rundown is simple: a roster of presenters each show 20 images at a pace of 20 seconds per image. How presenters will use their time is anybody’s guess, but the format keeps energy levels high and everyone on their toes. Charleston’s PK nights are held every few months, with the location revealed just a couple days prior to the event. www.pechakuchacharleston.comCHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Each spring the Charleston International Film Festival showcases the talent of emerging filmmakers and screenwriters with four days of independent cinema, shorts, documentaries, and animated films, along with nightly after-parties, industry panels, and educational workshops. www.charlestoniff.comCHARLESTON WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL Each spring, the city’s many culinary wizards band together to form the Charleston Wine and Food Festival. The event also attracts celebrity chefs and Food Network stars from across the country, along with winemakers and other assorted food industry vendors. www.charlestonwineandfood.comDRAYTON HALL Considered one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States, Drayton Hall is one of America’s only pre-Revolutionary houses to remain in near original condition today. Drayton Hall has been meticulously preserved, rather than restored – meaning nothing has been changed, added, or refurbished. 3380 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, www.draytonhall.org
61 Charleston, SCGOTHE OLD SULLIVAN’S ISLAND BRIDGE At the end of Pitt Street in Mt Pleasant’s Old Village you’ll find the remains of a bridge, which used to span the Intracoastal Waterway, joining Sullivan’s Island to the mainland. All that’s left is a few pilings, but the spot is now a unique park with a long pier walk jutting out into the salt marsh. The view is a 360-degree wonderment, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Downtown Charleston on the other. The end of Pitt St, Old VillageWHITE POINT GARDEN More commonly referred to as “The Battery,” White Point Garden lies at the southernmost point of peninsular Downtown, and showcases Charleston’s finest antebellum homes. It’s a major tourist hangout, offering unprecedented views of Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter (the site where the Civil War began). East Battery and Murray Blvd Charleston, SC 29401MARION SQUARE Sandwiched between the intersections of Downtown’s major thoroughfares, Marion Square is a six-acre grassy field, which marks the epicenter of Charleston. There are numerous events and festivals held there throughout the year, and it is used by locals as a daily picnicking, sunbathing, and general gathering spot. If the sun is shining you’re sure to stumble upon a pickup sporting event of some sort. Calhoun St and King St, Charleston, SC 29403REDUX STUDIOS Redux, a non-profit arts organization housed within a 6,000 ft² warehouse, has become the beating heart of Charleston’s creative community. The facility includes gallery spaces, private artist studios, a print shop, darkroom, wood shop, classroom, and film screening area. If you’re planning a visit, be sure to check Redux’s website beforehand as exhibits and events are constantly changing. 136 St Philip St, Charleston, SC 29403, www.reduxstudios.orgGIBBES MUSEUM OF ART For over 100 years, the Gibbes has served as Charleston’s ‘traditional’ art museum, with over 10,000 objects in their permanent collection showcasing the region’s rich cultural history. It’s also cool as a cucumber in the summer – a great place to escape the heat. 135 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, www.gibbesmuseum.orgTHE TERRACE A lot of locals, including myself, have a mantra when it comes to this place: “If it’s playing at The Terrace, I’ll go see it.” Charleston’s only movie theater is dedicated to showing the best independent and foreign cinema, and seems to have impeccable taste at every turn. They also sell beer and wine, along with a candy counter that’d make Willy Wonka jealous. 1956 Maybank Hwy, Charleston, SC 2941, www.terracetheater.com
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BY DANIEL BLACKMANI moved to Chicago a couple years ago, and it’s a daunting task to try and describe its complex geography. Chicago is an expansive city with villages, neighborhoods, and districts connected by buses, bridges, and ‘El’ stops, and you have to choose which areas feel most comfortable to you. I tend to spend most of my time in the neighborhoods of Bucktown, Wicker Park, and Logan Square. I have to confess that these areas are all hipster hangouts that were once a little bit down-at-heel and have become increasingly trendy. However, that doesn’t make them any less fun or beautiful – it just means you need to watch out for fixed gears, neon tank tops, and Ray Bans. Chicago is a very green city literally and figuratively – it has a great recycling program, zillions of roof gardens covering more than 4.5 million ft² of rooftops, and it is one of the most bike-friendly cities I’ve ever been in. The lake front bike path, which runs around the edge of Lake Michigan, is 18 miles long with museums, parks, and zoos along the way. If renting a bike isn’t really your thing, then the best way to get around is with the El. The train lines all connect at The Loop in the center of the city, and then radiate out in all directions. The areas my entries tend to focus on (Bucktown, Wicker Park and Logan Square) are all on the Blue Line. Living in Chicago is an ongoing adventure for me. I feel like I’m always finding a new bar, park, restaurant, gallery – or even an entirely new area. It’s a city of hidden treasures that are easily accessed if you’re willing to seek them out. From a design point of view, I love Chicago because it isn’t nearly as pretentious as some of the other major cities in the US. The architecture is fantastic, the lake is beautiful, and there are plenty of opportunities – both commercial and independent – for creative people. The artistic community is diverse and open to newcomers and emerging talent. It’s a friendly place, with a lot to offer on all fronts. 63 Chicago, IL
