How often are you sitting with your best friends, that special someone, or your most awesome family over a bottle of wine thinking “Hey, we should paint something”. I mean Charleston one of the most scenic subjects in all the land. Its majestic sunsets, historic architecture, beautiful colors and unique Southern appeal make it the perfect subject to transfer to canvas.
You are in luck. There are a number of creative businesses that marry the idea of wine and art into a memorable night where you walk away with the prize; your own personal creation.
Here are a few options to tame your creative side and your palate:
I met him at the candy store. He turned around and smiled at me You get the picture “Yes, we see” That’s when I fell for the leader of the pack” – The Shangri-Las
From Diana Ross to Dionne Warwick, the iconic musical and lyrical contributions of girl bands in the 1950’s and 1960’s have defined music and emotional expressionism that can be heard today in the likes of Destiny’s Child, En Vogue, TLC, The Bangles, Beyonce, Madonna and The Pointer Sisters. Through the energetic narration of American Bandstand host Dick Clark played beautifully by theater company partner Scott Pfeiffer, the audience is magically transplanted into the intimate setting of a cabaret theater in the 1950’s where Judy Garland or Frank Sinatra would have sat.
On the stage, a young girl group named The Shirelles were sitting in the high school cafeteria dreaming of winning the local music contest and becoming big stars. From Mama Said to Lollipop to the final cast encore of Dreamgirls, the audience one by one got absorbed in this musical tribute to the greatest acts of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
The performance cast is filled with incredible local talent whose singing channeled the likes of Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Martha and the Vandellas and Dianna Ross. An ensemble that includes Deidra H. Brooks, Chanbreille Beason, Joy Gregory, Traine N’ Chel, Maureen Remerowski, Sarah M. Taylor, Tiffany West and Lara Wilson.
As they transformed on stage from band to band, elegantly dressed in their most stylish dresses reflecting stardom with each sequent, the audience became part of the journey. Singing and clapping in the background, the members of the audience began to remember the moments that first heard these hits and the important life events that were connected to them.
“Baby, baby I’m aware of where you go Each time you leave my door I watch you walk down the street Knowing your other love you’ll meet But this time before you run to her Leaving me alone and hurt (Think it over) After I’ve been good to you (Think it over) After I’ve been sweet to you” – The Supremes
As the energy and power of the performances accelerated in strength like the evolution of the tape recorder to a Bose surround sound system, the powerful messages that these hits provided commanded a level of attention. Throughout the years, the music evolved with the cultural struggles for equality and equal rights. When the single declaration of “RESPECT” came center of stage, the feeling of empowerment was at a height for the evening.
A theme of togetherness, harmony, sisterhood, courage and a message of love all wrapped together as the entire cast closed the evening with a collaborative performance of “Dream Girls”
“Dream… Dreamgirls will help you through the night! Dream… Dreamgirls will make you feel alright! Dreamgirls keep you dreamin’ your whole life through… Yeah, Dreamgirls can make your dreams come true!”
During and after the performance, we observed our surroundings. The stage was ordained with steps of gold and cabaret style seating created an up close oval putting us inside the performance. The wall decor resembled an early 20th Century New York style skyscraper and the wait staff, in their welcoming poodle skirts and neck scarves filled our pallets with wine and champagne.
After the performance, in a quiet deserted theater, Scott Pfeiffer sat down with us for a few minutes. Scott was across the table with his hair combed to the right, his bright yellow stage jacket and legged crossed. Relaxed, he sat, but there was still a part of him debriefing from the evening’s performance. We discussed his past and his vision for the future. One message rang personally true; a successful live performance draws the audience into to an emotional place where they can connect with material and take them to a place away from their own reality.
Musical theater has the power to engage, reflect and remind us of things and places we may have forgotten in our own lives. We expect a bright future from the Charleston Performing Arts Theater Company.
For some, the girl band movement of the 1950’s and 60’s was a flashback to a time of youth and innocence. For others, it was a period of influence that sculpted the musical movements of today. No matter what connection was made, the contribution these young ladies gave to American music with their courage and blessed voices will never be forgotten. The next time you listen to Adele, Lady Gaga or Whitney Houston, remember the gifts they provide us would not be a reality without the powerful Dreamgirls paving the way.
Dreamgirls, The Revue, located at 873 Folly Road, James Island, SC will be playing at the Charleston Performing Arts everything Thursday, Friday and Saturday through March 26, 2016
The day started out as any other day; the sun had just peaked over the horizon and my tummy was starting to rumble. I was carelessly bobbing along with the current in search for some breakfast reaching out to cling onto any rock I may float by that happened to have a clam or mollusk attached to it. I wasn’t having much luck today though.
Then I spied a delicious looking cluster of oysters just off to my right and I tried with all my might to maneuver myself towards it. Alas, the gravity of the incoming tide was too strong for me and it pushed me right past. I wasn’t worried, not yet anyway. This happens often enough, but the ocean is vast and there are plenty of opportunities for a tiny starfish like me to find breakfast. Only today, today was different. Today I just kept floating.
Soon I found myself crawling along the bottom of the ocean with the top of the water descending closer and closer to me. I lost control of my movements as the waves took over my direction. It wasn’t long before I was on the beach under a large wooden pillar structure.
As I crawled on the wet sand, I could hear the sound of dogs barking and feel the footsteps of many people passing by. I tried calling out to them for help, but given that our mouths are underneath us, starfish can’t project very well. Keeping as calm as I could, I began to work my way back towards where I thought I would find the comfort of the ocean. After some time, this seemed to be in vain. I began to wonder if I would ever get back home. Had I known last night’s meal was my last, I would have made it a much nicer one. I would have called my parents and told them I loved them. Do my friends know how much they mean to me? Was I nice enough to strangers I had met along my path? As these thoughts passed through my head and I thought surely this was the end for me, I was scooped up by a warm, gentle hand.
I had no clue what to expect next. I was frozen in fear as I was carried around and put on display for another human being. Suddenly, I was joined by another, smaller starfish. Not knowing what else to do, I began trying to crawl away. Of all things, the human started to laugh! This had to be a good sign, so I moved all my legs with all my might. I heard even more laughing as I could see that my new friend and I were being carried towards the ocean. The next thing I knew, my friend and I were flying through the air, twirling around and around, and splash! We landed gratefully in the ocean. We exchanged Twitter handles and promised to stay in contact through Facebook, then said our goodbyes. As I swam home, completely forgetting about breakfast, I called my parents as updated my status to “thankful”. I will never forget about that kind human on the beach. Sometimes it takes almost losing it all to realize just how much you really do have.
On January 31, 2016 at 11:59 PM the lease expired on Lisa Brown, the final of five owners of Blind Tiger Charleston; an iconic brand in the Charleston infrastructure and watering hole to thousands in the heart of historic Broad Street. From lawyers to college students to wedding parties, Blind Tiger has been a fixture in this community since the 1980’s and situated in a building built in 1803. Soon it will re-open; not in the traditional way we have come to love it, but with a new look an feel.
On this evening, while passing the entrance way, we had the pleasure of a true Charleston moment, experienced and captured. While observing a line of trash laid across the sidewalk in front of the Blind Tiger mosaic, owner, Lisa and friend Amy walked outside and greeted us.
Our conversation reflected on bar memories, alcohol issues, historic ownership and the esthetics of Charleston. It was four strangers creating a memories on a quiet Sunday evening. Lisa invited us inside to continue the conversation. While sitting on the marble floor, we picked up a bottle of vodka with just a few sips remaining. In one final encore, we went around in a circle and shared the final shots inside a true Charleston landmark.
With only the final remaining moments of sunlight shining in through the window, we laughed and toasted new friendships and old times in this dimly light bar. While we embraced the moment, residents walked by peaking their heads and puppies inside and taking the time to give their final goodbyes.
As I looked around, I could see the bars shelves empty, mirrors removed off the walls, light fixtures gone and only the ghosts lingering behind.
As the smooth taste of vodka warmed our spirits, I thought about the Charleston I have grown to love and the changing times. Part of me was happy and part bittersweet. A new era is upon us. We see it everyday and the closing of Blind Tiger is one of the symbols of a changing city.
For a few minutes, we forgot about our troubles and lives and celebrated a neighborhood bar that has withstood so much history. In one final lifting of the glass, it was closing time.
To Blind Tiger, the landmark restaurant and bar may no longer open its doors to the public, but the memories we carry will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
Sometimes you need that feel at home, shake the hand of your bartender, share a story and relax kind of bar and grill experience and other times you want an excellent customer service and fine cooked meal dining excursion. What if you could have both?
The Original Ms. Rose’s Fine Food & Cocktails offers the marriage of two. If you ask the locals, its just good old-fashioned Ms. Roses. From a 60 inch TV to one of the finest fried chicken, smoked meatloaf meals with horseradish slaw or grilled corn on the cob you will find in the neighborhood, Ms. Rose’s has created the culture of the 50’s family diner on the outside to a truly fine dining experience without the cost on the inside.
If you enter with an appetite, you must start with the honey soy whole wings and homemade biscuit. The wings are not your playground reject wings, but rich thick meaty wings with a perfect blend of marinade and the honey soy is truly a sweet and savory coating. The homemade biscuit will melt as it slides down your throat in a roller coaster ride of carb delight.
You are hard pressed to make a poor selection with your choice of entrees, but we would like to make a few personal recommendations to help aid in your decision.
The smoked meatloaf is a thick homemade slice of meatloaf oozing in smoky meaty tenderness, topped with horseradish slaw and BBQ sauce and complimented with a nice side. We recommend the street vendor corn or the seasoned fries with a side of avocado sauce. In fact, you should get a side of the avocado sauce no matter what you get. It goes with everything.
The Rose’s Fried Chicken for most is two meals. Be careful as you will need some assistance getting up because you may be very full, but satisfied. The chicken is buttermilk marinated and complimented with a side of Tabasco honey sauce and mac and cheese.
The Grilled Hanger Steak is grilled to perfection with garlic fondue, broccoli rabe, roasted new potatoes and blackberry jus.
We must give a warm complimentary thumbs up to their fish and chips. They even give the true Irish cook a run for their money.
Ms. Rose’s staff will make you a mean burger with options including bleu cheese, pimento cheese, fried egg and caramelized onions. On Monday, their specialty burgers are half price for dinner.
The staff from host to server is incredibly gracious putting customer service first and always meeting all your needs with a smile.
Go for the unique diner ambiance, stay for the incredible food, warm staff and friendly community feel.
Sunrise Bistro Xpress is located at 116 A Spring Street. Located in the heart of the re-birth of Spring Street, this is the offspring of one of John’s Island’s favorite dining spots (As well as one in Summerville, SC). Serving breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday, Sunrise Bistro Xpress offers a uniquely intimate dining experience. This small and cozy restaurant is donned with fresh vegetable and spice plants in the windows, post modern art on the walls and a fresh aroma of dark roast coffee in the air. With a beautiful outdoor area on the side of the building, a cozy bar and six indoor tables, you will feel as though you are a family dinner.
Before we delve into some specific menu items, it is important to mention that no breakfast is complete with the fresh herb homemade bread. These squares of heavenly delight give Sunrise a unique edge. Prepared with a rich blend of spices including rosemary and complimented with olive oil, the bread alone is enough to make you want to return.
Though it is a side addition to a number of the breakfast items, it can be used to make an exceptional breakfast sandwich. Though the tomato melt is traditionally served with a bagel, we chose to have it served on the herb bread and it was exceptional. It was the type of breakfast sandwich you eat in small bites and savor.
Shrimp and grits. This is a tricky topic as it is a fan favorite in Charleston. Sunrise, will not disappoint. I would even be so bold as to place it in the top ten. Their three meat shrimp and grits is a hearty combination of sausage, ham, bacon, shrimp, onions and peppers in a bed of grits made in a secret house sauce. Without flaw a breakfast masterpiece. We shared this memorable dish. It isn’t an overwhelmingly large portion, but the portion of proteins make it a filling experience. As you can see from the picture, the shrimp are jumbo and ready to please.
The open face omelets are a special offering from Sunrise. Why do all omelets have to be folded or wrapped like a blanket? Sunrise does not feel that way. All their omelets are served open faced (If you feel passionate, you can get it prepared rolled). It is like a breakfast pizza and who doesn’t love pizza. There are seven options or a customized omelet, but we recommend the Jessica Ann and the Smoked Salmon with capers and onions. With fresh basil, onions, tomato and feta cheese, the Jessica Ann omelet is a mild and delicious way to enjoy breakfast/brunch. If you love smoked salmon, this omelet will leave you so satisfied. By going light on the egg and providing a healthy topping of smoked salmon, onions, capers and cheddar cheese, each bite is to be savored.
We want to give a personal acknowledgement to the staff. Their careful spirit, considerate customer attention and service with a smile was a comforting bonus to our visit. With such small quarters, that can be tricky to please guests, maintain wait list and keep providing attention with a smile.
If breakfast isn’t in the cards, enjoy one of the fresh sandwiches that are prepared with fresh local ingredients. From the Basil Grilled Cheese to the Cajun Shrimp Wrap, Sunrise Bistro offers winning options for lunch as well.
You have many choices when you think about breakfast and lunch in the Charleston area. If you travel just a bit out of the way, go to Spring Street and take in one of the best small breakfast and lunch spots on the peninsula.
People talk about the edge of the world or a country all of the time. It’s a way to make it sound amazing, this place where something stops existing and becomes something else, something unknown. Well, I’d like to throw a place into the running for the “Edge of America.”
Folly Beach, Charleston has long been known as the party beach in the area, the lower country’s Myrtle: lots of frat boys, screaming families, a higher concentration of drunk people, etc. It’s one of the reasons people go to Folly. It feels like a vacation there. But if you travel, past the washout, you’ll find a secluded stretch of beach, some woods, and few spectators to block your view of the edge of the world, guarded only by the ghost of a lighthouse.
To access this beautiful beach, you have to drive all the way down to the east end of Folly, park, and walk the remaining quarter of a mile along a paved road. Along your walk, you’ll mostly see foliage indigenous to the area, and a graffiti worn cement platform that tells you that you are almost there. Turn the bend, and you finally see the beach access, which consists of a few dozen yards of incredibly hot sand up and over a dune.
Once you’ve reached the beach though, you couldn’t care less about your scalded toes. This is a different place, a quiet one, where there are only a handful of people, some fishing, some relaxing in the sand; maybe even a photographer or two, taking snapshots of the quiet air. No one swims there because of the incredibly strong rip currents and high likelihood of sharks, but it’s safe enough to sit in the surf, to observe the scuttling blue crabs as schools of fish interrogate your legs and toes with small nips.
A pod of pelicans flying overhead draws your eye out of the water to the horizon, towards the Morris Island Lighthouse, standing several hundred feet offshore. The antebellum monolith was decommissioned in the early ‘60s due to a rising shoreline caused by the construction of jetties earlier in the century. It’s an aging monument, one that has a lot of protection around it, mostly locals who sought to insure its place as a permanent fixture of Folly.
One of the aforementioned jetties partitions the beach, adding to its isolated feel. If you don’t mind getting a little scuffed up from the rocks, then they are a wonderful, if slightly hazardous, vantage point from which to observe the shore and ocean, to reflect, or to take a stunning panoramic photograph with your iPhone. I prefer to watch the ocean wash over the boulders in a baptismal wave, hypnotic in their rhythm, soothing in their sound, and cleansing in their purpose. Despite the beauty of this particular section of beach, it is not a crowded place, for many reasons already stated: it’s quite a hike for the casual beach goer, there is no swimming, dogs aren’t allowed as it is also a nature preserve, etc. Some come to kayak, others go on tours of the lighthouse, and there are almost always a few fishermen. But all in all, this strip of the otherwise heavily populated Folly Beach is empty.
This is part of the beach’s appeal; its loveliness is not imbued with human activity, and it shows. If you went to any other beach that is normally very busy during off season, you can still tell it’s a popular beach. There are signs everywhere: beach houses hugging the shore, bits of paper, cigarette butts, a uniform shore line.
And of course, humanity has left its mark here as well: the lighthouse, the jetty, even giant sandbags in the surf to aid with erosion. But these things are different than cigarette butts and houses. Cigarettes–and all litter, for that matter–are a sign of constant habitation, replenished daily. Houses are lived in or rented, a flurry of feet, caked with stolen sand, march up the wooden steps into the HVAC and on into the shower, where the sand is rinsed down the drain and into the sewers.
But there is no trace of that here. The closest house is a quarter mile behind you. The lighthouse remains, for most of the year, empty, and the jetties have become a part of the shore, with lichen and clams living on the faces of the rocks. The sandbags, perhaps the least romantic addition, have reached a certain spectral elegance as the raggedy bits undulate in the tide. These are abandoned constructions, and nature has had no problem taking them under her wing.
People go to the beach for many reasons whether that is to hang out with friends, to tan, to swim, to picnic, to fish. And you can do most of those things here, but many don’t. Perhaps it is the haunted feeling that places obtain when humanity withdraws. There is a certain discomfort to it, to sit and stare at a ruin, to watch as humanity and nature coalesce into an oddly perfect pairing.
I just know that as I departed, I couldn’t help but snap a few shots on my iPhone. The initial discomfort gave way to something else, and I wanted a picture to remind me that solitude is the key the rejuvenation, and there is solitude a plenty at the Edge of America.
I spent one weekend in Charleston and decided I wanted to move here. This was six years ago.
The reasons I decided to move here were countless including the historic quaint city feel, beaches, people, food and more, but what truly sat at the top of the list was the Cooper River Bridge. I even so much made the bold statement that I would marry the bridge if I could.
Today marks the 10th Anniversary of this iconic symbol of Charleston connecting Mount Pleasant with Charleston. As we all reflect on our personal memories of driving, jogging, biking, running and soaking in its beauty, we wanted to present some of our favorite images we have taken over the last few years.
Thank you for 10 beautiful years of representing Charleston.
There has been widespread emotion throughout the country and the world surrounding the tragic events that happened at 110 Calhoun Street on a fateful Wednesday evening. A rallying cry has been heard from coast to coast from religious leaders to academics to citizens who have been taken back by one unforgivable act.
We would like to share some of the personal thoughts and commentary shared in the last few weeks:
These are only a few of the opinion and thoughts coming in throughout the country. We wanted to share some of the media commentary in the aftermath of this tragic event.
It’s the dead of winter in Charleston and many of us are missing the beach, riding around with the convertible top down or simply being comfortable going about our daily lives. While it is certainly not “North Face” weather here on most winter days, despite the attire some Charlestonians wear, it is cold, rainy and gloomy. It can leave many of us depressed, unfortunately contributing to a surge in suicides in the springtime. The Charleston Daily recommends being proactive to fight the Winter gloom with the following tips.
1) Add some color to your life, or kitchen. Think about heading to your nearest paint or hardware shop and pour over the wide array of colors available. From Sunburst Yellow to Caribbean Blue, a color will likely call your name. Buy a gallon, a brush, and give your favorite room a new glow. If you can’t commit, sample paint colors are available for under $3. http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/explore-colors/sample-store/index.html
2) Make your own springtime. Garden centers have started displaying seeds and starter pods. My experience has been that most garden center employees, particularly those at Royall Ace Hardware on Coleman Boulevard, are enthusiastic about educating new gardeners. In just a few days, you may have adorable spouts of green herbs and flowers, in your own home.
3) Warm up around the fire. So many folks pass by the woodpile outside the grocery store without giving it a second thought. It’s easy to forget about the fireplace or fire pit in our own backyards. Consider buying a bundle and making a fire that friends and family can gather around. Safety first though… http://www.fireplaces.com/Fireplace-Safety.aspx
4) Get your own glow. While the risk of skin cancer is real with tanning beds and sunning at the beach, a spray tan holds little risk. Long gone are the days of the orange tinged “fake bake.” Some brilliant scientists have learned how to create a natural appearing tan for your sallow winter skin. The spray tan lasts for at least 7 days and can give you a huge confidence boost that may make these last two chilly months easier to bear. Lulu at Sun Station Tanning in Mount Pleasant can give you a great lesson in sunless tanning.
5) Don’t waste a pretty day on a colonoscopy. Take one of these gloomy days and spend it inside prepping for one of the most important preventative health exams you can offer yourself, a colonoscopy. Over 50? Get one. Have a first degree relative with colon cancer? You need one at age 40 or ten years earlier than their age at diagnosis. 1/20 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and it can be deadly if caught late. The good news is, many cases can be prevented with routine screening and surveillance colonoscopy. The procedure itself is not without risk, but I witness and perform this life-saving, routine procedure every day. For more info about risk, check out: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/moreinformation/colonandrectumcancerearlydetection/colorectal-cancer-early-detection-acs-recommendations
Have any other tips to fight off the gloom? Let us know.
by 
How often are you sitting with your best friends, that special someone, or your most awesome family over a bottle of wine thinking “Hey, we should paint something”. I mean Charleston one of the most scenic subjects in all the land. Its majestic sunsets, historic architecture, beautiful colors and unique Southern appeal make it the perfect subject to transfer to canvas.
Wine and Canvas Charleston – Traveling Art and Wine
During and after the performance, we observed our surroundings. The stage was ordained with steps of gold and cabaret style seating created an up close oval putting us inside the performance. The wall decor resembled an early 20th Century New York style skyscraper and the wait staff, in their welcoming poodle skirts and neck scarves filled our pallets with wine and champagne.
As the smooth taste of vodka warmed our spirits, I thought about the Charleston I have grown to love and the changing times. Part of me was happy and part bittersweet. A new era is upon us. We see it everyday and the closing of Blind Tiger is one of the symbols of a changing city.
