Sir Oliver Godwin--What Does the Name have to do with Summerville

Beer hall verses pub? Other than the fact that they are both places where one goes to drink draft beer, they have differences. People generally sit in a beer hall. They are huge and boisterous. They are generally provisioned with the beer of a single brewer. They evoke sausage and simple German meals. On the other hand, pubs are small and more intimate. You order and retrieve your drink, and there is a lot of standing, greeting, and circulating. They require you to choose between at least half a dozen different beers or ales. The tavern is the American equivalent.

The Hofbräuhaus Brewery of Munich is one of the most famous beer halls in the world. Its history dates back to 1589. According to legend, Wilhelm V, Duke of Bavaria and a member of the Wittelsbach family, found the beer in Munich so bad that he commissioned his own state brewery. The Staatliches Hofbräuhaus was thus born. After centuries of producing beer for the royals, in 1828, the Hofbräuhaus was opened to the public by King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Almost completely destroyed by World War II bombings in 1945, it underwent over a decade of restoration work, finally reopening in 1958. Every day, more than 35,000 people visit the brewery's immense beer halls. Hofbräuhaus has eight franchised beer halls in the United States.

An interesting point of history in regard to the Hofbräuhaus illustrates how far some people will go for a good beer. The German beer hall was so famous that King Gustavius from Sweden accepted to not invade Munich in exchange of 600,000 barrels of the fine brew during the Thirty Years War.

American beer halls became popular in the mid-19th century, following a wave of immigration from Germany to the United States. They became an alternative to the American-style tavern. St. Louis, Missouri and Milwaukee, Wisconsin are notable cities for a number of beer halls, some of which seat several hundred persons. A famous beer hall is the Loerzel Beer Hall. Also known as "The Brewery," it was built in 1873 at 213 Partition Street in Saugerties, Ulster County, New York. The building was a large three-story, brick building that measured 45 feet wide and 65 feet deep. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

A new drinking and gathering establishment in the likes of a beer hall is coming to Summerville and will be located at 108 E 3rd N Street next to Brad Mallett's Coastal Coffee Roasters. The establishments name kind of roles off the tongue like a smooth Scottish ale--Godwin's Beer Hall. This is a Rizzo family venture. It is advertised to be a traditional European-style beer hall with selections from over 20 countries. In addition to some of the world's best beer, it will offer wine, mead, cider, and European street food. It is named for Sir Oliver Godwin. It is presently under way and will open soon.

I searched but could find nothing about Sir Oliver. Godwin or Goodwin is an English surname. It has Anglo-Saxon roots and has been used in Britain in some form since before the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the personal name 'Godwine' (friend to God) and would be given to the lineage of those of that forename. That is that. Exactly as to who he was or is, you have have to wait for the full story when the beer hall opens, or possible before.

Such is the history of beer halls, pubs, and taverns. Today, they are all pretty much interchangeable. They are places to meet, commune, and drink. To be sure, there is nothing that can hold a stein to the original German Hofbräuhaus. Godwin's Beer Hall will be a welcome addition to Summerville's social scene. A place to raise a glass of liquid gold, exchange some niceties, talk about good things concerning your neighbors, scheme a new idea, or make a deal. Here's to a successful outcome. Here's to Summerville. Let it grow.

For more updated pics, click on Godwin's Beer Hall.

Be the Talk of Charleston and Consider Doing Something Extraordinary

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 having a birds eye view of this menagerie of human activity. It is feasible with one of the many highly technical drones available today. From that vantage point, you can soak in a view of the popular rooftop bar on the Pavilion Hotel gracefully overshadowing the famous landmark called the Old City 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, let's take that thought to another level. Imagine physically hovering 165 feet over the downtown district with a glass of wine in your hand. That would be a unique experience, and for the right price, it is within the realm of probable. A Belgian based novelty restaurant can make that once in a lifetime, unique, and unforgettable dining experience possible. In May 2006, Hakuna Matata, a communication agency featuring gourmet pleasures, and The Fungroup, a company specializing in amusement park installations deploying cranes, joined forces to offer a unique concept called Dinner in the Sky.

Brussels

Belgium

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, and Las 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 feet 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 up. Just think of the driving distance from that tee. Rory Mcllroy would be envious. 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.

Dinner in the Sky has been around since 2006. I first reported about the concept in 2010 to the Charleston area and it is one of my most read articles. I thought it was worth another look. Forbes magazine called it "one of the world's ten most unusual restaurants." You definitely would need deep pockets to personally afford this but a business organization or restaurant could consider it if they were into stepping out of the box when it comes to personnel or client parties. Could you see High Cotton hosting a Dinner in the Sky or Fleet Landing.

To be realistic, maneuvering a large crane or finding an open surface of 500 square meters in Charleston would be a challenge. Hey, where there is a will, there is a way. However, looking for something more down to earth? Charleston has a long and diverse list of restaurants to choose from with beautiful roof tops. But what the heck, go for it. Do something extraordinary and consider booking with Dinner in the Sky. You could be the talk of the town.

Contact information for Dinner in the Sky.

Roll the Dice, Make a bet, It is One of Summerville's Distinctive Properties

It is a bit on the difficult side to believe quiet, peaceful, charming Summerville had a "red-light district" in its past. Back in the day, the eatery now known as the Montreux Bar and Grill was a boardinghouse and restaurant operated by a person by the name of Miss Lucia. It was said to have been part of "the red-light district." This would seem to be an apparent contradiction of order, especially when you consider during the time Confederate troops were stationed in the town, they were jailed for bad conduct towards resident females, and rightly so. Different times. Different decades.

On top of houses of ill repute, it also had a gambling casino that was associated with the illustrious Pine Forest Inn--something that would be considered illegal in South Carolina today. Unlike many other states, the state of South Carolina is by far the strictest state when it comes to gambling with no casinos in its major cities. The only legal gambling is on a casino cruise. There is one in Little River called The Big "M" Casino.

Summerville's once upon a time Pine Forest Inn casino was located at 100 Marion Avenue. It is difficult to find any substantial information about the casino itself, but there is great deal of detail available about the house it was located in, and its history is fascinating.

It is believed by residents to have been built somewhere between 1890 and 1900 by Thomas Hopkins and referred to as "Hopkins Villa." The Summerville Scene in April of 1975 called it "the cut-down house." The reason being the original house was built on columns five and a half feet off the ground. When Ralph Sullivan purchased it from Urban M. Kennedy in 1951, he lowered it to the height the present house is at, but he also did something else that would be considered a stunning feat. He moved the complete house from its original location, which was closer to the road, without disturbing the structure, interior, chimneys, and porches. On top of that, he turned it so the main entrance faced Marion Avenue, where it is today. That was some about face. However that was not the only about face it made.

Somewhere between its construction and the 1930's was its gambling days with the Pine Forest Inn. Hopkins left the property to a religious group called the Order of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1904, who lived there for a number of years but left the property and returned again in the 1930s. Whether it was a casino during that period of time or while Hopkins owned it before he left it to the religious group is a question to be answered with further research. Regardless, that was some about face from vices to virtue.

Today, 100 Marion Avenue is surrounded by white fences and tall bushes. You can get a tempting peek at its main, front entrance through a small gated-opening at the middle of the property. It is a distinctive estate with an arching driveway and expansive porches. It is a fascinating part of Summerville's grand history. Roll the dice, make a bet, it is a history that included what would be considered illegal today.

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