Cover Story, Charleston City Paper

Bourbon be damned, it's time to return to rum

Robert Moss — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Outside the Grocery, the late afternoon sun shone down from a cloudless sky, but inside the Cannon Street restaurant a storm was brewing.

From farmers markets to cooking classes, schools are helping families grow better eating habits

Stratton Lawrence — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

The children gathered around the classroom table at Pinehurst Elementary in North Charleston are having a difficult time cutting mangoes. Ann Hoch, a former chef, is there to help.

Crabs are busting out all over the place at Kimberly's Crabs

Stephanie Barna — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Kimberly Carroll has lost two husbands in six years, but she doesn't want you to feel sorry for her. She's persevering and working hard, carrying on the business she and her second husband Bobby created together after her first husband Raul Morales died and she lost the Raul's Seafood spot on Shem Creek.

Charleston Animal Society thinks outside the box to create a no-kill community

Susan Cohen — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Last week, a speckled brown kitten was rescued by Charleston County animal control from the south side of the Ravenel Bridge. "We get calls every spring where people say someone threw a kitten on the bridge," says Kay Hyman, the director of community engagement for the Charleston Animal Society. "No one's ever seen it actually happening really. Kittens are born all the time under that bridge, and what happens is they get spooked ... and they start moving."

King Street's mom-and-pop businesses can learn a lot from the past

Susan Cohen — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

It's a January afternoon, and the median age of the panel currently set up in the College of Charleston's Jewish Studies building is 70. In total, there are 11 men seated at the front of the room. The youngest is in his 60s, the oldest is in his 90s, and they all know each other. As the men introduce themselves one by one, the audience can check off the familiar names: Bluestein. Berlin. Sokol.

Silicon Harbor is becoming a major player in the nation’s tech scene

Susan Cohen — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

We here at the City Paper still aren’t quite sure what to make of the name Silicon Harbor, the moniker for the Holy City’s emerging tech industry. Yeah, it’s catchy and all, but we’re just not sure the name is appropriate — at least, not right here, right now.

Once again, the Charleston RiverDogs swing for the foodie fences

Robert Moss — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Spring is finally here, and that means it's time for another Charleston RiverDogs season. The team has had a solid run over the past few years under the guidance of veteran leader John Schumacher, and they've been hard at work during the off-season.

Why is this man so angry?

Paul Bowers — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

The anger of Charlie Green is transfixing. On YouTube, where Green goes by the name Angry Grandpa, he yells about politicians, the IRS, the cable company, the pope, his ex-wife, and any number of other things that stick in his sizable craw. His voice splits the difference between Yosemite Sam and a high-strung Tom Waits.

The Style Issue

Erica Jackson Curran — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:01:00 -0400

Remember the Senior Superlatives section in your high school yearbook? It’s the place where the powers-that-be officially declared the most outstanding members of the senior class: The Smartest, The Prettiest, The Most Likely to Succeed. It’s a bit juvenile, really, putting people in neat little boxes like that.

2013 City Paper Photo Contest

City Paper Production Staff — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

As we noted in last week's Best of Charleston issue, the Holy City is the best city in world. And, boy oh boy, did we have an awful lot to say. Unfortunately, we pretty much used up all the words in the English language professing our love for Charleston, so this week we're opting for a show-don't-tell approach. In other words, it's time for our annual Charleston City Paper Photo Contest. For reasons that no one in the office can explain, we didn't run a Photo Contest last year, but we have it on good authority that the internet goons who hacked into the Department of Revenue were somehow involved. Our apologies. Oh, and enjoy.

Best of Charleston 2013

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0500

The past few years have been very kind to Charleston. We’ve been showered with praise and honored with so many awards it’s getting kind of hard not to get a big head. It seems like everyone loves us. But when the folks at Condé Nast Traveler declared that Charleston was the Best City in the World, the news still managed to come as a complete shock. What about New York City, we asked? Or London? Or Paris? Or Rome? Surely we’re not as great as those places? We’re just teeny, tiny Charleston, S.C. But apparently, we’re as good as those places. And frankly, we’re absolutely thrilled and completely humbled.

Lata and Weaver learn to do the hash dance at Waffle House

Stephanie Barna — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 04:00:00 -0500

Fair warning: You are about to be scattered, smothered, and covered in Waffle House lingo. For the first time in history, the Waffle House, every true Southerner's favorite chain restaurant, is about to take part in a food and wine festival, and ticketholders get to be a part of the short order action.

The masters of a dying craft continue to leave their mark on Charleston

Erica Jackson Curran — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:00:00 -0500

Take a walk downtown and keep your eyes on the storefronts. Most of the newer shops and restaurants boast modern vinyl signs, but every now and then you'll spot a lovingly hand-lettered sign that reflects the neighborhood's history. The thick italic script marks businesses like King Street Station, Juanita Greenberg's, Dell'z Deli, and Honest John's Record Shop, setting them apart with a little bit of imperfect charm.

The Ultimate 2013 SEWE Guide

City Paper Editorial Staff — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:00:00 -0500

s in years past, SEWE is chock full of fun things to do, whether it’s the always exciting DockDogs competition, the Birds of Prey demonstration in Marion Square, the Ducks Unlimited oyster roast, or chef demonstrations.

The Heart of Sol Legare

Elizabeth Pandolfi — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 04:00:00 -0500

The residents of this historic black community have been supporting each other through the Seashore Farmers' Lodge, a community aid organization, for more than 100 years. When their circa-1915 building fell into disrepair, one resident made it his mission to preserve the building and with it, his neighborhood's history. Along the way, he and his partners unearthed everything from 1860s-era genealogical records to once-forgotten family heirlooms.

Karen Ann Myers stays in the boudoir for her new solo show

Erica Jackson Curran — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 04:00:00 -0500

Karen Ann Myers loves painting women, specifically pretty women in their underwear. They've been her subject of choice for years, but if you ask her why, she doesn't have a simple answer.

The Return of the Luv Guv!

Chris Haire — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:00:00 -0500

We'll be blunt: As reporters, we're pleased as punch that Mark Sanford is running for Tim Scott's newly vacated seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. As South Carolinians, not so much. Then again, after looking at the host of yahoos that have entered the race, we hate to say it, but it's pretty damn clear that the Luv Guv is the best of the bunch — despite all of his horribly embarrassing flaws, which we know all too well. Take the quiz below to gauge your knowledge of all things Sanfraud.

Charleston Comedy Festival 2013

City Paper Editorial Staff — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 04:00:00 -0500

It's hard to believe it's been a full decade since the Charleston Comedy Festival was born. Back in the day, mostly locals performed at the fest, and one year we even had a 'Ha-Ha Hut' complete with kegs of beer set up in Marion Square – party central, that was.

Stegelin's Year in Review

Steve Stegelin — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:00:00 -0500

As you know, one of the great joys of reading the City Paper — although some folks will argue that there's nothing fun about our favorite rag — is turning to the opening page of our Views section and seeing Steve Stegelin's weekly cartoon. Time and time again, Stegelin makes us laugh, cry, or curse the powers that be — and more often than not, he does it all at once. And that's a rare feat indeed. So join with us as we take a Stegelin look back at 2012. Enjoy. —Chris Haire

Nathan Thurston and his fire-breathing grill dazzle at Stars

Eric Doksa — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 04:05:00 -0500

Friday night, with a perfectly seared steak in front of me, a whole lobster in front of my girlfriend, the smell of smoke from the wood-fired grill wafting through the air, the buzz of conversation and laughter of the bar crowd vibrating around, and a white jacket-clad waitress promptly refilling my glass, I thought to myself, "Wow, this is a big night out." And big seems to be the operative word when it comes to Stars Rooftop Bar and Grill Room, a big new addition to Upper King Street.

Lost & Found

Paul Bowers — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 04:00:00 -0500

When the City Paper decided to take a Found Magazine approach for our year-end double issue, we thought we were pretty smart. How hard could it be to fill up our pages with funny love letters, bizarro shopping lists, and truly embarrassing photos? After all, we find crazy stuff on the ground all the time. But little did we know just how hard it would be. Actually, it was really doggone difficult. But we still managed to find some pretty weird stuff out there. We're looking at you, Trebek.

Best of Blotter 2012

Paul Bowers — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 04:00:00 -0500

As the City Paper's resident Blotter writer, I sit once a week in the lobby of the Charleston Police Department headquarters on Lockwood Boulevard and sift through the incident reports. It's there that I find those nuggets of crack-swallowing, drunk-walking, bar-brawling gold that make it into your weekly fix of seedy-underbelly anecdotes.

Doomed: Everything you need to know for the end of the world

Susan Cohen — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 04:00:00 -0500

We had a good run, didn't we? Over the course of more than 4 billion years (or, we suppose, 6,000 if that's what you believe), the Earth has played host to dinosaurs, the Roman Empire, and Lindsay Lohan. And now it's all coming to an end on Dec. 21. Or is it? Some Charlestonians are ready for the apocalypse, while others are a bit more skeptical. Here, we share their theories — and some useful tips on how to survive to see Dec. 22.

Meeting Street Academy offers nontraditional approach to elementary education

Elizabeth Pandolfi — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Ashlyn is one of the first people I meet at Meeting Street Academy. As soon as I step into her classroom, this petite, sweet-faced kindergartner takes a break from the lesson that one of her teachers, Ms. Lambert, is giving to walk over and welcome me to her classroom. "Hello, welcome to Meeting Street Academy. My name is Ashlyn," she says, looking me in the eye and smiling as she speaks.

The life and times of William James Parker, from slave to freedman and beyond

Will Moredock — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:00:00 -0500

For Paul Garbarini, it was a weekend lark. In January 2011, the Charleston vocalist, tour guide, and furniture restorer drove to Aiken, S.C., to take part in a vocal workshop led by Ysaye Barnwell. The deep, mellow-voiced Barnwell anchors Sweet Honey in the Rock, a women's spiritual a capella group which has toured the world, won an Emmy Award, and released dozens of albums over the course of four decades.