Africa Fashion Week is held in major cities around the world, initially started by Adiat Disu, a former TJX and IBM corporate powerhouse and creator of Adirée, using the New York Fashion Week platform. Adiat’s vision was to bring African fashion to the world stage, showcasing and promoting African fashion as luxury brands. Fast-forward 10 years and designers, influencers, and brand ambassadors all over the world now host this fashion extravaganza!

Dear Reader, I applaud your idea wholeheartedly—with just one caveat. Before you move ahead, make absolutely sure you won’t need that money for your own retirement. It’s great to be generous, but only make this gift to your grandkids if you’re confident you’ll have the financial resources you’ll need for yourself. To me, retirement is one time when it’s OK to be a little selfish.

That said, investing in a child’s education is a wonderful gift. To do it thoughtfully, there are essentially four options to consider: a 529 plan, a custodial account, a trust account, or simply using your own account with the plan to make gifts to your grandchildren later. Here are the basics of each.

Cool off those hot summer days with a wardrobe of white essentials. White really does go with everything! So whether you pair it up with colorful brights, classic black or wear white from head to toe, here are the last ditch summer basics to stock up on now:

There was something special about Ms. Ida Martin, a woman who just couldn’t stand to do nothing. Her heart and passion for the community gained national attention in 2011 when she was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States. In a speech, President Barack Obama spoke about Ms. Martin saying, “In 1987, a single mom and her child—her children—moved in across the street from Ida Martin. Ida saw their refrigerator was empty, except for a bottle of water, so she brought them groceries. And I guess once she got started, she couldn’t stop. So last year, the organization she founded, answered nearly 22,000 requests for aid.” The organization President Obama was referring to is Bluffton Self Help.

Hope Gelting had never been told she had dense breasts. It wasn’t until she was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer that she learned the dense glandular tissue in her breasts put her at higher risk of developing cancer and made it more difficult to find tumors using standard mammography.

The Weekenders.The summer brings hot weather, boat time and plenty of activities. I often find solace in enjoying a good book. I love turning to a good mystery or (shhh!) a little romance and New York Times bestselling author, Mary Kay Andrews, delivers on both! Her light-hearted, page-turners are an easy-read that is perfect to take along anywhere.

Hot Trends for Summer!

As summer heats up and the makeup melts down, take a break and don’t sweat it. There are plenty of ways to chill out and put on a happy face.

Here are some beauty tips to help you keep your cool in the sun.

Do you ever want to just get away from it all? We all need a break every once and awhile, but I live in paradise where beautiful views abound, so what’s a girl to do? Head to the luscious mountains of western North Carolina, of course! I won’t lie, when the hazy blue tip-tops of the mountains first come into view, I become giddy. On this particular trip to the Inn at Mill Creek, my mom and I headed northwest for a girls’ weekend to celebrate Mother’s Day. We had no idea what this fabulous weekend had in store.

Summer is busting out all over! July jumpstarts the heart of summer, a time of fun and frolicking for highly discerning people who see the warm-weather months as a time to play more and worry less.

It’s not easy, not in this election year. Ridicule has trumped reason. No matter your party, it may feel like the party’s over. Tension is high wherever you turn.

But please don’t turn off that healthiest part of you, yearning to sign up for windsurfing school or start playing softball, tennis, volleyball or even that cruelest and most mystical of games, golf.

Do it, do it, do it! The summer is made for action, which is always better for your health than reaction—to outrageous headlines, and nonstop stupid tweets. 

When you walk into Jasmina Kimova’s home studio you immediately feel transported to a fine art gallery with a high fashion exhibit. The portraits on the wall are indescribably breathtaking! It has been just a year and a half since her move to Beaufort, a place that nurtures her spirit, where she finds herself surrounded by like-minded creative and talented artists. Her journey to get here has required enormous courage and trust in her intuition.

1) Bow-tiful: These fun jelly sandals in matte black by 2 Chic are the perfect complement for a dress or capris, as well as, a great option to hit the beach. Sporting a cute bow detail on top will have everyone saying they are bow-tiful. Available at Eggs ’n’ tricities, Old Town Bluffton.

2) Anchors Away: Oka-B’s Sterling Licorice sandals, adorned with one of the Lowcountry’s favorite symbols—the anchor, are perfect for the beach or a backyard BBQ.  Available at Fresh Produce, Coligny Plaza, HHI

Growing up in the Lowcountry offers beautiful landscapes, fantastic wildlife and endless water views…oh, and flat land! When I first became interested in hiking in the mountains to see waterfalls, I wondered if I would be able to do it. I discovered I can! It just takes a little time and research to find out which falls are the best for your endurance, not all of them are rigorous treks.

Before you even step into that dressing room ... or slip into the virtual realm of online shopping, take a deep breath and dive into a new swimsuit season. It may not be one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday afternoon, but shopping for swimwear is the best way to find the perfect swimsuit. Here are some tips to get you in the swim of things:

Is exercise good for you?

Duh.

Regular workouts give you strength, energy, a trimmer body, a healthier heart, a calmer mind and a much lower risk of at least 35 (!) different devastating diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diverticulitis, Type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer and, yes, even that star of prime-time TV: erectile dysfunction.

There’s something special about the relationship a man has with his chair. Curiously, we wanted to see some of the chairs our local Beaufort County men are attached to, and therefore, went looking for a few good men. We did a good job finding them, and not only did they have a favorite “chair,” creative as it may be, but a lot of heart as well!

When you live in an area flooded with tourists, and surrounded by some of the most scenic views and beautiful beaches, where does one go for a quick get-away or a fun girls’ weekend? Florence, SC, of course!

After living in the Florence area for 10 years, I would have never considered returning for a pleasurable weekend, other than to visit friends. But wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I moved away, a group of people had a vision to make Florence cool and made sure that vision came to fruition.

How would you describe your life? Are you working to live or living to work, or are you one of those very fortunate people who has achieved good balance between your work and personal life? By good balance, I mean leading a fulfilling, multi-dimensional life. You feel fulfilled at work, and you have an enriching life outside of work. What represents the right balance is specific to each individual.

Woodrow, a 9-year-old Boxer-English Bull Dog, heads to work riding shotgun next to his owner, Chase Cuppia. His parents are third generation owners of Modern Jewelers in Beaufort. The guys have been a team since Chase graduated from USC in 2008. There was never a question whether Woodrow would partner with Chase at work. Upon arrival, Woodrow takes his place in the shop’s front window. He greets everyone by rolling over and waiting for a belly rub. “Woodrow is great for business,” says Chase. “He hangs out with kids, smiles for pictures and he’s our best advertisement.” He lives for treats and customers love to oblige. His biggest prize to date… a little girl brought Woodrow a Dairy Queen Blizzard!

Karen White, “the queen of southern fiction” has a new novel hitting stands next month that will have everyone buzzing. An intricately woven mystery, with an underlying theme of bees, offers readers insight into a family that is anything but ordinary.

Meet Georgia Chambers, a single woman in New Orleans, who finds happiness in valuing antiques, especially rare china, and is on a perpetual search for old-fashioned keys and their corresponding locks. She hasn’t seen her family in 10 years, but when you add in a 90-year-old grandfather, who is a religious bee keeper, a mother who has been mute for nearly 10 years and suffers from mental issues, a sister filled with hatred from a tragedy, a niece who adores her, and a handsome man looking to value his china, you have a recipe that can’t be beat!

As Daufuskie Island’s midwife from 1932-1969, Mrs. Sarah Hudson Grant was the first to welcome 130 souls into the world, and as the undertaker, she was the last to bid many farewell on their journey home. As it was said, “Granny bring ‘em ‘n she take ‘em away.”  

“There must’ve been a density about Mrs. Grant, a gravity about her presence. It’s true of anyone who spends much time with people as they die. She was a serious woman, with a regal bearing like a well-behaved queen, the kind of woman who when she passed by, the troublemakers got good for a little while.” That’s how southern author Bo Bryan describes Mrs. Grant. Although Bo never met her, well, not in life anyway, he lived in her house on Daufuskie and claims that he certainly felt her presence, “Especially when my kids would come visit. I always felt she was a protector.”

Mary Alice Monroe, a beloved NY Times Bestselling author, has done it again. In her new book A Lowcountry Wedding, which hits the bookstores on May 3, she draws our hearts back to Sullivan’s Island (SC) and to the three sisters who Mary Alice fans have come to love in her Summer Series, which launched in 2013, producing an entry each year since.

There is always excitement when a new book is released, especially one that continues the journeys of characters readers have grown to love. And Mary Alice is the master at creating very real, problematic characters, which readers can attach themselves to and identify with. At the beginning of A Lowcountry Wedding, readers are presented with two wedding invitations to two of the sister’s weddings, in the same weekend.

“You know how some people have an aptitude for certain things, things that come easy to them? I’ve always had an aptitude for acquiring gemstones,” Mia explained. It turns out Mia Katrin has an aptitude for more than just “acquiring gemstones.”

You can always get a taste of spring by sampling some yummy arm candy.
The newest handbag trends this year are a delicious treat for your wardrobe.

Vanessa Leite and I met for coffee in early March. Her bright smile and strong handshake expressed vigor. She asked if we could sit outside in the shade because sunlight bothered her eyes. I had no idea I was about to converse with a woman who has experienced unthinkable physical challenges. Vanessa’s eyes burn while dealing with flashes and floaters. Her vision is failing. She wears a heart monitor because of an irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure. She faces the need for a pacemaker in the near future. Every day, Vanessa deals with headaches, fatigue, dizzy spells, painful joints and tingling in her extremities. Her nervous system, heart and liver are damaged. At age 40, Vanessa is living with late stage chronic Lyme disease.

Remember last Dec. 31? It was the night you popped the champagne, slapped your cheek, screamed “enough!” and resolved to do something positively healthy in the new year.

Learn to cook! Lose 30 pounds! Get to the gym three times a week! Stop after one glass! (OK, two.) Find time to meditate 10 minutes a day, no matter what!

My treasure hunting started in the backyard around the age of 5, when, for a couple of years, I worked on digging a hole that I’m pretty sure could’ve easily been turned into a swimming pool. I mostly found grubs and earthworms, but all it took was one bent, silver spoon, and I was convinced that if I dug down deep enough I’d hit the mother lode. The Goonies was all the affirmation I needed.