The lights go down. The play begins. The drama unfolds. You notice you’ve leaned forward in your seat, alert and engaged. The people around you are hushed and intent. This is the live performance experience the new Lean Ensemble Theater is bringing to the Lowcountry.

Buying a pair of shoes for a new fashion season is one of the best ways to instantly put some spring in your step.  Shoes can transform any outfit as fast as you can say - "Aah, what cute shoes!"

In the debut of opera at the Savannah Music Festival (SMF), Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves’ Savannah VOICE Festival has teamed up with SMF to produce two one-act works by famed opera composer Giacomo Puccini: Suor Angelica (a tragedy) and Gianni Schicchi (a comedy) from Il trittico. Sung in Italian with projected English translations, this lavish production will come to life in a virtual set designed and directed by Joachim Schamberger. This special co-production is in honor of Sherrill Milnes’ 80th birthday and will take place on opening weekend of the 2015 Savannah Music Festival. 

Our great room really lives up to the name—it’s nearly 30 feet long and 20 wide. There’s a large fireplace on one long wall; the other is all windows. How should we arrange the furniture in such a large space?

Have teens? Are they always hitting you up for money? The next time they come sweetly beseeching you for cash, place this book, The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens: 8 Steps to Having More Money Than Your Parents Ever Dreamed Of, in their hands. These financially savvy authors, creators of the award-winning site Fool, came up with this hip, funny and right-on book. Unlike their other great reads, though, this one is geared to teens.

Elena Rosemond-Hoerr is a photographer, cookbook author, and Southern food writer. A native of Durham, N.C., Elena created her food blog Biscuits and Such (biscuitsandsuch.com) to celebrate the unique food culture of the American South. She currently lives in Wilmington, N.C., with her husband and pups. 

“Attitude is contagious, so make certain that yours conveys a love of healthy food, the ability to choose food wisely and pleasure in mealtime ritual.” 

—From The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution

This is an easy sewing project perfect for this time of year. It repurposes used dryer sheets to make pretty sachets in which to fill your drawers and closets. These sachets will fill your home with the delightful aromas to match the freshness of spring. Perfect as gifts, this quick project can be made in assembly line style. Just sew, fill, staple and tag!

As a new season slowly begins to peek out from the chill and the daffodils and closets get prepared for sunnier days, it’s time to separate the classics from the trends. Think about new ways to take those basic pieces that we return to year after year and mix them up for a whole new lease on fashion life.

Spring is here. So we didn’t spend a long, sub-zero winter shoveling show (Isn’t that what so many left behind?) or grumbling over heating bills. But that shouldn’t stop us from celebrating the season when flowers bloom, days get longer and the resort area we call home is just weeks away from hitting its summer stride.

Dealing with death—your own, a loved one’s, the death of a child— is a required course at the University of Wellness, Ballet and Refrigeration.
No one gets out of here alive. This we know. What we don’t know is everything else. Death is the biggest mystery of all, leaving many of us clueless when it comes to comforting someone who’s lost a loved one.

Large, charitable events, often on limited budgets, require immense creativity and collaboration to achieve their fundraising objectives.  The upcoming Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton (BGCB) biennial gala, Reach for the Stars, at Belfair on May 9, is a shining example of this challenge.

The classic wrap dress—a vintage favorite—was introduced by Diane Von Furstenberg in 1972.

Susan Boyer likes to say she grew up wanting to be like Nancy Drew. And that day has certainly arrived.  Now a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author, Boyer’s lifelong love for mysteries and solving puzzles has evolved into her distinctive series of Liz Talbot novels.

Red and green peppers dancing up a lattice in a wooden box. A terra cotta pot bursting with ripe, juicy tomatoes. Small clay pots sprinkled with budding pole bean plants. All of these and more are examples of the wonderful art known as vegetable container gardening. And the diversity and simplicity of this much loved practice is what makes it enticing to everyone from master gardeners to those with just a hint of a green thumb.

Are you looking for a new and totally different adventure? If so, this is the destination for you! A little off the beaten path and just a short road trip away lies the Ashantilly Center in Darien, Ga. As you drive onto the 18-acre property, you can’t help but feel transported into another era. Ashantilly was built circa 1820 and was the mainland residence of prominent antebellum planter Thomas Spalding. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1937 and has been somewhat restored by William G. Haynes Jr., its last private owner.

It’s a common scene at any daycare, playground or birthday party: a crying child clinging to a parent who is desperately trying to convince the child to let go and join the fun. Almost all children have some aspect of separation anxiety during the first six years of life. Separation anxiety should not be feared or even wished away, as it is the most obvious and identifiable sign of your child’s love and trust in you.

In January 2010, Mandy Hale found herself divorced and single at the age of 30. Ready to begin her life again, she found herself in a sea of advice...for finding a man. But, what if she wasn't necessarily ready to find a man?

With Valentine’s Day on your mind, not to mention your lips and hips, it’s a good time to take to heart four strategies you can embrace—starting today—to make your ticker stronger and last longer.

Thinking about taking a little vacation and escaping to the warmth of a tropical locale? Then get set for a few packing tips from one of the most famous fashion jet setters of all—Rachel Zoe.

My life changed radically 21 years ago, when I broke my self-imposed gag order and told the whole world about my struggle with a debilitating spending problem. I had no idea at the time that this would be one of the smartest things I could ever do. By telling my story and owning up to my problem, I became accountable.

Most women can remember the moment well. As girls, we stood in a dressing room, surrounded by dresses in a rainbow of colors. Some with sparkles, crystals or maybe beading. Others had full skirts that rustled when we touched them. We picked one off its hanger and stepped into it, shimmying it into place. We asked our mom to come in and zip it up. Then, we turned around and faced the mirror.
It was perfect. We had found our prom dress.

Our living room is fairly large but narrow, so the sofa can only go against one wall, which leaves the room open to the entry hall through a wide arch. How can I make it feel self-contained and cozy, not wide-open and breezy?

To recover on any personal injury claim against a third party you have to prove negligence and that the at-fault party’s negligence caused your injuries. There are four basic elements of negligence, all of which must be proven if the claim is unable to be settled and goes to trial: presence of a duty of care; breach of that duty; that the breach of the duty directly caused the injuries; and proving the nature and extent of the injuries or damages.

Women are great at multitasking! Our families depend on us to do many different jobs. Our parents ask for our knowledge, our children need guidance, and our husbands get our opinion, whether they want it or not! Thus, you are the gatekeeper of your family’s health.

Money and finance were “taboo” topics of conversation in my family when I was growing up; we lived with a “those who have it shouldn’t talk about it” mentality. In college, I was amazed to discover that other students had their own checking accounts, and I was totally shocked by my future husband’s family’s openness about financial matters. Still, this was the very beginning of a journey that eventually ended with an MBA in finance, a CFP® certification and a lifelong commitment to financial planning, especially concerning those issues specific to women. Our culture puts a premium on financial success and security, but often, for women, withholds the opportunity, exposure and experience required to become fluent in financial language and comfortable interacting in the world of investments. Women on their own face some daunting cultural and circumstantial challenges. 

Sometimes getting your life in order involves the often painful process of ending relationships, in particular a marriage. Issues involving money, expectations, lack of intimacy, infidelity, physical abuse or substance abuse are sometimes present and make the continuation of the relationship impossible. 

When I first realized that qi existed—inside the body, inside of my body-—I was just turning 30. It was an astonishing aha! moment, part of a fascinating Aikido workshop led by the late, great teacher and author George Leonard.

Katie Cleland, a high school senior, started a personal project that captured the Pink staff’s collective imagination. The project was as multi-faceted as its creator. It showcased Katie’s talents as a stylist, fashion photographer, wordsmith and communicator. It made use of technology and social media. And it was full of heart and soul.

Moving can be scary, especially when you are a successful retailer, who has been in the same tried and true location for 14 years. There are many unknowns when deciding to move the location of your business. For Jennifer Megliore, owner of ArtWare, who recently decided to move her art and gift store from Main Street to the new Shelter Cove Towne Centre, it was “an act of faith.” She left what she knew was good for the opportunity to hope for great.