Charleston Daily

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.

Best Friends in Charleston – A Celebration of Love

June 19, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

We celebrate the love of friendship each and every day in Charleston. Our community thrives on generosity, Southern hospitality and genuine goodness. The goodness of our people compliments the beauty of our home with such purity that I find it difficult to ever take Charleston for granted. It welcomes each day with open arms and lets you be a part of something truly magical. From the marsh to the bridge, beach to the church steeples, Charleston is a mecca of warmth.

We wanted to celebrate the bond of friendship in a special way, but due to the events that occurred on Wednesday, the timing did not seem appropriate. Yet until we took a moment to step back and absorb the pain, it occurred to us that the moment seemed most appropriate.

Best friends embody love. An unconditional love you can only feel when you share something so special that only you know the beauty of each other inside and out. We wanted to share with you a pictorial expression of the love of best friends from the vantage point of our own folks.

Thank you for all the amazing submissions. As you see the smiles and the hugs, you will see that the depth of love shared in our community cannot be measured.

Best Friends support each other through good and bad.

Best Friends give unconditional love no matter what.

Best Friends are always silly around each other.

Photo By Doug Rogers - Provided by Joyce Bilton — Photo By Doug Rogers – Provided by Joyce Bilton

Best Friends love to laugh and share inside secrets.

Best Friends explore the world together one adventure at a time.

Best Friends can conquer anything.

Best Friends let you always, always be the princess or the prince.

Best Friends have no problem licking your face first thing in the morning and you love them even more for it.

Best Friends have no limit in numbers. The more the merrier.

Best Friends come in all ages and even dress up alike sometimes.

Best Friends never say goodbye. When one leaves Charleston, you all get up at 5:00 AM to walk one last time and reflect on the wonderful memories. But you never say goodbye.

My Charleston – An Opinion Piece (In the Wake of the Emanuel 9 Tragedy)

June 18, 2015

by Charleston Daily 1 Comment

By Loretta Jophlin, Staff Writer - Charleston Daily — By Loretta Jophlin, Staff Writer – Charleston Daily

My continued hope for Charleston is that our darkest days are behind us. I still hear the church bells ringing, filling the emptiness that was Charleston on the night of September 11, 2001. On that day, I could not fathom why we as humans, who have the capability to love, turned against each other. My solace was knowing that My Charleston, was somehow better than that. This Holy City, where the citizens epitomize grace and hospitality, could not turn against itself.

I was proven wrong, a few months later, on January 20, 2002, as I cowered in my apartment on Elizabeth Street, hoping the violence outside would stay just there, in the courtyard of Second Presbyterian Church. Marko Dupree Drayton was captured after his downtown shooting spree left a Charleston Police officer and an MUSC liver transplant coordinator dead. It was hard to step outside again. It was hard to trust that the person passing on the sidewalk didn’t wish me harm. But Charleston healed with time. Unfortunately, Drayton’s rampage has repeated itself with increasing frequency, and it somehow feels like the norm

A most disturbing aspect of what has happened is the obvious symbolism. Having attended a funeral and a wedding at the AME church, I know very well how warm and welcoming the congregation is. While I sometimes feel like an outsider at my own church, AME knows no outsiders. I think about the wolf in sheep’s clothing, offered acceptance, love and fellowship, for the moments before he stole so many lives… The only thing I can do at this point is to reflect on Matthew 5:44. Love your enemies – pray for them.

This tragedy, on the eve of the anniversary of the Fallen Charleston Nine, has left our community wounded. This morning, I passed my neighbor on the street and cast my eyes down. Fear has returned. The trust is broken. My Charleston has once again fallen from grace but it shouldn’t. I challenge us all to look the next person you pass on the street in the eyes, and nod in kindness and understanding, knowing we have each other’s backs. My Charleston, your Charleston, will again heal.

The Battery – Charleston, SC: The Great Escape

June 17, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

The Battery is a scenic walk along the Charleston Harbor ordained with history plantation homes, lines of palmetto trees, colorful flowers and at the right moment a cool soft breeze to alleviate the pressures of the summer heat.

We all have our personal experiences and and routines at The Battery. For some, who take for granted or have not spent time recently at the Battery, you are missing one of the most serene places in all of Charleston. We spent some time at the South Battery over the weekend and thought we would remind you of some of the great things you can do.

Picnic where the first shots of the Civil War were fired
Bike with someone you love along the Harbor
Go for a morning or evening jog as the sun rises and sets over the Charleston Harbor
Go for a local personal walking tour of the beautiful historic Plantation homes along The Battery
Offer directions to passing tourists that lost their way from the French Quarter
Get the motivation to finally learn how to sail after watching the boats pass by
Finally, keep your eyes open for frolicking dolphins

If these images make you sigh, picture yourself caught up in the beauty and serenity of it all.

The fresh flowers in the medium add the perfect amount of color and fragrance.

The view of the homes will make you yearn for a simpler time of yesteryear.

The Palmetto Trees offer a brief moment of escape from the sun and compliment the clouds very well.

Find your way back to The Battery soon.

Last moments of sunlight at White Point Garden

Saturday Morning in Charleston

May 30, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

At 7:15 AM, the sun had made its place in the sky, there is a nice soothing breeze and the temperature has settled in the low to mid 70’s. A perfect way to make an official start to the weekend. We decided on Folly Beach and Sunrise Park to take in some sun and fresh air. We took some pictures to help you be a part of our journey.

It is even a little too early for the lifeguards to be out on Folly Beach.

It is not too early for the fisherman on the pier.

Or the surfers.

You are never lost on Folly as long as you stay on the Center. Center Street that is….

We saw many beautiful Southern homes on our drive to Sunrise Park. All ordained with rocking chairs, palmetto trees, porch fans and windows for all the eye to see.

Not only does this beach offer a beautiful distant view of the Charleston peninsula and the Cooper River Bridge, but it is untainted as we witnessed over a dozen crabs crawling all around. Wear your flip flops and be careful for the fire ants in the grass. They sting.

From the distance you can see the peninsula.

Some locals just want to escape the crowds and catch a little dinner.

The sun is now bright in the sky. All this before 10 AM. What a nice way to start the weekend. The lesson here is that some of the most memorable places in Charleston are hidden away just far enough from the tourists and kept preserved for us to enjoy.

Folly Beach Official Website

Melton Peter Demetre Park – Sunrise Park Website

The Importance of Memorial Day in Charleston – Look back at 2015

May 26, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

It was a quiet morning on the Folly Beach pier. Fisherman, young and old were preparing for the Memorial Day fishing tournament and the site of patriotism flew all the way to the ocean. The stars and stripes ordained each side of the pier as you walked to the Edge of America. Waters were calm, joggers were leaving their footprints in the sand and the wind penetrated the souls of the flags, reminding us of our gift of freedom.

Memorial Day in Charleston holds a special meaning for active military, veterans and families and the entire neighborhood.

This afternoon at Marion Square, the community was greeted with an orchestra show of old and new military themed tunes. Some brought back old memories of younger days at the USO dances, while others closed their eyes and took in the soft soul wrenching sounds of Band of Brothers.

As I listened to the band belt out 75 years of patriotic tunes, I watched young boys and girls play catch, Frisbee or dig in the dirt. It reminded me that on this day, we remember those that secured the future and safety of our next generation.

Charleston is a rich port town, whose military ties run so deep, they are a part of our foundation. From the H.L. Hundley to the USS Yorktown; Charleston Naval Shipyard to the Boeing Military Support; The Citadel to Fort Sumter, Charleston’s heritage is one of pride and community.

It was with a deepened heart that I watched veterans of foreign wars listen to the sounds that gave them comfort during trying times. I also knew, that as they listened, they remembered their brothers and sisters that fell as part of the ultimate sacrifice.

They gave their freedoms that we and our children and children’s children can secure a future safe from destruction, tyranny and prejudice.

Throughout the peninsula and surrounding areas, families showed their support with flags draping from porches all throughout the Lowcountry.

This week left me with a sense of pride and an opportunity to say thank you, Charleston.

USS Yorktown Photo provided by Minta Pavliscsak

Mount Pleasant, SC

What the Blessing of the Fleet means to Charleston

April 27, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

28 years ago, a small but powerful cadre of shrimpers’ spouses hosted the first Blessing of the Fleet at the Charleston Cruise Terminal. It was a day to ask the Heavens for smooth waters, safe travels and a bountiful harvest for the shrimpers who count on the Lowcountry waters for their livelihoods. While the Blessing has moved to Mount Pleasant, and grown larger each year, the message is the same: Keep our fishermen and fisherwomen safe. This past weekend, our coastal town whose heritage and rich history dates back to the early settlers, celebrated the 28^th Annual Blessing of the Fleet. There was live music, local craft vendors, and weather perfect for relaxing on a blanket. The Blessing itself, was deep and soulful.

As each of the fourteen shrimping boats glided across the water under the Cooper River Bridge, the pastor gave a unique and spirited blessing wishing them a safe oceanic harvest and healthy season. Religious, spiritual or neither, the crowd of attendees stood respectfully silently for each passing prayer.

As the passengers of each boat waved to the supporters up above, we heard stories of third and fourth generation families hitting the water at 4 AM and putting their bodies on the line to ensure this noble profession stays a part of the Lowcountry.

The ceremony paid tribute to those that have dedicated most of their lives to bringing us some of the best seafood this area has to offer.

It pays homage to dedication, hard work and the American Dream. This feeling of patriotism for America and the community of Charleston was visible with each flag hovering high above the fishing ships.

Charleston is about tradition and celebration. It makes us who we are.

The Blessing celebrates Charleston’s resistance to being outsourced and reminds us all how we became such a special city, dedicated to preserving our culture.

To all the noble fisherman and shrimpers who provide us with a bounty of sea faring pleasure, thank you.

More information about the next Blessing of the Fleet – April 24, 2016

Walter Scott Commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Ending of the American Civil War

April 14, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr. – December 10, 1964

On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse ending the American Civil War. After four years of a fighting and a country divided, 620,000 lives were lost. Brothers against brothers, friends against friends, families against families. It was a period we can never forget, but one that still rings true today. The public display of the confederate flag is still a deeply divided topic among Americans and symbolizes a period wrought with uncertainty on the future of this nation. One hundred and fifty years later, Walter Scott perished at the hands of a North Charleston police officer. All the facts have yet to be uncovered, but the world has made a judgement. In the simplest terms, the most elementary view, the media has placed judgement and society has followed: A White Cop killed an unarmed Black Man. Justice must be served.

Between April 12 – 14, 1861 the Battle of Fort Sumter was fought. More importantly, the first shots of the American Civil War were shot from Charleston, SC at 4:30 AM on that fateful day on April 12th. The first shots of a war that were fought among many issues including the moral and legal implications of slavery and the separation of equality between blacks and whites. As we mark the 150th Anniversary of the end of this bloody period of US History on the spot where it all began, we need to look just 10 miles from the grounds of those cannons to find Walter Scott’s body lying without motion, hovered over by a white officer with a smoking gun in hand.

Is there symbolism or a deeper meaning at play. Has the United States evolved since the ending of the most violent engagement in our countries history? This is a debate fueled by black leaders, media professionals and households around the world. Charleston has become the cornerstone of a global exercise in tolerance.

In all the media overload, it is interesting how this comparison has not yet made the forefront of the news.

Propaganda Tweet following Walter Scott Shooting

How do we react to being the center of this frenzy?

How has the news of this shooting resonated around the world?

5 images about being black in America shared after Walter Scott shooting – BBC News

From Trayvon Martin to Walter Scott: Cases in the Spotlight – Time.com

Mourners remember Walter Scott, man shot by South Carolina cop – Toronto Sun

US officer charged in fatal shooting of black suspect – Deutsche Welle (Germany)

Blacks Are Killed By Police At A Higher Rate In South Carolina And The U.S. – FiveThirtyEight

South Carolina shooting: Mourners gather for funeral of Walter Scott, man killed by US police officer – Radio Australia

US police shootings: public outrage grows as video evidence takes centre stage – Sydney Morning Herald

U.S. cops face mounting calls to wear body cameras – Japan Times

The killing of Walter Scott: when the truth comes into focus – Irish Times

Juan González on Walter Scott Shooting: When Will the Police Killings of Black Males Stop? – Democracy Now

Walter Scott and South Carolina History – The New Yorker

Over time, this too shall pass. The story itself will become archived and we will move on to another cause. That is the way media has evolved. We live in an age of immediacy and real-time. What will not change are our preconceived notions and prejudices. These were embedded long before those eight bullets went into Walter Scott and they will be long after. From mansions, to trailer homes, we live in a country divided. We can deny it or turn our heads to it, but the fact remains.

Charleston is an eclectic community rich in culture, music and lifestyle. We are also a community divided by wealth and values. We can only hope, this event does not serve as a catalyst for personal vendettas, but a pledge for peace and community.

Broad Street at 4 AM

April 11, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

From the Rutledge House to the Spencer Art Gallery, there is nothing more romantic than Broad Street at 4 AM. Passing under gas lamps and seeing the faint writing on the tombstones behind St Michaels, we are but visitors to the past. Looking into the windows up above, you can sense the ghosts inside.

Washington Park is a safe haven as you are protected by the statues and soothed by the sound of a fountain nearby. Every sound echoes like a thousand bongs beating at once. So quiet you can hear your heartbeat. Even in darkness you can see the exquisite detail of the signs, fences and doorways. Just at the most silent moment, the bells of St Michaels ring reminding us of the humbleness of our mortality. Shocked but still comforted.

On a weekend where all area hotels are sold to capacity, cars flooding the streets all day and tourist groups monopolizing the sidewalks, being the only living boy in Charleston for just a few minutes is a dream. The next time you can’t sleep, come to Broad Street and let the voices of the past guide you down the quiet streets.

Experience the architecture, decor, stillness of the trees and the rich deep history of the great city.

James & John's Islands, SC

More Fun For Visitors – The Road to Charleston Tea… – The Retired Mensch

March 24, 2015

by Charleston Daily 1 Comment

The last time company showed up at the Mensch residence, we had a nice visit to Patriot’s Point. This time I had to find something to distract the in-laws, Jan & Jay, from the NCAA March Madness.
What could be more distracting than a visit to The Charleston Tea Plantation and more fun than lunch at a food truck at Irvin’s Vineyard and a quick stop at the Angel Oak.

The Charleston Tea Plantation is almost at the end of Wadmalaw Island, south and east of the Holy City. The only way out there is to drive the Maybank Highway which starts at Folly Road and crosses Main Road.

The drive is pretty simple: find your way to Savannah Highway, Route 17, and head south. Hang a left on Main Road, cross over the Intracoastal Waterway on one of the ugliest bridges in the world, and turn right onto Maybank Highway, Route 700, to the Plantation. You can get to Maybank Highway from Folly Road, too, but the four-lane of Savannah Highway is a little quicker.

Driving down the Maybank Highway is a little like driving back in time. You pass under old live oak trees with Spanish Moss dripping down like the conquistador’s beard from whence it got its name. Just pass the Angel Oak dirt road turnoff, Maybank curves to the left with Bears Bluff Road heading off to the right. (If your interests are more in the realm of wine and booze, head right on Bears Bluff Road to Irvin Vineyards.) Along the ten mile route you’ll pass plantations, churches, a school, a tree farm; You could probably tune your radio to an AM station and hear Patsy Cline.

I found the gated entry on the left and followed the dirt road pass the experimental tea field and found a parking space under the trees. It was a short walk to the visitor’s center and gift shop where everything is tea, tea and more tea. There was on over-sized frog, named Waddy, sitting on a bench on the porch waiting for us to stop by for a photo opportunity.

My visitors were wowed with the free factory tour of how the tea is processed after harvest and prepared for delivery to the Bigelow Tea Company for packaging in a unique pyramid=shaped teabag. Bigelow? I thought this was the Charleston Tea Plantation?

Bigelow Tea Company is a recent part of the history of CTP that goes back to 19th century China, Summerville, SC of all places, and the Lipton Tea Company as we learned on the not-free-but-reasonable Trolley tour of the Plantation. (AAA discount available.)

Our guide and driver was John Kennedy along with voice over from Bill Hall, the Founder of Charleston Tea Plantation.

It turns out that tea plants love South Carolina: the heat and the humidity are tea plants’ best friends and the sandy soil of Wadmalaw Island is perfect for their cultivation. And who knew they are camellias? Yes, the scientific name is Camellia sinensis. The plants from China that were planted in Summerville in the 19th century are now producing tea in Wadmalaw Island thanks to the Lipton company. Apparently tea plants give live oaks a run for their money in the longevity department.

When Hall needed to expand the ONLY tea plantation in North America, he turned to Bigelow Tea Company as an investment partner. It allowed him to expand production and include a new visitors center and gift shop. Hall is actively involved in the business, checking on plants in the green house, supervising harvesting and planting.

Just outside the visitor’s center there is a geography pole, you know, a pole with arrows pointing in different directions with country names and distances painted on the arrows? This pole points to the next closest tea plantations.

There is a map of the world in the visitor’s center with tea plantation sites illuminated. The only light in North America is Wadmalaw Island.

We left America’s Tea Garden with a several boxes of American Classic Tea and some souvenirs for tea drinking friends and headed back to the Angel Oak. The turn popped up before I knew it and I almost missed it. Why does the return drive always feel shorter than the drive out? Anyhow, the Angel Oak duly impressed our visitors with its girth, length and age. They actually seemed awed as do most visitors to the Angel Oak. All the free tea was beginning to work its magic and we headed for home to tune in the NCAA.

Observations from a Porch of an Aging Southern Farmer

February 14, 2015

by Charleston Daily 0 Comments

“Aging is a process of understanding. It is the collective journey of all emotion fed by a thirst for knowledge, enlightenment and meaning.”

It was a hot Southern morning in the heart of August in the Carolinas. Humidity was already taking a toll on old Mason. Sweat dripping from his leathery forehead and the sun up in the sky high enough to cover half the front porch. His wife, who affectionately has called “ma” for the last 67 years was bringing a steaming cup of coffee; black just like he always drank it.

Mason nodded and continued his stair at the trees covering the sun just enough to make these summer days bearable.

“I reckon the farm hands be coming by soon. Strange seein’ them whites and coloreds walking the path together. Sure seen some changes round these parts.”

Mason turned to ma, resting comfortably in her rocking chair continuing to deepen the groove in the wood base below.

“This some good coffee ma.”

He struggles with his sentences now. Some shortness of breath forces a slowing in his speech. The deep southern drawl very pronounced. For this old farmer, now retired, the porch is passing the time reflecting on a hard life until his inevitable demise. The years are documented by the wrinkles under his eyes. The blue sparkle now faded.

The creaking noise is soothing. It is one of the few sounds still audible to Mason. Familiar and constant.

“The cotton crop ain’t what it used to be. Nothing but Yankees, colored and fancy cars. It’s hard to be proud ma.”

“You are an old bitter man Mason Chapman. Old and bitter.” She exclaimed.

Once, an affluent cotton farmer, Mason is the only remaining child of Emma and William Chapman. The youngest of seven children, his heart beats last.

“What will we leave behind ma when they find our crippled old bones?”

“What are you talkin’ about, we?”

With all the muscle strength in his face, a smile reared itself.

“I gave you a good home didn’t I ma?”

“You did. From the time you carved our names in that oak tree 68 years ago, my heart belonged to you. You give me a good home and a good bed to rest.”

“I’d like to see Will today. Reckon we can see Will?”

“Yes, love, yes.”

Mason tried to life his body with his thin boney hands.

“Now you stop you hear. You will break in two.”

Ma got up from her rocking chair and lifted her 110 pound Mason upright. Arm in arm they walked slowly down the three steps and walked to the side of the house. Surrounded by layers of autumn colored leaves and pine cones stood a small unassuming tombstone.

They stood two feet from the stone and stared down.

“Oh Will boy, we miss ya. You dun us proud. We really miss ya being around. He was a good boy, ma. A good boy.”

“He was. Polite, hard workin’ and a true Southern gentleman.”

“He was, ma. He was. I may be ready to see him soon.”

“You hush up Mason.”

“I’m tired. I see folks walk by, young and full of hope. I had my hope. Now I’m ready to rest. Let’s go back to the porch. It’s safe there. I’ll tell ya about the great crop of ’52.”

“I’d like that. I’d like to hear that story a lot.”

Together, hands intertwined like a million other times, Mason and Ma walked around the house and sat on the porch.

The chairs rocked, and Mason told story after story until the warmth of the sun lulled him to sleep.

Ma smiled.