Local Information

When searching for the perfect place to make a home, many buyers want to know where the best schools in Charleston are located. Whether you have children or work as a teacher/staff member – or whether you simply want the quality of schools to help with future resale value of your home – know that Charleston has wonderful public and private schools throughout. Two great areas to start your search will be Mount Pleasant and James Island. According to SchoolDigger.com, here is how the Mount Pleasant and James Island area schools ranked in 2012:

Mount Pleasant real estate: This community has many master planned neighborhoods which include amenities such as pools, walking trails, tennis, golf, play parks, grocery stores, shops, and even schools inside the

Here are a few places to get out of the cold with a friend. Charleston, SC has an array of professional theatrical productions for you to choose from:

• Boeing-Boeing: March 8, 9, 13-16, 20-23 at 7:30 PM. Also March 10, 17, 24 at 3 PM. It's the swinging 1960s and in Paris, an American playboy is juggling love affairs with three stewardesses – one from TWA, one from Lufthansa, and one from Air France. When all three unexpectedly turn up at his apartment on the same night, the comic fireworks begin. $22.50-$53.50, Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church Street in Downtown Charleston
• You're the One That I Want!: March 7 at 7 PM; March 8, 2 at 7 PM; March 9 at 2 PM. This 1950s rock and roll revue features favorite songs from the era. $34/adult, $31/seniors and

The annual BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival is coming up on February 28 and runs through March 3. This event celebrates Charleston’s excellence in the culinary arts and also benefits scholarship programs for the hospitality and culinary workplace. Visit charlestonwineandfood.com to purchase tickets and to get more details on each event. Here are just a few events to kick off the celebration:

• Adam Perry Lang, Daisy Mae's BBQ USA: Sat., March 2, from 3:30 to 4:15 PM, Chef Lang will offer fresh made samples paired with Avalon wines. Charleston Wine and Food Festival Culinary Village, 329 Meeting Street, Downtown
• Hank's Seafood and Peninsula Grill Cookbook Signing: Sat., March 2, from 11 AM to 2 PM, join Peninsula Grill Executive Chef Graham

We are extremely lucky in Charleston, South Carolina to be able to enjoy outdoor activities throughout the year. Here are a few options to entice you and your family to get outdoors this winter:

• Swamp Nature Hike: On Saturday, Feb. 23, at 10 AM, the Sewee Visitor Center is offering a free event. You can join guides for a hike along the rice dikes to discover what lives within the aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Located in Awendaw at 5821 Hwy. 17 North. www.fws.gov/seweecenter/
• Camellia Walks: On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11 AM, Middleton Place is offering special guided tours that focus on camellias throughout the original gardens as well as the “new” camellia garden of the 1950s. These ongoing tours will take place through Feb. 23,

Are you up for a challenge and want to learn something new? Take a look at some of the upcoming classes Charleston, SC has to offer! Of course, there are infinite options, but these will help joggle your brain for what interests you:

• Sweetgrass Basket Workshop: On Saturday, Feb. 23, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, you can learn how to make a famous Charleston sweetgrass basket at the Charleston Museum. Price: $40/members, $45/non-members. The Charleston Museum is located at 360 Meeting Street in Downtown. www.charlestonmuseum.org
• Broadway Dance: These classes are ongoing and are taught by Broadway dancer Kirk Sprinkles. You’ll find instruction in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and hip-hop. These classes are geared toward all ages and ability levels. The

I hope your February is off to a good start! With Valentine’s Day in mind, we’ve included some ideas for significant others, family, and friends. Giving tickets to see a theatrical production is just the way to tell someone you want to spend a quality evening together. Charleston’s selection of plays is endless, but here are a few to consider:

• Our Town: Feb. 1–2, 7–9, and 14–16 at 8 PM. There are also matinees starting at 3 PM on Feb. 10 and 17. Price: $25/adults, $22/seniors, $15/students. This Pulitzer Prize winning drama spans the history of a small New Hamphire town. Set in a 1930’s theater, Wilder uses the actions of the stage manager to create the town of Grover’s Corner for the audience. Using minimal props, this three-act production is

Get in touch with your artistic side this winter! Since Charleston has a longstanding appreciation for the arts, you’ll find plenty of local events to choose from. Here are just a few:

• Easel on the Edge: Friday, Feb. 1, at 7 PM. Price: $50/couple. Bring a friend or significant other. Students will each paint separate canvases that combine to create a unique masterpiece. Located at The Grill on the Edge, 41 Center St., Folly Beach
• Charleston Symphony Orchestra presents Mozart and Mendelssohn, Young Geniuses: Friday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 PM, Price: $35, $20/student. Tragedy followed the composers featured on this program; however, both were prolific writers during their short lives. Both pieces featured in this concert were written early in their

The warm weather hasn’t stopped Charleston from the many oyster roasts we generally see this time of year! This list below is just a sampling of some of the ones coming up:

• Preservation Society Membership Oyster Roast: Saturday, Jan. 26, from 2-5 PM. Stroll the grounds and tour Fenwick Hall, a circa 1730 brick plantation house. Guests can also enjoy local oysters, chili, and hot dogs with all the fixings by Charleston Bay Gourmet. Daniel Island Grill will be serving beer and wine, and there will be live music by the V-Tones. Ticket price includes a one-year introductory membership to those new to Preservation Society. Fenwick Hall is located at 1709 River Road on Johns Island. www.preservationsociety.org
• Charleston Crab House Charity Oyster Roast:

It’s come to our attention that most of the entertainment options we post involve food. And what can we say? We at the Keadle Real Estate Group love to eat! Great locally owned restaurants may in fact be part of the reason we love living in Charleston, SC. In an effort to venture out of the food box, we have included below some activities coming up in the Charleston area involving something other than food and beverages. So, here are a few ways to stay entertained and out of a restaurant this new year:

• Comedy Festival 10th Anniversary: Jan. 16-19. Performers and comedy troupes from America's top comedy hotbeds including New York, D.C., Chicago, and Atlanta have been invited to perform during the 4-day event at several different city venues. Here’s

We hope you have a happy New Year! Here are 5 local events in Charleston to help you bring in the New Year in style:

• Barsa New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party: at Barsa Tapas Lounge; tickets are $25 before or $30 at the door; read more at http://barsacharleston.com/
• The Snyder Grand Ball: at the South Carolina Aquarium; this is the 12th annual event for this ball; tickets are $135 per person; http://www.snydergrandball.com/
• Mercury’s New Year’s Eve: at Mercury Bar in downtown Charleston; tickets are $30; http://events.postandcourier.com/charleston_sc/events/show/298217727-mercurys-new-years-eve
• Republic New Year’s Eve: located on King Street in downtown Charleston; $35 general admission; get tickets at