Whether it's after Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted or you've just moved to Charleston (or another town or city), socializing, establishing trust, and generally getting to know your community is always important.
So, we've compiled a list of places and events we all miss and can't wait to get back to. Here they are:
1. Our Favorite Barbershops & Salons
It goes without saying – we love going to our barbershops and salons; not just to get new/fresh hairstyles but also to hang and talk with our friends.
Picture this, your last visit to the salon or barbershop. Did you just sit there, quiet the whole time or did you chat with the other customers and your stylists? And even if you had to wait, you definitely had something to keep you busy e.g. a game, maybe checkers or even dominoes.
See, most people don't realize this but barbershops and beauty salons not only groom and style hair but they also serve as spaces for social interaction and sometimes, even as public forums.
Often, you will find people – young and old – engaged in open debate and discussions on contemporary issues – not to forget gossip.
However, there are those who feel that it will take time before they are confident enough to venture out. If you're one of them, don't fret. You can always style your hair at home using the right products and tools like the ones on WiseBarber's best barber clippers list.
2. The Best Restaurants in Town
Nothing brings people together like food, whether it's a family gathering around the dinner table or the entire neighborhood flocking the street for a food festival.
Fact: Most cultures around the world celebrate important events and holidays with feasts and banquets.
The reason for this is quite simple, we all have to do it… we all have to eat.
Thus, shared curiosity about each other's culinary tastes can often spark conversations, “Mmm, that looks yummy! What is it?” Anyway, if you are looking for the best restaurants in Charleston, check out these great reviews by Holycitysinner.
3. Recreational Parks
Parks – especially recreational ones – provide dynamic spaces where everyday people can sit, relax, enjoy, and interact with other members of their community. The design of the park can also contribute to this with facilities such as playgrounds and picnic tables.
This role is compounded further if pets – like dogs – are allowed.
Reading this, you can almost feel the fresh outdoors and serene picnic experience, right?
4. Our Favorite Sports Events
Correct me if I'm wrong, but we are all passionate about some kind of sport. Whether it's in the Olympics, the Premier Soccer Leagues, and the NFL – heck, even if it's an E-sport event, we all want to get back to the cheering stand- if not the pitch, right?
Remember all those little league games you went to, either as an adult or a kid? There was always a point of conversation, either the parents were discussing their children or that one parent who needs to lay off the coach, “it's only a game!”
Sports always have a way of bringing people together and we miss it.
5. Public Squares
Public squares and plazas are often next to the beach or in the city center surrounded by shops, restaurants, and markets creating the prime conditions where people can interact and converse.
From the Roman Forum to the Agora of the Greek city-states to the modern public squares from China to Latin America, these squares and plazas often serve as gathering places for residents either for business or leisure and socialization.
These are just a few of the numerous hangout spaces where you can get to know your community better, develop and share common interests, concerns, and even goals. I didn't even mention theaters, schools, biking trails, and even streets – like the Champs Elysees in France.
Well, if you can, get out there and get to know your community, but remember to stay safe!
