What's New In The Charleston, SC Area Spring 2009
For Immediate Release, February 2009
NEW HONORS & AWARDS
Southern Living magazine’s January edition features its 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards, in which several honors go to the Charleston, SC area. Readers once again named Charleston their Favorite Southern City. Honors also included top tier billing for Best Weekend Getaway, Best Family Destination and Best Festivals, among others. Magnolia’s Restaurant and Jestine’s Kitchen were named Southern Favorites for the restaurant category. Charleston restaurants led the pack in the Splurge Worthy category. Four of the top 10 are located in the Holy City: Magnolia’s Restaurant, Peninsula Grill, High Cotton Maverick Bar & Grill and 82 Queen. Charleston Place Hotel and The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort were named two of the Best Hotels in the South. Spoleto Festival, USA was named a top draw for the Festivals and Fairs category. www.southernliving.com
Travel + Leisure Golf has named Kiawah Island and Daniel Island as two of "America's Top 100 Golf Communities," in the magazine's January/February issue. www.travelandleisure.com
The Inn at Middleton Place has been listed in Zagat's Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas 2009 publication. The Inn is described as having the "best of Mother Nature's Creations along with unique architecture at this serene Inn on the Ashley River that's a perfect mix of the modern and the traditional...." www.theinnatmiddletonplace.com
The French Quarter Inn was named as one of the Top 10 Romantic Inns of 2009 by American Historic Inns, Inc. (AHI) publisher of more than 2.7 million guidebooks and parent company to iLoveInns.com.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
The Mount Pleasant Visitors Center & Park is scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day 2009.
Stella Nova introduces a new concept to their beauty empire. estella vitae is a lifestyle store that houses artisans’ hand crafted local and international goods, clothing lines by young and emerging designers, a signature candle and fragrance line, vintage clothes and jewelry, furniture, and other eclectic finds from the owners, Peter and Ginger Evans’, travels. www.stella-nova.com <http://www.stella-nova.com>
NEW EVENTS
Award-winning actor and philanthropist Isaiah Washington will give the keynote speech February 28th at 11 a.m. during the dedication of five renovated African-American cabins at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. www.magnoliaplantation.com
Families of all ages can venture to The Buccaneer’s “Piracy 101” on February 28 and enjoy an afternoon of pirate activities, history, and live entertainment. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., brunch will be available as well as kid-friendly activities (including pirate flag-making competition and hands-on show-and-tell activities.) www.thebuccaneerrestaurant.com <http://www.thebuccaneerrestaurant.com> BB&T Charleston Food & Wine Festival, March 5th - 8th, will be hosting the 1,000 point Wine Tasting + Auction featuring ten wines that have been judged as perfect by the pros. www.charlestonfoodandwine.com
The 13th Annual Town of Mount Pleasant ArtFest with Towne Center will be held on March 13th from 12 - 4 p.m. at Towne Center. www.townofmountpleasant.com
Visit Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site on March 14th from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for "Piecing Together the Past with Archaeology," an event designed to give you a first-hand look at Charles Towne Landing's archaeological resources. www.charlestownelanding.travel
The Charleston Art & Antiques Forum will be held Wednesday, March 18th - Sunday, March 22nd. www.charlestonantiquesforum.org <http://www.charlestonantiquesforum.org> The cannons will be thundering at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site on March 21st . Live demonstrations of a reproduction 17th-century saker cannon will be held at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. www.charlestownelanding.travel
The 3rd Annual Charleston Fashion Week, Tuesday, March 24th - Sunday, March 28th, is continuing to celebrate the local design community. This year’s event will feature an Emerging Designer Competition: Southeast event and a guest appearance by Brides.com Senior Editor, Anne Chertoff during the Bridal Couture Show. www.charlestonfashionweek.com
The Garden Club of Charleston's 74th Annual Walking Tour of Private Houses & Gardens will take place on Friday, March 27th and Saturday March 28th from 2 - 5 p.m. www.thegardenclubofcharleston.com
The Charleston International Festival of Choirs, April 16th - 19th, invites choirs from across the United States, Canada and Europe to perform the music from their diverse backgrounds in the quintessential Southern City, whose residents in turn to offer their hospitality and a deep appreciation for their choral tradition. www.charlestonchoirfestival.com
The 22nd Annual Town of Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival will be held on April 26th from 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. www.townofmountpleasant.com
Fourth Annual Charleston Cinco de Mayo Festival event will be at the Visitor Center Bus Terminal on Friday, May 1st from 7 - 11 p.m. www.charlestoncinco.com
This year's Charleston Harbor Fest is shaping up to be the most ambitious and memorable maritime event in the city's history. The event will open June 26th, with access to docks and tours of tall ships from around the globe, and will close June 29th when a breath-taking Parade of Sail exits the Charleston harbor. www.charlestonharborfest.org <http://www.charlestonharborfest.org/>
NEW EXHIBITS
The Charleston Museum is continuing its "Around the World" exhibition series for children with three new exhibits. "Around the World" aims to introduce children to items that are a part of everyday life for children from other parts of the world and is displayed in Kidstory, the Museum's interactive children's exhibit. www.charlestonmuseum.org <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001X2NsdPqRxuOBZnCKVRrn-MBV9-OvCKY_md-Kk8m-8e7ImDDDixSp81Gu8Ji-fAXsGb6HTtxNabzDwTlZJ5RhRUMY3sIVBWa1GfugbweMq7JTiwXgXPzB-aKAlCwEZCX7> Opening in March, Penguin Planet will host a Magellanic penguin habitat and 550 square feet of exhibit space. Guests will have the opportunity to see these aquatic flightless birds firsthand through the exhibit’s 10-foot wide window allowing for underwater viewing. www.scaquarium.org
The photographs of North Carolina artist Jeff Whetstone will be on view in the exhibition Jeff Whetstone: Post-Pleistocene in the Rotunda Galleries at the Gibbes Museum of Art from April 3rd - July 19th. www.gibbesmuseum.org
The Gibbes Museum of Art will present the new exhibition Prop Master: An Installation by Juan Logan and Susan Harbage Page in the Main Gallery from April 3rd - July 19th. This site-specific, large-scale installation created exclusively for the Gibbes, draws materials from the museum's permanent collection of portraits, landscape paintings, and archival materials, begun over 150 years ago. www.gibbesmuseum.org
NEW FOOD NEWS
Gilligan’s Steamer and Raw Bar is now open in downtown Charleston at the foot of Market Street. www.gilligans.net
Hall’s Chophouse is slated to open in early February. www.hallschophouse.com
Chef Brett McKee invites you to join him and indulge in a five star culinary experience at the Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island Resort for the 1st Annual Gourmet & Grapes Food & Wine Festival, March 13 - 15. www.gourmetandgrapes.com
Huck’s Lowcountry Table is a unique Oceanside dining establishment that offers unbeatable views of the Atlantic Ocean. They offer seasonal, local cuisine that features a modern concept of Lowcountry classics. www.huckslowcountrytable.com
NEW PACKAGES
We’re welcoming our neighbors in North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina with unique package deals and exclusive lodging values at several properties throughout the Charleston area. www.goodneighborgetaways.com
Visit the “Packages” section of www.CharlestonCVB.com for a wide variety of continuously updated packages.
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island is holding a “Simplicity of Wellness Retreat” from May 20th - 24th. Explore the foundations of balanced living through a guided, personalized program immersed in the serenity and comfort of the Spa & Salon at The Sanctuary. www.kiawahresort.com
NEW RENOVATIONS
The Landing Events on Shem Creek in now open to host weddings, parties and events. www.thelandingevents.com
Nestled quietly on Patriots Point, The Lookout Pavilion overlooks the Charleston Harbor, Arthur Ravanel Bridge & historic downtown Charleston. This customizable event space, opening in April, allows for all types of events on the water. www.charlestonharborresort.com <http://www.charlestonharborresort.com>
NEW TOURS
The Camellia Walks at Middleton Place are held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from February 7th - March 26th. These special guided tours begin at 11 a.m. www.middletonplace.org
The 9th annual Kiawah Island Art and House Tours will take place on Friday, April 17th, from 2 - 6 p.m. www.gibbesmuseum.org/events <http://www.gibbesmuseum.org/events> The Home, Art & Garden Tour in the Historic Old Village of Mount Pleasant will take place on Sunday, April 19 from 1 - 5 p.m. www.lowcountryredcross.org
NEW PROGRAMS
The National Park Service, in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant, is sponsoring a series of free cultural programs at Charles Pinckney National Historic site every Saturday at 2 p.m. during February and March. <http://www.nps.gov/chpi>
NEW LINKS
Check out Charleston Wedding Giveaway’s web site to see regular updates about the winning couple as make their wedding plans for April 4th. You can also read their regularly updated blog. www.charlestonweddinggiveaway.com
Coastal Cigars is excited to announce the new online shopping cart that is now available on their web site. Created for the ever-growing popularity of their own cigar brand "Carlos Villa" and the great success of our customizable gift boxes, the shopping cart allows customers to quickly and easily place their order. www.coastalcigars.com
The Patrick Properties family is thrilled to announce the launch of its new web site. The site was designed to bring four separate web sites into one visually stunning, emotionally driven experience. <http://www.patpropllc.com/>
