The Gentlemen's Issue
LIFE + CULTURE
CRAIG CONOVER OF SEWING DOWN SOUTH
MIGUEL BUENCAMINO OF HOLY CITY HANDCRAFT
FOOD + BEVERAGE
JESS PATTERSON OF THE CO-OP
ENTERTAINMENT
MIKE "THE GUY" EDWARDS
JUNE 2023
CHARLESTON’S HAPPY PLACE
Whether it’s the casual atmosphere, breathtaking views, refreshing cocktails, or the good vibe crowd, SWC is THE place to be.
SEAFOOD BBQ DRINKS HAPPINESS www.saltwater-cowboys.com
It should go without saying, but maybe also bears repeating, that fathers make countless differences in their homes and families each and every day, their uniquely influential presence carries such powerful potential, the impact eternal and evergreen.
As with so many of our deepest, most profound relationships, the ones we share with our fathers can be complicated and nuanced. If you’re missing or grieving the loss of a father this Father’s Day - we see you. If your relationship status with your Dad is ever-evolving, its twists and turns murky and tough - we see you. If you are a dad - brand new or well-worn and happily settled into your role - we see you. If you hope to be or are trying to be a Dad someday – we see you. If you’re a father figure to some fortunate recipients of your care and attention, we see you.
There’s no “one size fits all” definition of what makes a father, or a good father at that. Rather, it’s formed by those who step up to and into the role. The definition ebbs and flows, taking shape and fitting into the spaces created by the people who carry and receive it.
This issue is dedicated to the men who are doing it right. Those leading by example, working to make the world better in their own ways. We’ll talk with Craig Conover, a founder and CEO of Sewing Down South, about building a successful business that is grounded in passion, and what it’s like to follow a path that others don’t quite understand, one that is met with mockery or even ridicule. We sit down with Mike Edwards of the local morning radio show, “Two Girls and a Guy,” to learn how he literally uses his voice to lift up Charlestonians. We check in Miguel Buencamino, the entrepreneurial founder of Holy City Handcraft, who offers a peek into his brilliant world of food and beverage content creation. Finally, we talk with The Co-Op owner, Jess Patterson, all about frose’, the color pink, and using social media for good.
To all of the upstanding and inspiring men in Charleston, let these pages stand as tokens of our appreciation and acknowledgment of all that you have done, are doing, and will continue to do.
We see you.
With gratitude,
LAUREN MCDUFFIE, EDITOR @CHARLESTONCITYLIFESTYLE
June 2023
PUBLISHER
Katy Derbyshire | katy.derbyshire@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Lauren McDuffie | lauren.mcduffie@citylifestyle.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Corley Friarson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Corley Friarson, Pamela Jouan
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Lauren McDuffie
4
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer
ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson
WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell
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LIFESTYLE LETTER Charleston City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Charleston area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Charleston City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.
Proverbs 3:5-6 how to start
Letter From The Editor
LIFESTYLE LETTER
inside the issue The Gentlemen’s Issue JUNE 2023 ON THE COVER DEPARTMENTS 4 Lifestyle Letter 10 Business Monthly 14 Must See LIFE + CULTURE 22 Inspired By LIFE + CULTURE 26 Local’s Choice FOOD + BEVERAGE 32 Locally Sourced ENTERTAINMENT 14 26 22 32 FEATURED 14 Cut From a Different Cloth A look inside Sewing Down South founder Craig Conover's creative reality. 22 Master of His Craft A Q&A with popular food and beverage content creator, Miguel Buencamino. 26 Real Men Wear Pink We catch up with Jess Patterson, owner of The Co-Op on Sullivan’s Island. 32 Surfing the Airwaves A conversation with morning radio show host, Mike Edwards of "Two Girls and a Guy." Photography: Lauren McDuffie Craig Conover of Sewing Down South gets comfortable with his new pillow line in The Sweetgrass Lounge. 6
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BUSINESS MONTHLY
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Scan
news from local businesses. JUNE 2023
monthly
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Cut From a Different Cloth
Craig Conover gets candid about his business, creative interests, and staying true to himself.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUREN MCDUFFIE
MUST SEE | LIFE +
CULTURE
14
“So, what was he like in real life?”
This question was asked no less than half a dozen times when I shared that I’d interviewed Craig Conover, of reality TV’s “Southern Charm” fame, for our cover story. “Was he … nice? Is he this? Is he that?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Sure, he was very nice - genuinely so. But after an hour of conversation about his business, Sewing Down South (SDS), and other miscellany, I actually walked away most impressed by what Craig Conover is not.
Beyond all of the lights, cameras, and action that inevitably accompany a life lived in the public eye, Craig is refreshingly unconcerned with what anyone thinks of him. “How do you do that?” I asked, as I’m not sure I could ever get there.
What I found is that his lack of concern over others’ opinions is not due to a flippancy, some hardened sense of fame-induced apathy. Rather, it appears the opposite is true, as this can grow organically, from a softer place. This sense of self-assured purpose and confidence is rooted in
his past, apparent in its present tense, and will likely continue thriving in his future. Because neither Craig nor his business is going anywhere, anytime soon.
I arrived early to The Sweetgrass Lounge and was met by Jack Gilchrist, SDS's Marketing Manager. We busied ourselves selecting pillows to showcase, ultimately deciding on a handful that worked best with the plastered walls and perfectly-imperfect backdrop provided by the lounge’s impressive space. We enjoyed a quick tour of the bottling facility and a sampling of their (to-die-for) espresso martini before settling into a discussion which confirmed my suspicion that there is much more to SDS and its founder than meets the eye.
A confession.
I hopped in my car after our interview and looked down at my phone in mild horror. I’d apparently been so absorbed that I’d forgotten to press “play,” on my recorder. Great, I thought, the realization settling in like a small tragedy. I was left with my little yellow
notebook that had nothing more than random, barely legible words scrawled in every direction across a single page. Positivity. Passion. Local. Community.
I sat with these cryptic, pseudo-notes for a few minutes and began attaching them to different parts of our conversation. Their purpose showed up for me after all, these words, like breadcrumbs, bits and pieces of his story to be followed, helping to bring the whole back into focus.
POSITIVITY
Craig alluded to reservations about starting his business at 31, fearing it may have been too late. “I thought I was too old,” he laughed. “But today is always the first day of the rest of your life, and while that’s cheesy, it’s so true.” So, he jumped; head-first and all the way in, working out of his home and making pillows to order. “It was horrible,” he lamented, expressing an almost tangible sense of relief at the evolution the business has enjoyed since it began in 2018.
CONTINUED > 15 | CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/CHARLESTONSC JUNE 2023
MUST SEE | LIFE + CULTURE 16
In addition to the downtown store, SDS has a shipping and fulfillment warehouse in North Charleston. “This is great for several reasons,” Jack noted, explaining how it’s harder to get as much done when Craig is in the store, as people are always wanting to meet him, and he always obliges. So, having a second location for logistics has been a boon to the business’s overall efficiency.
But he still stops by, you can still catch him in their flagship King Street location posing for photos, signing merchandise, and even occasionally slinging beer. “We have a keg in the store!” Jack noted, supporting Craig’s description of how dedicated the business is to keeping things fun and positive. “We want to uplift - that’s the goal,” Craig explained. “We want to celebrate and champion inclusivity, creativity. We want to challenge norms and push back against cultural stereotypes a little bit.”
PASSION
“I was severely bullied as a kid,” Craig shared. “The cooking and sewing I did in home economics class gave me a way out of that, it was an escape. Sewing is something that I’ve always loved, despite other people not understanding it.”
But as it turns out, our passions don’t require others’ understanding to survive, to flourish even. SDS’s continued success stands as a testament to that fact. “You can’t let the bad things that happen to you stop you. If you do, then it’s really no one’s fault but your own.”
This is a universal truth that bears repeating, as much of creative work looks like this. You just keep going, building bridges and dodging their trolls … working until you’ve created your something from nothing, an everyday sort of magic that is accessible to all. It can be as simple as a bed pillow, or as spectacular as a thriving business; the idea is the same. Put your head down, narrow your vision until the critics fall away, and just keep doing what you love, these extraordinary ordinary things.
The relentless pursuit of passion, coupled with the goal of creating a positive impact
on this region, has led to a steadily growing business that is well-positioned to give back.
Creation of the Craig Conover Foundation is under way, established with the intention of expanding charitable efforts. SDS has donated sewing machines to local high schools, furthering its mission to support the creative arts. They consistently donate to various charities, and are active supporters of the South Carolina Special Olympics. Through the sale of their Bahamian Lobster Pillow, they raised funds for Hurricane Dorian. They partnered with MUSC’s Hollings Cancer Center and have worked with Uplift Charleston, serve the city’s homeless population.
This type of service and attention paid to its hometown runs as the very bloodline of SDS. “This is our ethos; Charleston is a part of everything we do.”
RADICALLY LOCAL
“I knew I had a good idea,” Craig recalled of his first inklings about his future business. “But I needed help. I’m a team-oriented person, but initially had trouble letting different aspects of the business go. But I knew I needed to bring people in to manage things that weren't aligned with my own skill set.”
CEO and co-founder, Jerry Casselano, and Chief Marketing Officer and co-owner, Amanda Latifi, bring different assets to the table, completing an executive team that not only thrives on each of their individual skills, but also on their collective belief in the importance of incorporating the community into everything possible.
Tucked in between a series of bars and eateries, their store occupies what any local will tell you is an impressively large space in the heart of King Street’s bustling shopping district. “People from out of town comment that it looks bigger on TV,” Jack said, smiling. In a city where the first streets were laid in the 17th century, most of Charleston’s buildings are long and deep, with very little street-side frontage, helping to make the best use of space.
CONTINUED >
17 | CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/CHARLESTONSC JUNE 2023
“Charlestonians know better,” he said, with a conspiratorial smile. “They’ll walk through the doors and immediately comment on how huge the store is. It’s one way we can always spot a local."
Once misunderstood and perhaps a bit misrepresented, in its early days SDS was like this loose thread, just hanging off to the side of the tight-knit fabric of downtown Charleston. Today, a different reality has settled in. Always quick to recommend a nearby eatery and never one to shy away from a chance to sing its city’s praises, this is a business that may be sweeping the nation, but its roots are firmly planted in Southern ground.
As I write this, SDS has 16 employees, many of whom are either current or former College of Charleston students. Furthermore, they work with eight different families across the Carolinas to produce all of their pillows - they are not outsourced overseas. “It’s intimidating to produce things locally,” Craig admitted. “It’s harder, more costly.” But doing things this way is non-negotiable, regardless.
PASSION
Like so many business origin stories, this one begins with wonder. With trepidation and some self-doubt in tow, Craig sort of fumbled his way into his own mystery, letting his passion lead the way, and not really knowing whether his business would work or not, despite having confidence in the idea. Whether you have a huge platform and are in the public eye, or are starting from scratch, some truths are just universal. We throw our hands up in surrender, letting curiosity and passion carry us around on their backs for a while.
The bullying Craig experienced as a kid thickened his skin, forming a protective shield of sorts that would serve to help ward off criticisms, judgment, and negativity. When we focus less on what others think, and more on the things that bring us to life, we allow wonder to take the reins, filling us up. As a person who has spent the whole of my creative professional life trying to do exactly this, it was nice to be reminded that this experience is universal in its unfolding. Craig spoke to this quieter part of his story generously, with zero pretense, making it relatable, unique to him though it was.
We do this. We tell our stories, holding our realities up like mirrors for others to catch glimpses of themselves in the reflections. Like stitching, they connect us, showing us the way … to the next step, to each other, and back to ourselves.
He shows no signs of slowing down. “I’m best when I’m busy, always working on something new,” Craig explained, citing new endeavors he has in the works. And if they’re anything like SDS, as Craig says, they might just be “silly enough to work.” As SDS’ Chief Creative Officer, his dreams for the future are very much a reflection of where he is today but just broader, more enriched and informed by the experience and learning that come with growth, with the showing and telling of his own experiences and the wisdom gained from others.
Despite his initial reservations, Craig Conover’s story is still in its early stages, and it’s clear that he’s the one holding the pen … his drive showing no signs of slowing down, his creative mind bursting at the seams.
MUST SEE | LIFE + CULTURE
“WE WANT TO UPLIFT - THAT’S THE GOAL,” CRAIG EXPLAINED. “WE WANT TO CELEBRATE AND CHAMPION INCLUSIVITY, CREATIVITY. WE WANT TO CHALLENGE NORMS AND PUSH BACK AGAINST CULTURAL STEREOTYPES A LITTLE BIT.”
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MASTER OF HIS CRAFT
WHAT IS HOLY CITY HANDCRAFT?
I started HCH in 2015 as a creative outlet to share my passion for homemade meals and cocktails. It was just another cooking, but after countless hours of recipe development in a highly saturated subject (cooking), I pivoted into cocktails and everything just took off. HCH has evolved into a content production agency encompassing anything from recipe development to commercial photography and video production for global brands.
A Q&A with popular food and beverage content creator, Miguel Buencamino.
ARTICLE BY CITY LIFESTYLE STAFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIGUEL BUENCAMINO
IT SEEMS YOU'VE BUILT A BUSINESS THAT IS GROUNDED IN YOUR OWN PASSIONS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THIS?
I've always been a big fan of cooking. My Filipino grandmothers were incredible cooks and taught me how to create recipes. I experience my first craft cocktail at a bar in Orlando called "The Courtesy" in 2012. I had my first Old Fashioned experience at this bar and was amazed that someone spent all this time making a 4-oz cocktail. The technique was as beautiful as the cocktail and it tasted amazing to boot. I was hooked. I wanted to educate myself on the craft, and do right by the professionals behind the bar.
INSPIRED BY | LIFE + CULTURE
22
I've always been the person with a camera, capturing moments with friends. This interest grew on the advent of smartphone cameras. In HCH's infancy, photos were taken with my phone. The pictures were grainy but I loved it. I found a DSLR camera in my wife's closet (gift from an ex), slapped on a lens, and my photos slowly improved. So, shoutout to my wife's ex boyfriend!
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE READING THIS, AND IS DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT TO DO THE SAME?
I was let go from my software job at the start of the pandemic, and my incredible wife suggested I try pursuing HCH full time. Without her confidence in me, I'd still been in the software world. If you're reading this and have a side hustle you want to pursue full-time - there's no "right time" to make that transition. If you're waiting for the perfect moment, you'll be waiting forever. There is something to be said for giving your full attention to your passion; the more hours you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. I've never been busier, but I've also never loved doing something this much.
HOW DID YOU LEARN YOUR CRAFT?
I'm self-taught, via hours of YouTube tutorials, largely. There was a lot of trial and error, and I also was able to assist a seasoned photographer. What I love about this city's creative community, is that it's not competitive - it's collaborative.
WHAT PART OF YOUR WORK DO YOU LOVE THE MOST? WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND THE GREATEST CHALLENGES TO BE?
The challenge is what I love the most. The camera and lens are nothing without a talented crew surrounding the photographer. The best part of my job is being able to work with other talented folks to produce something beautiful.
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Real Men Wear Pink
A colorful conversation with The Co-Op's Jess Patterson.
ARTICLE BY PAMELA JOUAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUTA SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY, ALEECE SOPHIA
Jess Patterson is an itch you can’t help but scratch. And when you do, you quickly find out there’s much more to the surface than meets the eye.
On the surface though, he really does like pink; there was always a pink bowtie to accent a suit or tuxedo. Now he fully owns it, or rather, everything he owns is pink, including his jeep.
“When it came to branding, I thought, frosé is pink, and a flamingo popped into my head, and we just went with it.” The original black and white logo for The Co-Op on Sullivan’s Island that he bought in 2012
gave way to an electric, "beachy" pink, capturing what Jess calls “that vacation within a vacation” mode, and better reflecting his intentions when transforming the "island market" into an eatery-destination.
Bar Primi in the East Village in NYC lays claim to inventing frosé, and is where Jess first tasted it in 2016. “My wife, Liza, took me and when I found out there was a 45-minute wait to get in, I wanted no part of it,” he laughs, remembering. “But then the bartender told us they were selling 2,000 frosés on a Saturday, and well, you do the math!”
LOCAL’S CHOICE | FOOD + BEVERAGE
CONTINUED > 26
27 | CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/CHARLESTONSC JUNE 2023
“Sullivan’s Island had always supported us, but I believe it was during COVID that the rest of Charleston realized we existed and The Co-Op really took off.” One frosé machine turned into many, and the stores multiplied, too, first expanding to Isle of Palms and Kiawah, then Nashville and Chattanooga. Charlotte opens mid-May, then Nexton, Las Vegas, and Downtown Charleston with Jacksonville, FL and Huntsville, AL on the horizon. There’s a "Flocked Up" frosé boat too, that can take a party of six out on the water, with plans for a larger bachelorette party version.
Is this all enough to keep Jess out of trouble? Hardly. But keep scratching because it’s a good kind of trouble.
Jess has a following is an understatement, as reflected on his popular social media platforms. But it’s not cultish as much as community based. Okay, maybe a little cultish. Because although he is outspoken, it is his gregarious, larger-thanlife personality and honest-to-goodness love of life and family that looms large on social media, drawing people in.
“My social media presence really started because Liza was tired of my complaining about customers and so I started venting on the internet.” Stop the presses, venting about his customers? For real? I had to know more, here.
“I spent many years in finance dealing with - let’s just call them "jerks" - with millions of dollars on the line. When I started spending time in the store and encountered the same kind of attitude over a $10 sandwich, I got upset. There’s no reason for people to be so rude to other people and so I called them out. And I think people were kind of stunned at first that this
guy who owns a restaurant had no problem speaking his mind, but they also respected me for it.”
While many of Jess’ Instagram posts are lengthy, as he tackles some complex and controversial issues, you might be surprised to see that most of the comments are downright civil. “I like to think that with my page, at least, we are back to a place where we were meant to be originally, where everyone can agree to disagree, which is so far from what the world is today. It’s sort of a safe zone, where we can feel differently and still have a conversation; where it’s okay to say, hey, my opinion’s not the same but I still love you, man!”
A few years ago, Liza was diagnosed with lymphoma. “During her treatments, she met a woman with cancer who raised money for an off-the-books treatment in Mexico. We posted about it and people rallied to help this woman and I really feel those trips extended her life. I couldn’t get over how sharing someone’s struggle got such a positive response and so we started to selectively post to help where we could. You can’t do it for everyone, but we try to go with our gut whenever my wife or I come across something that speaks to us.” Good deeds beget good deeds. Now a survivor, Liza spent the first half of 2023 raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in her own way to pay it forward. The Co-Op has pledged $40,000 to match those efforts. Jess is proud of his wife, and thankful for a community that rallies around good. “At the end of the day, I want customers to come in to buy a turkey sandwich from me not because it’s the best turkey sandwich but because they know they are supporting good people, too.”
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“I like to think my {social media} page, reflects the place where we were meant to be originally, where everyone can agree to disagree, which is so far from what the world is today. It’s sort of a safe zone, where we can feel differently and still have a conversation; where it’s okay to say, 'my opinion’s not the same but I still love you, man!'"
29 | CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/CHARLESTONSC JUNE 2023
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Surfing the Airwaves
A conversation with morning radio show host, Mike Edwards, of "Two Girls and a Guy."
ARTICLE BY CORLEY FRIARSON | PHOTOGRAPHY
PROVIDED
LOCALLY SOURCED | ENTERTAINMENT
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If the morning car ride has ever felt a bit too quiet, lacking in company or conversation, then the "Two Girls and A Guy" radio show might be just the thing missing from your routine. This morning show on Charleston’s Mix 95.9 radio station gives the feeling of sitting amongst a group of friends at a casual, comfortable happy hour. The three hosts - Tanya Brown, Brooke Ryan, and Mike Edwards - have been working together for some years, and their sense of familiarity over the radio is evident, giving the show an easy, lived-in feel. This grouping didn't happen by accident. Edwards sat down with "City Lifestyle" to share how "Two Girls and A Guy" came to be, and what makes it so very special.
Tanya Brown’s natural humor at the office, coupled with stories of her children, led to a live audition on the air. Her knockout performance led to a switch from accounts receivable manager to radio host. In 2006, Brooke was 21 and centered in the Charleston nightlife scene. Her own stories and drama from her close circle of friends, provided a source of endless amusement. After managing the show for seven years, Mike eventually joined in, establishing a trio of voices that amuses, entertains, and ultimately wakes up its devoted listeners every morning. The perfect mix of content, entertainment, and experience was born.
The premise of Two Girls and A Guy (#2GG) is simple. A member of the group shares a daily interaction such as, “How much do you tip on your takeout pizza order,” and everyone’s opinions are subsequently unleashed on live radio. The show covers every topic under the sun, with Edwards describing the content as relationship-centered.
“At our very core, #2GG’s content is about relationships - the good and the bad. Romantic relationships, co-worker interactions, family relationships,
break-ups, epic love stories, a situation with your boss, etc.”
Though the specific combination of personalities is well defined (the party girl, the mom, and the regular guy), the show stays true to its dedication to providing various perspectives on each topic discussed. Furthermore, #2GG also features local call-ins, aiming to highlight local topics as much as possible.
“A competitor from out of town might spend a 5-minute segment talking about the latest Kardashian drama while we’ll be talking about the local winning high school football coach whose half-time locker room pep talk was caught on video while using bad language. GASP!”
While "Two Girls and A Guy" doesn't shy away from controversy and disagreement, the heart of the show is rooted in connection and joy. Edwards' self-proclaimed favorite part is getting to laugh every day at work, something listeners can enjoy, too. On the horizon for #2GG is more than just laughs, as 2023 is the year Charleston Mix 95.9 celebrates 25 seasons running the show. Listeners can look forward to a reunion weekend featuring former cast members, reruns of classic show clips, and a Labor Day party to cap off the festivities.
In the meantime, take a glimpse into a few of Mike “The Guy” Edwards' favorite things, a good way to pass the time until their next segment, which airs every Monday-Friday from 5:00-10:00 AM.
FAVORITE SONG TO PLAY ON THE SHOW?
Because we jibber-jabber so much we’re only able to fit in about four to five songs an hour, but my favorite current song is “I Feel Like Dancing” by Jason Mraz. It’s fun and upbeat. My favorite throwback song to play on #2GG would be “Changes” by 2Pac. Love the rap, love the piano.
CONTINUED > 33 | CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/CHARLESTONSC JUNE 2023
In a world where radio stations fill their time with syndicated content, "Two Girls and a Guy" aims to focus on The Holy City itself, remaining hyper-local through and through. This hometown loyalty and localized focus is what gives them an edge, Edward explains.
FAVORITE THING TO DO IN CHARLESTON?
My personal quest is to find the perfect pizza in all of Charleston. I’ve tried a lot of different places – some are just meh and then others knock it out of the park. Currently #1 is D’Allasandro’s downtown Charleston, #2 is Toni’s Detroit Pizza in Mount Pleasant and 3rd is Jet’s Pizza (I know it’s a chain, but you wouldn’t know it by tasting a slice).
IF YOU COULD BRING ANY GUEST STAR OF YOUR CHOOSING ONTO THE TALK SHOW, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Brooke has met him a couple times just from being downtown socializing on the weekends, but Tanya and I have yet to meet Charleston resident and legend Bill Murray. It would be awesome to have him on the #2GG show one day.
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While “Two Girls and A Guy” doesn’t shy away from controversy and disagreement, the heart of the show is rooted in connection and joy.
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