Charleston Daily is a concept in community. Its mission is to promote, assist, and celebrate in everything Charleston, South Carolina. By partnering with businesses, community leaders, volunteers and events, we are spreading the love that is Charleston.
As this city continues to grow and prosper, we want to help spread the message to all about how wonderful this community is.
Charleston is about the people, community, water, land, history, heritage and the true southern warmth it brings with each and every day.
The Tent City of Charleston Initiative is a group of civil minded citizens whose hearts stretch far beyond the borders of the holy city. Their generosity and hope of a better tomorrow are a guiding light for us to follow.
Surrounded by all the wonderful media, boutique hotels, five star restaurants, booming economy and educational foundation lies a small population of homeless that live in small tent cities in Charleston. Most of us have witnessed these mobile residents and have looked beyond them.
There is a group who has dedicated themselves to being guardian angels and banding together to give them the basic needs to sustain themselves and their families.
Each week, a wish list and a recurring list of basic needs are released to the public. There is no obligation or fan fare, just community partnership and generosity. Five locations have offered their businesses as drop off points.
If items are for a specific person, the donor just has to leave a note with the name of the person who will receive the items.
You may not know John, Christopher, Noah, Dana, David, Jeffrey or Peter, but like you and I, they wake each day and breathe the same air. They unfortunately, do not have a place to call home or the financial luxuries so many of us are accustomed to. Without jeopardizing their pride, this initiative has lead a crusade to once again show the strength of the City of Charleston and its incredible ability to help one another.
If you want to become part of something bigger than yourself this holiday season or even beyond, give to those that cannot help themselves.
To all the volunteers of this initiative, so for five years, thank you for once again showing the power of love in Charleston.
While most Americans were enjoying turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, green bean casserole, football and pie on Thanksgiving, I was spending my holiday on the warm Gulf Coast of Playa del Carmen, Mexico. A paradise of snorkeling, dining, massages, Mayan ruins, yoga, beach walks and margaritas. I am not here to tell you about the amazing memories we made, but one particular one that left an interesting and uncertain impression.
Living in Charleston, Bill Murray tends to slip into your dreams once or twice. How could he not; he is everywhere. Whether you see him at Rutledge Cab Company, The Alley or a RiverDogs game or on his recent Christmas Special on NetFlix, Bill is a busy busy man. Maybe some of you just think I am bonkers and he has never been in your thoughts or dreams.
Either way, my story is still on the odd side. Resting comfortably in a third floor penthouse overlooking the ocean 2700 miles from home, he is the last person I would have expected to be a critical character on an all night dream sequence. Well, he was. Bill Murray was in my dream.
I am still not sure why, but the details are worth sharing. Mr. Murray (as he has earned that distinction with his illustrious career) invited an “elite” group of Yelpers led by community manager Scotty to an inside look at his restaurant. I know what you are thinking, it must be Rutledge Cab Company. It wasn’t. This one was large and unique with a variety of rooms and an outdoor seating and garden area and it was somewhere in the Summerville area. The structure of the restaurant seemed to be more than one floor. Not in a traditional structural way, but almost an ode to M.C. Escher.
Oddity number one:
When we arrived, he was laying on the ground pretending to be dead. After we moved closer and hovered over him, he popped up like a gymnast and said hello.
Oddity number two:
His staff comprised of celebrity athletes, most being NBA basketball players including Tony Parker. My partner in crime dismissed that section as a connection to Space Jam, but I hadn’t see or thought about that movie in a long time and these athletes were much younger and current players unlike the immortal Michael Jordan. The celebrity service staff members were friends of Bill and did this for fun on the side. I was like ok, why not.
Oddity number three:
Not so odd. I wanted to snag Bill for a candid interview. I am sure somewhere in my psyche I would love to sit down and discuss things and the only time I met him, he threatened to kick me in the neck thinking I brought a script to the RiverDogs game for him to read. It wasn’t a script, but with the manila envelope in my hand, an honest mistake.
I am manifesting this incredible set of Q&A with no focus on film, television, celebrity status or even baseball. It would have been a legendary cross of the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Mad Magazine. A true Pulitzer piece of journalistic art.
I chickened out. I didn’t completely chicken out. Respect won over personal achievement. Now that I think about it, why wouldn’t it. It was a dream. It was not even reality.
As I followed him and even got a couple of random comments from him, I just didn’t see the right moment. He was inviting us into his fictional restaurant and what right did I have to step over those boundaries.
At the end of the dream, as I awoke, I was still there in the restaurant, no interview and no idea how any of the food was. How could I have not even tasted the food at this fictional restaurant?
I went downstairs to the kitchen, made coffee, watched the sun rise over the Gulf of Mexico and lingered perplexed as I wondered how Bill Murray got in my dreams as I vacationed far from home in Mexico.
Some mysteries may never get answered.
Thank you Bill Murray for invading my nocturnal mental chamber.
A few of you are beginning to read this while posing the question in your head, “Are there really different types of Charleston friends and beyond? There are a remarkable number of friend categories and consciously or sub-consciously, most of us fit into one of these bucket. Let us take a few moments to describe each of the friend types and see where you fall. This is an eye opening exercise. Some will laugh, some will roll their eyes, but we will all agree we know “That Friend” and most of us will say we are “That Friend”.
Friend Categories:
Text Friend – This is the friend that consistently “text message” communicates with you. Whether it is just to say hi, a deep emotional exchange or a bored conversation exchange, this person chooses text over any other form of communication. When you call them, they will not answer, but rest assured, you will get a text back very quickly saying “What’s up”. This person will spend time with you in reality, but it is few and far between. You need unlimited texting and a lot of extra time to meet the needs of the text friends.
Facebook Friend – The Facebook friend is very similar to the text friend, but much more visual. They provide more visual aides around their life including video and pictures of their daily escapades. You most likely will only be included in these pictures on big group special events. If you are lucky, they may also include you in Vine, Instagram and SnapChat. You could get a little overwhelmed in the social world with this friend. This individual will also “like” and “comment” often on your page.
Respectful Friend – The respectful friend is one of the worst kind. Whenever you call, text or message, they will always respond to you quickly. They are genuinely nice people, but they always put the catalyst on you. This person will never initiate a conversation or try to make plans with you. Any time you want to talk or hang out, you have to contact them first. This can get frustrating at times because the relationship can feel very one-sided.
Social Friend – This friend is always on the go. If there is an event, festival, happy hour, concert or flash mob, you will most likely see them there are very nearby. This person will send a mass text invite or online invite to come and party. One thing to know about the social friend: They do not have a concept of calendars or planning. Most of their outreach is very last minute. Be prepared to jump in your car or hop on your bike at the last minute to spend time with this friend.
Clingy Friend – The clingy friend does not have a lot of close friends to call their own and many do not have busy professional and social lives. They cling onto anyone that gives them much needed attention. They are very flexible and accommodating as they don’t want to risk losing you, so they will do whatever you want to do and compromise their own interests. They thrive around others and do not do well alone. These friends require patience, because often times you have to push back on them for your own needs.
Emotional Rock – Most people have only only one or two friends that fall into this category. This is the go to person during confusing or difficult emotional times. If you have a bad break up, learn of an unexpected death or have an unsettling feeling, this friend will drop everything and meet you at the bar at midnight to talk to you and listen. They never judge no matter how neurotic or irrational you get. They are a vital part of your life and should never be taken for granted.
BFF – The BFF is the cool friend. You rarely go a full day without talking. The BFF will go to a rock festival and dance in mud with you, run through a fountain, ask someone out at a bar for you or sit up all night drinking on the porch. You can take to them about anything, but most of the time, they are the happy friends that you don’t get too deep with. They make life more fun.
Mutual Friend – This is a friend that values respect and mutual exchange. They call you as often as you call them. You make plans together to have dinner or lunch and catch up. They call once a week to let you know what is going on in their lives and they attend all your special events. This is a good reliable and trusting person to have in your life. You don’t see them everyday, but you never go a long amount of time without talking to one another.
Professional Friend – These are friends you met in college or professional networking circles. You tend to share similar skills, backgrounds and industry experience. They are great contacts and usually good for a coffee or lunch when you are in town. If you hit a milestone and it is witnessed online, they will congratulate you. Unless you are in the same town at the same time or one is in need of a favor, they are normally in the distance and do not surface.
Gaming Friend – Whether it is Call of Duty or Words With Friends, this friend is always good for a game or a thousand. They are obsessed with online gaming. Sometimes they will stay up until 4 AM so they don’t miss a game in China. They develop relationships through their games and often will exchange small talk in chat areas to strengthen and develop the gaming relationship. Once a gaming friend, always. This can also hold true for the binge watching friend that DVR’s 5 episodes of Walking Dead and then picks a long Sunday night to drink, eat popcorn and watch all the episodes at once.
There you have it Charleston, the 21st Century version of the “Friend”.
Some make fall into more than one category, so don’t feel you are pigeon-holed.
What kind of friend are you? We would love to know….
As the autumn leaves fall from the trees and the brisk winds awaken us to dark skies, we find ourselves in a time of reflection.
This year, the limits of our souls were tested and we stood strong. From Charleston to Mount Pleasant, we joined hands in unity to stand up for peace and community. Blind of color, race, ethnicity or values, we looked directly into the eyes of terror and said, “No, we won’t stand for this.”
The nation and the world watched as we led a crusade for freedom. Just days after we remembered the Charleston 9, we lost nine more brothers and sisters to a heinous crime of hatred. Under the hands of the Lord in his home, we witnessed the unthinkable. Together, we set aside all differences and we united. Not in violence, not in revenge, but in hope.
On the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, we became the platform for the separation of black and white once again. When the blood of Walter Scott spread on Charleston area soil, the potential for a war was in our midst. Once again, we looked inside ourselves and black and white became a rainbow of acceptance.
Caitlyn, our beloved pit bull taught us that all lives matter. After expensive surgery, fund raisers and awareness that stretched from coast to coast, Charleston become the home for the fight for animal rights. One dog, one community together. Today, we look at Caitlyn and see the most beautiful dog in the world.
Just as we dried our tears, the One Thousand Year Flood ravaged our homes leaving hundreds and thousands lost and confused. Every town, every city looked for answers, not just for the events of that weekend, but the future. So many of us lost our homes, our memories and an uncertainty of the future of the land.
The generosity of our neighbors from the North to the South with donations, supplies and volunteers, showed just how much love we emit. This is a testimony to the value of love and how 2015 has truly defined Charleston as the City of Love and Unity.
When Mitch Lucas announced the shooting and eventual death of Deputy Joseph Matuskovic, we mourned. Joseph was a family man, friend, neighbor, avid sports fan, outdoors lover and a caring member of our community. From East to West Coast, officers in uniform came to pay their last respects to this fallen officer. As we remember Joseph, we know he did this to protect all of us and forever we are indebted.
Now, after 40 years, Mayor Riley, known so fondly as “The Mayor” has gracefully stepped down as the leader of Charleston. A gentle man with a heart of gold, Mayor Riley has transformed Charleston to one of beauty, historic importance, economic growth, prosperity, unification and hope. His legacy will continue to live on long after we have departed. As we welcome our new mayor, we see this as a symbolic sign of change; a fresh perspective and new beginnings.
We love you Charleston with each new sunrise reminding us of a bright future. We hold you close as you protect us. We welcome our guests with open arms and a long embrace.
“After losing a barbecue contest, spiteful legislator Jasper Snopes rammed through a 1931 law banning the winning recipe of beloved country doctor Ira P. Crombie. For decades, stills above Vigo Springs produced a steady flow of the forbidden sauce. Today, justice is served with repeal of the dastardly ban. Doc Crombie’s is legal wherever dedicated BBQers stand sentry. Fire up the grill–and ‘doctor’ your ribs! the legend continues….. “ – Legend of Doc Crombie
The first time I met Pat Hogan sitting at a booth in Earth Fare with a brown bag of sauces and a smile, I was a little surprised. I pictured the developer of savory and sweet BBQ, steak and hot sauces to be a healthy full bodied chef with some facial hair and a white jacket. It turns out that is his brother, Sauce Master Kevin Hogan. Over 40 batch tests later, current regional sales distribution including Southern Season, Carolina Cider Company, Whole Foods, The Coastal Cupboard, Caviar and Bananas and Gourmet @Home, press from the Post and Courier, Moultrie News, Farm to Fork, and a legendary story, Doc Crombie’s Bootleg Sauces is giving Charleston, SC and the country a reason to celebrate the culinary delicacy of BBQ.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn of the diverse product offerings Doc Crombie’s has developed to whet the palates and bring a strong tour de force of sauces to market. All products are natural and gluten free.
Original Prescription BBQ Sauce
Double Hot BBQ Sauce
Zesty Mustard Zip
Habanero Havoc Hot Sauce
Hoosegaw Jalapeno Hot Sauce
Big House Yellow Hot Sauce
Practically Legal Steak Sauce
“Who is the target customer base?” became a focus of some of our candid discussion. “Anyone that has a love for BBQ, pork, steak or more” This collection was manifested with the idea that smoked meat becomes great BBQ with the right compliment of sauce. In a region where BBQ reigns supreme, that is a massive task to undertake. With a level of passion and love that we yearn for in our culinary creations, Kevin created a combination of sauces that coat the meat with tender loving care and race down your throat with power and fervor.
Being respectful of the range of customer tastes, Kevin worked on a line of products with both savory, sweet and spicy undertones. From the Double Hot to the Zesty Mustard based, there are products for all members of the family.
Doc Crombie’s is revved up to take on the nation and become a premier spokesperson on behalf of the love of BBQ.
After an informative evening of discussion with Pat about future business plans, regional and national expansion, product extension and the mission of Doc Crombie’s, I took away from Pat, that the company is about bringing a great product to the people. The legendary story and memorable label add some flair to the marketing, but the product is what will truly define the lasting memories. As an avid fan of pulled pork smoked slowly in the early morning hours and then resting my plate on a brisk autumn afternoon, Doc Crombie’s sauces bring the royal treatment. They are an exquisite collection of condiments that are notch above the rest.
On a warm Wednesday evening in June, the world was shaken by a horrific act that took the lives of nine faithful members of the Charleston, SC community at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. An act so heinous and premeditated that it had the world questioning the core of humanity. Tonight we look on once again from our televisions and tablets and await further details that help answer the question, “why?” as the media flocks to the other side of the the country to a spot in Southern California where there will be fourteen lives laid to rest before their time should be up.
Since June a stream of tears has traveled from the East to West Coast leaving us uncertain and in a state of fear. We can question until we are driven to insanity, but it won’t bring back lives. What we can do is so much stronger; love life, humanity and one another.
As I reflect on my most valued moments, I am taken to a place where children laugh and play in the sand as the calming sounds of waves brush off their feet and sink them into the grains. Then as the moon shines just the right amount of light through the window, I am safe under a thin white sheet holding my loved one as tight as I can. That is the future I want for my children and the present I want today.
Once again, as I did the morning of June 18 walking The Battery at 6 AM, I ask myself the question “why?” as I think of the families of the victims mourning this evening.
My only saving grace is faith and hope and is there a more perfect time of the year when the world collectively looks past the commercial elements of the season and embraces the shining light over Bethlehem that symbolizes purity and innocence? As we enter the holiday season, we have an opportunity to truly make a difference. Not with sacrifice, but a commitment to our families, neighbors and strangers to live in unity.
Often I find myself praising peace, but it is so much more than sharing words; but converting to action. I have never been in a physical fight or shot a gun nor am I pleading to the world to do the same. That would be an impossible task. Earlier this week, I was in a foreign land where law enforcement carried machines guns. I was safe and scared all at the same time. It is difficult when this level of conflict takes over your very soul. I am not back home where our law enforcement carries much small weapons and still that conflict eats at my core.
Over and over tonight I listened to the words Jonathan Larson wrote over 20 years ago, which has been performed and embraced in over 100 countries and all I could think of is that 9 people in Charleston and 14 in San Bernandino will never have another today; but we do:
There is no future There is no past Thank God this moment’s not the last
There’s only us There’s only this Forget regret– or life is yours to miss. No other road No other way No day but today
There’s only yes Only tonight We must let go To know what is right No other course No other way No day but today
I can’t control My destiny I trust my soul My only hope is just to be
There’s only now There’s only here Give in to love Or live in fear No other path No other way No day but today
The sun will rise tomorrow for most of us. Many will shower, drive to work, have a cup or two of coffee, earn a paycheck, come home to dinner and watch the Big Bang Theory. During that day, we will text a loved one, send a cute note, give them a hug when we come home and maybe even surprise them with flowers.
A special few will see life a little different. The smell of the flowers will be a little stronger, the smile on a babies face will make you smile a little brighter, the sound of a song will move you to tears and the warmth of the sun will feel like something you never experienced before.
Tomorrow will come soon and I will express a quiet moment of thought and prayer for the entire community of San Bernandino and for all the places around the world that are experiencing hatred and violence. I will continue to have faith in a world of peace.
Friday the 13th started as many November days do in Charleston–a sun infused warmth filling the daylight hours, quickly dissolving into a pervasive chill that causes many locals to don peacoats and down-filled jackets. It was on the cusp of this change that I met with Khari Lucas on the corner of King and Calhoun, a young man of immense and varied talent. We made the usual introductions and wandered into Marion Square to find a bench on which we could sit and chat about the great things this young man has been up to.
I first heard about Khari through a mutual friend of ours, an aspiring rapper himself, who described Khari as “so much more than a rapper.” Intrigued, I sought his contact details and started listening to some of his music. While I am not an aficionado on rap, hip-hop, or electronic styles of music, I could tell he had something special, so I was put into contact with him, and planned our meeting.
Khari, Charleston born and bred, was always surrounded by art and culture. Raised by his mother, a fashion designer, and his grandmother, a singer, he grew up going to the plethora of art events housed in the city. When asked what he does outside of music, he immediately answered “If there’s an art gallery I can go to, or if there is a speaker somewhere. I really like academic things…in the sense of going to lectures.”
Photo by Austin Warhol
Khari has not always been a musician–he began his foray into the arts as an actor. From second grade through his penultimate high school year, he was trained for the stage, including vocal training for choral music. It was these daily sessions that lead him to music. Initially, he tried the band route, but got into production work and rapping by his senior year of high school.
Contour, Khari’s production based music project, is what he is most well known for. Instrumental hip-hop and experimental electronic music are the bulk of Contour, which he says is inspired by Madlib and Flying Lotus, but he mostly tries to experiment as much as possible with different sounds.
One way he accomplishes this is through sampling, or taking sound clips from other songs or media sources and integrating them into a new piece. He spends hours of his time listening to jazz, classical music, records, etc. to find potential samples, then stores them in a folder for safekeeping. When it comes time to make his music, he returns to the folder for inspiration. This organized method of music-making allows for him to be prepared when creativity strikes.
His favorite song from Contour is “Girl Sitting Next to Me at the Bus Stop,” from Street Chasers, which at first is seems to be a relaxed electronic song, but is measured out by what sounds like an erratic heartbeat, injecting an energy and nervousness to the song that feels just right paired with its title.
Khari’s rap music displays a different range of talents. Lyrically, his music is sophisticated and cool. His voice holds no concern or uncertainty as he spits out observations beyond his 20 years. Then again, his air is much the same–confident, gracious, and a touch other-worldly in his wisdom and delivery.
One of the reasons Khari is such a good voice for the Charleston rap and hip hop scene is because of his year long stint in Houston. “One of the really important experiences I had in Houston was that they have a really supportive and thriving free jazz community…I went to see some free jazz artists play. It was a life changing experience. I could see that they weren’t just playing instruments. They were trying to communicate something.” His exposure to jazz in clear in his electronic music–things wander, and repeat back, communicating within his own pieces.
There was one experience in Houston that opened his eyes to what Charleston is missing: inclusivity: “They would have workshops…and I just happened to go, and I was just planning on sitting down and watching all the other musicians play. He found out that I played piano, and he asked me I would join the workshop, and I told him I wasn’t a technically accomplished pianist, and so he simplified his original plan for the workshop to include me in it.”
Photo by Austin Warhol
There are so many talented musicians and other artists in the Holy City–you can’t throw a rock without hitting one. So why don’t we have this kind of supportive community that enables fellow artists, even if they are coming from different backgrounds? King Dusko and the John Rivers Communication Museum were the only two places he could book shows. Like many other artists in the city, Khari mourns the loss of King Dusko, one of the few places in the city that had become a safe place for local artists to try new things in a prominent and accessible location. With Dusko gone, many bands are without a place to get their foot in the door.
Another question I have for Charleston is where is the support for black musicians and urban music? It’s not that we’re lacking in musicians: according to Khari, there are more than enough quality musicians that the scene should be much bigger.
Hip-hop is a major pop culture phenomenon–the genre is one of the newest in the music game, and in a matter of decades, has infused into every nook and cranny of our society. With a smile, Khari points out how even country music has embraced the sound. With americana and alt-country being some of Charleston most well known and respected musical exports, why hasn’t hip-hop followed suit?
Secret to no one are the racially motivated crimes that have befallen our city in the past year. While these crimes were horrendous, Charleston and her citizens responded with love: we closed down the Ravenel bridge with a march to support unity amongst all people, all beautiful gesture that created ripples across the nation. And it was. Even so, it’s impossible not to notice that most of the hands clasped were white.
“We [Charlestonians] make a very comfortable attempt to address problems of race and problems of race inclusion,” Khari said, who was still living in Houston at the time of the Emanuel AME Church shooting. He admits his perspective may be a bit different than those who were living in the city at the time, I think that distance allowed him to see perhaps what others couldn’t do to the proximity of the horrific event. He says the city’s intentions were good, but that no one really wants to face the reality that real change can only happen if we get out of our comfort zones.
This theory extends to music as well. Come out of your comfort zone, listen to some good music, and contribute to real change simply by supporting local musicians. Black Dave, a local hip-hop artist who is bolstering the music scene, is launching a monthly hip-hop series. The first show is December 5th, upstairs at Joe Pasta on King Street, and features Benny Starr and Khari himself.
Jessica Edwards will be doing a series on Charleston hip-hop and local talent. Look for new profiles stories in future publications.
On Friday, November 20, 2015, one month short of his 101st birthday celebration, Hardin King Davis left us. A fourteen year Mount Pleasant resident, eighty-seven year Long Island, New York resident and a centenarian who touched the lives of many.
Born on December 26, 1914, the day after Christmas in Brooklyn, New York, Hardin, like many, found solace and comfort in the Charleston area. A graduate of Colgate University in 1937 and Penn Dental School in 1941, Mr. Davis had a successful dental career of 36 years following in his fathers footsteps. His practice was a strong throw from the famous Belmont Racetrack, home of one of the three legs of the Triple Crown.
Along with recognition of his parents, Harden was respected among his colleagues receiving the Nassau County Dental Society’s highest award, The Herbert L. Taub Distinguished Service Award. If dentistry didn’t keep him busy enough, Hardin was on the Health Planning Board for Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the Board of Managers of the Nassau County Medical Center and the School Board of Floral Park Schools. He was also on Fidelity Bank of New York Board of Directors for 41 years and served as Board Chairman for 5 years.
In 1932, 83 years ago, Hardin and his good friend Ned Scott, in a 1928 Model A Ford (after his parents approved the trip), drove from New York to Los Angeles to attend the Summer Olympic Games. The only stipulation was that they could not exceed 35 MPH at any time. This was a round trip of almost 11,000 relying on a very early and rustic highway system. They camped the entire way both there and back. On one memorable morning, they woke to a giant bear on their camp site. Fortunately, the bear did not attack and walked away quietly. On another fateful morning, a group of men on horses stood over them as they woke and told them to move on thinking they were “vagrants”. After the Olympics and a short trip into Mexico, they headed to Washington State and then back east through Chicago. This was a trip that defined his passion for sports, commitment to a challenge and willingness to take on the unknown abyss of life with risk and abandon.
Just 20 days after Pearl Harbor and the day after his birthday on December 27, 1941, he married his first wife Margaret “Meg” Washburn. In 1958, the couple built a tennis court which became a meeting ground for singles and doubles, drinks and snacks with neighboring friends. Almost like a Long Island version of Gatsby. He also drove one of the very first cars to cross the George Washington Bridge upon completion.
Along with his three children and four grandchildren, Hardin leaves a legacy of compassion, dedication and love that stretches from coast to coast. He was a citizen of Charleston and one we were proud to call a neighbor and a friend.
*Thank you Len Fries, The Palms of Mount Pleasant Reporter and The Post and Courier for providing wonderful anecdotes of a gentleman with a storied legacy.
Downtown Charleston is home to several corner stores but few have the rich history that Charlie’s Grocery does. Opened in 1996 by Charlie Dabit, the Jasper Street grocery store has kept nearby residents and college students in stock with the essentials and more. Anyone who has ever experienced Charlie’s knows there is an impressive deli within. Beyond the Boar’s Head and large selection of homemade salads and jumbo pickles, there is one of Charleston’s most delicious treats, falafel. While falafel can be found at a few restaurants downtown and beyond, Charlie’s is arguably the best. The Charleston Daily (CD) sat down with Abe, Charlie’s eldest son who is now at the helm of day to day operations. We talked history, falafel and the future.
CD: Tell me about Charlie’s.
Abe: Charlie’s is our family’s store. We have been in business going on 18 years in April. The Jasper Street store was opened in April of 1996 and we recently opened a second store at the corner of Spring and Rutledge.
CD: Looks like you are running the Jasper Street store now. Where is Mr. Charlie?
Abe: My father is still around. Every morning he is at our Spring Street location. He’s very much a part of the business still. He has given a lot of the responsibility to me and my brother though.
CD: Enough small talk. Tell me about the falafel.
Abe: (laughing) What do you want to know?
CD: What makes it so great? Whose recipe is it?
Abe: It’s just really fresh. The falafel is my mother’s family’s recipe and it hasn’t changed. It’s really simple. There is a basic ratio of chickpeas, onions, cilantro, and spices but there is no real measuring. It’s based on taste.
CD: So it’s a secret…. Would you ever considering opening a restaurant?
Abe: Yeah, especially with Middle Eastern food including falafel. Charleston kind of lacks in that area, but we have a few places around like Tabbuli and Manny’s. We have definitely considered opening a restaurant.
CD: What is the strangest thing a customer has requested?
Abe: That’s a toughie… Actually, pig’s feet! We used to carry them in jars. We had to talk my father into dropping them. People would request them, and there you are, reaching in, grabbing a pig’s foot, stuffing it in a bag and sending them on their merry way. Disgusting.
CD: What is the biggest challenge Charlie’s has experienced?
Abe: Finding trustworthy, good help. My father is very old fashioned. It’s very difficult to walk away and allow someone else to do this job.
CD: What does Charlie’s mean to your family?
Abe: Charlie’s is ours and we take care of it like it is a child. It’s everything to us.
On that note, I dove into the falafel pita Abe had carefully prepared for me. The pita was generously stuffed with flattened orbs of fried falafel and refreshing cubes of cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. The falafel were crispy on the outside and tender inside. Where so many falafel are dense, these were light and bouncy. The optional hot sauce was no joke, even for me. The creamy hummus was a welcome option and it gave the sandwich a layer of depth that made it a satisfying meal. This falafel, like the many others I have enjoyed from Charlie’s, was perfection.
Charlie’s original corner store and deli is located at 1 Jasper Street. Charlie’s second location is open at Spring and Rutledge. Their hours are Monday – Saturday 9am-8pm and Sunday 10am -6pm. Falafel and other sandwiches can be ordered ahead from the Jasper Street location by calling: (843) 853-0351
The doctor is in and this time I’ll try to answer the eternal health conundrum: are grits really good for you?
Coming from a hash-brown father and a polenta mother, grits were infrequently on our Missouri table. After moving to South Carolina, I tried my first taste of properly prepared grits at the late Anson Street Café. Those bites changed my world. The creamy, buttery warmth made me suddenly happy. There is solid medical evidence that happiness improves one’s sense of well-being and mental health. Logic follows that grits are, at least somewhat, good for you.
However, the nutritional content of grits is relatively dismal. I will spare you the details of the individual packets of cheese- or butter-flavored instant grits. Don’t eat those. Ever. The word “instant” means place directly in a trash can.
The two other types of grits found in grocery stores are quick grits and slow-cook grits. They are both available in canisters in the cereal aisle. Among the slow-cook grits are packages of stone-ground and heirloom varieties from purveyors such as Anson Mills and Adluh. These products have larger grit size, and for reasons I explain below, are healthier than fine grain quick or slow-cook grits.
If you are familiar with the movie My Cousin Vinny, you know that, simply put, grits are corn. Corn is mostly carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are sugar. And sugar is bad, right? We are raised to believe sugar rots the teeth, causes obesity and contributes to diabetes. All true. However, carbohydrates are a ready source of energy for the brain. They can be used immediately by neurons and keep the brain mentally sharp unlike the slow release of energy that occurs while in ketosis, i.e. in a state of starvation or while on a low carbohydrate diet. What I am saying is, my patients are in better hands when I have grits for breakfast as opposed to a hard-boiled egg and sausage. Thus, grits are good for the mind.
Finally, while calories matter, a phenomenon known as the Glycemic Index is important as well. I have personally read and referred my patients to read the Glycemic Load Diet, by Cardiologist Dr. Rob Thompson. This diet plan has yielded great results in weight loss and diabetes management for many of my patients. The rationale is that the quicker carbohydrates are broken down from food into glucose, the faster and higher the resultant insulin spike is produced by the pancreas. High and fast insulin spikes leads to insulin resistance, heralding obesity and diabetes. The numerical value measuring the rate at which glucose is released from a food is called the Glycemic Index (GI). The higher the GI, the faster the blood glucose and insulin spike. The GI of pure sugar is 100. White bread is 99. Instant oatmeal is 83. Lettuce is 10. Any food above 69 is considered to have a high GI and should be avoided. Grits prepared with water has a GI of 69.
Fortunately, it is known that the less food is processed and cooked, the lower the GI it retains. Thus the larger the grit size, the lower the GI making course, stone-ground grits preferable. Likewise, cooking foods with fat (i.e. butter and milk) lowers the GI as well. Finally, yellow corn is slighter lower in calories than white corn and thus preferred where health is concerned.
It follows that yellow, stone-ground, slow-cook (less-processed) grits cooked with butter and milk have a lower GI than instant grits prepared with water making these more delicious grits relatively healthier. Make no mistake, they are loaded with calories (up to 300 calories per cup), but they have a moderate GI and they make us happy. That combination is good. Thus, grits are good for you.
So help yourself to a modest helping at your next brunch and until we meet again, be well Charleston.
by 
The Tent City of Charleston Initiative is a group of civil minded citizens whose hearts stretch far beyond the borders of the holy city. Their generosity and hope of a better tomorrow are a guiding light for us to follow.
