“What’s New” In The Charleston, SC Area Spring 2008
For Immediate Release, February 2008
NEW HONORS & AWARDS Southern Living magazine’s January edition features the Readers’ Choice Awards, in which several honors go to the Charleston, SC area. In competition with other southern destinations, Charleston was once again named Favorite Southern City by readers of the popular magazine. Honors also include top billing for best shopping. Magnolia’s Restaurant was named No. 2 Splurge Restaurant. Hyman’s and Hank’s were named No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the Seafood Restaurant category.
Orbitz.com has named Charleston a Top 10 Winter Destination. The Holy City placed 6th on the list, and is the only winter destination that isn’t in Hawaii, Florida or California. The results were based on the percentage of growth in hotel bookings on Orbitz.com
Travel + Leisure’s 2008 World’s Best List included many Charleston area properties including: Charleston Place, Planters Inn, Wentworth Mansion, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Boardwalk Inn at Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms, Woodlands Resort & Inn.
For the fifth consecutive year, Mobil Travel Guide bestowed upon Woodlands Resort & Inn and The Dining Room at Woodlands its most coveted rating – the Mobil Five-Star Award. This award maintains Woodlands’ elite status of being one of only three properties in North America currently to hold a Mobil Five-Star rating for both lodging and dining. For more on the property, restaurant and award visit http://www.woodlandsinn.com
In other five-star award news, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island has been named a five-star property for the first time since it opened in 2004. Mobil also recognized The Sanctuary’s spa with its separate Five-Star rating for hotel spas, making it only the third spa to achieve this designation. With this new honor, Kiawah Island Golf Resort becomes the first property in North America to have a Mobil Five-Star hotel and a golf course (The Ocean Course) rated five stars by Golf Digest. For more visit http://www.kiawahresort.com
Properties that received four Mobil stars include: Charleston Place. Restaurants graced with four star honors are: The Ocean Room at The Sanctuary, Charleston Grill, Peninsula Grill and Circa 1886.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS The Museum Mile exists as almost precisely a mile-long stretch that features stops at the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, the Charleston Museum, the Gibbes Museum of Art, the South Carolina Historical Society, the Old Slave Mart Museum, the Washington Light Infantry and more. "Once it's recognized ... it will be an area like any of the definitive areas of Charleston," said John Brumgardt, executive director of the Charleston Museum, which is leading the effort. For updated information on this ongoing project, continue to check http://www.charlestoncvb.com
The Charleston Green Committee has been formed by Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. and City Council to provide leadership and practical solutions to ensure a prosperous community that will sustain healthy lives for citizens and a healthy earth. For more information, call 843.724.3746 or email: charlestongreen@ci.charleston.sc.us.
Nestled on 14 stunning acres along the Ashley River, Lowndes Grove is an unmatched combination of indoor and outdoor space. A historic renovation led by skilled artisans is underway and is being led by Glenn Keyes. The project will return the peninsula’s last great waterfront estate to its original splendor. As premier event space and estate accommodations, Lowndes Grove is now under the new ownership of Patrick Properties. For more visit www.lowndesgrove.com or call 843.723.8438.
Duvall Catering and Event Design will celebrate their 30-year anniversary and launch a re-branding campaign at a February 21 event in Charleston. Stay tuned for the biggest re-branding news to hit the Charleston catering scene in quite some time. http://www.eventsbyduvall.com
For the first time in modern history, Drayton Hall and Magnolia Plantation have come together to encourage visitors to the Ashley River district to experience plantation life in the early colonies through their combined social, architectural, and horticultural history. Now, guests can save $5 off every adult admission when they purchase a combination ticket priced at only $24. The ticket is good for two days and includes basic admission to both gates and extensive access to both properties. Ticket holders also receive 10% off their purchases at both gift shops. Check out http://www.plantationsofcharleston.com for more
Scientists working to preserve the historic H.L. Hunley submarine may soon discover what the crew was doing during their final moments before they died in 1864. Conservators have removed the aft (back) pump to prepare the submarine for its preservation treatment. Knowing whether the valves were open or closed could help answer key questions about the fate of the submarine and her crew. There are dozens of theories surrounding this century old mystery, and efforts continue to find the answers. http://www.hunley.org
NEW EVENTS Oysters on the Point has become a Lowcountry tradition. This year’s events will be held February 23 and March 29th from 2 – 6 p.m. at The Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in Mount Pleasant. Live music, buckets of local oysters, hotdogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, fire pits, kids’ activities, full bars, a build your own Bloody Mary bar and an art walk featuring local craftsmen and artists will be offered. Contact Chris Mitchell at cmithcell@charlestonharborresort.com or 843.284.7015. http://www.charlestonharborresort.com
Cuban Art Exhibition and International Arts Festival kicks off March 13 – April 26. The first Charleston International Arts Festival will focus on Cuba’s art, people and culture and will showcase approximately 50 museum quality works of art of various mediums from internationally renowned Cuban artists. For more information, call Lee Berlinsky or Rebekah Jacob at 843.697.5471 or visit http://www.charlestoniaf.com
Charleston Magazine presents Charleston Fashion Week March 25-29. Visit Marion Square, beautifully transformed into live runway shows, featuring national as well as unique local retailers and designers and a Grand Finale Gala on Saturday. This year, the creative addition of the Emerging Local Designer competition will certainly add to the mix. For more information visit http://www.charlestonfashionweek.com or call 843-971-9811.
April 25 through April 27, guests are invited to celebrate The Golden Age of Summerville. This is a historically inspired festival committed to educating participants about the history of the town and will promote conservation of Summerville’s historical entities. This year’s theme is The Architecture of Summerville. Activities will include an antique fair, guided walking and trolley tours, live music, a lecture series, Art Walk, Bed & Breakfast open houses, children’s games and a gala that will be held at The Summer House featuring a “Taste of the District and music by the Charleston Big Band. For more check out http://www.summervilledream.org or contact Jami Sheppard at 843.821.7260.
April 26 and 27 will mark Sheep and Wool Days, a two-day festival that explores the joys of sheep and the crafts made from their wool at Middleton Place, a national historic landmark. Tickets to the festival include admission to Middleton Place Gardens and Stableyards. Adults may participate in a wine and sheep cheese tasting while children enjoy fun activities making crafts out of wool. Visit http://www.middletonplace.org or call 843.556.6020 for more information.
Charleston’s Cinco de Mayo Festival will be held May 2 at the Charleston Bus Shed behind the Visitors Center at 375 Meeting Street from 7-11 p.m. Come out for Salsa dancing, delicious food, games, music and more. For more information contact Lee Deas at info@charlestoncdm.com
Charleston Harbor Fest will be held May 16-May 18, 2008. The Charleston Maritime Center will serve as the hub to this three-day extravaganza, with activities and attractions stretching north to Liberty Square, south to the Passenger Terminal at the foot of Market Street, and west into Ansonborough Field. The event will continue its tradition of offering opportunities to sail, row and peruse a large collection of classic wooden boats. Great food, live music and the chance to walk the docks and admire the classic beauty of traditional boats will surely draw a crowd. Charleston Harbor Fest is an event of the South Carolina Maritime Foundation. Proceeds from this festival support educational programs for South Carolina youth aboard the Spirit of South Carolina tall ship. For additional information and event updates, visit http://www.charlestonharborfest.org or call (843) 722-1030 ext. 12.
Carolina Gold Rice Programs at Middleton Place will be held May 6, 17 and 21. Middleton Place will offer visitors three different interactive programs where they will have the opportunity to see and learn first-hand how slaves planted, maintained and harvested Carolina Gold Rice. Each program will take place at the demonstration area of the garden rice field. Tidal rivers once produced millions of pounds of the golden grain that dominated Lowcountry agriculture from the mid-1700s until after the Civil War, and provided the immense wealth which allowed the Gardens at Middleton Place to be created over 265 years ago. Rice programs are included in regular gate admission. For more visit http://www.middletonplace.org or call 843.556.6020.
The 4th Annual Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival is part of the renowned annual Piccolo Spoleto celebration. Learn about the history of the art, engage in sweetgrass basket demonstration, share the experience and enjoy the Gullah Geechee culture at the 2008 Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival. This year, the event will be held at Laing Middle School in Mount Pleasant on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. For additional information please call 843.856.9732 or 843.971.3564 or visit whttp://www.sweetgrassfestival.com
NEW EXHIBITS Helena Fox Fine Art presents an exhibition of paintings by nationally renowned artists Kenn Bachous and Becky Parrish titled Still Life & The Allure of Nature. This exhibition showcases the unity between man’s arrangement of nature’s gifts and nature’s own arrangements. Two distinctively different artists present their achievements in Still Life and paintings of nature. For more go to http://www.helenafoxfineart.com or call 843.723.0073.
NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Tiger Lily, one of Charleston’s top florists, now offers Black Market Designs for 2008, which gives its most discriminating clients arrangement options full of the finest and rarest flowers sourced weekly from across the globe, including places as far away as Israel, China, Ecuador and Holland. For more information, visit http://www.tigerlilyflorist.com or call 800.844.8199.
Charleston FitQuest is an innovative new program that is an all-inclusive affordable active vacation that specializes in fitness and weight loss. FitQuest encourages a new lifestyle through education and ongoing support; no matter what your fitness level FitQuest can improve your health. http://www.charlestonfitquest.com
Coastal Cigars has added The Boss Box, which comes ready for consumption and is tailored with your company logo, specifically chosen cigars and mini-bottle, golf balls, matches, poker chips or other items. Fore more visit http://www.coastalcigars.com
NEW FOOD NEWS Charleston’s top chefs hosted the Taste of Charleston event at the James Beard Foundation in New York City on January 16, 2008. The event gave New York media and foodies a chance to whet their appetites for southern cuisine in preparation for the upcoming BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival. Featured chefs included: Aaron Deal, Tristan; Fred Nuevell, The Fat Hen; Marc Collins, Circa 1886; Frank McMahon, Hanks; Kelly Wilson, Cypress and Shawn Brock, McCrady’s.
FISH has given Charleston three new reasons to go out: Martini Mondays – when martinis and 3-martini mystery flights cost $5. Find out what Mixologist Evan Powell has up his sleeve. Tasty Tuesdays – Dollar dim sums by Chef Nico, who takes what’s fresh and tucks it into a simple, delicious homemade dumpling – a dollar each. Mercy of the Chef Thursdays - 3 courses, 3 wine pairings for just $40. Learn how it feels to be at the mercy of the chef. For more visit http://www.fishrestaurant or call 843.853.0246 ext. 124.
BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival has been selected as one of the Southeast’s Top 20 Events by the Southeast Tourism Society. This year, the festival will be held February 28-March 2, 2008 and will feature Grand Tasting Tents, Salutes to Charleston Chefs, Dine-Arounds, extravagant parties, a Culinary Village, Gospel Brunch, Wine Seminars, Brewmaster Beer Dinners and more. For information and tickets, please visit http://www.charlestonfoodandwine.com or call 843.722.5547.
Circa 1886 will host two wine and hors d’oeuvre events to benefit Historic Charleston Foundation on March 25 and 28. Tickets are available by contacting the Historic Charleston Foundation at 843.723.1623 or visiting http://www.historiccharleston.org. Additionally, Circa 1886 will be opened a half-hour earlier (at 5:00 p.m.) May 23 – June 7 to accommodate Spoleto enthusiasts.
NEW RENOVATIONS The $20 million clubhouse at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort features excellent meeting space and is a jewel in the crown of the renowned facilities recognized around the world for perfection and service. With panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, it features low-profile rooflines, wraparound porches and shingle-style architectural details. It contains four meeting rooms and over 3,000 square feet of flexible meeting space on the second floor. Also located at the clubhouse are a spacious pro shop, upstairs and downstairs locker rooms, The Atlantic Room – a three-meal restaurant offering fine dining in the evening, The Ryder Cup Bar and a large veranda with two fireplaces for outdoor dining. For more, visit http://www.kiawahresort.com or call 1.800.654.2924.
NEW LINKS http://Charlestonweddinggiveaway.com is the site that is creating a loud buzz throughout the Charleston area and throughout the national bridal industry. An entire destination wedding will be given to one lucky winner who will share a romantic and unforgettable time in the Charleston area.
