Join us in Town Center this Fri., March 12 from 6-9 p.m. for some live music, green beer and great food! There will be plenty of fun for all ages as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day - Lake Carolina style!

Enjoy traditional Irish foods and drinks from Connoisseurs Corner and New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille before grabbing a Shamrock Shake at Sprinkles Ice Cream & Sweetery. Then, leave the kids to watch a special Irish featured presentation while you relax and enjoy the live band and drink Irish beer from a glow cup!

Other festivities include face painting, arts and crafts, green hair extensions and temporary St. Patty’s tattoos. Also, the girls of Lake Carolina Junior Girl Scout troop 2299 will be joining us at our St. Patty’s Day Bash to sell Girl Scout Cookies for $3.50/box. Don’t forget to donate loose change or buy cookies for the “Cookies for Soldiers” program!

This event is sponsored by the following Town Center merchants: A Dog Eared Corner, College Care Tutoring & Learning Lab, Connoisseurs Corner, Eye Co., HALO Salon, Harborside Shoe Repair, New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille, Runway, Sprinkles Ice Cream & Sweetery and Total Health Spa.

Hope to see you there!

Set to open this week in Lake Carolina’s Town Center, the New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille is creating buzz around town for its unique blended model concept and originality of services and offerings.

The New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille, designed to be both a gourmet grocery and full-service restaurant, is the first of its kind in the region and within the New York Butcher Shoppe franchise.

“Our restaurant’s menu will be as diverse as the offerings found in our butcher shoppe,” said Eddie Hargett, owner of the New York Butcher Shoppe at Lake Carolina. “What sets us apart is the quality of products, customer care and our enthusiasm to be involved with our customers.”

Hargett insists only aged Top-Choice and Prime Certified Angus Beef will be served. This gives the business the distinction of being the only gold level Certified Angus Beef retailer and restaurant in South Carolina. Other menu items include dry-aged beef, pork, lamb, veal, chicken, quail, buffalo and fresh seafood. Traditional entrees like lasagna, meatloaf and pasta also will be available at the New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille.

Patrons have access to highly qualified culinary professionals at every turn at the New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille at Lake Carolina. Chefs Chris Diehl and Dann Agostini will staff the butcher shoppe side of the location while Chefs Kacey Carbery and Rob Peeler will be responsible for all restaurant operations.

“My staff and I will be available to answer questions and provide a truly unique and even educational experience to our New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille customers,” said Hargett, who is quick to point out that the Prime Certified Angus Beef used in the new restaurant represents the top one percent of all beef processed in the U.S.

Hargett wants New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille customers to experience high quality that does not have to come with outrageous prices. He said their motto, “Big City Quality at Small Town Prices” sets the stage for what New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille patrons can expect to receive at their new location.

Save time and money when you purchase advance priced tickets for the sixth annual Oyster Roast benefiting Children’s Charities of the Midlands on www.lakecarolina.com!

The sixth annual Oyster Roast will be held on Lake Carolina’s Village Green on Sat., March 20 from 5-8 p.m. Featuring live musical entertainment by the John Wesley Satterfield band, the Oyster Roast is sure to be a family fun event you will not want to miss!

The sixth annual Oyster Roast benefits Children’s Charities of the Midlands, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting charitable endeavors that are committed to improving the health, welfare and education of South Carolina’s youth. Help us raise money for this fantastic organization that has raised more than $60,000 to date!

For ticket pricing and more information, visit www.lakecarolina.com.

Eleni Nine, owner of Eleni Interiors on the Village Green, is turning 39 years old this month and is celebrating her birthday by inviting everyone to share some birthday cake and receive 39 percent off everything this month, including already marked down items!

Eleni also is offering 10 percent off brand new merchandise this month. Her store will be open Tues. - Fri. from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. and every Saturday in March from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For more on Eleni Interiors, visit www.eleni-interiors.com.

Lake Carolina was named “Community of the Year” for the ninth time by the Sales & Marketing Council of Greater Columbia at the 21st annual Regal Awards Gala on Sat., Feb. 20.

The “Community of the Year” award, which distinguishes communities for their special features, layout and lo- cation, is one of the highest honors given by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia. Other judging criteria for this award include concept and theme, curb appeal and signage.

“It is such an honor to be named ‘Community of the Year’ again,” said David Tuttle, president of Lake Carolina Development. “Our entire team works hard every day to enrich the day-to-day experiences of Lake Carolinians.”

Other awards Lake Carolina took home at the 21st annual Regal Awards Gala include Best Website, Best Special Promotion and recognition for top sales.

Attention Lake Carolinians! Please join us in helping the Boy Scouts of America Pack 337, sponsored by the Lake Carolina Elementary PTO, to gather food for the Pontiac Food Pantry on Sat., Feb. 20. This food donation pickup was originally scheduled for last Sat., Feb. 13 but was postponed due to snow. For more information on the Scouting for Food program, visit www.indianwaters.org. For details on this drive, see the Scout Flyer

The New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille, a Greenville, S.C. based franchise, has joined the growing list of Lake Carolina Town Center merchants!

Set to open in Lake Carolina’s Town Center in March 2010, this New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille location will be the first expanded model in the franchise. The new location will be a blended model of the franchise’s traditional services while offering a brand new, uniquely designed, full-service restaurant. The New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille also will continue to serve as a full-service butcher shoppe, deli and gourmet grocery.

“The unique concept behind this New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille location is that it is a full-service restaurant and gourmet grocery,” said Eddie Hargett, owner of the New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille in Lake Carolina’s Town Center. “We will be able to provide our patrons with a multitude of options: they can dine-in here, shop for some groceries here or even pick up their lunches and dinners to go.”

The New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille in Lake Carolina’s Town Center offers a unique mix of selection, quality, atmosphere and customer care unlike any other in this region of the U.S. This location’s “Big City Quality at Small Town Prices” will be a welcoming experience for both new and existing patrons alike.

For more information on the New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille, contact Eddie Hargett at 803.403.3084 or visit www.nybutcher.net.

We have beautiful new homes in the outstanding neighborhoods of Lake Carolina. The residential offers provide for all of life’s stages with a wide variety of architectural styles and price points. We have many new and resale homes available - click here for a printer friendly list. We would love to show you all of our resort style amenities, so stop by and let’s find the home of your dreams.

The Village Church, a former Town Center merchant, is organizing the Women of Purpose group. This group is open to women of all ages and stages who want to get together and learn what the Bible has to say about everyday lives and relationships. Meetings are held at Village Church on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. The first study is Parenting by the Book by John Rosemond. For more information, please contact (803)419-0989 or e-mail beki@blythewoodvillage.com.

Lake Carolina invites everyone to come brave the chilly waters in support of Children’s Charities of the Midlands at the Polar Bear Plunge on Sat., Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. in Lake Carolina’s Sunset Park.

For the sixth year in a row, the Polar Bear Plunge event is helping to raise funds for Children’s Charities of the Midlands, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting charitable endeavors that are committed to improving the health, welfare and education of South Carolina’s youth.

The first splash is scheduled to occur at 10:30 a.m. All participating polar bears must complete a registration form and be signed in no later than 10:15 a.m. at Lake Carolina’s Sunset Park. Adult polar bears (ages 18+) are asked to make a $10 donation to Children’s Charities of the Midlands before taking the plunge. Polar bears younger than 18 are just $5 per participant. Prizes, refreshments and other surprises await our brave polar bears!

Participating polar bears will have an opportunity to garner some unique bragging rights for the Columbia area. Award “plunge” categories include Best Group, Largest Team, Best Individual, Best Dressed, Youngest and Oldest Polar Bear. Polar bears under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian in attendance during the event. Attire for the Polar Bear Plunge is swimsuit only, no t-shirts or wetsuits. Children and those who might not be classified as strong swimmers are encouraged to wear a personal flotation device.
Think you can survive the plunge? Check out these important Polar Bear Pointers before registering:

1. Keep your feet covered until the last possible moment.

2. Bring extra towels or a blanket to stand on. Remember, the ground is like ice!

3. Wear layered, loose fitting clothes. They’re easier to get into when fingers are cold.

4. Plunge with a friend… it’s more fun!

5. No diving or entering the water headfirst.

To download a registration form, click here: pbp-entry-waiver-2010.