CHARLESTON, S.C. - I arrive at the entrance of the posh Charleston Grill, my taste buds salivating in anticipation of sampling the culinary treats awaiting inside the award-winning restaurant, and there to greet me like a long lost friend is Mickey Bakst, the room’s Maître d extraordinaire.

Walking into the Mills House’s ancient lobby is like walking back in time - to when ladies in long, hoop skirts would expect men to bow at the waist when they entered a room. This is the Ole South preserved with love and appreciation for what the original owner set out to do – give Charleston a hotel it could be proud of.