By LANIER LANEY
BEAUFORT TODAY

Is Beaufort being discovered by the International Glitterati? Last weekend Marci Klein, daughter of famed designer Calvin Klein, spent the weekend on Lantz and Jen Price’s rustic “fish camp” near Fripp Island.

Marci Klein with Paul McCartneyMarci could afford to go anywhere in the world (she owns the entire top two loft floors of a prime Soho building) but chose it to spend in Beaufort with her husband Scott Murphy, who is an old surfing and fishing buddy of Lantz.

(Lantz owns the uber popular downtown watering holes Saltus and Plums in Beaufort, for those of you living under a rock, and his wife Jen is truly one of the nicest --not to mention most beautiful and popular -- hostesses in town).

Marci works with my old boss Lorne Michaels at “Saturday Night Live” and has carved out quite a successful television career for herself as an Emmy Award-winning co-producer of the show and also executive producer of the very funny “30 Rock.”

The super rustic “fish camps” that dot the waters around Beaufort are proving to be the ultimate get-away-from-everything and “back-to-nature” antidotes that big city dwellers crave. It seems Ted Turner’s son owns the camp “next door” to the Prices.

Speaking of newcomers, all of the Point neighborhood’s eyes have secretly been on The Castle of late as it has started to undergo renovation by new owners after the departure of Mayor Bill Rauch and First Lady Sarah Sanford Rauch’s very social residency there. The Castle has long figured in Beaufort’s history as it’s largest (or certainly most dramatic) and most beautiful house since it was built in 1859.

Historically the house has also been owned by Beaufort’s most prominent social families. It was occupied for almost 100 years by the well-known Danner family, which bought it after the Civil War, and then by the mayor for the last 18 years. It’s where he welcomed Sen. John McCain to Beaufort (at a rally for his first run at the White House) in 2000.

Kreis BeallSo naturally curiosity is high about the new owners of the place and whether they will continue this tradition of having it as a downtown social center. I’m happy to report that the new owners are Sandy and Kreis Beall of Tennessee, who are well known for their successful entertaining abilities as they founded and own Blackberry Farm, a renowned and meticulously landscaped Relais/Chateaux property famous for it’s food, wine, and hospitality. (A 2004 Zagat Survey rated it the best small hotel in America).

Kreis is credited with much of the success of the hotel and her smart entrepreneurial husband, Sandy, also started the Maryville, Tenn.-based Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain while still in college.

I spoke with Lowcountry Real Estate’s Edward Dukes, (one of Beaufort’s true “superstar” realtors) who listed and sold the house to the Bealls and he said, “Kreis and Sandy will be a great addition to the Beaufort community. They have restored several historic homes and I am confidant that The Castle is in very good hands.”

To that end I can add that they are certainly bringing top talents to the restoration. The wonderful Kathleen Rivers, who is a top interior designer in Charleston (and owns a gorgeous house there) is doing the interior along with the help (and fabled talents) of Beek Webb, who is restoring the house itself.

Coincidentally, Kathleen happens to be dating John Baker, who is well known in Beaufort circles and the ex-husband of popular local socialite Laura Baker. Small world isn’t it?

Jay Weidner is applying his flare to The Castle landscape. So far so good!

Good luck to the Beall’s with such a major undertaking and welcome to Beaufort!

(Through a mutual friend I got this very nice email from Kreis Beall as this column was going to press: “Sandy and I are thrilled to have the privilege of restoring The Castle and enjoying the friendship and beauty of the Lowcountry in Beaufort. We appreciate the patience of our neighbors and the support of the town.”)

Sounds like The Castle couldn’t be in better hands!