Charleston Grill showman Bakst is basking

Everyone knows the important role that a maitre d' or general manager plays in restaurants. As the front-of-the-house leader, they offer just the right amount of charm coupled with seamless efficiency to keep things running smoothly.

Mickey Bakst of Charleston Grill is one of the best, according to a recent issue of Executive Travel magazine that highlighted five of the top restaurant front men in the country.

"No visit to this Southern gem of a town would be complete without a meal at Charleston Grill," the publication noted. "The dining room is the domain of Mickey Bakst, the very capable and affable general manager who's been the face of the restaurant for years."

Others cited by the magazine were Louis Risoli at L'Espalier in Boston, Chris Denton at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills, Tommy Jacomo at The Palm in Washington, D.C., and Sirio Maccioni at Le Cirque in New York City.

Bankruptcy banter

Two interesting items surfaced during an otherwise routine bankruptcy hearing last week over the estate of former highway commissioner and Summerville lawyer Arnold Goodstein, who owes creditors $63 million.

Trustee Michelle Vieira of Myrtle Beach asked her usual barrage of questions, correlating with court documents his $10,000-a-month take-home pay for his legal work, his wife's $120,000-a-year salary as a circuit court judge and his monthly Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits of roughly $4,300.

Any debt tied to his law firm? He initially responded no, but then corrected himself. His firm, he said, owes $22,000 in rent to his wife, Diane Goodstein, who owns the 19-room Victorian home in Summerville where he lives. He works from an office in the house, he said.

Vieira later asked Goodstein whether he could think of any other potential income sources. Goodstein hesitated again, then said he might be able to pursue legal action against Wachovia, now a unit of Wells Fargo, and Bank of America over loans he had with each. Those banks lent him money to buy land for several developments. When he stopped making payments on some of the notes, the banks cut off funding for other non-delinquent projects, he said. That caused at least two unrelated developments -- The Pines at Gahagan and Ashley River Landing -- to fail, according to Goodstein.

Job snippets

In this lukewarm economy, an extreme makeover might be just what you need to land that elusive job.

You can get a free haircut, image advice and job searching tips all at the same time -- 6 p.m. Thursday at Wingate by Wyndham Hotel at 9820 University Blvd. in North Charleston.

Career coach and motivational speaker Andy Thomas, a former radio talk show host in the Carolinas, will offer a free seminar called "The Job I Need, Needs Me" while stylists from Miller-Motte Technical College will provide free haircuts and advice on crafting a professional image.

Thomas, who was once jobless, hopes to empower the unemployed, underemployed, college students and recent veterans with one-of-a-kind, strategic techniques to transform how they feel about themselves and help them in their job search. For more, go to www.andythomasproductions.com.

Nothing is being sold at the events, organizers stressed.

Ladies only

The competition for a consolidation of women's health services is on the rise.

To wit: Tenet South Carolina's new 130-bed East Cooper Medical Center recently announced that it has inked an agreement to acquire the nonprofit Charleston Breast Center in West Ashley. Terms were not disclosed.

The center, which offers a full slate of the latest diagnostic services, was founded in 2006 by physicians Lisa and Paul Baron. It will remain at 1930 Charlie Hall Blvd. and continue to operate under the name Charleston Breast Center.

Meanwhile, Roper St. Francis Healthcare has aligned itself with East Cooper's oldest obstetrics and gynecology practice, just in time for the Nov. 1 opening of its 85-bed Mount Pleasant Hospital, which has seven labor and delivery rooms.

Mount Pleasant Obstetrics and Gynecology PA recently joined Roper St. Francis Physician Partners. The group began with two physicians in 1983 as the first all-female OB/GYN practice east of the Cooper.

The practice will keep its existing office near East Cooper Medical Center, and open a second location near the new Roper facility in the Medical Office Building at U.S. Highway 17 and Faison Road.

Not to be left out, the Medical University of South Carolina also is spreading the word about its women's services. In a new TV advertising campaign, one spot ends with the tag line, "Changing what's possible with breast care."

Major league

The Riverdogs are headed for the major league, or at least an ad for them is.

The Charleston baseball team's merchandise will be among three minor league teams' wares to be featured in a full-page ad in major league baseball's postseason program.

The ad says the three are just "a few of the more than 80 minor league baseball teams whose merchandise is available at MiLBStore.com." Of course, local fans know they can find RiverDogs merchandise at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park and online at www.riverdogs.com.