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.

"No Sex Please--We're British" Equals "Yes Please, Go See It"

With a stiff upper lip and all that, according to a 2014 questionnaire conducted by the British Council, British people are most recognized for their good manners, sense of humor, love of alcohol, pride in their country and unappetizing cuisine. And when it comes to "How's your Father," it is definitely not simply a person's gender and most Britons take more than a hot-water bottle with them when they say "I'm Off To Bedfordshire!" So, we can pretty much slam the door on the farcical idea implicated by the play's title, "No Sex Please--We're British"--Now riotously showing at the James F. Dean Theatre.

Written by Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot, the play starts with blissful newlyweds Peter and Frances Hunter returning from their honeymoon to start their life together. Peter works as an assistant bank manager and the happy couple is allowed the benefit of living in a flat above the bank. The craziness begins when Frances innocently orders what she believes to be Scandinavian glassware, but the delivered package turns out to be pornographic photos. Peter could lose his job if Mr. Bromhead, the bank director, was to find out, but even worse, it is an offense that could lead to "Her Majesty's Pleasure" (British slang for being incarcerated).

Complicating things even more, Peter's mother, Eleanor, arrives with an imperiled bouquet of flowers in hand to stay for a few days. The conservative couple is hard pressed to get rid of the pornography in the least unobtrusive way possible, but their ensuing efforts turn out otherwise. Peter's colleague, Brian Runnicles, hesitantly accepts the task to get rid of the unwanted paraphernalia and botches things up royally. Again, Peter and Frances must deal with another delivery, this time pornographic films along with trying to retrieve a bank check mistakenly sent to the company. Then, Mr. Bromhead shows up and shortly after, the police superintendent, but the parade of visitors doesn't end there. A soon to be drugged bank inspector named Mr. Needum arrives asking to be put up for the night, who then was followed up by two call girls sent by the Scandinavian company, and the real shambolics begin right in full view of Her Majesty's castle.

No stranger to the play, JC Conway worked the show years ago with a professional theater company in Sanford, N.C. JC worked his magic once again with the assistance of Courtney Daniel, Executive Director, for this Flowertown production. The cast was well picked with some rarely seen faces as well as a first-timer on the Summerville stage. The well suited cast was stoked up on opening night and put in a great performance.

In the play, Peter Hunter insanely transforms from a proper English gentleman into a person seriously in need of a Xanax once the cat is out of the box or more bluntly, the unwanted pornography is unboxed, and Steve Tarnow does a superb job conveying his characters ballooning anxiety Monty Python style to the delight of his approving audience. Frances seems to take things in stride, most of the time, but her discomfort with Eleanor's presence is quite clear and Victoria Hartshorn adeptly communicates that angst with relevant body language and facial expressions. As a couple, they were spot on believable.

Susie Hallatt as Eleanor Hunter was enchanting. Her muddled accent reminded me of Jean Adair and Josephine Hull in the 1944 film "Arsenic and Old Lace." Hallatt's timing at the most inappropriate time was impeccable to the dismay of the snookered couple. I've got a secret Leslie Bromhead, Eleanor's potential love interest, was astutely performed by Fred Maidment. Veteran Barry Gordon, an actor who has played again and again many roles through his years with the Flowertown Players, filled the role of nosey and undeterred Superintendent Paul and Mr. Needum was portrayed by David Hallatt. David, who looked and sounded more like the Santa Claus from "Miracle on 34th Street," was quite amusing in some of the plays more sexually sticky situations initiated upon the arrival of Susan (Jacey Pruitt) and Barbara (Nicole Harrison)--the call girls sent to Frances and Peter's flat above the bank who provided the eye candy and revealed one of the plays most telling and scandalous surprises.

 

And, then there was Eddie Duncan as Brian Runnicles--a character whose name fits the part because he does a lot of running around from place to place and through slamming door after slamming door. From the moment he entered the play to the moment he attempted a crashing exit, Duncan was outstanding, although, and this is probably difficult for Eddie who has been blessed with a perpetual boyish grin, he should display less of a smirk and more of a stressed expression to the problematic tasks he hesitantly volunteers for and experiences. I give him a ten for his perfect vault through...well, I will leave it there on that incomplete bit of revelation. It is a scene you do not want to miss.

The set was well done and functional to the action with two stories, steps, multiple doors, and a pivotal pull down wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. No pageantry in this one, the costumes were suitable threads applicable to the plays time and storyline.

There is a lot more to the title "No Sex Please--We're British" than meets the eye. The British reputation for being reserved is not without merit, but throw a spattering of sexuality into the mix and the lines get somewhat blurred, of which the cast competently through all of Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot's crescendo of chaotic scenes hilariously shed some light on. It's a show that would make Benny Hill proud and will leave you gobsmacked.

133 S Main St, Summerville, SC
(843) 875-9251
May 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27, 2017 at 8PM, May 21 and 28, 2017 at 3PM
Buy Tickets

The Flowertown Players Open Their Grounbreaking Performance Of Rent-A Portrayal Of Love And Loss

The Flowertown Players sailed into unfamiliar waters Friday night with the opening of their
presentation of the rock musical Rent and navigated their ship successfully into the Port of Phenomenal.

Whether you agree or disagree with the moral implications of the play, it dives into the harsh and heartbreaking realities a group of struggling-to-find their-way-in-life young musicians and artists are forced to deal with while living in New York City's Lower East Side during the thriving days of Alphabet City and the Bohemian lifestyle. The harsh reality of struggling with the lack of money just to pay rent and the heartbreaking reality of finding love in the face of the AIDS virus. It was a world Johnathan Larson, writer of music and lyrics, was familiar with and that is what it is all about.

Congratulations to the director(Mark Gorman) who, for this ground breaking step by the Flowertown Players, pulled together from the available pool of talented local actors and actresses a cast that realistically mirrored the raw passion of the original play's characters and presented a vocally powerful performance.

The complicated choreography of the play, from my point of view, was executed flawlessly, especially during the scene of the party at the Life Café - my favorite. I liked the bare bones look of the background and the different colors from the lighting accentuated the atmosphere on stage.

The live musical ensemble, which I believe to be the foundation of a musical like this, was burdened with a heavy responsibility. If they make a mistake, the whole flow of the play could be in jeopardy. But they did not miss a beat and greatly attributed in a large way to the play's successful opening night.

I first met Cody Smith back when he played the vicious villain in Wait Until Dark and his acting impressed me. Then I saw him play Danny in Grease where I experienced his vocal skills for the first time and I thought he was great. But as the struggling musician trying to find that one inspirational song, Cody(Roger) blew the roof off the house with his explosive vocals. Andrew Turnball as Mark was equally strong and harmonized well with Cody. Equal to the task was Giulia Marie Dalbec(Mimi), Michelle Smith(Maureen), Jason Marion(hauntingly believable as Angel), Kevin J. Thorn(Collins), Alexandria Rashanko(Joanne), and Tyler Reed(Benny).

There were many highlights to speak of and in the end drew a resounding standing ovation. Here are a few of my picks. The tender but hesitant exchange between Roger and Mimi in Light My Candle was beautifully portrayed by Guilia Marie and Cody. You could feel the intensity of the emotions build as the scene progressed toward the climatic reluctant rejection. Guilia Marie additionally executed a superb dance routine when the beautiful Mimi attempted to seduce Roger in Out Tonight. Michelle drew a huge applause from the audience with her humorous and provocative performance of Over the Moon. The entire cast was riotously outstanding when all the friends gathered at the tables to celebrate their Bohemian lifestyle.

Commendations to JC Conway, Heather Pallay and staff for boldly going where you hadn't gone before. You have set the bar high with this one. It will be a tough act to follow, but I have confidence you will meet the challenge.

Purchase tickets for the next performances.

Plentiful Reasons For Seeing "Plaid Tidings" At The James F. Dean Theatre In Summerville

The high school harmony singing group called The Plaids are back from the land of the demised and made an appearance at the James F. Dean Theatre in Summerville. Decked out in their trademark plaid blazers and comber buns in the Flowertown Players presentation of Plaid Tidings, the quartet was full of the three E's - energy, enthusiasm, and eccentricity.

Plaid Tidings is a holiday musical revue written be Stuart Ross in 2001 shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 11. The main purpose for writing the play was to lift the spirits of the people in the United States in the aftermath of those attacks.

It is the sequel to Forever Plaid where Frankie(Brandyn Williams), Jinx(L.D. Lewis), Smudge(Robert Venne), and Sparky(Brandon L. Joyner) while on their way to their first semiprofessional gig were killed instantly when their vehicle was broadsided by a school bus, but in a twist of fate are returned from the dead to perform the show they never got to perform while alive. In this sequel, they find themselves in the same situation.

The returned Plaids open by singing some of their old hits, but after realize they do not quite know why they have been returned. Smudge informs the audience one of their dreams was to perform a holiday special of their own. The four of them next break out with a medley of traditional holiday songs. The reason soon becomes clarified.

Sparky hears a ringing on stage and picks the object up. He asks one of the people in the audience what the strange, ringing object is, at which the lady informs him it is a phone. They listen to the voice who identifies itself as Rosemary Clooney calling to inform them that their mission is to spread a little harmony into a discordant world with some holiday cheer.

This is an audience participation musical with non-stop singing and playful shenanigans by the cast. The somewhat quirky foursome performed an entertaining musical skit with plungers as microphones and the audience expressed their approval with a resounding applause.

Brandyn Williams displayed his piano skills after the piano guy(David McLaughlin who by-the-way did a professional job at pounding out the tunes on the ivories) took an unexpected break and the whole group harmoniously rang the bells with the assistance of a young lady picked from the audience. Topping out the highlights was a Plaid Caribbean Christmas complete with bongos and palm trees and a fast-moving, prop-filled medley of Plaid-erized tunes including a version of "The Ed Sullivan Show" that will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.

I sat close enough to see the melodious sweat beads of Brandon's expended energy, the noteworthy enthusiasm on Brandyn's smiling face, the eccentrically stuttering body language of Robert, and the 'tis the season green tongue of L.D. Lewis. The foursome put their whole hearts and departed souls into their performances. David Joyner made a brief appearance as Perry Como and Joe Gorman supplied the Voice.

So, take this advice from Frankie and the gang: Don't take your money and run to Venezuela, take your money and run to the James F. Dean Theatre sometime between now and December 22 to spend the evening celebrating the music of the season with The Plaids-tickets.

There Is Plenty Going On At Coastal Coffee Roasters in Summerville-You Are Invited To Check It Out For Yourself

The red roaster

Coastal Coffee Roasters in Summerville is passionately dedicated to the idea of "transforming the best organically grown beans into the most amazing, freshly roasted coffee." To quote the owners, "We want our name to be synonymous with the best cup of coffee that you have ever tasted." But alas, I am not a coffee drinker. So, what is it that keeps bringing me back to the "red roaster" at 108 East 3rd North Street?
  
While offering the best when it comes to roasted coffee, there is much more brewing within the walls of this Summerville hot spot, but it is not something that can be put into a cup or a container and it permeates the atmosphere as distinctly as the freshly roasted beans that spill out from the oven chamber of its red Dietrich coffee roaster. You sense it when you first enter. You feel it as you mingle with the crowd. You see it while you sit at the hand-decorated tables. You hear it in the conversations of its most loyal patrons.


Coastal Coffee Roasters enthusiastically brews up a large batch of community, actively devoting time and efforts to fostering its well-being and its growth. It does this by graciously opening its doors to other aspiring local entrepreneurs, affording them the opportunity and the space to promote their own products and services to CCR's loyal and growing customer base. The meals, snacks, appetizers and desserts are all prepared fresh in its own kitchen by local cooks and pastry chefs. To take the edge off a busy day or simply to kick-back and relax, local craft beers, such as Holy City, are available on tap and a full rack of hand-picked wines await your pleasure.


Wine rack

Molly Durnin

But, like everything in life there is a need for being balanced-all work and no play is not good for business. CCR's love for coffee is only rivaled by its love for music and fostering talent in the community is one of its strategies. Its coffeehouse has become a gathering place for aspiring local musicians and songwriters. Its open mic night on Thursdays has become a popular collaborative jam session where anyone who has the will and desire can uncase their acoustic guitars and sing a few songs from their repertoire. In addition, Friday night is owned by the Summerville band Busker with Dave Keller on lead guitar accompanied by a collection of his talented friends, and Saturday night tops off the entertainment schedule for the week, often reserved for visiting musicians and locally popular singers.

Like its owners, Coastal Coffee Roasters from the start has never been a body at rest. It is constantly in motion, continually developing. It has always been a work in progress. I have been a keen observer of the many metamorphic changes the coffeehouse has undergone since its early days to where it is today. Recently, its interior block walls have even become the medium on which aspiring young artists have been given the opportunity to work their creative talents. Despite the progression, two things have remained constant and I consider them trademarks-the hammock above the kitchen and the basketball net on the wall. Many times I have wanted to pick up a basketball and play a friendly game of hoops. I have always said, "Hanging out at Coastal Coffee Roasters is like hanging out in a  dear friend's garage to share good times."

Wall mural in progress

Brad and Jackie

Finally, I could easily site all these things as the reasons that keep bringing me back to the home of the "red roaster", but that would not be entirely true. What keeps bringing me back time and time again is Brad and Jackie Mallett. They serve up as many hand shakes and hugs as they do cups of coffee. Coastal Coffee Roasters is a family, owned and run, and I am happy to be a part of the family.
  
Check out this weeks schedule and entertainment. Molly Durnin Friday, 7-10 pm.

The Countries Top Mixologists Dazzle-The Methods To Their Madness

Today's top mixologists are masterful in the molecular methodologies they implement to expand their repertoires of delightful cocktails. The visually striking Nitrotini at Grill 225 is Charleston's only cocktail super-chilled to -320 degrees Fahrenheit with liquid nitrogen. Pucker your lips around the Nitro Mallow-a blend of vanilla vodka with equal parts hazelnut liqueur and butterscotch liqueur, topped off with a tall pour of Baily’s. The martini glass is rimmed with graham cracker crumbs, decorated with chocolate syrup and garnished with freeze-dried marshmallows. Lastly, 2 ounces of liquid nitrogen are carefully infused and, "Please do not stick your tongue to the glass."

Equally sophisticated are the mechanical methodologies the countries top mixologists are incorporating to infuse the ingredients of their growing repertoires. Hand shakers and muddlers are giving way to antique paint-can shakers, coffee siphon brewers, cold-drip coffee makers, red hot pokers, and centrifuges. Move over blender, make room for these crossovers from paint stores and coffee shops.

The first time I saw the siphon brewer in action, an apparatus that looks like a chemistry experiment, was at Coastal Coffee Roasters in Summerville, so I know how it works. The Aviary, a Chicago state-of-the-art cocktail lounge, uses the double-chamber siphon pot to create one of their famous cocktails right at the customer's table. Gin is poured into the bottom chamber and Rooibos tea, grapefruit, lemon zest, crushed almonds, herbs, and spices are put in the upper chamber. Heat is applied to the gin until a vacuum is created and it gets pulled into the upper chamber where it mixes with the drinks more delicate ingredients. The heat is removed and the mixture seeps back down into the bottom chamber. Voila, the Rooibos Cocktail is ready to sip and savor. Reminds me of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, famous here in Charleston, only because of the use of tea in the drink. Trivia: Rooibos tea is produced from a bush of the same name found in the mountains and valleys of the Cedarberg region of South Africa near Cape Town. It is also known as red tea.

Citizen R+D in Phoenix incorporates two of the aforementioned mechanical methodologies. Established in 2011, Citizen R+D has some engaging policies. Reservations will only be taken on one condition; you must order one of the group-size cold-drip margaritas, which must be pre-ordered because they take three hours to make. On arrival, you must first read the house rules and if you agree to adhere to them, you call the posted phone number and then wait to be escorted up the staircase to the bar. Once you are in, a loud, vigorous shaking noise from the bar inquisitively draws your attention to an old-fashioned paint-can shaker. It is used to create their ice-cold rum-based Paint Can Punch. The second oddity you will see is a tall, glass contraption that resembles a three tiered hour glass. It is a cold-drip coffee brewer doubling as the three hour margarita maker. Description not needed, just picture tequila dripping over kaffir limes and other flavorings. There are drinks made with cotton candy and drinks made with fire. They cost $12 to $18. The bar is a definite must-see.

Booker and Dax is located at Momofuku in New York City. Like Grill 225, this popular bar uses liquid nitrogen in its drinks, but the goal is not the show. It is used primarily to make drinks more delicious and serve them more efficiently. Its version of Gin and Juice is not your typical pour the necessary ingredients into a glass over ice and serve. The freshly squeezed grapefruit juice is combined with clarifying agents used in the wine industry and given a fast ride in a centrifuge to produce a pale liquid, which is then mixed with gin, sugar, and crushed ice. It is put in liter bottles and carbonated. When a customer orders the Gin and Juice, the bartender takes a champagne flute and swirls a splash of liquid nitrogen into it, the glass is cooled to subzero temperatures, and after the vapor boils off the bottled, carbonated cocktail is poured into the glass. The Fire-Breathing Dragon is another signature drink of the bar, a concoction of centrifuge-clarified orange juice, tea, and rum superheated by a high-temperature industrial heating rod called a red hot poker reminiscent of an old practice from the 1700's using a loggerhead that over time fell out of fashion, but now made new by today's technology. There is well-founded science behind the madness. If you would like to see a video demonstration click drink video.

I have not seen any of these methodologies being employed at lounges and bars in Charleston other than the liquid nitrogen. That been said, who knows what Charleston's top mixologists are conjuring up to mystify and satisfy Charleston's sophisticated nightlife patrons. None-the-less, the city has a versatile collection of lounges and bars to kick up one's heels and modestly get one's swerve on.

The Squeeze, to name one, is also nicknamed "Charleston’s Tightest Bar." If you stand directly across the street from the Squeeze, never in you wildest imaginations would you visualize an old Charleston home having stood on this block of East Bay Street, but in fact the lounge was originally a front porch. It has the longest bar top in town, boasts having the friendliest bartenders, and serves up Charleston's finest cocktails. Drink prices range from $6-$9 on average.

Stay for an extended weekend at the Pavilion Hotel and enjoy this package deal now through March 31, 2013. Or choose from one of these package deals offered at the Vendue Inn. The Squeeze is a short walk from both hotels.

The 2012 Southern Living Taste Of Charleston Served Up A Platter Of Food And Fun

Historic and beautiful Boone Hall Plantation is an appropriate backdrop for the Taste of Charleston. From the moment you enter the plantation gates, driving under the canopy of the broad and spacious Avenue of Oaks leading the way to the house, you sense the grace and charm that is the trade mark of the Charleston experience. The event is a celebration to the culinary expertise of Charleston's renowned chefs and famed restaurants overshadowed by its historic roots. A perfect confluence of the past and the present.

The day promised to be overcast with the possibility of rain. It was humid, but the clouds kept the temperature at a comfortable degree. Despite the grey skies and unsure forecast, Charlestonians and visitors were not going to be deterred from partaking in the culinary festivities. I arrived around 11:00am and the cars were beginning to line the driveway and extend down Long Point Rd. The parking of the cars appeared to be going smoothly. I grabbed my camera, exited the car and headed toward the entrance. I paid the fee. I could already hear the music and smell the food just beyond the treeline.

Once you navigated the gauntlet of raffle ticket selling and simulators, a long line of tents stretching across the expansive plantation grounds, divided in the middle by the Beer Garden, awaited your consideration. I paid my homage to the main sponsor of this wonderful event and took a few moments to watch a cooking demonstration at the huge Southern Living stage. I entered a contest where you had to get a post card stamped by four different travel hosts representing South Carolina Parks, Baldhead Island, and Charleston's sister city, Savannah. I had been to Savannah the week before and bought a t-shirt that was a big hit with the Savannah tent. Next, I had my picture taken for the cover of the Southern Living Magazine and it was now time to move on to satisfy my hunger.

A ticket tent offering souvenirs was to the right and a large stage was set up directly across from the restaurant tents. Before I made my first food selection, I walked from one end to the other to get a quick overview of what each restaurant was offering. I made a close observation of what others were eating as I went and listened for any helpful comments. A trip to the ticket tent was next, 2$ for one ticket.

Bricco Bracco's tent was my first stop. The fried ricotta and fried mozzarella caught my eye. I grappled a bit with this first selection but settled for the fried ricotta. The ricotta was, well ricotta, but the tomato sauce made the dish and the tiny tomatoes were delectable. It was off to a good start. Next, I wanted to seek out a restaurant I was not familiar with, not that I never heard of it, but one I had not previously dined at. My decision did not come easy. It was between Poogan's Porch and Queen Ann's Revenge. I love the dog story and Blackbeard is a popular Charleston pirate. I hope Zoe didn't take offense, but I went with the chicken salad at Queen Ann's Revenge. It was the right choice. The chicken was great and the dressing accented the salad perfectly. I was stopped by quite a few people who were curious about my opinion on the salad. With so many excellent restaurants featured, it wouldn't have mattered who you chose, they all are the best Charleston has to offer. You can only reasonably spend so much money.

Homemade Wine provided the musical entertainment. When you succeed at getting people up to dance, you must be doing something right. They rocked the house.

The Waiter's Race was a highly anticipated event and it didn't disappoint. Plenty of precious wine from the Biltmore Estate was spilled in this one. Jason Alderman from 82 Queen won.

Other highlights of the day was watching a copter camera take off and fly over the crowd, swooping down for closeups. If you were fortunate enough for it to hover over you, you got a reprieve from the humidity by way of a strong breeze. Finally, it was entertaining to watch a group of guys work their artistic wonder on a ice sculpture dedicated to Southern Living and the Taste of Charleston.

White Gables of Summerville was represented very well by our friends and neighbors with their own tent strategically set up near the WEZL van and the stage. I thank the group for inviting me in for some pictures and conversation. They know how to have fun. It was a blast.