Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream offered advent calendars for sale this year, which feature 24 different flavors of ice cream. Here's what we got: 1. Pumpkin 2. Spiced Apple 3. Oreo 4. Black Raspberry 5. Chocolate Chip 6. Pink Panther (raspberry, orange zest & black currant) 7. Orange Cream 8. Dutch Chocolate 9. Mint Chocolate Chip 10. Banana Chocolate Chip 11. Maple Oatmeal Raisin 12. Lemon ZestivALL 13. Cotton Candy 14. Raspberry Chocolate Chip 15. Vanilla 16. Blueberry 17. Brownie de Leche 18. Bubble Gum 19. Raspberry Sherbet 20. Coconut 21. Butterscotch Cream Pie 22. Sugar Cookie Crumble 23. Eggnog 24. Peppermint

Quarrier Diner is a historic downtown Charleston diner located at 1022 Quarrier Street in Charleston. The building dates back to the 1930s — originally a classic steel railcar diner. In the mid-1940s it was remodeled into an Art Deco style building, complete with Vitrolite glass tiles and a streamlined look that gives it a distinctive retro aesthetic.



The location has gone through various restaurant owners and periods of vacancy, as well. At one point, it was on an endangered properties list.



Quarrier Diner serves up hearty, classic American diner fare — especially for breakfast and lunch.



I ordered the Kielbasa Dogs - "2 Kielbasa Dogs On Split-Top Buns With Sauerkraut, Onions & Mustard" to go.



I love kielbasa, so I was excited for these. The sausage was hearty. The classic yellow mustard added a familiar tang that tied everything together. Still, the overall flavor could be elevated with a sharper brown mustard or spicy grainy blend to bring more depth and balance to each bite.



I think their breakfast has received more rave reviews, so I'd like to return to check that out.



Grade: B

Huddle & Hatchets is a bar & grill + axe-throwing spot located at 122 Capitol St.



It combines a casual sports-bar vibe (with a full bar and multiple large TVs) with recreational axe-throwing — so you can drink, eat, watch the game, and throw axes.



Huddle & Hatchets serves typical bar & grill / comfort-food style fare: nachos, wings, loaded potato skins/tots, sliders, tacos, pretzel bites, wraps, and other appetizers and entrees meant for sharing or casual dining.



Their menu features standout items like loaded tater kegs, “Tailgate Tacos” (including a popular “Hawaiian” chicken-mango-pineapple taco), pretzel-bun sliders with beer cheese & caramelized onions, potstickers with bourbon sauce, and more.



I ordered the "First String Sliders," which are three juicy mini burgers on pretzel buns with beer cheese and caramelized onions, with a side of tater tots.



The sliders were fine— the patties had decent flavor, but they leaned a little dry, and the pretzel buns I wish were a bit softer.



The "Peanut Butter Penalty Shake" was a wonderful way to end the meal - creamy vanilla ice cream topped with Reese's peanut butter cups, chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Yes.



Grade: B

Holly Jolly Hideaway is a seasonal pop-up cocktail bar, timed to coincide with the first weekend of Holly Jolly Brawley. It is set up in the space formerly occupied by Dem 2 Brothers Restaurant at 189 Summers Street. The idea was to create a cozy, festive “holiday-bar vibe” with Christmas-themed decorations, thousands of lights, holiday films on screen, and a fun, immersive seasonal atmosphere. The Hideaway has a selection of seasonal holiday-themed cocktails and themed small plates / apps. Some featured drinks include:

The Naughty Bean — a peppermint-kissed espresso martini.

Mistletoe Margarita — with cranberry juice and rosemary.

Tinsel & Tonic — gin with elderflower liqueur and edible glitter.

Yule Be Sorry — Fireball + cider + ginger beer.

Reindeer Games — bourbon with pomegranate and orange.

The Grinch — a green-hued cocktail with Midori, vodka, lemon, and Sprite, garnished with a small red fruit “heart.” Food options include:

Ho-Ho-Hot Chicken Sliders — three buttermilk-fried chicken sliders with spicy honey glaze and dill pickles on brioche buns.

Slay-Ride Sliders — mini brisket burgers with smoked gouda, crispy onions, and pepper jelly.

Naughty Nachos — chips topped with your choice of brisket or chicken, white queso, pickled jalapeños, and cranberry BBQ drizzle.

The Grinch Dip — a spinach-artichoke dip with a jalapeño kick served with colorful nacho chips. Here's what I sampled: Reindeer Games cocktail which was a very generous pour with a healthy amount of bourbon. I also tried the Yule Be Sorry, which did the exact opposite - made us all thankful for such a tasty drink. The brisket burger sliders had a perfect blend of salty, sweet, smoky & crunchy all in one bite. Wonderful. The spinach-artichoke dip took things up a notch with Doritos Cool Ranch chips. Would I ever have paired those? No. Will I always pair those moving forward? Yes. Grade: A

RK Country Boutique is a family-owned shop located on Quarrier Street in downtown Charleston. The store is operated by Kim and her son Rylan and specializes in custom-designed apparel and household items. Many of their products feature unique bleached or handmade designs.



They do also offer limited food. Nellita's Cocina has a spot in here where you can get some frozen empanadas -- or, on this day, Cuban sliders!



It also looks as though the shop may have some specials, as well. On some days, they've shared salads and samdwiches.



Have you ever been?