East Cooper - Paradise this side of Heaven

Final Movie of the Season - Rudy

2010-09-26T10:22:00.005-04:00

If you plan to be in the Charleston area this weekend (October 2, 2010) you may want to head over to the Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant for Movies at the Park. This week's movie is Rudy. The show is listed to start at 8:15 PM. Last month, Willy Wonka was listed to start at 9:00 and started at 8:30. You may want to arrive early. Bring a chair or blanket. There is no charge for the movie (if you are local, you already paid for it). Parking in the lot is normally 50 cents per hour. The fee was waived a couple of times. Last month wasn' clear; so we paid. I am not sure about this time. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. The Kettle Korn is great
Memorial Waterfront Park is located near Patriots Point and the Ravenel Bridge.

We went a few weeks ago and a bunch of us saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In July, we saw E.T. In June, we saw Blind Side with some friends. The August movie, City Slickers, was rained out. The movies at the park have been a great time. There are a lot of families who head out there with blankets and snacks. Click on the links for more information.

Willy Wonka to be Seen In Mount Pleasant

2010-09-17T19:03:00.003-04:00

If you plan to be in the Charleston area this weekend (September 19, 2010) you may want to head over to the Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant for Movies at the Park. This week's movie is Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The show starts at 9:00 PM. Bring a chair or blanket. There is no charge for the movie (if you are local, you already paid for it). Parking in the lot is normally 50 cents per hour. The fee was waived last couple of times. I am not sure about this time. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Memorial Waterfront Park is located near Patriots Point and the Ravenel Bridge.

We went a few weeks ago and saw E.T. In June, we saw Blind Side with some friends. The August movie, City Slickers, was rained out. The movies at the park have been a great time. There are a lot of families who head out there with blankets and snacks. Click on the links for more information.

Future Movie nights are:

October 2 - Rudy

Charleston Featured in Budget Travel

2010-08-26T16:37:00.002-04:00

The content below is not totally East Cooper specific. Gullah Cuisine and Thornhill Farm are East of the Cooper. Hominy Grill is on the peninsula and worth a stop as well.

See Budget Travel online for more information regarding the article below:

SOUTH CAROLINA'S LOW COUNTRY
Start in Charleston and the counties surrounding it.
This might come as a surprise, but the cuisine of South Carolina's low country has a lot more to offer than shrimp and grits. The region is named for the southern counties along the coast. True low-country food is a complex mix of fresh seafood, native rice, and legumes, and is seeing a renaissance unlike any other cuisine in the U.S.

"The food and products available in this region are completely different from what was around ten years ago," says Sean Brock, chef of McCrady's in Charleston. Farmers are reintroducing many of the crops that were lost after the Civil War, such as original breeds of wheat, corn, and benne, and many kitchens are reviving long-neglected recipes. This reenergized food scene has earned Charleston chefs the James Beard Foundation awards for Best Chef in the Southeast the past three years. For thorough exploration, start in Charleston and wind south among the moss-draped oaks that line coastal Route 17.

Three essential stops: If you think grits are a mushy breakfast food, you've never had Robert Stehling's worthy version. Hominy Grill, in Charleston, delivers creamy perfection: local shrimp sautéed with bacon, scallions, and mushrooms over cheddar and Parmesan-spiked Old Mill of Guilford grits (207 Rutledge Ave., 843/937-0930, hominygrill.com, $17). In McClellanville, Thornhill Farm (Hwy. 17 N., 843/887-3500, ourlocalfoods.com) is a store, not a restaurant, but its supply of local meats, artisanal cheeses, and fresh veggies is unrivaled. Grab some fixings for a sandwich, and don't forget to get a Coke as well. In between the two, Charlotte Jenkins' Gullah Cuisine restaurant is a tribute to the low-country's African-American heritage. Jenkins has been ladling out the region's tastiest she-crab soup since 1997. If crab's not to your liking, opt for a plate of Gullah rice, a cousin to paella (1717 Hwy. 17 N., 843/881-9076, gullahcuisine.com, a cup of she-crab soup $6).

City Slickers in the Park

2010-08-13T17:06:00.005-04:00

If you plan to be in the Charleston area this weekend (August 14, 2010) you may want to head over to the Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant for Movies at the Park. This week's movie is City Slickers. The show starts at 9:00 PM. Bring a chair or blanket. There is no charge for the movie (if you are local, you already paid for it). Parking in the lot is normally 50 cents per hour. The fee was waived last couple of times. I am not sure about this time. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Memorial Waterfront Park is located near Patriots Point and the Ravenel Bridge.

We went a few weeks ago and saw E.T. In June, we saw Blind Side with some friends. The movies at the park have been a great time. There are a lot of families who head out there with blankets and snacks. Click on the links for more information.

Future Movie nights are:

September 18 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

October 2 - Rudy

All-American City Party and Movies at the Park

2010-07-22T17:04:00.003-04:00

If you plan to be in the Charleston area this weekend (July 24, 2010) you may want to head over to the Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant for the All-American City Celebration and Movies at the Park. This week's movie is E.T. The show starts at 9:00 PM. Bring a chair or blanket. I think the party starts at 8:30. There is no charge for the movie (if you are local, you already paid for it). Parking in the lot is normally 50 cents per hour. The fee was waived last time. I am not sure about this time. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Memorial Waterfront Park is located near Patriots Point and the Ravenel Bridge.

We went a few weeks ago and saw Blind Side with some friends. It was a great time. Click on the links for more information.

Future Movie nights are:
August 14 - City Slickers

September 18 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

October 2 - Rudy

Fourth of July East of the Cooper

2010-07-01T18:44:00.003-04:00

If you are going to be in the Charleston area over the Fourth of July weekend, you may want to head over to the East Cooper area for the fireworks. There are several shows within viewing distance from each other. If you live here and want to try something different than what you have been doing, you might want to look at this too.
There's a bunch of stuff going on this weekend to celebrate our nation's independence. Perhaps the most popular, and for good reason, is the celebration at Patriot's Point. This celebration starts in the afternoon and goes on until 10 PM or so. You can count on getting out of there much later, due to traffic. The Fireworks start shortly after 9 and will go for about 20 minutes. You really want to get there early though. The festivities start at 4 and, beginning at 5, the museum is offering $5 admission to the Yorktown (a huge aircraft carrier for those who don't know) and the other boats. The admission special runs until 7 PM.
Parking, which is usually $3, is free for this event.

Sullivan's Island's fireworks take place in the town's park (2520 Middle Street). You can see them from the beach. In the past, we have gotten a place on the beach between Sullivan's and Isle of Palms and watched them both from there. We were also able to se the Patriot's Point, some from the Joe, and Folly Beach's as well. We also watched them from the berm at Breech Inlet, near Sunrise Presbyterian Church. I didn't like the view from there as much.
Don't bring your own fireworks to Sullivan's or IOP. They are illegal there.

Isle of Palms fireworks start immediately after the Sullivan's Island fireworks end. They are usually shot near 14th Avenue. You can see them from just about anywhere on the beach. Here is a link to pictures of some of last year's fireworks at IOP. Don't bring your own fireworks to Sullivan's or IOP. They are illegal there.

I'ON - If fireworks aren't your thing, the I'On neighborhood is hosting Band Blast 2010 from 6 - 9 PM. There are other events throughout the day, starting with a parade at 9:30 AM.

I found this on the Facebook page for "I Love Mount Pleasant":
Mount Pleasant Pier
Live beach music under the stars. The music starts at 8 p.m. The East Coast Party Band is performing. The pier at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge on Charleston Harbor. Great spot to view the area’s fireworks displays! Gates open at 7 p.m. and music begins at 8 p.m.
Tickets will be limited. On-site tickets $10. Beverages will be available for purchase on site. l 843-795-4FUN

Family Fun East of the Cooper

2010-06-25T16:12:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow night (at the time of this writing), June 26th, Charleston County Parks is showing "The Blind Side" at Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant.
In my opinion, this is a good movie for teens and up and should be a nice evening. The show starts at 9:00 PM. Bring a chair or blanket. There is no charge for the movie (if you are local, you already paid for it). Parking in the lot is 50 cents per hour. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Memorial Waterfront Park is located near Patriots Point and the Ravenel Bridge.

Future Movie nights are:
July 24 - ET

August 14 - City Slickers

September 18 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

October 2 - Rudy

Blessing of the Fleet

2010-04-23T16:57:00.004-04:00

Rescheduled to Sunday May 16

Sunday, May 16, 2010 is the Blessing of the Fleet. The Blessing of the Fleet has been one of my favorite events in the East Cooper area. We can almost always count on decent weather and it is late enough in the year that we can usually wear shorts. Several of the area restaurants show up and sell some great shrimp dishes as well as those deep fried potato curled chips.
The event will take place from 11:30 - 6:00. The shrimp boats will start their procession at about 12:45; with the blessing beginning at about 1.
The location is new this year. In previous years, we have had to drive around the Old Village and look for a parking spot or take the shuttle from the Wild Wings parking lot. This year, the event will take place at the new Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park. There is plenty of parking available (regular .50 per hour fee is waived) at the event and shuttles will run from the Farmer's Market, the park in the Village (Royall and Bank Streets), and the Duffy Complex (Center Street baseball fields) as well.

Pro Tennis Anyone

2010-01-31T17:14:00.009-05:00

It's a couple months away and barely East of the Cooper; but, the Family Circle Cup will be here before we know it. If you enjoy tennis you probably already know about the Family Circle Cup. You already know that it is April 10-18. You may have already purchased your ticket package for $185 - $475 per person or you may have decided that you will see the qualifying rounds on the first weekend for $10 per person and that will be enough.

If you don't know about the Family Circle Cup, here's the scoop.

The Family Circle Cup a professional tennis tournament that attracts some of the world's top women tennis players.
Past winners include Venus and Serena Williams, Jelena Jankovic, Nadia Petrova, Justine Henin (back when she was Justine Henin-Hardenne), and, last year's winner, Sabine Lisicki.
- Sabine Lisicki

Several of the big players usually promise to appear, then pull out due to injury in the week or two before the tournament.
There is a large vendor/sponsor area that usually includes the USTA, Family Circle Magazine, a real estate company or two, one of the local hospitals giving away sunscreen, and a dozen or two others.
Most of the sponsors are giving away something.
There is a large food court, or you can visit one of several restaurants within a block.
You can get tickets for individual days or nights or purchase a group of tickets.
So far, Caroline Wozniacki (#4 in the world and one of last year's finalists), Serena Williams (#1 in the world), Victoria Azarenka (7th in the world), and Vera Zvonareva (9th in the world), have committed to play in the 2010 tournament.

Caroline Wozniacki

If you can only come for one or two days, I think the best days to come are Wednesday and Thursday. There are several reasons for this:

Most of the good/great players will still be in the tournament. By Friday, many of the stars will have lost. Remember, the field gets cut in half every day.
There is still a lot of tennis going on on the outside courts, where you can get right on court level.
Club court doubles.
Good seats in the stadium are still available.
Night matches are a lot of fun if you can handle the cold.
The best of the qualifiers, who will be the stars of tomorrow, will be playing and excited.
Some of the holders of good seats will not be able to get out of work and sometimes you can purchase seats from their friends (outside the stadium, just before the entrance) for next to nothing.

That brings me to another tip. If the match you want to see is the second or third match of a day session, get to the stadium before the early match lets out and ask the folks who are leaving if you can have their tickets. During the week, some people only come for one match and leave to get back to work. You may get box seats (which are sold out a year or more before the tournament) for nothing.

Something that surprises a lot of folks is that you can see the entire Family Circle Cup Tournament for free (well, almost free - I'll get to that later) as a volunteer. Yes, you can volunteer to work the Family Circle Cup, be on the court with the players (as an Adult Ball Crew Member or in court maintenance) see tennis, get free extra tickets and/or guest passes for friends, have a parking pass, and even get fed.
I have volunteered as an usher for the past six years. My wife sometimes volunteers as well. The years she does not volunteer, she gets to see free tennis as my guest. The years she has volunteered, we are able to give our guest passes to friends. Some of those friends now volunteer as well.
The catch, and there always is one, is that you need to sign up, commit to a minimum of 6, 3-hour shifts, and pay the $60 fee. For that $60 you get:

a shirt, hat, and jacket provided by the sponsor (for the past four years it has been Lacoste, prior to that it was Kaelin)
to see all of the tennis going on in the area you are working (depending on your job)
third tier seats for all day sessions
snacks and beverages at the volunteer tent
night tickets (depending on the number of shifts you are working)
meals while you are working (depending on the number of shifts)
the opportunity to meet some great folks, some of which will become friends

If you are interested in volunteering, just fill out and submit an application ASAP. The application includes a list of the available positions. I have ushered and I like it because I get to watch the matches while I am working (it is a part of the job because the traffic needs to be controlled). I have friends who prefer the ticket office, the volunteer tent, court maintenance, and the vendor area. Whatever your interests or need, I am sure you find somewhere you would enjoy serving and a department that would love to have your help.

Oyster Roast this Weekend

2010-01-29T04:59:00.003-05:00

Event: 27th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival
Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010
Location: Boone Hall Plantation, Mt. Pleasant, SC
Time: 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. - Gates Open at 10:30 A.M.
Admission: $10 in advance(at Kickin' Chicken), $12 at the door
Oysters are $8 per bucket
Contest: 1:00 ish
Music: Dave Landeo Band

There are a few big events that occur every year in the East Cooper area. The Lowcountry Oyster Festival is one of those events. There are also a few weekends of nasty weather you can count on. The weekend on which the Lowcountry Oyster Festival is held is one of those weekends. Regardless of the weather, it is always well attended. You can count on 8,000-12,000 people attending this event and eating 50,000-75,000 pounds of oysters. If you decide to attend, get your tickets at Kickin' Chicken, get there early and plan for an hour or so for traffic and parking. I have seen the traffic lined up for a mile or so on Highway 17. I might make it this year.

No pictures for this one. I have not attended yet.

Long Point Grill

2009-12-04T10:39:00.007-05:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. I have been out fishing, taking care of Thanksgiving and Christmas chores and shopping, and generally busy with life. One of the things I have been able to do was get out to lunch at Long Point Grill - twice.
Although easy to find, Long Point Grill is kind of hidden and hard to stumble upon without looking for it. It is on the part of Long Point Road near the port, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and Possums. I had heard about it several times from friends before I finally decided to try it. I took Christine for lunch one day while we were out running errands and it was great. The following week, we took my Mom there for lunch. It was equally great.
Long Point Grill is one of Sal's restaurants. He also owns or is partners in Uno Mas, Boulevard Diner, Mustard Seed, and several others. I really like some of them, others not so much.
At the Long Point Grill, I have had the Cuban and the Roast Beef; both were excellent. The Cuban was much more flavorful. I would expect that because it has a greater variety of meats. The roast beef was good. It seemed like the beef would benefit from some spice or flavoring. If you are looking for the pure taste of good rare roast beef, this is the sandwich for you. As far as the Cuban goes, one thing that is missing in the Charleston area is a good Cuban restaurant. However, the Long Point Grill has a great Cuban sandwich. I liked the blend of flavors and the mustard had a good amount of spice.
Christine has had the Blackened Chicken Quesadillas and the Charleston Shrimp Po' Boy. She also enjoyed them both. I tried them and liked them as well. I think my Mom had a crab burger, which she really enjoyed.
If there is a negative, I would say it is the sides. The fries are shoestring potatoes and sprinkled with parsley or another green herb. They were hot and not greasy; but otherwise not anything to write home about. On the other hand, I did order them both times. Christine did not enjoy her collard greens and didn't have a side with the quesadillas. On the plus side, the fried green tomatoes that came with my Mom's crab burger were pretty good.
The portions are large and we were able to have lunch the next day with the leftovers. Meals run about $10 per person. It's a bit pricey for lunch. I think the food and service are worth it for a special treat.

Mount Pleasant Farmer's Market

2009-10-25T11:33:00.007-04:00

Back in the early part of the decade, while we were living in Charlotte, Christine and I took a trip to San Diego. During that trip we toured the town of Coronado. We happened to be in Coronado on the day of their farmer's market from then on, we knew we wanted to live in a town that had one. We really enjoyed looking at the fresh flowers and tasting the fresh fruits and vegetables and honey.

One of the many joys of living in the East Cooper area is the Mount Pleasant Farmer's Market. It is held every Tuesday from 3PM until dark. It started in April and this year it runs until November 24.

We used to go to the market every week to pick up fresh veggies and flowers for the table. This year, work and other responsibilities have kept us from being able to enjoy the weekly afternoon at the market. The fact that the schedule was different (due to school construction) had some play in it as well.

Last Tuesday, we decided to make sure we went. It was our first time at the market since the new pavilion style area was built. It was a little different and some of the vendors were missing. That may be because it is so late in the season; as the Farmer's Market used to close in October.

Most of the vendors were there. Boone Hall had a pretty good selection of vegetables as well as several of the farms from John's Island. The Kettle Corn guy was making kettle corn and giving free samples. Olde Colony Bakery and Rococo Bakery had some local baked goods. The cooperative extension is usually at the market with a master gardener or two. They may have been there on our trip, but we missed them. We were really looking for them either.

We purchased, some nice North Carolina mountain apples, a very interesting purple pepper, a few other miscellaneous vegetables, some local honey, and a pound of Barbecue for dinner. We missed seeing the flowers. It may be late in the season for them.

One of the other joys of going to the Farmer's Market is seeing old friends. We never fail to run into a friend we have not seen in a while. This trip was no exception. My wife ran into one of her tennis friends that she hadn't seen in a couple of years and had a chance to catch up while I got the barbecue. It was good to get back to the market and we will try to make it a couple more times before it closes for the season.

The Trifecta

2009-10-02T16:54:00.003-04:00

Until about a two years ago, my work took me out to Georgetown on a weekly basis. From where I live, the trip to Georgetown is about an hour and 90 percent of the trip is in US 17. There is a very interesting area of US 17 that is about 15-20 minutes North of my home that I never really get to, except for those trips. About 15 miles from the Ravenel Bridge there are three places within a mile of each other that worth taking an afternoon and seeing:

The Seewee Restaurant

SeWee Outpost

Hidden Ponds Nursery

The Seewee Restaurant is on my top five list of favorite East Cooper Restaurants. My wife and I have only been for dinner, but they look crowded for lunch as well. We have gone on the weekend and seen live music there as well. I’ll do a separate review for them in a later blog. You could start or finish here.

Sewee Outpost looks like any other gas station with a convenience store attached. That is what I thought it was for years. I had stopped for gas, paid at the pump, and went on my way. Then, one day on my way to the boat ramp, I decided to buy some bait instead of catching my own. I had seen the Outpost sold bait and went in to get some. I was shocked at what I saw. This place has everything. The bait and fishing section is only a couple of aisles. There is a large clothing section, with clothing from Columbia and Carhart and a grocery section with homemade pies and everything from Alligator to Zebra. Well, maybe not zebra; but there was alligator.

Finally, the main event – Hidden Ponds Nursery. I stopped at Hidden Ponds on the way back from Georgetown once. They had pampas grass on sale. I bought one, took it home, cut it in half, and planted it in two places. Now, that grass is huge; it has taken over the areas I planted it and I prune one of them with a wood saw to keep it away from my air conditioning unit. They dwarf the pampas grass plant I purchased from the big box store.

Hidden Ponds is a very interesting place. It takes about an hour or so to walk through it. They have all kinds of plants for the East Cooper area; as well as chemicals, garden accessories and fish. But, the neat part for me is the landscaped pond with the fountains. Just past the animal pen – with goats and roosters, there is a beautiful pond with a wooden bridge and two fountains in it. This place is definitely worth a look, especially if you are considering adding a couple of things to your landscape.

Sticky Fingers

2009-09-25T10:12:00.004-04:00

Christine and I were away and out of the East Cooper Area last weekend. We went to the Shrimp and Grits Festival in Jekyll Island. It was great. We got back into town at about 6:00 Sunday evening, hungry and not in the mood to go grocery shopping or cook. So, we decided to go to Sticky Fingers for some ribs. We don’t make ribs often at home. It is time consuming and, quite frankly, I have not been able to make them as good as Sticky Fingers.

When we go out, it is usually for seafood. So, Sticky Fingers is one of the places that we don’t go to often. But, every time we do go there, we wonder why we don’t go there more often. The food is always great, the service is excellent, and it’s a local chain that started right here in Mount Pleasant.

We shared the Rib Sampler for Two. We enjoyed four different styles of ribs: wet, dry, sweet, and hot. We liked them all; but, we liked the dry the least. The hot was pretty hot. I wouldn’t want them any hotter. If you like things mo' hotta' mo' betta', ask for them extra hot.

If you go to Sticky Fingers, you don’t want to leave without some of Sticky Fingers’ most popular dessert: a dish of peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. We always enjoy it. This time, it seemed like some of the dough wasn’t fully cooked; other than that, it was great.

We got out for just under $35 including tip and a coupon for a free dessert. You can usually get the coupons at the visitors’ center. There is one at the new Mount Pleasant Fishing Pier (also called Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park) near the Ravenel Bridge. The park is worth a visit on its own - even at fifty cents per hour to park. Some hotels have coupons too.

Fishing with a Club

2009-09-09T08:55:00.006-04:00

Not this kind of fishing with a club

One of the things I really enjoy about the East Cooper area is the fishing. I did not get a chance to go out over the Labor Day weekend due to the weather. It was too windy and choppy for me to go out in the kayak. I suppose I could have called a fishing club member and gone out; but, I was really just enjoying sitting out on the screen porch, reading, and playing tennis.
I have been a member of the East Cooper Fishing Club for two or three years now. The members are some of the best people you could meet. I have been out fishing with at least a half dozen of them individually and several more as a group. The information I have learned while I have been a member of the club has helped me catch more fish than I have ever caught prior to becoming a member.
This fishing club is different from other clubs I have heard about. I have heard of clubs where members competitively fish every week with secret spots and secret techniques. This club is about exactly the opposite. We all fish when we can and share the spots and techniques. What is even better is that we have some very experienced guides and fishermen in the club who not only share fishing holes; they share how to find your own spots.
East Cooper Fishing Club runs an ongoing club tournament every quarter as well as two or three tournaments per year. The club meets on the first Monday of every month at Lighthouse Church, off 41, in Mount Pleasant. The website has a forum that has some sections accessible to the general public. The best parts of the forum are for members only. A large part of that section is where people give their fishing reports; many of them complete with time, tide, bait, and spot. Our active membership includes several of the area's top guides as well as the owner of my favorite tackle shop, and at least one excellent boat mechanic.
If this is something that might interest you, feel free to come out. Our next meeting is September 14, 2009 at 7:00 at Lighthouse Church.
By the way, I stole these pictures from Andy, our website administrator.

Club members turned out to help with a fishing rodeo for disabled kids.

Club members and families at the Annual ECFC Oyster Roast

The Awendaw Creek Canoe and Kayak Launch

2009-08-31T10:14:00.008-04:00

From Christine Awendaw Landing 8 30 09

If you take US 17 about 18 miles North of SC Highway 41, past the turnoff for Garris landing, past the SeeWee Restaurant, past the SeWee Nature Center, over the Awendaw Creek bridge, but not quite to Buck Hall Campground, you will find a little known and even less used canoe and kayak landing, the Awendaw Creek Canoe and Kayak Launch.
Christine and I like to paddle our kayaks around and do a little fishing. So, we though we would give this landing a try. We took US 17 North and made a right on Rosa Green Road. The landing was a half mile down on the left. It is an easy ride. There is pretty much no traffic once you get North of Highway 41.
The landing is not as easy to use as a boat ramp and those with canoes or yaks greater than 13 feet in length will need to lift the boat over the rails on the switchbacks. It is clean and in good repair. Parking is easy and I had no trouble fitting my car and trailer in a spot.

From Christine Awendaw Landing 8 30 09

We got to the landing on the early part of incoming tide, so we paddled north, against the tide. This would make our return easier. We fished and paddled for about three hours. Because we do more fishing than paddling, I am guessing that we only went a half mile or so from the dock. It is still nice to have the current at my back as I return. We drifted back much of the way, with a Gulp shrimp under a float drifting along with us.

The fishing was not good. This was the first time I have fished in brackish water. I am surprised, due to the proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway, that the water in this creek wasn’t saltwater. This water was almost fresh. We each caught about a half dozen small sailcats, a saltwater catfish that is rare in this area.

From Christine Awendaw Landing 8 30 09

I would certainly recommend this landing for a nice paddle. Due to the fact that there aren’t any boat ramps around, there isn’t any boat traffic. We saw a lot of birds and it was very peaceful. The current was not too swift to run against; yet swift enough to give us a nice drift back to the put in. There may be some freshwater fish in the area. If so, they didn’t want to bite on shrimp.

There aren't any outfitters to rent kayaks or canoes at the landing. You can try these:
Time Out Sports

Coastal Expeditions

Nature Adventure Outfitters - may run tours, contact them for more info

From Christine Awendaw Landing 8 30 09

Lunch at Fiery Ron's in Sullivan's

2009-08-29T21:41:00.008-04:00

Sorry, no pictures this time. I didn't have my camera with me today.
One of the things I like about living in the East Cooper area is the amazing number of restaurants in the area. After our tennis social this morning, Christine and I decided we would run some errands and get some lunch on Sullivan’s Island. Actually it was only one errand; we had to drop some DVDs off at the library and some others we had on reserve were ready. We dropped off Faith Like Potatoes and 27 Dresses. We picked up two other DVDs and a couple of books. Our library system is awesome. The Mount Pleasant Branch is the most used of all of them - including the huge main branch in downtown Charleston.

After our library stop, we headed over to Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s. Before I discuss the restaurant, I need to let you know that the Sullivan’s Island restaurant and bar area can be crazy for parking on weekends, even in the off-season. During the summer, it can be crazy finding parking even on weekdays. I imagine it is worse at night when the bars are hopping. I suggest you be very careful there when you are walking or driving. There are a lot of folks who are not from here who are looking for their restaurant or trying to find a parking spot and not paying attention to traffic or pedestrians.

Fiery Ron’s was pretty good. We had to wait for a while to get recognized. I think it is because we took a seat outside and the waitress had just cleaned the tables and gone in to drop off orders. It was exacerbated by the fact that we were very hungry. We had breakfast at 8, played tennis from 10-12, showered, got out to the library, and now it was 2. The Mary B's Biscuits and eggs I had for breakfast was burned up. The five minutes or so that we waited for service felt like a long time.

Christine ordered the Pulled Pork Quesadillas. It was a large helping; too large for her. I had to help. They came with three types of salsa, guac, and sour cream. I liked them. The BBQ had good smoked flavor that wasn’t covered up by any sauce. They were also filled with cheese; cheddar I think. Christine thought they were a bit greasy. I agreed. But, I still liked them.

I had the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Slaw on top and Fries on the side. It was a good sandwich. I like the Lexington, NC style BBQ and Ron’s had the hot vinegar sauce to make it happen. It was a good sandwich and the fries were just right and not greasy at all. If I ordered it again, I would ask for them to add the cheese from the quesadilla.

All in all it was a pretty good trip. We’ll go pack, but we won’t hurry. Next time we want to get to Acme Cantina on IOP.

Tennis Anyone?

2009-08-20T11:12:00.004-04:00

From Blog

When Christine and I moved to the East Cooper area, we knew we wanted to take up tennis or golf. We explored both and decided that tennis is a much better fit for our lifestyle and budget. We can play tennis if we only have an hour or so; we have courts in the neighborhood; and the tennis doesn’t break the bank budget wise.

Golf has its advantages too. The East Cooper area is home to the Rivertowne Country Club, Dunes West, Charleston National, Patriot’s Point, and Dunes West. From what I understand, these are some of the best courses in the country. Also, the Kiawah Ocean Course is not far at from us. I have a lot of friends who play the game. It just isn’t for me.

We started in tennis by purchasing some used tennis racquets at a yard sale and practicing on our neighborhood courts. We went to an introduction to tennis that was held at the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department Tennis Center, on Whipple Road. After that introduction, we signed up for and attended an evening clinic for a couple of months. Tom and Clay Maynor, the pros there, were great and gave us a foundation we could work from.

Christine immediately found a 2.5 team to play on. The team had a great coach, Kin Roseborough, who was the pro at Creekside at the time and is currently the tennis pro at Park West. Kin is also involved with The Player’s Club and Charleston Golf and Tennis (the old Las Vegas Golf and Tennis). I have also taken a couple lessons from Kin and he has helped my game.

The tennis community in the East Cooper area is vibrant and exciting. We have met a lot of people and had some great times participating in and watching tournaments. Christine participates in the Ace Breast Cancer Tournament at Ion every year and it is always fun. She and her doubles partner won the loser’s bracket a couple of years ago. We also usually participate in the Dunes West Free for All tournaments.

I recently learned that Chuck Lee at the Players Club offers tournaments the weekend after every major. We may start entering those as well. Players Club is a great facility and entering a tournament is a nice way to enjoy it without having to join. We have had opportunity to play there with some friends and it is very well kept.

There are also several tennis events for spectators in the area. Daniel Island is home of the Family Circle Cup, one of the tournaments on the WTA Tennis circuit. Fall is the time of year for the Charleston Professional Tennis League (CPTL) tournaments. Local pros play on Friday nights at different venues each week. It is a great tennis/social event.

From Blog

There are loads of other outdoor activities in the area. Some are through Mount Pleasant Rec or IOP Rec departments. Others are through various church and community organizations. There is no reason to be bored in the East Cooper area.

From Blog

Sailing the Charleston Harbor

2009-08-12T09:29:00.018-04:00

The East Cooper area is full of outdoor recreation opportunities. Many of them are on the water. When the weather is right, which is most of the time, it is great to get out on the water and enjoy it. Living on the coast offers boating, sailing, kayaking, fishing, or just walking along the beach. Most of us can't afford to have all of the recreation equipment to do everything; at least I can't. For large boating adventures I am fortunate to have good friends.

This past weekend, I went sailing in the Charleston Harbor with some friends. Throughout the trip, we stayed East of the Cooper. So, this post will be totally on topic.

My friend Burton keeps his sailboat in Shem Creek. The boat has a 4 foot keel. So even though it was still a fairly high tide, we followed the channel into the harbor. In doing so, we passed by the Pitt Street Bridge, the subject of a recent blog post. We also sailed around Crab Bank and /Shutes Folly/Castle Pickney* (our dog Cassie's namesake) then sailed up the Wando side of the harbor, past the Yorktown and under the Ravenel Bridge. We turned and went back past all of the above. At one point we sailed past Fort Sumter. In all, it was about two or three hours of sailing and a beautiful day to be on the water.

The Coast Guard was out patrolling. I think I have seen them every time we have gone out. They must have a permanent post patrolling our harbor. I like that.

Sailing is a peaceful way to enjoy an afternoon. There is just enough work involved to let one know he is doing something; but not so much that it wears one out. That said, I have been know to hurt in new places the day after an all day adventure.

*On a previous trip we anchored in the harbor, swam to, and briefly explored Castle Pickney. It is a bird sanctuary and stinks worse than almost anything I have ever experienced. It is very overgrown and getting to the Castle is difficult in swimming attire. I don't recommend it. I also don't recommend it because it is illegal. As we were leaving, we saw a sign back in the weeds saying that it is a bird sanctuary and not to trespass. Had we seen the sign earlier we would not have entered and would have saved ourselves some aggravation.

Sunset Stroll on the Pitt Street Bridge

2009-08-07T09:59:00.017-04:00

Last night, after a great dinner of homemade bar-b-que and slaw, Christine and I took our new dog Cassie to the Pitt Street Bridge. Cassie is new to us; but, not brand new. She needs some socialization skills and thought the Pitt Street Bridge would be a good place for her to acquire some.

We met our friends Burt and Jenny in the parking area and took a walk to the end of the pier/bridge, watched the sunset and had a good time catching up. There were a few families crabbing and fishing all the way up the walkway to the bridge; as well as a few people fishing on the bridge. Several other couples were walking, with and without dogs. We also saw a runner run to the end of the bridge, touch it, and head back toward Pitt Street. On a weekend, it is not uncommon to see several families having portraits taken with the Ravenel Bridge or many of the other lowcountry sights in the background.

The young dad and his three boys fishing at the end of the pier were having a great time. At one point, one of the young boys mentioned that he didn’t care if he even caught any fish, it was just nice to be out at the water with his family. That is often my sentiment when I am out kayak fishing with Christine.

If you have not been to the Pitt Street Bridge, you are missing out. The area has been recently converted into a park includes beautiful palm trees, a grassy area for picnics, and benches to sit and watch the boats, ships, tugs, fishermen, sunset, or any of the other wonderful and relaxing sights of the harbor and marsh area.

It was a beautiful evening with a light breeze. The sunset over the Charleston Peninsula was gorgeous. The clouds were breaking just around the sun so that we could see the orb behind the skyline of downtown Charleston. Just above the clouds, there was a slit of pink cotton candy, some more clouds and an expanse of light. I thought it was very cool.

As the five of us, including Cassie, stood at the end of the dock we were able to see a few fishing boats, what might have been a Coast Guard boat, a tug pushing a barge, and cargo ships go by.

Another sight we were able to see was the Ben Sawyer Bridge swung to allow a tugboat through. There are not many swing bridges around and I am glad this one is being replaced with another of the same type. One of the memories I have of my younger days was waiting in traffic as the drawbridges were raised and lowered as our family went to the beach. We watched the boats go by and it was always special because if we were in drawbridge traffic, that meant we were going to the beach. Bridge traffic is another thing to love about living in the East Cooper area. If you are in too much of a hurry to enjoy waiting for a bridge, you are in too much of a hurry to live in a coastal area.

Birthday Dinner in East Cooper

2009-08-05T09:03:00.006-04:00

Last night, Christine and I celebrated my Birthday Dinner. In our house, the birthday person selects the restaurant for their birthday dinner; no holds barred. The past two years, I selected Robert’s and S.N.O.B. They were good choices. We had great meals and the service was extraordinary at both places. This year, I really did not want to deal with parking and traffic issues of downtown Charleston. As cities go, Chucktown is the best; however, we have great restaurants here in Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, and Sullivan's Island that we have yet to try.

I had been wanting to try Uno Mas since it opened, two years ago. Uno Mas is one of Sal Parco’s restaurants. The rest of them are: three Mustard Seed locations, two Boulevard Diners, Sette, Long Point Grill, and Village Bakery. Of the nine, six of them are in Mount Pleasant. Lest one think this is a commercial for Sal’s places, I will let you know that Christine and I tried the Village Bakery for a couple of pastries last Saturday and we were very disappointed. The cinnamon bun was more like a biscuit and the Morning Glory Muffin was so disappointing that my wife ate less than half of it. That said, we are a bit pickier than most. My wife is an aspiring pastry chef and makes excellent cinnamon rolls and cakes at home. She made my ice cream cake for my birthday last night.

Ice Cream Cake Christine made for Bill. Vanilla, chocolate,
and chocolate chip mint ice cream, on a Grasshopper crust;
surrounded by ice cream sandwich sections and topped
with whipped cream and Grasshoppers.

Christine had the Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla. It is not on the online menu; but is on the menu in the restaurant. She really liked it and looks forward to having the second half for lunch today. The quesadilla was large and included pico de gallo and a small salad.

I had Shrimp Fajitas, also not on the online menu. Fajitas are always fun for me. They are tasty and the fact that I have to make them up slows me down a little. The shrimp (about 9 – 12) came on a sizzling bed of peppers, onions, and tomato slices that were all sauteed. The sounds and smell of a fajita plate are great and really add to the dining experience. The fajitas were served with pico de gallo (chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro), beans with queso fresco (cheese), Mexican rice, guacamole, and sour cream. The meal included three tortillas. I also enjoyed my meal.

We received excellent service from our waitress, Ally. She was not the only one who served us. It seems like it is a team affair as everyone who passed the table checked on our beverages (water with lime in our case) and the manager and host each stopped by to make sure that all was OK, which it was.

The menu and décor is a little more upscale than Yo Burrito (also a great place, just not for my Birthday Dinner) or La Hacienda. Pricing is in the $8 - $12 per person range for most entrees. The Shrimp Fajitas are a little more and some of the steak and seafood dishes are closer to $20. We got out for just under $30 including tax and tip. It seems like lunch pricing is about the same and we were offered the lunch specials for dinner as well. If you like Mexican food and want a nice experience East of the Cooper, I suggest you try Uno Mas. This is one we will add to the Restaurant Bowl.

What's for Dinner

2009-07-31T08:05:00.000-04:00

Christine and I sometimes like to go out for an inexpensive quick dinner or lunch. There are a lot of options to choose from in the East Cooper area. One of the ways that we decide (when we don’t have a coupon or gift certificate) is through the “restaurant bowl”. We have written the names of several inexpensive area restaurants on slips of paper, folded them and placed them in a bowl that sits on the microwave. When we want to go out, and don’t know where we want to go, we choose from the bowl. This game keeps us from forgetting about some of our favorites and keeps us rotating around.

The general rules for our bowl are (you can make up your own):

Dinner for two for under $20 or so.
Good food and service.
Locally owned
Must be in Mount Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms (preferably within 10-15 minutes of Highway 41).

Currently, the selections in the bowl are:

Five Guys Burgers –I already broke the rules. They are not local. They are the exception to the rule
Benito’s
Andolini’s
Zeus
Blue’s Wings
Kickin’ Chicken - This restaurant has the cleverest website
Pick Again - if one of us gets this, the other person gets to pick from the bowl.

I would love to have a great Mexican place in there. The one we had has gone so far downhill that we took it out. I am considering adding Poe’s and Budiroes. Poe’s is great. But, it is too hard to park around there from May to September. Budiroes new place is pretty good. I will have to see if I can get it by the other half of the approval committee. Sullivan’s is great. I just can’t get out of there for under $20 for the two of us. We still go there; they just aren’t in the bowl.

The pickin’s are slim right now due to The Loop closing and some bad experiences at some of the other restaurants. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I Love this Place

2009-07-25T16:22:00.000-04:00

I have been considering a blog for a long time. I didn't know what I could write about that anyone would actually care to read. My area of expertise is theology. So, that would be interesting and inspire a lot of debate. It would also be a lot of work to maintain and a duplicate of what a lot of other people have done.
My wife, Christine, and I have been in Mount Pleasant, SC for a little over six years and love it here. Hardly a day goes by that I don't look around our area and think about what a blessing it is to be here. We have lived in Charlotte, Cocoa, St. Augustine, and I have lived in NJ. Of all of the places we have lived, this is our favorite. I suppose I should mention that we are warm weather people. Below 80 without sun is chilly and 85 with a light breeze is about perfect. We keep the A/C in the house at about 81.
There is a lot to do here and I hope to cover some of what we experience in weekly additions to the blog. We are not nightlife people. If that is what you are looking to find in this blog, I suggest you look further. We do go out to dinner now and then and we enjoy the outdoors. We also take advantage of the local culture. For example, we attend the Blessing of the Fleet every year we can.
Yesterday, I went kayak fishing in Shem Creek. It was a beautiful day; about 90 degrees or so and a slight breeze. On the way to the ramp, I stopped by Haddrell's and picked up some live shrimp (they were on the small side). The boat ramp was almost full. I think I got the last parking place. That isn't rare late on a Friday morning. I have arrived and had to park on another block. I paddled toward the harbor and fished a couple of docks. On one old dock, I caught a small redfish (7" or so) and a small toadfish, both on Gulp.
Later, I paddled to a spot that is known for flounder. After a few casts and slow retrieves of the flounder rig, I felt a tug. I let the pole rest for a moment and started reeling in. It fought hard and I was hoping for a big flounder. As it got closer to the boat, I could see it was a red. I looked for my measuring stick and realized that I left it at home. Not one to take chances with the law, I released it.
Shem creek is a beautiful place to paddle, whether you are fishing or not. There are several restaurants along the creek and people eating will often wave at the paddlers. We often see porpoises, birds, and other wildlife there. It is especially interesting to watch the shrimp boats come in and clean their catch. Seagulls and pelicans come in to scavenge whatever scraps they can.

Two companies run rentals and tours on Shem Creek - Coastal Expeditions and Nature Outfitters. My wife and I went on a Coastal Expeditions tour for our anniversary one year - before we purchased our own yaks. They are a good outfit and I see a lot of tours out of there. I purchased a paddle from Natures Outfitters one time and they were helpful with restroom accommodations while Christine and I were paddling the creek one day.
One of my favorite lunch spots is on Shem Creek. Vickery's Bar and Grill has beautiful views and great food. That is a rare combination. It has been my experience that one must settle for one or the other.