Archive for the 'Groups & Clubs' Category

Economic development, one couch at a time

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on November 21, 2008 at 04:53 PM

For too long couches have been given a bad name.  Couch potato.  “You’re sleeping on the couch tonight, mister.”  480-Pound Woman Dies After Six Years On Couch.

Can’t a sofa catch a break?

Allow me to reprieve this everyday household item from the abyss of the unappreciated.  Because the average couch is making waves worldwide, having now become an opportunity for economic development here in Savannah and in communities around the globe.

The phenomenon is called “couchsurfing.”  Anyone who went to a large state university like I did is familiar with the concept.  In essence, it is an extended stay by someone (familiar or not) who sleeps on the couch.  At worst it is associated with vagrancy or drunken youth.   At best it is redefining travel and lodging the world over.

From the wreckage of the couchsurfing of old emerged the CouchSurfing Project, a free, Internet-based, international hospitality service that, evidently, is currently the world’s largest hospitality exchange network. Launched in 2004, the site now boasts more than 827,000 members in 229 countries and territories. And it may well rank as the most visited hospitality service on the Internet, averaging more than 30 million daily page views in July 2008.


Post the next Comment! (8 so far)                  
Categorized as: Community Involvement, Econ Dev, Global, Groups & Clubs.
(viewed 444 times)

CASA’s Dancing with the Stars: Best Damn Fundraiser, Period?

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on November 14, 2008 at 01:57 PM

Last night was a whirlwind of fun that left me completely breathless.  At the last minute, Brynn asked me to serve as her proxy and accompany Fitz for an evening at the Charles Morris Center to watch some of Savannah’s locally famous twist, twirl and tango across the dance floor.  And it was all for a good cause.

Local organization Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), took it to another level this year with Savannah’s first ever “Dancing with Savannah Stars.” A spin-off of the national phenomenon that is ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” CASA turned the Savannah fundraising paradigm on its head, approaching the often arduous task of asking for money from a different, fresher and decidedly more “active” perspective.

(having trouble viewing? Try the full sized slideshow.)

Eight recognizable Savannahians put their bodies to the test and their dignity on the line to raise money for children who need it most.  The line up was a start-studed one to be sure, including:


Post the next Comment! (2 so far)                  
Categorized as: Community Involvement, Events & Happenings, Groups & Clubs, Quirkilicious, Schmoozing.
(viewed 789 times)

GreenDrinks Birthday Bash + Candidate Forum = Durn Good Tuesday Night

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on October 14, 2008 at 11:50 AM

Tonight is a power night for parties and politics.  Not only is it the one year anniversary and birthday of GreenDrinks Savannah, a local installment of an international institution dedicated to green social networking, but today marks three weeks out until Election Day, making this evening’s County Commission Candidate Forum all the more important to attend.

Yes, it’s a two-fer, a tag team, double trouble.

It begins at 5:30 pm at Moon River Brewing Company on Bay Street (map) when GreenDrinks will celebrate its birthday and one year anniversary Oktoberfest-style.  Festivities include drink specials, a cocktail buffet and a special rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung by Savannah’s own Roger Moss.  Special anniversary GreenDrinks koozies will be on sale for $1, as will be raffle tickets to win a host of items, most enticing of them being two tickets to the 2008 Innovation Awards (a $150 value).


Post the next Comment! (3 so far)                  
Categorized as: Activism, Community Involvement, Events & Happenings, Food & Drink, Green, Groups & Clubs, Local Government, Schmoozing.
(viewed 4385 times)

End-of-summer (sniffle) schmooze: cSpot at Hang Fire tonight!

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on August 27, 2008 at 05:00 AM

If you’re anything like me then you’re finding it a bit hard to believe that the end of August is upon us.

The good news is: cSpot is tonight, the last one of the summer.  The hottest creative networking org in town will set up shop at Hang Fire, one of the hottest bars in town.  Seems fitting, yes?

Join us, as we mourn the passing of watermelon and lemonade, fireworks, sandcastles and plentiful sunshine. (Save Fitz, who’s itching to bid a don’t-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out adieu to sunburns and weather that doesn’t bode well for blazers and pale noggins.)

I know I’ll be schmoozing my seasonal blues away.  After all “Summer” is my middle name (first, rather) and I always mourn its passing come this time of year, for obvious reasons. Unlike some of us, I can rack up a killer tan.

So, whether you’re drinking to the “impending temperateness” or drowning your summerless sorrow, come join us at Hang Fire from 5:30 to 7:30 as we fill the place with creative conversation.


Post the next Comment! (2 so far)                  
Categorized as: Creative, Events & Happenings, Groups & Clubs, Schmoozing, TCCa Stuff.
(viewed 482 times)

spot-Cay @ aya-Say (onight-Tay!)

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on July 30, 2008 at 10:38 AM

Its the last Wednesday of the month, and there’s nothing like a little pig-latin to mark the glorious one-two punch of hump-day AND cSpot.

cSpot this month (tonight, July 30) will be at Saya Lounge: a happenin’ cocktail spot on Broughton, downstairs from the newly grand-scaled DC2 Design (the LA-based design showroom and retail store).

And if you haven’t been yet, here’s your chance. It’s a kickin’ new sidestreet joint (highlighted by big ole’ Buddha heads, warm tones and tasty martinis) and it’s a great venue to have fun and enjoy the funky, braininess of Savannah.

Heck, you may even meet the business connection of your dreams. Example: TCCa met, courted and hired our former Marketing Priestess, Angel Ratcliffe (now at Paragon Design Group) due to a chance meeting at cSpot.  Come to think of it, I met Fitz at a cSpot, and 1.5 years later I’m bloggin’ up a storm for him. Damn!

We’re also extending happy hour (5:30 - 7:30 pm) and bringing in Zunzi’s cultural culinary expertise to provide some cocktail hour munchies for our cSpotters.  (Mouth is watering…)


Post the next Comment! (2 so far)                  
Categorized as: Creative, Events & Happenings, Groups & Clubs, Schmoozing, TCCa Stuff.
(viewed 692 times)

Blown away: AWOL fundraiser cancelled due to tornado

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on June 26, 2008 at 02:18 PM

Our friends at All Walks of Life (AWOL) need our help.  One of the major storms to pass through Savannah in the past few weeks produced a tornado that not only caused AWOL to cancel a fundraiser event but, worse, destroyed thousands of dollars worth of food and equipment. Darn tornadoes!

For those of you who don’t know, AWOL works to promote and provide self-awareness to at-risk youth through the use of poetry, hip hop and life.  They are an inspiration to the kids whose lives they touch and - well - to us.

The mid-June fundraiser was supposed to raise an upwards of $5,000 so that the AWOL kids could travel to our nation’s capital for a Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam, highlighted by the filming of an HBO documentary.

“The festival they’re going to is called brave new voices and HBO is doing a documentary on youth and the spoken word movement,” says DaVena Jordan, one of AWOL’s directors.


Post the next Comment! (2 so far)                  
Categorized as: Community Involvement, Events & Happenings, Groups & Clubs, Music, Youth of America!.
(viewed 729 times)

Innovation turns us on: Bring on the TCCa 2008 Innovation Awards

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on June 24, 2008 at 02:15 PM

Calling all innovators! Yes, it’s that time again (for the first time).

TCCa is now accepting applications (and nominations) for its first annual Innovation Awards, to take place October 23 at Savannah Station.

Four-hundred of Savannah’s coolest, most innovative business, technology and creative community leaders thrown together in a room full of food, drink, celebration, recognition and shiny lights. How fun is that!?!?

Building off the great tradition of the 5-year running cBETA awards, this year’s Innovation Awards will bring the innovative heat and the quirky, cool flair of TCCa.  The ceremony will honor regional business, education and community organizations that demonstrate innovation and outstanding achievement in education, business, community, government and sustainability.  Applications are being accepted in the following six categories until the July 31st deadline.

  • Innovative Achievement in Education
    This category is open to all educational establishments along the Creative Coast - public or private, K-12 or colleges/universities - that boast a creative or innovative development, program or application of technology that has a positive impact on the educational experience.  We’ve said it before: children are the future.  Let’s see what the creative leaders of tomorrow are learning today.

Post the first Comment!                  
Categorized as: Events & Happenings, Green, Groups & Clubs, Schmoozing, TCCa Stuff.
(viewed 697 times)

It’s our birthday(s). Chocolate on us. Join cSpot @ Lulu’s tonight!

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on May 28, 2008 at 08:30 AM

You heard it here, folks.  As of Monday I’m a 26 year old woman (my, how time flies.)  But I’m not the only one having a good time growing up.  Fitz (31, yikes) and Leigh (the big Three-OH), fellow Geminis, are also celebrating birthdays this week.  It’s a bonafide birthday trifecta with TCCa-ers boasting May 26th and 28th birthdays.

If you feel like buying us a birthday beer (or chocolate), celebrating the short work week or just coming out to meet cool, creative professionals, join our cSpot fete.  That’s right: cSpot and birthday suits (kidding).  This month we’re at Lulu’s Chocolate Bar on MLK, right down from Venus de Milo.  Mmmm, chocolate covered creatives.  Sounds like a birthday bash to me!  See you there…

who:      The cSpot
what:     Monthly cocktail shenanigans
when:    Tonight! (Wednesday, May 28th) from 5:30-7:30pm
where:   Lulu’s Chocolate Bar (map)
details:  42 MLK Jr Blvd

Popularity: 9% [?]


Post the next Comment! (3 so far)                  
Categorized as: Creative, Events & Happenings, Food & Drink, Groups & Clubs, Issues & Topics, Schmoozing, TCCa Stuff.
(viewed 759 times)

Man, this party is SICC (tonight!)

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on April 24, 2008 at 06:30 AM

Miller’s at it again… and this time he’s come up with one stellar excuse to throw a party.  With the help of TCCa, he’s resurrected a local cocktail club with a community-minded mission.  Now, why didn’t I think of that?! Oh wait. I did (shout out to GreenDrinks).

The Savannah International Cocktail Club (SICC) began last fall with several gatherings at Bonna Bella Yacht Club, drawing close to 80 folks the first meeting. With the weather once more begetting of an evening out, Chris has now passed the torch to TCCa and re-engaged the group for 2008.

And this time of year, we’re all wary of the sand gnats (gross).  So Bonna Bella no more, this month SICC will meet at the new, the fabulous Bacchus Wine Lounge.

Flags

If you are in Savannah by way of another country, globally minded, looking for a foreign mate or even just like to travel, this is one happy hour you shouldn’t miss. If you haven’t looked at a world map since the fall of the Berlin Wall, you are commanded to attend for a little lesson in geography. Kyrgyzstan, Vanuatu or Kiribati are not figments of Borat’s imagination (real countries).


Post the next Comment! (4 so far)                  
Categorized as: Creative, Events & Happenings, Food & Drink, Global, Groups & Clubs.
(viewed 1000 times)

Otis and Pete, takin’ it to the streets

Posted by
Summer Teal Simpson
on April 15, 2008 at 06:33 PM

In honor of Earth Day 2008, the newly-formed Savannah Bicycle Campaign (SBC) is sponsoring the Savannah Wheelie Earth Day Ride.  It will depart from Earth Day festivity-hub, Forsyth Park, at 3 p.m, on Saturday, April 19.

And…drumroll please…

Mayor Otis Johnson and County Commission Chairman Pete Liakakis are leading the ride!  That alone will have me cheering front and center (especially should they sport padded bike shorts). What can I say, I’m a sucker for politicians in spandex.

The SBC was unveiled by representatives from the cycling community on Monday in Johnson Square.  The group will work through the political, public policy and citizen advocacy processes to develop more and better bicycle facilities in Savannah, such as improved bike lanes, racks, and signage, and to develop a public campaign to educate bicyclists and drivers about safe practices on and off the roadways (thanks to John Bennett with SustainableSavannah.com for sharing).


Post the next Comment! (7 so far)                  
Categorized as: Creative, Green, Groups & Clubs, Issues & Topics, Local Government.
(viewed 1008 times)