Foodie Alert: Freshfields Village Hidden Gems

Have a sweet tooth? Maybe you’re more of a salty, savory snacker? Maybe you’re just looking to grab a cocktail? Whatever your palate is in the mood for, Freshfields Village offers a variety of food and beverage options to satisfy your appetite.

Savory, Italian Style: La Tela Pizzeria

If you love fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and a creative combination of specialty toppings, sink your teeth into a hot wood-fired pizza from La Tela Pizzeria. La Tela also offers a variety of house-made pasta, crisp salads and hearty subs. Pair your Italian fare with an international selection of wine, or grab a cocktail or beer to enjoy with your slice. Delizioso!

A Fine Mix

The perfect pairing of sweet and savory waits for you at Hege’s Restaurant, an inviting bistro serving classic French cuisine. Start off your dinner here with a lowcountry favorite, She Crab soup, or try the crispy fried oysters as a tempting appetizer. Follow with your choice of seasonal entrees ranging from the pan-seared halibut to the Charleston Tea Plantation green tea brined heritage pork chop. Finish off with a peaches and cream bread pudding or traditional key lime pie for dessert. You’ll be sure to find the best of both tastes at Hege’s.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth at Vincent’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain

Take a step back in time at Vincent’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain. You can see, hear and taste the nostalgia of a small town drug store and soda fountain with the checkered tiles, vintage bar stools and menu of delicious banana splits and ice cream sundaes. Try a classic root beer float or a Brown Cow, a mix of fountain Coke and vanilla ice cream. and the entire family will enjoy the unique atmosphere reminiscent of the 1950’s at Vincent’s.

Thirsty for Flavor

Where can you go in the Village to soak in the beautiful sunset, hear live music and enjoy tasty cocktails? Look no further than the Porch Bar at the Andell Inn. With a menu of light bites, hand-crafted cocktails, stylish yet comfortable seating and featuring a view of the Andell lake, the Porch Bar will be your new favorite spot to kick back and sip on a seasonal spirit. As an added bonus, Thursday is jazz night from 6-8 pm. Enjoy a cocktail and live music from a variety of local artists.

Along with these restaurants, guests can also enjoy cantina-style Mexican, sushi, wine, local coffee, burgers and more! The wide variety of dining experiences is sure to please foodies of all tastes. Find a full list of restaurants here.

Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol Update

Freshfields Village was honored to host the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol at the 2019 Summer Farmer’s Market. The volunteers were able to meet guests and provide educational information about the island’s sea turtle nesting season. As August comes to a close, so does the Kiawah Island nesting season. Even though the island’s nesting season started earlier than normal this year, this is the typical time that the female loggerheads finish up their nesting. The island has recorded close to 560 nests this season and the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol expects that number to continue to rise. Though the mothers are no longer nesting, the patrol will continue to come across nests that were not initially found.

The Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol has 8 different Hatching Patrol teams on the beach every morning. This patrol, who is in full swing right now, walks their mile or so of beach every morning, usually starting before sunrise, looking for hatchling tracks that have emerged from a nest. When a turtle nest hatches, it takes about 3 days for the babies to leave the nest, which is called an emergence. The hatchlings are born with a little tooth that helps them tear through their shell. Once out, though still attached to the egg, they start to “flatten out” (they have been curved in the egg for the past 50 or so days!) and they absorb the rest of their egg sack and eventually, they disconnect from it. YES! Hatchlings do have belly buttons! The little turtles then “clean up” their nest, marching around with their 100 brothers and sisters, truly getting stronger. They wait for the top of the nest to cool down, usually at night, then they all make their way to the ocean together.  The Hatching Patrol looks for these tiny tracks as they walk their zone.

It has been an exciting and record-breaking season so far! What will the total number of nests be on the island this season?

There are two ways you can keep up with the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol. Follow @townofkiawah on Instagram and Facebook or visit the website. You can also join the patrol on the beach while they conduct inventories on hatched nests. Please visit kiawahturtle.com for a listing of inventories and their locations. Please note, you must be a guest/resident to access the island.

We would like to thank the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol volunteers for all their hard work and dedication to keep these beautiful creatures safe!

Head Back to School the Right Way

August tends to signal the end of summer with kids going back to school and everyone settling in to daily routines. Even though beach days and summer vacation might be winding down, the fun is still happening at Freshfields Village. Take advantage of the last bit of summer with events at the Village and even get some back to school shopping done.

Make the most of evenings on the Village Green!

Our Starlight Cinema Series is running through August 21, so you and your family have a few more opportunities to spend an evening under the stars. Similarly, our summer concert series Music on the Green happens every Friday through August 30 so there are four more concerts to close out the summer. Bring your beach chair or blanket and come join us for live music from local bands! It’s always fun to dust off the dance moves and enjoy a night on the Village Green.

The fun doesn’t stop there. Join us on August 30 from 5-9 pm for a Back to School Bash benefiting the Backpack Buddies program run by the Kiawah Women’s Foundation. The event will take place during the final Music on the Green concert featuring live music from Rising Tide from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Guests can purchase food on the Village Green from Home Team BBQ along with beer and wine from FortyEight – Wine Bar & Kitchen beginning at 5:00 pm, all to benefit Backpack Buddies. In addition, the organization will host a silent auction and raffle to raise funds for the organization.

Expand Your Mind.

While the start of the school year might mean an end to summer reading lists, it also offers the chance to expand your leisure reading list. Indigo Books has your next favorite read waiting on the shelves or the kiddos can pick out an interactive read from Wonder Works.

Tackle Back to School Shopping.

Beyond events and new books, back to school isn’t complete without clothes shopping for new styles. With a variety of stores for children’s clothes there are plenty of options, but that doesn’t mean the kids are the only ones to amp up their wardrobe. You can shop styles for the whole family at stores like vineyard vines, Southern Tide, and Sugar Snap Pea.

As you’re shopping around, keep an eye out for back-to-school promotions throughout the Village. Throughout the month of August, Holly & Brooks is offering 20% off to teachers on an item of their choice. If you’re in the market for some new shoes, Coastal Footwear is offering 15% off all footwear in-store every Tuesday in August! The sales don’t stop there. Southern Tide has specials going on all month long. On Tuesdays receive 15% off all footwear, on Thursdays receive 15% off all swimwear, and on Saturdays take 15% off anything with a Kiawah logo.

Rest & Rejuvenate!

Sometimes, preparing for school to start can be stressful. Give yourself some time to unwind and treat yourself to a spa day at Urban Nirvana. Whether you indulge in a massage, facial, or other relaxing treatment, you’ll leave feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Before you head home, continue to pamper yourself at Kiawah Nail Studio. Having a day to relax and reset will have you ready and prepared for the start of the school year.

Before the school year starts, soak up the last of summer and take advantage of all that the Lowcountry has to offer. Whether you’re looking to attend events with the family, get some back to school shopping done, or spend some time relaxing, Freshfields Village is the perfect place for you to spend the final days of summer.