Rhythm and Blooms Returns

Music and Art in the Garden Every Thursday in May

Every Thursday evening in May, pack up your lawn chairs and head over to Riverbanks Botanical Garden for Rhythm and Blooms, an after-hours social event.

From 6 to 9pm Garden-goers can delight in live music under the Rose Garden Pavilion and browse displays from local artists throughout the Garden. Guests can also wine and dine on the tapas and drinks available for purchase on the Garden terrace. Picnic dinners for two are available for pre-purchase at www.riverbanks.org. Order your picnic basket by 5pm the Tuesday before the event, and it will be ready and waiting when you arrive.

“Riverbanks Botanical Garden is the perfect venue for springtime events,” said Andy Cabe, botanical garden director at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “Rhythm and Blooms allows us to showcase the Garden to a different audience – one that may not visit during the day.”

With a different band each week, Rhythm and Blooms promises a budding new experience every time.

May 7
Rhythms By: Stillhouse

May 14
Rhythms By: Corner House

May 21
Rhythms By: The Fossil Record

May 28
Rhythms By: J’ouvert Steel Band

Tickets are $5 for members, $7 for the general public and are available, with the picnic baskets, at www.riverbanks.org.

First Lady Jenny Sanford to Attend Official Launch of Sally Salamander

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Curry Hagerty
803-737-4772
chagerty@gov.sc.gov

First Lady Jenny Sanford to Attend Official Launch of Sally Salamander
Leadership Columbia Class of 2009 to introduce an interactive walking tour of downtown Columbia

Columbia, S.C. – April 24, 2009 - First Lady Jenny Sanford announced today that she will attend the opening ceremony of Sally Salamander on Saturday, April 25th at 10:00 AM on the State House Grounds (Columbia, 29201).

Sally Salamander is a new interactive walking tour of cultural and historical sites in downtown Columbia created by the Leadership Columbia class of 2009. Rain or shine, guided tours will be held at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. There will also be free games, activities, face-painting and prizes for the children and exhibits by local organizations.

For more information, please visit www.columbiasalamander.com or contact Curry Hagerty in the Office of the First Lady at 803-737-4772.

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Blue Fin Seafood Restaurant & Bar To Host Grand Opening

Blue Fin Seafood Restaurant & Bar, Northeast Columbia’s new seafood restaurant, will host a formal grand opening on Thursday, April 30^th from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Blue Fin Seafood Restaurant & Bar, located in Village at Sandhill, invites customers to enjoy complimentary crab dip throughout the evening with the purchase of an entree.

“We are very excited to officially open the doors to Blue Fin after so many months of preparation, said owner, Freddie Lee. “I’m confident our customers will find our menu items refreshing and our prices reasonable.” Lee, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, polished his cooking skills in some of Manhattan’s finest dining establishments, including Le Cirque and TriBeca Grill. Lee, along with his brother Terry, opened Bernardin’s Fine Dining in 1992, followed by Bleu Restaurant & Bar in 2000-both located in Winston Salem, N.C. The brothers were awarded Best Restaurant Operator in North Carolina by the N.C. Business Bureau.

Blue Fin Seafood Restaurant & Bar owners, Freddie Lee and Chef John Tharp, who also worked at TriBeca Grill, have brought Manhattan and Columbia together with what they call “Metropolitan Casual Cuisine with a Southern Flair.” Customers can choose from an array of seafood and steak dishes accompanied by braised collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes or more traditional items. Blue Fin offers daily bar specials that include domestic and imported beers, martinis, and an extensive wine list featuring over 100 labels.

Blue Fin Seafood Restaurant & Bar is located at 461-4 Town Center Place in Village at Sandhill near Sandhill Cinema 16. The restaurant opens for lunch and dinner daily at 11:00 a.m. and features brunch, lunch and dinner on Sundays.

Semi-Annual Community-Wide Yard Sale at Lake Carolina

Spring is finally here and with that comes Lake Carolina's semi-annual Spring Community-Wide Yard Sale! Join us on Saturday, April 18 at 7 a.m. to kick off the event. Bring your old toys, tools, antiques, clothes and more to trade with your neighbors. Remember, one person's trash is another person's treasure. But don't delay, the yard sale will end promptly at noon and you definitely don't want to miss out on this occasion.

“From a community association standpoint, the community yard sale is a win-win for everyone, because it offers the residents an opportunity to promote the event more widely, gives residents a chance to clean out their garage and attic and generates a significant amount of traffic to buy the items,” said Larry Ridlehoover, President of Southern Community Services at Lake Carolina. “Furthermore, it concentrates the sales into one event, which keeps the yard sale event a positive rather than a negative for the community.”

Over 100 Lake Carolina residents participate in this event each year and you can also. To register, send an e-mail with your name, address and phone number along with a few items you will be selling to: yardsale@lakecarolina.com. Don't forget to put “yard sale” in the subject line.

Maps to the different locations are available starting at 7 a.m. in the Town Center at Lake Carolina. For additional information on Lake Carolina or the yard sale please contact Megan Plott at (803) 865-5452 or mplott@lakecarolina.com.

Tickets Now on Sale for 6th Annual Wine Tasting at Riverbanks Botanical Garden

More than 100 Wines Featured at This Year’s Vintage Fundraiser

Riverbanks Society will host the 6^th annual Wine Tasting at Riverbanks Botanical Garden on Friday, April 24, and tickets are on sale now at www.riverbanks.org. All proceeds will benefit ongoing conservation and education efforts at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

From 7:00pm to 9:30pm, guests will stroll the Garden with tasting glass in hand, stopping at stations along the way to sample from more than 100 domestic and imported wines. Wine enthusiasts will also have the chance to consult expert vintners, ask questions and discuss everything from the age to the origin of each wine selection.

“What better way to support Riverbanks’ conservation mission than by spending a beautiful evening in the award-winning Botanical Garden sipping wine and mingling with great company?” said Tommy Stringfellow, director of marketing for Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

Guests will also have the opportunity to nibble on savory light bites that complement their wine selection as they listen to live jazz under the Rose Garden pavilion.

To preserve the intimacy of the event, a limited number of tickets will be sold. Tickets purchased in advance are $40 for Riverbanks members and $50 for the general public. All tickets purchased the day of the event will be $50. Tickets can be purchased online at www.riverbanks.org or at the Zoo or Garden entrance.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden encourages responsible drinking. Proper photo identification is required and no one under the age of 21 will be permitted.

Wine Tasting will go on rain or shine.

Riverbanks Botanical Garden Launches New Farmers Market

Buy Fresh, Eat Fresh

Residents of the Midlands can now shop for locally grown, organic produce and homemade goods at South Carolina’s newest Farmers Market.

Open every Wednesday through October, from 2pm to 7pm, the Farmers Market at Riverbanks Botanical Garden will feature a variety of vendors selling everything from homegrown fruits and veggies to homemade breads, jams and even soaps. All items offered for sale have been grown or produced in South Carolina and many of the vendors participate in the Certified South Carolina program.

“Riverbanks is proud to support the local economy through this new venture,” said Andy Cabe, botanical garden director at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. “Not only are we providing an outlet for neighborhood vendors, but we are also serving the public by making their fresh produce and homemade goods readily available to consumers.”

Riverbanks Botanical Garden is located at 1300 Botanical Parkway off Hwy 378 in West Columbia. There is no admission required for those visiting the Farmers Market, which will be located in the Botanical Garden parking lot.

Riverbanks Offers More Than 60 Varieties at the Annual Plant Sale

Horticulturists Weigh in on this Season’s Must-Have Plants

Looking for the perfect specimen to complete your landscaping or perfect your summer garden? Look no further than Riverbanks Botanical Garden’s annual Plant Sale being held on Saturday, April 25. The sale will run from 9am to noon at the Garden’s Growing Center located at 1201 Seminole Drive in West Columbia.

This year Riverbanks will offer more than 60 different varieties and nearly 5,000 plants. Shoppers can expect to see a wide assortment of cultivars including annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs.

Here is what the experts had to say about this year’s must-have plants:

“I love Pennisetum ‘Princess’. It’s one of my favorites because of the purple color and it comes back every year unlike the other purple grasses.” Linda Clamp, zoo horticulturist

“Eucalyptus nicholii has great texture, and the blue-green color mixes well in the garden. The fast growth and changing color in the winter make this a fabulous small tree.” Brian Francis, design horticulturist

“Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ has large glossy leaves and intriguing blooms. The large, shiny foliage is a winner in the shade.” Kate Baltzell, zoo horticulturist

“Callistemon ‘Clemson Hardy’ was found at Clemson but must have been planted by a Gamecock because of the brilliant garnet-colored flower. So many visitors ask about this plant that I am glad we finally have enough to offer for sale.” Chris Mable, zoo senior horticulturist

“Kosteletzkya virginica has the cutest little hibiscus-like flowers. They make me smile.” Jerry Thrall, zoo horticulturist

“Any perennial hibiscus is a must-have plant, but my favorite is Hibiscus grandiflorus. Aptly named grand flower, the great rose mallow has an extremely large flower with dissected petals so that the flower resembles a windmill. The pale pink flower color stands out against the pale bluish-green velvet textured foliage. Grow it for the foliage or the flower, but just grow it. As with any perennial hibiscus, plant it in good garden soil, and in full sun, for the best flower. This perennial reaches about 6 feet in a season and is best planted behind other sun-loving flowers.” Melodie Scott-Leach, director of habitat horticulture

“If you are set on a particular plant, be sure to arrive early,” said Scott-Leach. She also recommends bringing a wagon or cart to help carry your plants.

Most plants will range from $5 to $10 with all proceeds directly benefiting Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. Admission to the Plant Sale is free for those that arrive at the Seminole Drive entrance. For more information, visit www.riverbanks.org.