Charleston, SC-Where The Sky Is The Limit

Charleston is an awesome city for sightseeing. There is history at every turn of the corner and a tour dedicated to assisting you in reliving that history for a brief moment.

As you walk its streets, you are surrounded by the gentle chaos of tourism at its best. horse drawn carriages prowl the cobbled streets, groups led by knowledgeable guides crowd the corners, families and couples scurry about looking in the windows of its small shops or patiently stand in long lines for an opportunity to eat at one of Charleston's signature restaurants.

Now, imagine you are looking down from 165 ft. in the air at this menagerie of human activity. From that vantage point, you would have a birds-eye view of the popular rooftop bar on the Pavilion Hotel gracefully overshadowing the famous landmark called the Old Market. In the near distance, the South Carolina Aquarium glistens in the sun and the salty bay waters lick the docks where the cruise ship Fantasy resides when in port. Across the rolling water stands old Fort Sumter like a proud sentinel at the edge of Charleston Bay between Sullivan's Island and Morris Island. As you scan back to the waterfront, the many diverse rooftops of the majestic old homes along East Battery come into view culminating at Battery Park. St. Matthew's Church, Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, Rainbow Row, Dockstreet Theater, and Meeting Street trailing like a cement river are all within view.

Now, imagine yourself looking down from 165 ft. in the air at all of this real estate having dinner. That would be a unique experience, and for the right price within the realm of possible. A Belgian based novelty restaurant called "one of the world's ten most unusual restaurants" can make that once in a lifetime, unique and unforgettable dining experience possible. In May 2006, Hakuna Matata, a communication agency specialized in gourmet pleasures, and The Fungroup, a company specialized in amusement park installations deploying cranes, joined forces: a flying dinner table which served as the venue for 22 Young European Restaurant Owners to don their white chef’s hat. It is an idea called Dinner in the Sky.

Brussels

Dinner in the Sky is now operating in over 60 countries above some of the most famous landmarks with many of the worlds top chefs and has gained official authorization from the toughest countries, including France, Canada, Australia and Israel. Michelin three-star chef Alain Passard of L'Arpege, a famous restaurant in Paris, prepared a special dinner party in the sky above the stunning Cathedrale d'Amiens, also called Notre-Dame d'Amiens, which is located in the city of Amiens a little over 100 kilometers north of Paris. Other cities include Brussels, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Madrid, London, Dublin, Dubai, andLas Vegas. This is a schedule of upcoming events.

Dinner in the Sky is hosted on a platform of 22 people suspended at a height of 160 to 180 ft by a crane. You are seated at tables with three staff in the middle (chef, waiter, entertainer) for a session of up to 8 hours. It can be divided or personalized according to the client’s wishes. An event can be held anywhere (golf course, public place, race track, castle, vineyard, historical site...) as long as there is a surface of approximately 500 square meters that can be secured. Of course, authorization by the owner is required. As far as cost goes, the same type of event as the one hosted by Passard with a star chef cooking above a famous U.S. landmark, like the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls, would cost anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000, but in Las Vegas it is advertised at $289.00 per person.

This platform can also be used for Swing in the Sky, which gives golfers the incredible experience of playing their swing from 50 meters in the sky. Other events include Meeting in the Sky, Marriage in the Sky, Movie in the Sky, and Concert in the Sky.

Dinner in the Sky Movie

You can share a dinner or a glass of Champagne with friends while listening to the sounds of Ghanaian drummers; arrange a match of bridge or poker; sip Brandy while enjoying a fine Havana cigar; play a round of baccarat while being entertained by French Cancan dancers; participate in a quiz or a talk show broadcast live from the stars; attend a DJ jam session … all from an altitude of 50 meters.

Looking for something more down to earth? Charleston has a long and diverse list of restaurants to choose from. But what the heck, go for it. Do something extraordinary and book a Dinner in the Sky. You could be the talk of the town.

For more on Charleston restaurants and locations click here.

Charleston Boat Show And Beauty And The Beast-Family Fun Events And More

It's January in Charleston once again. The weather has been cold, cold, cold. Did you get your "Be A Tourist In Your Own Town" tickets? If you did so, no doubt you are enjoying all the landmarks and points of interest Charleston has to offer at a discount. One event close at hand, that will get you thinking about warmer days, is the 31st Annual Charleston Boat Show at the North Charleston Convention Center. It is scheduled to begin Jan. 21 and will run to Jan. 23.

There will be the usual display of hundreds of boats and motors from top manufacturers, as well as the latest in marine accessories and equipment for the boating and fishing enthusiasts to peruse whether thinking of purchasing or just to dream. A new feature of this years show is the Coastal Fishing Expo presented by Coastal Angler. You will be able to learn tips, tricks and techniques from the premier Lowcountry Fishing Guides in South Carolina. TV’s "Hook the Future" star Don Dingman will be present to host a Kids Fishing Clinic throughout the show. His clinics will inspire and fascinate your kids with an opportunity to win some neat prizes. Everyone likes a good pirate show. Robin Burke of Creative Spark's will be in the new pirate tent putting on a show for the whole family and hosting a craft time for the kids to make some booty. Also present will be South Carolina DNR's Fishing Simulator where you can test your fishing skills. There will be prizes and giveaways. One of the prizes you could win is a 5 night, Carnival Fantasy Cruise from Charleston. So, ship ahoy me hardies and sail on down to the show for some Lowcountry fun.-Tickets

Have you ever seen "Blue Man Group"? I saw them in Las Vegas and it was very entertaining. The way they incorporated paint with percussion. An extravaganza with tremedous special effects and very imaginitive in the implementation of pvc pipe as a musical medium. A show that is reminiscent of "Blue Man Group" and "Cirque du Soleil" is coming to the North Charleston of Performing Arts called "one of the most innovative events of modern times." The Aluminum Show will make a one day stop January 22 at 2 PM and 8 PM. Special effects, creative mechanisms and acrobatic dance, inanimate objects all come to life with energy, emotion and even personality, as silver industrial materials create a luminous and reflective world.-Tickets

Further down the road you will have the opportunity to see one of the most beloved performances on Broadway. Personally, one of my favorite Broadway musicals I had the opportunity to see at Cleveland's Playhouse Square. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is scheduled to entertain the Lowcountry April 26 and 27 at 7:30 PM each day at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Belle, her father Maurice, arrogant local hero Gaston, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and Chip, and of course, the Beast will all be on hand to enchant you. Fun for the whole family. Be sure to mark this one down on your calendar.-Tickets

 
Other events of notable interest coming to North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center and Charleston:
KId Rock, Feb 16 at 3 PM with very special guest Jamey Johnson.-Tickets
Tim McGraw with Special Guests Lady Antebellum and Love & Theft May 13-Tickets
Charleston Wine and Food Festival March 3-6.

A Salute To Winemaking-Charleston Wine and Food Festival

What list contains names like Jeroboam, Rehoboam, Methuselah, Salmanazar, Balthazar, Nebuchadnezzar, and Sovereign? No, it doesn't have anything to do with the Bible. These are designated names for wine bottle sizes. The most well known wine bottle size is the Magnum, which is the equivalent of two standard size bottles of 1.5 liters. There are hundreds of wine types in the world, each with its own flavors and styles. Most people know about the popular varieties, such as chardonnay, cabernet, zinfandel, muscadel, pinot blanc, and merlot. Even more daunting is the glossary of wine terminology. When I take a glass of wine, I don't ask to sniff the cork, role it around in the glass, smell it, or swish it throughout my mouth. I just drink it. One could very well say I seriously lack the cultural sophistication and elegance required in wine selection and recognition.

Wines were first introduced to the United States as early as the 17th century. On the East Coast, early settlers were disappointed by the native wine varieties, which made strong and earthy wine, so they imported wine cuttings from their European homelands. Unfortunately, disease and severe weather took their toll on the fledgling vines, and they didn't survive. In the 19th century, due to the work of horticulturist Thomas Munson, growers discovered that by grafting European varieties to American rootstock, they could produce flavorful wine. This process also saved the European wine industry from extinction when American rootstock was taken over to England infected with phylloxera.

On the west coast, 18th century Spanish missionaries planted vines at each mission to produce sacramental wine. The 1849 Gold Rush brought a growing number of immigrants, mostly of the Italian descent, who planted in the Napa and Sonoma valleys and the Sierra foothills to satisfy the increased demands of the thirsty miners. Prohibition in 1919 nearly decimated the American winemaking industry. It was illegal to produce wine except for medicinal, sacramental, or home winemaking purposes. A handful of California winemakers survived by making sacramental wine. It wasn't repealed until 1933. In the following years quality wines were produced, but had difficulty marketing them.

Then, in 1976, two California wines beat their French counterparts in a blind taste test in Paris. The ancient European wineland's rigid grip on the hiearchy of quality wine was broken. Now, California is the largest producer in the country, producing 90 per cent of the nation's wine. Other top wine-producing states include New York, Oregon, and Washington. The United States is the third largest wine-consuming country in the world, following only France and Italy.

The hot and humid summers of South Carolina make it a challenge to grow grapes for wine production. It requires viticulturalists to adapt their canopy(the parts of the vine visible aboveground) to minimize direct sunlight on the grapes, which are often harvested early in the summer. South Carolina is not a designated American Viticultural Area. An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and the United States Department of the Treasury.

Still, there are numerous wineries in SC, one of which is in Charleston, the Market Street Winery. Charleston is also host to a four day event called "one of the top five food and wine festivals in the U.S." by Forbes Traveler, the annual BB&T Charleston Wine and Food Festival. This year it will take place March 3-6. March 4, at Marion Square, the 6 Top Chefs Challenge will take place. The Festival for the first time will celebrate the Bravo hit TV show, Top Chef, with a bash and “Lowcountry Ingredient” challenge. A fan favorite from each season will be on-hand to serve a small plate of their signature recipe. Tickets are still available. This is just one of the numerous events scheduled throughout the four days. Click for the complete list. In conclusion, "If your heart is warm with happiness, you'll need a glass of wine-if sorrow chills your heart, have two!"

Other wine and food festivals:
Coastal Uncorked Food and Wine Festival
Beaufort Wine and Food Weekend
High Museum Wine Auction
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
Cincinnati Wine Festival
South Beach Wine & Food Festival
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