http://www.ajc.com The latest headlines from AJC en-us Copyright 2009, Cox Newspapers Inc., AJC Sun, 5 Jul 2009 02:49:30 EDT Newspapers COXnet RSS Generator v1.0 http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/08/17/52/image_1352178.jpg http://www.ajc.com 5 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/07/01/charleston_on_a_budget.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/07/01/charleston_on_a_budget.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 16:14:28 EDT In colonial times, Charleston was America's wealthiest city. Three centuries later it still has an upscale cachet with houses on its historic Battery fetching eight figures and shopping and restaurants rivaling much larger cities. But you don't need deep pockets to enjoy this town of pastel buildings, narrow alleys and quaint, secluded gardens. Indeed, you can experience much of Charleston, which has a reputation for being the nation's most polite city, for a pittance. WHERE TO START: It's hard to see Charleston from your car because you'll likely get confused in a tangle of one-way streets. Most folks arrive by car and your first stop should be the Visitor Center on Meeting Street, which is built in an old railroad warehouse and open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. For basic information, visit www.charlestoncity.info or www.charlestoncvb.com. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/05/10/spoleto_festival.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/05/10/spoleto_festival.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 8 May 2009 11:39:02 EDT What makes Spoleto USA different from any other U.S. festival is its focus on the edgiest and most unusual ensembles and productions in music, dance, opera, theater and other performing arts. Now celebrating its 33rd season in Charleston, S.C., the festival is a magnet for those who crave something more than conservative productions and standard fare. Opera is always the centerpiece, and this year will feature a new production of Gustave Charpentier's rarely performed "Louise." Written in 1900, its music foreshadowed Debussy. Because the plot is similar, it's sometimes called "the French 'La Boheme,' " and is probably a great choice for anyone who has seen "Boheme" a few times and would like to venture further into verismo opera. There are more than 30 characters in this elaborate work, which opens May 22. One of the more titillating works in this year's lineup is "Don John," a new version of "Don Juan," performed by Britain's Kneehigh Theatre. Described as "visually stunning and rather racy," it features this company's own style of physical theater, original music and lively staging. It's probably not the thing to take your grandmother to see, although that might depend on the grandmother. Daily performances. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/04/12/columbia_SC_art_exhibit.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/04/12/columbia_SC_art_exhibit.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 9 Apr 2009 12:38:10 EDT "Turner to Cézanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection, National Museum Wales" is a compilation of more than 50 works, including several Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings never exhibited in the United States before, on display through June 7 at the Columbia Museum of Art. South Carolina's capital is the first stop in a five-city, 15-month tour of the show, notable not only for featuring heavy hitters such as Monet, Renoir and van Gogh, but because it boasts a back story as intriguing as a 1970s episode of "Connections." http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/03/29/one_tank_bluffton_SC.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/03/29/one_tank_bluffton_SC.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 1 Apr 2009 16:43:27 EDT Situated minutes from modern Hilton Head Island, but seemingly in another time zone, historic Bluffton and nearby Palmetto Bluff make for a truly special one-tank getaway along the South Carolina coast. Founded in the early 1800s on the banks and bluffs of the May River, historic Bluffton is a classic Lowcountry town. Once a summer residence of a local plantation owner, Heyward House Historic Center at 70 Boundary St. is the place to go for insider info on the town. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/03/17/myrtle_beach_trip.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/03/17/myrtle_beach_trip.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:58:25 EDT It's never too early to start planning a beach vacation, especially when you need a quick and easy getaway after a long winter. Make tracks for South Carolina and Myrtle Beach — www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/ — less than a two-hour drive from the airport in Charleston, and look on the right side of the page for "Spring Vacation Deals." Whenever you go, Myrtle Beach is the center of a 60-mile stretch of beach-lined shore called the Grand Strand, where you can enjoy golf courses, ocean fishing, nightlife and amusement parks. Click on "Play" for links to fishing charters and to parks and attractions that will keep you and the kids entertained. Shake the winter dust off your golf clubs and check out Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday — www.golfholiday.com/ — which has links to more courses than you can possibly visit in one vacation. If your game needs help, look under "Golf Instruction" for schools and tips from pros. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/26/james_brown_south_carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/26/james_brown_south_carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:40:59 EST James Brown knew all along that he wanted to open a museum to inspire people — especially the poor — to pursue their dreams. So he carefully saved all his belongings, from glittering suits and glossy shoes to the comb he used to neatly sculpt his hair. The soul singer who died in 2006 says so himself in a new exhibit at South Carolina State University that showcases the attention he paid to his roots, his eclectic tastes and his showman's image. "I'm going to make a James Brown museum because I want people to know that a young kid really has a chance to make it. And the only way they have a chance to make it is if he has somebody around to look at," Brown says as he combs his hair on a video displayed at the exhibit. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/25/charleston_food_wine.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/25/charleston_food_wine.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:56:11 EST A four-day food and wine festival in Charleston is packed with events ranging from celebrity chef demonstrations and wine seminars to a cocktail cruise, gospel brunch and barbecue with blues music. The BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival, March 5-8, includes 50 events and raises money for the MUSC Children's Hospital and other charities. The schedule kicks off with an opening night party March 5 where small plates from 21 of the city's best chefs will be served. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/15/Anderson_S_C__one_tank.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/15/Anderson_S_C__one_tank.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:57:10 EST To celebrate its proximity to Lake Hartwell, the city of Anderson has put its own spin on the trend of town mascots. Thirty-six 6-foot-tall fiberglass fish (largemouth bass, to be exact) have been decorated by area artists and installed through the downtown area, demonstrating that there's more to this Scots-Irish-founded town than its hard-working manufacturing base. Formerly part of Cherokee territory, the city of Anderson was founded in 1826 and named for a Revolutionary War hero, Gen. Robert Anderson. Mostly Scots-Irish farmers settled the region, producing crops that included cotton. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/08/one_tank_greenville.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/02/08/one_tank_greenville.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 5 Feb 2009 13:35:25 EST In less than 25 years, downtown Greenville has gone from decidedly derelict to tasteful and tasty. Nationally recognized revitalization efforts brought Main Street and environs back from the dead, with world-class culture, varied activities, superb shopping and a flavorful dining scene unmatched by many much larger downtown areas across the country. Downtown's diminutive size means visitors can park their car at their accommodations of choice and not need it again until it's time to head back to the Atlanta area (just walk or take the frequent Downtown Trolley running on Main Street). http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/01/25/charleston_south_carolina_resources.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/01/25/charleston_south_carolina_resources.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:25:54 EST IF YOU GO On the menu for "foodie" couples http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/01/25/charleston_south_carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2009/01/25/charleston_south_carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:25:52 EST If there's a more romantic city than Charleston within driving distance of the Atlanta area, we haven't visited it (at least not yet). For certified romantics and "foodies" like us, few places in the region — or practically anywhere in the world — can rival the port city's blend of grace, beauty, history, tradition and romantic dining spots. Charleston has a way of charming couples with romance around every gas-lamp-lit corner or restaurant table. It's great to visit over Valentine's Day weekend — or any time. Whether taking a carriage tour, sailing Charleston Harbor, shopping at the popular open-air public market for native sweetgrass baskets, choosing freshly cut flowers at the Four Corners of Law (an intersection surrounded by government and judicial offices), looking for antiques and more along historic King Street, pursuing plantation life or combing beautiful beaches, Charleston always provides a sensory experience for couples. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/nc_stories/2008/10/26/Rose_Briar_NC_onetank.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/nc_stories/2008/10/26/Rose_Briar_NC_onetank.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:39:09 EDT Following the bends of I-40 through the Cherokee National Forest and then Pisgah National Forest on your way to North Carolina's Briar Rose Farm, worries of the plugged-in world begin to fall away. That's reason enough to visit the working farm, where guests bed down in rustic wood cabins, none of which have cellphone or Internet service. What they do have is peace, privacy and hot tubs on the decks in an environment populated by goats, chickens and cows. Bought 15 years ago by Chicago transplants Tom Hare and Judie Hansen, the farm is located 30 miles northwest of Asheville, N.C., near the town of Hot Springs. The area is home to a mix of mountain people, whose roots go back to the Scotch-Irish and English settlers who came here seeking a new life, and the recent wave of artists and early retirees seeking much the same. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/10/21/south_carolina_survey.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/10/21/south_carolina_survey.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:18:03 EDT NEW YORK — Charleston, S.C., took the No. 2 spot away from New York on the list of best U.S. cities to visit from Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Readers' Choice Awards. Tops on the best cities list was San Francisco, while the Big Apple ended up in third place. San Francisco has been the No. 1 city in the Readers' Choice Awards for 16 years straight. The Peninsula in Chicago was named top U.S. hotel, followed by Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, Amelia Island, Fla., and Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, Ore. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/25/hard_rock_park_bankrupt.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/25/hard_rock_park_bankrupt.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:17:33 EDT MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Hard Rock Park has closed for the year after losing a whole lotta money. The owner of the Myrtle Beach amusement park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday, ending an inaugural season that fell far below projections for the 55-acre, $400 million rock 'n' roll attraction. When it opened in April, park officials planned to stay open through what it called "rocktoberfest" and even have some programs during the Christmas season. The park, which included roller coasters based on Led Zeppelin's classic "Whole Lotta Love" and the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane," plans to reopen in 2009, park spokesman Jim Olecki. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/12/charleston_fall_events.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/09/12/charleston_fall_events.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:56:08 EDT CHARLESTON, S.C. — If you're visiting Charleston this fall, here are a few places in the area to consider visiting to celebrate the harvest season. The Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch in Mount Pleasant is open throughout October, offering hay rides, kettle corns, pumpkin-picking and Happy Jack, an animated talking pumpkin. Details at boonehallplantation.com/fall_festival.php. You'll find a corn maze, scarecrow contests, hay rides, apple slingshot contests, a farm petting zoo and more at West Farm, in Moncks Corner, www.westfarmcornmaze.com/