Sunday, October 23, 2011

No CHIPOTLE Grill Here. Why not?

It seems like authentic Mexican food to me. If it really is, that's good too.

Chipotle Mexican Grill draws my appetite's attention when I travel away from Charleston.

A very large burrito that takes at least two hands to hold.

Sauce running down your chin and your arm.Dripping from your elbow.

Tasty tortilla filled with rice, beans, salsa, peppers and chicken, etc., etc.

And crispy chips and guacamole. Add a cold cerveza or a tangy 'Rita.

Found just where to go for lunch Saturday when I arrived in Columbia for a free annual Blues concert.

GPS navigation on my Smartphone took me right there, exiting I-77 just past the entrance to Fort Jackson. Hungry soldiers in camo uniforms also knew the way to Chipolte.This army travels on its stomach.

I have found these grills all over the country - but not here in Charleston?

Suggestion: somebody look into opening one (or more) here.

The headliner for the 17th annual Blues Festival was virtuoso Leo Kottke, a marvelous 12-string acoustic guitar player and songwriter.

The Grammy-winner often was the musical guest on Garrison Keilor's Prairie Home Companion.

I also have 4 of his 20 CDs in my collection.


Another star of the program was Wanda Johnson, a popular Blues performer who plays around Charleston often.

Miss Wanda also has performed across Europe and China - with Shrimp City Slim.

She just keeps sounding better and better and charmed the crowd with songs from several of her CDs.

As the sun sank lower, her dancing and clapping fans cast their shadows on the front of the stage.

Word of Mouth Productions, producers of the annual free show, announced they have started planning the one for next year.

"We're looking for a nice Fall weekend when there's no football game in town," is how Geoffrey Graves explained the logistical guidelines.

The person in charge of weather this year really nailed it.

It was a beautiful day, cooling in the evening so jackets felt really nice.

An array of delicious food with terrific aromas was all around and smiling beer vendors offered domestic and imported beers at a very reasonable price.

As I bought drink tickets, I tried to let them know how much I appreciated the FREE concert. It takes money and hard-working volunteers to make events like this happen.

We sat back in our folding chairs and listened to a really good sound system.

This was held at Martin Luther King public park near 5-Points and street lights added to the ambiance to end a wonderful day of outdoor music.

(Click on the photos, etc. etc for more details.)The Blues Festival website has sound bites by the performers and more information about the upcoming 18th annual event.

I plan to be there .... after a hearty lunch at Chipotle.

Unless there's finally one opened in Charleston.

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

A Musical Signature...

Went to hear some James Island Blues at my favorite non-smoking club, The Pour House,on Maybank Highway and also checked out my newest new favorite club, A.J.'s Sports Bar & Grill at 1291 Folly Road by the Wal-Mart, in the shopping center with Gold's Gym.

Actually, it's very easy to find and has lots of free parking.

Miss Wanda Johnson, our own Upstate musical Blues star, was showcased with Shrimp City Slim's band at AJ's ...AND she graciously signed the 2005 Kiawah Island Blues Festival t-shirt I was wearing. Shrimp City also added his signature so I was on a total Blues fan kind of night.

AJ's has been opened only about 3 months but is doing it right. Cold beer and drinks selection, tasty food, speedy staff and a room set up to benefit the musicians on stage and the fans in the comfortable booths, tables and chairs.

Oh, did I mention they decided not to have smoking inside.

Mac Arnold and Plate Full O' Blues started right at 11 at PoHo and, since he had been bass man to Muddy Waters and others, it wasn't long before there were dueling basses. At the break, Mac added his signature to the t-shirt so 3 of the performers from the Kiawah festival had signed in.

Miss Johnson was relaxing in the Pour House crowd and said she seldom has the opportunity just to sit and enjoy performers she had worked with so this was a treat. Naturally she was asked to come up onstage and she unleashed a torrid rendition of "Rock Me Baby, All Night Long".

If her earlier performance at AJ's was family-friendly PG, this was the R rated Blues highlight of the evening.

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