Charleston (Built in 1713)

Three Perfect Days CharSouth leCarolinaston Back in 1874, The Atlanta Daily Herald’s Henry W. Grady coined the term “the New South” to encourage people to move beyond the fraught antebellum period and see the region in a fresh light, “thrilling with the consciousness of growing power and prosperity.” That tag has been bandied about in recent years—Nashville is the capital of the New South one day, Atlanta the next—but nowhere are that growing power and prosperity more evident than in South Carolina’s largest city, where it seems as if 10 new (and great) restaurants open each month, where Volvo just set up shop with a $1.1 billion plant and Boeing is building its 787 Dreamliners, where 28 people move in each day. The Holy City is a mecca for tourists—6.9 million came in 2017, probably half of them for a wedding— By Ellen Carpenter • Photography by Peter Frank Edwards who are just as hungry for rice grits and selfies in front of Georgian row houses as they are for a history lesson. What they’ll find will fill them up and still leave them asking for seconds, albeit very politely. 38 39 R2_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 38 09/01/2019 10:42 R1_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 39 08/01/2019 09:09 DAY Charleston (built in 1713). He’s “ What better way about to lead me, my husband, Chris, our 6-year-old son, to get a first Calder, and five other history- grader excited hungry out-of-towners on one of his daily Charleston Pirate about history Tours, and to spin yarns about than having a “the who’s who of pirates that came through.” guy with a parrot Charleston’s history is on his shoulder intrinsically linked to piracy (did you know pirates intro- tell him about duced the rice that’s so integral beheadings and to Lowcountry grits, bringing it from Madagascar?), which is pillaging?” why we want to start our trip with Captain Eric. What better way to get a f irst-grader excited enough for us,” Eric jokes), and about history than handing past the multicolored houses him a foam sword and ban - on Instagram-friendly Rain- danna and having a guy with a bow Row and the country’s parrot on his shoulder tell him oldest liquor store (“Charles- about beheadings and pillag- ton is a drinking city with a ing? As we amble through the history problem”), Eric tells us Historic District, down Unity about famous pirates of yore— Alley, where George Washing- Mrs. Chang, Stede Bonnet, ton kept his mules when he was Anne Bonny, and, of course, in town (“If it’s good enough Blackbeard, who marauded for Washington’s ass, it’s good the port of Charleston before ► Playing pirate, “firing” cannons, and plowing through pimento cheese et’s go ahead and get the kid questions out 1of the way: Yes, I’m a real pirate. No, I’m Lnot f iring my gun. Yes, my parrot is real. No, we’re not gonna take any ships. No, pirates did not make enemies walk the plank—that was Peter Pan.” Eric Lavender, swash - buckling chic in full pirate Opening spread, from regalia—tricornered hat, left: the backside of the knee-high suede boots, black Dock Street Theatre; the Historic District’s breeches, regal gray captain’s colorful Elliott Street; coat with pewter buttons, this spread, from left: Eric Lavender pistol at one hip, saber at the of Charleston Pirate other—is standing in front of Tours; the meticulous garden at the Pineapple the Powder Magazine, the old- Gates House est government building in 40 41 R1_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 40 08/01/2019 09:09 R1_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 41 08/01/2019 09:09 “We amble through the Historic District, past the multicolored houses on Instagram-friendly Rainbow Row and the country’s oldest liquor store.” 42 43 R1_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 42 08/01/2019 09:09 R1_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 43 08/01/2019 09:09 the Charleston City Market before dinner. It seems as if every tourist in town has the same idea. The market, a series of sheds that stretches four city blocks, opened in 1804— statesman Charles Coteswor- thy Pinckney gave the land to the city, stipulating that it had to be used as a market “in perpetuity.” I doubt they had a Christmas shop open year-round in 1804, but they do now, along with 300 other spots, including a toy store, a haberdashery, and a handful of places selling traditional sweetgrass baskets. We stop to watch an artisan weave one, her nimble fingers method- ically alternating strands of dried native sweetgrass. I want to buy one, but Calder is wan- ing and I realize we better get him fed before a meltdown Previous spread: toasts that are way better than for granted,” Drass says, as the ensues. Traveling with kids! Rainbow Row, a series of pastel Georgian pimento cheese has any busi- group folds the flag, south to Fortunately, our hotel, the houses on East Bay ness being. The fried chicken north, north to south, then in grand Belmond Charleston Street dating back to about 1740; this page: has the kind of crackly crust triangles. “I submit to you that Place, is a block away, and the Charleston Grill, you only see on TV, and the America is an amazing coun- dinner is just downstairs, at where a jazz trio plays the . We do every night Bibb lettuce salad is a lesson in try,” he continues. “We are a Charleston Grill simplicity. The only negative is diverse country. It’s inherent a quick costume change— that we’re too full to eat dessert. we’re going to have differ - thank goodness for our spa- Chris and I figure we should ences. But despite all of our cious suite’s two bathrooms— meeting his bitter end off of keep the history lesson going, differences, we have one com- and make it to the restaurant North Carolina’s Outer Banks. so we take a cab to the water- mon denominator: We are only five minutes late for our “You know how he knows all front and catch the ferry to Fort all Americans.” The crowd is reservation. Five minutes after that stuff?” Calder whispers, Sumter, where the first shots silent, and more than a few that, I’m sipping a glass of Bone after Captain Eric lets each of of the Civil War were fired people wipe away tears, me Dry rosé (Calder goes pink too, us hold one of his weapons for in 1861. I grew up spending included, and then everyone with a Shirley Temple) and a final group photo. “Because my spring breaks touring breaks into applause. we’re enjoying the jazz trio’s he’s a real pirate.” Success. Civil War battlef ields and forts rendition of “Billie’s Bounce.” After two hours of walking, with my American historian I devour my crab cake, we’re ready to eat. Luckily, mother, but I’d forgotten how “ The addictively bathed in a lemony butter Husk is just four blocks from fascinating they are for kids. As sauce, while Calder co-opts the Old Exchange Build- soon as we reach the fort, Calder sharp pimento Chris’s charred octopus. “Next ing, where our tour ends. is off: hiding in the shadows of cheese toasts time, you’re getting your own Just as piracy put Charles - the munitions room, looking appetizer,” Chris tells him as ton on the map back in the for enemy ships through peep- are way better he concedes the plate. We all late 1600s, Husk ushered in holes, loading the cannons with than pimento trade bites of our mains—sea the city’s foodie era when imaginary gunpowder. When bass in a creamy curry sauce it opened in 2010. Found- he sticks his head inside the cheese has any for me, scallops with salsa ing chef Sean Brock recently barrel of a columbiad cannon, business being.” verde for Chris, kid’s menu departed for Nashville, but I explain how that’s not proper spaghetti for Calder—and then the restaurant—located in a protocol—but only after I snap take turns choosing from the beautiful, late-19th-century a photo. The sun is already setting assortment of chocolates and Queen Anne–style home—and Before heading back on the when we make it back to the gelées that our waiter brings executive chef Travis Grimes ferry, everyone convenes for mainland, but we decide to us as a parting gift. We leave still celebrate Lowcountry the lowering of the f lag. A park walk the 15 minutes back to humming the strains of “The cooking with highfalutin tech- ranger, James Drass, invites the Historic District (it’s easy Very Thought of You,” take nique. We start with addic- 20 volunteers to come help. to get around on foot down- the elevator upstairs, and tively sharp pimento cheese “Don’t ever take your freedom town) and meander through promptly pass out. 44 R1_38-55_HEMI0219_3PD5.indd 44 08/01/2019 09:10 DAY a carriage pulled by two brown BBQ himself for a lesson in and white horses, Sally and whole hog cooking. Scott won Deedee. Horse-drawn car- the James Beard Award for riages seem to outnumber Best Chef: Southeast in May, cars downtown—a trend just a year after opening his Palmetto Carriage Works restaurant in the North Cen- launched in 1972 when it tral neighborhood. “Now I became the first company to can’t go anywhere without offer tours.

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