2025 Dunleavy's Polar Bear Plunge on Sullivan's Island--A Real Cool Time

Every year on January 1, after a night of celebration, Lowcountry residents gather on the beaches of Charleston's barrier islands to take a plunge into the Atlantic's cooler waters. I say cooler waters because in the heat of the summer months the ocean around Charleston reaches a temperature of 83.5 degrees, which was the high temperature this past August 2024. The ocean temperature on Jan 1, 2025, was 57 degrees.

The two barrier islands who host a polar bear plunge are Folly Beach near its famous pier and Tides Hotel, and Sullivan's Islands at Station 22 1/2 and Dunleavy's Pub. Over the years I have attended both, but most of the time I have favored Folly Beach's Bill Murray Look-a-Like Polar Bear Plunge.

I had initially planned on going to Folly Beach this year. However, I inadvertently missed the exit for Folly on I26 and ended up on the Ravenel Bridge, where I decided not to turn around but to keep on going to Sullivan's Island, and I was glad I did. It was one of the largest crowds to attend Dunleavy's Polar Bear Plunge that I have seen.

Lowcountry residents came to have a good time, and they certainly did. Many participated in the traditional practice of wearing a costume, and there was an assortment of creative ones ranging from the unusually imaginative to the outrageously funny.

I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. It was a beautiful day on Charleston's historic Sullivan's Island, once the home of Edgar Allan Poe when he served in the military at Fort Moultrie and wrote his short story The Gold Bug. Thank you to Dunleavy's Pub for hosting their 30th charity event for the Special Olympics. Here's to everyone having a great 2025.

Napa Valley's Impressive Castle Winery Near Calistoga--Castello di Amorosa

Castles are fascinating structures of antiquity that have withstood the test of time. Their battery towers and massive walls were constructed from one of earth's more durable materials, stone. The landscape they dominated, was its kingdom. Due to these attributes, they became symbols of protection, wealth, and power. On the outskirts of Calistoga in Napa Valley, you are offered an opportunity to tour a modern-day castle patterned after a medieval-style Tuscan castle, which also happens to be a winery.

Castello di Amorosa is the realization of an all-consuming passion for fourth generation winemaker Dario Sattu. Dario's interest in medieval architecture inspired the blueprints for his visionary undertaking. He spent two decades searching for a dream property in the Napa Valley, and in 1993, he finally found an ideal parcel consisting of 171 acres near Calistoga. The parcel contained acres of beautiful forest and hills, a stream and a lake, and a great Victorian home. His vision to specialize in making small lots of primarily Italian-style wines and showcase them in an authentic, medieval castle setting where they would be sold directly to the public, not in stores or restaurants, was now ready to materialize.

Dario began work on his architectural masterpiece. It took more than 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled local stone and nearly one million antique bricks imported from Europe to complete the castle. More than 200 containers of old materials and furnishings were shipped over from Europe to decorate the interior. There are 2,000-pound hand-hewn doors. All ironwork including lamps, gates, and door hardware was hand-forged by Italian artisans. The construction took 15 years. Upon completion, Castello di Amorosa had all the elements of an authentic medieval castle: a moat, drawbridge, five towers, high defensive ramparts, courtyards and loggias, a chapel, stables, an armory, and even a torture chamber. It contains 107 rooms in total with 95 devoted to winemaking, no rooms alike.

The sprawling castle grounds have a genuine Tuscan feel, beautifully landscaped with views of its expansive vineyards. To enter the castle, you ascend a long run of stone stairs, where at the top you cross through an arched entry and immediately step back in time on the noble quest of finding the perfect wine. Its majestic courtyard is surrounded by walls of hand-squared stone and ancient brick, Tuscan-style breezeways and loggias, and table settings for wine tastings. The Great Hall is the highest-appointed and most sought-after room with hand-painted Italian-style frescoes and a 500-year-old Umbrian fireplace. The impressive Grand Barrel Room is 12,000 square feet of 40 ribbed, Roman cross-vaults all constructed from ancient brick shipped from Europe. Other notable rooms include the Chapel, Royal Apartment, Terrace, Wine Library, and Torture Chamber.

Castello di Amorosa offers five tastings and tours. We chose the Seated Tasting Experience for $60 per person featuring five highly acclaimed Reserve and Current-Release wines. We were free to explore the castle on our own with roaming access to the Courtyard, Truncated tower, Chapel, Great Hall, and Knights Hall Gift shop. Although not on the list, we did get to see the torture chamber. The wines were all very good. The list of Italian style-wines includes Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Pinot Bianco, Sangiovese, La Castellana, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Access to the castle, tours, and tastings are open to visitors with reservations only.

Castello di Amorosa means Castle of Love. Ascend the stone stairs, cross through the castle's arched entrance, and step back in time where you will be surrounded by the aura of the 14th century. Experience winemaking and wine tasting at its best while royally soaking in the opulence and mystery of castle life. You will love your visit to Dario Sattu's impressive Tuscan-style winery in Napa Valley near Calistoga.

4045 Saint Helena Hwy, Calistoga, CA

Sky’s The Limit for Charleston’s Latest Waterfront Brainstorm

While standing on the end of Waterfront Park’s long pier outfitted with picnic tables and wooden swings and looking north to the shoreline just a few hundred feet away, you will see rising six stories into Charleston’s steeple-dotted skyline the city’s latest mega-complex. It will be comparative to Charleston Place with one distinctive difference, it will be home to the only luxury hotel on the historic French Quarter waterfront.

Carnival ships, Ecstasy and Sunshine, dominated this view when they were in port. The scene is changing. December 30 will be the final cruise to set sail from Charleston for the Bahamas. Say goodbye to the Carnival Cruise line and say hello to the soon-to-open Cooper Hotel.

The historic district of Charleston was anything but historic before the 1980s, and King Street was a real estate of empty storefronts. Something needed to happen to rekindle the historical flame that once burned in this cosmopolitan coastal port city. Joe Riley began the construction of Charleston Place and set in motion the beginning of the city’s revival. Charleston was back on the map as a travel destination.

The Cooper complex is slated as “the first extraordinary step in the reimagining of Charleston’s storied waterfront.” Its diverse amenity offerings are world class, and like Charleston Place, will be open to residents, visitors, and world travelers wanting to experience the charm and hospitality of Charleston’s commercially and recreationally welcoming spirit.

The Cooper’s amenities will include a ground-floor retail space with boutique shops, a 12,000 square-foot full-service spa and fitness center, and a nearly 20,000 square-foot event space. Its four restaurants will consist of a waterfront diner, coffee shop, seafood restaurant, and a rooftop lounge with a dedicated public elevator with entrance from the park. The rooftop bar will be enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass doors and overlook both the Arthur Ravenel bridge to the left and the waterfront park’s pineapple fountain to the right.

The hotel will have a compliment of 191 accommodations with options to choose sun-bathed guest rooms and suites with waterfront views of the harbor. Room-paying guests will be able to lounge around or swim in the hotel’s jaw dropping outdoor infinity-edge pool, also overlooking the waterfront. It is proclaimed as one the best pool experiences in the Southeast, possibly rivaling anything on the East Coast. The pool will have its own bar.

The Cooper’s green space along the waterfront will be integrated with the Joe Riley Waterfront Park, extending the park’s pathway beginning at the north entrance on Concord Street over 400 feet to the Fleet Landing Restaurant and Bar at Cumberland Street. As part of the extension, there will be a new dock and marina facility, which will allow for boat dockage.

The Cooper Hotel will have three different boats available for its hotel guests including a yacht for dinners and events, as well as a water taxi service to Daniel Island. Guests in BHC-affiliated locations, like the Charleston Place, will also have access to the boats.

Uneventful and seldom traveled Concord Street between Cumberland and Vendue Range will soon be transformed into a mecca of five-star accommodations and world-class amenities with the opening of the Cooper Hotel complex in late 2025. It will exponentially change the French Quarter waterfront in an excellent way. I, for one, look forward to soaking in the waterfront views through the rooftop bar’s floor-to-ceiling glass doors sipping on one of its signature cocktails. Who knows, I just might book a room just to take a swim in its jaw dropping outdoor infinity-edge pool.

An Isolated Island Bed And Breakfast with Spectacular Views of the San Francisco Area

A gracious relic of the past, it is an island unto itself. It is unique among its kind. Originally there were six like it, but only three are still standing. At one point in time its future had become uncertain. It survived because it is historically intrinsic and loved by many. Now 133 years old, it is a matchless California destination with a spectacular view. It is the East Brother Light Station.

The East Brother Light Station quite literally sits on top of an island in the strait that separates San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. The light station began operation in 1874. The original lens was illuminated by a wick filled with whale oil. Later the means of illumination was replaced by a fifth-order Fresnel lens, powered by a 500-watt bulb. The San Francisco Bay area is one of the foggiest places on the coast, so the island lighthouse was also outfitted with a foghorn. The keepers lived on the island with their families and cared for its operation until it became automated in 1969.

The light station is of a unique design. The tower is attached to a two-story Victorian style house. There were five other lighthouses built in this design located at various places on the United States coastline, but aside from East Brother only two are still standing. Not far down the coastline from San Francisco near Los Angeles in the San Pedro Bay is one of them, the Point Fermin Lighthouse. The other is on the east coastline in New Jersey called Hereford Light.

The future of the East Brother Light Station became uncertain. A fire incident destroyed the island's wharf and boathouse. After it was automated, the keepers were no longer needed. The Victorian style house sat neglected and void of life. The government wanted to tear it down. Thanks to local residents who saw value in the past and the necessity to preserve its heritage, an outcry arose protesting its demolition. The Victorian house and other buildings were saved, and steps were taken to restore it, not just to its former glory, but into a place where all who want to experience the wonder of a lighthouse with a beautiful vista for a magnificent backdrop can do so.

The East Brother Light Station is now an island bed and breakfast. There are five available rooms. Four of the rooms are in the lighthouse itself and the fifth is in the original Fog Signal Building. The rooms are beautifully appointed, and each has its own stunning view of the Bay Area and surrounding landscape or seascape, whichever you prefer.

Two Sisters Room

Walter's Quarters Room

If you would like the warmth and romantic atmosphere a fireplace provides, the Two sisters Room would be your likely choice, if you seek more privacy, the Walter's Quarters in the Fog Signal Building 100 feet from the lighthouse, closest to the water. The Marin Room and San Francisco Room rate is $525 for Thursday through Sunday. The Two Sisters Room, West Brother Room, and Walter's Quarters Room is $475 for Thursday through Sunday. Room rates apply for one or two persons per room. Rates include parking at the harbor, the boat ride to and from the island, hors-d’oeuvres with complimentary champagne, a tour of the lighthouse

Marin Room

San Francisco Room

West Brother Room

A full breakfast is served in the dining room each morning at 9:00am. One of their house specialties is their own Lighthouse French Toast Soufflé. For overnight guests, dinner is served in the dining room at the same hour giving ample time for guests to visit. Menus and accompanying wines change seasonally, but some of our gourmet, multi-course meal favorites include Citrus Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen or beef and salmon Wellington in a puff pastry served with a dill hollandaise sauce.

The island is a ten-minute boat ride from the mainland. It is 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco. Once on the island, you will be treated to spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, Mount Tamalpais, and the Marin coastline. Your senses will be immersed and soothed by the smell of the bay, the sound of the lapping water on the rocky outcrops, and your imagination can take flight or stay put, its all the same either way, nostalgic and reinvigorating.

East Brother has consistently earned five-star ratings from Yelp and TripAdvisor.

East Brother Light Station Bed and Breakfast

1900 Stenmark Dr, Richmond, CA

510-233-2385

Domaine Carneros Reminds Me of a Mini Palace of Versailles

Domaine Carneros

Napa Valley is mile upon mile of hundreds of hillside vineyards and beautiful estates nestled between the Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges. At its southern end, the Carneros region is influenced by the cooler winds of San Francisco’s San Pablo Bay. The grapes of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for sparkling and still wine are king. It is home to over 20 wineries. Domaine Carneros is one of them. The winery’s impressive main structure was inspired by the historic Louis XV style Chateau in Champaign, France.

18th Century Chateau de la Marquetterie was the country retreat of famous writer and father of French fantastic fiction Jacques Cazotte from 1760 to the French Revolution. He wrote the book entitledThe Devil in Love published in 1772. It was a story about a Spanish nobleman who is seduced by the Devil disguised as a beautiful woman named Biondetta. He was guillotined during the Reign of Terror for opposing the revolution and Martinist mysticism.

18th Chateau de la Maquetterie

Château de la Marquetterie would become the venue at harvest time for a glittering gathering of the French literati of the 18th Century, Voltaire and André Chénier to name but two. Two centuries later, young calvary officer Pierre-Charles Taittinger would become captivated by Château de la Marquetterie, which he discovered on joining the command of Marshal Joffre who made his headquarters here in 1914. Pierre-Charles acquired the chateau in 1934, placing a precious piece of Champagne heritage in the safe-keeping of the Taittinger family whose emblem remains to this day.

Domaine Carneros, a breathtakingly beautiful Château, was established in 1987 when Claude Taittinger selected a 138-acre parcel in the heart of Carneros, Napa Valley. It is a singular Napa Valley winery best known as a small grower-producer of méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine, with distinctive styles ranging from the classic vintage-dated Brut cuvée to its luxury Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs. In 1992 they added rich, complex Pinot Noir to their portfolio and its passion for exceptional sparkling and still wines continues to grow. 100% of their wine’s fruit comes from their six estate vineyards comprising 400 acres.

Claude Taittinger wisely chose Eileen Crane, often referred to as America's doyenne of Sparkling Wine, to oversee the development of the Taittinger style in Carneros. In 2020, after 33 years, Crane passed the torch to a new CEO, Remi Cohen, whose role carries on the Taittinger tradition of visionary female leadership. Ushering in a new era of Domaine Carneros, Cohen brings two decades of experience in all facets of the wine industry to the Château.

Domaine Carneros majestically towers over its surrounding Napa landscape. Through the welcoming gate and from the parking area, you ascend a terraced stairway flanked by sculptured bushes and colorful flower plantings. Near the top you arrive at a cemented patio with a decorative concrete wall where two large plaques present a brief history of the Chateau and its vineyard. One more flight beyond, you reach its sprawling front terrace with umbrella covered tables filled with wine lovers soaking in its ambiance and stunning views.

Step through the double door entrance into the chateau’s foyer, you are engulfed in decorative elegance. A welcoming desk overshadowed by a huge portrait painting greets you with the necessary information. Beyond the foyer, a gift shop full of tempting chocolate products, hats, trinkets, and bottles of wine leads to a large, glass enclosed salon filled with white tables. Outside the glass windows was a side terrace with a large fountain in the middle. Around back, you will find a huge fireplace and two tall wooden doors leading into its wine producing facility lined with its giant, stainless steel vats.

There is one thing you need to know before you make the trip to Domaine Carneros, and it is key if your objective is to sample their appellation of champagne and wine products. You need to make a reservation to sit at one of their tables. I was unaware of this. You can walk around and marvel at the beauty of its chateau. You can purchase its delectable wine imbued chocolates and signature bottles of wine to go in its gift shop, but without that reservation, their tables are off limits.

Daily hour long tastings are offered for a minimum of $40 per person accompanied by your choice of local artisan cheese, charcuterie, or caviar. There is also a Bubbles and Bites for a Mediterranean-like experience at $99 per person. Other tastings are The Art of Sabrage and The Ultimate Caviar Experience $125 and $175 per person.

Anyone can tell you, the Domaine Carneros Château is a stunning landmark. It produces some of the finest sparkling and still wines. From its expansive terrace, the view of its stairway gardens and sprawling vineyard to the Napa landscape beyond is picturesque. It reminds me of a mini Palace of Versailles.

1240 Duhig Road

Napa, CA

(707) 257-0101

A Bit of Bar Crawl History to Sip on During Summerville’s “Hold My Tea Bar Crawl”

Frothy Beard Off World

Why is it called a “bar crawl”? It sounds like people are moving from bar to bar on their hands and knees—an outrageous thought but not necessarily inconceivable. The same could be said about the term “bar hoping”. You are not literally hoping from bar to bar. The answer is quite simply, it is one of those nonsensical idioms we use to describe a night out patronizing local drinking holes whether planned or not.

Ironically, in this case, there is a sobering truth in this idiom. It is possible that crawling from bar to bar could happen if a person drank too much at one bar and found walking to the next to be a bit challenging, an embarrassing picture for the person, but since when are the intoxicated rational. Upon investigation, it turns out the term originated in the United Kingdom in 1645 or was it the 19th century? Leave it to the pub-loving Brits to come up with this thought provoking expression.

As one story tells, a group of hooligans led by Sir Geoffrey Toppenbottom decided to go out drinking one night and hit the local taverns. When it came to drinking ale, they were a hardy group of heavy-weights and drank the local tavern dry. Three villages and four taverns later, Sir Toppenbottom and his drinking mates forgot where they left their horses and managed to crawl their way home. From the experience, they coined the term “pub crawl”. After a few tall ones, you just might find this tall tale easier to swallow.

For a more believable story, we go to the Oxford English Dictionary. The 19th century was when British towns and cities exploded in size. As the towns grew, so did the number of public drinking houses, many in close proximity to one another. For a single night of fun and socializing with friends, patrons moved from pub to pub at a slow and steady pace as opposed to rushing. Thus, the term “crawl” became the descriptive for the event.

Five Flowers

Amaret-Tea

I am glad to report I did not see anyone crawling from drinking establishment to drinking establishment in Summerville for the Sweet Tea Festival’s “Hold My Tea Bar Crawl”, but I did observe local residents and visitors having a good time socializing and evaluating the bar’s cocktail entry so as to vote for their favorite. The winning bartender will receive the People’s Choice recognition after the conclusion of the event on Sunday.

There was one question I put to the competing bartenders as I went from bar to bar. By observation, and this is just my opinion, women tend to socialize and engage in local events in groups more than men, unless it has to do with a sporting event. I asked them, “Have there been more women participating in the bar crawl than men or visa versa?” The overwhelming consensus was, “It has been about even.” It was great to hear the bar crawl was being so well supported.

Sweet Tea Mojito

Bubbly Bee Tea

Flowertown Mojito

Summerville’s competing bars and restaurants are Hilton Garden Inn—Sweet Tea Mojito—Ashlee Circelli, Five Loaves Cafe—Flowertown Mojito—Kacie Bankers, The Azalea Bar and Garden—Five Flowers—Elizabeth Cureton, Frothy Beard Off World—InfiniTEA—Brennen Walters, Sweetwater One Twenty Three—Amaret-Tea—Chelsea Cronk, The IceHouse—Bubbly Bee Tea—Jeana Masula, and Godwin’s Beer Hall—Shepard’s Shandy—Austin Willard. All of the cocktails have been very good, and picture perfect. It will be a difficult decision in choosing my favorite, and my vote is just one. Summerville will decide.

Shepard’s Shandy

The “Hold My Tea Bar Crawl” has become a regular part of Sweet Tea Festival Week. It has been fun enjoying a quality cocktail made by local, talented bartenders and socializing with friends and making new acquaintances. Be sure to take it slow and easy and savor the moment, that is what it is all about. Added to that, you are supporting Summerville’s local businesses, and don’t forget the t-shirt you get after you succeed in filling out your bingo card.

Visit Summerville

Sweet Tea Festival Week and Hold My Tea Bar Crawl—Time to Get a New T-shirt

My “Hold My Tea Bar Crawl” t- shirt has gotten faded and worn since acquiring it last year, so it is time to get a new one. Sweet Tea Festival Week is near at hand. The bar crawl begins Monday the 16th and runs to Sunday the 22nd. The participating establishments have concocted their finest sweet tea cocktails and are ready for you to determine the best of the best, based upon your personal preferences and likes.

Summerville’s competing bars and restaurants are Hilton Garden Inn—Sweet Tea Mojito, Five Loaves Cafe—Flowertown Mojito, The Azalea Bar and Garden—Five Flowers, Frothy Beard Off World—InfiniTEA, Sweetwater One Twenty Three—Amaret-Tea, The IceHouse—Bubbly Bee Tea|, and Godwin’s Beer Hall—Shepard’s Shandy. Want to know each bartenders chosen mixtures, recipes are posted on social media and Visit Summerville web sight. You can download bingo cards off of Visit Summerville or at participating establishments.

As you savor the cocktails, ask your bartender or server to mark off your card with their initial. Mark 7 spaces in a row or diagonally during the week of the crawl. When you have decided on your favorite, cast your vote using the QR code on your Bingo card. Your vote will help decide the winner of the People's Choice Award, and you will get the middle square.

Trade in your completed card for a free bar crawl shirt at the Summerville Visitor Center or Cotton-Tea booth at the Sweet Tea Festival while supplies last.

Aside from winning you over, bartenders are also competing to win a Critic's Choice Award for their cocktails. Three judges, comprising mixologists and/or industry professionals, local people of interest, and culinary content creators have been appointed to evaluate the entries, considering factors such as taste, presentation, and originality. The real challenge of the competing mixologists in my estimation is not just to win your admiration and vote but to maintain the picture perfect cocktail as seen in the photo through the whole week.

A preview—Bubbly Bee Tea

Last year’s winner of the Critics Choice Award in the Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest was Azalea Bar and Garden’s “Porch Rocker” by Elizabeth Cureton. In the People’s Choice category, Lavender TEAse” by Laura Walling at Sweetwater One Twenty Three was the community’s favorite.

Join me for the fun. Send me a message where you plan on being and I will join you. I look forward to meeting you during the week. We will clang glasses and share Summerville stories, like the Summerville Light or The Phantom Flight Over Summerville. See you then.

As a reminder, be sure to attend the Southern Songwriter Festival Thursday, Sept 19 – Saturday, Sept 21. Over 40 different songwriters will perform at various venues throughout Historic Downtown Summerville. Featured stages, Songwriters Alley on Short Central and Headliner performance at Public Works Art Center with full set bands on Sweet Tea Festival day on Hutchinson Square Stage. Forty Mile Detour takes the stage at 2 pm.

If that is not enough, Summerville’s Historic Garden Stroll will take place September 21st at 9:30 am to 12:00 pm. It will begin with a sneak peek of the Azalea Park Children’s Discovery Garden to be completed in late Fall 2024. It will feature a variety of nature, music, and art-inspired pieces geared towards children. After, four nearby historic homes will open their beautiful private gardens to be toured by ticket holders. Live music, refreshments, and small bites will be available. Proceeds will benefit Leadership Dorchester Class of 2024 and garden project—$75. 

Summerville’s Sweet Tea Festival Week will be jam-packed with things to do. Hop on the Summerville festival wave and hang ten—slow and easy to savor the ride through the events. Cheers.