Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for so much-the veterans who have fought for our freedoms; good health; wonderful family; friends and readers of this blog and Our Great Escape at Seabrook Island, SC.

In the time I've been away from this blog, lots has happened.  Our older daughter graduated from college and secured an internship with Theatre Charleston; a little "Privacy" floated into Bohicket Marina;

Tiger Wood's yacht-"Privacy"

and the 2012 PGA golf tourney took place on Kiawah!

Stay tuned for another big announcement...

Guess Who's Coming to the Lowcountry?

HGTV!  HGTV just announced that the Dream Home 2013 will be built on Kiawah Island.  Watch the video announcement.  The press release can be found here.

It is going to be fun to watch this new house being built.  The finished home is sure to be spectacular!

Sweets for your Sweetie

Valentine's Day means one word to me--CHOCOLATE.

How about a chocolate cupcake from Charleston's own Cupcake Bakery?  Check out all the flavors.  Cupcake offers nine of its flavors daily.  For Valentine's Day, they're offering a 6-inch chocolate or red velvet (one of their most popular flavors) heart shaped cake.  Yum!

Maybe a entire chocolate cake is more to your liking?  Then you'd better hurry on over to CHOCOLATE CAKE Charleston.  Christen Reese bakes up her family's chocolate cake recipe for our enjoyment.  Yes, chocolate cake is all she bakes and sells.  Ms. Reese's cakes are almost too pretty to eat.  Right, it's chocolate!

Ok, so you're a chocolate purist.  You want *just* chocolate--pieces of chocolate.  Christophe Artisan Chocolatier-Pâtissier is the place for you.  Just take a look at some of the chocolate creations.

Other shops to search out sweets for your sweetie:  Charleston Crepe Company and Robot Candy Co for your "little" sweeties.

Lowcountry Cooking

Wanna enjoy some Lowcountry eats while helping a good cause?

Sea Islands Cooking, a cookbook of (what else but) sea island recipes, was recently published.  The cookbook contains recipes from folks from Seabrook, Kiawah, Johns, and Wadmalaw Islands.

Sea Islands Cooking would make a great gift (*hint* Valentine's Day is quickly approaching!) for friends and family who haven't yet experienced the Lowcountry.

Oh, heck, just go ahead and buy it for yourself:)  It is for a good cause after all.  All proceeds from the sale of the cookbook go to the local schools:  St. John’s High School, Haut Gap Middle School, Angel Oak Elementary School, Mt Zion Elementary School, and Edith Frierson Elementary School.

Eat up!

Lucy's [Red Sky] Grill

**2016 Update--Lucy's is closed**

Y'all know I'm always talking about Lucy's Grill on Seabrook Island.  Remember Lucy's is the restaurant that has Jazz Sundays-live music on Sunday nights?

Well, I found a website which publishes the upcoming events at Lucy's.  Head on over to SavannahNow. Scroll down to the bottom right corner.  Yep, that's it-"Upcoming Events."

Cotton Blue plays on February 19; Shrimp City Slim on February 26; and don't miss the ever popular Ann Caldwell in March!

New Restaurant-Mama Q's

**2016 Update--Mama Q's is closed**


Another "new to me" restaurant--Mama Q's Kitchen on John's Island

When I first glanced over Mama Q's menu, I thought "uh-oh."  There are burgers, BBQ, sandwiches, hot dogs, wings, AND tacos.  What a combo!

After doing a little research, I discovered "Mama" is Kim Quintero of Mexican heritage, raised in Arkansas, and skilled in Memphis-style BBQ.  Ah-ha!  Knowing Mama's background explains the menu.

Hmmm, I think I'll have some chicken soft tacos, some "crazy hot wings", and a side of fried pickles.  Thank you.

Or maybe, it'll be a big Mexi-burger and some sloppy fries?

Check out City Paper's write up of Mama Q's and reviews on Urban Spoon.


Mama Q's is located on John's Island in the Builders 1 Resource Plaza across the street from Fat Hen.

(843) 559-0071
3157 Maybank Hwy Unit E
Johns Island, SC 29455



Hours:
Mon, Sun Closed
Tue 11:30am–3pm--Lunch only
Wed 11:30am–8:30pm-Lunch and dinner
Thu-Fri 11:30am–9pm-Lunch and dinner
Sat 12–9pm-Lunch and dinner

Restaurants-Hege's

How could I have missed it?  Hege's, the French bistro located in Freshfields Village, has a prix fixe menu every night of the week.

Priced at $33.95 take a look at your choices:

• Choice of soup/salad including House salad, Martha’s salad, or a Caesars; Maryland Crab Cake Appetizer; French onion soup, NewEngland Crab and Corn Chowder or Tuscan Bean, Sausage and Escarole soup
• Entrees: Haystack Pasta with smoked chicken, andouille sausage, peppers, fresh corn and Habanero butter over Angel Hair Pasta; Crispy Fried Flounder; Maryland Crab Cakes; Calves Liver; Veal Piccatta with lemon caper sauce and linguini pasta
• Choice of desserts: Profiteroles with Vanilla Nut Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce; Chocolate Hazelnut Panna Cottawith Fresh Berries; Traditional Key Lime Pie with Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Berries; Peanut Butter Chocolate Molten Cake with Crème Anglaise and Caramel Sauce; Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Who's hungry now?

**Reservations recommended

Hege's Restaurant

Freshfields Village

275 Gardners Circle

Seabrook Island, SC 29455

843-768-0035

Mon - Sun: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Guess who's coming back to Charleston?

Venus Williams, tennis superstar, has signed up to play in the Family Circle Cup.  This year's tournament is scheduled for March 31-April 8, 2012.

To read more about Ms. Williams and the Family Circle Cup,  check out today's article in the Post&Courier.

For Family Circle Cup ticket information, click here.

Restaurants-Chez Fish-February Special

Overwhelming demand for the 3-course prix fixe menu during January 2012 has Chez Fish continuing it in February.

Now through the end of February, Chez Fish will offer a "Pick Three" for $24.95.  That's an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $24.95!


Chez Fish Market and Restaurant
3966 Betsy Kerrison Pkwy
Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 768-8901

Open 7 days a week, 5pm-10pm

*Reservations are recommended.

It's Oyster Season, Y'all!

And Garden&Gun has an entire section dedicated to oysters.

The magazine lets you in on the best oyster bars in the South; how to cook the best fried oysters; and gives you a primer in "shucking oysters"(otherwise known as how to get into that shell for the deliciousness of the oyster).

Oh, I hear some of you.  "Blech!  Oysters!  I'd never eat those!"  Well, Garden&Gun has even put together a little something for the first-time oyster eaters.

Enjoy!  My mouth is watering for some fresh roasted oysters!

Stono Ferry Golf

What a year for The Links at Stono Ferry!  The golf course was named 2011 South Carolina Golf Course of the Year AND Charleston area Golf Course of the Year!  Congratulations!

With afternoon greens fees around $50, playing Stono Ferry won't break a golfer's budget.

Guess it's time to plan another golf "road trip."

Calendar of Events

Wanna keep up with the "Happenings in the Lowcountry?"  Check out the Post & Courier's Calendar of Events.

You can search this dynamic website by type of event--arts, music, festivals, etc., by town, by holiday, and on and on.

Check back often or bookmark the site.  There's something fun always going on in the Lowcountry!

Charleston Tee Times Passbook-2012

The Charleston Tee Times Passbooks are back in stock for 2012 use year.  If history repeats itself, these passbooks will sell out quickly.

Don't know what the Charleston Tee Times Passbook is? The passbook costs $169.00 (plus shipping and handling) and allows the golfer to play one round at the following area courses:

• Charleston National Golf Club
• Coosaw Creek Country Club
• Country Club of Summerville
• Dunes West Golf Club
• Kiawah Island Resort – all five courses including Kiawah Ocean Course (with $100.00 charge includes mandatory forecaddie and cart – does not include gratuity – walk only before noon)
• Legend Oaks Golf Club
• The Links at Stono Ferry
• Patriots Point Links
• Pine Forest Country Club
• RiverTowne Country Club
• Seabrook Island Club --Crooked Oaks and Ocean Winds Courses **New for 2012**
• Shadowmoss Plantation Golf Club
• Wild Dunes Links and Harbor Courses

With the passbook, you can play a few or all 19 courses for the price of $169.  Quite a deal considering some of the resort courses cost $100-150 per round of golf.  

So you're probably thinking, "What's the catch?"  Yeah, me too.  There are some restrictions (limited days during certain times/holidays of the year, afternoon tee times only, etc.).  And, there is a mandatory cart fee for each course.

Looks like my husband will be getting the Charleston Tee Times Passbook for Valentine's Day.

Restaurants-Lucy's Red Sky Grill

**2016 Update--Lucy's is closed**


It's been a while since I've put a plug in for Lucy's Grill, located outside the gate to Seabrook Island, SC.

Late last summer, it was Date Night for me and my sweetie.  Guess where we chose to go?  Lucy's [Red Sky] Grill.

And, yes, there is a reason I put "Red Sky" in brackets.  It seems more than a few people were confusing Lucy's Red Sky Grill with Red's Ice House which is located over at Bohicket Marina.  So Lucy is trying to become known as just "Lucy's Grill."  I throw in the "Red Sky" occasionally so folks remember this is the same popular restaurant from many years ago.

Anyway, back to my date night.  I started off with the most delicious appetizer--New Orleans Style Barbeque Shrimp.  Let's just say, I can't remember what I had as an entree that evening because all I could talk and think about was the shrimp dish!  My-o-my, it was good!  As usual, I forgot to pull out the camera to snap a picture of the New Orleans Style Barbeque Shrimp.

The shrimp had a reduction sauce made with Yuengling beer and was served with hot toasted bread.  Yes, all manners went out the window as I sopped up every last drop of that sauce with the bread.

For dessert, sweetie and I shared some sort of ice cream creation.  I recall it was a "cherry bomb"--a scoop of ice cream dunked in dark chocolate.  The plate was artfully decorated with raspberries, a pureed fruit sauce, and who knows what else.  We managed to devour the dessert (and I did take a photo albeit not too good).

Next visit, I think I'll have two orders of the shrimp!



Lucy's [Red Sky] Grill is currently open Monday-Sunday nights, 5:30-9:00 pm.  Find Lucy's on Facebook to keep up to date with dinner specials.  Currently, Sunday nights are "Jazz Sundays"; Liver and Onions on Tuesday, Prime Rib on Wednesday, and Tuna 2 Ways on Thursday!

Lucy's:  
1001 Landfall Way
Seabrook Island, SC
843-768-8118

Restaurants-The Golden Cup Cafe

**2016 Update--Golden Cup is closed**


Ok, so The Golden Cup has been open for a while (2009!). Yet I've never posted anything about this restaurant.  Huh?

The Golden Cup Cafe is located next to the Big Pig (the Piggly Wiggly at Maybank and Main Rd).  It's just a quick drive from Seabrook Island.  The restaurant is open seven days a week, serving breakfast and lunch Monday-Sunday; dinner-Tuesday-Friday;  and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

There are dinner specials nightly: Tuesdays are Meatloaf Night; Wednesday-Prime Rib; Thursday-Creole; Friday nights stop in for wine and appetizers.

Want to see more of the eats?  Hurry over to The Golden Cup Cafe's website.

Read reviews on Urbanspoon and Yelp.  Find Golden Cup on Facebook too.


Here's the contact info for The Golden Cup Cafe:

3573 Maybank Hwy, Suite F, John's Island, SC
843-559-2727

Firefly Distillery, Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina

Just up the road from Seabrook Island is Wadmalaw Island, home to Charleston Tea Plantation and Firefly Distillery.

CNN's Erin Burnett took a visit out to Firefly to discover a secret of the Lowcountry--Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka.  If you missed Erin's trip out to Firefly, well, don't you worry, hun.  Here it is: It doesn't get any sweeter than this.

More accolades for Charleston

Fodor's named Charleston, SC as one of its picks--21 Places to Visit in 2012.  Go check it out!

And "We're Back"...Chez Fish

Chez Fish reopened in the Spring of 2011.  Its return was welcomed by residents and visitors of Seabrook and Kiawah Islands.

Currently, Chez Fish is open for dinner 7 days a week from 5-10pm.  The fresh fish market opens at 4 pm.  Watch for extended hours during the summer months.

Now through the end of January Chez Fish will offer a prix fixe three course meal for $24.95.  Read about it here.

And, be sure to follow Chez Fish on Facebook.

The "News" from around Seabrook Island

Another way to stay up-to-date on what's happening on Seabrook Island and Kiawah Island--read The Island Connection.  

Lucky Dog Publishing puts out the area newspaper bi-weekly.  The Island Connection can be found online on Scribd.com.

To follow along, visit Scribd.com/Lucky_Dog_Publishing.

Can't get enough of Seabrook Island?

Are you like I am and you can't get enough of Seabrook Island?  I daydream about my next visit.  I frequently reminisce about past visits (oh, what fun our family has had over the years!).  I sit at my desk and stare at the map of Seabrook.

Now, there's a new venue to keep us close to Seabrook.  The Town of Seabrook Island has recently relaunched its website.  There are great photos and action-packed videos.

Don't say I didn't warn you, the website is addictive for those of us who can't be on Seabrook year-round.

Enjoy!

Welcome to 2012!

Um, 'scuse me.  It's 2012?!?  What the heck happened to 2011?  And, where have I been for the past six months...no doubt visiting Seabrook Island.

This year is going to be a great time to visit Seabrook Island.  There are new restaurants to sample and new things to explore.

Excitement is growing for the PGA tournament which happens in August over on Kiawah (I'll be there, will you?).

Stay tuned for all the latest and greatest happenings in and around Seabrook Island.