Come with us for a beautiful look at life in the Lowcountry. Picture the serenity and brisk Southern breeze. Take in the beautiful natural surroundings and become part of a life that enjoys things a little slower, a little more relaxed.
This is life in the Lowcountry.
Sit back on your rocking chair and enjoy.
Lowcountry Photo Gallery
Photo Credit: Mark A. Leon – Charleston Daily
By Mark A. Leon
How often is the appetizer the must indulgent part of the meal? The savory essence of a truly amazing dining experience. Often times, restaurants will offer up a preamble that outshines the meal, a piece of culinary heaven let us say. There are some appetizers/snacks in the Low country that truly define the culinary arts in this foodie haven we call Charleston, SC. We want to offer up some of the most indulgent, flavorful starters to whet your appetite.
We spoke to a number of locals and got their opinions and they were enthusiastic and ready to spill the beans on some of the best starter dishes.
This list is a keeper. Spoiler alert, some of these items may raise your calories or cholesterol intake levels for the day. You have been warned.
ponzu, creamy ginger cilantro sauce. A regular offered up this to say, “They melt in your mouth. They are crunchy and yummy. I can’t get enough.” This starter will cost $12.00.
There are more. So many more. Why rattle your brain risking the potential of a bad start to your evening. Use this list. Use it wisely as it comes with great power to satisfy.
Bon Appetite
Ask any resident what the quietest day on the peninsula is and most, if not all, will say Christmas. If you live here, it feels like Will Smith in “I Am Legend” or Tom Cruise at the beginning of “Vanilla Sky”. It is also a magical time, when you can admire the architecture, walk the middle of the streets and take in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina, the crown jewel of the South.
Come with us as we take you on a photo gallery ride through the quiet streets of Charleston, SC on Christmas Day 2017.
Christmas Day – Charleston, South Carolina
Even the Charleston Harbor was empty….
Merry Christmas Charleston and everyone around the world.
By Mark A. Leon
Is it possible to really go on a date for about $12.00 and expect your significant other to want to keeping coming back for more. Absolutely, and we promise no mention of Netflix, Krispy Creme or Sonic on this list. Unless, that is what you want. We will not stop you.
Here we go Charleston, ways to impress your date without burning a hole in your wallet.
12 Dates for About $12.00
Honorable Mention:
Charleston Water Taxi – What better way to see the USS Yorktown, majestic church steeples, Cooper River Bridge and historic Charleston than from a water taxi in the Charleston Harbor. This made honorable mention because an all-day pass is $12.00 a person. For a date, this is over budget, but it is an amazing deal and a photographers dream. You are also likely to see dolphins frolic right beside you.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has completed its final review of the report on the painting containment system that fell from the supports of the Don Holt Bridge on I-526 in Charleston County on July 19, 2017.
The report concludes an accumulation of rainwater resulting from an extreme and unexpected thunderstorm was the most probable cause of the failure of the system.
The report was conducted by a licensed professional engineer representing Applied Building Sciences (ABS), a leading forensic firm with experience investigating complex collapse claims. ABS was retained by the insurance company for Eagle Industrial Painting (EIP), the contractor on the painting project. The information in this report includes the material released by SCDOT in its preliminary report on August 1, 2017.
ABS’s findings indicate the weight of the rainwater on the horizontal tarp most likely caused the 1” diameter wire rope chokers to fail. The chokers were used to support the suspended platform beneath the bridge’s superstructure.
The ABS report includes statements from certified meteorologist, Lee Branscome, Ph.D. that maximum wind speeds at the top of the bridge likely reached 58 mph on the day of the incident. In addition, 1.68 inches of rainfall was recorded within five miles of the bridge between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., the same timeframe as the failure of the containment system. The report concludes that the primary load that resulted in the failure was most likely caused by rain accumulation on the tarp and not the wind loads.
The report further observes that EIP did not have access to the containment system during the day to monitor water accumulation, because SCDOT authorized lane closures only at night. While SCDOT had not authorized a continuous, permanent daytime lane closure during the painting operation, SCDOT would have authorized emergency lane closures for tarp repairs or de-watering had it been requested. SCDOT did not receive an emergency lane closure request from EIP on July 19, 2017, which is understandable due to the suddenness and unexpected nature of the storm.
Among the motorists whose vehicles were damaged by the fallen containment system, EIP’s insurance company reports 12 vehicle owners filed claims. Ten have received payment.
SCDOT and EIP continue to evaluate processes that will eliminate or greatly reduce the likelihood of a containment failure. SCDOT once again apologizes for inconveniences caused by the incident and thanks the public for its patience as SCDOT and EIP determine how to best complete this project.
SCDOT’s Final Report on the Don Holt Bridge Containment System can be found at this link: http://www.scdot-transfer.org/SCDOTphotos/DonHoltPaintingProjectFinalReviewFindings09282017.pdf
By Mark A. Leon
The last few weeks got me thinking. Texas was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey and Charleston suffered a massive hit from Tropical Storm Irma that had us making direct comparisons to Hurricane Hugo and the impact it had on Charleston in 1989. In fact, our beloved Folly Boat, a symbol of strength and perseverance for 28 years was washed away slamming into a local dock.
I also focused on the growth of the Lowcountry, with Charleston now the largest city in the state of South Carolina and the enormous population spike in Austin and realized, there are many similarities between our two great cities.
Just how similar are we?
Let us break this down to its granular elements and see how Charleston and Austin are following very similar urban paths
When you really take a close look at both municipalities, it is easy to see there are striking similarities between both thriving Southern landmark cities.
Why call Charleston a mini Austin? Very simple: Austin is 147% more densely populated than Charleston.
Appendix Data
Austin Charleston United States
| Married Population | 41.66% | 41.25% | 50.58% |
| Single Population | 58.34% | 58.75% | 49.42% |
| Now Married | 39.38% | 38.89% | 48.41% |
| Married but Separated | 2.28% | 2.36% | 2.17% |
| Never Married | 43.64% | 42.76% | 32.55% |
| Widowed | 3.30% | 5.39% | 5.95% |
| Divorced | 11.41% | 10.61% | 10.92% |
| Married, w/children | 33.68% | 27.14% | 31.68% |
| Married, no children | 35.08% | 44.16% | 41.44% |
| Single, w/children | 19.91% | 16.82% | 16.94% |
| Single, no children | 11.33% | 11.89% | 9.95% |
Austin vs Charleston Weather
Austin, Texas
| Month | Low | High |
| Jan | 40.0°F | 60.3°F |
| Feb | 44.0°F | 65.1°F |
| Mar | 50.9°F | 72.5°F |
| Apr | 57.6°F | 78.9°F |
| May | 65.4°F | 84.8°F |
| Jun | 71.1°F | 90.9°F |
| Jul | 73.4°F | 95.0°F |
| Aug | 73.3°F | 95.6°F |
| Sept | 68.8°F | 90.1°F |
| Oct | 59.8°F | 81.4°F |
| Nov | 49.3°F | 70.1°F |
| Dec | 41.9°F | 62.3°F |
Charleston, South Carolina
| Month | Low | High |
| Jan | 36.9°F | 58.9°F |
| Feb | 39.1°F | 62.3°F |
| Mar | 46.0°F | 69.3°F |
| Apr | 52.2°F | 76.1°F |
| May | 61.3°F | 82.9°F |
| Jun | 68.5°F | 87.9°F |
| Jul | 72.5°F | 90.9°F |
| Aug | 71.6°F | 89.4°F |
| Sept | 67.1°F | 85.0°F |
| Oct | 55.3°F | 77.0°F |
| Nov | 46.4°F | 69.6°F |
| Dec | 39.3°F | 61.6°F |
By Mark A. Leon
Have you been to Normandy Farms Artisan Bakery, Jack of Cups or Baguette Magic recently? Besides having wonderful reputations for quality and customer service, all three businesses have incorporated the European style of fixed pricing. This method also rings true at local area farmers markets with most vendors.
In a nutshell, the price you see on the menu, is the price you pay.
If an item is 91 cents and sales tax is 9 cents, the cost is $1.00. That is the price you see.
Last week, I had a memorable meal at Jack of Cups on Folly Beach. Our meal for two consisted of: Spring Rolls $9.00, Indian Thai Mexican Fusion Nachos $9.00, Basil Rice Bowl $10.00, Cocktails $9.00 each (2) and glass of wine $4.00. Our bill was $50.00.
Why is this method of building in the tax to the final cost so efficient for all parties involved?
I initially got comfortable with this form of pricing when I lived in Florence, Italy. Not being able to speak the native tongue, made it a challenge for me to go to the grocer or farmers market, but having the fixed pricing helped me know exactly how many Euros my items were and thus eliminating the awkward language barrier.
That saved me during my Summer in Italy and I am so thankful.
We hope this trend continues with more restaurants in the Lowcountry and spreads even further to grocers and retail stores.
By Mark A. Leon
We live and breathe under a cultural ideology and it is this ecosystem that surrounds us all that shapes who we are and how we live. Shortly after completion of my graduate studies on the East Coast, where I was born and raised, I begin my formal employment career in Minnesota. Battling the elements of culture shock was my biggest challenge. After an awkward Hoedown on my first day of employment, I found myself questioning my ability to “fit in”. Then it happened on a Tuesday afternoon on a warm Summer day.
Just outside my office I saw our Communications Director, Affirmative Action Manager and Health and Safety Manager gazing outside the front window of the facility. This was my opportunity to bond with my new Midwest co-workers. As I quietly joined in on their conversation, I walked over and listened closely. The conversation was centered around a beautiful deer in the parking lot. I looked and found no deer. They raved and referred to it with intimate detail. Still, no deer.
Finally, I resisted my fear of being embarrassed, and finally spoke up asking, ‘what deer?”. All three looked to their left at me and pointed straight ahead. Still, no sign of a deer, but within seconds I came to the realization, that beautiful fawn was none other than a large green John Deere tracker.
I was a stranger in a strange land.
Having moved often within the states and abroad, I found a home in Charleston and once again had to adjust to a new culture. Now nine years in and I am still learning the culture. Most often enlightened, but still very concerned.
After only spending one weekend in Charleston, escaping the crowds of my temporary Myrtle Beach home, I fell in love. First, with the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Then as I penetrated deeper, the Colonial architecture and cobble stone roads of historic downtown, embracing the kindness of strangers, the seamless transition of city and residential living and the embrace of local business. Finally, I absorbed the celebratory nature of the festival and events and the selfless support of human interest efforts on land and water. This was truly a place I could call home.
It was a place where I could walk the streets in jeans, t-shirt and flip flops, go into my local bar on King Street and be greeted by my favorite bar tender as live trivia roared the crowds all around. On a cool winter evening, I could put on a light jacket and head to a local theatre where some of the most talented actors in the South resided.
Charleston was a place where Jimmy Buffett or Warren Buffett could feel at home. Celebrities were just like you and I and the taste of Southern cuisine made you want to come back over and over.
Elegant, yet unassuming, warm and inviting, but still personal in its connection to nature. This was Charleston.
There was something so truly magical that all the Instagram’s in the world could not capture the cinematic beauty of a Charleston sunset over the harbor. Every morning was a gift and every evening a blessing.
Church bells rang reminding us that faith is as strong as blood.
Going to a high-end steakhouse for a burger and a glass of Pinot Noir was just as acceptable as dressing to the nines.
Charleston’s idea of Tinder, was sitting outside a downtown restaurant, exchanging a smile with passing stranger and then spending the next few hours learning about each other’s dreams.
Charleston “was” a magical place. A place historians, dreamers and visionaries could co-exist as one.
Times have changed. A cloud has stricken this city paralyzed. Instead of a wheelchair or crutches, we are restricted by cranes, bulldozers and detours.
Our enemies are not the northerners as so many claim, but expansion and the greed hungry mongers in government and institutional investment.
Housing/apartment/condo prices and dining and hospitality costs all have hit record highs, but at what cost?
What is the new Charleston Experience?
This is not the Charleston I fell in love with nine years ago. The look, the attitude, the culture and the warmth are hiding somewhere, hoping this dark cloud moves offshore.
After spending a little time in the social stratosphere, I got an alarming feeling that things are not as good as some recent rankings and praise have led others to believe.
Maybe it is up to you to decide.
Here are some of the latest headlines hitting us hard in the last few days in the Lowountry:
That is a handful for just the last 24 – 36 hours of news.
Posted on Erin Brockovich Facebook 1 Hour Ago:
“There are more unanswered questions about Mount Pleasant and Charleston, South Carolina’s water quality than there are answers.
First, consumers in Mount Pleasant need to understand… most of the year your drinking water is supplied from the City of Charleston. At peak demands… as much as 50% “can be” produced locally… but many of you get 100% Charleston water everyday of the year. The attached press conference is more than just misleading, its crap… and constantly bragging about pristine ancient water that requires reverse osmosis is just bizarre. Further, the City of Mount Pleasant buys so much water from Charleston… several months out of the year they actually inject the severely contaminated excess surface water into Aquifer Storage and Recapture (ASR) wells.
Charleston claims to do thousands of water quality tests but doesn’t really report very much to you the consumer… the USEPA “suggests” they customize the report for the local source water conditions… Charleston DOES NOT.
Your drinking water system uses chloramine as a disinfectant… a poor choice. In fact your drinking water has confirmed toxic chloramine byproducts in it called nitrosamines (NDMA) as a result of the use of ammonia.
Your source water has many pesticides (Dieldren), herbicides (Atrazine), pfoa/pfos (scotch-guard/Teflon), pharmaceuticals (estrogen/Viagra) and other “unregulated” contaminants in it TODAY. These should have been reported to you… some have health advisories, some have maximum contaminant levels (MCL), like atrazine. The herbicide atrazine… if detected, even below the MCL must be reported… it is not.
The citizens of Mount Pleasant and greater Charleston are entitled to more respect and full disclosure… What have they got to hide? If there are contaminants in your drinking water you have the right to make a choice of what your family consumes and what it does not.”
ABC Article: Mount Pleasant Waterworks responds to concerns about water quality
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