Azalea Bar and Garden and Historical Dining are like Sunday brunch and mimosas, the perfect pairing. About forty hungry patrons came together at Summerville's new gathering place for the July 17 symphony of delectables composed by personal Chef Vince Dodson. It was a brunch fit for a king or queen.
The first movement in a symphony is meant to be lively and sets the mood for what comes after. The opening cup of yellow summer squash topped with a hint of roasted red bell pepper bisque with fresh greens topped with a creamy balsamic vinaigrette did exactly that. It woke up our taste buds and left them desiring more.
A melodious pairing of a deep dish quiche with caramelized fennel reduced in Italian Barbera wine and laced with Fontina cheese came next. As to the meaning of reduced, I have no clue, but it worked for me. The quiche was accompanied by seared chicken tenderloin with Portobello and Marsala wine with a touch of cream. It is here we got our first seasonings of history. Fontina cheese is old. How old? The first recorded mention of it was in the 1100s, and although Marsala is Italian, the wine with the same name owes its origin in 1773 to a storm and an Englishman named John Woodhouse.
The whole affair was brought to a finale with fresh crepes topped with a 60% dark chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries along with a goat cheese mousseline topped with a pomegranate sauce followed by a sweet red wine infused with layered Greek yogurt and pears topped with Moscato cream.
I was asked which serving was my favorite, and I said with conviction, "All of them." It was just the right amount of food for a Sunday brunch. And the mimosas, the first is complimentary. Additional cocktails, wine, coffee add-ons, and soft drinks were available for purchase, along with AB and G's full menu of signature craft cocktails.
New Summerville acquaintances Mike and Sherry
Historical Dining and Azalea Bar and Gardens' Sunday Brunch is a culinary symphony of contentment to your taste buds and a great event for making new acquaintances. Reserve your spot for the coming weeks. It is well worth the $35.
The British are coming. The British are coming. No, it wasn't the American Revolution and Paul Revere, it was BritBeats and Steven Doniger of Summerville Dream, celebrating the town's 175th anniversary.
First inhabited in the late 1700s as Charlestonians and other inhabitants of the South Carolina Lowcountry sought respite from the summer heat, mosquitos, and disease, pioneer residents from the nearby former colonial settlement of Dorchester, who were descendants of 1696 puritans also took up residence on the pine-forested ridge. The railroad's arrival in the early 1800s led to the village's incorporation. Soon after, the summer retreat became an official town in 1847. Now, 175 years later, it was time to celebrate with a festival.
Concert 175 was the festival of festivals. Three music venues were setup throughout the historic downtown district to entertain shoppers, diners, and visitors in town to celebrate its illustrious history, one at Hutchinson Square, another at Short Central, and the main event stage on W. Richardson Ave. It all started at 2 pm and culminated at 7 pm with the largest crowd I have seen for a downtown event, all gathered on W. Richardson Ave for the premier show of the day.
BritBeats is a Beatles tribute band home-based in Chicago. Their nationally acclaimed Beatles concert, with costume changes and a spectacular, stunning, and immersive multimedia backdrop accompanied by a large screen, successfully entertained Summerville's celebrating residents. The musical group was engaging and definitely a crowd-pleaser. Attendees, young and older, sang and danced to the catalog of Beatles' songs that were performed with precision and uncanny realism by the talented foursome. They began the show dressed in black suits singing I Wanna Hold Your Hand, and ended it outfitted in psychedelic colors to the lyrics of Hey Jude.
Congratulations to Steven Doniger and the Dream Team for their hard work in organizing these kinds of events that highlight the great things Summerville has to offer its residents and visitors and for bringing people to the downtown district in support of the town's much appreciated local businesses. Enjoy the pictures. You may see yourself having a great time.
Do you believe yourself to be good at solving riddles? If you do, I challenge everyone from Edisto Island to Cape Romain to solve this Holy City riddle. If you think yourself not to be, take a shot at it anyway. You will be surprised. It is a riddle of the ages with a prize at the completion of a successful journey buried just below the surface at the final marker in a capsule. It won't be an expensive ruby or a golden owl, but it does have monetary value.
Whether you be a resident or a Lowcountry visitor, the challenge will be an enjoyable hands-on quest to some of Charleston's most cherished sights, where you must collect vital information by way of embedded clues needed to take you all the way to the secret location. I am aware there are people who have an extensive knowledge of our charming city over others who may be new to the area. The equalizer, I believe, is the clues. They make it a level playing field for everyone.
Charleston is brimming with stories full of mystery, intrigue, and historical importance. Whether fact or fiction, they are an integral part of its persona. They breath life into every brick, plank, cobblestone, and iron gate that have been fused together into the mass of buildings and homes that form today's Holy City. They are spouted from every corner and doorstep. They are inescapable as their mosquitos once were.
People no longer come to Summerville to escape the oppressive heat and voracious mosquitoes of the coastal lowlands or for the cooling touch and healing scent of its sacred pines. Today, people come for its charm, its southern hospitality, its sense of community, and its rich history. A history as colorful as the town's famous azaleas and refreshed with the lifting of every flavorful glass of sweet tea.
So, challenge your wits and at the same time, have some fun doing so. "May the force be with you and the odds be ever in your favor."
Opening photograph: This famous wall is located on Legare Street. It is etched with the colors of history. On your journey through Charleston, stand before the wall and immerse yourself into its diverse textures, knowing its patterns just could help you see what others may not.
This past week snowbird winter made an early surprise visit to Summerville and the Lowcountry. However, if you are a reader of The Old Farmer's Almanac, you were anticipating Old Man Winter's sudden early arrival. So far, the long range forecast for the Southeast Region has been spot on.
According to the weather prognosticator, it prognosticates "Winter will be warmer and rainier than normal, with below-normal snowfall. The coldest periods will be in mid- to late November, early to mid-December, and early and late February. The best chance for snow will be in late February in the north." I have always said, "If it is going to be cold, I'd rather see it snow."
There is a certain beauty in freshly fallen snow. How it fondly clings to the needles of the pine tree branches and blankets the landscape with a sense of tranquility. The quiet is so overwhelming you can hear the air. It is the perfect time to grab the shovel and head to your favorite lake or pond, scrape away a section of snow from off the crystal clear frozen water, and strap on the ice skates. It is one of the simple pleasures of the season.
Snow is a rarity in Summerville and the Lowcountry, even when it is cold enough. Usually, when it is cold enough, there are no clouds to produce the needed precipitation. Though it adds to the aura, you don't need snow to ice skate. All you need is the ice. With that having been said, aside from the arrival of the early Southern style winter weather, something else is coming this month of November. Summerville will have their very own ice skating rink thanks to the Town and the imagination of Summerville DREAM.
The overflow parking lot at 208 S Ceder Street just south of West Richardson is being transformed into an 40' by 80' outdoor ice skating rink just in time for the holidays. "The boxed structure comes with all the piping. It's a glycogen system. It runs through a chiller," said Steve Doniger, the executive director of Summerville DREAM. DREAM has been overseeing the building and will handle the operations for what is called Summerville Skates.
The skating rink is owned by a husband-wife team called Ice Games 88. Wayne Seybold, along with his sister Natalie, performed around the world and represented the United States at the 88 Calgary Winter Olympic Games in the couples competition. The brother/sister team was the first to successfully land the throw triple lutz. Jennifer Seybold has performed in shows around the United States including an ice show at the Carowinds amusement park. Clearly, they bring to the table 40 years of experience in the area of Figure Skating and 20 years in the portable skating rink business. They were present when the work of laying out and assembling the system began.
Listening to Doniger talk about the planned rink, you can tell the DREAM team is dedicated to making it a success. The rink will afford the opportunity for the community's families and kids to enjoy something different this coming holiday season. "We want to do interesting things to show the quality of life in Summerville is such that they want to grow up here and invest here." Of course, its overall success will depend greatly on the residents themselves and a little cooperation from the weather.
Molly Willard, Director of Development/Promotion and Design, provided a proposed layout she has been working on to give an idea of what the finished seasonal ice rink will look like. There will be parking available on site, bleachers for seating, picnic tables, sponsored concession stands, and a possible split rail fence. My fanciful idea: How about a snow making machine for one of those rare cold days. Wouldn't that make for a interesting picture.
Summerville Skates will be open to the public, birthday parties, group events and community fundraisers throughout the winter season. The Flowertown Players have already scheduled an event to promote their production of Disney Frozen Jr due to open in March. In fact, auditions for the production will take place on the very day the rink opens, Saturday, November 23rd at 6 pm. So, stay up to date by checking out Summerville Skates' web page or theirFacebook page.
So participants can get the most out of their experience and for safety reasons, the maximum number of people on the ice at any given time will be limited. You will need to reserve your day and time to guarantee your spot. General admission is $8 and an additional $4 to rent skates, but with the discount opportunities planned, Doniger said the average cost for a family will be $20 to $25.
Summerville Skates will run from November 23rd through January 11th. Over three hundred pairs of skates will be available for rent. Group sales and rink rental packages will be available. Hours of operation will be Monday-Friday 3-9 pm and Saturday and Sunday 11 am-9 pm.
Summerville Skates' slogan is Happiness is... ice skating. Enjoy the video.
Enter through this door located at the corner of N Magnolia St. and E 2nd N St. in Summerville and you will embark on a journey into the diverse world of loose leaf tea brought to you by Old Barrel Tea Company and hosted by proprietor, Maggie Brooks. With blends like Pumpkin Pie Chai, Blood Orange and Lemongrass, and Coconut Black and Vanilla Rooibos, all you Lowcountry tea lovers wouldn't want to miss it for all the tea in China.
Old Barrel Tea Company is a female run, family business, and there is nothing dainty about this group of tea vendors. For this mother/daughter collaboration, Dana Huffman and Bailey Riddle, tea is more than just an afternoon break. It is a way of life. "We drink tea and tisanes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and all the time in between. We don't put our pinkies up while drinking tea," is part of their motto. Rounding out the tea cadre are Dana's daughter-in-laws, Paola and Nenada. Paola does all of the blending at the business's warehouse.
Old Barrel Tea Company had its beginnings in Ruidoso, New Mexico, but through the endeavors of Maggie Brooks, it is fitting O.B.T.C. has found its way to the place where in the early 1700's tea bushes, also known as Camellia Sinensis, first arrived in the United States from China and in due course, through the efforts of Dr. Charles Shepard and Summerville's Pinehurst Tea Plantation, American grown tea become a reality by 1888.
Maggie grew up in Florida and like most Southerners drank sweet tea. She attended Jacksonville University where she acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science. After graduating, she moved to New Mexico and worked for the White Sands National Monument--the world's largest gypsum dunefield with glistening white sands engulfing 275 square miles of desert making it one of the world's great natural wonders. She was there for four months.
After leaving White Sands National Monument, Maggie worked at a high school for 2 1/2 years. It was there she met Bailey, who introduced her to her first loose leaf tea experience--a Pu-Erh tea. It was then her career would take a different path. With passion in her voice, she recounted how she petitioned O.B.T.C. with the request, "Please let me work for your company." Her heart felt plea did not go unanswered. Maggie considers herself the adopted daughter of the Huffman clan.
With a husband in the military, Maggie, along with their daughter, ended up stationed in Myrtle Beach. While doing a Google search for festivals in South Carolina, Summerville's Sweet Tea Festival popped up. She came in contact with Summerville DREAM and a partnership was entered into. The Summerville Tea Emporium was created. Wine barrels were brought in and iron pipe topped with wood shelving were installed on the walls. Over 30 different blends of tea with emphasis on flavor and wellness are offered along with raw, unfiltered honey and various other products.
Summerville Tea Emporium is a neatly arranged, welcoming space. Maggie greets you with a warm smile and possesses a commanding knowledge of her products. Her love and conviction for O.B.T.C. and its goods is unmistakable. Of the three taste offerings presented on my visit, the Blood Orange and Lemongrass--a lightly tart blend full of citrus flavors and naturally caffeine free--was my favorite. The color of the brewed blend was inviting to the eye and the flavor was soothing to the palate. The shop's blends are so voluminous that even the most discriminant tea drinker will not go away unsatisfied.
Old Barrel Tea Company's web blog is called A Dose of PositiviTea and is managed by Maggie. Check it out by clicking here. You will find recipes, product summaries, tea suggestions, and a boun-tea of loose leaf tea trivia.
Summerville Tea Emporium's official opening will take place with a ribbon cutting on Friday, October 25th at 3-6 pm. On Sunday, October 27th, there will be a Garden Tea Party at 1-4 pm.
