ON
THE TOWN: THE
ROMANCE OF CHARLESTON
The Harbour
Club beckons from the heart of its
historic home city.
The gentle harbor breeze blends the aroma of the first cup of coffee with the hint of summer. It’s difficult to imagine a better place to greet the morning in Charleston than on the third-floor terrace of the Harbour Club. The sun casts its warmth over the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in the distance. In Waterfront Park, which buffers the club from Charleston Harbor, the “pineapple” fountain (as locals call it) sparkles its welcome to the day and gushes with its symbolism of South Carolina hospitality. Turn west on the pillared and wrought-iron terrace to find one of the best rooftop views of the famed Charleston steeples and the striking architecture of the “Holy City.” The terrace views help cement your bearings — there’s much to explore in Charleston, one of the most romantic, picturesque, and historic cities in the world. In fact, the history lessons begin at the Harbour Club, housed in a former warehouse that dates to the early 1800s and that has weathered many hurricanes (and even an earthquake!) over its generations.
While much of the year the Harbour Club serves as the gathering place for Charlestonians to dine and to conduct business, summer transforms the club into a home-away-from-home for traveling Associate members. Since the Navy base closed five years ago, tourism has become Charleston’s No. 1 industry. But even prior to that landmark in recent history, leisure and travel magazines were touting Charleston as one of the world’s top destinations. And who would doubt the readers of Bride’s magazine, who declared Charleston among the best cities in the world for a honeymoon vacation.
Whatever your intent upon arrival in Charleston — business or pleasure — expect to be captivated by the city’s devotion to the restoration of its history and architecture, charmed by its warm, Southern hospitality, and impressed by its cultural depth of community activities. When you walk down one of the many cobblestone streets, you’ll likely hear carriage drivers romancing the tourists with folklore. Suddenly, it seems easy to relax and to get lost in the comfort of this quiet, but complete, city.
A WARM WELCOME
At the Harbour Club, you’ll find an accommodating atmosphere of both
“town” and “country.” The two main dining rooms off the lobby offer
formal and informal dining. Down the marble hallway is the informal grill, where
Charleston’s garden-rich heritage is showcased with the exposed Charleston
brick walls. Lush local foliage metamorphose the indoor eatery into an outdoor
garden café. And, take note, the grill at lunch is one of the best places to
catch up on current events. Historic touches are found throughout the club. The
members’ lounge and bar area is a combination of New World comfort and Old
World elegance. The fireplace brings the feeling of home to the club in any
season. Personal touches also soften the functionality of the second floor’s
banquet and private party rooms. Here, a group of members procured a series of
watercolor paintings of downtown Charleston homes to lighten the Sumter Room.
Now, let’s pause for a few dining tips. Don’t leave town without trying the Harbour Club sandwich, piled high with grilled salmon, and the scallop and potato croquette. And no one (at least no one is on record) refuses one of the selection of dessert soufflés. If you want a unique and cozy dining experience, ask about joining executive chef Frank Chiasera in the kitchen on Wednesday and Thursday nights as he creates his signature dishes for a dozen lucky members and guests.
The involvement of members and the interaction with employee partners is exceptional at the 6-year-old Harbour Club. The vision and commitment of the Board of Governors reflects the obvious dreams of the city’s forefathers. In fact, the terrace, which opened in the summer of 1999, was the direct result of member involvement.
“We let all the members know that we needed 60 new members in 60 days in order to start construction,” says former Harbour Club manager Tim Shepardson, now regional membership director. “To get the members really involved, we gave every new member and their sponsor an engraved brick that became part of the new terrace floor.”
The result? The club enrolled 180 new members in 60 days. New manager Jim Coyne is now talking about further expansion plans that call for the addition of a members’ pub and a business center.
THE CULTURAL CENTERPIECE
Charleston’s cultural life flourishes throughout the seasons, but once a year,
the entire city becomes a stage for opera, theater, music, dance, and a variety
of cultural activities as it welcomes the Spoleto Festival USA. The program for
the 2000 festival, slated May 26 to June 11, is especially broad in scope,
including Gluck’s 18th century operatic masterpiece Iphigénie
en Tauride, the new music theater work Running
Man, Cullberg
Ballet’s version of Swan
Lake, Filao by Les Colporteurs (one of the finest exponents of the “new
circus” movement in France), and the delightful Colla Marionettes, steeped in
the Italian puppet theater tradition, and more.
Of course, while Charleston conjures images of cobblestone streets, street-side cafés, antique shops, houses on the harbor, churches, inns, carriage rides, and gardens — there’s more. The South Carolina coastal area also is known for its beaches and golf. Associate members will find 18 holes of George Cobb-designed golf at Snee Farm Country Club 10 miles from downtown Charleston in Mount Pleasant. And within a two-hour drive, you can discover Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, and Savannah.
Whatever your reasons for visiting the city, once you’ve immersed yourself in the romantic notions of Charleston, you may never want to go home again.