Fun Night At Pages Okra Grill And Winterfest 2013 On The Point

It was a busy weekend in Charleston with all the festivities. The Boat Show started on Friday at the Charleston Convention Center, Winterfest at Patriots Point on Saturday, and the worlds largest oyster festival on Sunday at Boone Hall Plantation. If I went to the boat show, I would probably end up buying one. For now, that folly is reserved for the near future. On my radar was the Winterfest and Lowcountry Oyster Festival. So, my weekend plans were set, but an added surprise entered the picture. Meeting a friend at Pages Okra Grill in Mt Pleasant came into the mix. I had been wanting to check out this restaurant for some time now and its location on Coleman Blvd was perfect.

Reservations are not necessary but for larger groups it is expected. The time was set for 6 pm. We were seated immediately upon entrance and handed our menus, which were well-arranged and colorful. We perused the menu while sipping on our drinks, wine for my friend and sweet tea for me, which is my most common selection when I am searching for a quick choice. I was reserving the harder stuff for the Winterfest.

Our choice for the main entree was the Fried Flounder. You can choose between two fillets for $8.99 or one for $6.99. My friend asked, "Is it fresh?" The waitress replied back, "We only serve fresh." "You can always tell fresh fish from fish that is not," my friend noted. The challenge was on, is it or isn't it? We would soon find out. It comes with two hush puppies and a choice of two sides. This is where the fun came in for me. The list consisted of southern sides. I have to admit, I am a Northerner and not overly familiar yet with all the particular southern delicacies. We had a little discussion about okra and collard greens. My friend, Beth, is an okra lover, so I went with her instincts and ordered the fried okra. We parted ways on the collard greens. I chose green beans, and not because I had anything against collard greens. I will venture there on the next opportunity.

We settled into some good conversation and before we knew it, our entrees were delivered. The coating was light and the flounder was flaky. It passed the scrutiny. It was determined to be fresh. Not a single hint of fishiness or the smell of it. The hush puppies were very good, and I can knowledgeably comment on this because I've had hush puppies before. I was pleased with the fried okra and the green beans. My friend confirmed. The final analysis: Beth said, "I am stuffed." And asked me, "How about you?" I smiled and said, "I am satisfied."

Our waitress was cheerful and polite. She engaged herself in conversation by asking me if I brought her a box of chocolates. There is a story there. She kept our glasses full and the table cleared of empty dishes. The interior and decor was simple and undramatic, but pleasant. There is a large outdoor seating area, but on this chilly 40 degree night the inside was the better choice. I will return to Pages Okra Grill, maybe next time to try their breakfast menu. I heard it is good.

The time had come to make the short trip to Patriots Point. It was advertised there would be 25 tons of snow transforming the Lookout Pavilion into a ski lodge. So, I envisioned mounds and mounds of snow, plenty enough for a good northern type snowball fight or a snow angel or two. When we arrived and paid the ten dollars to enter, the 25 tons looked like you could cover a yard with it, and a very small one at that. Granted, the snow was dumped earlier in the day and began melting in the Charleston sun, but 25 tons disappeared that fast? Beth observed, "You are going to have a hard time coming up with something to write about on this event."

So, here it goes. I had a beer, Beth had wine; the bartenders were somewhat stingy on the wine. We listened to dance music and watched the fun seekers do a line dance. Stood by the fire to warm our backsides and listened to more music. At various intervals swayed to the beat and entertained a few dance moves. A Rail Jam demonstration was one of the highlights. Snowboarders slid down a man-made ramp with flashing lights onto a small patch of slushy snow at the bottom. I had another beer, Beth had another wine. Listened to more music and at the end I made one snowball.

 

 

This is the thing. I am a simple person and it doesn't take much to keep me happy. I like music and I like dance. More snow would have been ideal. If I wanted to see more snow, earlier would have been wiser. I believe most everybody that came after 8 pm was there for the music, dance, and booze. In the final analysis, I had a great time because I was sharing it with a friend. Hope you enjoy the pictures. I am Looking forward to seeing everyone in warmer weather and this years editions of Party on the Point.