112 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com As the heat cranks up this summer, our East Cooper neighbors share what they love most about living in Mount Pleasant, where their favorite places are to go during the hottest months and how they are staying cool this July and August. KEITH BENJAMIN Owner of Uptown Hospitality Group Owner of Uptown Hospitality Group Keith Benjamin said, “Mount Pleasant truly checks all of the boxes. We live in a wonderful neighborhood with fantastic families. We are a 10-minute drive from our Bodega location on Coleman Boulevard, 15 minutes to Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms and 20 minutes from the rest of my businesses downtown. The restaurants are amazing, and the overall sense of community is second to none.” “This summer, we plan to spend a whole lot of time at the new splash pad at the foot of the bridge. We also enjoy a morning, afternoon or entire day at our neighborhood pool. It’s pretty amazing that most of our friends seem to live in communities with pool access. This wasn’t the case where I grew up in New Jersey, so we are very grateful to have that opportunity here.” “In July and August, we are staying cool with lots of early morning trips to the beach since our three kids get up at 6 a.m. Then we’ll head to Bodega for an indoor brunch before spending the rest of the day back in the pool.” STEPHANIE SAMUELS Operations Partner of Frank & Jack’s Operations partner of Frank & Jack’s Stephanie Samuels said, “I love that our neighbors feel like family; our children are thriving here and we adore their friends. There is a charm about Mount Pleasant and its people that have made it feel like ‘home’ so quickly.” “I quickly learned that you just deal with the heat because the other 10 months of the year are amazing. After years living on a ski slope in Park City, I am soaking up all the beach days I can get.” When she’s not at Frank & Jack’s, Samuels plans on staying cool this summer by listening to live music and finding the best local dive bars. ALICE LEWIS Brand Strategist for High Tide Provisions Brand strategist for High Tide Provisions Alice Lewis said, “I love how close we are to both the beach and to downtown Charleston. Also, the people and the community are really wonderful.” “Our favorite places to hang out during the summer are on Folly Beach and a walk over to Chico Feo for lunch and a drink. Or we’ll take a boat out to Bull(s) Island and look for shells. Palmetto Islands County Park or Laurel Hill County Park are our go-to for dog walks in the shade. We also love to grab pizza from Iggy’s and take it to the beach for a picnic.” She added, “This summer we are staying cool with lots of ocean dips, wandering around Eclectic Finds or the Mount Pleasant Mall searching for fun vintage treasures and taking evening dog walks with battery-powered hand fans from Amazon.” Our East Cooper Neighbors BY SARAH ROSE To recommend an interesting neighbor in our community, contact Editor@MountPleasantMagazine.com.
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