Fourth Annual Women's Escape Weekend
January 25-27, 2008

This year The Sanctuary and The Charleston Center for Women team up alongside Charleston magazine to present a rejuvenating, inspiring and fun filled weekend, designed by women for women with a focus on "YOU". Enjoy special programming involving seminars, workshops, and activities as well as leisure time. Learn about new interests, gain knowledge, and engage in favorable activities all in one location with women from all over the nation.

Weekend Agenda

Friday January 25th

• 6:00pm - Opening meet and greet reception featuring Casa Lapostolle with attendees and presenters
• 6:30pm - Introductory presentation on Focus on You by Charleston magazine's style editor Ayoka Lucas. (Held in the Grand Oaks Ballroom).

Ayoka Lucas

An innovative stylist who has been in the business for more than six years, Charleston style editor Ayoka Lucas began her freelance career in Atlanta, styling a local nightlife columnist as well as other local celebrities. After relocating to Charleston, she wrote a weekly social column for the Charleston City Paper, incorporating fashion, pop culture, and local happenings.

As the style editor for Charleston, Charleston Home, and Charleston Weddings magazines, Ayoka produces the fashion spreads, Style Files, home décor features, bridal style tips, and more. In addition, she writes two style blogs and serves as a contributing fashion correspondent on Charleston News 4's Lowcountry Live and News 2. As the creative director of Charleston magazine’s inaugural Charleston Fashion Week, she contributed to the success of spotlighting the local fashion community and the city as a premier shopping destination.

Saturday January 26th

• 8:00am - Breakfast followed by Jennet Robinson, the Charleston Center for Women Executive Director, presentation "Balancing Acts: How to Keep the Stress Away" (in the Drayton Room at The Sanctuary).
  

• 11:00am-12:00pm - Nutritional seminar by Laura Nance, Medical University of South Carolina Certified Dietitian (Oaks B room)
  
• 12:30-2:30pm - Cooking Demonstration and Workshop with The Sanctuary's Executive Chef (Oaks A room)
• 2:30-4:00pm - Margaret Hoybach's "Painting: From the Playpen to Provence" (Heron I & II)
• 7:00pm-8:00pm - "The Taste of Krug" champagne tasting reception (Middleton Room)
• 8:00pm-10:00pm - One on One dinner and "Writing the Small Town South" with author Joshilyn Jackson (Drayton Room)

 

Jennet Robinson Alterman - "Balancing Acts: How to Keep the Stress Away"

Jennet is a native of Charleston and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Women. She has extensive experience in international development having served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan, Peace Corps Country Director in Swaziland and the Interagency Coordinator for Peace Corps worldwide. The Center for Women conducted 55 programs in 2007 and reached over 5000 women in the Low country. In February 2006 the Center was recognized by Oprah Winfrey with an Oprah's Angel Network Grant. In 2003 Jennet was recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the Carolina Lowcountry Girl Scouts and in 2004 she was chosen as one of the Skirt! Magazine 10. Jennet is married to noted photographer Jack Alterman. For more information on the Center for Women go to www.c4women.org.

Laura Nance - MUSC Certified Dietitian

Laura has been a registered dietitian for 9 years. Her career began as a nutritionist working for Women, Infants & Children (WIC), which set the background for knowledge of children and women's health. In 2004 she earned the title of Certified Diabetes Educator, which she currently practices in Pediatric Endocrinology at MUSC. Laura enjoys working with the media to proliferate accurate nutrition information through live and video taped television appearances. Laura received the award of Emerging Dietic Leader for SCDA in 2006 and in 2007 was recognized by her company (Sodexho) with a CEO Marketplace Award.

Margaret Hoybach

Artist, author, lecturer and entertainer, Margaret Hoybach has been called "Erma Bombeck with a paintbrush!". This unique presentation combines Margaret's painting demonstration with her insightful, humorous ancedotes about being an artist in the real world of children, pets and carpools. Travel along on an enchanting journey as an artist fulfills her lifelong dream of painting in Monet's gardens. Hoybach has painted extensively in the regions of Provence and Tuscany since 1992.

Cassondra Hall - Krug Champagne

Cassondra is a member of the Southeast Consumer Development for Moet Hennessy USA, overseeing such brands as Krug Champagne, Ardbeg Scotch, 10 Cane Rum and the entire Estates & Wines portfolio. She first found her passion for food and wine in college, when she got bitten by the restaurant bug. Cassondra uses her position to blend her love of food with her passion for amazing wines and Champanges, creating interactive lifestyle events showcasing the brands of Moet Hennessy for press, celebrity and consumers alike. When not traveling throughout the Southeast working on events and media buys, she can be found cooking, her favorite pastime, working on her herb garden or tooling around the Georgia mountains with her fiance on the Harley. 

Joshilyn Jackson - "Writing the Small Town South"

Bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson lives in Powder Springs, Georgia with her husband, two kids, a dog, and twenty-two pound Main Coon cat named Franz Schubert. Her short fiction has appeared in anthologies and literary maggazines like TriQuarterly and Calyx, and her plays have been produced in Atlanta and Chicago. Both her SIBA award winning first novel, Gods in Alabama and her second novel, Between, Georgia, were chosen as the #1 BookSense picks for the month of their release, making Jackson the first novelist in the history of BookSense to achieve #1 status in back-to-back years. In 2007, she was named Georgia Author of the Year in the fiction category. Her third novel, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming will be released in March of 2008. 

4:00-7:00pm - Free Time ~ Access to spa facilities including whirlpool, sauna or steam room or Group Yoga
~4:00pm - For Women in Business - "How to Beat Men at Pool" instruction of the game and knowing how to use it to your advantage at networking (Ashley Cooper Hospitality Suite)

Shari Stauch - Professional Pool Player

A touring professional player for 20 years (retired 2003) Shari launched Pool & Billiard Magazine with Harold Simonsen in 1983. She was honored by the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) as the 1995 Sportsperson of the Year, given each year to a touring pro for outstanding contributions to the sport.

She is a five-time WPBA President's Award recipient. Media appearances include Entertainment Tonight, ABC National News and Chicago Tribune. in 2005, Shari helped promote "You Can Do It", the "merit badge handbook for grown-up girls" released by Chronicle Books.

*Cost included is for either the spa use or yoga; however, for both there is an additional fee.
~Trip to Charleston (additional charge for transportation)

Sunday January 27th

• 8:00am-9:30am - "Challenges of gardening in the Historic District - The Private Gardens of Charleston - architecture, sculpture, design and plant materials" by Charleston Gardens Expert Louisa Cameron (Middleton Room)
• 9:30am-11:00am - Flower arranging with experts from Tiger Lilly Florists - #1 florist company in Charleston (Drayton Room)
• 11:00am-12:00pm - "How to Pack the Least to Get The Most" seminar (outfitting and packing) by St. John Knits Representative (Middleton Room) *Locations are subject to change.

Louisa Pringle Cameron - "Challenges of Gardening in the Historic District"

Louisa grew up amidst historic gardens in her native city of Charleston, South Carolina. Authhor os the best selling book, The Private Gardens of Charleston, Louisa is an accomplished gardener, watercolorist, lecturer and author. She lives with her physican husband and son in an eighteenth-century house in Charleston's old and historic district.

Friday-Sunday Event Package Pricing based on double occupancy
The Sanctuary - starting from $874 per person for oceanview accommodations
The Villas - starting from $645 per person for one bedroom West Beach scenic accommodations

Event Package Includes:

• Accommodations
• Welcome spa amenity
• Reception with light hors d'oeuvres
• One continental and one full breakfast
• Lunch with cooking demonstration
• All seminars and workshops
• One-hour spa treatment (included for Sanctuary guests only)
• Yoga or spa facility use (or both for an additional charge)
• Champagne reception with gift
• Three course dinner
• Author's autographed book

Day Passes

Friday Pass - includes reception and seminar - $40
Saturday A - includes breakfast, lunch, seminars, yoga or spa facility use, reception, dinner and autographed book - $260
Saturday B - includes breakfast, lunch and seminars, until 4:00 pm - $75
Sunday - includes breakfast, floral workshops and packing seminar - $50

Call our reservations specialist for details (800) 654-2924