Join the Five Fish Foundation at the RiverDogs Friday Fireworks game on Friday, May 27 to help support the great work Five Fish does in the community for individuals and families with intellectual disabilities. Your ticket purchase goes directly to support Five Fish’s mission and programs! On this incredible night, you will join other Five Fish friends in the Segra Club at Riley Park, the RiverDogs’ indoor/outdoor hospitality space. Your ticket includes access to a full, high-end food spread, beer/wine/soft drinks, access to the climate-controlled Club, and a seat on the balcony.
Tickets are $125+tax, with all proceeds going to Five Fish Foundation
The two restaurants we will be featuring today are not typically on any foodie blog, not found on billboards at the international airport, nor on many Instagram reels, but stand out for high quality and intimate customer service resulting in high loyalty retention.
These two restaurants are Maya del Sol Kitchen (1813 Suite B, Reynolds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405) and The Lowdown Oven and Bar (967 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412). If you have not yet experienced either, add them to your culinary adventure wish list.
Maya del Sol
Local Chef Raul Sanchez (recently featured during opening night at the Charleston Wine & Food Festival), along with his colleague Tim brings an intimate global dining experience to their guests in a small family atmosphere that keeps you coming back week after week. The exceptional menu, which changes weekly, is small giving Raul an opportunity to put love into each and every dish that is prepared. Don’t worry, Raul and the team listen and respect the wishes of his guests, so if you have a favorite, they will find a way to ensure it remains.
This is where things get really special. Maya del Sol Kitchen offers a themed communal multi-course dining experience created by Chef Raul Sanchez and guest chefs, highlighting a different nationality from Puerto Rican to Italian typically twice a month. These special reservation-only events pair exceptionally fresh food from traditional and unique recipes with drink pairings that make for a special night. Not only will you enjoy this one-of-a-kind dining experience, but may walk away with new friendships.
Once you start coming back, you will see familiar faces and smiles and truly start to understand the importance of customer loyalty built around high-quality food and caring relationships.
The Lowdown Oven and Bar
I have been going to The Lowdown on and off for 7+ years and one thing remains, high-quality customer service, consistency, and quality. In fact, I left the area for almost 14 months to travel overseas and hike and when I returned, they asked where I had been for the last year. That is customer loyalty.
I want to talk a little about consistency and dedication to the customer. As prices began to rise in the Charleston community and sales dipped due to COVID, most restaurants had to raise their prices and/or drop their specials. Lowdown didn’t!
Since they opened you can still get the following:
$1.75 Budweiser – All day every day
Half-price cheesesteak sandwiches on Tuesday (Dine-in or Take-out) and $4.00 local drafts
Half-price pizza and wine (glass or bottle) on Wednesday ((Dine-in or Take-out)
Half-price burgers on Thursdays (Dine-in or Take-out)
They are always dog-friendly
Overall, prices have remained relatively unchanged with only a small increase to meet the rising cost of ingredients.
With outdoor seating, outdoor seating with an overhang, indoor booths and tables, a bar area, and community tables, Lowdown is a place where people come to meet, eat, drink, laugh, and spent time with community neighbors.
Over the years, we see groups of friends, clubs, dates, families, and neighbors fill the seats because they know they are welcome with open arms in a place where they know your name, the food is comforting, drinks are refreshing and the company is familiar and safe.
We are so thrilled to share these two restaurants that exemplify the Charleston way when it comes to Southern hospitality and customer care.
Did you know that it’s possible to harvest crops using saltwater? Charleston is home to the first-ever indoor saltwater hydroponics farm that utilizes ocean water – aka the world’s most abundant resource – to grow food.
Heron Farms, located at 1783 Harmon St., was established by Sam Norton in 2018. Sam grew up on a barrier island off the coast of South Carolina where his family home flooded more frequently + severely every year due to the sea level rise. The same issue was seen during his trip to Bangladesh, where he witnessed saltwater intrusion into coastal rice paddies upending the lives of many farmers in Asia.
This led to the idea of treating sea level rise as a free resource that could be used for agricultureinstead of just an environmental problem.
The first step in understanding the process is studying up on general hydroponic farming. Simply put, this method of indoor farming eliminates soil use by utilizing an alternative root anchor for plants + growing them directly in water(think: “hydro” = water). The inside setting eliminates the barriers of land use constraints +seasonality of crops. Plants receive controlled amounts of water, oxygen, nutrients + light that promotes the growth cycle. The difference with Heron Farms is that in all other cases, fresh water is used.
Why saltwater?
Along with the reasons mentioned above, the micronutrients of seawater that are transferred into the plants are a great source of minerals in our daily diets. Additionally, seawater irrigation allows the company to use less freshwater than any farm in the U.S.
What crops are grown?
Heron Farms sea beans | Photo provided by Heron Farms
Heron Farms’ first crop is sea beans – salicornia europaea– an edible plant that grows in the salt marsh. These types of saltwater-tolerant plants are known as halophytes, which have evolved to tolerate salt across its whole life cycle. Learn about cooking + eating sea beans here.
What makes this local company even cooler? For every pound of sea beans sold at Heron Farms, the company replants a sq. ft. of salt marsh along coastal South Carolina + Bangladesh using a custom seed-dropping drone. So far, 30,000 sq. ft. have been planted.
Heron Farms has been invited by Seawater Solutions to present at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where the Charleston-based company will build a second saltwater hydroponics farm.
Soldiers’ Angels will provide #foodassistance to 200 at-risk and homeless #veterans and their families at this Veteran Mobile Food Distribution event. Volunteers will help pack bags of groceries and then load the groceries in the cars/carts of attending veterans.
This volunteer opportunity requires standing, lifting, and bending.
Please dress appropriately for the weather. This event is held outside, regardless of the weather. COVID-19 safety precautions are in place.
This event occurs monthly in Charleston at the Elks Lodge, 1113 Sam Rittenberg Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407.
Berkeley County Library System is collaborating with hoopla digital, a service of Midwest Tape, to roll out the Bonus Borrows Collection library cardholders can access with their account. Bonus Borrows include more than 200 titles to borrow and download – without affecting monthly hoopla digital borrow limits.
The Bonus Borrows Collection is available now through May 31. The hoopla collection includes TV Shows, Music with full albums, eBooks, audiobooks, and Comics to enjoy on a computer, tablet, phone, or even TV!
With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later.
STONE MOUNTAIN — New South Associates, in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and Charleston County, will be holding a three-day history collection event at James and Johns Islands on Thursday, May 19 through Saturday, May 21, 2022. New South historians will be on hand during the events to speak with current or former residents of James and Johns Islands and to gather information about these historic African American settlement communities. The purpose of the project is to provide SCDOT and Charleston County with a study focusing on the history of James and Johns Islands.
New South Associates, based in Stone Mountain, Georgia, is a nationally recognized cultural resource management firm with a permanent staff of over 100 professionals experienced in history and archaeology. New South historians from both Georgia and South Carolina offices will be working on the study, recording oral history interviews to learn about the historic communities and neighborhoods on the islands and their boundaries.
Attendees are invited to bring historic photos that can be scanned and digitized on site, with owner permission. All information regarding the history of these communities is welcome, including locations of gathering places, schools, important pharmacies, churches, and recreational places (such as baseball fields), either standing or long gone. Various maps will be available for attendees to view and mark with pertinent information.
There are time slots for oral history interviews during the May 19 through May 21 history collection days. Opportunities for interviews on future dates can also be arranged by contacting New South historian Renee’ Donnell. Each oral history interview should take about an hour. To secure your preferred time slot, please contact New South historian Renee’ Donnell at rdonnell@newsouthassoc.com, or (770) 498-4155, ext. 150. Time slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Refreshments will be served.
Episode 1 of Season 2 of Whiskey & Wings kicks off in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. G and Mike continue their quest for the best craft whiskey and wings starting with a visit to Striped Pig Distillery.
Watch as owner, Paula “Pixie” Dezzuti & Master Distiller, Johnny Pieper take us on a tour of the Striped Pig, teaching us the history of the first distillery in Charleston since the Prohibition and what makes their distillery one of a kind!
“Believe in yourself, do good, and embrace the wonder of the journey”
This weekend, some of the brightest and most ambitious young talents from the Lowcountry will say goodbye to a life of discovery, evolution, and personal growth and take the next step in their journey.
Emotions will be flaring. For some, it is eager anticipation, while others are shadowed by fear. No matter what you feel, we are all so proud of you and what you have achieved.
Here are a few things to remember on this special day and the leap into the next phase of your life
Acknowledge and embrace those that helped you along the way. So many sacrifices were made to give you the opportunity at a better life. You must know those sacrifices were made out of love. When you see your parents, friends, and loved ones, give them an extra-long hug and remind them how important they are in your life journey.
Believe in yourself and the power to do anything – You are an astonishing person. To get to where you are today took inner and outer strength, dedication, and passion. Utilize that fuel as you rocket into the next chapter.
Be yourself. Be crazy, weird, sporadic, and silly. It is the individuals that truly create a legacy of greatness. Invent, write, explore, try!
Take advantage of all the tools you have. We live in the most incredible digital and technological age in world history. Create, document, share and celebrate life. Also, don’t get pulled in. A great dance on Tik Tok is awesome, but. seeing the world from 12,000 above sea level high on the tip of the peaks of Breckenridge, CO, or watching a sunset from Piazza Michaelangelo overlooking Florence, Italy is priceless.
Don’t be afraid to fail. In fact, fail a lot. That means you are trying new and unchartered things. In fact, one of Google’s greatest successes is how much they fail in new product development.
Make each day, month, or year, a time to redefine yourself and start again. Don’t settle! Learn a new skill, discover a new land, or try something you have always feared. Think outside the realm of your comfort level.
Life is best shared – Friends are everything. They give you support and love, they pick you up when you are down, they share in the laughter and tears and no matter what happens, they are always there. Never take advantage of that gift.
Don’t fear tomorrow – We change every day. We get older, move a little slower, reflect on our youth, and at times, yearn for a return. Don’t do that to yourself. You are entering a day and age of acceptance and inclusion. We are all valued. We all contribute and we all deserve happiness at any age.
Be expressive with your emotions – You may not see this now, but there are so many that hold back their emotions and often look back in regret. Emotions are so important in health and well-being. Without that emotional escape, we get bottled up, and when the time is right explode inside causing a mental imbalance. Take each day to laugh a little, cry a little, smile as often as you can, and let your emotions be heard.
Be confident and have fun – When you have that big interview, don’t overthink it. When you are about to ask the boy or girl you love to marry you, be confident that you found a life partner. When you have a near-death experience, look it in the eye and move on. When you think that barista is cute, let them know. Compliments are awesome. If you approach life with confidence, there is nothing you cannot accomplish.
That’s it. That is a tiny bit of sound advice I can offer. Life is a remarkable gift and one to be cherished every day.
To all the graduates from the College of Charleston, The Citadel, and Charleston Southern, congratulations. We are honored that you are leading us into a new generation of amazing.
“The best things in life are free.” This quote may not be entirely true, but there are a few things worth seeing and doing in Charleston that still are free and filled with fun, excitement, wellness, and a bit of education.
Here is a list of some awesome free things in Charleston, SC
Coffee at Bert’s Market – Heading to Folly Beach for a spectacular sunrise? Well, you need coffee. Bert’s Market is open 24/7 every day of the year and their coffee is free. There is a little donation slot, but not required. Once you head in just turn to the left and it will be next to the cooler. Here is a little tip, their Veggie Melt Panini is amazing.2.
Free Little Libraries – You have all seen them throughout the Lowcountry. Downtown, at the beach, in the suburbs. You know them. Take a book, leave a book. Personally, I have given and taken and found comfort in some great literature. In fact, once on State Street, we found a $20 bill left for a lucky literary explorer and that was us.
History in the Streets – Historic Charleston, South Carolina is a living breathing museum. From the historic architecture to the markers, every corner tells a story of our past. If you have to pick one street, head end to end on Tradd.
Beaches – For many who have migrated here from other coastal areas, not all beaches are free. The Lowcountry area beaches continue to remain free for all.
Cooper River Bridge Pedestrian Walkway – Whether you are an avid runner, walker, or biker, the Cooper River Bridge is a scenic delight. Get your health kick and enjoy that 5-mile round trip high above the Charleston Harbor.
Lowcountry sunrise and sunsets – Some of you may be saying, why is this on the list. It’s the sun! You are right, but whether you live here or visit, you cannot deny that we have some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the world and to us, it is an event each time.
City Gallery at Waterfront Park – Where else can you indulge in amazing art, photography, and sculpture exhibit with a view of the Charleston Harbor at no cost. Check their calendar as their exhibits rotate quite frequently.
Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art on the College of Charleston Campus – These hallways and rooms house some of the most creative and influential young and aspiring artists from the college and surrounding communities.
Shem Creek Park – This beautiful park and pier offers a magical journey to the edge of Shem Creek with a view of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge in the distance, shrimping boats, kayaks, sailboats, and fishing off the docks, or just a place to take a romantic sunset stroll. Most days, you will even see dolphins frolicking in the water.
Mace Brown Natural History Museum – Let’s go back 1 billion years to the age of dinosaurs and carry us forward to the present day. This wonderful museum of our natural land and oceanic history on Calhoun Street is a delight for children and adults.
Charleston and its surrounding areas are certainly known for its rich history. It has withstood the test of time and continues to be part of the warm Southern culture locals and tourists have grown to love.
We wanted to add a little education to your reading material by providing you with a list of the oldest structures in the Lowcountry.
A little teaser: They are not all in historic downtown Charleston
Oldest Structures in the Lowcountry
Middleburg Plantation House (Huger, SC) – 1699
Old St. Andrews Parish Church – Charleston – 1706
St. James Church (Goose Creek) – 1708
Colonel William Rhett House – 54 Hasell Street, Charleston – 1712
Pink House – 17 Chalmers Street, Charleston – 1712
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