As the twin spires of
the Arthur Ravenel rose majestically into the air, marking our final approach
to Charleston we felt a sense of awe and wonder. There was an Emerald City mystique
after all to this beautiful place. I had been to the Holy City with my son
about a decade ago, before the Ravenel was opened and so this new sight just added
to the charm of Charleston. The city had made an indelible impression on me and
my son. Team VFH was happy to return and we giggled as we soared over the wide
Cooper River.
 |
| Charleston, SC |
Charleston is considered
to be one of the friendliest cities in the United States. It is the very
essence of Southern genteel hospitality. Everyone has a grace and a patience
that is rarely exhibited elsewhere.
The architecture is
opulent. The post and antebellum homes, some dating to the late 1700’s are
strikingly beautiful. Most feature side porches to readily catch the winds off
the Ashley and Cooper Rivers that meet at the Battery at Charleston Point. The
front doors that face the street are called “false doors” and only led to the
side porch. Every home has a well-tended, beautiful garden with lush growth.
Many have fountains. Towering church spires from several denominations, dot the
city showing off the history of this city’s religious tolerance and
perhaps giving Charleston its knick name, the Holy City.
The history is long in
Charleston. It was one of the wealthiest cities in the early years of the
United States, having first made money with rice; first cultivated by slaves
from west Africa who introduced and cultivated the grain; then Sea Island
Cotton. The wealth of the south and Charleston was dependent upon the slave
trade with nearly half of all human trafficking at the time going through the
city. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union, and it was
at Fort Sumter in the Charlotte harbor where the first shots of the civil war
were fired.
The city is for foodies
as well. A spirited debate over where the best shrimp and grits can be found is
endless and local critics will send you huffing all over town or to the sea
islands nearby, like Sullivan’s or Bowens. By the way, shrimp and grits is a
tasty stew with differing ingredients depending on the cook … or is that a
chef? And, another local dish Frogmore Stew, from the town of Frogmore with no
adult pollywogs in the mix, is very good too. Also called Lowcountry boil it
usually is shrimp and sausage and corn. And, perhaps dispelling the “Holy City”
imagery a bit, an innocent query about where to find the best dive bars is
answered quickly and with a broad smile. A favorite is given then one or two
more are thrown into the mix. Evidently there are more pubs in Charleston than
there are church spires, perhaps owed to the presence of pirates throughout
Charleston’s history. Restaurants like Husk and Hall’s Chop House, the Hominy
Grill and the Peninsula Grill are either featured on some Travel Channel
Destination or are extremely popular through word of mouth.
It is a younger city
too, uptown King Street has a vibrant crowd and there are several nightspots.
Closed For Business on King Street CLOSED FOR BUSINESS,
The Blind Tiger Pub on Broad and Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island are other
notables.
Dive bars like Big John’s and Henry’s on North Market Street and
Salty Mikes at the Charleston Marina are destinations too.
There are four breweries
in Charleston: Coast, which has a very good IPA called Hop Art; Holy City
Brewery; Palmetto, which makes a very good amber; and Southend Brewery on East
Bay Street.
So, given all these
interests, tourism is big business in Charleston, and for everything there is a
tour. There are harbor tours and a boat to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War
began. There is a museum and tour of the slave mart on Chalmers Street where
one can sigh heavily at this sorry time in our American history. There is the
Charles Towne Pub Crawl tour that is highly regarded and carters to those who
want to experience the seedier side of Charleston. And, as we hinted at
debauchery here, there is walking tour about pirate history in Charleston, led
by a pirate and his first mate, a chattering parrot on his shoulder. PIRATE TOUR
One can take a walking
culinary tour: CULINARY CHARLESTON
The annual home and
garden tour is held in April. Tickets for 2014 go on sale in November. ANNUAL GARDEN TOUR
One can tour the
historical area in an enclosed van or an open carriage tour. We opted for the
Palmetto Carriage Works:
Our tour led by Sam, and his two co-workers, a couple of big mules, was leisurely
and informative. Sam was funny and answered questions patiently as we trundled
through the lower part of the town down King Street and the Battery. And, a
question about dive bars was immediately answered with a knowing smile and a
finger pointed in the direction of Big John’s.
Hotels are expensive in
Charleston, but, thankfully Janet loves doing the research in seeking out the
best deals. She triangulates her efforts, starting first with Trip Advisor, and
then reading further reviews from Open Table and Urban Spoon. Only then does
she make a decision over where Team VFH spends its nickels. I know I couldn’t
put such an effort into the planning!
We spent a little bit
more in Charleston, but the Kings Courtyard Inn on King Street was worth it. We
could have gone to the outskirts of town or across one of the rivers for
cheaper versions of a night’s stay, but the Kings Courtyard bed and breakfast
offered so many amenities like cheaper parking, and wine every evening at 5,
complimentary breakfasts and sherry later in the evening, that it proved a good
choice. We were close enough to the historical areas to walk; Market Street was
around the corner and the Battery was about a mile. The rooms were small, but
neat. We had a four poster bed with a canopy that overlooked the commerce of
King Street.
One major piece of
advice before I leave you today is get to happy hours early. Competition for bar
stools can be withering. We’re bar sitters after all. We feel we get better
service and we get to chat with all of humanity that way. Our pub crawl in
Charleston our first day was planned to culminate with Pearlz on 153 East Bay
Street. Janet had triangulated her research about their happy hour offerings. A
dozen oysters went for $10 and the prices for small plates and half priced
drinks were phenomenal. Mahi Tacos were just 7 and beers $2.50. The martinis
were normally priced though…at $7. As we kept ordering food and drink we became
more and more painfully aware of people swirling around us looking to pounce on
our stools. By the time we left the place was throbbing with business and there
was a line out the door for tables.
 |
| Pearlz |
Everywhere we saw lines
for places. People were lined up outside Toast on Meeting Street daily. Hyman’s
and Sticky Fingers were also popular waiting lines. We never got into Husk, we
kept missing their cut off for lunch. Dinner would have been impossible to get
into without reservations.
No comments:
Post a Comment