Art, Artifacts And Sweet Aromas

In Charleston, South Carolina You Can Visit Both The Old And New South!

  • Sunday, April 19, 2015
  • Diane Siskin

Balancing change and tradition with a modern economy is being achieved in South Carolina.  Throughout the state from Greenville in the north, to Columbia in the center (the state’s capitol) to historic coastal Charleston, the blending of old and new is on track.

And while the rural roads and smaller towns are still awaiting update, the state’s larger cities are booming. It is not the South Carolina I remember from my youth or even the South Carolina of more recent visits I made to the state.

My latest visit to the state coincided with Georgia’s Masters Golf Week. Therefore traveling to Charleston from Atlanta required using two very heavily traveled roads, (Interstates 20 and 26) during one of the busiest times of the year.

There is no questioning that Charleston is for South Carolina a beacon for tourism. The city’s traditional infrastructure has been well-preserved and planned to permit visitors easy access to sights. And it is also no question that the city has remade itself and risen from the ashes of military and climate destruction many times.

The history of the Palmetto state couldn’t be more highlighted than during the past two weeks when the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War was being remembered.

The first shots of the Civil War, which divided the Northern and Southern colonies of our country, were fired on Fort Sumter (which was built on a sandbar) in Charleston’s harbor in 1861.

CHARMED BY CHARLESTON

Nothing could be better to the understanding of Charleston’s history than to “Walk the walk” or ride the carriage or pedal cab through this century and half of history.

In Charleston you can’t avoid its story, it surrounds you. The beautifully restored homes and mansions, while housing modern residents have been renovated, to mirror as closely as possible to reflect the era in which they were originally built. On Broad or East Bay Streets you could “go home again.”

The city has smartly retained and maintained not only its antebellum mansions; it has also restored historical structures such as the Powder Magazine Museum (South Carolina’s oldest public building and celebrating its 300th anniversary), cobblestones streets and its seaport.

At the Powder Magazine Museum, John Young, a period-dressed educator, took a break from giving non-stop information to the visiting school groups, to explain how through interactive lecture, visuals and reproduction artifacts fun-but-true tales of history come to life. Mr. Young, a Vermont native, spent 14 years as a Charleston guide and seven years with the museum located on Hazel Street behind Charleston Place.

Charleston is also known as Holy City because many of the country’s religions first houses of worship are located here. The Southern Baptists first home was Charleston.

The city is filled with churches of every domination, most boasting gorgeous interiors and spires. And most of the historic district churches have well-maintained historic burial grounds.

Finding a cool sanctuary to visit is easy on any stroll. Many historic churches are open to the public. Look up and you will see beautiful church steeples and spires which line the downtown skyline.

Charleston’s cemeteries provide their own unique and historic tales.

Rainbow Row, (known as that because all the homes’ exteriors are painted with colorful-candy-colored hues) is the longest row of pre-revolutionary homes in America. And while some of these homes have been updated on the inside, the outside is mandated to remain as they looked before the American Revolution.

Across the street from Rainbow Row preservationists have also excavated and restored areas of the Vanderhorst Wharf where 1700s sailing ships docked.

This area is located near The Historic Charleston Foundation, whose facility is built on a base of where landfill meets solid land.

Old meets new design in modern condos and lofts existing within many of East Bay’s historic homes. These magnificent houses are now protected behind a high battery sea wall which does double duty providing a wonderful path along which visitors and residents now stroll.

In Charleston, art and artifact mix everywhere. Jogglin’ boards are found outside private homes, within inns and bed-and-breakfasts. “Collecting these old pieces went out of favor for awhile,”” said Ms. Berezny, a Charleston native and 24-year-tour-guide, “But they are once again showing up everywhere.”

On the streets are the original water wells where residents drew water for drinking, washing and fighting fires.

Also still visible on streets in the Historic District are original old “stepping stones’’ which permitted women to easily “step up” to access horse carriages.

Throughout the Historic District you can view buildings constructed prior to 1886 with turn ball rods still embedded within their walls. These rods enabled the owners to turn and screw back the walls once they started sagging.

In 1886, Charleston experienced a seven points plus earthquake and construction after that required different safeguards.

In the Historic District on each of the four corners of Meeting and Broad Streets sits a form of government. “This is where government comes together,” explained Lisa Berezny, our tour guide with Charleston Strolls. The Federal government is represented on one corner in the form of the Post Office, the church on another corner, in the form of St. Michael’s, on another corner the County Courthouse and  on the last corner, City Hall.

Enjoying the walking tour along were the Mike Brown family from Dayton, Tennessee. This wasn’t their first trip, or their first tour of the city.

“I come for the history,” said Tyler Brown. “No matter how many times we visit find a different tour that interests us.”

Many of Charleston’s homes’ boast of beautiful gardens which can be glimpsed through the ornate walls and fences which surround them.

At the Battery (where the Ashley meets the Cooper River) most visitors want to view the White Point Gardens or the nearby Waterfront Park. The breezes off the Battery help you sightsee in comfort.

Hampton Park’s 60 acres, designed by the Olmsted brothers, is the city’s largest green space and provides a wonderful retreat for locals and visitors.

Charleston’s smooth-running clean-up brigade is “Johnny on the spot” quickly removing any residue left on the street from the 2,500 plus pound work horses that drive the many large carriages employed for tours.

At some point on any trip to Charleston most visitors still manage to take in the Great Hall Marketplace filled with all kinds of vendors, food stalls and locals weaving Gullah sweet grass baskets, an indigenous craft to the area. Charleston is the only place in the world, outside of West Africa, where you can actually watch the basket you purchase made.

SOUTHERN SOPHISTICATION

While many tourists came to Charleston to soak in its heritage, still others are visiting today to partake of a sophisticated Southern city where they can stay in charming inn or bed-and-breakfast; stroll along cobblestone streets, take in the serene waterfront and dine in award-winning culinary restaurants that have sprouted from the Battery to the new “North of Calhoun’ District.

There are all kinds of bakeries, featuring biscuits, crepes, and cupcakes.

There are new boutiques and barber shops.

And every manner of trendy boutique line King Street.

For residents who knew the old Charleston, the new construction and refurbishing has changed the ambience of the city. But, with increased tourism and growth comes complaints from residents who strive to maintain the original pleasing aesthetics that drew people to the area in the first place.

Living on the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, we are currently experiencing the same problem.

With certain real estate so prized, it becomes harder for the city’s original residents to stay in their homes and this necessitates them to move out farther as new people move into town.

As a visitor to Charleston, while in-town lodging may prove expensive at certain times of the year (especially now) it is still your best option. We stayed at Kings Courtyard Inn (one of a group of family-owned and operated historic inns in downtown) which was the perfect choice.

Our room featured a fireplace (not needed at this time of year), original large and tall windows overlooking a park (others look out on interior courtyards). Antique furnishings filled the beautifully restored rooms of this circa 1853 inn, but fortunately air-conditioning, an in-room refrigerator, flat-screen television and wireless internet all were included with room rate.

The inn also hosted a bountiful continental breakfast served in room, or in an outdoor or indoor courtyard. And in the late afternoon, you can enjoy wine and cheese and other treats in the sun-filled courtyards.

I parked my car in the gated lot right behind the inn and never drove it again until it was time to leave. Parking downtown is hard to find and expensive. Staying at the Kings Courtyard Inn provided comfort, quiet and an excellent staff, well-versed in the city and its history. Located right on King Street it made walking to most destinations easy.

We toured Charleston by foot, old-fashioned horse and carriage. The the Old South Carriage Company with its licensed guides in Confederate uniforms and red sashes was fun and gave us a great overview of the area.

Their one-hour fully-narrated tour is a great way to see the Historic District if you prefer not to do a walking tour. Many visitors do both.

Bike Taxi, which is open pedal cab that can seat just 2 to 3 people, is still another other way to get-around in Charleston. It is enjoyable, easy and a relatively inexpensive compared to hiring Pedi-cabs in other cities. I recommend that you request Alex (many the cab’s drivers are students at Charleston colleges) by calling (843) 276-9159 or the main number (843) 532-8663. 

MODERN DINING  

The culinary scene sees new restaurants and cafes opening all the time. It seems if you can imagine any kind of new cuisine you will find a restaurant here which serves it. The largest growth in this expansion is on North King Street where you can get every type of food imaginable.

We dined at Fish, which offered innovative French-Asian seafood cuisine in a very contemporary décor. The service, food and drink are wonderful. We ate choices off the spring menu which included trout, along with duck & waffle, naked fish or tofu steak (simply prepared) and side plates of steamed dumplings, sweet and sour cauliflower and rainbow carrots. Sweet chili calamari and grilled artichoke are offered on petite plates. The restaurant’s culinary executive director Nico Romo is responsible for this eclectic menu which features dishes simply and elegantly prepared with fresh ingredients. You can also just drop in for dim sum and cocktails and relax to live music in their bar.

Located at 442 King Street, the restaurant was once on the cutting edge for the neighborhood.

“New development is now taking place even further north of us,” according to Jacqueline Orak, the restaurant’s general manager.

Poogan’s Porch is a traditional Charleston restaurant, which can seat 150 people, either within the historic house or on its three porches.

The story behind its name has to do with a dog. As you might imagine, dogs are permitted on its outdoor porches. We dined on the front porch where we could watch the street scene as we enjoyed delicious seafood. This was the perfect time of year to dine alfresco.  The restaurant located at 72 Queen Street is across the street from the Mills House, the starting point for Charleston Strolls, the history walks.

Another day we caught lunch at a unique gourmet market/café with the unusual name of Caviar & Bananas. This emporium was started by Chris and Margaret Seeley Furniss. Margaret was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. “I have tons of family in Chattanooga, on Signal Mountain, Red Bank and Hixson,” said Mrs. Furniss, who just had her second child. "I met Chris in New York City, where he worked for Dean & DeLuca’s, a food outlet, which is quite similar to Caviar & Bananas in appearance and offerings." Mrs. Furniss had gone to school in Charleston, so the couple planned their first venture there. 

We dined in the gourmet café’s main location at 51 George Street, practically on the campus of the College of Charleston. At this location Caviar & Bananas is a gourmet market and café.

Caviar& Bananas, as their name implies runs the gamut when it comes to food.  You can get vegetarian, gluten-free, dishes along with sushi, artisanal cheeses, and charcuterie, offerings, not to mention an expresso and dessert bar. Scott Roule is the executive chef of the gourmet market and café.

In other words, this is a specialty food destination which rivals that of any big city.

You can get prepared food, cooked to order or groceries to go. The baked goods are to die-for.

The company has a small take-out facility within the Charleston Market Street Great Hall and they are scheduled to open two branches of their business in the city’s airport in the fall. “One will be a sit-down restaurant offering more healthy choices that aren’t usually available in an airport,’’ said Mrs. Furniss, “The other, still healthy, will be a more “take and it and run,” she added.

On still another day we found the Tabbuli Restaurant located near the Market Street Great Hall and the cruise ship terminal. This restaurant offers a Mediterranean flair paired with a Southern seaside. Under Executive Chef Lisa Sheldon this large restaurant with its expansive outdoor shaded patio and bar seating offers lunch, dinner, brunch or just tapas and cocktails. Greenery, fountains and a stone patio lend to the garden atmosphere, which carries out the “green concept” of the restaurant.

The food is good, plentiful and reasonably priced.

We can highly recommend the hummus topped with roasted red pepper coulis, feta, chopped parsley, and the Jerusalem Salad served with fried pita chips. Tabbuli’s salads and the classic Gyro with lamb are very tasty.

The non-alcoholic Tabbuli Refreshers, featuring fresh-squeezed juices and locally-grown herbs were the perfect anecdote for a warm day.

LOW-COUNTRY LURE

Charleston continues to check off all tourist interests. The city’s South Carolina Aquarium, located alongside the sea, features 60 unique habitats and more than 5,000 species. Getting up close to a rare albino American alligator and connecting with Aquarium staff during daily, interactive dive shows from the tallest tank in North America makes a visit to it special.

Other highlights are the ability to feed and touch stingrays in the Salt Marsh exhibit and a visit to the Sea Turtle Hospital for a behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary care that is provided to rescued sea turtles. This is exhibit and program which holds interest for all, especially those of us who live near the sea.

All seven species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered. This is a reflection of the issues surrounding coastal development and ocean conservation.

“We have returned 155 rescued sea turtles to their environment, including a juvenile leatherback which had become stranded and needed IV fluids and medications’’ said Madeline Revlein, who has volunteered at program for 12 years.

“The hospital performs surgery, such as removing hooks from injured turtles. Some turtles at the hospital have even had eye cataract surgery,’’ according to Mrs. Revlein. When I visited there were 15 sea turtles in the hospital, most suffering from bacterial or fungal infections, and shock from being exposed to cold temperatures, or injury from a boat or shark bite.

In 2016, the South Carolina Aquarium will construct a state-of-art Sea Turtle Hospital on the aquarium’s main floor. Until September 7, 2015 you can still peek into the surgical suite and see how care is given for thousands of animals every day.

The aquarium will open a new exhibit on May 9, called Shark Shallows, whereby kids can get up close and personal with sharks and play “Shark Tag.”

Every day of the year, including Christmas you can visit Charleston and be thrilled, entertained and enlightened with both the old and the new.

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By Diane Siskin

dsiskin123@gmail.com  

 

 

 

 

 

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