Upper King Charleston

Tickets on Sale Now for "A Christmas Carol"

The Dickens tale returns to Woolfe Street Playhouse in time for the holidays featuring Brian Turner as Scrooge, Brad Leon as Bob Cratchett, Noah Smith as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and a spectacular Village Rep ensemble!

Using only Charles Dickens’ extraordinary words and a chameleon ensemble of eight actors, A Christmas Carol is a bold theatrical re-imagining of a classic Christmas story. Bring the family and celebrate the season with Scrooge, Tiny Tim and more. 

A Christmas Carol is playing December 6th through December 22 at the Woolfe Street Playhouse. Click here to purchase tickets. 

Holiday Artist Shows at The Art Mecca of Charleston

 The Art Mecca of Charleston will feature eight local emerging artists throughout the month of December. These shows will be curated by gallery owners and artists Mackenzie King (Pittsburgh, PA) and Kelly Wenner Grossman (Columbia, SC). Visitors will enjoy live music and complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres while meeting the artists and viewing their new collections.

Friday, December 6th, 5pm-8pm Jewelry artists and gallery curators Kelly Wenner Grossman and Mackenzie King will be having a gallery trunk show. Grossman creates her one-of-a-kind jewelry using natural stones, leaves and pinecones. “If you combine a love of art with a love of stones, it makes perfect sense that I became a jewelry artist" (Kelly Wenner Grossman). Kelly hand picks leaves and preserves them in gold, silver and copper. Her work has been featured in Army Wives, Charleston Magazine and Charleston Wedding Magazine.

Monza & Closed For Business Chefs Are Back & Cooking Up Creative New Winter Specials

Chefs Leila Schardt & Italo Marino have completely settled back in at Monza & Closed for Business. Between participating in a local Guerrilla Cuisine Dinner, The Italian Film Festival & the Striped Pig Distillery Spirited Dinner, the pair has been busy.

Stop by the restaurants today for their daily specials made using local, seasonal produce. Enjoy some creative winter creations & soups made with cameo apples, brussel sprouts, sunchokes & cotechino sausage. We can't wait to try this special pizza made with Jalapeño Pesto, Mozzarella, Kale, Braised Prosciutto & Red Onion. 

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The Francis Marion Hotel Featured as One of the Most Romantic Wedding Venues in Charleston

Charleston Wedding Blog Borrowed & Blue recently featured The Francis Marion Hotel as one of the most romantic wedding venues in Charleston!

"With over 85 years of history steeped in southern hospitality, the Francis Marion Hotel knows a thing or two about treating guests like royalty, and they will offer you the fairytale wedding that you’ve always dreamed about. The hotel features limitless options to customize your big day and also features two supremely elegant ballrooms with antique chandeliers & 20 foot high ceilings that create the perfect excuse to be whisked away on the dance floor by your new husband.

Oh, and be sure to pamper yourself the morning-of at Spa Adagio, which has been rated one of the best spas in Charleston! Sounds like the perfect start to the perfect day..."

For more information, contact Caroline Bean, The Francis Marion Hotel's Wedding Coordinator at 843-937-8695.

Source: Hyland, Brittany. "Most Romantic Wedding Venues in Charleston". Borrowed & Blue. 17 Nov 13.

Keeping Up With King Street From the Charleston Mercury: I’m Dreaming of a Small Christmas

The shopping frenzy begins at Thanksgiving and it doesn’t let up until merchandise return season the week after Christmas. Every year there are crowds, lines, lists and more activities than sane people should ever sign up for. Every year many of us resolve to make the holidays smaller and simpler, just to let them get away from us yet again.

Sure it’s tempting to stay home in your jammies, flip up your laptop and do all your shopping online, but where’s the fun in that? Wrapping gifts is even better than receiving them, and there’s nothing social or personal about that cardboard box the UPS guy brings with a “fond” message printed on the receipt.

This year it’s King Street to the rescue.

Everybody loves 2nd Sunday on King Street, the time each month when locals take over downtown. Three Sunday street closure events, the 8th, 15th and 22nd, mean three opportunities to take a leisurely stroll, pick up everything on your list and toast yourself at one of our great watering holes for being so clever.

Halls' Gospel Sunday Brunch Featured in the New York Times

Halls Chophouse made it into the New York Times! In "36 Hours in Charleston", the author winds down her Charleston vacation with Gospel Sunday Brunch at Halls:

"At Halls Chophouse, two Sunday rituals come together: brunch and worship. Near the piano at the front door, a singer croons “Amazing Grace” and other gospel standards (during the holidays, you’ll hear carols steeped with soul). Upstairs, the hungry sit on leather banquettes and dig into crab cake eggs Benedict, shrimp and grits. Several Hall family members circulate to schmooze. Think of this robust dose of Southern hospitality as the weekend’s exclamation point ($55 for two)."

Gospel Sunday Brunch is served at Halls Chophouse from 10:30am until 2:00pm. For reservations call 843-727-0090 or click here to make reservations online.

Source: Ralston, Jeannie"36 Hours in Charleston". New York Times. 21 Nov 2013. 

Your Gift from The City of Charleston: Free Parking!

Click here to download Charleston Holiday Parking Voucher. Come downtown! Shop, dine and enjoy all the events awaiting you and your loved ones in the best city anywhere.

If you have trouble downloading this voucher, email susan@kingstreetmarketinggroup.com to receive one via email.

Holiday Swing, A Charleston Jazz Tradition

Add jazz to your holiday cheer with "Holiday Swing", a Charleston Jazz tradition! Enjoy season highlights, featured movements from the Charleston Jazz Orchestra's annual performance of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s Nutcracker Suite and big band arrangements on winter classics to get you beboppin’ through your holiday season!

Don't miss the show on Saturday, November 23rd at the Charleston Music Hall (37 John St.). ONE SHOW ONLY. 2 sets. 1 intermission. 7pm show start time. 

For more information, or to buy tickets click here. 

Would you like to receive our King Street and Charleston Peninsula News each month? Click here to subscribe.

Cupcake DownSouth's Chocolate Caliente & Pupcakes to Benefit the Charleston Animal Society

Animal lovers will come together to chow-down for a great cause at the Charleston Animal Society’s 14th annual Chili Cook-off on Saturday, November 23 from 1-5 p.m. This year, Cupcake DownSouth has chosen to contribute in-store and at the event through a special chile cupcake for heat-seekers, and unique ‘Pupcakes’ for canine companions.

The ‘Chocolate Caliente’ Cupcake is a chocolate cake filled with a peppery chocolate cream filling, rolled in ganache and drizzled with chocolate. Dog-friendly Pupcakes will also be available in-store, in honor of Cupcake’s fondness for four-legged pals.

These limited-time flavors will be available in both the Downtown & Mt. Pleasant stores from November 18-22, and $1 from every special cake sold will benefit the CAS.

Cupcake will also be vending both flavors at the Chili Cook-off, which takes place this year at Joe Riley Stadium ($1 per sale at the event will also be donated.) Tickets are $20.00 in advance/$25.00 at the door, with free entry for kids 10 & under. Proceeds help support the Charleston Animal Society’s goal of making Charleston a no-kill community by 2015.

Brand New, Amazing Artists at the ART MECCA of Charleston

The ART MECCA of Charleston is over-flowing with amazing new artists! Every artist regularly brings in new work so keep an eye out!

 Rhoda Troost is an acrylic and collage artist. Her favorite pieces are abstracts that she likes to call bursts of color. "Sometimes I have a subject matter in mind, and it may show in the painting, but most of the time it is the process of putting shapes, color and texture on canvas that evolves into a composition of color and shape that I find pleasing. When others look at it, they find it pleasing as well." 

Michael S. Getsinger is a Charleston native and self-taught artist. Having been raised in Mt. Pleasant he grew up frequenting the barrier islands of Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island. 

The marshes, beaches, sunsets, and sunrises have always been inspiration for Mike to paint. He captures a scene that just begs to be painted and creates his own version of it in acrylic on canvas.  “The variety of color offered up by nature is a joy to recreate in my paintings. I want every piece to reflect what I see and instill in others an appreciation for what Charleston, South Carolina has to offer.”