Lifestyle

Charleston has a rich tradition of community service, volunteerism and charity. Throughout the area, you can see these partnerships everywhere on billboards, businesses, sporting teams and media. It is such a wonder to see this commitment throughout the Lowcountry. Thank you for all that give generously of their time and money. If you want to learn more about ways you can help, here is a full list of charities and non-profits in Charleston County.

A

• ALS Association South Carolina Chapter – helping people and their families live with ALS while researching for a cure
• American Red Cross – Carolina Lowcountry Chapter – disaster assistance
• Association for the Blind – supporting children and adults living with blindness and visual impairment

B

• Be a Mentor – North Charleston – connects kids with adult mentors
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Carolina Youth Development Center – mentoring program that matches adult volunteers and children ages 6-16
• Bridge of Hope – offers afterschool programs for children and GED programs for adults

C

• Camp Happy Days – hosts a summer camp for children battling cancer
• Carolina Children’s Charity – financial assistance for children with birth defects or diseases
• Carolina Studios – after-school program where children learn to create and record music using digital media
• Carolina Youth Development Center – healing services for children who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, or have severe emotional disorders
• Center for Women – seminars, support services, and professional development for women
• Charleston Area Children’s Garden Project – community-based outdoor learning experience
• Charleston County Human Services Commission – provides housing, emergency services, education, employment, and child care for low-income families
• Charleston County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad – offers support to local fire and police agencies when needed with resources and/or manpower
• Charleston Friends of the Library – advocates for enhancing the Charleston County Public Library System
• Charleston Habitat for Humanity – builds affordable housing
• Charleston Junior Woman’s Club – dedicated to community improvement through volunteerism
• Charleston Miracle League – baseball teams for children with physical and mental challenges
• Charleston Moves – works for a safe, bicycle and walk friendly region
• Charleston Peace – social and environmental activism group
• Charleston Port and Seafarers’ Society – assisting international crews while they are in port
• Chase After a Cure – a 501c3 Non Profit Corporation dedicated to children’s cancer research. We raise awareness for children’s cancer and provide funding for research labs who specialize in children’s cancer research. We provide funding specifically for the only childhood cancer research lab in the state of SC.
• Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry – engaging young children’s potential by inviting families of all to explore environments and experiences that spark imagination and curiosity.  Volunteer opportunities such as special events, outreach events throughout the community, art room volunteer, preparing for projects and programs, executing art activities, reading books to children, tending the garden, maintaining exhibits and admin tasks
• Coastal Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America
• Coastal Community Foundation – issues public grants
• Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy – pastoral care, counseling for employees and families of law enforcement and emergency service agencies
• Communities In Schools of the Charleston Area – dropout prevention program
• Corpus Callosum – sparks learning through experiences in the arts and sciences
• Courageous Kidz – encouraging children that are battling cancer
• Crime Stoppers of the Lowcountry – works to involve the public to fight to identify, prevent, solve, and reduce crime

D

• Darkness to Light – fights child sexual abuse
• Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center – provides services for child abuse victims and their families

E

• East Cooper Community Outreach – Mount Pleasant – provides emergency assistance and social services for low income neighbors
• East Cooper Habitat for Humanity – builds affordable housing
• East Cooper Meals on Wheels – Mount Pleasant – delivers daily nutrition to residents who are unable to provide their own meals
• EMPOWERR Program – provides HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention programs for teens

F

• Family Services, Inc. – North Charleston – services include credit counseling, debt management, homebuyer education, family violence intervention, and bankruptcy counseling
• Fields to Families – Mount Pleasant – distributing fresh produce to area hunger prevention organizations
• For the Exceptional – making a difference in the lives of those with disabilities
• Friends of MUSC Children’s Hospital – raises funds for and enhance community awareness of the exceptional care delivered at MUSC Children’s Hospital

G

• Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina – provides girls 5-17 programs that build responsibility, leadership, and decision-making skills
• Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina – provides job training and help finding employment

H

• HALOS, Helping And Lending Outreach Support – helps abused and neglected victims served by the Charleston County Department of Social Services
• Helping the Underprivileged Grow – hosts fundraisers with proceeds going to local charities
• The Homeownership Resource Center – provides homeownership and financial literacy education
• Humanities Foundation – provides affordable housing

I

• Increasing HOPE – North Charleston – financial education
• ITNCharlestonTrident – North Charleston – provides transportation for seniors

J

• Junior Achievement of Coastal South Carolina – K12 economic success programs
• Junior Girls Day Out Community Project – self-esteem, literacy and healthy living programs for girls ages 6-12
• Junior League of Charleston – all female fundraising and volunteer organization

K

• KARS Institute – Mt Pleasant – provides training, resources, and opportunities for collaboration for nonprofits, organizations, and individuals

L

• Ladies Enriching the Community – enhances the community through education, economic development,and cultural empowerment
• Liberty Hill Improvement Council – North Charleston – increases literacy of students reading below their grade level in the Liberty Hill Community
• LifeManagement Center – assists individuals and families with learning disabilities and ADHD
• Lincolnville Volunteer Rescue Squad – provides basic life support emergency care for life threatening injuries or illnesses prior to the arrival of EMS
• Louie’s Kids – fights childhood obesity
• Low Country Orphan Relief – meets the needs of abandoned, abused, and neglected children and intervenes where government aid ends
• Lowcountry AIDS Services – HIV/AIDS prevention, counseling, and help finding treatment
• Lowcountry Autism Consortium – helps families, friends, and professionals who support individuals on the autism spectrum
• Lowcountry Crisis Pregnancy Center – North Charleston – provides medical services, referrals, and assistance with unplanned pregnancies
• Lowcountry Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy – horse assisted therapy for at-risk children
• Lowcountry Food Bank – feeds the poor and hungry by soliciting and distributing healthy food and groceries plus educates the public about the problems of and solutions to hunger
• LUVnLUGZ – provides rides for low-income families to visit their incarcerated loved ones

M

• MUSC Children’s Hospital Volunteer Services – variety of volunteer opportunities available to adults and students over the age of 16
• My Sister’s House – assists victims of domestic violence and their children

N

• Neighbor To Family – North Charleston – places abused and neglected children with their siblings in safe and stable foster homes

O

• One-Eighty Place – homeless shelter
• Operation Home – North Charleston – making critical home repairs for low-income residents
• Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services – Johns Island – provides educational, health, and direct outreach services to people in need

P

• Palmetto Palace – helps with lodging, transportation, and meals for those in need with a family member in a hospital
• Pattison’s Academy – Mt. Pleasant – serves children with severe or multiple handicaps
• People Against Rape – Charleston – assists adult victims of sexual assault in the tri-county area
• Project Healing Waters – Charleston – dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.

R

• Rein & Shine – Awendaw – uses horses to heal children and adults with physical, mental, and emotional limitations
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston – provides a comfortable “home away from home” where families can stay while their child is hospitalized
• Rotary Club of Charleston – participates in local and global service projects
• Rural Mission – Johns Island – assists sea-island families, including migrant workers, with health care, crisis intervention, and educational programs

S

• Safe Moves – family violence resource center
• Saluting Sacrifices – James Island – recognizes the sacrifices our service members’ spouses and loved ones
• The Salvation Army of Charleston – provides social service programs for those living in poverty
• Sertoma Club of Charleston – helps less fortunate individuals
• South Carolina Blue Ribbon Council – raises awareness of child abuse and neglect
• South Carolina Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program – Charleston County – voices for children in foster care

T

• Teacher’s Supply Closet – gives teachers in six Title 1 schools supplies for their classrooms and students
• Tricounty Blue Star Mothers – Goose Creek – supports America’s active troops and veterans
• Tricounty Family Ministries – North Charleston – provides vital services to the less fortunate in the Tricounty area
• Trident Literacy Association – North Charleston – increases literacy with instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, English as a Second Language, GED preparation, and basic computer use
• Trident United Way – programs to address education, financial stability, and health needs in the community

U

• US Vet Corps Resources – helps Veterans, first responders, and their families in their transition from active service to civilian life

V

• Veterans on Deck – aids Veterans that struggle returning to a civilian society

W

• Water Missions International – works to bring water and sanitation to developing countries
• West Ashley Optimist Club – develops optimism as a philosophy of life
• Windwood Family Services – Awendaw – therapeutic intervention for abused and neglected boys
• WINGS for Kids – social and emotional learning after school
• Without Walls Ministry – alliance of local churches, organizations, businesses reaching out to people in need

Y

• YMCA of Greater Charleston – personal development through healthy living programs
• Yo Art Project – mentors teach inner-city youth computer and art skills
• Y20 – Folly Beach – getting youth on the water
• YWCA of Greater Charleston – empowering women through programs for women and children

*Note:  Information provided courtesy of sciway.net (South Carolina Information Highway)

Good day to the wonderful community of Charleston. We would like to begin by thanking each and every one of you for making Charleston, SC an amazing place to live and work.  Being such a warm and engaged community is a reward in and of itself. Our channel of communities will continue to  grow based on the knowledge sharing, partnerships and resource exchange.  As we grow, networking and partnership will be even more critical.

We see local and large businesses working together every day and we want that culture to continue to thrive.

We thought we would provide you with some resource links to bookmark and keep you informed on the evolution of the Lowcountry.  They may also open up some doors of possibility:

• Charleston Young Professionals
• Charleston Daily (Local Profiles, Businesses, Retirement, Photography, Food Reviews)
• Women at Work Charleston
• Charleston Networking Meetup Groups
• Small Business Charleston Resource Network
• Charleston Regional Business Journal
• Service Corps of Retired Executives – Charleston
• Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
• Charleston SC Networking Social and Business Networking / Network Groups
• Lowcountry Local First

These are excellent resources to help you grow and expand your professional network in Charleston. We hope you take some time and find value on these links.

Downtown Charleston is home to several corner stores but few have the rich history that Charlie’s Grocery  does. Opened in 1996 by Charlie Dabit, the Jasper Street grocery store has kept nearby residents and college students in stock with the essentials and more. Anyone who has ever experienced Charlie’s knows there is an impressive deli within. Beyond the Boar’s Head and large selection of homemade salads and jumbo pickles, there is one of Charleston’s most delicious treats, falafel. While falafel can be found at a few restaurants downtown and beyond, Charlie’s is arguably the best. The Charleston Daily (CD) sat down with Abe, Charlie’s eldest son who is now at the helm of day to day operations. We talked history, falafel and the future.

CD: Tell me about Charlie’s.

Abe: Charlie’s is our family’s store. We have been in business going on 18 years in April. The Jasper Street store was opened in April of 1996 and we recently opened a second store at the corner of Spring and Rutledge.

CD: Looks like you are running the Jasper Street store now. Where is Mr. Charlie?

Abe: My father is still around. Every morning he is at our Spring Street location. He’s very much a part of the business still. He has given a lot of the responsibility to me and my brother though.

CD: Enough small talk. Tell me about the falafel.

Abe: (laughing) What do you want to know?

CD: What makes it so great? Whose recipe is it?

Abe: It’s just really fresh. The falafel is my mother’s family’s recipe and it hasn’t changed. It’s really simple. There is a basic ratio of chickpeas, onions, cilantro, and spices but there is no real measuring. It’s based on taste.

CD: So it’s a secret…. Would you ever considering opening a restaurant?

Abe: Yeah, especially with Middle Eastern food including falafel. Charleston kind of lacks in that area, but we have a few places around like Tabbuli and Manny’s. We have definitely considered opening a restaurant.

CD: What is the strangest thing a customer has requested?

Abe: That’s a toughie… Actually, pig’s feet! We used to carry them in jars. We had to talk my father into dropping them. People would request them, and there you are, reaching in, grabbing a pig’s foot, stuffing it in a bag and sending them on their merry way. Disgusting.

CD: What is the biggest challenge Charlie’s has experienced?

Abe: Finding trustworthy, good help. My father is very old fashioned. It’s very difficult to walk away and allow someone else to do this job.

CD: What does Charlie’s mean to your family?

Abe: Charlie’s is ours and we take care of it like it is a child. It’s everything to us.

On that note, I dove into the falafel pita Abe had carefully prepared for me. The pita was generously stuffed with flattened orbs of fried falafel and refreshing cubes of cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. The falafel were crispy on the outside and tender inside. Where so many falafel are dense, these were light and bouncy. The optional hot sauce was no joke, even for me. The creamy hummus was a welcome option and it gave the sandwich a layer of depth that made it a satisfying meal. This falafel, like the many others I have enjoyed from Charlie’s, was perfection.

Charlie’s original corner store and deli is located at 1 Jasper Street. Charlie’s second location is open at Spring and Rutledge. Their hours are Monday – Saturday 9am-8pm and Sunday 10am -6pm. Falafel and other sandwiches can be ordered ahead from the Jasper Street location by calling: (843) 853-0351

As I walk the streets of Charleston turning down the cobblestone of the French Quarter, I can hear faint sounds of journeyman and poets through the walls of the historic buildings.  For centuries, Charleston has defined romanticism with passionate simplicity and elegance.  It is a city blessed with church steeples and architecture that dates back to the early colonists escaping religious persecution for a better life.  It is in their sweat and blood that we can now smell the fragrance of flowers, freedom and community.

Written word and song from lover to lover, performer to fans, dreamers to visionaries and leaders to supporters has been the capstone of our foundation in Charleston.  From Gershwin to Poe, Charleston has housed some of the most creative minds in American history.

As a poet and a writer, Charleston showers me with inspiration each and every day.

My love for this town inspired the following poem:

This is Charleston

It is a rainbow of infinite memories
From the early settlers to the pioneers of tomorrow

Sailboats raise a symbol to the sky as the wind guides them offshore creating a finely stitched canvas of white clouds and ocean blue

From the tips of the church steeples reaching to the heavens, to the remains of our forefathers resting in the sacred burials, Charleston is a blessing and gift

In its wonder, we are taken back in time to cobblestone roads, horse drawn carriages and southern hospitality as sweet as nectar on pecan pie

Once a shipping ground for slavery and inequality; now a harmonious settlement of integration, culture, dining and hospitality

Each morning, the sun rises over the harbor and welcomes a new day with open arms

Streets filled with life, the sound of music and aromas to warm the soul

This is Charleston

It is home to the world

Defining a global appeal, an artist sees a city with a marriage of nature and skyline beauty becoming one
Painting in his head a true masterpiece
Now this canvas, resting peacefully on the coast, is laden in strokes of reds and blues
Always in flux as patrons pay homage to the city we love

This is Charleston

From the laughter of the children in the fountain, to the love of an elderly couple embracing on the sand, this is heart of all that is good

This is Charleston; where the heart of the South reminds you of the beauty of life

After performing at various events in Charleston including Jailbreak 2014, East Bay Meeting House and The 827 Center and hosting spoken word open mic events at How Art Thou Cafe, it is clear that there is incredible talent in this community.  Recently, I published my third collection of poetry and the last collection has been exclusively inspired by the people, places and experiences of this place I call home.  Poetry is often hidden in the shadows due to its intimacy and personal nature.  It is disguised as music, composition, storytelling, acting and written word.

Poetry is a personal emotion that is shared from one to another.

I have often said that poetry is one of the greatest risks you can take in your life.  It is ability to become emotionally naked to everyone around you and let them inside your deepest personal thoughts and feelings.  That is the true core of poetry.

Being honored as the number one city in the world and the nicest city in the United States is not just an honor we carry in a magazine article or a plaque, but a way of life.

Just months before his passing of terminal cancer, the legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano said, “If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”  That line has stayed with me for 21 years and in all my travels it has never rang more true than in Charleston.  There isn’t a day that goes by without a stranger saying hello or smiling at you.  In times of need, this community rallies like no other.

If you ever find yourself walking down the street alone, thinking and then sitting on a dock watching one of our magical sunsets, you will have experienced visual poetry.

I hope each one of you finds that internal strength to open up your emotional window and let people in.  Each day, you should laugh, cry and think and most importantly, write down how you feel.  Someday, those words will inspire another generation.

If you would like to read more of my personal thoughts, my door is always open at Recruiterpoet Blog and if you see me on the street, say hello.  I may read you a poem.

Charleston is a craft beer heavenly oasis. It is a marriage made to last. The synergies between our careful community spirit and the flavorful zest of a good pint of craft beer is priceless.

The next time you are sitting outside at Bohemian Bull, Bay Street Biergarten or My Father’s Mustache, you know where your local beer is coming from.

What makes Charleston and craft beer such a special combination is that it is much more than the beer. Along with tours, there are even yoga classes, pot luck fundraisers, tastings and so much more. Craft beer in Charleston is its own tourist attraction. Come and see….

Breweries

• Coast Brewing – 1250 2nd St. North, North Charleston, S.C. 29405
• Holy City Brewing – 4155 C Dorchester Road, North Charleston, SC 29405
• Westbrook Brewing – 510 Ridge Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
• The Frothy Beard Brewing Company – 7358 Peppermill Parkway, Suite B, North Charleston, SC 29418
• Palmetto Brewing Company – 289 Huger St., Charleston, SC 29403
• Southend Brewery and Smokehouse – 161 East Bay St., Charleston, SC 29401
• Edmund’s Oast – 1081 Morrison Drive, Charleston, SC
• Freehouse Brewery – 2895 Pringle Street, Suite B, Charleston, SC
• Tradesman Brewing Company – 1639 Tatum Street, Charleston SC
• Revelry Brewing – 10 Conroy Street, Charleston SC
• Cooper River Brewing Company – 2201-B Mechanic Street, Charleston, SC
• Low Tide Brewing – 2863 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC

Bottle Shops / Craft Beer Havens

• Charleston Beer Exchange – 14 Exchange St., Charleston, SC 29401
• House of Brews – 1537-C Ben Sawyer Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
• Ted’s Butcherblock – 334 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC 29406
• Craft Conundrum – 630-A Skylark Drive, West Ashley, SC 29407

Events

• Brewvival – Annual
• Ballpark Festival of Beers – Annual
• Charleston Brews Cruise – Ongoing
• “The Original” Pub and Brewery Tours of Charleston – Ongoing
• Charleston Beer Week – Annual Event

Check out the websites to learn more about tours and other events.

Bring the taste of Charleston home today.

*Charleston Craft Beer Blog

Fishing, jet-skiing, tubing, skiing, swimming, wakeboarding, camping, hunting, eating, and relaxing.

It’s that time of the year again. The weather is hot and the water is cool, which means lakeside parks like Somerset, Overton and Short Stay on lakes Moultrie and Marion are in full swing. For those who are unfamiliar with the lakes, they are located on the shores of Upper Berkeley County, just a cool 30 minutes from Downtown Charleston. Every weekend, hundreds of boaters are beaching on “Coon Island” to enjoy a little bit of lake life. Almost certainly, a few of them will enjoy it so much they will spend the weekend out there camping. Once dawn breaks, meals will be prepared over a campfire, beverages will be consumed and a typical day on the lake will be underway.

Children will be slung around on tubes behind pontoon boats, screaming with joy while holding on for dear life. Jet skiers spontaneously “race” each other without any word or mention of a start or finish. Skiers, wakeboarders, and kneeboarders glide around, unhindered from every worldly stress except the painful fall that is soon to come. After everyone works up an appetite playing on the lakes, they could visit one of the several restaurants conveniently located nearby. The catfish nuggets at any of these locally owned destinations are always heavenly.

Speaking of fish, the lake’s main attraction is the award winning fish it produces.

Daily, whether there is rain, sleet, or hail, someone is casting a line into the Santee Cooper lake system. And who could blame them? State record bass, catfish and bream have all been caught in the Lowcountry lake system. This is probably what has prompted the rise of the various fishing tournaments that are held on the lakes. Year round, bass and catfish tournaments are held with cash prizes as large as $10,000.

If catching prize-winning fish isn’t your forte, there are dozens of fishing tours that could help even the most unskilled angler land a big one. If you get the opportunity to sail out with one of the lake’s fishing veterans, you are almost guaranteed to land a sizeable fish. If you have not gotten to experience the incredible feeling of winding in a largemouth bass, participate in a tour as soon as possible. You will quickly find out why so many people spend their past-time on a lake.

So get out and about Charleston! There is so much beauty out there to continue to experience. And now you can take us with you. We have Charleston Daily bumper stickers for sale so that you can spread the love throughout Charleston. We appreciate each one of you!

Written by Charleston Daily’s blogger Hayden Grooms.

The climb into a prop plane that rises fast into the sky like the adrenaline pumping through your body. The little plane circles in quick loops higher and higher to reach the right elevation point. The moment of truth to jump or to have the flight of shame back to the ground. You tuck your arms into your chest close your eyes and on three, you’re free falling. Then the wind starts rushing past you blocking out all other noises except your thrilled screams. Limbs spread out and it will be the closest feeling to flying that you will ever have, until the next time you do this, that you have already decided you must. The jerk of the chute stopping you in the air for a split second making your plummet to the ground turn into a float to earth. Then lifting your feet so your tandem guide can bring you onto the grassy field with a jolt to your bum and it’s all over in a flash. All that’s left to do is strip off your gear and digest that you just checked off skydiving from your bucket list.

All that thrill and rush was NOT for me. I get my thrills from flying down a mountain on my bike, or finding the perfect cheese to go with a new wine. I’m too much of a control freak and a scaredy cat to go tandem skydiving. My boyfriend on the other hand says bring it on.

So thanks to a living social coupon we rose early on Saturday and, with our rare nasty treat of Bojangels chicken and biscuit permeating my truck, we headed out for my man’s thrilling adventure again. On our first attempt to dive the winds picked up and it was too dangerous to send a man out of a plane at 10,000 feet, but this time we just knew it was going to happen. We had the drill down and brought chairs, beverages and reading entertainment. You might be scheduled for 10:00 am but that really interprets into sometime this afternoon. The crew works quickly and efficiently but only three teams at a time can fit into the tiny plane, then getting to elevation, fueling, it all adds up to… be patient dude you get to jump out of a plane today. It was a beautiful afternoon and I was able to bring my dog so I settled in for catching a tan, reading a book on my bucket list and letting Hagan romp through the grassy fields and get belly rubs from all the anxious clients.

My man was signed up and went through the safety video quickly, the weather was sunny and breezeless and the packs of three cycled through until it was GO time. I watched with a tight stomach of nerves as they strapped the heavy harness over his shoulders and around his legs and just like that he was in the sky. I had one eye on the plane and another on my phone that kept lighting up with his mother’s worried texts, and then he appeared, a little dot high in the air. What felt like seconds to him was drawn-out eternity for me. When is the chute going to open! It finally did and he swooshed down in large circles to the ground with no incident. He was thrilled with the experience and ready to sign up again, hell ready to learn solo jumping. My man was ready to jump every day.

Are you ready for the rush? Just an easy drive to the small town of Andrews you too can check off that “I always wanted to do that” from your list. Don’t be a baby like me and take a very safe chance to skydive with some awesome guys from SC Skydiving.

Want to see what it’s all about? Ride along!

Written by contributing adventurist & writer Tatiana Fisher

I could see it, those little kids just plain bored only allowed to sit in the courtyard, innocent enough, boys being boys- fire is cool. I could see it, those pig-tailed girls pattering around us, their snow white feet dancing around right under our paranormally blind eyes. A bolder one tapping her cherub fingers teasingly on my boyfriend’s arm. She was right there, according to Hope our Seer. I could hear the voices of the seven little girls, playing Ring Around the Rosie, singing “ashes, ashes” in that courtyard. College freshman went running by us, giggling and excited about Friday night freedom, alive and loud, breaking the moment, but not chasing away my goose bumps.

I had a very cool apartment in the Faubourg Marigny, before I knew it was cool to be in the Marigny in New Orleans. I shared a balcony with a black cape, top hat wearing tour guide. On sunny afternoons, we would enjoy each other’s company out on our little veranda with some cold Abita brews. Laughing off stress as we tried to one-up each other on Quarter Touron experiences. My twinkly-eyed, drama major neighbor would always push me to come to his haunted tour.

When my family came to visit the single, childless, black sheep, living in the original city of sin, I tried to play the “look me and my city are not so bad” card. I signed us all up for the French Quarter horror tour. Those stories of a lover freezing on a rooftop and the poor slave girl chained to a stove, burning to death will stick in my memory forever. I was impressed with his theatrics and storytelling. I was thrilled to take my family on a safe, non-sordid adventure. My neighbor, with his flash and charm, did a great job with a script.

I thought I knew what I was getting into when we went to take a downtown tour in Charleston. My boyfriend and his brother have a little bit of a hard on for Walks in History. It’s their go-to for visitors or date night fun. One reason they like the tour is because they recognize a local kid from James Island. The boys can appreciate and support the hard work and rigorous time-consuming research it must have taken to glean out the history that would give you shivers.

Geordie isn’t full of theatrics and his tour was “just the facts, ma’am”. Sometimes, the truth itself is scary. I loved how adding the spirit medium, Hope, brought it to a new level. From a guy telling you this place has ghosts, to Hope telling you where they are standing and how those ghosts are feeling.

My tour with Walks in History was very different than the one I drug my family to. Geordie is a treasure trove of facts about Charleston. He has written six books (going on seven) about his beloved city and it’s impossible to rattle him with a question he can’t answer related to his specialty. This is Geordie sharing his hard work, not an actor hired by a company. Instead of teaching a college course about his history buff-ness, he self-started his own business to share his passion with you.

Jay Leno used to have an on-the-street quiz about what people knew about US history. These people always failed miserably. Don’t fail your city, get a little smarts about our amazing ghost-filled downtown. How cool would it be to walk by the Embassy Suites and blurt about its sordid past, like the local you want to be? So get out, support local and enjoy your fascinating city with Walking Tours.

Hope and Geordie will be doing another tour together on March 2^nd. Limited spots available and fill quickly. Reservations required.

Written by Tatiana Fisher, contributing writer

Do you remember when you registered for your first library card? The nice lady with the blue veined hands and a tissue stuffed in her sleeve placed that ticket to independence into your eager tiny little palm. Your world was blown open! You discovered ALL the Berenstain Bears books and played hours of Oregon Trail! Later in life, using that card to fill your obsession with Dean Koontz horror, stalking the stacks to find a new novel to scare the wits out of you. I have a warm and fuzzy for public libraries. So much that I transformed from a spunky Bourbon Street bartender, playing a tambourine on top of a bar to having my feet planted firmly on the carpet in a more civilized environment checking out books to those bright eyed children, with less emergency tissue. It’s an extreme change, but now I find peace wandering through my stacks of old friends. Our libraries provide great books, from crazy Christopher Moore to the “how to salvage your life- for idiots”, the latest DVD’s, and even internet access when your laptop crashes.

I was happy to see that one of my customized indoor/bad weather choices from On Purpose Dating was to go hang out at the library and play hide and seek. I love that On Purpose supports local and really what better place to witness the slice of life that is your city than at the library.

Since joining the family at Charleston Daily, I have had the opportunity to meet some remarkable characters of our city. One of those is Ben from On Purpose Adventures. One conversation with Ben will have you thinking, “Why am I not doing more with my life like this guy?” This fella is busy doing amazing things in our little city including a zombie run, a radio show, adventure outings and his latest endeavor- helping you have a fabulous date.

His company’s core belief is that “the body craves adventure and the soul needs purpose”- hence On Purpose Adventure! As someone that believes you need to follow your dreams and fill your soul, not a bank account, I was immediately on board. I was excited to have the opportunity to take part of On Purpose dating.

Whether you are planning for a first date or a several year anniversary, dating is a great option to get out of your element and take advantage of original Charleston ventures. Is anyone really impressed with dinner and a movie anymore? You fill out an easy questionnaire and, in short order, Ben and his team email you customized date options. This service is for everyone from the low-cash-flow couch potato to the has-money-to-impress adventure junkie.

My man and I are the poor… or maybe…“budget savvy” active couple, and we were set up with some great ideas, catered specifically to our creative outdoor selves. This cold weather is crippling me. I have been absolutely miserable, but for the sake of writing inspiration my go-go-go boyfriend drug me from hibernation, underneath the warmth of goose down, to try our indoor date option, and we headed downtown to the Charleston County library on Calhoun. I decided to take the suggested hide and seek idea one step further.

I challenged us each to make a romantic confession, finding each word out of a different book. With a little PDA between the stacks- because really, who hasn’t wanted to play out that fantasy? We eventually found our love line, swapped clues and set off to piece together our original declaration of love to each other.

My first clue for my man: “This Nobel peace prize winner took over as my #1 author after I read his American masterpiece about a family trying to survive in California during the great depression. He also took a classic tale for a new spin. I wonder if Mallory would like it. Page 56 line 4.” This was probably too easy, but I had to give the non-reading fella a break, right?

I got a little tear in my eye when I pieced together my line, found from greats spanning from Shakespeare to Chuck Palunchuck. It was a wonderful way to spend a cold afternoon in a warm, funky building. Thanks to On Purpose Dating, we were inspired to make a unique and memorable day that we will never forget, in our local library.

If you’re looking for something fresh to do with your loved one, a group excursion or team building for your office staff, On Purpose Adventure can put it together for you. So get out, support local and enjoy your fascinating city folks.

To get your customized date just email Ben- info@onpurposeadventures.com subject DATE PLANNING

By: Tatiana Fisher, contributing writer