by 
By Mark A. Leon
The first Noel, longing for hope
The last warm flow of cocoa sweetening the heart
Fires warm the soul as the flame burns bright
Memories of mistletoe reflect throughout the night
It was your love that was wrapped inside that gift box
It does something to me this time of year
Bringing warmth on these cold wintry nights
This love blankets my body with an impenetrable fortress of shelter
I know I don’t deserve this sensitive gift wrapped up in my arms
But unwrapping the layers has been a blessing from the start
From snow angels to the wet dark kisses
The lights of our tree flickering in the distance
The smell of fragrant leaves teasing the air
The sound of your voice blowing nothings inside my ear
There is a Christmas miracle locked up for just this time of year
Like a magician, it captivates
A piece of art, priceless and pure
An original straight to the core
Carols in the distance closer they seem
Songs so true reflecting on another wonderful dream
Once again I look into those eyes
Our childhood; our doubts; our dreams; our tears
All in route
A journey side by side filled with candy canes and often all cried out
Still by your side, hand in hand I stand here looking at this gift, this Christmas miracle knowing I’m the luckiest man
Lowcountry
Intimate Obsession – Original Poem
By Mark A. Leon
You know I’m obsessed with your body
The curve of your hips teasing my insides
Pressed beneath the sheets in an intimate erotic video with an audience of two
Smoke fills the room from the heat of our kiss
You lost me in the dream sequence of your heart
Wet desires raining from the heavens
Like a bolt of lightning, you came into my life with the force of a thousand horses
The aroma of perfection, I foresaw from years of waiting
The clock has stopped ticking
Time has frozen for your and I
Sweet oblivion of your love forever secure in this locket hanging from your soft neck
Our dirty little secret is that you see what I see
In a world caught up in self-definition, I am my most vulnerable through your eyes straight to your soul
The apocalypse is our solitary calmness
War rages; our love prevails
Just can’t say goodbye
Can’t walk away, for even a moment
Want you all the time
You rebuilt this fragile being with kisses on the forehead
Wrapped up in your arms
Hidden from a world of misunderstanding
Telling your story in your song
Silent lyrics are sung with those wet lips drenching my spirit with warmth
I listen; feel; indulge
This is the heat of our moment
As I close these tired eyes, I feel a desire to touch this body with the gentleness of an angel
SpiritLine Cruises Selects Charleston Area Preferred Caterers for Special Events
CHARLESTON, S.C. – SpiritLine Cruises has added five local companies to its list of preferred caterers, giving event planners more flexibility for private events and weddings aboard its yachts.
The new preferred caterers list includes:
- B Gourmet Catering, providing gourmet food with a southern flair
- Cru Catering, home to some of the best gourmet comfort food in the Lowcountry
- Duvall Catering & Events, catering to Charleston since 1978
- Hamby Catering & Events, family owned and operated full-service catering company celebrating 40 years
- Salthouse Catering, farm fresh full-service catering
SpiritLine will continue to offer its own catering under the direction of Executive Chef Shawn Eustace.
The change is an opportunity for event planners to use some of their favorite local caterers.
“We want event planners, brides and businesses to consider SpiritLine as an event venue so opening up the food service to additional caterers gives everyone more options,” said Ian Harris, director of sales and marketing. “We’ve selected some of Charleston’s best caterers and feel confident they can provide the high-quality level of service we want for events hosted on our yachts.”
Tanya Gurrier, owner of Salthouse Catering, said, “We are so excited to partner with SpiritLine Cruises to bring our customized service and restaurant quality catering to guests aboard their unique fleet of boats. The event possibilities are limitless and, so, now are the catering options. Imagine enjoying restaurant quality catering while cruising the waters of the Charleston Harbor.”
SpiritLine Cruises also recently expanded its group sales team to better service Charleston’s fast-growing special events and wedding market.
About SpiritLine Cruises
SpiritLine offers daily harbor tours, evening public dinner cruises
What are you searching for baby? – Original Poem
By Mark A. Leon
What are you searching for baby?
In this world not meant for us, we are a billion points of light lost in a universe of chaos in the quest for meaning
When I see your heart stretch in the realm of infinite purpose, I am blown away by the strength you share
In the shadows of darkness, poverty a candle burns in the cauldron
I hear your message in the emotion you share
In a world muted, your voice is loud and clear
But something lingers inside
An unknown haunting your nights
A greater purpose, yet undefined
Are you undiscovered?
I see a million smiling children laughing
A hoard of puppies in your arms
A cloud above with you its captain
A single life saved
In this hour, this minute, this second
I see the purpose
This mortal legacy stirred up with a pinch of kindness and a cup of selflessness
Now I beg on my knee with this quiet voice
“What are you searching for?”
I feel you know
Unleash this vulnerable state
Discover the true you
Remain in the fight
You will reach the heights of infinity high above the clouds
Remember Me True – Original Poem
By Mark A. Leon
Another kiss in the rain
Another day by your side
A warm touch of those lips
Nothing more to hide
One last look in your eyes
To see beyond the other side
A ray of darkness; a sunrise in the night
All is forgiven on this train ride tonight
A rhyme of chaos
A harmony without words
A song that began the moment of you
Tonight, I lie on this bed listening for the past
I hear your whispers like wine
So sweet and wet they tempt me with every glass
I can’t escape these chains
They run so forcefully tight
Piercing the skin; destroying the might
I want to run once again
To the place I found you
In the dark musty room, where it all came so clear
I want to feel the first time
Lust over time
A vulnerable stance
Prisoner to your dance
I can’t hold back this truth diseased in the chase
Hidden behind the bottle I fear I lost my last embrace
So now I write this poem; perhaps a confession or two
I read it all alone
Shed a tear for you
I know we are through
From beyond this life, I look down upon you
In that smile I knew it was always you
Remember me this
Remember me true
From the moment our eyes met, I was in love with you.
New Restaurant “Tempest” To Open on Market Street in Charleston, SC – Spring 2020
CHARLESTON, S.C. (October 8, 2019) – Brought to you by the team from 5Church Charleston, 5Church Charlotte and Sophia’s Lounge, Tempest is scheduled to open Spring 2020 in the former historic Harriot Pinckney Home for Sailors located next door to 5Church Charleston. Offering upscale seafood from Lowcountry fisherman, oyster farmers and other purveyors, Tempest will offer an array of delicious dishes for lunch and dinner. The restaurant will also boast a selection of seafood-friendly Old-World wines, along with hand-picked gins, rums and bourbons.
“Our hope is that Tempest will combine top-notch cuisine using locally sourced ingredients with innovative design and outstanding service to create an inspiring dining experience for our guests,” shares Owner Patrick Whalen.
Although Tempest’s interiors will not include 5Church’s famed hand-painted verbiage of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” the restaurant’s design will be just as visually stunning, featuring a spectacular, handcrafted piece of workmanship to be displayed on the ceiling from one of Charleston’s homegrown artists. Tempest will seat approximately 100 guests, including a main dining room, bar, an outdoor patio and upstairs space available for private dining and events.
Partner and Top Chef Alumni Jamie Lynch will bring his passion for sustainability to Tempest, featuring seafood cooked over charcoal paired with produce from his new six-acre farm in Belmont, N.C. Guests can expect lobster, giant prawn, oysters, mussels, clams, white shrimp and elaborate seafood towers. In addition to a wine list curated by Tempest’s in-house certified sommelier and a robust cocktail program focusing on classics, the new bar will also offer rotating, primarily local taps to compliment Chef Jamie’s mouthwatering menu.
Tempest is located at 32C N. Market Street, next door to 5Church Charleston. For more information, please visit www.TempestCharleston.com or follow the restaurant on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Tempest
Housed in the former Harriot Pinckney Home for Sailors in Charleston’s Market Street district, Tempest pays homage to the location’s rich history, offering guests local, sustainable seafood cooked over charcoal, Old-World wines and hand-picked gins, rums and bourbons.
Watching The World Pass By #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
By Mark A. Leon
I sat on a bench this afternoon in the park and watched the world pass me by. This is what I saw:
A father and son practicing lacrosse against the cement statue wall
A group of student huddled in a circle on the grass studying
A girl walking her dog or maybe the dog was walking her
Clouds moving quickly as the leaves blow in the wind
A bird and squirrel hunting for the same food
A group seeing who can throw a frisbee the furthest
A young couple watching and smiling as their daughter is experiencing the world for the first time
Two people pushing each other as they finish their jog
Someone alone under a tree with a good book
The sound of nothing in the park with the faintness of passing cars
What did you see today as you watched the world pass you by?
Butcher & the Boar to Debut New Orleans Style Brunch
(Charleston, SC: October 4n, 2019): Chef Tommy Begnaud of Butcher and the Boar, located at 730 Coleman Blvd, returns to his roots with the debut of the New Orleans Style Brunch.
The new menu is prix fixe served family style, with additional items à la carte. The menu is divided into four parts – a welcome, a feast, feast sides and a thank you. To start, guests are offered house made pastries or fruit, yogurt and granola, followed by the Feast, which includes creole favorites such as egg Sardou, shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, and smoked brisket. The feast sides include sweet potato hash, watermelon salad, and rum-infused bananas foster French toast. The meal is concluded with a Thank You of beignets with a side of salted caramel.
To accompany the brunch menu, the New Orleans Style Brunch includes $10 bottomless mimosas, $10 Butcher Bloody, $10 peach bellinis and a $12 Knob Creek Single Barrel old fashioned. A Kid’s Feast is also available for $12.95.
The New Orleans Style Brunch will be available every Sunday from 10 am – 2 pm in the restaurant or served on the patio with a live band.
A modern steak & smoked meat house with a focus on large shareable portions with inventive American flavors.
Menu:
https://www.butcherandtheboar.com/charleston-menus/#brunch-charleston
Hours
Dining
- Tuesday – Thursday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
- Friday – Saturday 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
- Sunday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Bar / Lounge
- Tuesday – Thursday 4:00 pm – Close
- Friday 4:00 pm – Close
- Saturday – Sunday 5:00 pm – Closed
Patio
- Tuesday – Thursday 4:00 pm – Close
- Friday 4:00 pm – Close
- Saturday 12:00 pm – Close
- Sunday 4:00 pm – Close
- Closed Monday
Contact
info@outsidecenterconsulting.com
East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club Lines Up Flags for Heroes
(MOUNT PLEASANT, SC)…On Veterans Day weekend the East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club will showcase a breathtaking display of hundreds of American Flags in front of the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point. Individuals, businesses, corporations and non-profits can sponsor a flag or more in honor of a hero(s) of their choice. Together we can engage and inspire our community by reminding us all of the true meaning of Veterans Day – a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
The East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club is proud to host this event. All of the funds raised through the Flags for Heroes program will be used for local community service projects and to support the Charleston Fisher House. Last year alone, the club used fundraising to provide over 300 pairs of shoes for kids in need in partnership with the Mount Pleasant Lunch Rotary Club, partner with Toys for Tots for distribute toys and donate over 100 children’s bikes, build a sustainable community garden, complete multiple projects at Saint James Santee Elementary School, and more.
The cost of an individual sponsorship is $50 for a single flag and pole. There are also corporate sponsorship opportunities available that include advertising and promotional benefits that will be fulfilled by the Rotary. The Rotary Club will refund the Patriots Point parking fee for anyone who sponsors a flag that wishes to see the display during Veterans Day weekend.
To sponsor a flag in honor of a hero, please visit charlestonrotaryflags.org. For more information email ecbrotaryclub@gmail.com
THE EAST COOPER BREAKFAST ROTARY CLUB was chartered in 1996 with 35 active members. Today it is comprised of approximately 50 members who provide educational and financial assistance to the East Cooper community. For information about the East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club, please visit their website at www.ecbrotary.org.
Charleston Business Shelbourne & Associates to Donate $10,000 to Water Mission
(CHARLESTON, SC: October 2, 2019) As a thank you to all of our patients who voted us Post & Courier’s Charleston Choice 2019 Winner: Best Oral Surgery Practice, we will be donating $10,000 to Water Mission in their name. Water Mission is a nonprofit Christian engineering ministry providing sustainable safe water solutions, through a Christian world view perspective, to people in developing countries and disasters.
Shelbourne & Associates is a premiere oral surgery center with locations in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville. Educated at the Medical University of South Carolina and Yale-New Haven Hospital, Dr. Shelbourne is board certified by the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. He also places dental implants with an industry leading success rate. Shelbourne & Associates is fully equipped with imaging equipment and an experienced team to provide you with the best care possible.
A huge thank you again to all of our patients who trust us with their smiles every day and to our incredible team who keep all three of our locations running smoothly. Thank you, Charleston!