Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb 2021

12 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.VOICEofMPpodcast.com I can’t remember another instance when people have been as excited to ring in a new year as we have been to welcome 2021. And it’s finally here! This milestone has been even more exciting for the Mount Pleasant Magazine team, as we spent the last few days of 2020 getting this issue to press. Putting together our Best Of issue is no small feat, and I want to start by thanking everyone on our amazing team for all of their hard work throughout the holiday season to make this particular issue a success. Aside from a Best Of section filled with all the businesses that helped us survive 2020, we’ve put together an informative and fun issue to start off your new year on the right foot. Rebecca MacNeal shares tips from local personal trainers on how to reach your fitness goals without setting foot in a gym in “Simple Workouts You Can Do at Home’’ on page 165, while Jenny Harrison delves into an important topic, “Raising Active Adolescents” on page 162, and Bill Farley shows off Mount Pleasant Police Department’s brand-new watercraft in “That’s the Good Ship” on page 172. We’ve brainstormed a few ideas to spice up your Valentine’s Day celebrations this year in a special section starting on page 16 and are excited to share a Bridal Section, page 148, that includes advice for planning an intimate wedding, how to throw an unforgettable bachelor or bachelorette party and a heart-warming story about officiating a family member’s wedding. Of course, I’m most excited about following Pamela Jouan’s tips to becoming a savvy wine consumer, on page 145. I hope that you enjoy this issue highlighting the heart and soul of our Mount Pleasant community. Lindsay C. Bishop Managing Editor • editor@mountpleasantmagazine.com Photo by Stephen Atohi. Meet some of the winners as voted on by our readers! T here is a beautiful place in Mount Pleasant, nuzzled deep inside the Old Village neighborhood, that seemed perfect for our 2021 Best Of Mount Pleasant cover shoot. When it comes to backdrops, there isn’t a more lovely or picturesque scene than a classic Carolina marsh, and Alhambra Hall’s lawn suited the role nicely. We booked the space, hoped for nice weather, organized the people who would represent our community and continued to check our weather apps. When the day arrived and the gray sky broke into an array of puffy white clouds, we were grateful for what we knew would result in a really great cover shot. And we were right. We want to thank Jean’s Bridal for providing the sleek tuxedos and lavish dresses that adorned our winners and Angie Balderson of Haven’s Furniture for lending her creative eye and providing the entire set for the gorgeous outdoor landscape. A special thank you also goes out to Jenn Cady Photography for capturing the magical moment. A special thank you goes to Erika Lynn Studio and Boutique for supplying the Hide Tide Leather Company bow ties for the shoot. Pictured from left to right: Dr. Rick Jackowski , Pleasant Family Dentistry; Lizz Schleifer , Holy Fog LLC; Angie Balderson , Haven’s Furniture; Jared Black , In The Black Marketing; Lindsey Nowak , Holy Fog LLC; Johnny Page , Automotive Excellence; John Bell , Southern Bell Living; Allen Holmes , Oceanside Collegiate Academy; Brooke Ryan Crone , Mix 95.9; Jeremy Blackstock , Lowcountry Contractors; Dr. A. Drane Oliphant , Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery; Octavia Mitchell , WCBD News 2; and Dr. Greg Johnson , Pleasant Family Dentistry. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place with beautiful people. It really was fitting for the Best of Mount Pleasant. managing editor’s note