Enjoy coffee with the Maestro

Have you heard Karen Bliznik yet?  She's the new First Chair Trumpet player for the CSO!  Maybe you've heard one of her solos with the orchestra this fall, or even better, maybe you've heard her with the other brass players perform at the Circular Church or maybe you even were able to hear one of the CSO Brass Ensemble concerts for the holidays.  If you did hear her at one of these performances then you already know what great things she's doing for the orchestra's sound.  If you haven't actually heard her yet, we've got a special treat for you.  She's agreed to play for us at the January 9th Coffee with the Maestro at 10 a.m.  This will be held at the Jessamine Room of the Gaillard Auditorium.  Don't miss this opportunity to get to know Karen and her trumpet.  She's dynamite, so the coffee will be dynamite, too!! 

Future coffees will be held as follows: 

• February 6 at 10 am at the Jessamine Room at the Gaillard
• March 13 at 10 am at the Charleston Public Library on Calhoun Street

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What lies beyond these gates?

Rounding the corner of East Bay and George, you may have been intrigued by a place called Maison du Pré. It is not one, but several houses whose ancient walls come right to the sidewalk. The only entry is a pair of tall wrought iron gates that offer glimpses of the courtyard within.

The gates are just the beginning. On entering the compound, wandering from house to house, many questions come to mind. Who built these Charleston single houses, plus the kitchen and carriage houses? How old are they? Were they always located on this plot of land, or were they moved from somewhere else?

Once Maison du Pré was selected as the CSOL’s 2009 Symphony Designer Showhouse, Carol Lou Yaeger and her committee delved a little deeper. When they heard the main house contained a “mortgage button,” they searched until they found it. Eyeing the kitchen house, they wondered how people got to the second floor before the main house was built. And then there’s the carriage house. It has a bricked-up doorway to the right of the present door and another in a powder room on the second floor. Why? Recently, an artist doing some work in the carriage house was certain he saw a ghost. Could it be, or was he simply caught up in the romantic atmosphere of this place?

During the past 20 years, while the property operated as a bed and breakfast, the owners kept albums to preserve memories of the recent past. Smiling faces look out from dozens of wedding and party pictures. Some are celebrities, famous actors and musicians who partied or stayed at Maison du Pré. One is of a famous cellist whose name will ring a bell. Another was a dashing leading man. Also, several of our CSOL members have attended parties or stayed at Maison du Pré and one of our favorite flautists has played in the music room.

Here is another story you may enjoy. One night, a young lady in the bridal suite was luxuriating in the claw foot tub while her beau perched on the side to take a picture. Unfortunately, the foot broke causing all that bubble bath to cascade down to the floor below. Did we mention this happened to be the lobby and it was the bed and breakfast’s opening night?

When the Symphony Designer Showhouse opens its doors on March 19th, many will come to see how our talented designers have transformed its rooms. Hopefully, they will also enjoy the many stories and mysteries a place like this contains.

Looking for our famous cookbook?

Did you know many merchants in the Charleston area carry our cookbook? Click here to get a complete list. You can also purchase a copy by clicking the picture below:

Discover Revels...A Positively Progressive Dinner

A highlight of the CSOL Revels program is sure to be its “Positively Progressive Dinner” on Saturday, January 24, 2009. Over the years, the downtown progressive dinner has been a crowd-pleaser, offering the opportunity to meet new people while having fun and financially supporting the CSOL. This year’s event starts with 5:30 cocktails in the home of Jim and Karen Wordsworth. You will want to see what they’ve done with the 2008 Symphony Designer Showhouse!  Along with great food and drinks, guests will enjoy music both inside and out. Then, they will move to one of ten beautiful homes for dinner, followed by dessert in the home of longtime Symphony supporters, Susan and Robert Rosen. The cost is $75 per person and seating is limited, so make your reservations well in advance. Send your check, payable to CSOL, Inc. to Lori DeFilippo at 15 John Galt Way, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464, or reserve your space online. For more information, call 843.971.9981.

Win a Car!

Purchase a $100 Sponsorship and you could own this stunning in our great car give-away. To see more details about this luxury Lexus GS450h, click here.

Travel to Italy...

Our "Under the Tuscan Sun" tour is slated for October 3 through October 13, 2009. Experience the culture, wine and food of Italy. Wander the hilltop streets of Montepulciano, explore the breathtaking art of Florence and the exquisite shops of Rome…sip delectable wines straight from the vineyard and cook with local chef and Italian native, Massimiliano Sarrocchi and his beautiful wife Natasha Herron, owners of Pane e Vino in downtown Charleston.

Your ten day journey includes one week of relaxing in your “home” – a gorgeous, renovated twelfth century farmhouse set amid vineyards and olive groves of the Tuscan hills. Enjoy cooking lessons, wine tastings, sipping cappuccino in Pienza, San Quirico, Siena and then finishing up in the magnificent city of Rome.

A $500 deposit is due by February 1st, 2009. You can also make your deposit for this wonderful tour through the Boutique shop on this website.

Celebrate Charleston's Maestro! Click for more details.

Be an Arts Advocate...

You can make a difference! Join the South Carolina Arts Commission for Arts Advocacy Day in Columbia on Tuesday, February 10 and talk to your legislators in person. You can even join them for lunch! For more information, contact info@arts.sc.gov