There is something definitely magical about taking a stroll through the streets of Charleston and taking in all the sights, sounds, and aroma of the city. The way to really see this city is by foot though a carriage ride should not be passed up when given the chance. I put together a quick list of things that immediately come to mind when visiting this great City.
1. The Market – This historic shopping venue has been around for quite some time and is always a fun three block stroll whether perusing beautiful sweet grass baskets, Charleston t-shirts, or some really off the wall hot sauce. The market has all sorts of knick knacks that appeal to just about anyone. The Market now has a new look and feel as it was recently in the summer of 2011.
2. Pralines – Those that walk down Market Street know what I mean. A stroll up and down the street and you will eventually capture a few good praline samples. The aroma of this delicious confection is enough to lure you into the shop. Pralines are a sweetness of the south that I am only too happy to enjoy.
3. Cemeteries and Churches – The history of this city would not be acknowledged without browsing the local churches and cemeteries found throughout the holy city. My walking tours of Charleston recall the round Huguenot church and St. Philips.
4. Ghost Tours – Our family has a strange fascination with the dark side of Charleston. We have succumbed to three or four walking ghost tours that are always a fun way to burn an hour after dining out in Charleston. Most of these tours are even suitable for children to enjoy.
5. Seafood – The restaurants are teeming with sensational seafood whether the destination is Hymans, Hanks, or the Charleston Crab House. My trip into Charleston once or twice during my vacation week always requires a seafood stop.
6. Cadets – Call it the west point of the south since the “War Between the States”. One is always going to see the traditional and sharp looking uniform of the local Citadel cadets walking the streets of Charleston.
7. Pineapple Fountain – This has been a destination for as long as I have been coming to Charleston the past ten years. This fountain situated on the waterfront is an excellent place for family pictures and for scenic walks along the bay.
8. Hominy Grill – This restaurant though not in the heart of the downtown Charleston area, is in my opinion one of the best stops for eats. The food is incredibly tasty and local. Eating outside in the courtyard even makes the meal more special. Don’t pass up an opportunity to catch a meal here. The chocolate pudding is to die for.
9. Southend Brewery – Okay, so I have had much better microbrews at other cities. A long afternoon spent shopping with the rest of our traveling company requires a reward of freshly brewed ale at Southend. The upstairs is apparently haunted and you may learn more about this upon participating in a ghost tour (See #4).
10. Sticky Fingers – Just down the street from Hyman’s. This restaurant is a chain that started in Tennessee and has grown quite a bit since. I love ribs and this place does them right. This is another must stop place for me to dine when I am in town. They even give you real terry cloth towels to capture the saucy mess. Yum!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
The House on Tradd Street by Karen White: A Review
At the urging of my wife and my appreciation for Charleston, I borrowed her book, The House on Tradd Street by Karen White. This mystery was a fairly quick read on my daily train ride into work as it was just over 300 pages. The book had its pro’s and con’s which I will elaborate on in a bit, but overall I would recommend it to those that love a good southern ghost tale with a little humor and southern charm mixed in. There is no plot spoiler here, so feel free to read on as I do not give too much away in my review.
One of the main benefits of this read was White’s ability to successfully transplant the reader to walking down the streets of Charleston whether on King, Meeting, or even Tradd streets. I always felt that the best time in Charleston can be spent with a “to go” cup of coffee and spending an evening walking through this great city. White spares no opportunity to mention the highlights of the city such as St. Michaels, the circular church, Copper River Bridge, and several local eateries such as Ansons and Jestines. She mentions the main character’s affinity to a local bakery known as Ruth’s, though I am unsure if this location is fictional or not.
White excels with the development of the main characters Melanie Middleton, and Jack Trenholm. Some could criticize Melanie’s rather brash or abrasive personality, but that is excusable considering her childhood past. Yes, Melanie is protective and guarded with emotions, though White skillfully plays out Melanie’s vulnerability a few times throughout the book during interactions with the Colonel (Melanie’s father) and even Jack Trenholm.
Jack Trenholm, author and Charlestonian takes an interest in the mystery of the house on Tradd and becomes a likable sort right from the beginning of the book. He comes off arrogant, though likable and becomes a good friend, borderline love interest of Melanie.
The other great attribute to this book was the ghost factor. The haunting of this home sounded quite typical of the ghost stories one will hear as they experience the bulldog ghost tours of Charleston. Most of the ghost stories in Charleston usually stem from tragedy involving parent to child losses or even love triangles that ended up in murder which pre-empted hauntings to occur. Karen White seems to hold true to that storyline and does a decent job of it.
Some of the things that could have been left out of the book were the historic name dropping in the book. I realize to this day, one can go through downtown Charleston and surrounding areas and still find descendants of the great Charleston names. White seemed to run up the tab with dropping the names of Middleton, Drayton, Vanderhorst, and a few others. I think the same effect could have been achieved with Smith, Walker, and Jones.
The side character development also appeared rather weak as Melanie’s best friend, a teacher at the college of Charleston came across as overly stereotyped as was the teacher/yoga instructor Chad that is Sophie’s friend. Their involvement to the book did not add too much significance and their quirkiness bordered on being a tad cheesy. Just my two cents.
Overall, I enjoyed Karen White’s The House on Tradd Street and found this read to be a good escape to almost being in Charleston; though without the desire of being in the presence of the supernatural.
One of the main benefits of this read was White’s ability to successfully transplant the reader to walking down the streets of Charleston whether on King, Meeting, or even Tradd streets. I always felt that the best time in Charleston can be spent with a “to go” cup of coffee and spending an evening walking through this great city. White spares no opportunity to mention the highlights of the city such as St. Michaels, the circular church, Copper River Bridge, and several local eateries such as Ansons and Jestines. She mentions the main character’s affinity to a local bakery known as Ruth’s, though I am unsure if this location is fictional or not.
White excels with the development of the main characters Melanie Middleton, and Jack Trenholm. Some could criticize Melanie’s rather brash or abrasive personality, but that is excusable considering her childhood past. Yes, Melanie is protective and guarded with emotions, though White skillfully plays out Melanie’s vulnerability a few times throughout the book during interactions with the Colonel (Melanie’s father) and even Jack Trenholm.
Jack Trenholm, author and Charlestonian takes an interest in the mystery of the house on Tradd and becomes a likable sort right from the beginning of the book. He comes off arrogant, though likable and becomes a good friend, borderline love interest of Melanie.
The other great attribute to this book was the ghost factor. The haunting of this home sounded quite typical of the ghost stories one will hear as they experience the bulldog ghost tours of Charleston. Most of the ghost stories in Charleston usually stem from tragedy involving parent to child losses or even love triangles that ended up in murder which pre-empted hauntings to occur. Karen White seems to hold true to that storyline and does a decent job of it.
Some of the things that could have been left out of the book were the historic name dropping in the book. I realize to this day, one can go through downtown Charleston and surrounding areas and still find descendants of the great Charleston names. White seemed to run up the tab with dropping the names of Middleton, Drayton, Vanderhorst, and a few others. I think the same effect could have been achieved with Smith, Walker, and Jones.
The side character development also appeared rather weak as Melanie’s best friend, a teacher at the college of Charleston came across as overly stereotyped as was the teacher/yoga instructor Chad that is Sophie’s friend. Their involvement to the book did not add too much significance and their quirkiness bordered on being a tad cheesy. Just my two cents.
Overall, I enjoyed Karen White’s The House on Tradd Street and found this read to be a good escape to almost being in Charleston; though without the desire of being in the presence of the supernatural.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Legend Oaks Golf Club in Summerville South Carolina: A Review
Summerville is a long drive from Kiawah and Seabrook (approximately one hour) but a scenic drive nonetheless. Within this pleasant community west of Charleston, lies Legend Oaks Golf Club located at 118 Legend Oaks Way in Summerville which is a straight shot down SC-61.Course was designed by team of Scott Pool and Pete Dye and features a few typical Pete Dye challenges (especially on back nine). Good old Pete likes to throw a trick at you here and there. The yardage measures 6,974 with a slope rating of 135. I played this course back in March of 2011 which made for a chilly round (upper 40’s/low 50’s rainy day) that forced us into the clubhouse for some coffee (too warm our hands) and a breakfast sandwich. The pro shop and snack bar people could not have been any nicer and the food was really decent.
The course is abound with plenty of rather ancient looking oak trees with no shortage of water hazards that appear teeming with egrets and gators. That being said, don’t bother retrieving that errant tee shot into the marshes or ponds. The rates range between thirty and fifty bucks from what I remember (depending upon residency, day of the week, etc). The price was right and the course was in tip top shape with respect to greens and fairways. My only hang-up with this course is the absence of a driving range to warm up which is really important when coming into a round rusty as I traveled from the cold northern climate of Chicago and had not played in about four months. It was not too surprising that my opening tee shot was wicked and required a mulligan.
The long trek to Legend Oaks from the Kiawah area makes it hard for me to give this course a high ranking as the roundtrip trek takes two hours. I am probably being unfair to this course because of my accommodations being so far away, but that is two vacation hours lost! Anyway the fact that I am saving quite a bit of money on greens fees compared to playing on a Kiawah course eases the driving distance inconvenience. I also have to give this course kudos for equipping the carts with GPS navigation system. How many times do you play a course and have a tough time finding a yardage marker? Problem solved here. When visiting the Charleston area, I would recommend a trip out to Legend Oaks Plantation for a round.
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