Left to Right: Tom Read of Read Brothers, Billy Reid of Billy Reid

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Read and Reid both purvey on King. Different gigs, with common traits:

• Both sell some of the best “men’s stuff” in town.
• One store was founded in1912. Another looks like it was.
• One is at King’s lower nexus; the other its upper. There is no read (or reid) between these       lines
• One has loud southern rock and dude-designed clothes; one has dude-pleasing audio and visual hardware and sundry fabrics.
• One won the GQ/CFDA award in 2010. The other stocks the NAD PP-3 in a building festooned with a space-floating baby.
• Both are cooler than hell!

One of Charleston’s real treats has been on King Street for over four decades and its owners know the first name, birthday and probably ring size of everyone in Charleston. Small and large budgets are welcome. For a really  authentic Charleston shopping experience, ring the bell at 308 King Street . You won’t forget what you find inside!

Any given day the kitchen might take in heirloom tomatoes, duroc pigs, and jimmy red corn. But every night deliciousness will be delivered.  Housed in the Gibbes Museum Studio School haunts on Queen Street, Husk promises instruction in the regional food artistry that has put Charleston firmly on the gastro G-map. (Google Map).

Recommendation for this little lord Fauntleroy is to order it open face with the soup de jour or cold gaspacho (pictured).  Also recommended: drink pairing the 12 oz. Orangina, or the house merlot. Again, it is LE Haute dog. It’s served at Fast and French (G&M), all for less than $10.

Pair at least one or two with mergez sausage, a meze platter, a seared manchego and arugula salad. Ask the bartender about the magic tricks up his sleeve…

1. The buzz in town around a few restaurants is the best indication of where to dine.
2. Locals are in the know, and therefore can direct you on the best places to dine.
3. Hotel restaurants are just for corporate power lunches and/or ladies luncheons.

Bonus:  Have you heard of The Palmetto Cafe?

If you answered False to all 3 questions, then you scored an A+ on this pop quiz and should treat yourself to one of the finer lunches in town. if you got the bonus question correct, be sure to order off of this top shelf wine list and enjoy it in the outdoor courtyard!

Social is climbing: Chef Doug Svec’s new menu brings us light and delightful options like this tempura fried shrimp with roasted red pepper sauce to pair with ever changing wine trio flights: War of the Roses, Ocean Air, Med Whites, Euopean Mountain Whites, My Pinot’s Bigger than Yours, Indicative Italian Reds and the list goes on!

The sloe gin fizz tastes like the devil’s smoothie, but the off-menu Beach Bum Reviver would wake the dead. Bartender!