Weekend Blitz

Ahh yes, Spirit Air:  the self-proclaimed “America’s Only ULCC-Ultra Low Cost Carrier.” The champions of nickel-and-diming, Spirit charges the customer only for what he uses. If you want to carry on a bag, you’re welcomed to for a fee, but they don’t add it to the ticket cost because they don’t charge those who don’t want the service. No matter what your opinion is on the big change in the airline industry, you can’t deny that Spirit Air has some damn cheap fares on their routes.

I don’t necessarily expect the same level of service on a $40 flight as I do on the $8,000 trans-Atlantic First Class ticket, but we all expect a minimum level of service [...]

54 Hours in New York

We took a short, weekend-getaway-style trip to New York.

When I say short, I genuinely mean it. Total time gone was 54 hours: 27 hours spent in the city and 27 hours spent on a train going to/from.

TRIP PLANNING:

I had been checking the cheapest/best way to get from Charleston, SC to New York off and on for the past week. Flights were around $450-500 Round Trip with one stop (in Atlanta or Charlotte), or $600+ for the non-stop into Newark or LaGuardia! A lot more than I wanted to spend. Even the trusty Spirit Air flight from Myrtle Beach into LaGuardia was close to $400 round-trip; couple that with the fact that the 6:30pm flight on [...]

153 East Bay St. Seafood Dinner, Late Night (bar) $$$

Pearlz, on East Bay St., has never really been in the pool when choosing restaurants before – I don’t know if it’s because it’s a “chain” (it’s also in Columbia, SC) or that it seems so touristy, but either way, I’ve always been intrigued, just never enough to act on it.

That all changed the other night – Jeffrey and I were feeling oysters, and we decided to give Pearlz a try. We walked in to a crowded restaurant and grabbed two seats at the bar. It turned out to be the best place to sit – you can see the guys preparing the oysters right [...]

12 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC American, Beer Garden $$ – $8 to $20 for an entree

We had the opportunity to check out the much-anticipated Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House on their opening weekend.

The much-talked-about restaurant has completely transformed what used to be that bar we all loved but never remembered, Johnson’s, into a awesome little beer garden restaurant. The actual “beer garden” portion is quite small, but they’ve got the authentic-looking Bavarian tables, so I’m sold on liking everything about it.

If you claim to be a beer garden, then you can damn well count on me sampling [...]

1337 Morrison Drive Charleston, SC $ – Sandwiches from $7-13 Pub Food, Burgers, Bar

With Jeff finally back in Charleston after a weekend in Atlanta for work, we decided to pretend Sunday night was a Saturday night, which usually includes trying a fun new restaurant. Although the Tattooed Moose is definitely not new, we’d still yet to try it because it’s located way up East Bay St. – and not within walking distance…unless you want to get shot on your way.

When we arrived, we felt like we were the first and only patrons with cars… the outside looks like a hole-in-the-wall biker bar meets emo, hipster hangout, where the [...]

Anson Restaurant 12 Anson, Charleston, South Carolina “Seafood, American, Steakhouse” –> Southern $$$ – $24-32 for entrees.

Having not dined at Anson in years, we made our first visit of sorts recently and did not find it as our memories expected.

Situated right off of Market Street, its right in the thick of Charleston as tourists know it. You’re sure to get a few wafts of that awesome smell of horse from the stables next door.

Anson has a sort of interesting vibe going on: while they offer a very traditional Southern menu, the white table clothes and price point of all entrees and wine leave you [...]

17 Warren St, Charleston, SC Italian — Outdoor patio & live band occasionally $$ — Most entrees in the $15-18 range

Looking for some good Italian on the peninsula, we strolled over to Pane e Vino, located just off Charleston’s busy King Street on a much quieter, off-the-beaten path Warren Street. Entering the restaurant, you’ll pass by the giant patio hidden behind an ivy-covered wrought-iron fence, which looks larger than the main dining room of the restaurant.

The interior feels very Italian with a lowly lit, cozy and romantic atmosphere, although a little less authentic feeling than, say, Osteria la [...]

If you think Charleston is the #1 City in America now, you should have seen it during Colonial times. It was the largest and richest city in the colonies. So, needless to say, there were plenty of very, very large plantations… Most of which were burned during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, but some that are still standing.

And, Drayton Hall, built from 1738-1742, is one that is still standing. If you’re looking for a glimpse into a long-forgotten way of life, take an hour-long tour of Drayton Hall ($18/person). Although there are no residents, furniture or knick-knacks left in the house, you’ll learn of a time gone by that makes you almost wish you lived [...]