The 6th annual Charleston Comedy Festival is back…and not a moment too soon. Produced by Theatre 99 (of The Have Nots! fame) and Charleston City Paper, the comedy festival is sure to deliver good laughs and sore sides.

In just four nights (Jan. 14-17), 36 shows will be performed in six different venues.

From the Uprights Citizens Brigande (NYC) to locally-grown artists performing in hits like The Banana Monologues and Full Love Throttle, the Charleston Comedy Festival is the first must-attend event of the year.

Tickets are $5-$20 — so attending a show or two won’t break the bank — and are available at Charlstoncomedyfestival.com, along with a complete schedule of events and venue locations.

Smile out loud,
-Abi

Charleston’s selection of house music — and I mean good house music — is typically limited to the worst of the worst of modern pop songs linked with horrible transitions and blared on bad sound systems in some of the most pretentious clubs on earth.

Yes, in this fine city of ours, true, pure, honest house music is hard to come by.

Enter my brother-in-law. By day, he’s a local attorney. By night, he’s Duwayne Motley, Charleston music scene’s diamond in the rough.

He’s been spinning house/jazz/electronica music in Chucktown for the past 15 years, and his latest song “Come Get Me” feat. Mira (Nervous Records) is currently No. 18 on house music charts. And it doesn’t look to be stopping there… (It was No. 38 just yesterday).

All that said, he’s playing twice before the month’s out, and I suggest you do your booty a favor and shake it on over to Torch at 10 p.m. on Jan. 17 and again on Jan. 24. It’s free!! And he’s always got live musicians (saxophonists, keyboardists, etc.) backing him up for a truly original and entertaining experience.

Check out some of his stuff here: Duwayne Motley Myspace
-Abi

Mike Moran, owner/operator/artist//ny furniture and nj furniture-maker extraordinaire of Michael James Moran WoodWorked Furniture, is clearly a direct descendant of some ancient woodcarving god. His pieces are rustic yet elegant, captivating yet not overstated. He makes each piece — desks, hutches, coffee tables, you name it — by hand and by himself.

Lucky for me, he hired cheap mover and moved his showroom to a new location: 534 King St., right across from the old Trusted Palate (rest in peace). Now he’s just a hop, skip and a jump from my place of employment. Lucky for you, he’s hosting an open house of sorts Thursday (Dec. 11) from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Seriously, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to meet a creative genius, and be surrounded by the beauty that is born when raw nature meets raw talent. For more information, visit www.michaeljamesmoran.com. -Abi

D’Allesandro’s Pizza (229 St. Phillip St.) is hosting a Halloween party tonight. The well-loved local business, known for serving a mean banana-pepper pizza, is just a few blocks from downtown’s main drag. Tonight, a DJ will be on hand to get the party moving. The shindig starts at 7:30. And don’t you dare show up without a costume. -Bridget

Bad, bad, sad, sad news…

Our city is officially a little less great: The Trusted Palate (563 King St.), arguably the most fabulous bar/restaurant/venue on the peninsula, has closed its doors.

No more brainstorming sessions over hummus and craft beers with Bridget — we’ll have to find a new place to rendez vous.

Stay tuned for more information, like why? why? WHY? -Abi

As I’m typing this, I’m sitting in Web Design Intermediate, an adult continuing education class at Trident Technical College. Two things are funny about this: One…I’m an adult? And two…seriously, am I adult enough to be taking continuing education classes?

I’d argue that even though the government considers me an adult, no, I’m not quite there yet — I’m just figuring out how to actually follow a budget, and I still call my mom when I need to know things like how to bake a chicken.

But you’re never too young, old, smart, stupid, skinny, fat, tall or short to learn something new. So, in an effort to keep up with the times, more specifically the media industry, I’ve decided to learn how to build Websites — surely a useful tool in both my professional and personal lives.

Surprisingly, the whole sequence of classes — six in all — is relatively cheap. $299 per class. Not a bad price to pay for new and pertinent knowledge.

Trident Tech offers a ream of continuing education courses, from personal training to cosmetology to welding. And, with today’s economy in the doldrums (to put it lightly), may I suggest the personal finance and accounting courses?

For a complete list of course offerings and to register, click here. Happy learning! -Abi

Each week, we’ll be scouting the towne for cut-rate deals and steals. We’ll also notify you on the comings and goings of your favorite boutiques, salons and restaurants, because it’s hip to be in the know.

I recently met with Billy Meisburger at the J. Crew store on King Street for a personal shopping appointment. I was excited to cash in on the store’s latest promotion: a 20% discount in exchange for sampling their shopping services. Still, I had some reservations. I usually hate interacting with sales people. I was worried that Billy would bully me into buying ultra-expensive things or follow me around the store like a bad habit that I just couldn’t shake.

When I met Billy, I knew right away that I wouldn’t have those problems. He greeted me casually from across the room and encouraged me to browse while he finished up with another customer. I roamed the store alone, gathering armfuls of pencil skirts, silk blouses and cardigans. A few minutes later, Billy checked in to see what I had chosen. He seemed to understand my style right away, and he suggested a few risky items to punch up the more subdued pieces I had chosen

With Billy’s help, I updated my wardrobe in just one afternoon returning from miami design district. I tried on things I would never have even glanced at, and I loved most of them. Billy taught me that unexpected colors, like dusty orange or deep purple, can function as neutrals. And a few edgy purchases, like a black patent-leather waist belt and a long cardigan, revamped my whole closet. Since Billy’s services are free and helpful, I highly recommend him for future shopping endeavors. -Bridget

So, everyone knows that Kudu has the best chai latte in town. But did you know that the charming coffeehouse, located at 4 Vanderhorst St., also serves up chardonnay? Paired with a warm and spicy chicken bake, a glass of white wine makes for the perfect post-work cocktail. -Bridget

If you’re hosting a party this fall, consider making an old-fashioned shrimp boil. Served on a spread of newsprint, the shrimp boil is distinctly Southern and easy to prepare. My sister made this recipe for a recent party, and it was a huge hit. Guests enjoyed the novelty of rolling up their sleeves and digging in- literally. Yep, this dish is traditionally eaten without any utensils. Plus, cleaning up should be a cinch: just roll up the newspaper and throw it away. -Bridget

Lowcountry Shrimp Boil Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 lbs. of shrimp, unpeeled
3 lbs. of kielbasa sausage, sliced into 2 inch pieces
8 ears of corn, halved
8 red potatoes, halved
1/2 cup of McCormick’s Old Bay seasoning
Salt

Directions: Use a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. Fill the pot with water, add a pinch of salt and the seasoning, and bring to a boil. When the water is bubbling, add the sausage. Cook for about ten minutes and then add corn and potatoes. About 10 minutes later, add shrimp. Cook until tender. Drain and serve on newsprint with spicy mustard, hot sauce, and butter for the corn.

Serves 8

Last week, I went to EVO in North Charleston to sample Coast brewery’s Rye Knot Chocolate Brown ale on cask. Unlike keg beer or bottled beer, cask-conditioned brew is unpasteurized. It’s also served without any added carbonation.

The beer was unbelievable. It was smooth and rich, with just a hint of chocolate. If you missed the tasting, it’s no biggie. The local brewery has a special cask event or new ale to sample every few months. See what’s coming at coastbrewing.com/blog. -Bridget