Geraldine Campbell
October 2007 issue
Tuesday, September 18, 2007;

1. Modell city
The first Charles Towne was established in 1670 across the river from the city's current location, which was designed according to an elaborate, somewhat utopian plan referred to as the Grand Modell. It called for 70-foot-wide main streets and a town center at the intersection of Meeting and Broad. The Original Charleston Walks leads daily tours through the historic area. 45 Broad St., 800/729-3420, charlestonwalks.com, from $18.50.

2. Greenery worth envying
Grassy public spaces abound in Charleston: White Point Garden overlooks the harbor and the city's Battery Park homes (2 Murray Blvd.); Marion Square hosts Thursday night movies in the spring (Calhoun St. and King St.); Waterfront Park has views of the Cooper River and a pier (1 Vendue Range). Ted's Butcherblock sells everything you need for a picnic: potato salads, paninis, and macaroni and cheese with gouda (334 E. Bay St., 843/577-0094, tedsbutcherblock.com).

3. Not your grandma's fried chicken
In a tiny yellow 18th-century house on Pinckney Street, the two-room Cru Café is the perfect retreat from the bustle of downtown. Diners can sit at small banquettes or at a bar-cum-chef's table facing the open kitchen where chef John Zucker cooks his upscale comfort food. The poblano-and-mozzarella fried chicken with a honey-chipotle salsa is a definite must. 18 Pinckney St., 843/534-2434, crucafe.com, entrées from $14.

4. Southern hospitality
Charleston has plenty of grand hotels, but the rooms at the Market Pavilion Hotel come with a gentler price tag; some even have views of the Old City Market, where women have been weaving sweetgrass baskets since 1841 (225 E. Bay St., 877/440-2250, marketpavilion.com, from $229). The vistas from the Roof Top Bar & Restaurant at the Vendue Inn are also spectacular--and the beers are $3. The interior queen rooms, a mix of French provincial and American colonial decor, are a good deal at $139 per night (19 Vendue Range, 843/577-7970, vendueinn.com).

5. A spot of tea
Bigelow Tea got its start in 1945 because Ruth Bigelow was looking for a little more zest in her morning cup. At the company's Charleston Tea Plantation, the only commercial tea farm in the continental U.S., visitors can follow the production process from raw leaf to finished tea bag. 6617 Maybank Hwy., 843/559-0383, charlestonteaplantation.com, free.

6. Where there's Smoak...
Stephen Smoak, known as Smoak to regulars, is one of the city's best bartenders. At Red Drum Gastropub, he mixes special-recipe ginger mojitos and espresso martinis that make for a nice pairing with chef Ben Berryhill's Southwest-influenced cuisine: crab tostaditas with red voodoo sauce, tuna tacos served with cowboy beans, and clams in a chili broth. 803 Coleman Blvd., 843/849-0313, reddrumpub.com, entrées from $12.

7. Top hats
When it comes to feathered fedoras and cloches, Leigh Magar is your milliner (as well as Michael Stipe's and Christina Aguilera's). "I'm currently obsessed with incorporating Greek gilded-wreath designs into my hats," says the South Carolina native, who gets her inspiration from travel. Her shop, Magar Hatworks, is inside a former beauty parlor. 557½ King St., 843/577-7740, magarhatworks.com.

8. Long live the King
This spring, one of America's oldest cities refurbished one of its oldest districts, Upper King, adding bluestone walkways and a string of new boutiques. A local favorite is B'zar, a shop owned by Brooklyn transplants Gustavo and Andrea Serrano that stocks affordable clothing and accessories, including totes named after the couple's dog, Roxy. 541 King St., 843/579-2889, shopbzar.com.

9. Hominy sweet Hominy
The place for sophisticated-but-homey Southern fare, such as okra-and-shrimp beignets with salsa and cilantro-lime sour cream, is Hominy Grill. Chef Robert Stehling uses only regional ingredients, right down to the grits, which come from a mill near his North Carolina hometown. 207 Rutledge Ave., 843/937-0930, hominygrill.com, entrées from $10.

10. Preserving the past
The Old Slave Mart Museum has the last intact slave-auction gallery in South Carolina. The museum has been closed to the public for the last 20 years, but it has plans to reopen this fall. It will acknowledge the city's disturbing history: Roughly 40 percent of all slaves who were shipped to this country between 1700 and 1775 disembarked in Charleston Harbor. 6 Chalmers St., 843/958-6467, oldslavemart.com, $7.

11. South beach
Folly Beach, just 12 miles south of downtown, has a laid-back vibe, authentic crab shacks, trinket shops, and a surfer-friendly stretch known as the Washout. follybeach.com.

12. And the food is good
Mustard- and olive-colored walls, rustic hutches, and dreamy landscapes by local photographer John Duckworth set the stage for the elegant fare served at FIG, short for Food Is Good. Popular dishes include a garlicky frisée salad garnished with lardons, and South Carolina lamb with a goat cheese and potato puree. 232 Meeting St., 843/805-5900, eatatfig.com, entrées from $20.

13. Bridging the gap
In 2005, the 2.5-mile, eight-lane Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was completed, connecting downtown Charleston to the suburb of Mount Pleasant. (It's named after a former state senator whom many South Carolinians affectionately know as Cousin Arthur.) Bike the Bridge Rentals offers three-hour, self-guided tours. 360 Concord St., 843/853-2453, bikethebridgerentals.com, $15.

14. Better homes and gardens
Each fall, the heavy wooden doors and garden gates of the city's private historic houses swing open to the public. Throughout late September and October, around 180 residences participate in the Preservation Society of Charleston's Fall Tours of Homes & Gardens, some of which are evening walks (147 King St., 843/722-4630, preservationsociety.org, $45). Certain homes, such as the Edmondston-Alston House--where Robert E. Lee took refuge during the Civil War--offer tours all year long (21 E. Battery St., 843/722-7171, middletonplace.org, $10).

15. The telltale tavern
Sullivan's Island is a sleepy town (population 1,873) with wide, sandy beaches. It's also the site of Fort Moultrie, a significant battleground during the American Revolution and the Civil War (1214 Middle St., nps.gov/fosu, $3). Edgar Allan Poe was stationed as a soldier on the island from 1827 to 1828, and Poe's Tavern pays the author tribute--of a sort--with such dishes as Edgar's Drunken Chili and a Pit & Pendulum burger made with applewood-smoked bacon and sharp cheddar (2210 Middle St., 843/883-0083, poestavern.com, sandwiches from $8).

16. Have a Pleasant day
Little has changed in Mount Pleasant's old town over the last 70 years: Thick malted-milk shakes and mortar-and-pestle-ground prescriptions (called compounds) are still sold at Pitt Street Pharmacy (111 Pitt St., 843/884-4051, pittstreetpharmacy.com), and the Old Village Post House remains the best inn in town. The B&B's six rooms have original hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings, and soothing whirlpool tubs (101 Pitt St., 800/549-7678, oldvillageposthouse.com, from $145).

17. Here's the beef
Charleston's revered downtown burger shack, Your Place, recently relocated to Mount Pleasant. Die-hards may bemoan the new nautical-themed decor--life preservers and photos of lighthouses cover the walls--but the monstrous cheeseburgers topped with bacon and jalapeños are still drawing them across the bridge. 217 Lucas St., 843/388-8002, burger $6.50.

18. This little piggy went to market...
The stalls at the Charleston Farmers Market, held Saturdays from 8 A.M. to 2 P.M., aren't limited to fresh produce. Vendors sell everything from pulled pork sandwiches at the Omelette Station to sweetgrass scrubs at The Charleston Soap Chef. Marion Square, 843/724-7309, closed late December to early April.

19. On the sauce
Barbecue in Charleston is all about the right base, but Ciarán Duffy, the chef at Tristan, has added an unexpected ingredient to the mix: cocoa. His sauce comes in three flavors--chocolate, chocolate chili, and chocolate pomegranate. 55 S. Market St., 843/534-2155, tristandining.com, entrées from $17.

20. Just call them Social drinkers
There are more than 50 wines sold by the glass at Social Restaurant & Wine Bar, a new spot in East Bay with industrial track-lighting and bartenders who wear WINE STUD T-shirts. The Kiona, an inky cabernet with hints of chocolate, is excellent. 188 E. Bay St., 843/577-5665, socialwinebar.com, from $3.

21. Sugar and spice and everything nice
Ex-Manhattanite Kristin Kuhlke has made a name for herself on King Street with Cupcake, a bakery that sells over 30 varieties of cupcakes, including red velvet (433 King St., 843/853-8181, freshcupcakes.com). Before opening the bakery, Kuhlke worked for a cell phone company, fielding complaints. "When I moved back to Charleston, I just wanted to make people happy," she says. "And who doesn't love cupcakes?" Another good spot for a sugar fix is Three Smart Cookies, where iced cookies come in dozens of shapes, from polar bears to pink polka dot bikinis (334 E. Bay St., 843/937-9229, 3smartcookies.net).

22. Water, water everywhere
The best way to explore the city's network of salt marshes is via kayak. Mount Pleasant's Coastal Expeditions leads half-day tours through estuaries inhabited by manatees and ospreys. 514-B Mill St., 843/884-7684, coastalexpeditions.com, $58.

23. Thursday night fever
The Hot Wheels Skating Center on James Island, a 10-minute drive from downtown Charleston, has a Rolling Back in Time night every Thursday. It's a bargain at $3, including skate rental. 1523 Folly Rd., 843/795-7982, hotwheelsskating.net.

24. From rice to riches
The plantations that made Charleston into a wealthy city were built along the banks of the Ashley River. The most iconic is Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation house in the South. 3380 Ashley River Rd., 843/769-2600, draytonhall.org, $14.

25. Going to the chapel
The oldest church in town, St. Michael's Episcopal Church, has a 186-foot tiered steeple (71 Broad St., 843/723-0603). St. Philip's Episcopal Church, meanwhile, is known for its graveyard, the resting place of Edward Rutledge, a signer of the Declaration of Independence (142 Church St., 843/722-7734). Sunday mornings, look for the procession of boys in seersucker and girls in Mary Janes.

Travel + Leisure lists Charleston in "World's Best" list

Charleston again has been honored as one of the “Top Cities in the United States & Canada," according to Travel and Leisure  magazine's 10th annual World's Best Poll.

Charleston joins New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Santa Fe, Quebec City, Vancouver, Montreal, Victoria and Seattle on the magazine's list of 2007's 10 best destinations in the United States and Canada.

“Charleston's consistent ranking as a top 10 destination is a tribute to the quality and enduring appeal of the destination," stated Terri Haack, chairman of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are honored to have been so highly ranked again this year, and will work to continue being worthy of this recognition."

Charleston area hotels also ranked highly again in this year's poll of the “Top 100 Hotels in the Continental United States and Canada." Woodlands Resort & Inn ranked No. 2, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort ranked No. 5, Planters Inn ranked No. 7 and the Wentworth Mansion No. 40. Woodlands, The Sanctuary and Planters Inn also earned the distinction of being named in the magazine's list of the “Top 100 Hotels in the World."

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal

Weekend: Drayton Hall extends hours for summer

Charles Towne opens entrance for cyclists, walkers

Bicyclists and dog-walkers now have their own entrance to Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site. The new entrance is on the walkway between the new parking lot and visitors center at the park, which has been a popular pet-walking and bike-riding destination for local residents since it first opened in 1970. A bicycle rack and safe pet tie-off stand is provided at the new entrance so visitors can go into the center to pay the daily admission fee or use their Park Passport, the $50 annual pass that provides admission to all 47 of South Carolina’s state parks. Most of the 664-acre park on the Ashley River across from downtown Charleston is available to bicyclists and pets. However, the Animal Forest is off limits to both, and bikes are not allowed on the interpretive history walking trail. Charles Towne Landing is at 1500 Old Towne Road near Exit 216-A off Interstate 26 and is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3.25 for South Carolina seniors, and $3 for children ages 6 to 15.

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal By Daily Journal Staff

Ship shape fun

Pirates, wooden boats, sailing, rowing, maritime art, music and food will be all over the Charleston Harbor this weekend as part of the Charleston Maritime festival. The festival, which is today through Sunday, is part of the launch celebration of the Spirit of South Carolina tall ship and the start of the Charleston to Bermuda yacht race. Many events are available at no charge and are located at the Maritime Center Complex, Ansonborough Field and the Union Pier Passenger Terminal. Check out the daytime music from noon to 5 p.m. daily on the stage in the old Spirit of South Carolina Shipyard. The Nashville funk band, Here Come the Mummies, plays from 6-10 p.m. Saturday. Cost for the concert is $10.  The tall ships will be open for tours and Maritime Festival grounds will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. No charge for entrance to the festival grounds, but a boarding pass is needed to tour the tall ships. Passes are $10; no charge for children 10 and under.  (Photo/Courtesy S.C. Maritime Foundation)

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal

My Trip to Magnolia Plantation:

Last week a good friend of mine had family in town from Virginia.  Among the must see sights in Charleston, Magnolia Plantation was on the agenda.  I, being a resident of Charleston, had never been to "one of the Top 25 Most Visited Houses in America" before and I jumped at the chance to accompany them.

We arrived on a beautiful morning to a friendly staff and reasonable admission rates.  Parking was free and not terribly difficult.  The 3 guided tour options were Nature Boat Ride, Magnolia Plantation House and Nature Train.  We opted for the first two and skipped the train to take a walk in The Audubon Swamp Garden. 

The Boat tour was very comfortable.  The open pontoon boat glided along the canals and we were given a concise but not riveting description of the history of the 150 acre rice field.  During the hour long tour we saw many different species of birds and a few alligators!  It was very enjoyable.

The Plantation house is impressive.  The elevated wrap around porch was not only an classic architectural gem, but a source of constant breeze.  I imagined having mint juleps and watching the sunset.  We were a large group waiting for the house tour, so we were split up and shuffled through different rooms at opposite ends of the home.  Velvet ropes protected 9 generations of antiques while we were given a glimpse of the Dray ton family's history in their classic southern home.

Walking around the grounds we were welcomed by stunning gardens and picturesque views.  The grazing Shetland ponies were irresistible.  Constant "yelps" were hard to ignore from the peacocks with spring fever.  All in all it was a perfect day in Charleston at a historic site that is a true must see!

By: Thea Riley, AgentOwned Realty Co.

New air taxi serving Charleston airports, Southeast

A new air taxi service has begun serving Charleston area airports with on-demand service to community airports across the Southeast.

ImagineAir, based in Lawrenceville, Ga., operates Cirrus SR22-GTS aircraft, which seat three passengers and cruise at more than 200 miles per hour. The Cirrus is also equipped with a parachute. ImagineAir will expand its fleet in 2008 to include Eclipse 500 very light jets, which seat five passengers and can fly 1,300 miles nonstop.

The Cirrus aircraft are used for short hops while the Eclipse jets can fly longer hauls, said ImagineAir spokesman Haroon Qureshi.

“We can get you up to Montreal or down to Belize,” Qureshi said. “People are catching the buzz about air taxis.”

ImagineAir is already making regular trips between Augusta, Ga., and Kiawah Island for one customer, Qureshi said. The company will serve all the Lowcountry’s airports, including Charleston International.

“You just drive to the terminal, walk right up, hop on the plane, and 15 minutes later, you’re in the air,” Qureshi said. “And we’re not going to take your toothpaste.”

Trips can be booked by phone or online on the company’s Web site. Price quotes received online are guaranteed and discounts are available for ImagineAir flight club members. There are no added costs for last-minute flights or for same-day travel. A one-way trip from Augusta, Ga., to Kiawah Island for an ImagineAir flight club member and two other passengers would cost a total of $447.

The on-demand air taxi service is geared toward business travelers who want to cut out long road trips, spend more time with their families or visit several destinations in a day. It is also designed for leisure travelers who want to spend more time at their destination.

“We want to change the way people think about travel,” said Ben Hamilton, president of ImagineAir. “By the time you add up the expense of hotels, meals and lost productivity associated with most business travel, it makes good financial sense to take advantage of ImagineAir’s affordable, efficient air service.”

The Southeast is a good market for air taxis, Qureshi said, because there are less shuttle services available than in the North and cities are farther apart. Air taxis can also land at smaller airports that can’t accommodate larger jets.

“People take advantage of our service to get to hard-to-reach places,” he said. “In the South, there are hundreds of under-utilized airports. Right now, 90 percent of the population travels out of 20 airports, but 80 percent of the population lives within 20 miles of a regional airport.”

ImagineAir currently flies mostly south of Washington, D.C., and as far west as St. Louis. The company plans to serve the entire East Coast by next year as well as Texas and the Caribbean.

Air taxi service has been growing and gaining in popularity following increased security measures at the nation’s airports as well as with the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent approval of very light jets.

Greenville-based SATSAir, which also serves the Lowcountry with Cirrus SR22 aircraft, recently expanded service to Florida and ordered an additional fleet of 100 aircraft worth $45 million.

Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival:

April 29 at Alhambra Hall & Park, 131 Middle St. Presented by East Cooper Charities, this festival celebrates the Mount Pleasant shrimping industry. The event includes family activities, from face painting, arts and crafts shows and entertainers to shrimp-eating and shag-dancing competitions, capped with live music from the East Cooper Party Band. No charge to attend. Information: (843) 849-2061 or click here.

Going to Market

The Charleston Farmers Market opens Saturday in Marion Square on the corner of King and Calhoun streets. The market is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday through Dec. 16. Check out the local produce, plants, flowers, herbs, arts and crafts from more than 75 farmers and vendors.

This year's Charleston Farmers Market offers an expanded variety of food concessions, including crepes, omelets, paninis, tacos and quesadillas along with desserts including Belgian waffles, gelato and ice cream. The opening-day market entertainment features the Yee Haw Junction Band from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Summerville Farmers Market also opens Saturday at 218 North Main St. The market is open from 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday until the fall.

The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market will be back April 10. It opens at 3 p.m. each Tuesday at Moultrie Middle School. 

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal

Charleston wins three awards from travel Web site

Charleston is a triple winner in the first BestWeekend Travel Awards, compiled by travel Web site BestWeekends.com.

The company awarded Charleston its Best of the Best/Destination of the Year for 2007, citing the city’s charm and climate as well as its beaches, history, architecture, art galleries, golf and water sports, accommodations and restaurants.

In other categories, The Planters Inn at 112 North Market St. won the company’s award for Best Small Hotel, while burger joint Your Place tied with burger restaurants in New York and Cambridge, Mass., for Best Burger.

Travel expert Jim Flynn, founder of BestWeekend.com, travels the eastern United States to uncover destinations that offer a superior experience tailored to the weekend traveler. “A weekend is three days at most,” Flynn said. “You can’t afford to make a mistake on where you stay, where you eat and what you do.”

The company reports that American vacations are getting shorter every year, putting weekend travel on the rise. The number of weekend trips has risen 10% in the past five years, the company reports, with 30% of adults taking five or more weekend trips per year.

Fun in Flowertown

Join more than 200,000 of your closest friends for the 35th annual Flowertown Festival in Summerville. Check out dozens of arts and crafts vendors, businesses and nonprofit booths while sampling plenty of good food, all set among the colorful blooms of azaleas, dogwoods and wisteria.

The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and is located in Azalea Park, starting along Main Street.

The festival is an annual fundraiser for the Summerville Family YMCA.

Additional events include the Taste of Summerville, featuring local restaurants (food tickets $1 each at Taste of Summerville booth); the Children’s Jubilee on South Main Street with rides, games and arts and crafts for children; and live bands and musical ensembles performing all weekend at the corner of 2nd and Main streets.

No charge for admission to the festival; pets are not allowed. The Flowertown Festival has been recognized four times by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the “Top 20 Events for the Month of April” and in 2005 the festival was awarded the “Shining Example” Award by the society.

Photo by Mike Creen

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal 

Southern Hospitality - Charleston, SC

Charleston, S.C., is a charmer of a city, from historic sites and antiques to coastal pleasures