SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVIN’ IS EASY – on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Just before a full Carolina moon illuminated the old sea islands strung along our coastal area, a young girl from St. Helena Island near the small, historic town of Beaufort, S.C., took center stage in Los Angeles, California to win the title of “American Idol.”  The tall, 23-year old African American with a powerful voice, natural beauty and a quiet dignity, captured the hearts of thousands who followed her journey to the title.

Her name is Candice Glover, the first born of Carole and John Glover of St. Helena Island.  Her middle name should be “Perseverance”.  It was her third try at the title, this girl who never gave up her dream, who honed her powerhouse voice in the Oaks True Holiness Church, who grew up in a modest home on a dirt road bordered by a forest where wild blackberries grew and the smell of fresh pine and jasmine permeated the air.  It was here she was nurtured and influenced by the rhythms of life that pulsed in the marshes and streams, where her courage grew with the ebb and flow of the tides, who ended up on a stage with Aretha Franklin and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson.

Before the big win in Los Angeles, she flew home for a gala “Homecoming” in Beaufort, once called the “Newport of the South”, where there was a parade in her honor. Venerable antebellum homes with huge oak trees trailing weeping moss graced a true old south background for the cameras that came from Los Angeles to follow the newly minted star.  She gave a concert there for hundreds of fans.  One nearby mansion had been the setting for “The Big Chill”, now a cult film, one of many motion pictures filmed in the area where directors and producers love Beaufort’s soft light.  It is currently for sale for over $4 million.  Why not?  People come from all over the world to this area (especially to Hilton Head Island) to pay millions of dollars for a small piece of what Candice grew up with.  Pluff mud is probably in her DNA.  It is in mine; I am also a native of the Carolina Lowcountry.

She worked on Fripp Island, renting golf carts and scooters, traveling to work through the tiny hamlet of Frogmore, not far from Penn Center, where Dr. Martin Luther King held strategy sessions early on.  Part of the Gullah Geeche Cultural Heritage Corridor, this area was accepted as a National Heritage Area by the U.S. Department of the Interior.  It is the only one of 49 National Heritage Areas that specifically deals with African American history.

The road that is traveled here, leading to Dataw Island and Fripp Island, was once so deserted that exuberant teenagers would park their cars on the shoulders where wildflowers grew, turn up their radios and dance in the empty lanes.  They then continued on to the beach at Hunting Island State Park, climbed up tall sand dunes (now washed away) and slid down from the top toward the ocean.  The beach was bordered by a Palmetto forest which was the setting for war scenes in the film “Forest Gump”.  The shrimp boat scenes were shot in St. Helena Sound.  In certain areas of these old sea islands one can still find small wooden cottages with shutters painted blue, to keep “haints” away.  A Dr. Buzzard lived here and worked his voodoo magic.  If you believe, as many do, that Candice Glover has magic in her voice, she comes by it naturally. Then suddenly, she was singing the National Anthem at The Capital in Washington, D.C. for the Memorial Day Celebration! Proud, we feel so proud of her.

Toward the end of May, before summer set in, the annual Hilton Head U Savannah Equestrian Exposition, presented by Equus Ventures, LLC and chaired by a name etched in racing halls of fame, the great jockey Eddie Maple, who rode the famous racehorse Secretariat to victory (among many others) was held at Rose Hill Plantation.  White tents lined the sides of the playing field flanked by urns of flowers and hanging baskets filled with colorful blossoms.

Dr. Sandy Termotto (the Founder and President of Equus Ventures) was on the announcer’s stand describing the various equestrian events and later, a polo match.  Iva Welton, a petite dynamo who was responsible for placing the Gothic-Revival style Rose Hill mansion on the National Register of Historic Places and the Marketing Director for the event, watched from the VIP tent where a buffet of delectable edibles was arranged, the linen-covered table decorated with flowers.

Nearby was the Maples tent (Eddie and his wife, Karen, run the Rose Hill Equestrian Center).  Eddie greeted fans who were seeking his autograph or just wanting to shake his hand, always calm, friendly and well-mannered.  At the Termotto tent, Sandy’s wife, Linda (she with the beautiful eyes) charmed friends and guests and made sure they enjoyed a gourmet repast.  Interesting guests here were Dr. John Clements and his wife, Lyne.  He is a member of the Scottish American Military Society and was wearing a kilt!  There is always something unusual to see at these fun and exciting events that contribute so much to local charities.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

Until the End of Time - on Hilton Head Island

Dr. Sandy Termotto taking a jump at Ravenwood Plantation.
Photo Credit: Erik Olsen Photography

There are some memories that will last until the end of time.  Memories of the Carolina Lowcountry where beaches, soft air, wheeling seagulls, the smell of suntan lotion, woodlands laced with dogwood and yellow jasmine, fields of wildflowers, the thunder of horses hooves at nearby, beautiful Rose Hill Plantation.

It is there at the Equestrian Center run by hall of fame jockey, Eddie Maple and his wife, Kate, that spectators find color and excitement at various events such as polo matches, dressage, a hunt chase.  All of these and more are featured in the annual Hilton Head U Savannah Equestrian Exposition, presented by Equus Ventures, LLC chaired this year by Eddie Maple.  An annual event, it raises funds for local charities, over $215,000 since its inception a few years ago.

This year, the event’s date is Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m.  Last year’s exposition’s Parade of Breeds included the Saddlebred, Appaloosa, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Palomino, Pasa Fino, Quarter Horse and others.

Spectators will mingle with members of the Lowcountry Hunt, the only mounted fox hunting Club in Beaufort, Jasper and Colleton counties.  They ride on private plantations like Ravenwood where the property dates from the 1800’s.  The house was built in 1840 and fortunately, not burned during the Civil War.  Current owners are Frank and Nina Burke.

As a tribute to South Carolina history, Lowcountry Hunt’s colors are indigo blue and Carolina rice gold.  There are over 100 members of the club which is a recognized member of the Master of Foxhounds Association of America.

Another area plantation where early morning riders follow the cry of hounds that chase over fields of rising mist, is Airy Hall owned by Buck and Frankie Limehouse, who even have a polo field on their front lawn.  Buck is known for his business acumen and for being named South Carolina’s first secretary of transportation.  He has been honored with The Order of the Palmetto Award twice for his distinguished service to the State of South Carolina.  He and Frankie are the owners of the well-known Meeting Street Inn, Indigo Inn (transformed from a vintage 1850 indigo warehouse), Jasmine House and Ansonborough Inn, all in Charleston, S.C. as well as other commercial enterprises.  He consults on Public Private Partnerships involving government and logistics companies.  An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he bought Airy Hall when he was 39 years old, over 30 years ago.  He and his polo-playing sons are familiar figures at Rose Hill polo matches.

Other plantations that welcome Lowcountry Hunt are Gracefield, Turkey Hill (known for some of the best wing shooting in South Carolina and owned by five generations in the same family); Broxton Bridge and Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark and home to American’s Oldest Landscaped Gardens.  The Garden Club of America has called the exquisite 65 acres of gardens, “the most important and most interesting garden in America.”  The House Museum was built in 1755, remaining under the same family stewardship for over 320 years.  The primary hunt country consists of land in Charleston and Dorchester Counties, containing over 7,000 acres on Middleton Place and Millbrook Plantation.  Hunt events are usually followed by a hunt breakfast or involve oyster roasts, tailgate picnics, and other social activities.

The Artists of Sea Pines held their 1st Anniversary Exhibit on April 24, 2013.  The exhibit was held at the CSA gallery where a large group of supporters gathered to enjoy wine, canapés and art.  During the reception Rosemary Kimball, group coordinator, presented a $500.00 check to Ted Allenbach, chairman of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve Foundation.

The 52 members, who also exhibit in the lobby of the CSA Community Center in Sea Pines Center, have quarterly exhibits and donate 10% from sales of their art to the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.  In the past year the group has donated over $1,000.00.  All Sea Pines residents, they hold some “plen-aire” sessions during the year at the Heritage Farm, Lawton Stables and the Forest Preserve.  The two gallery locations are a great way to find some very nice local art at reasonable prices.

Real estate sales on the island are trending up.  Some areas are experiencing lower inventory.  Indigo Run Plantation home sales were up over 25% in March with arguably some of the best values on the island.  Island-wide villa sales were up over 28% in March, although prices were not always higher.  Sellers should remember that “solds” are constantly being replaced with “new” inventory.  Overpriced properties continue to sit.  Buyers are looking for properties priced at fair market value.  Sellers who are waiting to “get their price” need to consider what that price will be costing them in the interim.

More older properties in good locations are being purchased and renovated: recently a 3BR villa with stunning lagoon and golf views was bought, gutted and taken down to the studs.  Many times this kind of project results in the property being placed back on the market for sale after renovation but many owners prefer to keep it for family use as a vacation home, possibly a rental property.  One buyer purchased a large “spec” house, basically from the house plans, when only the footings were in.  It was priced around $2.4 million.  We’re seeing more “spec” building again, which speaks to a more stable market.

There is definitely a renaissance taking place on Hilton Head.  Massive infusions of cash are going or have gone into improvements all over the island.  The new owners of the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa recently unveiled a $30 million renovation.  Their meeting planners believe they can attract more national and global events.  Group and business travel represents about half of the Westin’s business.

Other renovations and improvements include the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa, the Omni Hilton Head Resort, Sonesta Resort, and The Beach House (the former Holiday Inn).  Sea Pines Resort’s owner, Virginia-based Riverstone Group has already spent some $30 million on resort improvements with another $30 million to $50 million to be spent.  A lot of this activity has to do with keeping the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing and the over $80 million the golf tournament generates for our area.  A very nice memory, indeed.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

Meeting at the End of the Rainbow on Hilton Head Island

Harbour Town at Twilight

An estimated 28,000 celebrants met “at the end of the rainbow” on St. Patrick’s Day for Hilton Head’s 30^th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The south end of the island was smothered in shamrocks along the parade route, which began at the beach and continued along Pope Avenue, ending at the Sea Pines Circle.  There was green beer, green jackets and hats, over 100 colorful floats, vintage cars, the Parris Island Marine Corps Band, the sleek, handsome Budweiser Clydesdale horses and a smiling Grand Marshall, Brian Carmines, owner of the iconic seafood restaurant, Hudson’s.

Living on Hilton Head this time of year is like living in a garden.  It is a perfect backdrop for numerous spring festivities: the Wine and Food Festival, WINGFEST and the annual Hilton Head International Piano Competition, which brings people and contestants from all over the world.  The event is put on by The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.  It alternates between the Young Artists Competition for ages 13 through 17 one year and the Adult Competition for ages 18 through 30 the next year.

Harbour Town, bordered by Calibogue Sound, will be the setting for the 45^th annual RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on April 15-21.  The field of 144 players will be competing for the top prize of $1,044,000 from a purse of $5.8 million.

There will be bagpipes, kilts and the boom of cannon fire at the traditional Heritage opening ceremonies.  Last year’s winner, Carl Pettersson, will drive the first golf ball near the 18^th green, flanked by participants wearing period costumes.   Heritage Classic Foundation members will be wearing their “plaid,” the tartan jackets a symbol of the sport’s Scottish heritage.  The pageantry speaks to the excitement, color and spirit of the tournament which draws top players each year.  It is one of four invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour and prides itself on smaller, stronger fields.  It brings over $83 million a year to the state of South Carolina.  The Heritage Foundation has raised more than $23 million for charity since 1987. 

Heritage fans converge on Hilton Head by car, boat and plane.  Private planes and corporate jets stream in by the hundreds, lining the airport’s parking apron within a wing tip of wild yellow jessamine that blooms in the woodlands near the runways.  Long, sleek yachts nose into the Harbour Town Yacht Basin; larger yachts anchor out in Calibogue Sound.  Many will be decorated with colorful flower arrangements.  Guests will sip libations and enjoy southern hospitality at its finest.

The Harbour Town Clubhouse is expected to be torn down after the 2014 RBC Heritage and a new clubhouse is expected to be built before the 2015 RBC Heritage, if plans are approved.  That, plus the $15 million Sea Pines Resort is spending on another new clubhouse which will replace the former Plantation Club.  Plans are also being finalized for a new Sea Pines Beach Club, complete with a restaurant and event room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  The resort has already spent close to $30 million dollars in the last five years upgrading amenities.  The recently renovated Inn at Harbour Town, a boutique hotel, received the 2012 Forbes Four-Star Award.  Steve Birdwell, president of Sea Pines Resort, was quoted recently by local media as saying, “We are a maturing community that needs improvement. . .other resorts have invested in their properties, and we need to be prepared for the future as well.  We are excited about enhancing the resort experience for our guests and providing amenities they are looking for.”  You can believe these improvements will impact on our property values!

Currently we are seeing some of the best real estate values we’ve seen in years.  There are numerous houses and villas that are simply great buys!  One is a 5 bedroom, 5 bath townhouse on the 18^th fairway in Harbour Town with gorgeous views of Calibogue Sound and spectacular sunsets (asking a low $1,195,000).  Interest rates are still low and good inventory is available.  The NAR (National Association of Realtors) recently reported the fastest sales pace since November of 2009.

The South Carolina Lowcountry is one of the nation’s five best markets to buy a home, says a CNN money report, based on data gathered by Realtor.com. “This large metro area in southern South Carolina includes old towns like Beaufort, as well as more modern developments like the resort communities on Hilton Head Island,” the post says.  The history and charm without the hassles of larger cities is a big factor.

Beaufort is only an hour’s drive from Hilton Head, as is Savannah, Georgia.  Charleston, S.C. is about a two-hour drive. 

In addition to millions of dollars being poured into Hilton Head facilities, Google has announced it is investing another $600 million in addition to the $600 million it invested a few years ago in the company’s campus at Moncks Corner, bringing their investment in South Carolina to $1.2 billion.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

A BREATHTAKING SPRING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Photo courtesy Mary Pracht

You can’t imagine how beautiful it is on Hilton Head in the pre-dawn hours when soft light begins to illuminate old oak trees trailing Spanish moss, tropical Palmetto trees - back-lit like an elegant stage set. While the sun rises over the ocean the world is quiet and peaceful; the visual effects will take your breath away.

On Friday, February 15, 2013 the Wall Street Journal Magazine published a fascinating article, “The House That Gucci Built.” The owners are Domenico De Sole and his wife, Eleanore. He is the former empire builder and CEO of the Gucci Group. These world travelers vacationed on Hilton Head for years before building an oceanfront home and moving here permanently. A year after retiring from the Gucci Group, he and Tom Ford joined forces in 2005 when De Sole became chairman of Tom Ford International.

In the magazine article there is a stunning full page photograph of the owners standing on a terrace overlooking an L-shaped pool. He is tall and debonair in black-tie, flanked by his wife who is stately and svelte in a long, straight gown. A handsome couple, they are living the life on Hilton Head. The 69-year old Domenico rises at 5 a.m. and strolls along a covered walkway to a spacious guest house on a second-row ocean lot where he has a home office. From there he runs a major fashion company, Tom Ford International, which now has 19 free-standing stores in 17 countries. A flagship store recently opened in Beijing; a new London store will open in the fall.

The full page photograph of the house shows a soaring vertical expression, a structure with lofted ceilings, a curved ceiling in the great room (to reflect the light) with large expanses of glass – perfect for their art collection. When he travels he jets to Milan, Hong Kong, London, wherever the requirement is, departing from the small, four-gate Hilton Head Airport where the fresh smell of pine greets travelers.

The article mentions asking De Sole if he is the only Roman on the island – actually, one of our favorite Italians is Ida Zeger, who is married to retired attorney Warren Zeger who bears an uncanny resemblance to actor Kevin Costner. The Zegers live on Baynard Park Road in Sea Pines where, instead of watching oceanfront sunrises, they enjoy endless views of Calibogue Sound and spectacular sunsets. Parties there take full advantage of the views.

Hilton Head has always attracted notables. Having chronicled social events off and on for years in local newspapers and magazines, I think of early hero-residents such as Air Force chief General Nathan Twining and Lt. Gen. Edward J. Timberlake, commander of the U.S. Air Force’s Continental Air Command. Historical novelist John Jakes once said that the island was a place where islanders left their medals at the bridge. He also said the island was one of the most beautiful areas he had ever seen, that everything good was put here by God, or nature, not by a developer or a tourism promoter. He and his wife, Rachel, lived here for 32 years.

Other high profile residents, second home owners and visitors have included Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank, currently the owner of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons; Michael Jordan, former NBA player who owned a house in up-scale Wexford; fiction author Patricia Cornwell who once owned two large oceanfront homes here at the same time (and would fly in piloting her own airplane); former New York mayor John V. Lindsay, TV personality Gary Moore, NBC’s Frank Blair, J. Edgar Hoover’s right hand man Deke Deloach. Visiting aboard their yachts in the Harbour Town Marina were Walter Cronkite, Joseph E. Levine, Jackie Gleason. The annual Renaissance weekend, hosted by islanders Phil and Linda Lader (Phil became the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain) drew CEOs and intellectuals from across the country, including President Bill and Hillary Clinton (she became our U.S. Secretary of State).

There have also been well known musicians, such as John Mellencamp who has owned oceanfront homes; Jimmy Buffet who visited and jammed with Mellencamp at a favorite watering hole in Harbour Town , The Quarterdeck. Even Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers brought his bride Cher to visit second home beachside owners Phil (Capricorn Records) and Peggy Walden (the coconut vine was really rumbling over that visit). One of the younger singers, songwriter and composer (“Barely Breathing”) Duncan Sheik spent part of his growing up years on Hilton Head as did another up-coming musician Trevor Hall, the talented son of Jeff and Wendy Hall. Trevor is noted for his songs "Other Ways" (which was part of the Shrek the Third sound track) and "Brand New Day", among many others. He spent his last two years of high school boarding at Idyllwild Arts Academy in California where he met many international students. His senior year he was signed by Geffin and later by Vanguard Records. He is currently touring.

We’re having an early springtime explosion of real estate activity. Inventory is down. In Hilton Head Plantation some houses in the $300-$500,000 range are selling almost as soon as they are listed. Buyers slow to make a buying decision are left in the dust. One new listing called a “showhouse” is priced at only $599,000 (make an offer).

The South Carolina Real Estate Association’s year-end report shows the number of home sales in the Hilton Head Island area have increased by more than 20%, a larger jump than any other part of the state. However, prices are still low, as are interest rates, making this an ideal time for the smart buyer to step in. Even the Wall Street Journal reports that in Vail, Hilton Head and Palm Beach foot traffic is up by at least 30% this year.

Several days ago Steve Kroft of “60 Minutes Sports” was here, filming and interviewing the architect of the Harbour Town Golf Links, Pete Dye on the 18th fairway. The interview is to be shown on "60 Minutes Sports" in July.

Some interesting golfers with huge fan bases have committed to play in the upcoming RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on April 15-26. Since the Heritage Classic Foundation, the general tournament sponsor, was founded in 1987 it has donated more than $23.5 million to hundreds of non-profit organizations. A recent Clemson University study revealed that the golf tournament brings in over $83 million a year to our area. For tickets, you can go online to rbcheritage.com/tickets. If you are unable to come to the island for this popular event (which has been compared to one big tail-gate party) it will be televised on Thursday and Friday on the Golf Channel and on Saturday and Sunday on CBS Sports.

Tag lines: Hilton Head lifestyle, nature, Gucci house, John Jakes, Patricia Cornwell, RBC Heritage Golf, Bill and Hillary Clinton.

A SHROUD OF FOG – A SHROUD OF GOLD DUST

Hilton Head Island was wrapped in a shroud of fog several days ago. Cold ocean water from the rapture of the deep moved by upwelling met warmer air from our landmass, creating fog. Shortly after, a blanket of pollen that looked like gold dust covered the island.

While temperatures in colder climes plunged into the teens, single digits or below, our island temps were often in the balmy 60’s and low 70’s with beautiful sun-filled days. The weather complimented a variety of events, not the least of which was the vast, changing salt marshes which were transforming, the changes in mud and grasses mostly unnoticed by the human eye. Early nest builders like the Bald Eagle gathered the breaking brown cord grass, gathering stalks for their nests. Occasionally, according to local master naturalist, Captain Patte Ranney, large white pelicans (related to our more common Brown Pelican) stop in our area while migrating this time of year from the Gulf to Canada. Normally they fly high overhead and are not observed at all. Consider it one of nature’s gifts if you ever see them.

A Lowcountry native, I never especially noticed the rust-colored marshes in the fall. One year an artist came to Hilton Head to paint some representational paintings for a local gallery. Among his work were a few rust-colored marsh scenes touched with umber. Now when I see rust and umber colored marsh I think of the artist, Harvey Kidder. Artists teach us about the world we live in; art informs the spirit. Hilton Head has long been an artist’s paradise. One of the largest membership groups on the island is the Art League of Hilton Head. I was involved in the group early on and served on the board for 16 years. Most of the artists I’ve met over time tend to be not only creative but interesting and gentle people.

Among the many art galleries on the island is the highly regarded Red Piano Gallery, co-owned (Morris-Whiteside) by Jack Morris, the former director of the Greenville County Museum which has one of the finest collections of Andrew Wyeth paintings in the United States. At one time a former owner of the gallery, Louanne LaRoche, featured the works of the famous Seattle-based glass artist Dale Chihuly, who has been designated a National Living Treasure. His work is in museums and collections all over the world. One of his fascinating installations took place in Venice, Italy. It consisted of 14 temporarily mounted enormous chandeliers over the canals and in the palazzos. It was a thrill to see his work here.

The annual Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival, fashioned after a popular wine special event founded by the Wall Street Journal, was held toward the end of January. The non-profit’s proceeds from a Silent Auction benefited educational opportunities for students in the Hospitality Management study programs at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the Technical College of the Lowcountry. This effort is also supported through the John F. and Valarie Curry scholarship Fund.

Another popular event was the Lowcountry Soup Challenge, held at the elegant Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Numerous restaurants were involved (we have over 200 restaurants). The Challenge helps fund the island’s non-profit Volunteer’s in Medicine, a free health clinic. First place was awarded to Hugo’s Seafood and Steak House for their Crab and Asparagus Cappuccino Soup with hazelnut broth and asiago cheese crackers. One year a former New Orleans resident, Ken Ballard, the owner of Kenny B’s French Quarter Café took first place with a Swamp Critter Stew. The chefs have a lot of fun with this “challenge”.

Some of our Indian Summer days brought out people wearing shorts and flip flops, fishing with long cane poles in a tributary off of Broad Creek in the shadow of Shelter Cove marina where sea-going yachts and sleek fishing motor yachts pulled at lines. An influx of our No. 1 real estate market, the Canadians, descended on the island, taking advantage of the exchange rate and low interest rates, driving more real estate sales.

Sales results of 2012 compared with 2011 show solid gains throughout the island. With closed sales up 10% to 177 the average price in Sea Pines is up 7% to $907,213 compared with $853,245 a year ago. Current inventory is 188 with homes averaging 93% of list price. We have clearly seen the recovery in residential sales island-wide continue.

The big winner in 2012 was villas with an exciting 20% jump in sales and a 3% increase in selling price. Inventory was down 10% from 2011. This positive trend is expected to continue in 2013 with strong sales, attractive prices and amazing interest rates.

The Sea Pines Resort had a phenomenal year in 2012, with an increase in occupancy, revenue and rental rates across the board. Home and villa revenue was up 16% from 2011 to 2012! This year we are off to a great start with future bookings 11% ahead of where we were last year. We are anticipating another banner year!

Showers of Stars Fell Over Hilton Head Island

Adding to the excitement of the holiday season were meteor showers!  As the Earth crossed the orbital Temple-Tuttle bits and pieces from this comet burned up as Leonid meteors in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

The Leonid shower produces some of history’s most spectacular displays.  Many islanders, as well as other earth-bound creatures, were up early to witness the event. The showers are easily observed over Hilton Head, unlike cities where tall buildings and an abundance of lights block the stars.

Holiday productions such as “The Nutcracker” enchanted viewers; Christmas parties were in abundance.  One in particular creates a special ambience each year.  It is hosted by Kate and Russ Keep, popular, long-time islanders who enjoy entertaining.  In some homes it is easy to see “pride of place” manifested in the way things are done, as well as great attention paid to detail.

For this annual party, guests entered a private courtyard through large wrought iron gates decorated with entwined vines of colored Christmas lights.  A stroll past blazing torches led into a home decorated with live greenery: greenery swags caught with red bows at windows, a large beautifully decorated Christmas tree, a fire burning in a fireplace lined with antique metal fire plates depicting scenes of gaiety.  The plates reflect the heat out into the room, an important feature before central heating.  Servers offered champagne and later, passed trays of hors d’oeuvre.

Even a cursory look at this home tells the viewer that the owners are incurable collectors.  World travelers, they have a fascinating collection of treasures:  Flemish tapestries hang on walls; antique furnishings add a soft, burnished glow.  There is a Tuscany wine-tasting room complete with stucco-swiped walls and old wooden ceiling beams; a statue of Bachus, the Roman God of wine, looking down from high in a corner with his horns and hoofed feet.  In the center of the room is a “wine jail,” a wrought iron Spanish-looking safe holding a gross of bottles under lock and key. 

On the rear patio, pine logs burned popping and shooting up sparks from a Chiminea, warming the crisp but still mild air.  Guests like to gather here, under the stars, near a Koi pond and a bubbling waterfall.  Beyond is a natural wooded area and a mature stand of Black Bamboo.  Later, after a sumptuous buffet featuring fried turkey, Kate played her mother’s Baby Grand piano, which she learned to play as a young girl.  When guests finally departed they were filled with Christmas spirit!

International travel is impacting the United States.  The National Association of Realtors Global Research Report for 2012 reports that international buyers purchased $83 billion dollars of U.S. real estate last year.  Hilton Head has been a prime destination for international travelers for many years.  We’ve had many buyers of island properties from other countries, especially England.  The island is a top destination for Canadians who comprise our Number 1 market in sales to international buyers.  Sales are up 24 percent of international sales, up from 11 percent in 2007.

Nancy Kemeny was on-island from London, England before Thanksgiving.  Her husband, Tom, stayed in their London home to attend to business while Nancy enjoyed their Hilton Head home, which they have owned for many years.  The family later met at another home in Barbados for Christmas.

Dana and Diederik Advocaat, accompanied by their teenaged sons Alexander and William flew from their home in London, England to spend the holidays on Hilton Head.  The family usually vacations here in the summer and has for many years.  They plan to retire here.

Katherine and James Kapps enjoyed their second “retired” Christmas in their beachside home.  Long-time property owners, they moved to the island from northern Virginia.   Their close friends, the Shirley Beavers, have also moved here and live a couple of houses away from the Kapps!  Katherine Kapps’s sister, Jeannie Lawrence and her husband, Mike, live not far away.  They moved from their Nashville, Tennessee home many years ago to enjoy the island lifestyle.  In the “small world” department, Jeannie’s childhood friend from their early days growing up in Greensboro, N.C., Andy Sonfield and her husband, Bob, live on the same street as Jeannie and Mike!

Bloomberg Business reports that home prices climbed more than forecast in October, indicating a rebounding real-estate market that will bolster the U.S. Economy for the first time in seven years.  On Hilton Head we’re still seeing cash buyers coming into the market, purchasing big-ticket properties as well as lower priced inventory.  One of the most popular price ranges appears to be the $500,000 range but $3 million to $6 million isn’t unusual either.  Regardless of who is buying or what the price is, the purchaser finds the restorative power of Hilton Head an added bonus.

In December, Hilton Head Island's Forests are Decorated for Christmas

There are garlands of gold grape leaves and cascades of red-leafed Virginia Creeper vines, adding drama to nature's holiday scene. At sunset, white egrets roost in groups on tree limbs, positioned like so many Christmas tree ornaments. For much of this month, the air has been warm and balmy with temperatures in the low 70's. The holidays are filled with twinkling lights, high spirits, gifts to the needy, parties for the more fortunate.

In Hilton Head Plantation at the Old Fort Pub, it is quiet in the evening along Skull Creek as dusk approaches. If you listen carefully, you might hear echoes of cannon fire from the historic Fort Mitchell Civil War shore battery site adjacent to the restaurant. The echoes linger over the marshes where diners, serious about creative cuisine, choose to go.

For one party in a private room, a fully decorated Christmas tree glittered, surrounded by fairy lights. Guests watched a spectacular sunset over Skull Creek as trays of hors d'oeuvres were passed. The menu included Butternut Squash Soup, Pan-seared Salmon Spoons with Saffron Risotto, Apple Cider Pork Medallions with Crispy Potato Galettes, Margret Duck Breast with Sugar Plum on Pumpkin Pancakes, Naked Roasted Brie with Apricot Chili Glaze and Beef Tenderloin Forks with Fois Gras Whipped Potatoes. Braised Peaches with Chambord accented with Vanilla Tapioca was featured for dessert.

When you live on Hilton Head, you live with history. Not far from Fort Mitchell, in Port Royal Plantation, Fort Walker was built during the Civil War. It was built by Confederate soldiers but was captured by Union troops and became a city of over 50,000 Union soldiers. The ruins of a large cannon site are still there, overlooking Port Royal Sound.

After the Civil War, Northern money poured into Southern land. Money has always found the Hilton Head area. Hilton Head Plantation and Honey Horn Plantation were bought by friends Landon Thorne and Alfred Loomis in 1931, consisting of eleven thousand acres. Adding to the acreage over time, they eventually owned some 20,000 acres or 80% of the island. The eighteen hundred acre Fort Walker site was part of this, purchased from the government for $12,500.00. They came to the island for a month or so each year to hunt, both families staying in the main house at Honey Horn after adding a number of rooms.

The grandeur of their shoots (duck, quail, venison and fresh oysters on the half-shell were favorites) and dinners have been well documented in various publications. Black men in livery, white linen tablecloths with china and silver place settings set the tone for the elaborate dinners.

Thorne and Loomis had permanent residences in New York state. Landon Thorne had Thornham, a 230-acre estate on the Great South Bay in Bay Shore, Long Island, purchased in 1928. There, a 30-room Tudor mansion was surrounded by masterpiece gardens, fields for pheasant hunting, a croquet court, indoor tennis court, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. In 1930, he bought a fifteen-room simplex at 740 Park in New York City which came to be known as the richest building in the world. There were a number of homes, yachts, Bentleys, even Romanov emeralds to wear to splendid parties they hosted. Loomis also had an apartment at 740 Park. They eventually sold their Hilton Head land in 1950 and 1951. The south end of eighty-four hundred acres sold to timbermen from Georgia for $450,000 in 1950. The buyers were Fred C. Hack, General Joseph B. Fraser and C.C. Stebbins. In 1951, Hack, Stebbins and Olin T. McIntosh purchased the remaining eleven thousand acres from Thorne and Loomis for $600,000. Several years ago, the Town of Hilton Head paid $7 million dollars for the Honey Horn property.

By the early 1950's, General Fraser's son Charles had Sea Pines Plantation on the drawing board, assisted by the finest land planner in the country, Hideo Sasaki, chairman of Harvard University's landscape architecture department. From these careful beginnings and great respect for the land, Charles Fraser developed one of the most notable resort communities in the United States.

In the nearby Ridgeland area, a twenty thousand acre parcel was the setting for one of many hunt clubs in the south, the Chelsea Plantation Club. Thirteen thousand acres of this land was sold to one of the richest men in the country, Marshall Field, of New York. His permanent residence was on Long Island, New York's North Shore. It was a $6 million dollar replica of a family home in England. There was a private hunting preserve, a golf course, an air strip, a polo field, a private beach, tennis courts and a staff of eighty-five. (In 1943, his grandson Marshall Field, III turned fifty and inherited the remainder of his grandfather's fortune, $75 million dollars).

Chelsea Plantation became known for its hunting parties. Before a quail shoot, the extensive lawns at the rear of the regency-designed faded white brick manse (a special silicone paint was used on the exterior to produce the "look") were seeded with winter rye and tons of white sand poured on meandering paths that led out to the nearby river. When houseguests arrived for a shoot, the quail were let out of cages and driven over a velvet lawn of green toward the rear of the house where the hunters stood, waiting.

Real estate sales have continued to be strong on Hilton Head Island, especially now as the end of the year approaches. There has been a scramble for properties with buyers wanting to close on a purchase before the end of the year in order to obtain a better price from a seller before a possible tax increase goes into effect. This has created many multiple offers, an increase in the sale of lots as well as many large home sales. A 2.5 acre estate lot that I mentioned in the November blog, is under contract, to close before the end of the year. The buyer doesn't plan to build for about four more years. Villa sales are up almost 20%; home sales prices are increasing. Home prices in many states rose 6.3 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest yearly gain since July 2006. As inventory clears out, we expect more price increases. The Wall Street Journal has published three articles recently calling this the time to buy!

We've seen some serious money come to our shores through the years. Northern money continues to pour into Southern land, as does money from all over the country, Europe and other countries. People breathe the same soft, salty rarefied air that the very rich have breathed and enjoy a lot of the same things. Most of the dirt roads have been paved now and the island is a little more crowded but property owners and visitors alike share the same admiration for the natural beauty of the Lowcountry and the same respect for the land.

Make your holidays bright and plan a visit to beautiful Hilton Head Island and take a step back into history. Have a happy and healthy 2013!