Athena Pappas

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  • Tag: Charleston

    • Summer Vist to Charleston

      Posted at 10:00 am by athenapappas, on September 25, 2019

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      Although late August is the time to escape the city, it comes with one very travel prohibitive drawback…evening thunderstorms. Attempting to fly down to Charleston, South Carolina for the weekend, I was faced with this incoming tempest. Needless to say, my flight was canceled.

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      Despite the travel setbacks and delays, I eventually made it down to Charleston (NY -> DC -> Atlanta -> Charleston, whew!). Looking to do something a little different, we signed up for Coastal Expedition’s Folly Creek Sunset Kayak tour. Waiting to get started, we watched fisherman unloading their catch of the day to sell. And then, off we went to kayak the creek.

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      One of the major draws of the creek kayak tour is the opportunity to get close to the native wildlife of the low country. This includes swooping gulls diving to catch their fishy prey.

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      Even more exciting than the bird-watching opportunities was getting very, very close to a pod of dolphins. This group was hunting right before dusk with their baby dolphins in tow. It was hard to get a good picture, but the surfaced so close we could almost touch them. Baby dolphins have to be taught how to breath using the blowhole, so the youngest will surface to get more oxygen. We saw them breaching the surface!

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      The great thing about having a guide is both their knowledge of the history of the area and the wildlife along with the fact that they will keep you from getting lost (shout out to our great guide, Brodie!). He really tailored our time on the creek to our interests (seeing more dolphins and bird facts along with some history).

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      Although the dolphins were incredible, the main event was technically the sunset. We were able to position ourselves perfectly to see it dip below the horizon. After that, we had enough paddling and headed for shore.

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      And for dinner…we cooked up some of that fresh fish from the seafood shack! A simple pan-fry transformed this fish into a delicious meal.

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      When flying back to New York, I always try to get a window seat on the left side. That is where you can get the best view of the city as the plane enters its decent. The sunset view only made it a more spectacular welcome home.

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, Summer, Travel
    • Charleston: Summer 2018

      Posted at 9:00 am by athenapappas, on March 20, 2019

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      Although summer might not be the best time to visit Charleston in terms of the weather, there is always plenty to see and do in the sunshine. During my last summer visit, I took a carriage ride with former prosecutor Jared Mogil. Our route took us along the battery and throughout Charleston’s historic downtown district. One of the many sites was St. Philip’s Church. The nickname the Holy City isn’t in jest, there are houses of worship of all shapes, sizes, and dominations here.

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      Down every alley way and on every facade, there is always something unique to see in Charleston.

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      In the cemetery of the Circular Congregation Church, one of the oldest continually worshiping churches in the US, there are centuries old tombstones and monuments.

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      One of my favorite spots in Charleston for a late afternoon snack/happy hour is The Darling on King Street. I always love the mid-century modern vibe and the fantastic service. I highly recommend getting a reservation if you are coming for dinner. The few times I have gone right when they opened, we had no trouble getting seats at the raw bar (the also have a full bar along with table service). Shrimp, oysters, and cold drinks, what else could you want?

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      The low-country of South Carolina is known for its breathtaking natural landscapes, islands, and inlets. On James Island is an area known as Bowens Island. At the end of a dirt road, is Bowens Island Restaurant, a seafood shack that serves fresh local oysters (when in season) and other seafood delights. It’s a great place to watch the sunset and enjoy local seafood.

       

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Restaurants, Review, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, historic, oysters, south carolina, Travel
    • Winter Weekend in Charleston: Part III

      Posted at 10:00 am by athenapappas, on February 26, 2018

      Having re-fueled with oysters, our next stop on the Charleston food and drink trip was the Palmetto Brewery. The oldest brewery in South Carolina, Palmetto has a tap room where beer enthusiasts can sample their brews, listen to live music, and hang out.

      I started with the Ginger Slap, the winter seasonal red ale spiced with ginger and cardamom. It was an incredibly flavorful beer, I imagine it would be great for sipping next to a fireplace. Next was the Huger St. IPA, their flagship IPA. That was followed with the Low Country Pilsner, which was very light, drinkable. The flight was rounded off with the Charleston Session IPA. I enjoyed the Session IPA because it wasn’t too heavy, and it had a great citrus hops to it.

      Our next stop was for dinner. With so many great restaurants in Charleston, it is hard to pick just one (clearly given that at this point we had eaten multiple times). We finally settled on Leon’s, a very hipster Southern food joint. You will be surprised that as we waited for a table at the bar, we had more oysters. Trying to mix things up a bit, I tried the fried chicken sandwich. It was heavenly, fried to perfection, not greasy or soggy. Next time I am in Charleston, I am going to have to try Leon’s again, but I will make sure to get a reservation (we waited nearly an hour at 9pm).

      Sunday morning, it was warm but raining, so we opted for a more casual brunch closer to home. On Rutledge Avenue is the very cute, bustling Park Café. Focusing on locally sourced ingredients, the Park Café offered an irresistible brunch menu. I selected the Fried Egg Sandwich: a fried egg, bacon, cheddar, avocado and spicy mayo to top it off.  It was the perfect place for a Sunday brunch, delicious, unpretentious, the best end for the weekend Charleston foodie trip.

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Restaurants, Review, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged brewery, brunch, Charleston, fried chicken, locally sourced, oysters, Review
    • Winter Weekend in Charleston: Part II

      Posted at 10:05 am by athenapappas, on February 19, 2018

      And the adventures in Charleston continue! Late Saturday afternoon, we visited the Akien-Rhett House for a tour of an historic Charleston home. Built in 1820, the Aiken-Rhett House is a preserved antebellum townhouse complete with outbuildings and grounds. What makes this tour unique among other house tours is that it hasn’t been refurbished and repaired, it is kept in a “preserved-as-found” state. The Aiken family lived in the home until the 1970s, but much was left unchanged for the past 100 or so years.

      A self-guided audio tour of the grounds left plenty of time to really explore the former opulence.

      Even the outhouses were still at the end of the yard! This picture is looking back at the main house from the end of the grounds.

      The family’s carriages were still stored in the carriage house.

      Going through room after room, layers of family and Charleston history were peeling from the walls. In rooms where electricity was never installed, you could see oil light fixtures next to more modern gas fixtures. The dining room was the most modernized, it had mid-century through wall air conditioning installed.

      The ballroom in all of its eerie glory was set for a party that ended many decades before.

      After the Aiken-Rhett tour…it was time for more oysters (and happy hour)! We went to one of my favorite spots on King Street, The Darling Oyster Bar. Along with local oysters, we had the shrimp cocktail and several happy hour Paloma cocktails. From the ambiance to the service to the food and drinks, The Darling is a fantastic place to stop in for a few oysters or dinner. The food adventures didn’t stop there! Check back next week for more foodie stops in Charleston.

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      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Restaurants, Review, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, cocktail, historic, house tour, oysters, south carolina, Travel
    • Winter Weekend in Charleston: Part I

      Posted at 11:16 am by athenapappas, on February 12, 2018

      Doesn’t every weekend story start with a great brunch? A few weekends ago, I took a quick trip down to Charleston with friends, our intended goal to eat and drink all of the things. I think we made pretty good progress towards that.

      We started our chilly Saturday morning in Charleston with the Pappas driving tour of the city followed by brunch at Poogan’s Porch. Tucked in a stately old home on Queens Street, Poogan’s Porch has been serving Charlestonians and visitors alike delicious Southern classics.

      I kicked the meal off with a boozy iced coffee, which was rich and delicious.

      For the table, we shared the fried green tomatoes and mac & cheese. Both were phenomenal.

      For my main, I got the biscuits and gravy. I’m a huge biscuit fan, and I was not disappointed. The gravy was well-seasoned and tasty without being overwhelming. The biscuits were flakey and soft. Poogan’s Porch never disappoints.

      After brunch, we walked through downtown, stopping at Rainbow Row.

      We also walked through the City Market.

      After all of that walking and history, it was time for a beer! We stopped at Closed for Business on King Street to plan our next stop. I tried the Cooper River Orange Infused Blonde Ale. It was the perfect afternoon beer, light and citrusy.

      Check back next week to see the Charleston weekend adventures continue!

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Restaurants, Review, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged beer, brunch, Charleston, historic, southern cooking, tour, Travel
    • Restaurant Review: Boxcar Betty’s

      Posted at 9:00 am by athenapappas, on November 29, 2016

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      In West Ashley, just outside of historic downtown Charleston, you can find the delicious purveyor of chicken sandwiches, Boxcar Betty’s. Rivaling the chicken sandwiches of even David Chang’s Fuku in Manhattan, Boxcar Betty’s makes their sandwiches with only the highest quality chicken and locally sourced ingredients.

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      The look is ultra-retro and down-to-earth. The counter service is fast and efficient (but it might be hard to find a table during a rush). Additionally, the staff are incredibly friendly.

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      And now to the food! I ordered the classic Boxcar, a chicken sandwich dressed with Pimento Cheese, peach slaw, house pickles, and spicy mayo. The chicken was perfectly crisp, not too greasy. The spicy mayo gave it a great kick, rounded out by the creaminess of the slaw and Pimento Cheese.

      We also shared the regular French fries and sweet potato fries. I will have to say that I preferred the sweet potato. Seasoned with brown sugar, they had the fine balance of sweet and savory.

      If you are in the Charleston area, I would highly recommend making a stop at Boxcar Betty’s. Even if you are staying downtown, it is worth the trip to West Ashley for that crunchy, savory goodness.

      Posted in Charleston, Restaurants, Review, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, Chicken Sandwich, cooking, restaurant, Review, Southern
    • Sailing in Charleston Harbor

      Posted at 11:24 am by athenapappas, on May 19, 2014

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      Although it is a bit of a geriatric activity, we decided to take a sunset cruise of the harbor on my last night in town. After some quick Google research, I quickly learned that there were not many available on Sunday nights a few hours before they set sail. The weather also looked ominous all day; there was a quick thunderstorm that afternoon. Would it even be worth buying tickets? In the end, we went with the  Schooner Pride cruise. It was absolutely worth the cost of the ticket. We set sail around 6:00pm that evening from a pier near the aquarium for a two-hour crusie. Here you can see a giant freight ship as Charleston is one of the busiest ports in the country. In the background is the Ravines Suspension bridge, which connects downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant.

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      Leaving the harbor! That is not Fort Sumter. It could be Castle Pinckney? I never did figure that out. There wasn’t a narrated tour, which made for a very pleasant ride (although a few sights slipped through the cracks).


      After a bit, the crew cut the engines so that we could hoist the sails. They called for volunteers, and I got to help with the main sail. It was not easy. That thing is heavy! It also requires two people to make sure that it goes up evenly. From the angle where I was standing, it looked even but apparently I was moving too slow. Eventually, we managed just fine!

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      After all of that hard work, I enjoyed a nice airplane bottle of white wine. They also had beer, soda, and champagne for sale along with snacks.

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      A sunset shot of the Charleston skyline. Using my handy brochure they gave us, I think I can identify a few buildings. The large one could be the Frohling building. The spire might be the St. Matthew Lutheran Church. You can see why Charleston is nicknamed the Holy City when you see how many spires are clear along the skyline!

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      Here is the Ravenel again as the sun is going down. Eventually, I will walk that bridge. It just hasn’t happened yet.

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      The sails of the schooner against the sunset.

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      Look how romantic sailboats look in the sunset!

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      I’m pretty sure this is the Battery, a neighborhood in downtown Charleston. These are some of the largest, stateliest homes in the city. If it isn’t the Battery, those are different coastal houses.

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      More proof about how awesome sailboats look in the sunset, just in case you weren’t sold.

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      Here is a slightly different angle for the downtown Charleston coastline/skyline at sunset. Overall, the cruise was a lot of fun. The weather ended up being perfect. I needed a sweater but never felt freezing. The crew was quite skilled and very knowledgeable about both their ship and Charleston history. I liked that they encouraged everyone to ask them questions and were excited to talk and mingle with the guests. There aren’t many things more relaxing than a glass of wine out on the water!

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Travel, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, Harbor Cruise, schooner, ship, sunset, tourist
    • Charleston Outdoors

      Posted at 4:18 pm by athenapappas, on May 14, 2014

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      While Charleston has incredibly lovely historic homes, the natural landmarks are also stunning. No, I am not being sponsored about any sort of tourism department there, I just have to share how remarkable of a place it is. The picture above is actually the branches of a single tree- Angel Oak. This is the largest tree east of the Mississippi river. The branches are so large that they are supported by man-made wooden beams, which the tree has grown into. The branches also touch the ground, go through the ground, and up again like a root system.

       

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      It would be nearly impossible to capture the entirety of the tree without a professional camera, but I tried my best here. I don’t even know that I could put my arms around the branches. It’s an awe inspiring sight to see a tree so magnificent. A bit off the beaten path on James Island but well worth the trip.

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      In addition to beautiful wooded areas and back roads, Charleston has fabulous beaches! The day was a bit overcast, but we ventured out to Sullivan’s Island for an afternoon at the beach. Here’s the iconic lighthouse. The beach had the perfect light, fluffy sand that you can just fall asleep for hours on while listening to the waves crash against the shore. I liked that it wasn’t too crowded, but there were still plenty of monstrous beach houses to gape at. Near the beach is a strip of really excellent restaurants. We ate at Poet’s, which has a wide selection of burgers and chicken sandwiches, but the other places looked great, too.  I think Sullivan’s is one of the nicest beaches to spend the afternoon in the Charleston area.

       

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Travel | 1 Comment | Tagged Beach, Charleston, Nature, Travel, tree
    • Charleston: Bowens Island Restaurant

      Posted at 9:49 pm by athenapappas, on May 13, 2014

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      After a fantastic weekend in Charleston, I am back in New York but have to share all of my foodie adventures! In addition to soul/low country food, seafood is another specialty. I had a lot of fun Friday night venturing out to Bowen Island (yes, an actually marshy island) near downtown Charleston. What used to be a little shack near the water is now a formidable two story wooden shack. I wish had gotten a picture of the “oyster bar” area downstairs but that was basically plywood tables with holes in the middle (for your oyster shells) and little else. Upstairs, long tables line the wooden hall. You order from the bar, very little frills here. The best deal is the oyster plate, which is a entire tray of boiled oysters. There is also an all-you-can eat option for the very hungry or those feeling challenge. Other food option included a variety of fried and fresh seafood. All of the beers on tap were local brews, and the bartender was very knowledgeable about them, asking what brands we would normally pick to find the best beer. I went with a hoppy IPA.

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      Here is the oyster tray! To pick it up, you go downstairs to the oyster bar area, and they are boiled up right in front of you. I had never had boiled oysters before, only baked or raw on the half-shell. I will have to say that this way is not only more fun, but I thought it tastes even better. They proved a shucking knife, and you open them yourself.

       

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      Here is the first oyster I opened! I didn’t realize that they come in clusters with multiple oysters. I though the taste was almost sweet and absolutely delicious.

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      No meal is complete without hush puppies and French fries. We also ordered the boiled shrimp. I think it was maybe boiled in beer or at least very nicely seasoned. It great flavor to it.

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      Here is our plate of fried fish (and more French fries). I actually liked the fried shrimp, it felt more lightly battered. Also a side of slaw to get our veggies (and mayo) requirement.

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      Lastly, an action shot of me hard at work to get my dinner. The place was a bit funky, my elbows were sticking to the table. Regardless, it was so much fun to shuck my own oysters. I will be going back the next time I visit. However, we didn’t get there until almost closing time. I would highly recommend going around sunset time and enjoying a few beers along with your oysters. I don’t know if I would try the all you can eat, but it would certainty be fun to see someone else try!

      Posted in Adventures, Charleston, Restaurants, Review, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, fried, island, oyster, shrimp, Southern, Travel
    • Charleston: Hominy Grill

      Posted at 11:24 am by athenapappas, on May 9, 2014

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      Last night, I arrived in Charleston, SC for a little mini-vacation. Getting out of New York was a challenge, to say the least. My original flight was scheduled to leave at 11am, but I didn’t actually get off the ground until probably near 4pm. Between the weather and general incompetence at LGA, there were some major delays. Luckily, I finally arrived! For dinner, we went to the Hominy Grill, which is a local Southern/Soul food style restaurant. The first picture is the boiled peanuts they brought out, a great mix of highbrow and lowbrow with the roses and bubbly. I haven’t had boiled peanuts in forever, but each bite takes me back to summers spent along the Grand Strand in Myrtle Beach. You can almost smell the ocean when you eat a boiled peanut.

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      Here is my meal: fried chicken, cheese grits, and coleslaw. The fried chicken was delicious. Hot, crispy, seasoned just right. The sides I wasn’t as wild about. The grits were good, but they just weren’t as good as my dad makes them. I think that’s a problem you often come across when eating food that you grew up with. On the other hand, the coleslaw was not at all what I was expecting, so it was interesting to try. It was red, very tangy. I would highly recommend the fried chicken, but maybe try out different sides next time.

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      Here is the vegetable plate. This one is collard greens, lima beans over rice, cornbread, and other vegetables.

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      And the rib plate! Like the chicken, it came with two sides. Here are the lima bean, which were great although a bit salty, and picked vegetables. For dessert, we all shared a lemon cake, but it was eaten too fast for me to get a picture! I was surprised by how much I liked the cake. It was very tart and plenty of moisture, not the dry white cake I was expected. Overall, a good experience, I would recommend it to someone visiting Charleston looking for some old-fashioned Southern Cuisine.

      Posted in Adventures, Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Charleston, Flying, Southern, Travel, Vacation
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