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BACKSTORY:
This sprawling
Georgian home
was built in 1763 by John
Rutledge, a signatory of the
Constitution and the first governor of
South Carolina, for his teenage bride,
Elizabeth Grimke. The house has been
remodeled over the centuries—the
marble mantels and cast-iron detailing
were later additions—but Rutledge’s
devotion to his young wife remains
rooted in the foundation.
IDEAL GUEST:
Older than the United
States itself, the Rutledge House is
the perfect spot for History Channel
devotees, architecture buffs and people
who want to be able to say that they
and George Washington have eaten
breakfast in the same place (albeit not
at the same time).
HOT PLATE:
At the inn’s sister restaurant,
Circa 1886, executive chef Marc Collins
combines traditional Lowcountry
cuisine with sophisticated global flavors.
Try the Niman Ranch pork chop with
pulled pork, “peach nectar” barbecue
sauce, ditalini and cheese, and dilly beans.
John Rutledge
House Inn
RADISSONBLU
AQUAHOTEL
CHARLESTON,
S.C.
CHICAGO
DESIGN NOTES:
The 334-room hotel is nestled in one of the more
distinctive pieces of architecture in a city brimming with great build-
ings. The 82-story Aqua Tower—designed by MacArthur “genius grant”
winner Jeanne Gang—is bedecked with blue-tinted windows and
undulating balconies that evoke the waves of nearby Lake Michigan.
WHAT YOU’LL FIND JUST OUTSIDE:
An 80,000-square-foot private green
space comes complete with a pool, cabanas, a hot tub, fire pits, walking
paths and a running track. Plus, Millennium Park—with gardens, a
promenade and public art galore—is just a couple of blocks away.
ROOMWITH A VIEW:
Pre y much every room on the higher floors
offers excellent views, but they’re never be er than when experienced
early in the morning, while sipping coffee on your balcony with the
wind coming off the lake and the sunrise turning the buildings along
Millennium Park a spectacular gold.
HOT PLATE:
Italian restaurant Filini’s wonderful
costole e
is a
pistachio-crusted rack of lamb with chickpea cakes, peppers and a
mint salsa verde. Also, the tangy
ceci
, a side of braised chickpeas with
peppers, far exceeds the sum of its parts.
38
AUGUST 2012
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