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CONTENTS 12 TAKE THE TOUR 18 See the sights
26 See the ships
22 Hidden treasures
28 Living history
32 SUN, SALT & SAND 34 Hit the beach
40 Board sports
38 Collect some shells
48 Coastal animals
50 LET’S PLAY GOLF 56 Golf course guide
62 By the numbers
64 LET’S SHOP 66 King Street
74 For the gents
68 East Bay, City Market
76 Charleston icons
70 French Quarter
80 Charleston fashion
84 A FOOD TOWN 84 From the Lee Bros.
96 Charleston delicacies
90 Chef profiles
98 How to get a table
100 HAVE SOME FUN 102 Out on the town
106 Lowcountry events
104 Hear some music
108 Catch a game
112 GET OUT & STAY ACTIVE 114 Let’s get fit
116 Let’s go fishing
115 Bicycling
119 See some critters
120-130 GUIDE TO COMMUNITIES & SCHOOLS 6 mycharlestononline.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
NOTE: The wrought iron symbols seen throughout this edition are based on actual designs by iconic Charleston blacksmith Philip Simmons, who died in 2009.
EDITORIAL: Andy Lyons, metro editor for The Post and Courier (alyons@ postandcourier.com), and Matt Winter, manager of new initiatives for The Post and Courier (mwinter@postandcourier.com). ADVERTISING: Deseret A. Scharett, regional retail sales manager for The Post and Courier (descharett@postandcourier.com), and Gayle J. Smith, director of advertising for The Post and Courier (gjsmith@postandcourier.com). STAFF WRITERS: Robert Behre, Diette Courrégé, Prentiss Findlay, Stephanie Harvin, Brian Hicks, Schuyler Kropf, Dave Munday, Bo Petersen, Gene Sapakoff, David Slade, Glenn Smith, Teresa Taylor, David Quick, Matt Winter. PRODUCTION AND DESIGN: Matt Winter PHOTOGRAPHY: Unless otherwise credited, all photographs are from The Post and Courier. Contributing photographers include Grace Beahm, Leroy Burnell, Brad Nettles, Marie Rodriguez, Wade Spees and Tyrone Walker. COPY EDITORS: Angie Blackburn, Laura Bradshaw, Tony Brown, Kiante Chapman and Sandy Schopfer. ON THE COVER: Tyrone Walker of the The Post and Courier captured this great action shot of Jenny Brown, founder of Shaka Surf School, during the 2012 Wahine Tournament on Folly Beach.
My Charleston, The Post and Courier’s guide to life in the Lowcountry is a publication of The Post and Courier, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C. 29403-4800. Copyright 2012 by The Post and Courier. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without express written permission from The Post and Courier.
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MATT LEE AND TED LEE grew up in Charleston and founded The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue. They have written for Travel + Leisure, GQ, The New York Times and Martha Stewart Living. Their forthcoming book, The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, is a collection of recipes and stories from their time growing up and learning to cook in Charleston. For this edition of My Charleston, the Lee Brothers explore Charleston’s culinary traditions in “A food town, pure & simple” (p. 84). BEN FINK
KATIE ABBONDANZA has been writing about style and producing fashion shoots for the past six years. When she’s not reporting from backstage at New York Fashion Week or zipping models into dresses, she’s usually running along The Battery or practicing yoga on her porch. Katie dives deep into Charleston’s retail scene with “Let’s shop” (p. 64). STRATTON LAWRENCE is a frequent contributor to Charleston Scene, The Post and Courier’s weekly guide to entertainment, and Tideline, the Lowcountry’s premier maritime publication. No stranger to the beach scene himself, Stratton documented the Lowcountry’s growing obsession with surfing, paddleboarding and kiteboarding in “Get on board” (p. 40). SETH McCORMICK COOKE, style columnist for The Post and Courier, examines Charleston’s fashion scene (p. 80). ROB YOUNG, another frequent contributor to Charleston Scene, cooks up some profiles of notable chefs (p. 90).
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EDITOR’S LETTER
From “Dawn at Shem Creek,” an original oil painting by Charleston artist Rick Reinert, of Reinert-LePrince Fine Art gallery.
M
Andy Lyons is the metro editor of The Post and Courier. He reads, runs and relishes every opportunity to see a good band. He lives in West Ashley with his wife and their three children.
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y wife and I were entertaining guests who had just moved here. They didn’t have a clue about what to see first. Their questions were common ones for out-of-towners who first arrive in Charleston: Who specializes in southern cuisine? Which beach is family friendly? Where’s the best spot to park the car and get out and walk? The Lowcountry, it turns out, can be a tad intimidating. So I grinned and excused myself from the dinner table, returning with a copy of last year’s My Charleston. I watched as our guests devoured the pages of advice on planning a beach excursion, the lessons in local history and the extensive rundown of big events. This, they said, will help. You are holding the third edition of My Charleston, our most extensive, reader-friendly one yet.
This year it’s is all about ditching the rental car, pounding the pavement, borrowing a fishing rod, buying a paddle board and making the reservation for a fine meal. Essentially, it’s all about how to “do the Charleston.” What’s more, this edition ventures away from the expected haunts and guides you towards some of Charleston’s hidden treasures. And it offers our deepest look into the area’s rich golf history and a course-by-course guide so you can hit the links. This advice comes from the award-winning journalists of The Post and Courier and other local experts. They call this beautiful area home and are the quintessential experts on everything from where to spike your umbrella into the sand to where to snag a bottle of FireFly Sweet Tea vodka or a bag of grits. So read it, keep this copy on your coffee table, then get out there and “do the Charleston.”
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Take the tour 12 mycharlestononline.com
By Glenn Smith
Weave your way along well-worn paths as you wind through a cemetery where weathered headstones jut at odd angles amid riotous blooms of wildflowers and crape myrtles draped in beards of Spanish moss. Dip down beneath the limbs shrouded in shade as the walls of aged brick narrow. Light beckons as you step past the ancient iron gate and onto a bustling street filled with people and trendy shops in buildings from a by-gone era. The walk through the Unitarian burying ground between Archdale and King streets is one of any number of unique and eclectic strolls one can take through this place we call Charleston. It’s a place of sheer beauty and mystery, a city freeze dried in time but infused with a new, vibrant spirit.
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The Battery
The Powder Magazine
Waterfront Park
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Charleston has a complicated history and an eccentric nature. But she does get under your skin. Known as the Holy City for its abundance of churches, Charleston has survived devastating hurricanes, fires, earthquakes and two wars fought on its soil. It has basked in prosperity, endured poverty and reinvented itself several times, morphing from a bawdy port town into a cosmopolitan city while still retaining its distinct character. Charleston got its start in the 1670s when a group of colonists landed here and built a fortified settlement along the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers. Some 300 years later, the peninsular city comprises 20 densely packed neighborhoods, each with its own look, flavor and offerings. The best way to see the city is on foot. So lace up your shoes and head out. Start at the tip of the peninsula in the residential enclave known to locals as “South of Broad” for its geographical position to Broad Street. With its stately mansions and buildings dating to the 1700s, the area includes some of the peninsula’s priciest real estate. White Point Garden offers plenty of shade beneath a canopy of oak trees, as well cannons, war monuments and a charming gazebo. From there, you can stroll atop The Battery seawall for sweeping views of Charleston Harbor and a close-look at the waterfront mansions mentioned above. Follow The Battery as it slopes down onto East Bay Street and leads to Rainbow Row, a historic collection of 18th- century homes decked out in warm pastel colors. A short walk away, just north of Broad Street, lies the French Quarter neighborhood, named in recognition of the city’s French settlers and the French Huguenot Church they founded. The area boasts the stylish Dock Street Theatre and the Powder Magazine, a circa-1713 structure on Cumberland Street that is among the oldest surviving buildings in South Carolina. Nearby Chalmers Street is the city’s longest cobblestone road, paved with stones that once served as ballast to stabilize empty ships. The French Quarter abuts the City Market, which once served as the city’s grocery store and an extension of its port. Recently restored, The Market now mainly caters to tourists, with vendors selling everything from sweetgrass baskets to jewelry and hot sauces. Water is an ever-present feature in this city’s low-lying landscape and there are plenty of places where you can get up close and personal with the harbor. One such place is Waterfront Park, built in the aftermath of 1989’s Hurricane Hugo. The park, at the end of Vendue Range, offers a popular fountain for cooling off, along with benches and swings, paths for walking and jogging and a pier that juts into the harbor. Look close and you might spot a dolphin or two. A little further down the peninsula lies the Aquarium Wharf area. There, visitors can sample marine life at the South Carolina Aquarium or hitch a boat ride — for a fee — to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. A water taxi based at the Charleston Maritime Center also runs on the hour over to Mount Pleasant’s Patriots Point.
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SEE THE SIGHTS By Schuyler Kropf
C
harleston is full of “must sees.” Some are easy to get to and others are off the beaten path. Some can be viewed with an easy stroll. Some are free. Here are some best bets.
CHARLESTON’S BATTERY One of the most photographed spots in the city. Historic homes surround White Point Gardens with its collection of shady oak and palmetto trees. Locals like to brag this is where Charleston Harbor and the Ashley River meet to form the Atlantic Ocean. Civil War period cannon and mortars line the area as well as monuments to historic figures, including the Confederate defenders of Fort Sumter. Feel free to climb on the guns and picnic on the grass or under the shade. Follow East Bay Street into East Battery and Murray Boulevard.
FORT SUMTER The fort guarding Charleston Harbor is where the Civil War began on April 12, 1861. After months of national saber-rattling and secession threats, Confederate batteries opened fire from multiple locations on federal forces inside the fort. The Union troops surrendered 34 hours later. For four years of fighting during the Seige of Charleston, Union naval and land forces tried repeatedly to take it back. Today the fort is a monument to the siege where visitors can walk the ramparts and take in a panoramic view of the harbor. Visiting Fort Sumter is done by concession-operated ferry that departs from two locations listed on the National Park Service website: the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square 340 Concord St., Charleston, and Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant. Call 843-722-2628 for a schedule of fees and departure times.
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Re-enactors re-create the surrender of Fort Sumter from Federal to Confederate troops.
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FORT MOULTRIE PLANTATIONS
Middleton Place America’s oldest landscaped gardens, these were begun by Henry Middleton 25 years before the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by his son, Arthur. 4300 Ashley River Road
On the southern tip of Sullivan’s Island is the site where several incarnations of the fort have stood. The first fort drew fame when it withstood an attack from a British fleet during the American Revolution on June 28, 1776, saving Charleston from invasion. It was named in honor of Col. William Moultrie. Over time the fort would fall into periods of neglect and repair, becoming part of the national coastal defenses during the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World Wars I and II. Today the brick fort and surrounding park is easily walkable, has good views of the harbor and many displays give insight to its history and workings. Across the street from the visitor’s center is the grave of Seminole Indian Chief Osceola. Fee to visit inside the fort is $3 for adults; children 15 and younger are free. The park is at 1214 Middle St. on Sullivan’s Island. Call 843-883-3123 for details.
THE ANGEL OAK
Magnoliaa Plantations and Gardens enss
Located on nearby Johns Island, many believe this Southern live oak is one of the oldest living things in the eastern portion of the United States, with estimates beginning at 300 to 400 years old. The tree is now part of an official City of Charleston park. There is no admission charge and a gift shop and picnic area are near by. Measurements for the tree are generally set at running 65 feet high, with circumference of more than 25 feet. Visitors are urged to walk under its shady canopy and follow its spread of limbs, the lower rungs of which bow into the surrounding grounds. The park is at 3688 Angel Oak Road on Johns Island. Call 843-559-3496 for details.
America’s first gardens opened to visisitors. Its picturresque, Romantic ntic design standss in stark contrast to the formal geometry of Middleton. 3550 Ashley River Road
Drayton Hall One of the nation’s greatest surviving colonial residences, this unaltered Georgian Palladian home is a museum run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 3380 Ashley River Road
McLeod Plantation One of James Island’s few plantations that survive in recognizable form. Its new owner, the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, plans to open it soon. Country Club Drive
Boone Hall Plantation This Mount Pleasant plantation house is relatively new (built in the 20th century), but its brick slave cabins are unusual. Site of many special events. 1235 Long Point Road 20 mycharlestononline.com
CHARLES TOWNE LANDING This marshy point up the Ashley River from where downtown Charleston grew is where a group of English settlers landed in 1670 to establish the original Carolinas colony. Today the park depicts life in Colonial Charleston, showing the hardships, techniques and defenses of starting the fledging colony. Interpretive rangers and a self-guided history trail and audio tour are ways to absorb the park, along with a recently modernized Visitor’s Center. Other sites to see are the sailing ship Adventure, a 17thcentury replica of what brought colonists across the Atlantic. An Animal Forest Natural Habitat zoo features animals native to the state, including otters, bear and bison. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $3.50 for youths age 6-15 and free for children 5 and younger. The park is at 1500 Old Towne Road in West Ashley. Call 843-852-4200 for details.
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MAGNOLIA CEMETERY HIDDEN TREASURES By Robert Behre
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he beaches. The Battery. Charleston’s historic streets. These are the postcard places that Lowcountry visitors and new residents quickly discover and savor. But those who live here shouldn’t miss the chance to find their own hidden gems — places not on the obvious tourist path but still very much worth exploring, particularly for those with extra time. What can be considered “hidden” is clearly subjective, but here are a dozen places that offer their own interest and charm — and that you might not have heard of.
As Charleston’s churchyards began filling up in the 19th century, several religious denominations and burial societies began establishing new cemeteries far north of the city. Magnolia, at 70 Cunnington Ave., is the biggest jewel, both because of its quantity of significant architectural monuments and its unequalled marsh-front setting.
BULL’S ISLAND
POWDER MAGAZINE AND SLAVE MART These two tiny one-room museums are separately run but stand about a block away from one another (at 79 Cumberland St. and 6 Chalmers St., respectively). Each tells an important part of Charleston’s early history, including its beginnings as a walled city and the slave trade that created the city’s antebellum wealth.
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Ever wonder what Lowcountry beaches looked like before the colonists arrived? Then grab a ferry from Awendaw to Bull’s Island, where 16 miles of trails can be explored. The area has been touched by man: It’s a federal wildlife refuge managed to protect endangered and threatened species. But its most impressive feature, Boneyard Beach on the island’s eroding northern tip, shows nature remains in charge.
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KOGER HOUSE
MCCLELLANVILLE
PITT STREET BRIDGE
The late 18th century house was built on the stagecoach route from Charleston to Augusta. It’s one of the oldest and best-preserved houses in northern Dorchester County and recently received a sympathetic renovation. Now owned by the Upper Dorchester County Historical Society, the house opens as a museum.
The fishing village in northern Charleston County is a quiet, picturesque community fully recovered from Hurricane Hugo’s big blow in 1989. It features a relatively new museum, historic homes and churches and is close to other natural and historical sites, including the Santee Coastal Reserve, Hampton Plantation and St. James-Santee Church.
Mount Pleasant’s original linear park, built on the former causeway and bridge pilings that once linked the town with Sullivan’s Island, offers great views of the harbor, Intracoastal Waterway and miles of marsh. The town spruced up the park a few years ago, and it’s not far from another prime scenic spot: Alhambra Hall at 131 Middle St.
DONNELLY WMA CENTER
ANGEL OAK
THE OLD NAVAL BASE
The ACE Basin, named for the three rivers that wind their way to the cast between Charleston and Beaufort, is a pristine area protected by public and private property owners. Exploring the trails on this 8,000-acre center outside Green Pond (open from Feb. 9 to Oct. 31, except for special hunts) is a great introduction to the Basin.
One of the most impressive examples of the Lowcountry’s beloved live oaks can be found in this wooded city of Charleston park nestled just southwest of where Maybank Highway crosses Bohicket Road on Johns Island. The ancient tree stands 65 feet tall, with a trunk circumference of 25 feet. Don’t forget to bring your camera.
While redevelopment of the northern end of the former military base remains very much a work in progress, you drive through and glimpse where officers once lived and where ships were once forged. The base has three historic districts, and while there’s little interpretation, there’s much to explore, including the city’s park along the Cooper River.
CAW CAW INTERPRETIVE CENTER
SUNRISE PARK
AZALEA PARK
Those seeking to get a glimpse of nature closer to Charleston can wander the many trails and diverse habitats of this county park off U.S. Highway 17 in Ravenel. The center includes a former rice plantation, marsh areas and other prime birding spots.
The Melton Peter Demetre Park on James Island, known for a long time as Sunrise Park, is a great place to watch the sun come up over Charleston Harbor – or to launch a kayak for a quick trip out to Fort Sumter. Find it near the end of Wampler Drive.
This 16-acre park nestled near Summerville’s oldest homes was created during the Great Depression. Its namesake blooms are celebrated each spring during the Flowertown Festival, but it’s also a nice place to wander when the crowds are gone.
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H.L. Hunley SEE THE SHIPS By Schuyler Kropf
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n today’s world, giant container ships and cruise ships often dominate Charleston’s historic harbor. But the city’s waterways are also home to a number of historic or otherwise noteworthy vessels. Here are the heavyweights.
The H.L. Hunley is the world’s first successful combat submarine. The 40-foot sub was built in 1863 as a privateer; investors hoped to sink Union blockade ships and reap rewards from bounties placed on them. The Hunley, designed by James McClintock, sank twice in Charleston Harbor, killing 13 men before it eventually sank the USS Housatonic 4 miles off the coast of Sullivan’s Island on Feb. 17, 1864. It was lost that night with eight men aboard. A dive team funded by adventure novelist Clive Cussler found the Hunley in 1995 and, in 2000, it was recovered and brought to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center for restoration. Open to tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.
USS Laffey
USS Yorktown The USS Yorktown at Patriots Point has been a Charleston Harbor landmark for more than 35 years. This 872-foot Essex class carrier was originally supposed to have been named the Bon Homme Richard, but after the original Yorktown was sunk at the Battle of Midway, this ship’s name was changed in its honor. The ship joined the Pacific fleet in 1943 and served the U.S. Navy through the Vietnam War. It was decommissioned in 1970 and moved to Charleston Harbor in 1975. One bit of trivia: The Yorktown was on hand to recover the Apollo 8 capsule and crew after the first successful moon orbit on Christmas 1968. It’s open for tours daily from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
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This 376-foot Sumner-class destroyer was commissioned in early 1944 and supported the D-Day landing at Normandy. Later that year, the Laffey joined the Pacific fleet. While sailing near Okinawa in April 1945, the Laffey was attacked by 22 Japanese bombers and kamikaze aircrafts – five planes and three bombs actually hit the ship, killing 31 and wounding 71 men on a crew of 336. But the Laffey fought back and survived, earning the nickname “The Ship That Would Not Die.” A bit of trivia: the Laffey was present at the atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll, and later served in the Korean War. It is named after the original Laffey, sunk at the battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. The ship, the last surviving Sumner-class destroyer in the country, has been at Patriots Point since 1981. It’s open for tours 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily.
Clamagore The Clamagore is the only GUPPY III submarine preserved in the United States (GUPPY stands for Greater Underwater Propulsion Program). The Clamagore served the U.S. Navy for 30 years during the Cold War, from just after the end of World War II until 1975. It carried a crew of eight officers and 72 enlisted men, which had quite a time traversing the 27-foot wide, 322-foot long hull. It’s believed that the Clamagore’s hush-hush missions included trips to the shallows off Cuba during the missile crisis and cold-water runs to the frigid north shores of Russia. The Clamagore was put on display at Patriots Point in 1981. It’s open for tours 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily.
Spirit of South Carolina The Spirit of South Carolina was commissioned by the South Carolina Maritime Foundation to give Charleston its own tall ship. The 140-footlong schooner with 125-foot-tall main mast was built from the plans of an 1879 ship. The Spirit is used primarily for educational purposes, and was launched in 2007 after a seven-year construction project in downtown Charleston’s Ansonborough Field. Because of financial troubles, the Maritime Foundation has been forced to put the Spirit on the market.
The Adventure is a reproduction of a 17thcentury cargo ship such as you would have seen sailing local waters shortly after Charles Towne was founded in 1670. The 73-foot ship on display now is actually second generation. The original Adventure, designed by shipwright William Avery Baker, was on display at the site of the first town for more than 30 years before succumbing to the elements. This reproduction (also seen on Page 22) is based on Baker’s original plans and was launched in 2008. Charles Towne Landing is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
SCPRT
The Adventure
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The Old Dorchester State Historic Site features tabby walls from one of the area’s earliest European settlements.
ington visits Charleston as part of his Southern tour. Excites locals by riding his horse up and down Broad Street every day for a week.
Living history By Brian Hicks
In 342 years, a city can amass a lot of history. Charleston goes back a ways for an American city, and it has been a decidedly historical run. Here are some of the highlights of the life and times of the Holy City. April 1670 – Two English ships land at Albemarle Point, which is now what we call Charles Towne Landing. The colonists name the settlement in honor of King Charles II. Within four months, the first slaves will arrive. Eventually they will make up half the city’s population. 1680 – Charles Towne relocates to the peninsula, which they called Oyster Point. 1718 – The pirate Blackbeard terror-
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izes the town briefly. The city retaliates against piracy by hanging Stede Bonnet and nearly 50 more pirates at White Point Garden on Dec. 10. 1771 – The Old Exchange Building, which was then the New Exchange Building, opens. June 28, 1776 – Fort Sullivan, which will become Fort Moultrie, is attacked by British warships. Palmetto logs that make up the fort’s wall repel the can-
nonballs. A week later, the Colonies declare their independence. April 13, 1780 – British troops begin the Siege of Charleston. In May the town surrenders. It will be occupied by British forces for the remainder of the Revolutionary War. Aug. 13, 1783 – Charles Towne is incorporated, changes name to Charleston. May 1791 – President George Wash-
June 1822 – A free black artisan named Denmark Vesey is accused of plotting a slave revolt. He maintains his innocence right up to the moment the city hanged him. 1842 – The Military College of South Carolina opens. Before long, locals just call it The Citadel. Dec. 20, 1860 – South Carolina’s secession convention meets at St. Andrews Hall on Broad Street and votes unanimously to secede from the Union. Dec. 26, 1860 – U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson moves his troops from Fort Moultrie to the more defensible
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Fort Sumter. South Carolina considers it an act of war. Jan. 9, 1861 – Cadets from the Military College fire on the Star of the West, a private supply ship trying to deliver provisions – and reinforcements – to the federal troops at Fort Sumter.
Hurricane Hugo’s storm surge decimated parts of McClellanville.
April 12, 1861 – Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter, the opening shot of the Civil War. December 1861 – An accidental fire decimates much of downtown Charleston. May 13, 1862 – Robert Smalls, a slave and ship’s pilot for the Confederates, commandeers the CSS Planter and sails it out of the harbor disguised as the ship’s captain. He escapes with his family and a half-dozen other slaves. Eventually Smalls becomes the first captain of a U.S. vessel and during Reconstruction represents South Carolina in Congress. Aug. 29, 1863 – Union forces bombard Charleston, a siege that will last 545 days. Civilians largely desert the southern end of the peninsula.
FILE/THE POST AND COURIER
the Civil War. Feb. 17, 1864 – The H.L. Hunley pulls off the first successful submarine attack in history, sinking Union sloop of war Housatonic off Sullivan’s Island. Feb. 18, 1865 – Charleston surrenders to Union forces. The Yankees will occupy the city through Reconstruction. Some are still here, in fact. May 1, 1865 – Former slaves honor Union soldiers who died in Charleston’s Confederate prison camp. They call it Decoration Day. It will later be considered the birth of the Memorial Day holiday. Aug. 31, 1886 – An earthquake hits Charleston, leveling buildings and killing 60. 1901 – The Charleston Naval Base opens, breathing life into the city’s economy, which has suffered since
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December 1901 – Charleston hosts the South Carolina Interstate and West Indian Exposition at what is now Hampton Park. Aug. 8, 1929 – The first bridge over the Cooper River opens. Built for $6 million, it will eventually be named for Mayor John P. Grace, who served from 1911 to 1915, and pushed for the span. 1931 — The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) is established as part of the first preservation ordinance in the United States. Summer 1934 – The composer George Gershwin takes the novel “Porgy,” written a decade earlier by local writer Dubose Heyward, and turns it into the opera “Porgy and Bess.” Due to racial tensions caused by segregation, no production of “Porgy and
Bess” would be staged in Charleston until 1970.
in Charleston. 1993 – Charleston Naval Base closes.
1950 – U.S. District Judge Julius Waties Waring writes the dissenting opinion in Briggs v. Elliott, a South Carolina school desegregation case. Waring’s dissent forms the foundation of the monumental U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. Spring 1969 – For 113 days, nonprofessional hospital workers at Medical College (now MUSC) strike for better pay and benefits. The strike attracts national attention, the National Guard and NAACP leaders before it ends. 1977 – First Spoleto Festival USA is held. Sept. 21-22, 1989 – Hurricane Hugo makes landfall in Charleston. The storm kills more than 100 people and does $10 billion in damage, much of it
May 3, 1995 – A dive team funded by adventure novelist Clive Cussler discovers the long-lost Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley four miles off Sullivan’s Island. July 16, 2005 — Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the new Cooper River bridge, opens. June 18, 2007 – Nine Charleston firefighters are killed in the Sofa Super Store fire. Oct. 28, 2009 – The Boeing Co. announces plans to build an assembly line for its 787 here. May 2012 – Charleston announces the hiring of its first female fire chief, Karen Brack.
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Sun, sand & salt Just like a bunch of siblings, the beaches and barrier islands of the Lowcountry all have their own personalities, their own strengths and weaknesses. That’s cool, because you can choose one to visit based not only on which is closest, but also your mood. Want to walk alone, among the seashells and driftwood on a pristine beach? We’ve got that. Want to pack up the kids and enjoy a wholesome day among families like yours? You can do that, too. Aiming for a different experience? Maybe bikini contests, partying on the sand, beachside bars? Check, check and check. What about beach sports? Surfing, paddleboarding, kiteboarding? Charleston’s a regional hot spot for all of them. Variety, indeed, is the spice of life. We’ve got you covered.
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HIT THE BEACH
Known as “The Edge of America,” Folly Beach draws tourists, college kids, surfers, residents of James Island, West Ashley and North Charleston for its surfing, drinking at beach bars and pier fishing. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene damaged Folly Beach County Park so severely in August 2011 that the park was closed until further notice. This laid-back island is a hub for surfers, artists, musicians and other free-spirited types. Locals bike everywhere, and only begrudgingly leave the island. Pros: Fun, laid-back and funky. Lifeguards at the pier. Cons: Traffic, crowds, parking. Hubs of activity: “The Washout” toward east end of the beach is the premier surfing spot in Charleston; the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier; Rita’s, Taco Boy, Surf Bar, Lost Dog Cafe and Sand Dollar Social Club. Dog policy for beach: Dogs are not allowed on the beach 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 1 to Sept. 30, but dogs on leashes are allowed at other times.
SULLIVAN’S ISLAND
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rguably the most popular among the everyday person is Folly Beach, the Big Lebowski of beaches: laid-back, a mix of hippie and redneck, weathered and featuring the best surfing within at least a hundred miles in both directions.
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Sullivan’s Island may not have the surfing that Folly Beach does, but it’s a hotspot for kiteboarding (Station 29 area), stand-up paddleboarding and mid-morning off-leash dog walking. The island also boasts a varied bar and restaurant scene, including Dunleavy’s Pub, Taco Mamacita, High Thyme, Poe’s Tavern, Home Team BBQ, Station 22 (seafood), Atlanticville Restaurant & Cafe and Sullivan’s. With picture-perfect scenery and uncrowded shoreline, Sullivan’s Island is arguably the most historically significant of the area islands. African slaves were quarantined there, Fort Moultrie is there, Edgar Allan Poe once called the island home. The western tip of Sullivan’s Island provides great views of the peninsula and the Ravenel Bridge. Photographers also can capture images of sailboats and cargo ships passing in and out of the
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KIAWAH Though much of Kiawah Island is a private, gated community, Kiawah Beachwalker Park is open to the public. That’s a good thing: Year after year, this county park gets national attention for being selected as a Top 10 beach. Beachwalker is a popular spot for families, and for locals seeking a quieter, more convenient beach experience. Pros: Lifeguards: Yes. Cons: The public beach is a hike from Charleston, though the drive is a scenic one. Dogs: Must be leashed at all times.
harbor. The beach is lined with million-dollar mansions, a lighthouse and Fort Moultrie, an 18th-century structure open for self-guided tours. Pros: Ample beach space thanks to the jetties constructed by the federal government in the late 19th Century that cause sand to build up on Sullivan’s and erode on Folly. Cons: Traffic can stack up when the Ben Sawyer Bridge swing span opens for boats to pass on the Intracoastal Waterway; the police are strict about alcohol and dogs; no lifeguards nor centralized parking area. Hubs of activity: Besides the restaurant district mentioned above from Station 20 to 22½, the beach in front of the Sullivan’s Island has been drawing crowds of 20-somethings in recent years (above). When it’s windy (which is most summer afternoons), the sky is filled with kites from boarders departing from Station 29. Dog policy for beach: Dog owners must get a Sullivan’s Island dog tag, which costs $35 per dog and requires proof of rabies vaccine and insurance. From May 1 to Sept. 30, dogs are allowed off-leash 5-10 a.m., not allowed on beach 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. and allowed onleash 6 p.m.-5 a.m.
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EDISTO BEACH
ISLE OF PALMS This 7-mile long island, which used to be called “Long Island,” draws a mix of tourists and locals for an array of activities, from music, beach volleyball and surfing (particularly longboards) to golf and tennis. The area in front of Isle of Palms’ four-block commercial strip is known as “Front Beach.” The nearby Isle of Palms County Park makes this beach ideal for those who like to have access to facilities such as restrooms, dressing rooms and picnic areas. Admission for standard vehicles is $8, which includes parking. During the summer months, lifeguards patrol the beach, and beach-goers can rent chairs and umbrellas. Wild Dunes Resort, which takes up the back half of the Isle of Palms, is an affluent community. While it’s gated, the beach in front is not. So have at it! Pros: Ample centralized parking at Isle of Palms County Park and city lots off of Ocean Boulevard. Lifeguards on the beach near the park. Opportunities for both people watching and being virtually alone. Cons: That centralized parking and commercial activity can lead to a crowded beach — especially on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends — from 10th Avenue to 21st Avenue. Hubs of activity: The “Front Beach” commercial district, particularly The Windjammer and Coconut Joe’s, Isle of Palms County Park; surfing spots at 7th, 25th and 30th avenues; some kiteboarders launch from Third Avenue; The Grand Pavilion area on Wild Dunes. Dog policy for the beach: Dogs are allowed off-leash 5-8 a.m. April 1-Sept. 14 and 4-10 p.m. Sept. 15-March 31, though dog owners must have leash in hand, have their dog under voice command and must clean up excrement. At all other times, dogs must be on-leash and under complete control, even in the water.
Sometimes called the Mayberry by the Sea, Edisto is know for quiet vistas, uncrowded shoreline, great shelling and surf fishing Pros: A great escape not far from town, virtually no traffic other than golf carts, free parking. Cons: A handful of choices for dining and drinking — pack some of your libations. No hotels. Dog policy: Must be leashed between May 1 and Oct. 31.
BY BOAT Dewees, Capers, Morris and Bull’s islands are accessible only by boat. Dewees is a private residential island, but the beach is public. Capers and Bull’s are part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Morris is popular party spot for boaters near Fort Sumter. Anyone visiting barrier islands should be careful to pack out all litter or risk heavy fines. Pros: Great places for nature lovers and surf fishing. Cons: Aside from figuring out a way to get there, be prepared for bugs. If you surf on Bull’s, don’t be surprised to see a few sharks. Dog policy: Varies, with heavy fines for letting dogs run free on islands deemed bird sanctuaries.
Parent
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ARKS AND COCKLES COLLECT SHELLS
More than 10 species of arks are found in Carolina waters. The incongruous ark is one of the most common finds on S.C. beaches, especially in muddy sand. Live arks are covered with a dark, hairlike substance. They seldom exceed 2½ inches in length. To the untrained eye, cockles are very similar to arks. The giant Atlantic cockle grows to 5 inches in length. The outside is tan or dirty white, with darker reddish-brown spots, often in rings.
SEA URCHIN Live sea urchins resemble a pin cushion, but after the animal dies, it loses its “pins” and only a fragile shell will remain. If you find the skeleton before it is bleached, it often has a purplish hue.
SHARK TEETH
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nyone who has ever visited the beach has done it. As you walk along the shore, something in the sand catches your eye. You pick up the object and carefully examine it, then make the decision to keep or discard it. Welcome to the world of beachcombing. Whether it’s something rare, such as a bleached vertebra of a whale or a fossilized shark’s tooth, or something common, such as a knobbed whelk or an oyster shell, in the eye of a beholder, everything can be a treasure. Shells can be found along all beaches at all times of the year. The best possible spots are barrier islands that can only be reached by boat, such as Bull’s, Capers, Dewees or Morris islands. If you don’t have a boat, don’t despair. The shelling at the inlet areas of the beaches also can be quite good. And you can beat the crowds at popular beaches by starting at dawn.
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Shark teeth occasionally can be found along the beach. Edisto Beach is a wellknown spot for finding shark’s teeth. The teeth range in size from ones small enough to fit on a button to larger ones like those of a prehistoric shark called megaladon. The teeth can be found in a range of colors, though usually black or light brown. The black ones are fossilized.
OYSTER Most live oysters are found inside estuaries, but oyster shells often wash up on beaches. They can vary greatly in color and range from 2 to 6 inches in length. They are extremely sturdy with thick, irregular ridges.
CLAMS Also known as quahogs, thick clam shells are commonly found on the beach. The Northern quahog is 3 to 5 inches long. It can range from white to dirty gray. The inside of the shell often has purplish stains.
LETTERED OLIVE South Carolina is one of 14 coastal states with an officially designated seashell. The “lettered olive” became the official shell of the Palmetto State nearly 20 years ago. The color is often grayish tan, and the olive has a glossy finish. The shell seldom exceeds 3 inches long. It gets its name from the zigzag pattern that resembles script letters.
WHELKS Whelks are one of the most common shells and often are mistakenly referred to as conchs. There are three types of whelks common to our beaches. The lightning whelk has an opening on the left as you look at the shell with its knobs pointed upward. The knobbed whelk has an opening on the right, and more prominent knobs. The channeled whelk has smooth grooves, or channels, on top.
WHELK EGG CASE Sometimes beachcombers come across what looks like the skin of a snake. These are whelk egg cases, a spiraling strand of paperlike hollow discs. Occasionally, you can find miniature whelks inside the discs.
HORSESHOE CRAB This isn’t a true crab and not even a crustacean. Its closest living relatives are spiders. Horseshoe crabs have remained basically unchanged for millions of years and are often referred to as living fossils. The blood from the large crabs (shown here out of scale) is used for medical research. The blood is blue because it is copper-based instead of iron-based, like human blood.
STARFISH Starfish, also known as sea stars, feed on clams, using the tube feet found on the bottom of the five radial legs to pry the clam open. Dead starfish take on an orangish-red color and become brittle.
ANGEL WING If you can find a whole one, an angel wing is one of the most prized finds of beachcombers. The angel wing is very fragile and seldom survives to make it to the beach with both halves intact. They are chalky white and can grow to 7 inches. The false angel wing is smaller, growing to about 2 inches.
SKATE CASE The egg case of the clearnose skate, a bottom-dwelling species closely related to stingrays and sharks, is a black, leathery rectangular-shaped object with a curly horn at each corner. The horns are used to extract oxygen and release waste into the water. Common nicknames include devil’s pouch and mermaid’s purse.
SAND DOLLAR The keyhole urchin is the most common sand dollar found on S.C. beaches. The sand dollar is round, flat and thin. It is related to the starfish and sea urchin and has five keyholeshaped openings in the body. Live sand dollars are covered with a brownish-green layer of velvety spines. When they wash up on the beach and die, they bleach to a bright white from the sun.
MOON SNAIL The moon snail is also a prized find. It often is referred to as a shark eye, for obvious reasons. The moon snail also is predatory, attacking other mollusks, especially clams, cockle shells and even other snails, using a tonguelike apparatus known as a radula to secrete an acidlike substance and drill a hole in the shell. A moon snail can consume as many as four clams in a day.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU KEEP Although there appears to be no threat to the population of the mollusks who build shells as their homes, it’s a good idea to take only what you really feel like you need and can use. Even when the mollusk dies, a hermit crab may move into the shell. Be sure to check with local authorities for any rules against keeping certain types of shells. Also, beachcombers should take a conservationminded approach by avoiding live specimens. Live sand dollars can be distinguished by the brownish-green velvety covering; dead sand dollars are bleached a grayish white. Whelks, a common specimen on South Carolina beaches, also can be returned to the water if the animal is visible inside its shell. And you should also check with your finger to see if a hermit crab has taken up residence in a shell before bringing it home.
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TYRONE WALKER/THE POST AND COURIER
Whether standing up, in the surf or attached to a giant kite, Charleston’s thrill-seekers can’t get enough
Elea Faucheron, founder of Air & Earth shop in Mount Pleasant, often can be found kiteboarding or paddleboarding off Sullivan’s Island.
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By Stratton Lawrence
Sophia Vann learned how to surf with Kai Dilling, an instructor at Sol Surfers Surf Camp on Folly Beach.
S
urfers have long known the value of rising early in the morning, venturing into glassy waves before the offshore winds and crowds of beach-goers descend on their break. In recent years, however, two newcomers on the board sports scene have joined them: Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and kiteboarding.
Both sports offer the same balance of high adventure and harmony with nature that have attracted surfers to the water for decades. Charleston has seen a boom in both the number of locals taking up kiting or SUP and those traveling to the city to participate. For kiteboarding in particular, the city is building a reputation as one of the world’s premier spots to learn and perfect one’s skills. Meanwhile, new opportunities to rent or tour on stand-up paddleboards seem to spring up every month. And, of course, the surfers are as happy as ever to hang ten when the swell comes rolling in.
Professional kiteboarder Davey Blair used to hate wind. A surfer since early childhood, heavy breezes meant sloppy waves. Those days were more likely to be spent on pavement with his skateboard than paddling out into an inconsistent, foamy mess. That all changed when he discovered kiting in 2003. After perfecting his skills on Sullivan’s Island and in the Dominican Republic, Blair acquired his first corporate sponsor. He’s since built a career between Charleston and Hawaii around his own Chucktown brand, promoting the sport and the culture of the Lowcountry with apparel, tours and multimedia projects. “I’ve traveled around the world looking for the best places to kite,” Blair said. “Sullivan’s Island, with its low-tide sandbar situation, is definitely one of the three best places I’ve ridden, anywhere.” Thanks to year-round winds and mild weather, as opposed to Florida’s still summers and the Outer Bank’s chilly winters, Charleston’s presence as a perpetual kiteboarding destination will likely continue to grow. Blair thinks of kiting as the “ultimate extension of boarding,” allowing surfers, wakeboarders, snowboarders and rookies alike to utilize their skills. “Most of the top kiteboarders come from other board sports,” Blair said. “It’s very much the evolution of board riding.” Kiters have the option of boards with boots, straps or
HUNTER McCRAE
Kiteboarding: Catching the breeze
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nothing at all. Many simply use their surfboards, allowing the wind to pull them into waves or simply skimming across the clean surface of the water. Getting started in the sport can be intimidating, both for the steep learning curve and the cost involved. At Olinah, an Isle of Palms-based water sports store, owner Dan Floyd estimates that a base level beginner will need about $1,400 to purchase a quality kite, board and harness. Increase that to about $1,800 to include six hours of instruction, a virtual requirement for the gear-intensive sport. Those looking for the “Porsche setup” can expect to spend around $2,200. The best kites for Charleston’s conditions are generally in the 10-12 meter range. Fortunately for rookies, the kiting community is overwhelmingly accepting of new recruits. Stop by Station 28½ on Sullivan’s Island 42 mycharlestononline.com
whenever the wind is blowing and you’re likely to encounter over a dozen kites cutting across the inlet. It’s worth a visit, if only as a spectator, to see local riders catching 1015 foot airs and turning flips and 360-degree spins high above the water. And if you’re there to ride, chances are that someone on the beach will offer to help you get your kite in the air. Another Mount Pleasant store, Air, specializes in kiteboarding gear, even leading retreats and sponsoring meet-up groups, including the Air Club for Girls. Kiteboarders almost always ride in pairs, and the store can help rookies find a partner to head out with. Riding with a buddy is a smart move, even for veterans. “Everybody is really welcoming because it’s still a brand new sport,” said pro rider Blair. “You need people to help you out along the way, so everybody is really genuinely looking out for each other.”
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Inspired by he camaraderie of kiteboarders both in Charleston and around the world, Blair has begun work on a documentary that he hopes will bring awareness to the sport. Called “With a Kite,” Blair and two local filmmakers recently launched a $50,000 Kickstarter campaign, calling in the sport’s best riders from around the world to participate. Although he hesitates to compare their documentary to “Endless Summer,” the timeless classic that brought surfing into the mainstream, Blair hopes “With a Kite” will have the same effect for their sport. While kiteboarding videos online today show a sport that’s visually appealing but seemingly out of reach, Blair hopes the new film will bring it back to earth, showing the character of the 44 mycharlestononline.com
athletes involved and the stories behind their drive. “Kiteboarding is still so new that even the top professional guys are barely putting enough money away to pay rent and buy food,” he explains. “After ‘Endless Summer’ dropped, every person who was not a surfer knew terms like ‘hang ten.’ Surfing was here to stay. Our goal is to bring kiting into the world.”
Stand-up paddleboarding: A whole new angle Accessible to people of any athletic ability, stand-up paddleboarding has grown in popularity around the world in just a few years, spreading faster than any other sport in recent memory. “Big Jon” Ory first discovered SUP while managing a kayaking company in New Zealand. After spotting a
paddleboarder on the water, he ordered a few for the company and soon became the lead instructor. “I quickly went from not knowing how to do it to moving back to Charleston to start my own business,” said Ory, now the owner of Folly Beach-based Charleston SUP Safaris. As early as March 2011, Ory was booking tours and rentals at the same pace as during July of the previous summer. “It’s simple, and there’s no experience needed,” Ory said. “I would say that the sport is growing astronomically.” Charleston SUP Safaris hosted two races during its first year in business, attracting around 30 contestants for each. Local retailers Half -Moon Outfitters and Charleston Watersport have sponsored their own successful races as well. With the exception of
people who can’t be on their knees, virtually anyone can paddle a SUP board at some level, Ory says. Although instruction is always beneficial for beginners, SUP is a sport that is possible to try out all on your own. New rental shops like Mount Pleasant’s Odyssey Board Shop seem to sprout up frequently. Daily rentals range from $30-$50, and business is booming, from families looking for a slow amble into the tidal creeks to surfers looking for a new wave-riding option. One of the most familiar paddleboarders around Charleston is Joel Timmons, a singer and guitarist in local band Sol Driven Train. A veteran in a canoe and on a surfboard, SUP brought the best of those two worlds together for him. “SUP was a union of those two interests,” explained Timmons, who
paddles nearly five to eight miles every day when his band is on a break from the road, at home in Charleston. “You can take it in the surf or in the creeks, and it’s fun because every day the conditions are different. Depending on the tide, I’m always finding a different spot to paddle or a section of the beach to explore.” In the waves, Timmons recommends that both beginning and veteran SUP riders exercise respect and caution. “SUPs can be dangerous to surfers and swimmers,” says Timmons. “Know the etiquette and don’t overestimate your abilities.” Timmons’ own passion ignited after a friend introduced him to the sport on Lake Tahoe a couple of summers ago. He immediately purchased an 11-foot Laird (designed by big wave surfer Laird Hamilton) that he uses
in the surf. Since then, he found an inflatable model at Costco that he travels with on the road, allowing him to explore wherever Sol Driven Train happens to be playing. “Around Charleston, I’ve definitely explored a lot of areas that I’d never been to before,” says Timmons. “It opens up parts of creeks that you can’t get to in a john boat, and the view is really incredible. You see a lot more fish back in the river, and sea turtles and dolphins out in the ocean.” On Isle of Palms, Olinah’s Dan Floyd has even managed to merge SUP and kiteboarding, using a stout 7’3” SUP board with a kite. “It doesn’t require any conditions,” says Floyd. “You can almost go anytime.” Whereas surfers have to rely on weather, wind, and ocean swell to
cooperate, SUP riders can find somewhere to practice their sport nearly every day of the year.
Surfing: We love our small waves Although surfing has long been part of Charleston’s beach culture, our scene has only recently begun to command respect around the country. Late-summer hurricanes have always brought big swell to our coast, but surfers outside of South Carolina typically think of the Outer Banks and central Florida coast before Charleston. Thanks to growing support from local surf shops and the initiative of a group of filmmaking brothers on Folly Beach, that’s starting to change. Throughout the 2010 hurricane season, the three Thomas brothers of
Thomas Brothers Productions took turns manning cameras along the dunes at the Washout (Folly Beach’s fabled break), sacrificing time in the water to document the epic rides of their pals. “It’s hard, but if the waves are really good, I get just as much reward from getting great footage as I would if I was surfing,” said videographer and director Bryant Thomas. The result of the brothers’ labor, “Waves In Our Pocket,” debuted March 2011, giving new exposure to Folly Beach and its semi-pro and hopeful surfers like Kyle Busey, Will Roper and Patrick Evers. “I think the film got everyone stoked on going surfing again,” said Thomas. “It brought the community together and made everyone realize that we have our own little surf scene here. mycharlestononline.com 45
And since we’re out getting footage, they’re all thinking maybe they can be in the next one.” That “next one” is titled “Look to the Tropics,” set for release in late 2012. The brothers recruited Folly Beach-based surfers for trips to Australia, California, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, combining the footage acquired in those locales with plenty more taken here in Charleston. The film’s premiere at The Tides hotel on Folly Beach will attract surfers from around the world, with distribution plans destined to spread the word about Folly Beach far afield. Already, the Thomas Brothers are getting requests from pro surfers to go on all-expense paid trips to film them for sponsorship and publicity deals. All the buzz has contributed to the continued growth of Charleston’s surf scene, a community that’s never suffered in its numbers since the sport caught on in the 1960s. At Folly Beach’s McKevlin’s Surf Shop, instructor Perng Chen and a 46 mycharlestononline.com
handful of other instructors offer personalized lessons for $40 an hour, including board rental and delivery. “We get a lot of visitors from the Midwest that come down here, from Kentucky and Ohio and Tennessee, and they’ve never had the chance to go surfing,” says Chen, who has worked at the surf shop for seven years and taught lessons for the last three. “I give a huge amount of lessons to people who just walk in and are curious about surfing.” For a beginner determined to stand up and ride during their vacation, Chen highly recommends a lesson to get started. Perfect learning conditions of knee-to-thigh-high waves with no wind and super clean ‘lines,’ are rare, but occur most commonly early in the morning. It’s not a bad idea to plan your day of surf around dawn, since wind usually picks up by 10 or 11 a.m. “Last summer, I think we had one day that was absolutely perfect for learning — just knee-high glass — that’s always easier, and people feel calmer,”
says Chen, who starts her beginners on foam-top boards that are friendlier in case of a wipe out. She typically sends beginners to 6th or 8th block on the island’s east side, avoiding the more crowded lineup at the Washout. Surf culture is so prevalent in Charleston that a few retail stores are able to thrive far away from the waves, including downtown’s Las Olas Surf Shop and Rogue Wave Surf Shop. At Rogue Wave, owner Rhett Boyd has even branded the Lowcountry’s comparatively diminutive swell with a popular T-shirt line that reads, “I (Heart) Small Waves.” Chucktown’s Blair says that since returning home after living in Hawaii for eight years, he gets a laugh out of ‘tough guy’ surfers who gravel over waist-high waves. “If they went to the north shore of Oahu, they’d be humbled,” said Blair. Olinah’s Floyd explains that Charleston’s lack of big waves is due to the continental shelf’s distance off our shore. “Waves need depth to grow,” says
Floyd, describing how the 60-plus miles of relatively shallow waters off the coast weaken the swell traveling across the Atlantic. Still, hurricane swell can lead to 10-foot faces, a formidable wave for surfers of any level. During the rest of the year, however, Floyd recommends the 8th, 25th, and 32nd block on the Isle of Palms, as well as the northern tip of the island at Wild Dunes. Because sand bars are always shifting, once-staple breaks like “Bert’s” on Sullivan’s Island are no longer consistent. He advises visitors to do their own spot-check before committing to a stretch of beach, or simply stop into a surf shop and ask for advice. Wherever you surf, kite, or paddle, you’ll discover an element of the “real Lowcountry” you simply can’t experience on land. “It doesn’t make a difference what I’m doing,” says Chucktown’s Blair. “As long as I’m on a board, I’m comfortable.”
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MANATEE COASTAL ANIMALS By Bo Petersen
K
eep your eyes out when you put on the shades and sunscreen. More cool creatures haunt the beach and coastal environs than you could imagine. A comprehensive list of them would be overwhelming. There are 39 species of shark alone. Sea critters here get as gargantuan as the 40-ton, 50-foot-long right whale that shows up in the winter. They get tinier than the 10-inch-long least tern, the shorebird that fishes in a darting, hovering dance in the air. Here are a few more: PELICAN Brown pelicans are everywhere, sweeping over the beaches in formation, swarming the rookery shoals in the estuaries, haunting the fishing dock piers. The wide-winged bird with the pterodactyl beak is a familiar on the Lowcountry coast. Occasionally, you’ll also see a white pelican, a bigger, broader and, well, paler version. Where to look: Up, any time you’re near coastal water.
The seemingly misshapen sea mammals that inspired the myth of mermaids, manatees move up from Florida to summer here. Year after year, 50 or more sightings are made in Lowcountry estuaries, nearly half of them around Charleston. They have been spotted as far inland as the Pinopolis lock on Ca in Moncks Corner. They are usually Tailrace Canal glimpsed surfacing to breathe, a puppy dog face on what lo looks like a bulbous seal. Where to t look: Along docks near dripping freshspig water spigots.
ALLIGATOR ALLIG
The toothy toot prehistoric reptiles are creeping through p ponds, brackish marshes, rivers, blackwater creeks, occasional drainage ditches, swimming pools and occasionally the ocean surf near you. More than 100,000 are out there somewhere and they get m more than twice as big as a human. Give spac They are ambush predators. Their them space. girth belie belies the quick snap of their strike. Where to t look: Down, any time you’re near the edge of co coastal water.
MENHADEN Along with shrimp and mullet, these little, oily fish fuel the Lowcountry’s marine ecosystems. Menhaden gather together in huge schools, often right off the beaches. You can spot these schools by the “flicks” the fish make at the surface, and by diving pelicans. Ranging from a few inches long to about the size of an adult person’s hand, menhaden are food to countless other fish, birds and marine mammals. They are also one of the most widely used baits for fishing. Where to look: Under diving pelicans, just past the breaking waves at the beach, in fishermen’s cast nets.
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FLORIDA FWCC
DOLPHIN
Few moments are as eerie as strolling alone along the waters’ edge and hearing a human-sounding pant of breath next to you. Bottlenosed dolphin are a charm of the Lowcountry. Like us, the mammals are social animals. They are intelligent enough to strand feed (above), working as a group corralling food fish into a smaller and smaller area, forcing them to leap up on the sand spit and then leaping after to feast before sliding back in. Where to look: Watch for the distinct fins in coastal waters as they pop up to breathe.
SEA TURTLE
At least four of the world’s seven sea turtle species come ashore to nest in the Lowcountry. They are ponderous creatures whose crawl from the surf to nest fascinates onlookers. The leatherback, the largest, is as big as a kitchen table and literally weighs a ton. The loggerhead (above) is about half the girth. The others are Kemp’s ridley and green turtles; the coast also is considered in the range of the hawksbill turtle. Thousands of nests are laid in the dunes from spring to fall each year, nearly all of them the beloved loggerhead. The turtles tend to come ashore at night. Laws prohibit interfering with the endangered species or their nests, which volunteers mark to keep people from disturbing. But occasionally a beachgoer comes across one of the turtles retreating to the sea, or its tiny hatchlings scrambling to the water. Marvel but leave them be. Where to look: South Carolina Aquarium and S.C. Department of Natural Resources regularly release sea turtles that were found injured and have been rehabilitated. Releases are announced on the aquarium’s website.
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Let’s play golf By Gene Sapakoff
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Pardon our pride. While the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah’s spectacular Ocean Course gives South Carolina its first golf major, Charleston was giving America golf “firsts” before the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Between the founding of the nation’s first golf club at Harleston Green on the Charleston peninsula in 1786 and the build-up to PGA action in August, the Lowcountry has seen Walter Hagen win the 1933 Charleston Open, watched destination resort golf boom at Kiawah and Wild Dunes, produced LPGA stars Beth Daniel and Jane Geddes, hosted the thrilling 1991 Ryder Cup, honed elite amateur competitions and rocked the golf/celebrity world with Hootie & the Blowfish.
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The Ocean Course has been called one of the toughest and most beautiful courses in the world.
TIM DOMINICK/THE STATE
A “First in Golf” license plate is available in South Carolina. Vanity is deserved, says an expert. “This is the greatest state for golf in the world,” said Pete Dye, whose famed list of golf course design projects includes the Ocean Course. Kiawah has been drawing golf tourists since the island development took off in the mid-1970s. Five distinct courses combine top architects – Dye, Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Clyde Johnston – with postcard views. Fazio’s links course at Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms was an immediate hit in 1980, a challenging showpiece aside the Atlantic. It all started almost three centuries ago, just like many golf vacations hatch today. With the confluence of enthusiasts, leisure time and golffriendly weather.
Harleston Green A shipment of 432 golf balls and 96 clubs was sent from Scotland’s port of Leith to Charleston merchant David Deas in 1743, according to research by historians Dr. George C. Rogers Jr. and Charles Price for a 1980 book, “The Carolina Lowcountry – Birthplace of American Golf, 1786.” 52 mycharlestononline.com
World Golf Hall of Fame ceremony in St. Augustine, Fla. “He was not a self-promoter. People don’t realize what a great player he was. He played with (Ben) Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson in his prime. All the guys came to him for help with their swings. He was credited with curing Hogan’s hook.” Picard died in Charleston at 90 in 1997, but his impact continues at the club he loved.
Amateur haven
Any golf mecca can have an offcentury. The present-day Country Club of Charleston opened in 1925, crafted with British links influence by renowned course designer Seth Raynor along the Wappoo with sweeping Charleston Harbor views. It immediately put James Island on the golf map, in large part because the club pro was a personable Plymouth, Mass., native named Henry Picard.
The Country Club of Charleston hosted the PGA’s Charleston Open from 1933 to 1937. It has been home to the Azalea Invitational amateur TIM DOMINICK/THE STATE tournament since 1946; the winner receives, ever so appropriately, the Frank C. Ford Azalea Champions’ Picard Trophy. Ford, who died at 100 in Picard won the Masters in 1938, won 2005, won the first Azalea and three the PGA Championship in 1939 and others. His grandson, Frank Ford III, played on Ryder Cup teams in 1935 won six Azalea titles. and 1937 Former Clemson golfer D.J. Trahan, “It kind of makes me mad. He was Ken Green, George Burns and Billy skipped in history,” Daniel said. Joe Patton are former Azalea winners. She grew up playing at the Country Their names are on the silver antique Club of Charleston and officially inwine cooler that is the trophy honortroduced Picard at his posthumous ing Ford, “The Wizard of Wappoo.” 2006 induction ceremony at the “He was the patriarch here in
Charleston,” said Hart Brown, the Country Club of Charleston’s PGA Director of Golf. “He always stood for being a gentleman and being a competitor. He was always here when his son, grandson and great-grandson were competing. He just loved to watch competitive golf.” The Rice Planters Amateur Tournament at Snee Farm Country Club in Mount Pleasant celebrates its 40th anniversary in June. From an inaugural field composed mostly of Snee Farm members and local golfers, the event grew to host some of the top rising stars in the sport: Andy Bean, Tom Lehman, Davis Love III, Mark O’Meara, Stewart Cink, Scott Verplank, Hal Sutton and Scott Hoch. Ryder Cup veterans, some of those guys.
deaths in South Carolina and was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history at the time. Dye had to scramble with Ocean Course construction that started almost as the tropical depression was forming. “Hugo changed everything,” Dye said. “It changed what we were going to do. It tore down all the trees and changed the sand along the edges. Sand dunes disappeared and trees fell into the lagoons. Hugo put us a little behind. We spent three or four months getting the place cleaned up.” Amazingly, in the two years between Hugo landfall and “War on the Shore” glory, Charleston’s Beth Daniel won 10 – count ’em 10 – LPGA tour titles.
Beth and Jane
Daniel, 55, is a Charleston native who played at Furman before winAs Germany’s Bernhard Langer ning her way into the World Golf lined up his six-foot putt on the final Hall of Fame. Daniel’s 33 LPGA tour hole of the 1991 Ryder Cup, everyone victories include the 1990 LPGA on both sides of the Atlantic knew Championship. She was the LPGA what was at stake. The U.S. hadn’t Tour Player of the Year in 1980, 1990 won the Ryder Cup since 1983 and and 1994. with the 1985 Masters winner lurkOne of Daniel’s most impressive ing, it didn’t look good for America at legacies is her influence on the poputhe Ocean Course, either. larity of golf among women, and on He missed. a particular woman. While Daniel The Kiawah crowd broke into grew up playing golf at the Country chants of “USA! USA!” Club of Charleston, Jane Geddes was The home team held on for a 14½thoroughly into tennis as a 16-year13½ victory. old when her family moved from New The U.S. team – including the late York to Summerville. Payne Stewart, Hale Irwin, Raymond Then Geddes’ mother read about Floyd, Fred Couples and Paul Azinger Daniel. She took young Jane to the – playfully carried Dave Stockton Country Club of Charleston and met over the sand dunes and threw their Daniel’s instructor, Derek Hardy. Five years later, Geddes was a top player on captain into the salty waves. With a Florida State’s national championship big South Carolina splash, the Ryder Cup was important again. team. The U.S. had conquered a cocky Now 52, she won 11 LPGA tournaEuropean team stocked with Langer, ments, including two major champiSeve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Jose onships, the 1986 U.S. Women’s Open Maria Olazabal, Ian Woosnam and and the 1987 LPGA Championship. David Feherty. Daniel was honored in 2008 at the Ultimately, the Ocean Course won. Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika, a “It’s so hard, it’s unbelievable,” Floyd $2.6 million LPGA tour event held at said of the Dye design. Mount Pleasant’s RiverTowne CounThe drama unfolded two Septemtry Club with mega-star Annika Sobers after the eye of Hurricane Hugo renstam in the role of leading spokespassed slightly north of Kiawah Iswoman. The tournament lasted only land. The Category 4 storm led to 27 two years. But it showcased golf with
‘The War on the Shore’
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Kiawah Island Resort’s Ocean Course hosted the 2003 World Cup.
a diverse appeal, something taken to off-the-chart levels by Darius Rucker and friends.
Tiger Woods, John Daly, Bill Murray, John Elway, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Kyle Petty, Alice Cooper, Ric Flair and always a strong contingent of Blowfish fun PGA tour players. Hootie & the Blowfish band memThat’s not all. bers haven’t contributed as much to For eight years, The Hootie at Bulls golf as they have to music, but it’s close. Bay Intercollegiate Golf Tournament For 18 years, their Monday After in Awendaw has been one of the top the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am has college events. entertained fans and raised money “We were members at Bulls Bay,” for charity. The fun started in CoBryan said. “We got the idea from lumbia in 1995, moved to Kiawah in (USC Director of Golf) Puggy Black2001 for two years and has been in mon. He said, ‘Guys, there’s no tourMyrtle Beach since 2003. Rucker, the nament at all with a band affiliated. It Hootie & the Blowfish lead singer and would be an unbelievable thing if you Charleston native, and guitarist Mark guys hosted your own tournament.’ Bryan, a Mount Pleasant resident, are We looked at it and talked with the guys at Bulls Bay and they decided annual participants. The MAM celebrity list has included they would love to host an NCAA 54 mycharlestononline.com
Tournament. It made sense to them and it made sense to us.”
Beyond 2012 Pete Dye was on hand in June 2005. So were then-S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford and plenty of other dignitaries when “the most significant announcement in the history of South Carolina golf” was made in a tent near the Ocean Course clubhouse: PGA Championship 2012. Tournament passes sold at a record pace. “We hope to not only be one of the largest sports events ever in South Carolina,” 2012 PGA Championship Director Brett Sterba said, “but also one of the largest social events.” No doubt, the PGA Championship
will add everlasting moments to Lowcountry golf history and contribute to a post-PGA future that already looks bright. The Country Club of Charleston will host the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The Daniel Island-based National Golf Course Owners Association serves more than 7,200 courses around the world, adding more by the month. Golf-driven tourism is sure to benefit from an Ocean Course major played out over four days of televised drama. Dye knows. “My measurement of success,” he said, “is that I’ve never built a golf course yet that’s not crowded.”
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CHARLESTON NATIONAL COUNTRY CLUB
CROWFIELD GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Phone: 843-884-4653 Address: 1360 National Drive, Mount Pleasant Website: charlestonnationalgolf.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1989 Architect: Rees Jones
Phone: 843-764-4618 Address: 300 Hamlet Circle, Goose Creek Website: cityofgoosecreek.com Status: Public Year opened: 1990 Architect: Bob Spence
HIT THE LINKS
I
t takes a special place to host the 2012 PGA Championship, a place like Kiawah Island Resort’s Ocean Course. This exquisite setting represents one of the most luxurious experiences the Lowcountry has to offer. But with more than 30 courses a short drive away, golfers have plenty of other options. Here’s a quick look. BERKELEY COUNTRY CLUB
BULLS BAY GOLF CLUB
COOSAW CREEK COUNTRY CLUB
DANIEL ISLAND CLUB, BERESFORD CREEK
Phone: 843-761-4653 Address: 772 Exeter Plantation Road, Moncks Corner Website: berkeleycc.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1959 Architect: George Cobb
Phone: 843-881-2223 Address: 995 Bulls Bay Boulevard, Awendaw Website: bullsbaygolf.com Status: Private Year opened: 2002 Architect: Mike Strantz
Phone: 843-767-9000 Address: 4110 Club Course Drive, North Charleston Website: coosawcreek.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1992 Architect: Arthur Hills
Phone: 843-971-3555 Address: 600 Island Park Drive, Daniel Island Website: danielislandclub.com Status: Private Year opened: 2000 Architect: Tom Fazio
GOLF CLUB AT BRIAR’S CREEK
CHARLESTON MUNICIPAL COURSE
COUNTRY CLUB OF CHARLESTON
DANIEL ISLAND CLUB, RALSTON CREEK
Phone: 843-768-3050 Address: 4000 Briar’s Creek Lane, Johns Island Website: briarscreek.com Status: Private Year opened: 2001 Architect: Rees Jones
Phone: 843-795-6517 Address: 2110 Maybank Highway, Charleston Website: charlestoncity.info/golf Status: Public Year opened: 1927 Architect: N/A
Phone: 843-795-2312 Address: 1 Country Club Drive, Charleston Website: N/A Status: Private Year opened: 1925 Architect: Seth Raynor
Phone: 843-971-3555 Address: 600 Island Park Drive, Daniel Island Website: danielislandclub.com Status: Private Year opened: 2006 Architect: Rees Jones
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KIAWAH ISLAND CLUB, CASSIQUE
KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT, OAK POINT
KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT, TURTLE POINT
PATRIOTS POINT LINKS
Phone: 843-768-5752 Address: 100 Old Cedar Lane, Kiawah Island Website: kiawahislandclub.com Status: Private Year opened: 2000 Architect: Tom Watson
Phone: 843-266-4100 Address: 4394 Hope Plantation Drive, Johns Island Website: kiawahresort.com Status: Resort Year opened: 1989 Architect: Clyde Johnston
Phone: 843-266-4050 Address: 1 Turtle Point Lane, Kiawah Island Website: kiawahresort.com Status: Private Year opened: 1981 Architect: Jack Nicklaus
Phone 843-881-0042 Address: 1 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant Website: patriotspointlinks.com Status: Public Year opened: 1979 Architect: Willard Byrd
KIAWAH ISLAND CLUB, THE RIVER COURSE
KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT, OCEAN COURSE
LEGEND OAKS GOLF CLUB
PINE FOREST COUNTRY CLUB
Phone: 843-768-5715 Address: 10 River Course Lane, Kiawah Island Website: kiawahislandclub.com Status: Private Year opened: 1995 Architect: Tom Fazio
Phone: Ocean 266-4670 Address: 1000 Ocean Course Drive, Kiawah Island Website: kiawahresort.com Status: Private Year opened: 1991 Architect: Pete Dye
Phone: 843-821-4077 Address: 118 Legend Oaks Way, Summerville Website: legendoaksgolf.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1994 Architect: Scott Poole
Phone: 843-851-1193 Address: 1000 Congressional Boulevard, Summerville Website: pineforestcountryclub.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1992 Architect: Bob Spence
KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT, COUGAR PT.
KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT, OSPREY POINT
THE OAKS GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
PLANTATION COURSE AT EDISTO
Phone: 843-266-4020 Address: 12 Kiawah Beach Drive, Kiawah Island Website: kiawahresort.com Status: Resort Year opened: 1996 Architect: Gary Player
Phone: 843-266-4640 Address: 700 Governor’s Drive, Kiawah Island Website: kiawahresort.com Status: Private Year opened: 1988 Architect: Tom Fazio
Phone 843-553-4141 Address: 130 The Oaks Avenue, Goose Creek Website: N/A Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1959 Architect: Ernest Flagg
Phone: 843-869-1111 Address: 19 Fairway Drive, Edisto Island Web: theplantationcourseatedisto.com Status: Public with memberships Year opened: 1974 Architect: Tom Jackson
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RED BANK PLANTATION GOLF COURSE
SEABROOK ISLAND CLUB, OCEAN WINDS
SUMMERVILLE COUNTRY CLUB (MILER)
WILD DUNES RESORT, LINKS COURSE
Phone: 843-764-7828 Address: 2316 Red Bank Road, Goose Creek, Naval Weapons Station Website: jbcharleston.com Status: Private Year opened: 1974 Architect: Military personnel
Phone: 843-768-2529 Address: 3772 Seabrook Island Road, Seabrook Island Website: discoverseabrook.com Status: Private Year opened: 1973 Architect: Willard Byrd
Phone: 843-873-2210 Address: 400 Country Club Blvd., Summerville Website: summervillecountryclub.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1925 Architect: Eddie Riccoboni
Phone: 843-886-2002 Address: 10001 Back Bay Drive, Isle of Palms Website: wilddunes.com Status: Resort Year opened: 1980 Architect: Tom Fazio
RIVERTOWNE COUNTRY CLUB
SNEE FARM COUNTRY CLUB
GOLF CLUB AT WESCOTT PLANTATION
WRENWOODS GOLF COURSE, AFB
Phone: 843-849-2405 Address: 1700 RiverTowne Country Club Drive, Mount Pleasant Website: rivertownecountryclub.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 2001 Architect: Arnold Palmer
Phone: 843-884-2600 Address: 1200 Club Drive, Mount Pleasant Website: sneefarmcc.com Status: Private Year opened: 1971 Architect: George Cobb
Phone: 843-871-2135 Address: 5000 Wescott Club Drive, North Charleston Website: wescottgolf.com Status: Public Year opened: 2000 Architect: Dr. Michael Hurdzan
Phone: 843-963-8177 Address: 100 Cusabee Trail, Charleston AFB Website: jbcharleston.com Status: Private Year opened: 1967 Architect: George Cobb
SEABROOK ISLAND CLUB, CROOKED OAKS
LINKS AT STONO FERRY
WILD DUNES RESORT, HARBOR COURSE
YEAMANS HALL CLUB
Phone: 843-768-2529 Address: 3772 Seabrook Island Road, Seabrook Island Website: discoverseabrook.com Status: Private Year opened: 1981 Architect: Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Phone: 843-763-1817 Address: 4182 Stono Links Drive, Hollywood Website: stonoferrygolf.com Status: Semi-private Year opened: 1989 Architect: Ron Garl
Phone: 843-886-2301 Address: 5757 Palm Boulevard, Isle of Palms Website: wilddunes.com Status: Resort Year opened: 1986 Architect: Tom Fazio
Phone: 843-747-8855 Address: 900 Yeamans Hall Road, Hanahan Website: N/A Status: Private Year opened: 1925 Architect: Seth Raynor
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$8 million
BY THE NUMBERS
Total prize money in 2012 PGA championship
1916 20
The Ocean Course Clubhouse
Year of first PGA Championship.
Age of Gene Sarazen when he beat Emmett French in the 1922 PGA Championship finals to become the youngest PGA Champion.
70 5
Age of Gene Sarazen when he played in the 1972 PGA Championship, becoming the tournament’s oldest participant.
Most PGA Championships won by the start of the 2012 tournament (Record shared by Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus).
4 37
Number of PGA Championships won by Tiger Woods heading into the 2012 tournament.
3 4 TIM DOMINICK/THE STATE
T
he Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort, site of the 2012 PGA Championship, has earned not only praise as one of the country’s top courses, but also its own intimidating moniker: The Sea Monster. “It’s a long course, a ball striker’s course,” defending champion Keegan Bradley said during a Kiawah Island visit. “You’ve got to be very accurate with your iron shots in there because it will roll down some slopes if you’re not careful.” The Pete Dye-designed venue made its showcase debut with the 1991 Ryder Cup — aka, “The War By The Shore” — when the U.S. team won the cup back from Europe for the first time since 1985. It has since been tweaked to include larger spectator areas. Here are a few facts about the course, the island and the tournament. 62 mycharlestononline.com
Number of PGA Championships in which Jack Nicklaus competed. He finished a record 14 times in the top five.
Playoff holes required for Keegan Bradley to win the 2011 PGA title. Rank given to the Ocean Course in Golf Digest’s 100 Best U.S. Public Courses. Pebble Beach is No. 1.
1 7,356 10
Rank given to the Ocean Course in Golf Digest’s 100 Toughest Golf Courses. Yardage for Ocean Course in 2012 tournament play.
Number of seaside holes architect Pete Dye built into the Ocean Course, more than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere.
31 24,000 0
Miles from downtown Charleston to the Ocean Course Clubhouse. Square feet of space in the Ocean Course Clubhouse.
Number of photographs spectators are allowed to take during the PGA Championship (including with mobile phones). Picture-taking is allowed only during practice rounds.
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Let’s shop By Katie Abbondanza
When it comes to shopping, the Lowcountry literally has it all. High-end designers have established pretty outposts downtown and local artisans stitch up couture and hammer out fine jewelry in their studios. As the finishing touch, Charleston’s shop owners travel the globe hand-selecting pieces to match their aesthetic and meet their standards. But there’s another element that sets our shopping scene apart. The boutiques in the Holy City buzz with hospitality. The shop girls and guys genuinely want to help you find a fantastic outfit or stunning pair of shoes, and, occasionally, they’re content to simply chat. It’s possible to exit a store empty-handed, but it’s hard to walk out without being totally charmed.
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Lower King Street It’s not an exaggeration to call Lower King the epicenter of shopping in Charleston. In 2011, the strip was named one of the 10 best shopping streets in the United States, and the number of local boutiques and antique shops is astonishing. Factor in Charleston Place, the opulent hotel with an array of luxury stores on the first floor, and it’s easily on par with any city in the world. Perhaps the pinnacle of modern fashion in Charleston, Hampden Clothing (314 King St.) serves their frippery straight from the runway, with an accessible aesthetic that’s “classic with a twist.” Owner Stacy Smallwood and her team of buyers head to New York and Paris to find covetable Alexander Wang bags, office-ready Theory threads and loads of clothes by cool-kid brands, like Rag & Bone and Opening Ceremony. 66 mycharlestononline.com
a fair amount of mid-century cookbooks and a few more precious items, like aprons and picnic blankets (let’s take a second for a collective “awww…”). chic feel is offset by girly cocktail Poke around their jewelry collecIf that doesn’t create enough nostions and shoes for quickie wardrobe dresses and affordable jewelry scattalgia, Heirloom is a stone’s throw tered throughout. Across the street updates. If you’re lucky, you might from some brilliant antique shopbe able to find vintage Chanel jewels, at Worthwhile (268 King St.), the clothes hang as art. Airy linen frocks ping. Francophiles will feel at home which Stacy brings back from Paris. and so-clunky-they’re-cool shoes are in the domain of Alexandra (156 Those searching for timeless or King St.), which sells French antiques everywhere you look. The front of trendy footwear would be smart to step into Bob Ellis (332 King St.). The the shop is populated with the type of for house and garden. The ambiance is “boheme chic,” where both salon has an old-school feel, but they tiny items that make for thoughtful, Baroque mirrors and simple pressed house all the big names from Blahnik if not somewhat eclectic, gifts. There to YSL. They have an enviable cohort must be someone on your list looking flowers hang on the walls and there’s furniture with distressed white paint of bags as well, including practical for a woven market bag from Africa everywhere you look. Down the road ones by Tory Burch and the lustor rosemary mint soap, no? a pinch is Parham & Co. (344 King worthy PS1. If your feet require more Just as unexpectedly delightful is practical coverings, Phillip’s Shoes Heirloom Book Company (123 King St.), a store so gilded with goodies that photography is prohibited inside (320 King St.) carries clogs, flats and St.), a shop dedicated to new and its walls. The antiques and oddivintage cookbooks, in addition to a sandals of all sorts. ties there range from the wonderful few other food-related items. NatuLower King is dotted with near(lawn bowling accoutrement and rally, they sell plenty of tomes with perfect complements throughout. vintage cameras) to the weird (on a Southern slant, like Champagne Weekend wear abounds in V2V (295 and Fried Chicken, Bon Apetit Y’all, a recent trip I spied a collection of King St.); there are always plenty of Charleston Receipts and anything by bones mounted to a glossy board). diaphanous maxi dresses, huge totes Ephemera at its finest. and Hard Tail yoga pants. The hippie- Nathalie Dupree. They also peddle
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Best of the Rest Summerville Pull up into historic Flowertown and you’ll be transported back in time…in a good way. The downtown district is teeming with antique, specialty and gift shops, in addition to its local playhouse and old-fashioned pharmacy (yes, complete with hand-dipped ice cream). Simple to Sublime (120-122 Central Ave.) focuses on the eco-friendly, which includes aromatherapy to soy candles. Glyserene Soap (100 Central Ave./120 W. Richardson Ave.) is a cute bath shop, where you can test their herbaceous sugar scrubs at an oversized sink or pick up a slice of soap from the expected (coconut lime) to the cheekily-named “Bollocks” soap, which is whipped up with whiskey. Aptly-named Piazza (117 Central Ave.) is where locals go for furniture or makeovers for the entire home. Teal (143 Central Ave.) stands apart from the rest with its trendy dresses and tops.
Folly Beach On this spit of sand, it seems only the surfing is taken seriously. Those seeking the perfect wave and the right gear will delight in McKevlin’s Surf Shop (8 Center St.). Their motto for boards is “No PopOuts,” which means they’re committed to pieces that are crafted or finished by hand, rather than produced en masse. They also sell tons of accessories for the sport, bright T-shirts and bathing suits, and Tiki Toss, that ring game that’s practically mandatory in beach-themed bars. Down the road is the Ocean Surf Shop (31 Center St.), which is slightly more laid-back in comparison to McKevlin’s. They, too, purvey boards, gear and everything from sunglasses to flip-flops.
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East Bay Street and City Market Perhaps due to the proximity to some of the city’s best places to wine and dine (FIG and The Gin Joint come to mind), this touristy swath is also home to a number of food-centric shopping destinations. Charleston Cooks! (194 E. Bay St.) anchors the scene, selling just about anything a culinarian could possibly be seeking to stock her bar or cupboards. They carry kitchen staples, like Viking pans and cutlery of all kinds, but it’s the obscure gadgets and cooking paraphernalia that make them a cut above. There’s caipirinha pestles for concocting Brazilian libations, ravioli stamps for crafting stuffed pasta and cheese buttons so your guests will never put their mitts on a your wedge of morbier at a dinner party. And while the apron-clad employees must answer the question “What is this?” no less than 500 times a day, they will cheerfully help you select the right cookbook to present to your mother or inform you that the doohickey in your hand cuts the tops of soft-boiled eggs. If you’re less inclined to cook and more inclined d to eat, head over to Taste Charleston on Market Street. Admittedly, it feels like a tourist trap, but the small shop sells local foodstuffs of all sorts. There’s the expected assortment of BBQ
sauces and American Classic tea, but you’ll also find okra chips, pickles and somewhat ridiculous confections, such as chocolate-dipped Oreos that are rolled in peanut butter. Basically, you can pop in here on your way out of town and ensure your pantry will be loaded with Lowcountry bites, sips and sauces. Although The Spice & Tea Exchange (170 Church St. A) is not native to Charleston, this mostly-Southern chain fits in near the market (a locavore chef friend of mine confessed he shopped for his spices there, which raised its cachet in my book). They stock no less than five varieties of cinnamon and pepper, tea and salts of all sorts, in addition to spice blends from around the globe. No tour of downtown is complete without a trip to the City Market. The stalls start to come to life at 8:30 a.m., and getting there before brunch will help you beat the maddening crowds. Vendors in this historic space hawk everything from local pottery to sweetgrass baskets. Notable booths include a miniature Charleston Angler, Chuma Gullah Gallery for art by Jonathan Green and the mini café Caviar & Bananas, in case you need a coffee or pastry to take the edge off the whir of people.
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Upper King Street In comparison to its show-pony counterpart, the Upper King Design District is still coming into its own, in terms of shopping. While you might wander around Lower King for ages, Upper King is where you go when you need something specific, like a couch, bike basket or piece of art to gussy up the foyer. For a store that’s been in business since the 1920s, the expansive Morris Sokol Furniture (510 King St.) feels modern and totally sensible. The style represents Lowcountry living, with dining sets suitable for the patio and plenty of bright whites and nautical accents for the family room. Just down the street, the art hanging in the Mitchell Michael Gallery (438 King St.) captures the flora, fauna and other elements of life in the South. Both retailers offer design services to clients in addition to the hard goods. Blue Bicycle Books is everything you could hope for in a local bookshop. They host events toasting local authors and celebrating teen literature; their window display is ever-changing and always clever; and there’s a cat who roams in and out of the 50,000 new and used titles. Did I mention the staff is hyper-knowledgeable and that they have lots of Charleston-based authors in stock? Affordabike (534 King St.) has nothing to do with books, and, not shockingly, everything to do with bikes. Also on Upper King, its Bilda program churns out beach cruisers to college students and Charlestonians starting at $150. They sell other cycles and accessories accessories (I have my eye on the cycle-ready drink cups and a Nantucket Bike Basket…) and rent bikes if you left your’s at home.
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French Quarter & Broad Street Stroll down gallery row and peek around the distinctive boutiques in this surprisingly quiet section of the city. Curiosity (56 Queen St.) is a teeny vintage shop filled with items that could have jumped off of your favorite design blogs or recent Pins. And for good reason: Proprietor Courtney Laine keeps up with what’s au courant in the world of antiques. She unearths vestiges of bygone eras that manage to feel very of-the-moment (think: seltzer bottles, vintage baguette trays and cordial glasses for sipping old-timey cocktails). Courtney also specializes in monogrammed and hotel silver, as well as vintage trophies, which make your ancestors instantly accomplished.
Wedged near Waterfront Park and a gelato stand, it’s surprisingly easy to walk right by Indigo (4 Vendue Range). But this home goods store, festooned with fabric bunting and homemade flowers, is just too playful to igbunt nore. There’s mini chalkboards decked out with images nore of Charleston, Ch bohemian scarves and bags and plenty of cutesy kitchen and garden accents. cutes Broad Street and the French Quarter are dotted with galleries galore. Ann Long Fine Art (54 Broad) curates stunning shows and represents Jill Hooper, Charleston’s much-celebrated classical realist painter. With its aweinspiring bronze sculptures and works by artists from around the world, Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art (58 Broad St.) is a pretty stop. Robert Lange Studios (2 Queen St.) features talented younger artists, if only in spirit. “The whole perspective is contemporary realism,” says gallery director Carri Schwab. Describing the space as having a “fresh perspective,” the open floor plan and couch encourage you to sit and stay a while as you ponder what’s hanging. “If light is a reflection of energy, we have a lot of energy in here.”
Advantage membership
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Shoppers at Tanger Outlets in North Charleston enjoy a rare Lowcountry snowfall.
Malls and Outlets
thing that now seems crucial. The triumvirate of Old Navy, the Gap and J. Crew outlets mean you can re-buy the basics: cardigans, jeans and tops for just about anyone in the family. We love the local scene, but occaBlvd.) are expansive, but not overThe OOPS! Outlet is the spot to go for sionally it’s more practical to park the whelming. The design, with its pastel seasonal vacation items, like beach car, escape the heat and find everystorefronts and palmetto trees fits in bags, or affordable takes on Southern thing you need in one place. with the Lowcountry, while the stores style. There are also plenty of barare obvious out-of-towners: Saks Fifth gains to be had at the Northwoods Tanger Outlets Avenue OFF 5th, the Banana Republic Mall (2150 Northwoods Blvd., North At some point, outlet shopping and Brooks Brothers Factory Stores Charleston). became a sport, and Charleston is cer- opened up there. tainly in the game. Perhaps it’s just me, but I find myself Citadel Mall Just up I-26 in North Charleston, the at outlets most often when I’m on The days of mall rats might be over, Tanger Outlets (4840 Tanger Outlet vacation and have forgotten somebut this mall doesn’t seem antiquated. 72 mycharlestononline.com
The Citadel Mall (2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.) happens to be propped up by a few clutch department stores and neighbors. Sears, JCPenney and Belk anchor the mall, while Target provides the true siren call (it’s impossible to avoid, right?). There is also a surprising number of sports stores (like Dick’s Sporting Goods) and enough sneaker shops to make you think online shopping doesn’t exist. Journey’s, Foot Locker and Champs Sports mean you can quickly pick up cleats or Chuck Taylors, should you be so inclined.
Towne Centre
for sweet housewarming gifts or souvenirs. Gardeners might flock to With a mix of local chains, box their birdhouses or whimsical “seed stores and boutiques, the Mount bombs,” which you toss onto the lawn Pleasant Towne Centre (1600 Paland wait to see what grows. metto Grande Dr., shown at right) The micro chain Copper Penny is home to both the affordable and has a colorful boutique at the Towne the eclectic. It’s the place to go if you Centre. Their frippery runs the don’t want to battle downtown trafgamut from printed dresses to classic fic, but are looking for a beach read, jeans, all by top brands, like Milly, a new dress and something ng to jean Tibi and Citizens of Humanity. give your football-lovingg best Tib Shooz, Copper Penny’s sister shoe friend for her birthday Sho salon, always has an assortment (we’ve all been there). s of heels and flats in unexpected In addition to the reprints and textures by the likes tailers below, there’s p of Kate Spade and Sam Edelman. also a Barnes & Noble, o Both stores embody that Charleston Banana Republic and Bo blend of casual-yet-refined, and alPalmetto Moon. ble ways carry the much-loved Jack RogThe Southern Curator, a ers, for when the well-heeled need a home décor shop that sprouted up break from, well, heels. in 2012, has a bounty of eco-friendly There’s somewhat of a beauty scene laundry detergents and fabric softeners, soy candles and other goods made here as well, with a giant Ulta store, in the U.S.A. They also sell decorative Stella Nova and the ubiquitous Bath & Body Works. Stashed inside Belk’s pillows and slim-cut T-shirts emblais MAC, Clinique and a few other frazoned with Lowcountry neighborgrance and makeup counters. hoods and destinations, which make
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Spas, salons Perhaps the quintessential Charleston spa, Stella Nova’s downtown location (78 Society St.) will make you feel at home — literally. In a charming house with a magnolia tree out front, they will pamper you with everything from body wraps to luxurious massages. Or, walk a few blocks to get your hair cut and colored, or browse their beauty boutique (292 King St.) to stock up on Butter London polishes and Bare Minerals makeup. If Stella Nova is rooted in the Lowcountry, Seeking Indigo (445 King St.) transports you to faraway locales. “When you walk through those giant teak doors, you’re transported to a Zen paradise,” owner Kathryn Peterson says. We couldn’t agree more. She describes the boutique as an “Anthropologie for the soul,” where silk dresses from Bali hang near an aromatherapy bar and you can find jewelry of all kinds (from acai beads to pieces studded with precious stones). Behind the store is the crown jewel — a spa and yoga space offering treatments influenced by ancient traditions, like a Qi Gong massage or an Ayurvedic ginger compress. Sweet 185 (476 King St.) is named for its signature sugaring services, where their estheticians use an old-school technique to get rid of unwanted fuzz. The waxing-weary should take note: the removal process is less painful than its more popular counterpart. Their sweet staff also specializes in organic facials and inspired massages. Those looking for an organic nail experience will love the collection of nontoxic polishes and natural approach too nails. Unlike standard salons, their pedis are done in a bowl style, which means you’re not subjected to the jet foot baths, which often aren’t properly cleaned.
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For the Gents Guys in Charleston are known for their dapper style. e. From fedoras to drivers, our men know their way around a haberdashery. Luckily, the clothiers around town stay stocked with the finest threads, including plenty of pieces with provenance in the South or at least the U.S of A. Embracing the local ideal to its fullest is Grady Ervin & Co. (313 King St.), whose portfolio of American brands includes T-shirts by Loggerhead Apparel and High Cotton bowties. They carry tuxedos and suits of all sorts, in addition to more casual khakis and polo shirts. Their assortment of accessories is notable, especially the belt buckles and cufflinks. Its slightly less staid, and slightly more preppy, counterpart in gentlemen’s wear is M. Dumas and Sons (294 King). The clothes still have traditional tailoring, the Dumas customer is a little bit more likely to inquire via Facebook about Southern Proper Frat Hats. In addition to Skipjack polos and pastels of all sorts, they also sell a range of sportswear and formal togs. All these duds get a true second life (instead of just be looked past in the closet), thanks to the he upscale consigncons n ign ment store Worn (92 Folly Road Blvd.). .)). ) The premise is simple: Those who want to o look sharp can finally afford to and those with bursting closets can clean house and make some bourbon money on the deal. Trust that the
WAGs WAG who accompany you into Worn will be envious of the tasteful (if not pricey) finds. Only the coolest of purveyors can court that space where new and old commingle. Rhett Boyd Jr. of Rogue Wave Surf Shop (69 Spring St.) is all over it. He describes the aesthetic of his single-house storefront as “Ernest Hemingway goes surfing” and carries everything from vintage Hawaiian shirts to handmade surfboards and swim trunks. He also sells clothes and lifestyle goods that do well on land, like Imogene + Willie jeans and Baxter of California skincare. While it has all the trappings of a boys club, Rhett’s carved out a rad assortment of women’s vintage, too, so everyone’s happy there. For those hooked on the Lowcountry’s original sports (those would be hunting and fishing), there are more than a few places to check out. With its ubiquitous fish logo and numerous locations, The Charleston Angler (654 St. Andrews Blvd.) may be the best known. In addition to the gear and apparel you’d actually need on the water, they’re hawking loads of lifestyle stuff and offer lessons if, iff, well, w we it’s been a while. Haddrell’s Point Tackle and Supply (885 Ha H Ben Sawyer Blvd. in Mount Pleasant B and 47 Windermere Blvd. in West a Ashley) is a no-frills tackle and huntA ing shop, where the sport is the focus in and the inventory is unmatched.
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GRITS CHARLESTON ICONS By Katie Abbondanza
C
harleston’s charms prove irresistible to millions of tourists each year. Most return home with a little piece of the Lowcountry. Whether you’re a visitor or local, here are the bites and baubles you simply have to buy.
Pair a bag with a local cookbook and you’ve got a great gift. Present a bag solo to someone outside the South and risk puzzlement. Available at: All respectable stores
BENNE WAFERS
SWEETGRASS BASKET An enduring tradition of African-Americans in the Charleston area, these baskets are timeless. The price reflects the labor put into each piece, and those looking for a less expensive handicraft might snap up a bouquet of palmetto roses. Available at: City Market and along U.S. Hwy. 17 in Mount Pleasant.
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Crispy and toothsome, a container of these sesame sweeties will go quicker than you think. Available at: Caviar and Bananas (and just about everywhere else)
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FIREFLY SWEET TEA VODKA
FireFly partners Scott Newitt (left) and Jim Irvin stand between barrels of rum and brandy at their distillery on Wadmalaw Island.
REWINED CANDLES
The boozy brunch gets a second life as a soy candle. Here’s the quick rundown: Local eateries recycle their champagne bottles, Rewined cuts off the tops and fills them with lovely scented wax. The “Champagne” candle smells like the honeysuckle that grows all over the city and gives a nod to the brand’s origin. Available at: Stella Nova salon and various boutiques Grab a bottle of the original amped-up version of the Southern staple, and mix with lemonade and ice. Chill on your porch, and repeat. Available at: Most Lowcountry liquor stores
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DROP EARRINGS These dainty morsels go with everything and embody Charleston’s refined style. The sea-blue color will remind you of carefree days spent surfside, even when you’re at the office. Available at: Croghan’s Jewel Box and many other jewelry stores
HOOK BRACELET A nautical bracelet that appears manly on dudes and adds a casual touch to an armful of glitter on the girls. “We’re on the coast. Fishing is everywhere, sailing is everywhere and I love wine. That’s why I put the cork on it,” says designer Patrick Andre. Available at: M. Dumas and Sons
SWEETEETH
Hand-crafted chocolate bars that will delight the taste buds of whoever ends up devouring them. The likelihood that this confection will actually make it to the intended giftee is slim, but we think you should risk it anyway. … Peanut butter and chipotle? Indeed. Available at: Robot Candy Co. and Caviar & Bananas in Charleston, Coastal Cupboard in Mount Pleasant and EVO Pizza in North Charleston
GRETTA’S TEES
Show your love for a specific locale with a tee decorated with a pared-down slogan, drawing or area code. Available at: Salley Bette’s (493 King St.) and other boutiques
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FASHION
The concept of Charleston Fashion Week was developed by Ayoka Lucas, the style director of Charleston Magazine.
By Seth McCormick Cooke
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ven those familiar with Charleston may not immediately think of the Holy City as a fashion Mecca. Maybe 10 years ago it wasn’t, but step into the street today and you’ll find Charleston bursting at the seams with fashion talent that rivals New York City. Nestled in historic buildings are shops and businesses promoting Charleston’s fashion savvy to the world. From world class bloggers to a top-rated fashion week, it’s all here.
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Charleston Fashion Week 2012
Dazzling digital Former Vice President of Bottega Veneta and Brand Ambassador for Dom Perignon, K. Cooper Ray gives Charleston major web presence with his style and etiquette blog SocialPrimer. com. Scroll through the tabs of the site and you’ll find advice on being a good house guest as well as how to tie a bow tie. The second comes in handy if you’re planning on ordering one of his highly sought after bow-ties from the Social Primer for Brooks Brothers collection. He’s garnered accolades from The New York Times, GQ, Vanity Fair and The Wall Street Journal among other publications.
The retail scene There are, of course, national chains along King Street, Charleston’s main shopping thoroughfare, but the city also has a host of locally owned boutiques and resident designers. Magar Hatworks keeps heads looking chic with her hand crafted hats and fascinators. Leigh Magar works from her studio on Cannon Street using antique hat forms that look like art pieces themselves. Around the corner is JLINSNIDER, the retail outpost for Charleston Fashion Week’s Emerging Design winner in 2010. Here you’ll find a hodgepodge of chic designs that Jamie Lin Snider has designed herself mixed with vintage finds that add character to any fashion ensemble. If you’re looking for the designer brands that are on the lips of major editors in New York and Paris then look no further than Hampden Clothing. Owner Stacy Smallwood has curated the perfect lineup of high end fashion from labels like Elizabeth & James, Yigal Azrouël and Alexander Wang. It’s the kind of hip place that’s earned praise from Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire.
Fashion Week Charleston’s biggest claim to fashion fame is the annual extravaganza that is Charleston Fashion Week. According to the Office of Tourism Analysis, CFW 2012 boosted the local economy by more than $2.4 million. Of course, the economic impact is not what is giving Charleston its street cred and international recognition. When the white tents go up in Marion Square the masses gather to show off their chicest, and sometimes most outlandish, sartorial choices. The concept of Charleston Fashion Week was developed by Ayoka Lucas, the Style Director of Charleston Magazine and took on a life of its own. The event now has cocktail parties, runway shows and after parties every night for a week and boasts many charitable events along the way. 82 mycharlestononline.com
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Charleston Fashion Week 2011
The runway shows included outings by local boutiques as well as the Emerging Designer Competition East, which has garnered attention for launching the careers of under the radar designers (like the aforementioned Jamie Lin Snider). In addition to seeing runway shows by acclaimed designers and up and coming faces, guests can rub elbows with some of fashions biggest names like Fern Mallis, Chris Benz, Anne Slowey, Mychael Knight and Cameron Silver as well as other celebrity guests like Vanessa Lachey.
Charleston’s rising star Internationally recognized shopping? Check. World renowned fashion blogger? Check. Critically acclaimed Fashion Week? Check. Charleston has a lot of check marks on the list of what makes a Fashion Capital. The Holy City added another feather to its cap this year when Travel + Leisure named it the second best dressed city in America just behind New York City. mycharlestononline.com 83
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Charleston has always been for us a place of small miracles — firsts, discoveries, stories we’ve never heard before — in the realm of food. In a place so rooted in tradition, and yet so perceptibly changing, learning about its culture is a life-long pleasure.
A food town, pure & simple By Matt Lee and Ted Lee
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he cover of the Summer 1982 issue of Tidings, “The Newsletter of Seabrook Island,” is a wide-angle photo of a pristine expanse of marsh just moments before the sun breaches the horizon at daybreak, when the sky is washed a glowing, vivid orange. In the darker foreground of the image at the end of a dock fronting Captain Sam’s Creek, its glassy surface reflecting the sky, three young boys are crabbing. Those kids would be us, aged 9 and 11, and our friend Rutledge Young. And as staged as that photo was — we’d been cast in the role by the photographer; and truly, who’d go netting crabs before sunrise? — the excursion was very real to us because Rutledge was showing us how to catch blue crabs for the first time. We were recent transplants to Charleston, our parents having fled New York City (fed up with their Toyotas being stolen and raising three children in a two-bedroom apartment during the Summer of Sam) for the calm of a tall, pastel-yellow house on Rainbow Row. So there we were, on that rickety dock, tying butcher’s string around a slippery raw chicken neck, dropping BEN FINK
it down to the creek, watching for the flash of claw to emerge through a faint stirring in the water and the quiver of the line as claw clipped chicken. Dipping the long-handled net with its green webbing, scooping up the crab, the hollow scrabbling sound of the crab as it reeled angrily around the plastic 5-gallon pail, would in time become as familiar as riding a bike. But that day, on that dock, it seemed a small miracle. We encountered numerous other “firsts” in our early years living here. We discovered boiled peanuts at the Charleston Royals baseball game, back when the team played at College Park and home runs hit beyond the outfield fence often smashed the windows of cars and houses along Rutledge Avenue. There was new lingo to learn: “benne” for “sesame,” and tastes to try: the melt-in-yourmouth, salty-sweet benne wafers at the Colony Bakery on King Street became a flavor as distinct to our new lives in Charleston as the taste of an H&H bagel had been to our former hometown. We found, with the guidance of friends, the loquat trees on Chalmers Street and the mulberry tree that straddles the property line between the Hazel V. Parker Playground and the Carolina Yacht Club. Soon enough, we’d shucked our first oysters, learned how to throw a cast-net to reel in fresh shrimp, and chomped on our first syrupy scuppernongs. Scuppernongs — as fun to say as to eat! Of course we were oblivious then that our acclimation to Charleston would add up to any cultural understanding of Lowcountry food and food-traditions. And in many cases, these new experiences didn’t seem related to food at all. We can’t remember who cooked those crabs we caught, but somebody must have; to us, crabbing was sport, pure and simple. And while those loquats and mulberries tasted good enough, we were far more enthralled by their projectile potential, the better to bean your friends and siblings with (and, truth be told, the occasional horsecarriage tour).
SIMPLE, SUBLIME Charleston has earned a reputation as a world-class dining destination. Locals have long recognized the delights of Lowcountry cuisine, whether the simple pleasures of sharing fresh oysters or steamed blue crabs with friends or indulging in Peninsula Grill’s upscale take on lump crab salad and fried green tomatoes.
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At the time, our parents carried no torch for locally-sourced food. They were weeknight cooks and they took the shortcuts of the day — Stouffer’s, Ore-Ida, Bird’s Eye. If they were exhausted at the end of the workday they took us for cheeseburgers at The Hungry Lion or B.J.’s Iron Kettle on Broad Street, or to the McDonald’s on Spring Street (we loved McDonald’s). Occasionally, we went to Sprouts and Krauts, the vegetarian cafeteria in the Marion Square Mall, and as we grew older and more independent, we’d cadge money from Mom on Saturdays, and join the phalanx of friends skateboarding to the indoor food-court the Gourmetisserie, on Market Street, where a few dollars would buy a huge Styrofoam clamshell container of shrimp fried rice and a sweet tea. But that’s exactly what makes Charleston such a special place: Local food is so much a part of life in the Lowcountry that even in an entirely conventional household the knowledge of local foods you absorb is considerable. Geography is largely responsible — the proximity of city to country, marine life everywhere, the almost tropical efflorescence of fruit trees in the heart of downtown. We didn’t realize how unique all that was until we went north to college and got acclimated to dorm life (so remote from flora and fauna of any sort, from any harvest experience, whether shrimp or loquat). And there was this: we were reminded continually of how far we’d come because, throughout the early 1990s, that crabbing photo appeared in the Charleston International Airport, in huge, backlit advertisements for Seabrook Island, welcoming us home from college at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. Seeing that photo was a continual reminder of how much we’d become Charlestonians in the intervening years. In 1994, after college, we set out to peddle boiled peanuts to restaurants and bars in New York, hoping they would take the city, and then the nation, by storm. We returned home and set up a mail-order business shipping traditional Lowcountry pantry staples, like Sassard’s Jerusalem Arti86 mycharlestononline.com
The ’90s were a watershed for restaurants of ambition in the Holy City, and so many chefs and diners in Charleston today — whether they’re conscious of it or not — owe much to these pioneers. choke Relish and benne wafers, from a small office on Broad Street, to expat South Carolinians in Anchorage and Boston and Taos. At just the time we were delving deeper into Charleston’s classic culinary traditions — sourcing the correct red field peas,
the perfect home-style fig preserves to carry in the mail-order catalogue — the city’s restaurant culture was maturing in new ways. When we were younger, dining out was what our parents did on special occasions, and it was likely to be gar-
licky continental fare at Le Midi, Le Mistral, or Garibaldi’s. Henry’s, the Market Street seafood temple which in its heyday was beloved for serving a local crowd spins on mostly local fare, was on the outs. Growing up, we rarely ate Southern food in a restaurant unless we were craving a fried chicken fix from Martha Lou’s or the Woolworth’s lunch counter on King Street. But in 1990, when Magnolias opened on East Bay Street, it heralded the arrival of a new kind of southern cooking, fanciful and chef-driven: egg rolls stuffed with collard greens and tasso ham — whoa! And when Robert Stehling opened Hominy Grill in 1996, serving bennecrusted catfish and creamed collards, he brought nuance to the new southern table: local cooking in a restaurant setting could be straightforward and simple, with a focus on ingredients, and still blow your mind. By 1999, Mike Lata was feeding grits into a small electric mill in a vestibule at Anson to make fresh corn grits. That’s how much the raw materials mattered. The ’90s were a watershed for restaurants of ambition in the Holy City, and so many chefs and diners in Charleston today — whether they’re conscious of it or not — owe much to these pioneers. But we’re not nostalgic at all, because we feel there’s never been a more exciting time than now to be cooking and eating in Charleston. For every mood, every budget, there’s something delicious out there: pork belly banh-mi at The Tattooed Moose? Beef brisket pho at Pho No. 1 up on Rivers? The Roti Rolls truck? Or is this the special occasion when we’re going to rip the 14-course tasting menu at McCrady’s? By the barometer of restaurant culture, Charleston’s certainly come a long way in the past decade or so, but if you’re talking home cooking, the city has always been a world-class destination for food. The success of early cookbooks of the region, like Sarah Rutledge’s 1847 The Carolina Housewife, and Two Hundred Years of Charleston Cooking (New Yorkbased magazine editor Blanche Rhett’s 1931 compendium of prominent families’ recipes) show a restlessness
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with the region’s raw materials that belies the popular distillation of Lowcountry cooking into iconic recipes like she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, Huguenot torte. We don’t know for certain, but we’re guessing that it was Rhett’s book’s success that spurred the B. Altman department store to open “Charleston Gardens” restaurants in their 5th Avenue flagship in New York, and in branch locations in Short Hills, N.J.; St. Davids, Pa.; and White Plains, N.Y. In 1951, upon the publication of the next totemic Charleston cookbook, Charleston Receipts (which set off its own brushfire of worldwide acclaim, with huge feature stories in the New York Herald Tribune, National Geographic, and Harper’s Bazaar) the store devoted an enormous expanse of windows on 5th Avenue to a comically romanticized Charleston installation, with Spanish-moss strewn wroughtiron gates, sweetgrass baskets, kitchen implements, jars of pickles. Part of what makes Charleston such a special food-town is that we don’t perceive the culinary education we get from living here to be out of the ordinary. Charleston’s not a “foodie” town, it’s a food town, pure and simple. Since that first morning on the dock, Charleston has always been for us a place of small miracles — firsts, discoveries, stories we’ve never heard before — in the realm of food. In a place so rooted in tradition, and yet so perceptibly changing, learning about its culture is a life-long pleasure. Our forthcoming book, The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, is a collection of recipes and stories that shows not only what it’s like to grow up here and learn to cook here, but also how we come to be continually inspired by this place. Because whether we’re at the stove, out on the water, chatting with an historian, or dining in a newly-opened restaurant, it seems we’re always learning, or seeing something from the past in a new light. And we’re convinced that’s because the links between past and present are so viv88 mycharlestononline.com
of exploration. Case in point: we recently hosted an oyster roast — that most hallowed of Charleston food traditions, the one that may be the singular most common culinary through-line in Lowcountry food history, from the Native Americans, down to every wave of settlers from every origin, on down to today’s newcomers straight off the plane from Ann Arbor or Brooklyn. Oysters for 40 people? That’s not a challenge here, of course, but we wanted to serve collards and needed a large supply. So we called up Joseph Fields of Fields Farm on Johns Island and made an appointment to drop by the farm to pick up an entire case of collards. When we got there, we joined Fields and his farm manager as they strode through the rows cutting huge bunches with leaves the size of elephant ears. We noticed that both Fields and his farm manager were pinching the sprouting top of each bunch of collards as they picked, popping it in their mouths. “Tastiest part of the plant,” Fields said, and offered us our own collard tops. Electric-green and bud-like, about the size of a zucchini blossom, and sprouting immature yellow flowers, they were delicious. Like an amalgam of all the tenderest spring shoots — chainey briar, asparagus, pea — with a good dose of peppery mustard. In all our years cooking, eating, writing, we’d never encountered — or considered — collard tops. In an instant, something age old became new. Collard tops are the kind of food — like chainey briar, cat Sometimes you’ll find in a Charleston cookbook an old briar, or purslane — so prevalent on a farm but virtually invisible in the recipe whose laborious methods and hours-long cook marketplace. times put newer preparations of the same raw materials Perhaps you’ve always known the genius of collard tops, but if they’re in vibrant, brilliant relief. a first for you, too, seek them out. id — so alive — in the Lowcountry. old recipe whose laborious methThey’re delicious. And, if for some You can interview the grandson of ods and hours-long cook times put reason they catch fire and you see a woman who contributed a cookie newer preparations of the same raw them braised on the menu at FIG, recipe to Charleston Receipts, and materials in vibrant, brilliant relief. battered and deep-fried at the Glass you’re likely to find twists and turns And other times, something old and Onion, fermented into kimchi at Two in her story — and her recipe — that ageless that’s been right under your Boroughs Larder, or scattered across you never knew. Sometimes you’ll nose for years presents itself in a a pizza at E.V.O., remember: You read find in a Charleston cookbook an new light and inspires a new avenue it here first.
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Holy City flavor Meet some of the talent fueling the Lowcountry’s culinary renaissance JEREMIAH BACON As executive chef of Oak Steakhouse and the recently opened The Macintosh, Jeremiah Bacon’s food is turning a lot of heads lately. He recharged the steakhouse concept at Oak by increasing its prime beef choices and sourcing local oysters, clams, fish and vegetables, including salad greens. But The Macintosh, which Bacon terms an “upscale tavern,” is a concept closer to the chef’s heart. There he also is buying as much as possible from South Carolina farmers and fishermen. “You’ll always see a backbone of Southern food here because of that,” Bacon said. Nevertheless, the eclectic menu defies stereotypes. Grilled octopus salad and braised rabbit are popular starters. A beef cheek ravioli is on its way to becoming a signature dish. Sides include a bone marrow bread pudding. “Everything has to be grounded in flavor,” Bacon said. At the same time, “we try to keep it real.” — Teresa Taylor The Macintosh: 479 B King St., Charleston, 843-789-4299; Oak: 17 Broad St., Charleston, 843-722-4220
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BEN BERRYHILL The Cooper River is not the Rio Grande, but Texas native Ben Berryhill staked his territory on its east side by opening the Red Drum restaurant in Mount Pleasant six years ago. He’s driven familiar ingredients of the South to a unique place within the restaurant landscape here, a style he defines as “Lowcountry local with bold Southwest flavors.” Think Breach Inlet clams with Texas toast and a red chile broth. Or a woodgrilled steak with a lime beurre blanc and a side of jalapeno cheese grits. Berryhill and company (wife Marianna and Charlie Chance) are now riding a new steed: Next Door, just down the street on Coleman Boulevard. Next Door allows the chef more wide-open cooking while still using locally sourced products, such as white pizza topped with speck ham, cippolini onions and a lemon basil pesto. Those local clams are cloaked in a bacon and white wine cream sauce and nestled with fettuccine. — Teresa Taylor Red Drum Restaurant: 803 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant, 843-849-0313; Next Door: 819 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant, 843-881-8817
SEAN BROCK What does Sean Brock do for an encore? After being named the James Beard “Best Chef Southeast” in 2010 and after Husk notched No. 1 as “Best New Restaurant in America” from Bon Appetit in 2011, the question is inevitable. For Charleston’s most-talked-about chef, there’s only one answer: keep your nose to the grindstone. As master of the kitchens of McCrady’s and Husk, Brock rarely rests for long and never stops being inquisitive — probing and pushing the limits of food and flavor. That is Brock’s zen. Husk diners have been treated to the delights of pigs ears, trout “ribs” and fried chicken skins. It’s a different experience at McCrady’s, one Brock describes as “refined food” that targets international foodies and adventurers. Take the same chicken from the same farm, stuff truffles and foie gras under the skin and breast, seal and poach. “Like something straight out of France,” said Brock. — Teresa Taylor Husk Restaurant: 76 Queen St., Charleston, 843-577-2500; McCrady’s: 2 Unity Ally, Charleston, 843-577-0025
MARC COLLINS
CRAIG DEIHL
Never mind that Marc Collins has been the executive chef of Circa 1886 for more than a decade. Collins thrives on keeping his menu interesting and a bit international, even as Circa remains grounded by the Southern table. A few years ago, he began exploring ways to prepare healthier dishes without sacrificing flavor. Collins found substitutes for fat-laden creams and butter, such as vegetable purees, fruit sauces and plant oils. Whole grains and flours such as rice also were incorporated into the dishes. With foie gras, for example, instead of using it as is, his kitchen chose to make a stock from the ultra-rich goose liver through caramelizing and adding vegetables, herbs and white wine. Circa isn’t trying to “hit people over the head” with a health message but simply hopes the food will be so appealing they won’t notice. Like whipped olive oil instead of butter for the bread, or pressurecooked summer squash that becomes so rich and creamy that it can replace butter in certain dishes. — Teresa Taylor
Being a friend of Craig Deihl’s has its advantages. Like, say, being invited to gatherings at his home which feature his famous charcuterie and homemade bratwurst and hot dogs. “We can have a very good wine and cheese and meat party. That’s the high-end party. But the low-end parties, maybe the better parties, are the ones with hot dogs and sausages and sauerkraut,” he says. “When you eat a really good hot dog, it’s like, ‘Are you kidding me?’” But being a patron of Deihl’s also has its advantages, as the executive chef and James Beard award finalist plays off similar passions from his perch at Cypress restaurant on East Bay Street. “If I’m tagged as the local meat guy, so be it,” Deihl said. “… At the end of the day, I like to say that I’m a chef first, then a butcher-charcutier. I wear many hats, but I like to think I was nominated for being a great chef.” Cypress’ menu suggests as much, with lamb, wreckfish, pork belly, bonein strip loin, charcuterie (naturally) with homemade mustard and biscuits. — Rob Young
Circa 1886: 149 Wentworth St., Charleston, 843-853-7828
Cypress: 167 East Bay St., Charleston, 843-727-0111
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MIKE LATA Mike Lata’s come a long way, and right quickly at that. “FIG started off very, very, very humble,” Lata said. ”We had $14 and $16 entrees, and a very small menu. We had a small staff in the back of the house, just me and three other people. And they have. Since FIG’s opening in 2003, the restaurant has earned praise from Gourmet, Esquire, Bon Appetit, the New York Times — you name it. As for Lata, he cemented his reputation by winning a 2009 James Beard Award. Lata and partner Adam Nemirow fashioned FIG’s heart from the flavors of Charleston, embracing a farm-totable approach that dominates the city’s culinary landscape. Now the duo hope to broaden their scope with The Ordinary, a seafood restaurant opening on Upper King Street. “Who’s the seafood chef in this city?” Lata asks. “Maybe I’d like to be that guy, and maybe we just need a stage for the showcase.” — Rob Young FIG: 232 Meeting St., Charleston, 843-805-5900; The Ordinary: 544 King Street, Charleston
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FRANK LEE
JOHN ONDO
Frank Lee’s name fits like a glove. It fits his food, his down-to-earth nature, his candid talk. He favors a denim work jacket. There is no pretense about the executive chef of the Maverick Southern Kitchens family, which includes Slightly North of Broad restaurant. After two decades with Maverick, Lee has made a big imprint on Charleston’s dining scene and its reputation. He was onboard SNOB from the get-go in 1993, when many of today’s hot, young chefs were mere adolescents. Lee said there is no deep mystery about his approach to cooking: “Take good ingredients and don’t screw them up.” Consistency is SNOB’s strength, Lee said. “When I go back to old menus, in the fall, the ingredients aren’t much different than they are now. I’m serving triggerfish in the fall and crowder peas ... pea shoots and soft-shell crab and shad in the spring. It’s about the rhythm of the seasons and the rhythm of your mise en place.” — Teresa Taylor
Chef John Ondo said restaurant diners tend to be chicken-averse, but he’s proud to call chicken one of Lana Restaurant and Bar’s signature dishes. His kitchen does it Basque-style with tomatoes, peppers and prosciutto. The “airline” breast, with an attached wing joint, is crisped up then finished off in the oven. “And it comes with potato croquettes, which is probably the second-best thing on the planet because it’s fried mashed potatoes.” The towering chef is fearless and funny, has a way with words and an affinity for BMW motorcycles. The co-owner of Lana since 2005, Ondo is a Charleston native and Culinary Institute of Charleston graduate. He has worked in the kitchens of McCrady’s, Carolina’s and Il Cortile Del Re, and is known as a hands-on guy. Ondo always knew he wanted to cook. With a working mom always on the go, Ondo started “dabbling” in the kitchen as a kid and aggravating his grandmothers. “I don’t think I’m wired to sit at a desk. I have the attention span of a cocker spaniel.” — Teresa Taylor
Slightly North of Broad: 192 East Bay St., Charleston, 843-723-3424
Lana: 210 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, 843-720-8899
PATRICK OWENS Consider the suburban strip mall setting of Langdon’s Restaurant and Wine Bar like a Sleeping Beauty that is awakened as soon as one steps inside. Within, one finds sleek, sophisticated surroundings and an eclectic menu of beautiful food and wines to match. Chef-owner Patrick Langdon Owens set up shop in Mount Pleasant in 2003. A decade later, the culinary flame still burns brightly in the same locale. Owens recently expanded his East Cooper footprint by opening the Mediterranean bistro Opal. At Langdon’s, Owens plays culinary riffs on seasonal Southern ingredients with global notes, often Asian. His Hoisen-Honey Glazed Kurobuta Pork Chop might be set off by local collards and a bacon-leek mac ‘n’ cheese. At Opal, the shrimp bruschetta with chiles and garlic is on the way to becoming a signature dish. Pastas include the likes of a “lasagnette” with a local pork and lamb ragu. — Teresa Taylor Langdon’s: 778 South Shelmore Blvd., Mount Pleasant, 843-3889200; Opal Restaurant and Bar: 1960 Riviera Drive, Mount Pleasant, 843-654-9070
ROBERT STEHLING
KEN VEDRINSKI
As the food set has turned cooks and farmers into rock n’ rollers, chronicling their machinations via TV, web and social media, Robert Stehling has maintained a wry grin. Here’s a chef comfortable with himself, his city and culinary landscape. “It’s been a great ride. It’s just my dumb luck and positioning,” says Stehling, the chef and owner of Hominy Grill and winner of a 2008 James Beard Award. “A unique set of atoms came together to create this place for me. Unlike Charleston’s other Beard winners, Mike Lata of FIG and Sean Brock of Husk, Stehling runs a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. “When I got the Beard award,” Stehling says with a laugh, “I was griping about having to go back home and do something about our club sandwich, that it would have to be Beardized at some level or another.” But mostly, Stehling is just grateful to be a part of a world-class culinary destination. “The food coming together this way has been really amazing. It’s fabulous to be a part of.” — Rob Young
Ken Vedrinski is a chef who has a history of taking a gamble and succeeding. The veteran chef landed in Charleston in 1995, taking the reins as the first executive chef of the newly opened Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville. Within two years, the resort had earned a prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award. Eventually, Vedrinski left to open Sienna on Daniel Island in 2004. Esquire magazine named it one of the “Top 20 New Restaurants of the Year.” He sold Sienna and renovated a former soul food restaurant on Bogard Street in 2008 to become Lucca. The small, cozy trattoria sits in a transitional neighborhood far from downtown’s bustling dining core. But Lucca soon established itself as a gem, a kitchen that sparkles in its preparations of local fish, seafood, vegetables and handmade pastas. Lucca also shines in its offerings of Italian cheeses and salumi, Italian wines and fruity olive oil, all handpicked by the chef. — Teresa Taylor
Hominy Grill: 207 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, 843-937-0930
Trattoria Lucca: 41 Bogard St., Charleston, 843-973-3323
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CHOMPING THROUGH CHARLESTON Eating your way through Charleston can be a herculean task, with so many world-class restaurants and culinary styles to choose from. Any list of sure-fire favorites is destined to fall short (for instance, we’re skipping restaurants whose chefs we’ve featured), but here it goes: 26 Divine: The best little bistro you’ve never heard of. Inside seating consists of a five-chair community table. Hand-crafted food, nuanced dishes brimming with freshness and flavor. Upper King Street, Charleston Bowen’s Island Restaurant: A flavorful spot loved by locals, especially during the months with “r’s” in their name. Caught fresh from local beds, oysters get steamed in the joint’s unfinished bottom level. Grab a beer while the cook shovels hot bivalves onto the table. Off Folly Road Closed for Business: This ultracool pub’s got a serious contender for best sandwich in Charleston. It’s called the Pork Slap. You may need a nap afterward. King Street, Charleston EVO Pizzeria: The Food Network magazine named EVO as one of the top 50 pizzerias in the United States, citing the Pesto Pistachio Pizza with arugula. Indeed. Park Circle, North Charleston
Magnolias: You can’t say you’ve done the Charleston culinary scene without sitting down at Magnolias for shellfish over grits or fried chicken. One of the earliest pioneers of upscale Southern cuisine, this restaurant helped put the Holy City on the foodie map. East Bay Street, Charleston The Ocean Room: You’d expect that the signature steakhouse at the Lowcountry’s signature island resort would be, you know, good. It is. Special-occasion good. Worldclass good. Kiawah Island Peninsula Grill: When you absolutely, positively have to impress someone, accept no substitute. May we recommend the Angus ribeye with foie gras-truffle butter? Market Street, Charleston The Tattooed Moose: Behold the Duck Club: A triple-decker filled with duck confit, apple smoked bacon, smoked cheddar on sweet Hawaiian bread with garlic aioli. Morrison Drive, Charleston
The Wild Olive: This Italian restaurant is a delicious find outside Hank’s: This long-time Charleston the hustle and bustle of downtown. establishment lures professionals The kitchen exhibits Italian craftsand tourists alike into its stylish man’s pride via artisanal salumeri environs for fried seafood platters and pasta. Maybank Highway, and she-crab soup. Church Street, Johns Island Charleston Zia Taqueria: This place, as the High Cotton: There are plenty of kids like to say, is legit. Authentic reasons to drop into High Cotton. Mexican food, prepped and cooked The cool bar, the extensive menu, with consistency and care. Bonus the buzz, the perfect location. points for funky decor and being Pick one. East Bay Street, next to the Terrace Theater. MayCharleston bank Highway, James Island
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MICHELLE WEAVER Michelle Weaver has a little extra challenge in her job as executive chef of Charleston Grill at Charleston Place. The hotel restaurant has to appeal to the tastes of locals and tourists. It also must please the diverse palates of business and luxury travelers. That’s why in 2007, under the tutelage of then-top chef Bob Waggoner, she created a menu of four quadrants: Lush, Pure, Southern and Cosmopolitan. It’s where Coconut and Kabocha Soup share space with an Oyster Po’ Boy Salad, for example. Signature dish? Her crab cakes. “I would be torched if I ever tried to take the crab cakes off the menu.” Weaver said the goal of Charleston Grill is “not to be just another hotel restaurant. We still want to be part of the Charleston culinary scene, as well. “We’ve got some farm-to-table stuff, some steakhouse stuff; we’re a combination of several restaurants you would find in this city.” — Teresa Taylor Charleston Grill: 224 King St. (inside the Shops at Charleston Place), Charleston, 843-577-4522
NATE WHITING The icy hues of Tristan’s dining room are in tune with the food of its kitchen: simple, pure, contemporary. Executive chef Nate Whiting describes himself as the “middle man” between the farmers, fishermen and purveyors that supply the restaurant, which is part of the French Quarter Inn. “I really don’t feel that I’m an artist or creator, I feel at most I enhance. I just try to get the best ingredients I can and make them taste more like what they taste like. I just focus on the journey of the dish, every little detail, and as they accumulate, the cooking gets better.” Whiting said his cuisine is Italianinspired with vegetables dictating the menu, which frequently changes. Tristan doesn’t have signature dishes but more of a signature style, he said. Whiting has been working in restaurants since age 13. He learned at the side of his father, a cook who at one time ran the cafeteria for Xerox. Whiting made the move to Tristan in 2009 after six years cooking for the Woodlands Inn in Summerville. He left there as executive chef. — Teresa Taylor Tristan: 10 Linguard St., Charleston, 843-534-2155
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SHRIMP AND GRITS DELICACIES
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obsters in Maine, barbecue in North Carolina, crabcakes in Maryland, cheesesteaks in Philly. So what are the signature flavors of Charleston? There are quite a few, actually. CHRIS ROGERS/“SHRIMP & GRITS” COOKBOOK/NATHALIE DUPREE
At its core, shrimp and grits is a simple concoction — grits, shrimp and butter — and is a household favorite as well as a restaurant dish. Early Charlestonians would catch small shrimp from a creek and cook grits in the salty seawater (called beach water). The shrimp were boiled, and the whole dish was topped with plenty of melted butter. Traditionally, this dish was served for breakfast. All the fancy variations came later.
SHRIMP PURLOO Shrimp purloo, or pilau, is a rice-based dish specific to Charleston. The original recipe called for cooking the rice with salted pork or ham, or mixing it with bacon fat. It was served, simply, with stewed chicken. There’s no such standard for shrimp purloo. Recipes call for bell peppers, onions, celery, tomatoes, saffron, fresh herbs and other diverse ingredients.
SHE-CRAB SOUP Charleston claims this recipe as her own. The story goes that when President William Howard Taft visited the noted Charleston family, the family’s butler dressed up the president’s crab soup with some crab eggs, or roe, thus inventing she-crab soup. The soup is made with lump crab meat, heavy cream, milk, butter, onion, celery, roe, butter and other ingredients. Tradition calls for the addition of some sherry, as well as the roe.
SHAD ROE FROGMORE STEW Also called Lowcountry Boil, this concoction is a favorite for anyone with an outdoors gas cooker, a big pot and lots of mouths to feed. This “stew” really just uses liquid to cook shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, onions and other ingredients. You generally eat only the solid parts, not the liquid they’re cooked in. It’s a hands-on meal, perfect suited for family get-togethers. Some people like this very spicy, including seafood seasoning, hot peppers and pepper sauce.
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Shad, weighing 3-6 pounds, is the largest member of the American herring family. In the late winter and early spring, shad run from the ocean into freshwater coastal rivers and streams to spawn. The flesh is oily rich and full-flavored, so shad is not to everyone’s taste. But the roe is often wrapped in bacon and fried or baked.
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GET A TABLE
Q When booking the reservation, factor in the time if you want to have a drink at the bar first. Don’t keep the harleston is known for its hospitality, but there’s only so table waiting because it will cause demuch wiggle room if a restaurant is booked and a party lays for the next party. wants to get in. The city isn’t the sleepy seaport it once was – Q Make friends with your concierge. are visiting and staying at a hoit’s a huge foodie place now, and restaurants are busy a lot of Iftelyou with a concierge, get to know him the time. So making reservations as far as possible in advance or her and ask questions. They may have connections and can help get you is the wise way. Much of it is common sense, but there is some savvy inin the door. volved. Here are some tips: Q Check your credit card services. Some companies have deals with restaurants and can assist with booking. Q Many restaurants offer online res- look after you. Introduce yourself and with 7:30 p.m. being the peak. ConQ Remember, restaurant reservations ervations directly through their web- get his or her name. Also be aware sider going earlier or later. are appointments, so respect that. If site, or you can visit an online reserof when you are calling to make that Q If you have a large party (five and you don’t show up and don’t let somevation service such as www.opentable. reservation. The worst time is during up), the sooner the better the reservaone know, that can mean a loss of com. However, it costs the restaurant a restaurant’s peak service when a ton tion is made. Many restaurants have business. Cancel as far in advance as three times as much when patrons use of guests walking in the door. limited tables that will fit larger parties. possible so that table is free for someopentable versus going through the Q Avoid the rush: Weekdays are goQ Facebook and Twitter are generally one else. Call ahead if you’re going to website. ing to be less busy than weekends not the best way to making reservations. be late. Q You can always call, and there are for getting a reservation. Sundays Q If your desired time is not available, take the closest thing to it and ask the Q Keep in mind that some restausome advantages to doing it. If you through Tuesdays are usually the restaurant to call should something rants take credit card numbers to establish a personal connection in a slowest days of the week. Likewise, hold reservations and will charge for else open up. It’s better to do this than nice way, the chances go up that the crunch time for dinner service at no-shows. put your name on a waiting list. reservation taker will try harder to many local restaurants is 7-8 p.m. By Teresa Taylor
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Have some fun There’s a reason more than 4 million tourists visit Charleston every year. It’s the same reason the city has taken its place alongside London and Paris as Conde Nast Traveler’s top tourist destinations. It’s the same reason the Holy City also made travel guide Fodor’s Top 21 places to go in the world. That reason, in a word, is “fun.” Charleston has earned all the buzz. This foodie-centric city boasts a sizzling nightlife, rich artistic community, world-class events, great college sports and a cracker-jack minor-league baseball team. Here in Charleston, history, hospitality, urban chic, youthful energy and natural beauty swirl together in an intoxicating mix. Drink it in.
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Wine at Social
cocktail at Oku or the Cocktail Club. Hit Closed for Business or The Macintosh to experience the gastropub phenomenon at its finest, then move on down to the sports bars and fancy pizza joints past Marion Square. No trip to Charleston would be complete without some pizza from Mellow Mushroom. If you want to ditch downtown, head over to Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, where the locals have been known to have a good time. Few other places offer the chance to sip a beverage while a steady stream of dolphins, pelicans, shrimp boats, paddleboarders and fishing boats stream by. Or Try the Avondale area of West Ashley, a funky little hot spot of bars, restaurants and trendy shops just a hop skip and a jump from downtown. Visiting the Olde Village in Park Circle is well worth the short drive to North Charleston, if only for the pizza at EVO, a stout at Madra Rua or the sweet potato fries at Sesame.
THEATER Charleston is a Southern artistic mecca. The city hosts film festivals, art galleries, plays, jazz, chamber music, wine and food festivals, and the annual Spoleto USA Festival and Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. There is an artistic performance nearly every weekend of the year. Charleston’s rich artistic community includes notable groups such as Theatre Charleston, Charleston Stage, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Theatre 99, Pure Theater, the Footlight Players and South of Broadway. Theater buffs can catch performances at a number of wonderful settings, including the Sottile Theatre, used mostly by the College of Charleston, and Memminger Auditorium, which underwent a transformation into a black-box theater now used by all. The historic Dock Street Theatre was recently refurbished, and the large Gaillard Auditorium is set to undergo a massive revitalization. North Charleston’s Performing Arts Center and Coliseum often host big-name acts and offBroadway musicals.
MOVIES Hoping to do some shopping or grab a bite before a movie East of the Cooper? Check out Palmetto Grande, tucked inside Mount Pleasant’s Towne Centre shopping center. For a
Terrace Theater
dinner and a movie simultaneously, take your date to Cinebarre, off Houston-Northcutt Boulevard. Heading across the Ashley River into West Ashley and James Island, movie buffs can hit the new Citadel Mall Stadium 16 with IMAX, or soak up the vibe at the Terrace Theater, a small but popular spot off Maybank Highway. Film fans can experience both ends of the movie spectrum in North Charleston with a megaplex experience at Regal Charles Towne Square Stadium 18 off Mall Drive or Northwoods Stadium Cinemas off Rivers Avenue, or by taking in an independent film at The Olde North Charleston Picture House in Park Circle. Downtown Charleston has a few interesting movie opportunities, from watching blockbusters on the giant screen at the Hippodrome off Concord Street, to studying an independent film at the American Theater off King Street.
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TABITHA SAFDI
Elise Testone sings at Windjammer‘s SolFest. The Lowcountry singer made it to the final rounds of the television show “American Idol” in April 2012.
The Charleston Jazz Orchestra
Pour House also offers free music on the back deck many nights from 6 to 9. It’s a great spot to suck down a frosty Coast HopArt, nosh on a Cuban sandwich and hear some fresh sounds. Downtown, the Music Farm (32 Ann St.) is a funky space in an old railroad depot that has been hauling in a mix of regional and national acts for two decades. Gov’t Mule, Snoop Dogg, Drive-by Truckers, Iggy Pop and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band are among the many artists who have played there. The place got a face-lift a few years back and some audio upgrades that improved the room’s warehouse-like sound. The Farm has a lot of energy, but it’s not a place for the claustrophobic on sell-out nights, when just reaching the bathroom can be an arduous trek (see Drive-by Truckers show). The nearby Charleston Music Hall (37 John St.) arguably has the best acoustics in town and an upscale feel with lots of wood and exposed brick. The schedule is a little light and sporadic, so you have to keep watch for shows. The Charleston Jazz Orchestra has become an anchor act, and the hall has played host to Gregg Allman, Steve Earle, Keb’ Mo’ and several other luminaries. Out on the Isle of Palms, The Windjammer (1008 Ocean Blvd.) mixes local favorites like Sol Driven Train and Fowler’s Mustache with traveling headliners such as Buddy Miller, Uncle Kracker and The Wailers. As with the island itself, the summer months tend to be the most hopping. Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ (1205 Ashley River Road in West Ashley and 2209 Middle St. on Sullivan’s Island) serves up tasty blues, rock, bluegrass and more at its two locations. West Ashley residents can also amble up the road to find some good tunes at The Tin Roof (1117 Magnolia Road). The full list of local watering holes that feature music is just too crowded to enumerate here. But from the Sand Dollar on Folly Beach to The Mill in North Charleston, there’s always somewhere to catch a band. mycharlestononline.com 105
FLOWERTOWN FESTIVAL
Summerville comes alive April 5-7 with the Flowertown Festival, three days of street vendors, artwork and crafts nestled in the downtown area of the historic town. For locals, it’s a time to see neighbors, check out food from new restaurants and stroll through Azalea Park. About 250,000 people are estimated to come through the park during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Some of the local artisans have been exhibiting for years, and enjoy the camaraderie as much as showing their work. It’s along rain or shine event, and it raises money for the Summerville YMCA. Be sure to take a stroller for the kids.
SPOLETO & PICCOLO SPOLETO
These two festivals are 17 days of performing arts in late May and early June. Spoleto Festival USA brings in national and international artists in theater, dance, classical music and jazz. Piccolo Spoleto is the opportunity for local artists of all genres to perform and exhibit their work. Between the two festivals there are more than 900 events and there is something for everyone. The city comes alive as artists use venues all over town, and it give visitors a chance to hear music in our historic churches as well as the Dock Street Theatre. It truly is a time with the whole city becomes a stage and it ends with a bang – a huge fireworks display at Middleton Place.
MORE EVENTS Lowcountry Oyster Festival: The biggest oyster roast in the Lowcountry, held Jan. 27 at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant. BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival: Discover Charleston’s renowned culinary world Feb. 28-March 3 in Downtown Charleston. Charleston Fashion Week: Emerging and veteran designers converge on Marion Square March 19-23. Family Circle Cup: Tennis’ hottest stars battle it out March 30-April 7 on Daniel Island. Cajun Festival: This April event at James Island County Park fills the air with hot Latin rhythms. North Charleston Arts Festival: This annual celebration of the arts takes place May 3-11. MOJA: This festival comes in late September and celebrates the city’s African and Caribbean heritage with concerts and art displays. Taste of Charleston: This fall culinary festival draws thousands to Boone Hall Plantation. Christmas in Charleston: Cities and towns across the Lowcountry host Christmas parades, and visiting the James Island County Park’s Festival of Lights is a popular holiday tradition.
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RIVERDOGS BASEBALL
Scene The RiverDogs are known as much for zany marketing as their affiliation with the New York Yankees. Named after Charleston’s mayor, Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park (aka The Joe) offers sweet views of the Ashley River and adjacent marsh. RiverDogs alumni: Josh Hamilton, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Delmon Young, Phil Hughes and Jesus Montero.
STINGRAYS HOCKEY
A freshly renovated North Charleston Coliseum makes Stingrays games even more appealing. The ECHL once stood for East Coast Hockey League but the circuit now stretches to Alaska, though the Stingrays’ focus is on closer rivals. The community-minded team goes all out to support various causes. Pink ice to fight breast cancer, for instance.
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tideline
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Sullivan’s Island
Isle of Palms
Daniel Island
McClellanville
postcard tidal tributary of Charleston Harbor that is home to restaurants, inns and the town’s new Shem Creek Park, where a boardwalk stretches through marsh to the creek toward the harbor. The town is home to the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, the Palmetto Islands County Park and Boone Hall Plantation, one of America’s oldest working plantations. It has been continuously growing and producing crops for more than 320 years. The scenic Old Village has historic waterfront homes overlooking Fort Sumter and downtown Charleston. It is home to Alhambra Hall, which offers a beautiful view of the harbor. Sweetgrass basketmaker stands line busy Hwy. 17. The African art of sweetgrass basket making has been practiced for more than 300 years in the Christ Church Parish of Mount Pleasant.
harbor from invaders ranging from the Revolutionary War to World War II. The fort bears the name of Col. William Moultrie, who repelled a British attack in 1776. The National Park Service manages the fort as a historic tourist attraction.
Daniel Island
Hwy. 17. It was ravaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 but bounced back to become a self-sufficient community of schools, homes, churches, shops and docking facilities with an economy largely dependant upon the sea. On the way to McClellanville, check out the Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center and the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw. The center has flight demonstrations featuring hawks, falcons, owls, eagles and vultures. The center, which rehabilitates injured birds of prey, offers tours of aviaries housing more than 30 species of eagles, falcons, owls and other birds from all parts of the world.
The new part of Daniel Island is in Berkeley County, although it’s part of the city of Charleston. It’s a community of perfectly landscaped lawns and fresh-faced homes, some of them large and spacious that feature porches and balconies and a Isle of Palms uniformed look. The Isle of Palms has 5,000 full-time The Family Circle Cup puts Daniel residents and 20,000 to 50,000 invest- Island in the national spotlight each ment owners and visitors who make it year. Blackbaud Stadium, also on their home and destination. Daniel Island, is home to the CharlesOriginally named Hunting Island ton Battery professional soccer team. and then Long Island, it’s thought to McClellanville be at least 25,000 years old, and first inhabited by the indigenous Seewee McClellanville, a picturesque village, Indians. Attorney J.C. Long develis in northern Charleston County on oped the island after World War II as an affordable place where service people could buy homes and raise a family. Some of those original families and their descendents are still on the island today. The island has a full service marina Sullivan’s Island offering charters for offshore and inThe island has about 2,000 residents shore fishing. Kayaking, parasailing who live in half as many households and jet skiing are available. Six miles and a small business district on of beach access for visitors makes the Middle Street that offers restaurants island a popular destination. A boardwalk offers a mix of bars, restaurants and pubs. In addition to some of the best beaches around, there is plenty to and retail outlets selling everything from ice cream to surfboards. ponder here for literary and military Charleston County Parks and Recrehistorians. ation operates a beachfront park on The Edgar Allan Poe Library is housed in Battery Gadsden, a former the island next to the boardwalk. The Wild Dunes resort occupies Spanish-American War four-gun battery. The library is named for Poe, 1,500 acres on the northern end of who was stationed on Sullivan’s Island the island and offers two 18-hole Tom as a private in the Army in 1827 and Fazio golf courses, 17 tennis courts 1828. He used the island as the backand numerous pools. ground for his famous story, “The Just north of the Isle of Palms is DeGold Bug.” wees Island, a residential community This island’s Fort Moultrie has a accessed only by boat and limited to long military history of protecting the homeowners and their guests.
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Residential areas are spread throughout West Ashley and James Island.
Dogs are welcome at James Island County Park.
the road to Edisto Island, which is popular as a quiet family beach getaway, with camp sites at the beach. Edisto also marks the end of the 250-mile-long Edisto River, which is among the nation’s longest free-flowing blackwater rivers and is a destination for canoe and kayak enthusiasts. The river flows into the ACE Basin, a 350,000-acre ecological treasure bounded by the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers, where cypress swamps bleed into saltwater marshes and on to the ocean.
It is also the path to Folly Beach, which is known for the Charleston area’s best surfing, and for permissive rules about drinking on the beach. Folly is also known for its close-up views of the Morris Island Lighthouse, accessible at the east end of the island. Johns Island is confronting suburban growth issues, but remains a largely rural island known for its live-oak-draped scenic roadways, such as River Road, and its farming communities. Angel Oak Park, near Main Road and Maybank Highway, is home to an immense live oak tree said to be the oldest living thing east of the Mississippi River. A battle over plans to develop land adjacent to Angel Oak Park has been raging for years. Head across Johns Island toward
Below the Stono
and James Island County Park, which helped launch the area’s embrace of off-leash dog parks. The island is also home to historic McLeod Plantation, and a government marine research center built where the first shots of the Civil War were fired from Fort Johnson. James Island is a suburb of Charleston – much of it is within the city limits – but it’s also a place with a strong identity of its own. Residents outside the city limits on James Island have repeatedly sought to create their own town, succeeding most recently in 2012 after courts struck down three earlier attempts.
The Stono River separates the area known as “West Ashley” from other Farms and beaches areas on the west side of the Ashley River. Nearest to the city, James Island James Island is the gateway from is home to Charleston’s well-regarded Charleston to Johns Island, one of the and affordable municipal golf course largest sea islands on the East Coast.
the ocean and you’ll find Kiawah Island, named for the Indians who lived there before the arrival of European settlers, and also Seabrook Island. Today, Kiawah is a gated residential and resort community known for top-quality golf and pristine beaches. One tip of the island is home to Charleston County’s public Beachwalker Park, with access to the entire Kiawah beachfront for a small fee. It has been named one of the nation’s Top 10 beaches. Take a different path across Johns Island, on Maybank Highway, and you’ll cross Bohicket Creek to Wadmalaw, an island of rural homesteads that range modest trailers to lavish retreats. Near the far end of the island the Charleston Tea Plantation offers tours and public events.
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Flowertown Festival in Summerville out in the 1990s, the new park for the first time gave residents access to a waterfront that had been off limits because of the military’s needs. South of Riverfront Park is the Warren Lasch Conservation Lab, home to the restoration effort of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley. The vessel became the world’s first successful attack sub when it sank the Union blockade ship Housatonic off Sullivan’s Island on the night of Feb. 17, 1864. It was recovered four miles offshore in 2000 and brought to the new lab. The city is also home to the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Education Center. The site, near the Tanger Outlet Mall and the North Charleston Coliseum, covers the history of the fire-fighting industry. It includes 18 restored vehicles, some dating to the 1800s. Current Mayor Keith Summey, only the third mayor in the city’s history, is in his 17th year in office. He regularly promotes North Charleston as “a great place to live, work or play.”
Summerville More than 700 homes and other buildings in Summerville are on the National Register of Historic Places. The largest remaining virgin tupelo and cypress swamp forest in the world, along with 50 miles of the 128 mycharlestononline.com
Cypress Gardens in Berkeley County world’s longest free-flowing blackwater river, are in Dorchester County. Surprised? Shouldn’t be. This town and county sometimes get overlooked in the Charleston experience. But they have histories, wonders, attractions and fun of their own. Flowertown Festival, Summerville’s signature arts and crafts event, draws an estimated 200,000 people each spring to its floral Azalea Park. What gets overlooked is that the festival, and the park itself, is in the residential “old town,” the heart of the historic district. The district features buildings that date back to the town’s mid-19th century founding and period-piece architectural beauties from the town’s “Golden Age” as a pineland health resort. The southern boundary of Dorchester County is a 50-mile stretch of the Edisto River, that “longest” freeflowing blackwater beauty of black willows and sandbars. Hundreds if not thousands of people float it on weekends during the summer in a modern, often partylike version of an old country cooling-off tradition. About two-thirds of the way down, Four Holes Swamp flows into it. The National Audubon Society’s Beidler Forest sanctuary has a boardwalk running nearly two miles through the heart of the swamp. Colonial Dorchester State Historic
Site sits just outside Summerville on the Ashley River, off to the side of the usual “historic sites” tours. If the nearly three-century-old church bell tower and tabby walls of the riverfront fort were on the street in Charleston, visitors would swarm them. But miles from downtown, it’s somewhat overlooked. The colonial village of Dorchester was one of the first Lowcountry inland settlements, founded in 1697. It was a frontier trading post for Charleston and much bigger than most people realize. The grid of streets stretched nearly a half-mile from a wharf on the river.
Berkeley County The rapidly growing towns and cities north of Charleston in Berkeley County are known as bedroom communities. But they’re good for playing as well as sleeping. Goose Creek, the county’s biggest municipality, takes the lead in recreation. The city has miles of paved bike and walking trails, and they’re well off the roads for safety. Sports fields are scattered throughout the city. The biggest is the Felkel Field Sports Complex on Lucy Drive in the Beverly Hills subdivision, with seven lighted ball fields, a concession stand and press boxes.
The massive Crowfield Plantation boasts a host of amenities, including a city golf course that’s open to everybody. Hanahan also has been expanding its recreational opportunities. A gymnasium by City Hall is popular, and a city sports complex behind Trident Technical College has seven baseball and softball fields, a soccer field, another gymnasium and a senior center. A city boat landing at the complex allows boating and fishing on the Goose Creek Reservoir. Moncks Corner also puts a priority on recreation, and is working on a 50-acre complex on Main Street. Plans include fields for baseball, football and soccer, as well as a walking and biking trail that connects the fields to a nearby school. Tennis and basketball courts and a center with a swimming pool and jogging track are also planned. There are plenty of places to enjoy nature in Berkeley County. Cypress Gardens is a world-famous nature preserve between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner. Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie draw boaters and fishermen from around the country. And Mepkin Abbey, a tranquil community of Trappist monks along the scenic Cooper River near Moncks Corner, is a great place for some quiet reflection under the big oak trees.
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I AM A QUALITY DETECTIVE.
I’m today’s Trident. As a child Alice made house calls with her father, who was a rural South Carolina family doctor. She knew she wanted to help people, so a profession in health care fit her perfectly. Alice is a registered nurse who now leads the Patient Care Quality team at Trident Health. She makes sure that at Trident, the right patient gets the right care at the right time – every time. Alice’s diligent work has played an important role in Trident receiving national recognition for its quality outcomes. As a breast cancer survivor she knows the value of quality care in a patient’s future.
“ I love making a difference
Alice Turner, RN, AVP, Quality Management, Trident Health
in patients’ lives. Quality, efficient teamwork gives our
President, Dragon Boat Charleston
patients brighter futures.”
a new tradition www.tridenthealthsystem.com