Image by Flickr user hlkljgkImage by 20091123-kudu.jpg

The funny thing about the flow of my so-called "creative juices" is how affected it is by my surroundings. 

For example, I can only write in my journal if I have a hot cup of something steaming on the table in front of me.  Coffee shops and cafes tend to provide the required environment, so any time I want to update my sadly neglected journal I usually find myself steering towards the closest Starbucks (you know, the one that's only two blocks away instead of four). This week, however, I found my new favorite spot.

Kudu Cafe, located at 4 Vanderhorst Street, pulls you straight off the streets of Charleston and sets you in a veritable jungle of coffee sippers and tea slurpers, who busy themselves by alternately staring at their computer screens and reviewing the anatamy notes for their next test.  Even my journal found itself ten single-spaced pages fuller - a new record for me I believe. 

Sure, the authentic African decor (a real or very real-looking Kudu head is mounted on the far wall from the entrance), vine-y plants and batik accents all add to the exotic ambiance of the place, but Kudu is more than just a dealer to java junkies: Kudu Cafe is your opportunity to support a local Charleston business.  While Starbucks may be ever-so-slightly more accesible, Kudu Cafe represents what small local South Carolina businesses are all about - creating a community unique to and personalized for their locations.

With an outdoor patio area - complete with tables, chairs, a tinkling fountain and the occasional friendly Carolina wren - and a menu offering choices from meatball subs to herbal teas to authentic African coffees, Kudu Cafe will certainly satisfy even the most exotic of tastes.