 38
How To Make Grits 40
Collages 42
About North Charleston 43
Cars 44
Dogs 46
Time To Refinace or Buy!? 47
Food 48
Can You Find The Gorget? 49
USC 52
A One Tank Trip 51
South Carolina Wedding & Event Planners: Career Outlook 53
Carolina Girl Gear 57
Health Dangers of Losing Weight To Fast 58

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 3

From The Editor
Buy Local
Promoting local business is as simple as having other company’s
business cards or brochures posted on a board in your store. In an
effort to promote your area, we are distributing decals that say “Check
us out at www.CarolinaGirl.sc,” in hopes that local shoppers will visit the
site to find local restaurants, clothing, specials, coupons and more. We
are doing our part, so please join us, and promote your local merchants,
and everyone will benefit!

Top Ten reasons to Think Local

Buy Local - Be Local – Help Local Businesses

1. Buy Local -- Support yourself and Lexington. Many studies have

revealed when you buy from an independent, locally owned business in
the your own area, rather than a nationally owned businesses,
considerably more of your money is used to make purchases from other
local businesses. Local businesses continue to strengthen the economic
base of the local community. These include case studies showing that
local owned businesses generate a premium in enhanced
economic impact to the community and our tax base.

2.Support Local Area Community Groups:

Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from
smaller Lexington area business owners than they do from large
companies.

3. Keep Your Area Unique: Where we shop, where we eat and

have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind local
businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character. Local tourism
businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally
seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not
just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation
Trust.

4. Reduce Environmental Impact: Locally owned businesses

in your area can make more local purchases requiring less
transportation. This generally means contributing less to sprawl,
congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

5. Create Additional Jobs: Small local businesses are the

largest employer nationally and in the community, provide the most jobs
to local residents.

6. Receive Better Service: Local businesses often hire people

with a better understanding of the products and services they offer, and
take more time to get to know customers.
Cont. next page

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 5

 Visit www.Barter.sc
And See Why Business Owners
Love To Barter

Click & Point To Join

Carolina Barter Exchange Now!
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www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 6
From the editor
- Continued

7.invest in your Community: Local

businesses are owned by people who live in this
community, and they are less likely to leave, and are
more invested in the community’s future.

8. put your taxes to Good use: Local

businesses require a relatively little infrastructure
investment and make more efficient use of public
services as compared to nationally owned stores
entering your area.

9. Buy What you Want, not What BiG

advertisinG BudGets Want you to Buy:
A South Carolina marketplace comprised of tens
of thousands of small businesses is the best way
to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-
term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting
products and services based not on a national sales
plan but on their own interests and the needs of their
local customers, promises a much broader range of
product choices.

10. promote LoCaL prosperity: An esca-

lating body of economic research shows that in an
increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and
skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in
communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind busi-
nesses and distinctive character.

Larry Local
Editor in Chief
 o l i n a
C a r Girl
CeO
Dennis Stewart

EDITOR IN CHIEF
Larry Local

CReATIVe DIReCTOR
Daniel Holliday

ART DIReCTOR
Amy Coats

WeB DeVeLOPeRS
Allen Bayless
Matthew Coats

ACCOUNTING
Marie Bentley

ADMINISTRATION & MARKETING

Vivi Morillo
Angie Woods

carolina media

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SERVICES

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Copyright © 2009
Carolina Media Services. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without
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responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or
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 www.Golfing.sc
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Commercial
Real Estate
– Renting
in Today’s
Market
First make sure that the area
you have chosen is right for your
intended business. If you plan
on expanding, take that into
consideration. Do you need to be
close to an expressway, or the
local airport? Before you decide,
think ahead, because you may
be getting into a long term
commitment.
Make sure that any space you’re
considering is big enough for
both your current needs, and
your foreseeable growth. Be
realistic and never over-commit.
Do your homework beforehand.
Investigate traffic patterns; tour
the area and building. Find out
who the previous tenant was,
and why the business left. Learn
what kinds of marketing the
location does in support of its
tenants (if any) and whether co-
operative marketing funds are
available to you.
Weigh the benefits of guaranteed
foot traffic at a mall location
against premium rent. Some
malls require that all tenants
stay open during mall hours, and
pay for common area usage as
well as the store’s own space
and upkeep. Stores may also
be asked to pay a percentage of
sales to the mall.
Identify your closest competitors.
Also check out neighboring
businesses with an eye for
complementary products or
services. If you are locating in a
mall, check the lease agreement
for any guaranteed protection
against competition.
Evaluate whether the physical
location and space is a good fit
with your product line. Do you
need a large, bright space or is
an office warehouse sufficient?
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 11
Investigate any restrictions
on signage. Signs are vitally
important to retail businesses,
yet many landlords decide on
what a store can and cannot do.
The rules may be even stricter in
a mall, which closely monitors its
physical appearance.
Negotiate the terms of your
lease aggressively. Think
about consulting a realtor that
is familiar with the area. Never
accept wording that’s confusing
or that leaves you wondering
who is liable for what. Ask
for the right of first refusal on
adjacent space in case you need
to expand. Negotiate for free
improvements, free rent, and
other incentives before signing
your lease.
Hire a real estate attorney who
not only specializes in lease
negotiations, but knows your
area and, preferably, has dealt
with your kind of business
before. A lease negotiation can
cover tens, if not hundreds, of
terms, and you want someone in
your corner who has seen it all
before.
Know who is responsible
for maintaining the heating,
air-conditioning and other
systems, as well as keeping
up the parking lot and building
exterior. This can be critical in
older buildings. Who pays for the
utilities and trash pick-up?
The time has probably never
been better to start a new
venture if you have a business
that is not being adversely
affected by this economy. Just
make sure you get the right
location……
 www.LocalTraffic.sc
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www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 12

 neiGhBorhoods
1. Neighborhoods are where we all grew
up a long time ago. Today, because of
golf courses, shopping areas,
subdivisions, jobs, schools, and a
transient society, a neighborhood means
different things to different folks.

2. Neighborhoods can be as small as a

dozen or so houses, and be as many as
thousands of homes.

3. Neighborhoods are common, and

perhaps close to universal, since most
people in urbanized areas would
probably consider themselves to be living
in one.

4. Neighborhoods are convenient, and

always accessible, since you are already
in your neighborhood when you walk out
your door.

5. Successful neighborhood action

frequently requires little specialized
technical skill, and often little or no
money. Action may call for an investment
of time, but material costs are often low.

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 13

6. With neighborhood action, compared to
activity on larger scales, results are more
likely to be visible and quickly
forthcoming. The streets are generally
cleaner; the crosswalks are painted; the
trees are planted; a festival draws a crowd.

7. Visible and swift results are indicators of

success; and since success is reinforcing,
the probability of subsequent neighborhood
action is increased.

8. Because neighborhood action usually

involves others, such actions create or
strengthen connections and relationships
with other neighbors, leading in turn to a
variety of potentially positive effects, often
hard to predict.

9. Over and above these community

advantages, neighborhood activity may
simply be enjoyable and fun for those
taking part.

But in addition to these benefits,

considerable research indicates that strong
and cohesive neighborhoods and
communities are linked –quite possibly
causally linked – to decreases in crime,
better outcomes for children, and improved
physical and mental health. The social
support that a strong neighborhood may
provide can serve as a buffer against
various forms of adversity. Sometimes a
neighborhood isn’t a neighborhood until an
event occurs, which draws people together,
to become “neighbors”.

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 14

Bunker Shot
Perfection:
Blast Your
Way to a
Better Golf
Score
Bunker shots can be daunting
but it’s really all in your head!
Use these simple techniques the
next time you’re in the bunker
and blast your way to a better
score.
Golf ScoreFirst, don’t change
your swing. Use the loft of
the club and your back swing
to determine your distance.
Of course this will take some
practice so you know how to
shorten your backswing to get
the distance you need. You use
your back swing to adjust your
distance because you always
want to accelerate through
the ball. You never want to the
club head to decelerate. Also
of your feet.
open the club face if needed to
decrease the distance the ball
Keep the weight on your left foot
and don’t try to lift the ball, let the
will travel. club do the work; trust me the
club will lift the ball.
Use the “bounce” on the club to
launch the ball out of the sand. Hit about 1 inch behind the ball.
Don’t worry too much about the
definition of bounce but try this
The key is to get sand between
the club face and the ball. This is
the next time in the practice sand
trap. Take your sand wedge
where that bounce comes in to
play.
and swing at the sand. Vary the
Also, expect more roll on the ball
angle the club hits the sand.
when faced with a down hill lie
When you bring the club down
in the bunker because the ball
steeply you’ll take a lot of sand
won’t get as much spin and tend
and leave a large “divot” in the
to roll quite a bit.
sand. Decrease the angle that
you strike the sand until you Use and practice these
can feel the club almost bounce techniques to get yourself off
off the sand. Feeling that is the beach and onto the green.
more important than the actual For more helpful tips, advice,
definition of bounce. The key is or to add some Golf Tips and
to have this bounce feel when Suggestions of your own - you
hitting the ball out of the sand. are invited to visit the South
Carolina Golfers Blog at
Open the club face and aim
slightly right with an open stance www.Golf.sc/Blog/
with the ball forward in your
stance, slightly off of your left
heel for right handed golfers.
When you swing follow the line
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 16
Rich and rare were
the gems she wore,
And a bright gold
ring on her hand
she bore.
Thomas Moore
Staycations
– Discover
Something
Close to
Home
Because of the economy, and
the possibility of the return of
high gas prices, you may decide
to make this year summer a
stay at home vacation or as it is
now being called -- a staycation.
So you get on the internet and
search out some not so distant
and inexpensive attractions you
and your family can discover
and enjoy. The State of South
Carolina has hundreds of unique
and fascinating areas filled with
history, fun and enjoyment, that
there is sure to be something for
everyone in your family.
Here are some ideas:
Everyone has friends with
homes other places in
South Carolina.
The next time they go out of
town, offer them your services
to check their mail, keep the
dog, and house sit in a
different city. Not only are you
doing a favor, you are giving
yourself and your family the
opportunity to see another area
of the State, that you may never
have seen. This could be within
50 miles of where you live right
now and you’ll have enjoyed a
little staycation from your
everyday grind. Folks that live in
Greenville can go up in the Hills.
If you live near the water, ask a
friend that lives on the water, or
in a golf community.
Learn to
little.
experiment a
If you have never gone fishing,
try it. South Carolina has some
of the best fresh and salt water
fishing in the country. Have you
ever done any backpacking? The
hills in the western part of the
State are wonderful for all day or
half day backpacking
adventures. You can also
experiment by doing things like
surfing, canoeing, camping,
hunting, and even bird watching.
Try a Bed and Breakfast.
You may be surprised how much
you can learn by staying in a
B&B because the people running
the home generally love to share
their knowledge, and they are
never shy about telling you about
their experiences. This is
especially good in areas where
there is a lot of history. The B&B
may also have many tours lined
up for the residents, so you may
want to ask in advance.
Try going on tours.
The tour industry in South
Carolina is a very large industry,
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 19
and many of us would be
surprised to learn about some
of the history in the towns where
they live. Whether you go on a
ghost tour, or a plantation tour,
there will be something that you
can learn about our forefathers.
Take a trip to our
Capital, Columbia.
Whether or not the Government
is in session, you can learn a lot
about one of the first States in
the Union, and visit the
Museums, The Capital
Building, and the University of
South Carolina. You may be able
to catch a Football or Basketball
game with the Gamecocks.
No matter what you do, a
Staycation is still an opportunity
to be with your family and enjoy
some of the best restaurants
in the South. Whether you like
seafood or steak, South Carolina
has such a variety that you will
always be able to find a great
assortment of places to dine, for
reasonable prices.
She had the loaded
handbag of
someone who
camps out and
seldom goes home,
or who imagines
life must be full of
emergencies.
 Visit www.Weather.sc
To Get your Local & State Weather

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www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 21

 “We need not feel
ashamed of flirting with
the zodiac. The zodiac is
well worth flirting with.”

D.H. Lawrence
Moving
Beyond Your
Divorce
The most powerful stumbling
block to moving beyond a
divorce into a new life is the
inability to accept your new
reality. Acceptance is the
hardest part of the divorce
recovery process, and requires
total honesty, courage and the
willingness to let go of the life
that no longer exists. Without
that acceptance, we cannot
move forward and create a new
life.
How do you learn acceptance?
How do you move forward? How
long should it take? Should you
do it alone?
1) It’s about you.
One of the most powerful
lessons in your life is the
knowledge that you have control
over one person and one
person only…yourself. If you
are looking outside of yourself
to move forward, you won’t. You
can’t change, nor do you have
power anyone, but yourself. So
turn inward and do the work on
yourself and you will be able
to effect dramatic and positive
changes in your life.
Being a victim means giving
away all of your control and
power. If you continue to blame
someone else for your situation,
then you are powerless to do
anything about it because your
choice to absolve yourself of
any responsibility. So stop trying
to change your ex, this is about
YOU!
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 23
2) Get support.
If you think you can do this all
by yourself ,you may be in for a
big surprise. Getting support in
any challenging endeavor leads
to more success. Whether you
choose a divorce support group,
a therapist, a member of the
clergy or a Life Coach, just do
it. If you think that you have to
handle life’s challenges on your
own because somehow you
equate support with weakness, it
is not. It is the first step to move
onward with your life.
3) Feelings, facts and
interpretations.
The toughest part of a divorce is
to get through the initial stages of
a loss (assuming you believe it is
a loss) that includes denial, grief,
anger, depression and whatever
else you might be feeling early
in the divorce process. These
 Life is an
endless
struggle full
of frustrations
and
challenges,
but eventually
you find a hair
stylist you like.
 “The bed has
become a place
of luxury to me! I
would not
exchange it for all
the thrones in the
world”

Napoleon
Bonaparte
emotions are all natural and
necessary states that you may
experience. They are the norm
versus the exception. There
must be an ending before a
new beginning. Remember, that
there is a difference between
experiencing an emotional state.
Again, get support.
Next you may need help to
examine your situation, and
separate the facts from your
belief or interpretation, which
may not be reality.
4) Take responsibility for
your marriage, divorce and
life.
It is always easy to blame
someone else. Being honest
requires one to accept
something that they want to
believe is otherwise. You must
first set aside your ego, and look
at your life for what it actually is,
and not what you wanted it to be.
This is the only way to accept
full responsibility for your life.
Responsibility is power and the
freedom to choose what you,
granting you the power to take
control of you new life.
5) Learn forgiveness.
It may take time, but you
will learn to forgive. You will
eventually forgive your ex,
his relatives and friends, and
more importantly, yourself.
Forgiveness will take a big load
off your shoulders, and allow you
to use your energy for positive
things. This does not mean that
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 27
you condone bad behavior, it
simply means you forgive. If you
separate the person from the
behavior it becomes much easier
to forgive.
6) Make your own
conscious decisions.
Making your own conscious
decisions based in free choice
means that you are not letting
your past, or your emotional
wounds, or your interpretations
of reality, or others, control your
new life. Conscious living allows
for incredible freedom and the
ability to create extraordinary
changes in your new life.
And I put a jewel
on thy forehead,
and earrings in
thine ears, and a
beautiful crown
upon thine head.
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 29
Be a lamp
unto
yourself.
Buddha
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 31
 I would rather
share one lifetime
with you than face
all the Ages of this
world alone

Arwen
(Fellowship of The Ring, 2001)
hoW to set a
taBLe
As a lady of the Carolina’s, small
shows of simple grace and
etiquette should become as
second nature to you. Now, this
isn’t saying that you have to run
out immediately and have
visiting cards printed, or go buy a
sterling silver tea set, but
having knowledge of little things
like place settings means a lot to
locals and ultimately, shows that
you truly care for and respect the
civility which is the heart of South
Carolina.
Even at an informal dinner, it’s a
good idea to create a
centerpiece. This can be a
week-long labor of love or, in
most cases, a small
setting thrown together about
five minutes before the guests
arrive. A few snippings from the
juniper tree for frilly greenery
and aromatic scent, a handful of
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 33
flowers arranged in a low bowl or
small vase, a couple
strategically placed pieces of
fruit and a candle or two and
your centerpiece is complete. A
bouquet of flowers from the local
florist or, better yet, a nearby
farm, would also work, but no
matter what, the point is that you
have one. Another little pointer:
don’t make the centerpiece taller
than eye level. Guests would
like to be able to see each other
when they speak and it could
mess up a lovely arrangement if
you’re having to part the
sunflowers every time you want
to ask a question.
As for your silverware, if you
have sterling silver, use it.
Even, and especially, if it’s your
great grandmother’s set that’s
been passed down for
generations. She never intended
for you to keep it wrapped up
in crumbling bags of velvet.
Silverware and formal china,
however pretty and expensive,
were meant to be used and this
When Clemson
players rub that
rock and run
down the hill,
its the most
exciting 25
seconds in
college
football.
 Visit www.Jobs.sc
To Find Your Dream Job!

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Jobs Now!
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www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 35

 Shoes are like friends,
you can never have too many!
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 36
is a great time to show them off. the top of the dinner plate, with
Even if you don’t have formal the tines of the fork facing right
silverware, though, the point is to and the bowl of the spoon facing
have the place settings left. Napkins should be folded
properly arranged and in the either as simply or ornately as
end, no one will really care what you like, and placed in the center
the silverware looked like as long of the dinner plate. Glasses are
as there’s plenty of food and also placed an inch above the
wine. knives and in order of use
starting from the far right: white
With the dinner plate as the wine, red wine, dessert wine and
center, silverware should be water tumbler. Dinner should
placed in line, an inch from the be served from the kitchen and
edge of the table, and arranged ideally, placed on each diner’s
from the outside – in, in order plate by the server/host instead
of use. On the right, salad fork of passing bowls and dishes
(smaller fork), appetizer utensil around.
(or another small fork or none at
all if you aren’t having an If it is Thanksgiving at
appetizer between salad, soup Grandma’s, none of the above
and dinner), then dinner fork applies.
(your biggest fork) closest to the
plate. On the left, soup spoon,
spreading knife for the bread and
the dinner knife closest to the
plate. Be sure to turn the blade
of the knives toward the plate,
as an outwardly turned knife is
a symbol of aggression toward
the other diners (don’t you love
these quaint little old world
idiosyncrasies?). The dessert
fork and spoon for after dinner
tea or coffee should go across

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 37

 “My husband gave me a
necklace. It’s fake. I
requested fake. Maybe
I’m paranoid, but in this
day and age, I don’t want
something around my
neck that’s worth more
than my head.”

Rita Rudner
 www.News.sc
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www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 39


How
to make
grits
By now, you should know that
grits are not only the starch of
choice in South Carolina, it’s also
the acronym for “Girls Raised in
the South”; so if you don’t have
your recipe down by now, it’s
time to get boiling.
Proper grits do not come in an
easy to open, plastic-lined paper
packet. As My Cousin Vinny put
it, “Real grits take at least 20
minutes to cook”. In fact, they
take a couple hours, but it’s
worth every simmering second.
So get rid of the Quaker Instant
Grits and mosey on down to the
rice isle. Grits can usually be
found either here or in the
baking isle. If you’re lucky
enough to live near a locally
produce market or farmer’s
market, 99% of the time you’ll
find more than enough grits
in stock. Some local favorites
include Anson Mills grits and
Charleston’s Favorite Stone
Ground Grits.
Now that you have the dry
goods, make sure you have
some fresh chicken stock, milk,
cream and butter. Oh yes, you’re
making these the way God
intended.
Measure out your dry grits (1
cup of dry grits makes roughly
2 servings) and clean them by
placing them in a bowl and
filling the bowl with water until
the water is an inch or so above
the grits. Skim off the chaff and
drain. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have
to be completely dry, just get it
as close as possible. Now, dump
the wet grits into a pot and pour
in twice as much chicken stock
as grits. Bring this to a boil, then
reduce to medium-low. Now add
equal portions cream and milk
up to 2 and ½ times the amount
of grits. So, if I was making this
recipe for two, I would have used
1 cup dry grits, 2 ½ cups chicken
stock, 1 ¾ cups cream and 1 ¾
cups milk. Add salt and pepper to
taste, then sit back and let it
simmer. The longer the grits
simmer, the richer they’ll be.
Typical time is 20-30 minutes,
but some of the best grits sit for
an hour to two hours at low to
medium-low heat, just soaking
up that cream and milk. Right
before you serve the grits up, stir
in a healthy pat of butter and, if
you’re feeling a little wild, grate a
handful of parmesan or cheddar
cheese over the top.
Play with and perfect this dish
to your liking. The recipe is
purposefully simple for the sole
reason that it’s up to each
southern girl to come up with her
own special twist on this
Southern Classic.
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 41
 The things taught in schools and
colleges are not an education, but
the means to an education.
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 42
aBout
north CharLeston
The city of North Charleston sits on the boarder of
Charleston and Dorchester counties. North
Charleston’s has almost quadrupled in population
since it’s conception on June 12, 1972,
encompassing over 73 square miles. With a
population of over 85,000, North Charleston is the
third largest city in South Carolina.
Until the Civil War, what is now North Charleston,
consisted of primarily of plantations. The turn of
the 20th century brought a boom of industry to the
North Area, with the opening of E.P. Burton Lumber
Company and the Navy Shipyard. In 1912, a group
of Charleston business men laid out the Park Circle
area. Much of Park Circle still adheres to the original
1912 plan.
This thriving city is home to the North Charleston
Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, & Convention
Center. This complex is home to the South Carolina
Stingrays, an ECHL minor league hockey team,
and is a major hub of cultural events and
conventions for the Tri-county area.
North Charleston’s climate has resulted in some of
the most beautiful communities in the area.
Several major developers have entered the
market over the past several years with a huge
selection of new housing. With exceptional
choices for the first time buyer, to top executive
homes and homesites, these sprawling
neighborhoods offer a wide range of amenities
including golf, fishing, tennis, playgrounds, nearby
schools, day care, shopping, dining and
recreational opportunities. As part of the area’s
boom, many developers have integrated
fitness centers and jogging trails into the
communities. Parks and Community centers also
add to the beauty of these carefully planned
neighborhoods.
North Charleston is home to several highly
acclaimed “magnet” schools, including
Garrett Academy of Technology, Charleston
County School of the Arts, and The Academic
Magnet High School. The city is also home to
many well know colleges inclueding, Trident
Technical College and Charleston Southern
University.
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 43
If all the cars
in America
were placed
end to end on
a long hill,
some fool
would try to
pass them
My goal in
life is to be
as good of
a person
my dog
already
thinks
I am.

time to
reFinanCe
or
Buy !?
Right now, mortgage rates are
at their lowest level since 1971.
Think about that. Twenty-five
years ago, homeowners were
paying as much as 18% on a
30-year fixed. Today it’s just
a little over 5%.Combine that
rate with the tax advantages of
a mortgage, and you have an
incredibly cheap way to build
wealth, but you better act now.
Real estate guru Barbara
Corcoran has already seen a
tremendous surge in refinance
applications – more than triple
the average – and the number
of people getting approved is
astronomically higher as well,
she says. But that doesn’t mean
the low rates are a panacea for
the ills of the housing market. It
is only once home prices start
to go up that we will finally see
a light at the end of tunnel,
Corcoran says. Until that
happens, we are still going to
have to crawl out of this mess.
“[Low interest rates are] a not a
lifesaver,” Corcoran says. “This
is just a helping hand.”
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 47
David Kittle, chairman of the
Mortgage Bankers Association,
has this advice to homeowners
looking to refinance: Do it. Don’t
get greedy searching for another
quarter-point. Lock in rates
now. He is seeing applications
soar over 125% just since
Thanksgiving due to the low
rates.
Of course, you should only
refinance if it saves you at least
3/8 on the rate and if you plan on
staying in your home for at least
four years, Kittle says. Along
with good credit, proof of income
and money by means of a down
payment or equity in the home,
there are certain things every
homeowner needs regardless of
interest rate levels.
 Food is our
common ground, a
universal
experience.
James Beard
Can you find
the gorget?
The South Carolina State flag
is immediately recognizable
to native Carolinians, and if
you’re spending some time
out-of-State, it will probably
bring a tear to your eye to see it
whizzing by on a bumper sticker
or rippling in the soft blue sky
of a native license plate. Most
folks, however, consistently
confuse our flag for a simple
representation of a moonlit palm
tree. The truth it, the sliver of
crescent suspended in the upper
left hand corner is not a moon
phase: it’s a piece of ornamental
armour known as a “gorget”.
A holdover from the days of
knights in shining armour, the
gorget was originally used to
protect the throat and block
blows from non-projectile
weapons such as swords. Since
the gorget originally rested
around the throat, the shape
was that of a crescent. In formal
armour, the gorget was placed
beneath the breastplate and
backplate set and supported
the weight of the armour. They
were often equipped with
straps in order to attach some
of the heavier armours. By the
Renaissance, the gorgets had
already achieved an ornamental
status and by the American
Revolution, it could be seen
hanging from delicate chains and
ribbons around the throats of
officers, signifying their rank.
The first South Carolina flag,
designed in 1765, displayed the
dark blue of the American troops’
uniforms and a large crescent
with the word “Liberty” written
within it. While most historians
agree that the crescent is the
representation of the gorget,
which was also worn as a
symbol on the caps of American
soldiers, there is some argument
that the symbol could also stand
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 49
for the river bend on which
Charleston sits (the crescent
was a common symbol used by
early American settlements when
their Town rested on the curve
of a river), or it was a borrowed
symbol from the crest of the Bull
family, one of Charleston’s early
settlers.
The palmetto tree on today’s
flag was not included until
January 28, 1861, the day of
South Carolina’s secession
from the Union. The palmetto
tree represents the defense of
Fort Moultrie from British attack,
as the Fort itself was made of
palmetto logs: an unexpectedly
brilliant construction, as the
logs of the palmetto tree are
incredibly resilient and absorbed
the enemy cannon fire like a
sponge.
Either way we have a pretty cool
state flag, and gorget is hard to
pronounce!
Do You
Feel
Cocky?
A One Tank
Trip
Got the vacation blues?
South Carolina abounds with
destinations you can visit on one
tank of gas…trips that showcase
the Palmetto State’s beauty
without busting your budget.
What a rich, exotic place South
Carolina is. One of the original
American Colonies, the state has
an abundance of historical sites
that bring our nation’s past to
vivid life. The outdoors lover can
enjoy a variety of activities such
as kayaking, hiking, saltwater
fishing, even scuba diving in
the company of alligators. The
state’s culture has been shaped
by its European, African and
Caribbean settlers, as evidenced
especially by the food, which is
some of the most delicious we’ll
ever have the pleasure of eating.
Aiken
Do you like horses, the City
of Aiken is your destination.
Explore the Thoroughbred Hall
of Fame & Racing Museum; the
facility presents the history of
thoroughbred racing, spanning
more than a century. Admission
is free. Also in Aiken, is the
DuPont Planetarium, located
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 51
on the grounds of the University
of South Carolina. The 30-foot
dome has fully-automated, state-
of-the-art projection systems;
an observatory is also on hand,
featuring a variety of powerful
telescopes for stargazing
purposes. Downtown Aiken is
filled with southern charm. The
restaurants, antique shops, and
local stores will fill anyone’s
afternoon.
Greenwood
Continuing on your trip and take
Highway 19 towards Greenwood.
On the way you will pass by
the Ninety-Six National Historic
Site, where two battles of the
Revolutionary War were fought
and where settlers braved harsh
winters and Indians to stake
their claim. Now, visitors can
experience it for themselves in
the original Star Fort, built in
1781, the Stockade Fort and
siege trenches, or by strolling
through the original town sites
of Cambridge and Ninety-Six.
This historic site is a fascinating
look at the way things were when
our nation was in its infancy.
Well worth the time to explore!
Get back on Highway 19, and
continue on to the US-25 which
leads you to Greenwood. This
town, with its fresh air and
sunny skies is a great place
to pull over and enjoy some of
the many outdoor activities to
be found here. The Heritage
Trail is a 2-mile paved path,
perfect for walking, jogging, or
biking. Lake Greenwood is a
fine place to break out the rod
and reel and try your luck with
the catch of the day. By night,
you can dine at any one of the
myriad of fine restaurants, which
showcase cuisines from Europe,
the Caribbean, or good old-
fashioned American steak and
potatoes.
Clemson
Get back on the US-25, and
merge with the US-178 to
Clemson. (Thirty miles later
via the US-123 and you are in
Greenville). Both cities offer
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 53
more opportunities for fishing,
golfing and fine dining. In
Clemson, you should take a day
to enjoy the natural wonders
of Paris Mountain, with its
1200-acre grounds, majestic,
monument-like peak, and the
Sulphur Springs hiking trail which
makes for an excellent workout.
Truly, South Carolina offers
visitors a chance to enjoy the
modern age while giving us a
glimpse into our nation’s past;
it’s the perfect place to enjoy the
best of all possible worlds for just
One Tank of Gas!
South
Carolina
Wedding &
Event
Planners:
Career
Outlook
Can you imagine a more
exciting career than being the
person who helps to plan a
couple’s happiest day together
and makes them lasting
memories for the rest of their
life? Or planning a Corporate
Event for some of the largest
companies in South Carolina.
The best part is you are creating
an event that you do not have to
pay for. If you are interested in
a career as a wedding or event
planner, read on to discover
general description, educational
requirements, and your job
outlook information.
Wedding and Event
Planner Job Description
Wedding or Event planners, as
the name implies, handle many
or all of the details of setting up
a wedding or other event from
coordinating the caterers to
directing the dinners. The term
wedding planner is a
classification of how involved the
person is with their clients’
wedding. There are two other
classifications which are
wedding consultants and
wedding directors.
Wedding consultants allow
couples to plan the wedding and
offer only their advice and
expertise. Wedding planners
oversee and are responsible for
much of the work of the wedding
from beginning to end, but the
couple is still involved. Wedding
directors take care of the entire
wedding event, which affords the
couple getting married to only
focus on getting married.
Wedding directors sometimes
usually attend the wedding to
make sure the day goes exactly
as planned. If it rains on the day
of an outdoor wedding, the
wedding director will have an
alternate plan already in place.
Wedding planners, specifically,
perform a variety of tasks. They
make appointments with clients
and vendors, provide gown
options, provide wedding theme
options, and plan for the
unforeseen among other things.
The business side of wedding
planning involves staying within
www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 54
your budget, and making sure
the vendors get paid. Wedding
planners who handle all aspects
of the event are mostly
self-employed working both
part-time and full-time. However,
special event centers,
wineries, hotels, and other
hospitality facilities also offer
employment opportunities.
Wedding planners must also
write contracts and be efficient
marketers of their business. The
best wedding planner in South
Carolina must get their name
known, and can only handle a
certain amount of weddings in
any given time.
An event planner does the
same basic tasks as the
wedding planner, but the event
will dictate what is different. A
big corporate event may require
several sound and video
systems. A golf tournament may
require many sponsors being
adequately recognized.
Whatever the event, having
alternative plans when things go
not as planned is the mark of a
good planner. This means that
you must have a long list of
suppliers and people in the
service industries that can
stand in when problems arise.

Educational Requirements
for Wedding & Event
Planners

There are no federal, state, or

local laws requiring wedding or
event planners to have
anything other than a business
license. Very few
colleges/universities offer
degrees or certificates in
wedding and planning. Online
schools offer training; however,
carefully research the online
school prior to paying any fees
or signing up for classes. The
best schooling is the College
of OJT ( On the Job Training).
Working for a wedding or event
planner and learning from the
ground up is the only way to
truly learn the business.
Certification is increasingly
becoming sought after because
clients want to make sure their
special day is handled by a
professional.

Job Outlook for

Wedding & Event Planners

Wedding and event planning

in South Carolina is a growing
field with more and more
opportunities. Creating a
profitable business is a slow
process. Attracting clientele
takes time, but there is always
plenty of work for good
planners.

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 55

 Visit www.Classifieds.sc
Buy & Sell Stuff For Free!

Click & Point To List

Your Classifieds For Free!

A proud member of www.Only.sc which includes:

www.Radio.sc
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Contact your www.Only.sc Representative today to be a part of www.Classifieds.sc.

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(843)760-0002 Fax:(843)760-0003 Info@Classifieds.sc

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 56

Get Your
Carolina
Girl
Gear!
Health Weakened Immune System burning machine instead of a fat
burning machine. Since the body

Dangers Without the proper nutrients,

your body’s immune system will
needs fuel to survive, it is more
likely to turn to the easier source

Of Losing
be weakened. You will find that of energy – your muscles –
you aren’t able to fight off minor before it turns to your fat cells.

Weight Too
infections or colds. Your body As you lose muscle, your
needs fuel in order to keep itself metabolism goes down, causing

Fast
When you want to lose weight,
you do not want to lose the
weight as quickly as you can.
Many women have tried to lose
too much weight too fast, only to
have to resort to fad diets and
other dangerous methods of
dieting. And while you may
reach you goal as far as the
amount of weight loss, you
probably didn’t realize that you
could be harming your body at
the same time. Losing weight
too quickly is just as bad for your
body as having the extra pounds
in the first place. There are
several problems that could
occur by shedding more than
one to two pounds per week.
strong and to keep the white
blood cell production up. You
also need the right nutrition in
order to keep your skin cells
intact. When they aren’t as
strong, they can’t fend off germ
attackers as well. And this takes
more than just a good
supplement – it takes real food.
Slower Metabolism
As you lose weight too quickly,
you will also notice that when
you regain the weight, you end
up gaining more than you lost.
This is due to the fact that you
turned your body into a muscle
your body to need even fewer
calories to survive. When you
lose enough muscle, your
metabolism can be so slow that
any time you eat, you will be
gaining weight – and it will be in
the form of fat, making you even
flabbier than you were before
you dieted.
Malnourishment
When you limit the type of foods
and the amounts of foods that
you eat, you are limiting the
amount of nutrients your body
can take in. Even taking a
vitamin supplement is not

Dehydration

In many fad diets, you are

restricting the foods that you eat.
Some diets limit the
carbohydrates that you eat. In
doing do, your body excretes
water, which makes it seem like
you are losing weight. But even
if you were to replace this water,
your body would be heading into
an improper electrolyte balance.
Dehydration can lead to
headaches, fatigue, dizziness,
and even fainting. In extreme
cases, you might also have
troubles with your heart
function. When you are on a
diet that contains anything that
causes you to lose water weight,
you are harming your body.
enough to bolster your body’s
supplies. You need to make sure
you are eating a balances diet
that contains foods from all of
the major food groups – proteins
or meats, dairy, vegetables,
whole grains, and fruits. This will
ensure that your body is getting
what it needs.

Weight Gain

When you starve yourself or you

lose weight too quickly, you’re
bound to become hungry again.
And since you probably lost the
weight on an extreme diet, you
will eventually regain the weight
that you lost. Why is that? When
you lose weight too quickly,
you aren’t necessarily learning
how to properly feed your body
for the long term. This process
results in a short term gain, but
none of your bad habits have
changed. In addition, you will
find that your body realizes that
it has lost weight too quickly,
so it tries to make you hungry
enough to eat more and more
until you have regained the
weight.

Stretch Marks

Though stretch marks are not

the most important thing that
happens when you lose weight
too quickly, they can be very
troublesome. When you lose
weight, your body can not keep
up with the shrinking parts of
your body, thus you see stretch
marks. These are generally
found on the hips, breasts, and
stomach in women. And the bad
news is that these stretch marks
never completely disappear,
though they can fade with time.

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 59

 Final Words

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.

Coco Chanel (1883-1971)

www.CarolinaGirl.sc Online Magazine | 2009 60