Beaufort's City Loft Hotel blog

The Historic Beaufort Foundation is putting on their 10th annual oyster roast on Friday, January 29th.

Come out and not only will you get to eat some great Lowcountry oysters, but you’ll get to support a great cause while learning more about the history of Beaufort.

Here’s all you need to know from the e-mailed release:

- Tickets are still available for the 10th annual oyster roast sponsored by Historic Beaufort Foundation January 29th. Open to HBF members and the general public, the event kicks off the Foundation’s annual membership campaign. Guests, who have never before been members, receive a one-year complimentary membership with the price of the ticket.

2010 marks the third year that Tombee has been opened to HBF and its guests by owners Deborah and Sydney Snelgrove who, with local craftsman Beek Webb, conducted a major restoration to the property in 2008. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the ca. 1810 plantation and its grounds will be open to ticket holders.

Tickets are $40 per person and a few reservations are still available for the 5:30 p.m. servings of oysters, chicken gumbo, corn bread, beverages and dessert. More space is available at the 7 p.m. serving. The grounds and the bonfires will be open to guests throughout the evening. The bar opens at 5 p.m.

Tickets will not be sold at the door and must be purchased by January 26th at the HBF office at 208 Street, or ordered and charged to a credit card by calling the office at 379-3331 or online at www.historicbeaufort.org. The office is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The oyster roast will be catered by Reeves Outdoor Catering of Bluffton. Beek Webb and the Lowcountry Ramblers will provide music.

Have you heard of City Java & News?

Located near the corner of Carteret and Port Republic streets in historic downtown Beaufort, the spot is a great place to grab a cup of coffee on the way into work, or take a quick break on a walking tour of the downtown area and historic Point.

Stephanie Fairbanks, general manager of the adjoining City Loft Hotel, remarks that “there’s just a really nice energy in the coffee shop. There’s a fresh vibe and it’s very cheerful.”

The coffee blends are provided by Island Coffee. Four regular coffees are available including a “Sunrise,” french roast, decaf, and Costa Rica organic. There’s also a fifth including a regularly changing seasonal blend — presently “Flores Bajawa Ngura.”

Bottled water, organic no-sugar added juices, and cane-sugar sodas are also available.

A staple of muffins, biscotti, cookies, cupcakes, cinnamon roles, and a 72-layer biscuit with ham and cheese is offered.

For lunch a number of sandwiches, chips, and soups are offered.

There’s plenty of space with a sidewalk patio, and rear conference room that can be reserved for privative meetings with advance notice.

And don’t forget that free Wi-Fi internet is always on.

Breakwater Restaurant & Bar has brought back its “Recession Tuesdays” under the new name of “Thank God It’s Tuesday.”

$17 will land you a full meal with the special menu available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays throughout January and February. They’ll also be offering two wines by the glass for $5 all night.

Reservations are recommended or you can always get our full menu in the bar.

Breakwater is located next door to the City Loft Hotel.

A map (dated 1771) of South Carolina from the Savannah Sound to St. Helena.

Come January 17, 2011, Beaufort will be 300 years old. If you have a phobia to math, know that the mark means Beaufort was charted in 1711 and is one of the nation’s oldest cities.

But the city isn’t planning to mark the occasion with a passing hurrah, for years the community has been working on the Beaufort Three-Century Project as a way to gain perspective on where the town has been and how it can make the most of its future.

The Beaufort Gazette has a short report on the status of the project; you can read it over here.

For those unfamiliar with Beaufort, know that one of the oldest parts of the town is modern-day downtown Beaufort.

If you’re not local and would like to get to know the town more, consider dropping by City Java & News as a headquarters for a day trip (it’s smack dab in the heart of the history — but you can still wire out to the modern world thanks to the free wifi), or stay in town for a couple days, book a night at our boutique hotel City Loft Hotel.

Here’s a quick photo of the 2010 parade on a warm winter day in downtown Beaufort.

The photo was taken in front of City Java & News.

Saltus, one of Beaufort’s premier downtown restaurants with one of the best views around, is offering up a pair of deals that will make sure you’re down there often enough to take advantage of their lovely patio with a view of the Beaufort River and Waterfront Park.

Particularly on a day like this lovely Sunday!

First up we have the “Half Priced Sushi & Sake Sundays and Mondays.” It’s going on now and is good through February 28th. Dine in only.

They’re also offering the “Early Dining Menu at Saltus.” From 5 to 6 p.m. they offer three courses of select menu items offered for $19 per person and $5 wines.

No coupon needed!

www.saltusrivergrill.com (843) 379-3474. They’re at 802 Bay Street.

Also, don’t forget that downtown Beaufort will soon welcome a revamped Plums!

We know, newspaper’s are talked about more often these days as a joke than and not for people actually wanting one, but let’s face it: They’re still very much worth reading, even if it is hard to justify a subscription to more than one.

When you find yourself with an urge to see the daily paper it can be hard to find one spot in Beaufort (much less downtown) that offers all of the region’s best papers along with The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and The New York Times.

Well, if you come to City Java & News we sell those three iconic papers, and the leading local ones:

• The Beaufort Gazette: William Elliott, a Beaufort attorney, founded Beaufort’s paper of record in 1897. The paper publishes seven days a week.
• The Post and Courier: Charleston’s paper is the oldest daily newspaper in the South and the eighth oldest newspaper in the United States.
• The Savannah Morning News: This paper traces its roots to 1850.

Whether you want one or three, you’ll be able to see the headlines of each before choosing.

We also offer the local free paper, Lowcountry Weekly

If you’re in Beaufort and in need of a newspaper, City Java & News is a great spot to find the region’s best — and maybe grab a coffee to enjoy with that paper.

Come the spring of 2010, we’ll all be seeing a lot more of the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce as it gets closer to the heart of downtown and the City Loft Hotel.

The chamber will be moving into the historic Arsenal building at 713 Craven Street, the space will not only also double as a meeting and event venue but it will be the official visitor center.

The central and iconic location will immediately immerse visitors in Beaufort’s historic surroundings.

The yellow fort-like building was built in 1798 as home of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, but the building saw major changes in 1852 when it was rebuilt in its present Gothic style.

In addition to serving as the home of the BVA, the building has also served as a venue for parties, plays, political events, fundraisers, lectures and dances.

In 1939 the Beaufort Museum was chartered and housed in a first-floor wing constructed during a 1930s expansion funded through the depression-era Works Projects Administration. In 1966 the National Guard moved out of the building, and the museum relocated into the second story following a renovation.

For many years the building housed government offices as well as the family court and the museum. In 2001 the city leased the building to Historic Beaufort Foundation. During its tenure, HBF renovated the interior with the use of its revolving fund. In 2008-9 the exterior was restored with a Save America’s Treasures grant the foundation secured from the National Park Service. Additional funding support came from the City of Beaufort and Beaufort County. The foundation turned the keys and the museum artifacts back to the city this year.

If you’re in need of a classic breakfast on any day of the week in downtown Beaufort, there’s always one place you can go: Blackstone’s.

Monday through Sunday you can get a two-egg breakfast with hash browns, toast, coffee, and a generous tip for well under $10 at this classic spot at 205 Scott Street.

But they’ve got lots of other things to offer including pancakes, french toast, omelets and more. If you stick around later in the day you can give their sandwich and soup lunch menu a go.

What’s even better is that the spot and its garden courtyard are not even two blocks from the City Loft Hotel.

Check out more photos of Blackstone’s below.

Image by faungg

Running parallel with historic downtown Beaufort’s many restaurants, historic attractions, and shops is the Beaufort Waterfront Park.

This public land along the Intracoastal Waterway offers some of the best views of nature in the country and is located midway between Charleston and Savannah. Many restaurants dot the park’s edge and offer scenic views to be enjoyed while eating dinner from a restaurant’s porch or terrace. A long boardwalk dots the park’s edge, perfect for a stroll after dinner or just a chance to sit in one of the many swinging benches to enjoy the view of the Beaufort Rive and its marsh.

Not to be overlooked is the park’s modern playground, clean facilities, day dock and marina.

But despite the historic nature of its surroundings the park is actually fairly new, having been built in the mid 1970s as a way to revitalize Beaufort’s downtown district.

In 1975, the City of Beaufort worked with landscaper architects Robert Marvin and Associates to develop the site plan. When completed the park was a marvel of engineering. But the park has undergone major updating and renovation over the years and still serves as home to the popular Beaufort Water Festival held each July. (In 2010 it will be held from July 16 to 25.) Also held at the park are the Taste of Beaufort, Shrimp Festival, Gullah Festival, and many, many more.

Located just a block from the park, the City Loft Hotel is a great spot to rest whether you’re in town for a multi-day festival, or just want your hotel to offer convenient access to one of the best views in the country and many of the other beautiful historic sites in town.