Your home should be a place of refuge from the stress of the outside world. It should be your cocoon, your nest, where you can relax and be yourself. But, sometimes who you are changes. That kitchen with the stenciled ivy border and the bedroom with the sponge painted accent wall that used to sing your heart’s song, the one that now sounds more like a dirge, and if it doesn’t, then maybe you just aren’t listening, because those walls are definitely crying, “It’s time for a change.” Even though we all know when we enter a space that makes us feel happy and comfortable, we aren’t all gifted to know how to create that space, but there is help, and where there is help there is hope.

The holidays include many things like décorating, shopping, parties and family meals. After all, a good meal can be the equivalent of saying, "I love you!" And, especially here in the South, what is a good party without good food? No need to fret if you’re already up to your eyeballs with things-to-do or not a natural in the kitchen. With the wide array of delicious epicurean products on the market, it’s easy to be a gourmet-on-the-go. These products can turn simple into stunning and difficult into delightful. Here’s a sampling of what we’re cooking:

There’s a lot of cleaning up to do at the Penn Center on St. Helena’s Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew’s blustery visit. Victoria Smalls, Director of Development and Marketing, says that the staff and volunteers are going all out because there is some awesome decorating and celebrating coming our way. As we transition from fall to winter, the Penn Center is moving forward to celebrate the past in the present. The mission remains steadfast, to promote and preserve the history and culture of the Sea Islands.

In the aftermath of a disaster such as Hurricane Matthew, there is an urge to hold loved ones a little tighter, reach out to friends and celebrate our blessings. As our community begins to pull together their homes with the holidays approaching, joy and decor is sure to flow. With that in mind, the Pink team reached out to the Branches design team for holiday decor inspiration. They took on the challenge, and making the best of circumstances, inspiration struck and they decided to utilize the abundance of wood and debris in creating a woodsy winterland that will have everyone in awe.

Sweater weather is officially here, and it’s time to build your sweater wardrobe. These versatile essentials are the comfort food of our wardrobes. There are the casual V-necks we curl up in at home to eat popcorn and binge watch Gilmore Girls. There are sweater coats we wear to work when we just can’t face that boring black blazer any more. And then there are sequined cardigans we wear to cocktail parties. There is a sweater for every occasion. Here are a few ways to put sweaters on the fashion menu this fall:

When I evacuated, I thought we’d return to life as usual. I had no idea I’d be driving down roads looking at giant trees fallen like soaked scattered matches. The destruction was shocking: neighborhoods underwater, boats sunk, docks destroyed and trees crashed through roofs where rain had fallen for days. Now, weeks later, debris still looms. Sides of roads are now home to the material sum of people’s lives, piled 10-feet high on both sides.

Mary Alice Monroe's newest novel, A Lowcountry Christmas, isn't your average love story. There's no childhood friend that reappears or a mysterious woman who moves into town, but instead the story of a family's love and their struggle to discover the strength of their family bond. There is no doubt this book will pull at your heartstrings and evoke a few happy tears.

There are always ways to update our wardrobes in a new season, especially in the fall. It’s always been the start of the fashion calendar.  And this year, there are lots of ways to put a new spin on the old standbys. So here’s a quick list of the basic must-haves to get you started. Take notes on these fabulous five fashion finds:

Fun Finds for Fall!

Most of the tourists have gone and Beaufort County is embraced by true Lowcountry folk, full-time residents and winter snowbirds. It’s our time to party after another long spring and summer of servicing our wonderful guests. Nothing beats the venue of an oyster roast. There’s complexity to the physiology and proper preparation of the oyster but there’s nothing complicated about the process or the people eating the meat of these succulent bivalves. The conversation is light, the attire is casual, the beer is cold, the consumption is messy and a community has come together!

All politics aside (completely impossible these days) I offer up three ideas—three luscious fruits—to move you toward better health, greater happiness and an organic chicken in every pot.
Just to remind you, lifestyle change is a step-by-step kind of thing. No one can do it for you, not even your next president. Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back. And that’s OK, because every day you can begin again, eating smarter, moving instead of sitting, mindfully releasing the stress and heebie-jeebies that come from watching the Hillary and Donald show.

Halloween isn't just for trick-or-treating, it's a great time to throw a bone-chilling party to gather friends and family for a fun night out. A Hallween party doesn't have to just be about the costumes, check out these recipes, games, products and music to keep your party rockin' all night!

In October 2015, more than a thousand people participated in the Pat Conroy at 70 Festival celebrating a milestone birthday and honoring the iconic southern writer in his hometown of Beaufort. The event was a once-in-a-lifetime gift to the community and to the author himself, who passed away from pancreatic cancer just months later. The immersive festival model proved to be so successful the organizers are continuing it as an annual event and now calling it the Pat Conroy Literary Festival. Under the leadership of Jonathan Haupt, director of the University of South Carolina Press and Conroy’s partner in the Story River Books fiction imprint, and in partnership with USCB professor of English and author Ellen Malphrus and Bonnie Hargrove, director of the USCB Center for the Arts, the inaugural Conroy Literary Festival will be held October 20–23. Details and the festival’s expansive lists of events, presenters, partners and sponsors can now be found at www.patconroyfestival.com.

Can you imagine a rainy day wedding with a rainbow appearing in the sky at the end?  A lucky bride and groom had that happen at their wedding in 2010 at beautiful Palmetto Bluff, and the wedding planner was none other than local girl Ashley Rhodes.  Although she doesn’t take credit for the rainbow, it is just an example of the fairy tale weddings Ashley has masterminded, as her website states “From Charleston to Savannah and everywhere in between.”

Our customers love: Our motto—”Life is too short to wear department store jewelry!” All of our items are made on site.

Our customers love: They know we are always there for them. Located in the heart of the south end of Hilton Head since 1983, our salon has built its reputation on being consistent and accommodating to our loyal clients, as well as those new to us.

Our guests love: That we offer all aspects of hair needs with an emphasis on hair color.

Our customers love: Being the most important person in the room—the focus is 100% on them. Also, they love us making their skin the absolute healthiest it can be. Our clients are always commenting on the major difference in their skin with regular facials. Like anything else, maintenance is important for aging skin. I was also featured in Pink for my waxing abilities, which we pride ourselves on making the client as comfortable as possible.

Our customers love: The time we dedicate to each of them! When a customer sits in our chair, we spend time on the consultation, making sure we understand completely what each person is looking for, whether it is their first visit or they have been with us for years. We believe that client education is important. We want to make sure our guests understand how to take care of the styles we have created with them, using the correct products and styling techniques. Education assures that their style will continue to satisfy their expectations.

Our customers love: Clients love that we have a Fast Fit Success Guarantee. We guarantee you will lose 3 to 9 inches of fat in 45 days! (That’s fast! And, many clients lose more than 3 to 9 inches in less than 45 days!) Our awesome clients also love our caring lipolysis technicians. Clients look forward to coming in for their relaxing and invigorating fat loss sessions.

It’s a total transformation, and it happened fast. Only months ago, Greg Luther of Bluffton made a decision to do something that would change so much about his life. What he did, is now being noticed by all who know him.

Ok ladies and gents...can we REALLY lose fat and inches by going to a spa like clinic versus a sweaty gym? That is the big question that I needed an answer for, so, I looked into some of the fun, interesting, and sometimes painful tools that are out there to help us with those stubborn areas.

The skinny on us: Established in 2016. My husband Michael and I opened Body By Design in 2016, with a desire to give people in Charleston the most up to date equipment available to help them achieve their body sculpting goals. We had a lot of choices when it came to which equipment we were going to offer, and after extensive research we truly believe that UltraShape delivers what is says and that it is much safer than freezing or heating the body to eliminate fat. This product is congruent with my philosophy that above all, we should not do harm to our bodies. I am a natural practitioner and feel very good about bringing this to friends here in the Lowcountry.

Our customers love: Our fun atmosphere and the way we listen! Clients know that we care.

Our customers love: The friendly welcoming atmosphere and personal service they receive. Transformation Medical is a combination of a primary care medical practice and medical spa that has all the tools to keep our clients feeling great and maintaining their youthful appearance.

Our customers love:  That we listen to them, instead of us doing all the talking. Only by listening can we understand and achieve their wishes, goals and desires. They also love our attention to details.

Our customers love:  Show your colors, Embrace your style, Love the beautiful you.

Our customers love: The ability to shop a “big city” selection in a small town atmosphere.
The skinny on us: Over the past 35 years, our family-owned business has established itself as an island landmark and was recently named “Small Business of the Year” by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.

Q: What are some of the most common questions patients have when they come to LUX?
A: The questions usually depend upon the patient’s age. Women in their 20s ask about lines in forehead and lip augmentation. 30 and 40 year old women become more concerned with 11 lines between the brows and enjoy playing with cheek as well as lip volume to get a desired look. Women in their 50s and 60s are less aware of volume loss than overall sag, particularly upper eye lid, brow and corners of the mouth. They say “I’m tired of people asking am I tired or sad.” Creases in the forehead and between the brow worry men more, but just as with women as they age, volumizing with filler also improves a man’s look. Logically the corrections I make with fillers and Botox or Dysport are directed to restore the patient’s natural volume and lift.

The skinny on us: Our mission is to be the premier choice for medical aesthetics and skin enrichment services, such as Botox, dermal fillers, CoolSculpting, laser hair removal, microneedling, and our newest procedure—microblading for the eyebrows! Co-owned by Frederick Weniger, MD of Weniger Plastic Surgery and Carmen Traywick, MD of May River Dermatology, LUX~ A Medical Spa has been voted by patients as the “Best Medical Spa” for the past two consecutive years since opening our doors in 2014.