Review of Newton Farms - Johns Island

When visiting the islands of Kiawah or Seabrook, don't overlook a trip to Newton Farms for your grocery shopping needs. The supermarket is conveniently located between the two islands and within the Freshfields Shopping Village. Newton Farms offers a large variety of delicious produce, meats, and baked goods. Upon entry to the store, you will be exposed to a very nice produce section that has all colorful, ripe vegetables. Some of these fruits and vegetables are locally grown which seems appropriate as this market currently sits on a former tomato farm. The produce section even offers up a five star salad bar where you can build up your own tasty salad to bring home. The adjacent bakery area displays some tasty bread, rolls, and an assortment of delicious desserts to offset your healthy lunch.

As you make your way around the store, there is a back room featuring an abundance of wines and cheeses. I was impressed by the degree and quantity of wines offered up by Newton Farms. It makes more sense to purchase your wine and beer from Newton Farms as opposed to those retailers on the islands which will charge you very inflated prices.

The remainder of the store pretty much carries the same items that you would find at any other store. Newton Farms is part of the Piggy Wiggly Carolina Company so you will find the same canned goods, soda, baking items, or even household cleaning products as those other Piggly Wiggly locations. The big difference is that Newton Farms also stocks high end meat and produce items that one would not usually find at the common grocery store. One of the great features of this store is the take and bake items that are prepared by Newton Farms. They make such tasty take home products as pizzas, stuffed peppers, chicken dishes, crab cakes, etc. I enjoy these prepared "heat and serve" meals on those busy vacation days of golf and beach time that do not allow the necessary clean up and travel time to get to restaurants off the island.

Newton Farms also boasts a "dine in" deli where you can order a tremendous variety of sandwiches and other tasty concoctions. The store not only allows seating inside, but there are several outdoor tables should you decide you want to enjoy the warm sub tropical weather. There is a benefit to eating at one of these tables in the summer. The outdoor seating is the ideal place to grab a sandwich, coffee, or ice cream when there is live entertainment across the way within the central courtyard of Freshfields.

The employees at Newton Farms are always cordial and offer up a quick smile when shopping. They maintain a southern charm and always seem eager to help you find what you are looking for.

Chicago Blackhawks: Return of Original Six Team

As a Chicago Blackhawk fan, it is great to see my team back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I have lived to see some good players start with the organization only to eventually leave due to cheap ownership. Yes, I have endured quite a few painful decades of hockey in this fair city but the organization has changed faced as there is now a roster full of young talent as well as a few solid free agents signed by the successing ownership. I think we will compete for this cup for years to come. It should be a tough but hopefully victorious series against the hard hitting Flames. With that I will enclose a HAWK SALUTE courtesy of the folks at You Tube. Nice game last night Havlat, only 15 more wins to go for the Cup! Never hurts to be optimistic.

Fort Sumter 2009

Kiawah 2009 – Fort Sumter

Well we finally embraced a trip to Fort Sumter last week. We overall received pretty decent weather for the week all except this rainy day spent visiting the fort. We managed to avoid rain all week except this Thursday of which we were drenched. The tour begins at the liberty square marina area which is adjacent to the Aquarium which we will have to visit upon another vacation. The tour begins in a museum adjacent to the ferry boat departure. The museum has all sorts of amazing artifacts and models from this commencement to the Civil War. Being a civil war history admirer, I was in heaven.
After spending about fifteen minutes at the museum we then proceeded to walk aboard the ferry boat destined for Fort Sumter. The boat ride lasted about ten minutes and I was disappointed to not see any dolphins as touted by some.
The trip was met by horizontal rain and we all got soaked getting from the boat to the fort. Fortunately a good portion of the tour on Fort sumter included a roof over our heads which kept us dry. The fort is truly amazing as there were original cannon pointed outward at different points of the perimeter. The brickwork of the fort is also hundred of years old which was pretty amazing.
We then proceeded into the museum on the fort which gives additional information about the battle of Sumter and the proceeding occupation of the fort by confederate forces. The heavy downpour disallowed our opportunity to go up top to get a clear view of Charleston and those surrounding islands that fired upon Sumter. I was really disappointed about this, though I will make this my excuse to come back another day and tour again. Maybe we will also have dolphins provide us an escort.

Best Restaurants in Charleston South Carolina

When we visit Charleston every year,we usually stick to our list of 5 to 6 restaurants that we simply cannot pass up. In addition to the charm and beauty of this beautiful history city, there lies some good quality restaurants that need mentioning. My list does not really capture any steak houses. If you a pursuing a juicy steak in this city, then go no further than the Oak Steakhouse on Broad Street or even check out Mustard Seed mentioned below. When in town even a brief visit, try and check out some of these gems.

1. Sticky Fingers Barbecue - Yes, this is a small chain in the south. The barbecue ribs are second to none. We stop in to this downtown charleston barbecue joint every year and leave with happy full bellies. If you have time to squeeze in a little extra food, try starting out the meal with some Savannnah Dip with nacho chips.

2. Mustard Seed - This restaurant is a little off the beaten bath and boasts some excellent daily seafood specials where the food is always tasty and the service is friendly.

3. The Charleston Crab House - There are a few of these sprinkled throughout the Charleston area. The atmosphere is always fun and happy with different ocean fish hanging on the walls in addition to beautiful aquariums in the lobby. The downtown Charleston restaurant is fun and weather permitting, opt for a roof top table to take in the sights and sounds of downtown Charleston while enjoying some shrimp or crab.

4. The Noisy Oyster - This is one of our favorite lunch stops. The restaurant is at the end of meeting street across from the historic market. This is usually my lunch standby when I have a taste for a grouper or mahi sandwich. If room permits and your table size consists of a few diners, check out the mile high chocolate cake. You may need a ladder and snow shovel to dig into this behemoth size dessert.

5. Hominy Grill - This food is so so good. The menu is not too large and everything and I mean everything is made from scratch using locally grown and caught ingredients whenever possible. I always enjoy the shrimp and grits and manage to leave room for the buttermilk pie.

6. Bessinger's - This barbecue shack lies just west of the downtown Charleston area and boasts some of the tastiest barbecue pulled pork and chicken I have ever found. The barbecue sauce has a sweet mustard based sauce that is out of this world. I always buy a few bottles of this sauce to bring home every year. Another great lunch stop.

Oscars Miscues

Another Oscars has come and gone and the biggest beneficiary was Slumdog Millionaire. I have not seen this movie, but plan on checking it out to see if the movie lives up to the hype and accolades. I think Mr. Hugh Jackman did a yeoman effort in hosting the Sunday night event. He seemed to be a Jackman of all trades when it came to comedy, singing, and even his dance number with Beyonce. I give a big “thumbs down” to Sean Penn who seemed to be still stuck in the Harvey Milk character throughout the evening. This guy was obviously riled up about the protestors flanking the entrance to the Oscar event. It was truly ironic of Mr. Penn to get so unnerved by this group and in the same speech adore America for being a place where we can express our opinion freely. Oh yeah, feel free to also thank your wife, Mr. Penn.
With a busy schedule, I have not been able to go to the movies in the past few years as much as I have wanted so I have been out of touch with actor’s appearances as of late. I am surprised by how some actors have truly aged and some have not, thought this may be attributable to Hollywood’s finest plastic surgeons. I was pleased to see Mickey Rourke lift his career off the canvas. Throughout the evening, I couldn’t stop thinking how much the actor resembled “Dogg the Bounty Hunter”. Regardless, I think the Wrestler looks like a powerful movie and I plan on renting this one as well.
One of the biggest Oscar miscues of the evening had to go to Ms. Jennifer Anniston when she came out with Jack Black to introduce one of the Oscar awards right in front of Mr. and Mrs. Brad Pitt. Yikes. I couldn’t help but think Angelina was thinking…………..”yeah, I got your man…………..and you have…………Jack Black.”
In the last twenty years, I have probably seen about half the Oscar awards shows. Out of this number, I will always remember the display of athleticism shown by the late, Jack Palance. This one act alone set up host Billy Crystal for humor to last the rest of the evening.

Kiawah Events - March 2009

Planning a visit to Kiawah Island in March? Please make sure to check out these events happening right here at Kiawah.

GOLFING
Third Annual Friendship Cup
Teams consisting of paired up amateurs compete over four days.
When: February 26th – March 1st
Where: Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Contact: (800) 654 – 2924

Fourth Annual Women’s Golf Getaway
Event held for beginning and intermediate golfers will offer professional instructions in addition to great cuisine, receptions, and plenty of relaxation.
When: March 5th – March 8th
Where: Accommodations at the Sanctuary
Contact: (800) 654 - 2924

Tenth Annual National Pro Am
Teams consist of three amateurs and one PGA club professional in best ball format playing at Kiawah’s finest courses.
When: March 1st – March 5th
Where: Ocean Course, Turtle Point, Osprey Point, Cougar Point
Contact: (800) 683 – 1234

DINING
First Annual Gourmet and Grapes at the Sanctuary
Weekend event offers up wines from around the world in addition to first class cuisine from renowned chefs. Proceeds from event will benefit the Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center.
When: March 13th – March 15th
Where: The Sanctuary
Contact: The Sanctuary

KIDS
Spring Kamp Kiawah
Weekly camp held at Night Heron Park offers all sorts of fun activities for children between the ages of three and eleven.
When: March 2nd – April 3rd (8:30 am – 12:30 pm) Monday - Friday
Where: Night Heron Park
Contact: (843) 768 – 6001

Family Craft
Bring the family to Night Heron Park and spend an hour crafting together!
When: March 2nd – April 3rd (1:30 pm – 2:30 pm) Monday – Friday
Where: Night Heron Park Pavilion
Contact: (843) 768 – 6001

Kid’s Night Out – Sanctuary Splash Bash
Drop the kid’s off for swimming, snacks, and dinner. Space is limited and prices vary.
When: March 2nd – April 3rd (6:00pm – 9:00pm) Thursdays and Saturdays
Where: Sanctuary Discovery Room
Contact: (843) 768 – 6001 for reservations.

FAMILY
St. Patrick’s Day at Freshfield’s Village
Come to the village and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Irish fare, draft beer, and live entertainment. Food will be catered by King Street Grille. Visit Freshfield’s Village website for menu and ticket prices.
When: March 13th (5:30pm – 8:30 pm)
Where: Freshfield’s Drive
Contact: Check out Freshfield’s website for more information

Dog Friendly Vacation Accommodations

So I booked my 2009 trip to Kiawah once again. The vacation this year is under a little bit different set of circumstances as we decided to include our dog into our vacation. She is considered family so we do not have the heart to send her off to the kennel for a week while we play on the beach. We are accustomed to renting through the resort on Kiawah which has successfully met our lodging needs every year. This year we had to obviously find dog friendly vacation accommodations, as the resort does not allow pets in their villas. After numerous searches on the web, we finally came across a great vacation rental network, www.VRBO.com. The “VRBO” stands for”vacation rental by owner”. This website has vacation rental properties all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Vacation property owners simply use this service to advertise their unit and feature pictures and lists amenities of the desired vacation property. The site also lists those vacation properties that cater to pet owners. We were able to get ourselves a unit for a week and I couldn’t be happier as the owner answered all my questions immediately.

Tea Grown In America

Tea is consumed by millions of Americans annually. Most tea we buy is most likely made from leaves grown in China and India. But what about the good old USA? Well, there is one tea plantation in North America that grows tea, the Charleston Tea Plantation located at 6617 Maybank Hwy in Wadmalaw Island.
This is a great place to take the family to tour the 127 acre plantation. That's right........tea grown in America. There is an air conditioned trolley tour that takes travels throughout the plantation where you will witness hundreds of thousands of tea bushes. In addition there is a large facility that shows how the tea leaves are made into tea from bush to cup.
Charleston, South Carolina is apparently the only location suitable in North America to grow tea leaves because of its sandy soil and sub tropical humid climate.
If you come down to Charleston or are an avid tea lover, come down to the Charleston Tea Plantation. There is even an great gift shop where one can taste several types of tea.

Famous Movies Made In Charleston: Kiawah

My wife and I have endured watching the mini series North & South (books I & II) over the last few days. I enjoy books and movies that cover this period of our history, whether fictional or not. Anyway, I recalled the plantation of Mont Royal from the movie being filmed at the Boone Hall Plantation. I do remember this from the tour (which I recommend). There are even some shots of the Cooper river (tributary) just to the south of the home that looked very familiar from our visit. I thought that perhaps the plantation of Resolute was also in South Carolina, but have learned that was filmed in Louisiana. It was also fun to see downtown Charleston filmed with dirt and sand thrown over the streets to create the old time effect.

I was able to put together another quick list of movies filmed in the area:

Charleston
Cold Mountain (2003)
Patriot (2000)
The Notebook (2004)
For the Boys (1991)

Kiawah
Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)

Live Kiawah Cam

In my rumblings and stumblings across the cyber universe, I managed to find a live kiawah cam feed accessible 24/7 for beach views! Be sure to check out the hall of fame shots from previous dates. There are some spectacular sunrise/sunset pics. You can access the link right here. Enjoy!