Who is this newsletter for and why are we writing it?

😎 We’re Here To Assimilate…

We (Diane and Jim) moved to Charleston 2 ½ years ago. Jim was born and raised in Philadelphia (Go Birds!) and Diane was raised in South Jersey. We raised our family in Cherry Hill, NJ, where we lived for 22 years. We visited Charleston many times and decided we wanted to retire here. We were lucky to make that happen sooner than we thought. Diane is a high school science teacher at Bishop England and Jim runs several small businesses. So, why Charleston?

We fell in love with everything that makes Charleston a perennial top US city. The history, charm, climate, proximity to beaches, the people and the food…oh, yes…the food.

TBH, when we moved here, I was a bit nervous about being an outsider (and a yankee at that). However, our experience has been overwhelmingly positive when meeting true locals. I think the key is we are here to live like a local. Do we miss good cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, scrapple and a great BYOB restaurant? Sometimes. But we are happy for the tradeoffs…local oysters, shrimp, redfish, wreckfish, all the fishes, the incredible locally owned restaurants, the beaches, the people and more!

So, we decided to share our experiences and highlight all of the incredible local places, people and events in the area.

If you are transplants like us, wherever you are from, remember why you chose to live here…and choose to live like a local…a Local Gator!

If you have any comments or would like to share your favorite local place or event, click here.

Gator Bites

🍽️ Local Restaurant Highlights

We recently visited Lola’s in Mount Pleasant. We arrived around 6 without a rez and the place was jumping! We were lucky to get a table inside without a wait. To us, the highlight of the menu is the appetizers. The BBQ shrimp app was generous and delicious with grilled bread to sop us the incredible Louisiana style bbq broth. We then enjoyed the jambalaya and crawfish with shrimp etouffee over grits. Yummy, but heavy. From a food truck to 2 outstanding restaurants (the other in Park Circle). Check them out.

Other Local Favorites in Mt Pleasant:

• Crave Kitchen & Cocktails - Crave Kitchen & Cocktails serves exceptional dishes and classic cocktails in an upscale casual atmosphere.

• Grace and Grit - A local owned and operated southern inspired restaurant that offers a GRIT FLIGHT! Say less.

• Nico Oysters and Seafood - A modern and friendly French inspired oyster and seafood centric restaurant near Shem Creek. Even the bar seats require a rez when busy.

Sponsor

📷️ This week’s pic sent in by Drew Skultety. Congrats to Drew on winning a $10 gift card to Liberty Beans Coffee Co.

To Submit Your Photo…

😃 Happening This Week…

• Charleston City Paper publishes an extensive list of weekly events. Here is a link - Charleston City Paper

• Trivia Anyone? - Here is a great list of bars that hold trivia contests. Click Here.

• Still plenty of opportunities to check out a local Farmers Market.

Sponsor

No Health Insurance? Under Insured? Paying Too Much?

True North Health and Life partners with the best and most affordable health insurance company…Med Mutual Protect. We offer many affordable plans and specialize in entrepreneurs, small businesses and individuals. Private health insurance is more affordable than you may think. Reach out today. Click here to send a quick email of interest.

😎 That’s it for this week.

Look Out For Each Other. We Appreciate You!

Your Local Gator Team

Stay Salty