Okay. I agree. It looks like an ordinary sandwich. Tempeh, sauerkraut, baby swiss with thousand island dressing on toasted rye bread. OMG! And, I don't say that very often. This place has it going on!
In our street wandering, house searching, gelato tasting, lazy days of summer, we were lucky enough to wander in here. It's quirky. It's different. It's blue.
It has the menu on the wall. And, that menu includes some pretty decent vegan and vegetarian choices. Smiling! The mister ordered a French Onion Grilled Cheese. Certified angus roast beef, caramelized onions, Gruyere, provolone, and baby swiss on sourdough with homemade au jus.
What am I thinking right this second? I am thinking that I am going to be downtown tomorrow and if I time things just right, I may be able to slip in there and eat another Tempeh Reuben! The Brown Dog Deli is located on Broad Street and I know that you are already feeling the urge to check this place out. You can tell them I sent you but, I will probably already be there :)
We just got back from the airport at Myrtle Beach and the house is a buzz with goofy teen-agers and we wouldn't want it any other way. It's about time to head them to the pool, though, because we are getting loud.
OOOOOHHHHHH! And, how could I forget to mention the mister's big news? He is working downtown part-time and loving it already! Can you guess what he is doing? I'll tell you more later!
Hope you are enjoying a fantastic afternoon! Happy Tuesday from Charleston Treasures!Florence, Naples and the Isle of Capri Buongiorno! I have survived the week-end and am finally sleeping on a semi-normal schedule. What a jolt back to reality! Life in America versus life in Italy....faster, louder, busier, scheduled. But, we are gradually getting back into routine. However, our stack of travel books is never out of eye-sight...
Traveling is an addiction. The desire to see all and know more is strong with us. I really wanted to share our two day trips with you before I get back to blogging about my number one city, Charleston. We knew we would leave Rome. Our hearts are always tied to the adventure. We wanted to see more, well, everything and of course, that isn't possible. But, with Rome's great train system, some outside-of-the-city travel was very doable. After two days of traipsing around Rome, we bought train tickets to Florence. We were in search of a tiny church...Santa Margherita de'Cerchi.
This humble setting was the stage for so many historical events. It was the site of the marriage of Dante to his bride and it also contains the tomb of Beatrice Portinari, Dante's great love and the subject of so many of his writings. Unfortunately, the street signs of Florence are fairly non-existent and those that do exist did not happen to be on our map. UGH! After strolling, walking, fuming and getting irritated, I fired up my cell phone and google maps did the trick! Needless to say, I am not looking forward to this month's cell bill but we found it.
Santa Margherita de'Cerchi is not a free standing, cathedral style church. It is simple, built into a long stretch of unadorned buildings on a tiny back street. We finally found what we were looking for. As you can see from the photos, it is very unassuming, lowly. And, the inside is the same...
Beside the tomb of Beatrice sets a small woven basket. She accepts prayers for all those in need of relationship healing....because of the Dante's unrequited love for her?? It was a beautiful, calming spot in our busy adventure.
Also, in Florence, we discovered this amazing structure~
The "Old Palace" still fulfills its original role as town hall in Palazzo Vecchio. Pretty incredible! And, we spent an hour wandering through the Baptistry...
This dome by Brunelleschi was finished in 1463 and it was the largest of its time to be built without scaffolding. No, thanks! But, it was one of the most amazing sites of our trip....layers upon layers of angels.
We adore Florence and can see ourselves returning one day....but, after hours of working our way through the extremely narrow streets, it was back on the train to Rome. Only to get back on the trains a few days later.....to this spot~
Naples. We had a long, dirty, two mile hike from the train station to the port. I have to admit I was grumbling a bit on this one. Naples is not a place that I would prefer to return but it most definitely was a means to an end. That end being one of the most beautiful slices of heaven on Earth....the Isle of Capri. You can actually see one of the hydro-foil boats we hopped on to get to this island.
After the hydro-foil, we hopped on this and set off to explore...
From here on out, you get to see the island through photos. No amount of describing on my part can share with you it's beauty.
I could feel my brain screen-shotting every vista throughout the day. I wanted to bring it all home with me. A memory to relive long after departure. It was beautiful and everything that I had imagined. I have to admit that the mister gave me a shove on this one and I will be grateful for a long, long time. I was hesitant to travel through three different parts of Italy in a single day but the mister knew how I had longed to visit this paradise. Gratitude!! We shared a fabulous meal on top of the island...again, screen-shotting the beauty in my head. And, thanks to our waiter from Sri-Lanka for snapping this picture!
With another cup of fresh cherries, we boarded the hydro-foil to take us back to the train so, we could get onto the subway and eventually work our way back to our 9th century monastery to crash for the evening. Did I mention that their fresh cherries were totally amazing?
Our day-trips were memorable and now, we are back in our current realities doing homework, creating our careers, and the mister is up and getting dressed for his first day of tour-guiding and carriage driving in our most favorite city. If you are out and about and happen to see him laughing with a bunch of tourists from the high seat of a carriage, give him a wave. He will appreciate it! Hope you are set up for a fantastic week.
My love for traveling began long ago. In high school. My French teacher, Madame Beafore, was incredible and from her I learned that the world was very vast, that people had their own unique customs and cultures and that it was our responsibility to reach out, to push ourselves out of our comfort zones, to discover these people, and to see as much of this great world as possible. For those four years and Madame Beafore, I am eternally grateful. I am also grateful that my mister shares my pioneer spirit and my desire to see the world. We love to travel, to search, to seek. I am also lucky that he tends to be on the patient side. When I dig my heels in and refuse to budge another step, he grabs my hand and gently pulls me along. I love traveling but I also love my comfort zones! I bought us matching backpacks years ago and we still pull them out before every trip. What more do you really need to see the world? A journal, good pens, passports, wallets, a camera, glasses, sunglasses, fresh fruit, dried fruit, adapters, some plantain chips and a makeup bag.... This trip began in New York City. We love NYC! We love the energy, the craziness, the shows, the people.
Just one quick night in the big apple and we walked and talked and came back to each other. We have always used traveling to ignite, to reunite, and to look forward. We do lead busy lives and walking away from those lives for just a bit gives us the chance to remember why we fell into each other lives to begin with. Kind of sounds a bit crazy but it works for us. Mamma Mia works for us, too! The show was fantastic! New York City led us to JFK to board a plane to Dusseldorf, Germany and on to Rome. I have a couple hundred pictures from this trip so, this post will be mostly photos from here on out. We toured more churches and saw more Holy Ground than I believe we have on any other trip...
With so many beautiful churches and ancient buildings to visit comes many incredible painted ceilings...
We also had the chance to fall in love with every outdoor market that we passed. Flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs.....a city after my own heart!
We also hit the major tourist "hotspots"...
Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica
The Colosseum
The Pantheon
Palatine
Arch of Constantine
The wine and food and bread and cheese were all out-of-this-world fabulous! We tried to sample it all.....
Gnocchi and Spinach Ravioli
Insalata Mista (Salad with tuna)
Lasagna with and without meat
Grilled Vegetable Risotto
Sliced Beef with Balsamic Glaze and Potatoes~Grilled Vegetables and Pasta with Cream and Black Pepper
I ate olives by the bowl full!
And, started every meal with Bruschetta...
As you can see, we did major amounts of eating. I have no pictures of the incredible pizza or gelato that we consumed....probably because my hands were usually full by the time I thought about photos!! However, I now have an extreme gelato addiction!
Readers have asked, "Why post about traveling outside of Charleston?" The fact is that this blog is a record of some of my most interesting experiences and sometimes, those experiences are not in Charleston!
I love to share meals, interesting books and fantastic places to go and every once in a while, I discover things outside of our own great city!
Check back tomorrow because I want to share our day trips to Florence, Naples and the Isle of Capri with you. Today, though, I am heading into my favorite city~Charleston, of course! Hope you are gearing up for a GREAT week-end.
There are very few places in this city that we have eaten and returned. We like restaurant dining and we also like the variety of some place new. And, luckily for us, Charleston is always opening something new.
However, we have returned to eli's table more than once. Their courtyard is totally the bomb and live music is always a nice touch. And, the restaurant is right on Meeting so it isn't even out of the way. We ate here again last week-end and the food is good. No ifs, ands, or buts. Just good. There were five of us for brunch and the weather was gorgeous and the outdoor seating was taken but even indoors, the experience was great. The waitstaff is usually pretty on the ball and timely. We each ordered something different:
Filet Benedict, Benjamin Banneker
Spinach Salad, The Robert E. Lee with fried oysters
Turkey Sandwich, The Dolly Madison with Fries
Another Dolly Madison with Mashed Potatoes
Crab Cakes, The Mary Philipse with sun-dried tomatoes and tartar sauce
If you have never eaten here, it is definitely worth the stop. Make sure you hit them up on a night when the music is live and there are tables in the courtyard. And, if you are looking for the absolute best appetizer in town, try this Gorgonzola Fondue! I can't say it enough. We reeeeally like Eli's! And, we adore Charleston. You hadn't guessed that, right?
I hope this finds you gearing up for another incredible week in the Lowcountry. We are getting ready for a band banquet, one high school graduation, some company, a graduation party and some suitcase packing for Rome! Have a great week from Charleston Treasures!!
And, it has all been fantastic! I am so incredibly proud of all that my three (two sons and the mister) guys have accomplished in the past two weeks. Whew! I have been doing a whole lot of this....
I began my new semester and the workload is pretty extensive but in a good way. The kind of way that makes your brain work. Yes, I am smiling but thinking that I probably need to go read some more. I have also been making a lot of these to get us all through the last few weeks of school with smiles on our faces and nutrients in our blood...
Some days, we all just want to do a bit of this...
The time is drawing near. School is almost over. Graduation is right around the corner. And a plane with two seats to Rome is going to pull into the airport and off we will go! But, not yet. Not before I share with you a neat, little place we discovered this past week-end.
Ted's Butcher Block. That title just makes you think of meat, doesn't it? Well, it sort of hit me that way as well. Considering my plan was to surprise the Mister last Friday evening, I felt like I was on to something pretty sweet. Ted's is located on East Bay Street and it is a butcher shop. Kind of tucked away but easy enough to find. Each Friday, they feature a wine tasting for $5.00 a person.
And, they have a great wine selection.
They also have a pretty fantastic meat collection. Did I really just type that? Okay, maybe I should say they have an incredible meat counter. Better?
The mister was smiling from the moment we walked in the door. That was the plan! You simply choose your cut of beef, pork, chicken, sausage, fish.....and, they take it out to the grill and prepare it for you. We started with salads...
The mac and cheese was pretty darn delicious, too! And, yes, I actually ordered some melt-in-your mouth salmon. Superb!
Can you guess what the mister ordered? You probably guessed it but he didn't speak for the first few moments after his rib-eye and twice baked potato arrived.
Score! We had all had a very long week last week and needed some down time. Ted's is great. Pleasant staff. Good food. The atmosphere is a deli. A meat counter. But, no worries. The food definitely made up for the atmosphere.
If Ted's intrigues you, check them out! The are hosting a BBQ on June 22nd and they are at the Daniel Island Farmers Market every Thursday. We are plugging away, finishing up the school year and anxiously waiting for summer. Hope you are enjoying a pleasant week and gearing up for a fabulous long week-end. Happy Wednesday from Charleston Treasures!Happy Mother's Day Eve and Our Visit to Charleston Cooks
We have been celebrating Mother's Day since Thursday night. We started at my church's Mother-Daughter banquet. It was a pleasant evening with dinner hosted by the men of the church. Then, after much anticipation and intense listening for the UPS truck, my gift from the mister and my boys was finally delivered! I won't add the appropriate number of exclamation points. But, here it is...
Yes. A Vitamix! And, a half-empty green smoothie that I was drinking earlier. It is the coolest creation ever. I have made chocolate ice cream, hummus, peach sorbet, and green smoothies so far. It's capabilities are endless and I can't wait to create with it all next week. A HUGE thank you to my guys! We continued our celebrations this morning at Charleston Cooks on East Bay Street. Under the guidance of Chef Michelle Hammond (and, no, not my good friend from Summerville but they share the name), my Mom and I got to help create a beautiful Mother's Day brunch.
Our menu consisted of Mimosa Crepes with Blood Orange Mascarpone Filling; Spinach, Brie, and
Country Ham Quiche; Avocado and Lox Breakfast Burritos; Pancetta,
Asparagus, and Potato Hash; and Strawberries and Cream Biscuit. It was as good as it sounds! And, a ton of fun, too.
The kitchen was set up with six different stations. Our head chef walked us through each station giving us tips and instructions and going through all of the ingredients.
Then, we eat chose one brunch selection to create. We decided to make the Mimosa Crepes with Blood Orange Marscapone filling. Totally delicious!
What FUN! And, Chef Michelle was great. We thoroughly enjoyed our mid-morning cooking lesson and the best part was that when everyone finished, we sat down with a glass of wine and devoured our dishes. Everyone left with a full tummy and some new knowledge to take home to their own kitchen. You can see everything except the spinach, brie and country ham quiche. It was still finishing in the oven.
Not only does Charleston Cooks offer some great cooking classes, they also sell many great kitchen gadgets. We both left with a unique avocado tool. It halves an avocado, removes the pit and slices it up~very useful for people like me who adore avocadoes!
I am so lucky and so blessed to be enjoying such a great Mother's Day week-end. My Mom just surprised me with a new outfit complete with a big southern-style straw hat. It may have to accompany me downtown tomorrow for brunch. And, don't forget that tomorrow is Second Sunday on King. What better way to finish up this celebration than brunch and some street strolling in my favorite city?
I hope you all are giving your Moms the love, kindness and affection that they deserve this week-end and everyday! And, if you are a Mom~count your blessings, hug your kiddos and enjoy your special day tomorrow. I know that I will! Happy Mother's Day Eve from Charleston Treasures!
Barbara Jean's Restaurant and Bar Interestingly enough, there really is a Barbara Jean and she did open her first restaurant on St. Simon's Island, Georgia in 1998. How? It's apparently a long story. She was a German-Irish girl born in Brooklyn and eventually, became a dietician and married her high-school sweetheart, Jim.
He joined the Marine Corps and soon he was gone to Vietnam. She waited and waited some more. They had kids. She followed him all over the world for his career and when he finally retired, you guessed it! It was her turn for a career. She opened her restaurant and then, opened a few more....Throughout Georgia, Florida and yep, Charleston, SC. Easy Southern Dining. That is an apt description. They specialize in seafood and home-style cooking made from scratch. That part definitely appealed to the nutritionist in me! The food was filling and "real". The service was good and the prices were average. We stopped in one day for a quick lunch as we were running some errands downtown. This was a new spot for Charleston Treasures.
Barbara Jean's is located on South Market Street~the white building with the maroon awning. You won't miss it. There were three of us that day and we were definitely pretty average in the ordering department: a cheeseburger, a grilled chicken sandwich and a grilled cheese sandwich. All served with a side of fries and a glass of sweet tea!
Not gourmet. Not exceptional. Not out-of-this-world fantastic. But, real food served quickly with a friendly smile. Some days, that's all you need! Hope this finds you making your way through a fantastic week. You are half-way there! Happy Wednesday from Charleston Treasures!!
Fresh. Local. Farmers Markets!! Welcome to a new week! Every Monday morning, I take some time for list-making. Sometimes, my lists are lengthy. Errands. Phone calls. Meal planning. Groceries. Activities. You know that mind set. How am I going to get it all done this week? Easy. Begin with gratitude! I also take some time out to remember and be grateful for my many blessings. The top of my list this morning is produce. Fresh vegetables and sweet fruits and farmers markets. Farmers markets in the Lowcountry are incredible and the delicacies are just beginning....
Is your mouth watering yet? I am struggling to remember where this spring has gone? Changes have abounded and without the daily school routine for me, life is one big adventure. How much can I do today? Studying. Cooking. Recipe experimentation. Test taking. Soccer games. Tennis matches. And, I love it all!
I want to start off your week with a list that I have created. One just for you. A list of the Farmers Markets that are in our area. That way, you won't miss out on fresh fruits and veggies all season. Charleston Farmers Market Saturday, 8-2 Marion Square, Downton Charleston North Charleston Farmers Market Thursday, 12-7 Felix C. Davis Community Center Park Circle Mount Pleasant Tuesday, 3:30-dusk Moultrie Middle School Mount Pleasant Town Centre Saturday, 9-1 Daniel Island Thursday, 4-7 Family Circle Tennis Center Summerville Saturday, 8-1 First Citizens Bank Parking Lot Aren't we lucky? So many choices. I haven't been to all of them and would love your feedback. We regularly visit downtown to the Charleston Farmers Market and when we are running short on time, we will head to Summerville since it is so close. My plan is to check out a few of the other ones over the next few weeks. However, our purchases will be minimal because we have a CSA from this farm! Exciting!!
Okay. I'll quit with the produce photos. You get the idea. Shop local. Shop fresh. And, most definitely, support our local farmers. If you know of local farmers that I should visit or local products I should try, leave me info. in the comments. We are always up for a road trip to check out local producers! Hope you are gearing up for a fantastic week~just remember your umbrella! It's going to be a rainy one. Happy Monday from Charleston Treasures!Naturally Southern Soap
I thought you deserved something sweet smelling in this post! I am back in West Virginia frowning at 37 degree mornings, struggling with the lack of healthy restaurants, and doing my best to keep the mister's spirits up while we watch his Dad go downhill. If you have ever experienced a severely ill parent, you understand the grief of watching a loved one's decline. So, I am sharing something that brought our spirits up just a few weeks ago. Local, handmade soap. Now I understand that to some people, soap is not smile inducing but these are pretty incredible and they smell absolutely fantastic!
Naturally Southern Soap company is owned and operated by Daniel and Tami Fisher. I only know that because I was searching their website. What I can share from experience is that these soaps are great! I bought four soaps in different scents at the Charleston City Market and three of them have sat on my dresser awaiting some photos for this post. The goats milk soap went straight into our shower. In the meantime, our bedroom has been filled with delicious perfume. The difference between these soaps and those that can be purchased in stores is that these are "cold processed" and then they must cure for 3-6 weeks before they can be cut and packaged. So, I'm not exactly sure what that all means but I am in love.
If you are interested, you can order online or stop by and see them at the Charleston City Market. Your skin will thank you! Hope you are having a good week~Happy Thursday from Charleston Treasures!The Monday After Prom It's Monday and I have to admit, my heart is a bit heavy this morning. My middle kiddo had a tremendous week-end at the prom for which I am incredibly grateful. He had so much fun getting dressed up and planning his week-end.
He needed some guidance and some reminders~ opening doors, tipping the waiter, ordering flowers but, he did it all and he learned and was so full of gratitude for the help and guidance which seemed to make it all the better.
Why is my heart heavy? Several times throughout the week-end, I paused and thought about another young man only a year older than my guy making the news all over the nation. The one responsible for taking lives, creating chaos, instilling fear in so many Americans and I would stop. The tears would well and I could only think of his parents. How would you do that? How would you ever come to terms with the anguish your child caused? But, I would return to my present moment and cheer on my son who was experiencing so many "firsts". His first tux. His first big "night-on-the-town". His first chance to really act like a man with a girl on his arm. They made a great couple...
I could sense his overwhelming excitement all day. It was childlike and exuberant and wholesome and I was so incredibly grateful for my child and his goodness and his lack of worldliness. It shined through his every action...
And, I was saddened because I kept returning to the fact that somewhere there were most definitely two parents who were lost. Two who were struggling to accept their child's actions. Two who must come to terms with their child's future.
I hope as Americans we have the strength to show our best side. To let compassion rule. To seek justice honestly, swiftly and strongly while still remembering how to act with compassion and childlike wonder. I know our justice system works and I know that Americans are strong but I also know sometimes, kindness and goodness can be lost.
My child experienced an incredible week-end, the kind that is going to stick with him for quite a while. My hope is that Americans everywhere will remember to search for the goodness in people, to act with kindness, and to live everyday with childlike compassion and exuberance.
Thank you Berkeley High School for giving my child such a wonderful experience. And, thank you, God above for my wonderful child. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!Strawberry Jam at Wabi Sabi Farm
Drool. Go ahead. You know you wanna...Aren't they beautiful? They are full of vitamins C and K, dietary fiber and flavonoids. That's straight from my textbook. You aren't interested? Okay. Well, how about this. They are sweet. Succulent. Delicious. Better? Or, maybe this will do the trick. Strawberry Shortcake. Smoothies. Strawberry-Banana Bread. Strawberry Jam. Now, we are getting there. Aren't we? These are local, folks. You can see the address in the photo and these strawberries were picked this morning. I feel like the luckiest girl this evening. Jo and Jimmy Livingston. Two of the bravest people I know. Who walks away from a business to become farmers? These two and they are succeeding! We were lucky enough to get in on their first ever CSA. You better believe that we will be eating fresh and local all spring and summer. Canning strawberry jam is on my list of adventures for tomorrow. I will definitely let you know how that works out. But, the reason I posted this is to let you in on a little secret. Saturday is a big day for the Livingston's at their farm, Wabi Sabi. It's the Strawberry Jam! GPS the address above. Wear your old shoes....picking fruit kind of involves dirt. And, go pick some strawberries. They will have live music to keep your ears happy while your taste buds are anticipating beautiful strawberries like the ones above. Saturday from 2-6. You won't want to miss The 2013 Strawberry Jam. Come out and help the Livingston's kick off a great growing season! Hope this finds you making your way to the week-end. Happy Almost Friday from Charleston Treasures!Sweet Cece's~ Definitely a Sweet Treat!
I just could not get Stephan to hold still long enough for a good shot! He was ready to inhale this cup of....well, as a nutrition student, I am with holding judgement.But, basically, it is thin mint cookie chocolate frozen yogurt topped with bubble gum, walnuts, chocolate chips and sprinkles. I think the walnuts were an after-thought as he was looking for a semi-nutritious option?Love this kiddo! We were strolling the streets of Charleston and decided that it was definitely time for a sweet treat stop and we were directly in front of Sweet CeCe's on Market Street. Have you been there? It was our first time and I honestly think Stephan is in love. I'll take frozen yogurt over teen-age girls anyday!! You pick up a cup and stare for several long minutes at the wall trying to decide your combination of frozen yogurts and the choices are many...
That was the easy part. Then, you must decide what to toppings to use. Bigger challenge as there are even more choices...
Not sure why the Mister is looking a tad grumpy in that shot. I think there were both ready to use their spoons instead of waiting on me to use my camera! On the wall behind my guys are MORE toppings. Cylinders that extend all the way to the ceiling filled with candy, gummies, chocolate chips...If you can think of it, it is probably available.
It's a quaint little shop decorated in those Charleston "Rainbow Row" pastels and a great stopping point when you are in need of some rest and a sweet treat. A very sweet treat!!
Now, get off your computer and start making those week-end plans. There are so many incredible things going on this week-end, it is difficult to choose. Isn't it? Happy Wednesday from Charleston Treasures!
The Olde Towne Carriage Co.~ #19 on the Charleston Treasures Top 50 Bucket List We started this list back in February. We were enjoying a slow Sunday morning and pondering what to do for the day. We actually came up with so many ideas that I started making a list. I am good at lists. Our list finally stopped at 50! And, #19 on this list is Take a Carriage Ride Through Charleston. Checking that one off....
That sign is a bit blurry. My apologies. The Olde Towne Carriage Co. did a Living Social deal and I took them up on it way back before Valentine's Day. It was actually a surprise for The Mister. However, it took us two months to find a week-end afternooon when we were free and the weather was cooperating to make good on this deal. If you haven't registered for Living Social, do it. Today. Well, if you like to do "stuff". They post a deal each day and the prices are usually great. Massages, a round of golf, reduced dinners, two for one specials, kite surfing, week-ends away....Get the idea? Do stuff. So, last week-end, the sun was shining and we were in the mood to ride a carriage through the city and hear about Charleston history. The Mister was a hoot! He knew most of the information so he kept Stephan and I entertained with interesting tid-bits along the way.
That was not our horse, Jake, but one like him and some of the carriages use mules! The carriages of Charleston, like many things in the city, are very regulated and we did have to spend some time waiting for a "tag" (license plate) for our carriage. Only 20 carriage tags are available for tours and basically, that means only 20 can be on the road at any given time. If all of the tags are out, you wait. Who minds waiting and people watching when the skies are blue and the ocean breezes are blowing?
It was a pleasant afternoon. Not a rock-your-socks kind of experience, but fun! And, our driver was informative and fun to watch. I am guessing that Daryn was the age of my oldest son and she did a good job of keeping us entertained. That would be an interesting job for a young kid~driving horses and carriages through the city?
Yes, I am chuckling as I consider my youngest, as he sets out each morning with the Mister's keys and his newly earned permit in hand. I am not sure anyone in the city wants him driving a carriage at the moment!!
It was a fun time and another beautiful Lowcountry afternoon, the kind that always makes us glad to be South Carolina residents.
Register for Living Social. Take a carriage ride. Do "stuff". And, enjoy this beautiful week! Happy Tuesday from Charleston Treasures! The Sprout: An Organic Cafe and Juice Bar
This is a Green Latern~half gone. What is a Green Latern? A combination of celery, apple and wheatgrass juice. Well, just let me share... I am currently a Holistic Nutrition student at the American College of Healthcare Sciences. Yes. I am working on a new certification and I am in love. With juice. With studying. With acquiring knowledge about food and juice and vitamins and nutrients. So, I have been scouting out new places to imbibe. Imbibe:
I have definitely been imbibing~juice, as well as knowledge. Ha! This green juice came from The Sprout: An Organic Cafe and Juice Bar. It's located on Johnnie Dodds Blvd. in Mount Pleasant and if you have never juiced, this is a great place to explore the possibilities. Green juices are an incredible source of vitamins and minerals and nutrients and by removing the fiber and the bulk, all of those great energizing and feel good vitamins go straight into your blood stream giving you energy and vitality and a total sense of well-being.
Enough of the nutrition lesson. The Sprout is a neat, little juice bar and besides green juices, they also sell fruit smoothies and protein smoothies. Just ask for a boost...of peanut butter or flax seed or organic chocolate or vanilla hemp protein or even just some wheat-grass. Or, skip the juices and smoothies and order a meal. I ordered both! As a to go order, I had a Grilled Black Bean and Avocado Burrito filled with quinoa, tahini, black beans, Daiya cheese, avocado and Mexican braised cabbage. On the side, I had a small organic salad with greens, carrots, tahini sauce and a walnut vinaigrette. Sound yummy? Definitely!
It's a tiny place but the food is great and the people are friendly! I would urge you to stop by and try some green juice and relax and imbibe Charleston Treasures style. They also can assist you with some Juice Fasts if you are interested in learning more...
I hope this finds you enjoying your newspaper and morning coffee and making plans for a great Sunday. We are heading to church and then, cleaning out the garage. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Not really. At all. But, garage cleaning is one of those things that you just have to do. Occasionally. Blah.
Stop by The Sprout and enjoy some green juice and....Happy Sunday from Charleston Treasures!!
Our day started at.......you guessed it! The Charleston Farmers Market!! I was SO happy to be there and to see fresh produce and people shopping and live music and dogs on leashes and our city buzzing! We have had a spectacular Saturday. Ahh, the joys of springtime in the Lowcountry. This is the kind of post that works best in pictures....
Fresh Broccoli and Greens
Reflection
Charleston Farmers Market
Goofiness
Charles Town Landing Reenactment
Love the Matching Hats!
Stephan Waiting on Lunch...
More Goofiness
Farmers Market Haul
How cool is it to simply enjoy the day? Dream of boat purchases? Shop the market? Eat on the waterfront in the sunshine?
I love Charleston. This is why I blog about it. I love the fact that everyday can become an adventure in this great city. There is always something interesting to see, something fun to do and incredible food to devour.
I hope you are totally, completely enjoying every second of your week-end. We certainly are! Happy Saturday from Charleston Treasures!Puree Organic Cafe
I told you that I had a few interesting places to share...Well, this is definitely one of them! The Post and Courier did a fantastic job of spot lighting local vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the area and I, for one, am so glad they did. I had never heard of Puree and, of course, that called for a short road trip to Mount Pleasant last week.
What an incredible menu! Arugula, Goat Cheese & Roasted Beet Salad with Toasted Seeds and Berries. Cashew Soba Noodle Salad with Peppers, Scallions, Grilled Tofu, Carrots & Cashews. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap with Fresh Veggies & Avocado. You see what I am talking about? I might as well relocate to Mount Pleasant right now. And, it's feels like a beach cottage inside. It's light and airy and white and refreshing...
I really do think it was love at first sight. It even looks like a quaint, little, beach cottage on the outside, too.
Words can't even tell you how excited I was to walk in and check out a menu and want to try everything on it! They serve breakfast and lunch along with a great kid's menu. They also serve dinner Tuesday through Saturday with daily specials.
Not only do they feature a kid's menu but they also supply "Baby Bowls" with a daily selection....roasted beets, banana & avocado, cinnamon carrot, sweet potato with coconut milk,pear puree and a fruit medley. Great way to keep the health-conscious Moms happy.
Anyway, I had a totally delicious lunch. Can you guess? Probably not. I ordered an Asian Tofu Bowl. Pan fried tofu in a chili garlic sauce with brown rice over a bed of greens, shaved cucumbers, carrots & avocados served with a carrot ginger sauce. I wasn't kidding when I said it was delicious but it was also beautiful...
I absolutely love this place and it won't take any prompting to return again very soon. If you are shopping, roaming, visiting or just driving through Mount Pleasant, you definitely need to stop in. Vegetarian, vegan or carnivore~it's a great way to let your taste buds explore!
I hope this finds you off to the start of a great week. Happy Monday from Charleston Treasures!
Wow! Two weeks have certainly flown by and I have so many things to share with you! I am not sure where to even start. In the last fourteen days, we have accomplished so much....
We traveled through the mountains of Virginia to West Virginia and, by the grace of God, avoided the 75 car pile-up by taking an alternate route. In the process, we got to enjoy some beautiful God art...
We spent five days in our former hometown of Elkins, WV to help my mother-in-law through hip surgery. She fell and broke her hip for the third time the morning before Easter. She has returned to the assisted living facility with my 94 year-old father-in-law but at 90, recovery is a slow process. I want to share a family photo with you simply because it shows the kind of love that stands the test of time. The mister's Dad in his wheel chair trying to get her to eat something...
69 years married and still taking care of each other. Hopefully, her strength is returning! My three amigos also had some great, quality "bro-time". It is a hoot to get them in one place at the same time. Somehow, they quickly revert to their little kid selves and enjoy each other with complete abandon. Humorous and heart-string pulling all at once. Love these guys so much!
We did some shopping over the break as well. Interesting purchases? I love Charleston Cooks and wandered in to browse for a while a few afternoons ago.
I bought some gigantic silicone muffin cups to keep the kiddos in scrumptious to-go breakfasts. I also picked up a strawberry huller. Stuffed strawberries, anyone? It is almost that time! And, (insert excited squeal) new passport covers. Yep. We will be needing these as soon as school is out. Rome will be our home away from home for a while in June!
We also found some time to simply sit and enjoy. Stephan has fallen into the "southern guy fashion" and loves the new hat and flip-flops. He also loves the water...
No matter what curve balls life throws at us, family is what it's all about. We had some time together that we will always remember. We get loud. We sometimes are even just a bit crazy. We always meet and eat and I am thankful for my kiddos every day! Panera loved us posing in the middle of their dining room :)
Stephan also got to attend a fabulous party on the water this past week. He celebrated the 21st birthday of a friend and got to go in 20's gear. He has always loved dressing up and alter egos....maybe he will be our actor?
Now, maybe you can understand where we have been the past several days? Family. Hospitals. Care homes. Parties. Charleston sitting. Love. Everlasting. And, more family. I have some great new restaurants to share with you this week~I hope you will check back! And, in the midst of all the craziness, we got to check another item off of our Charleston Treasures Top 50 Bucket List. You'll hear all about it soon enough. Hope you have had a great week-end so far! We are off to check out Flowertown in Summerville after church today.
Our dining room table is making me smile even if the weather is most definitely NOT! Palm Sunday is supposed to be spring-like, sunny, mild not windy, rainy, booming thunder and lightening. Well, we are warm and cozy inside (although, not asleep due to this crazy, loud storm!). Most of the kiddos are here for the week-end and we are celebrating Easter a week early. With teens and college-aged kids, we have learned to celebrate whenever we can. Church this morning, a big dinner this afternoon and colored eggs on the table. Ahh,sweet spring.
We had a busy week. The Mister and Stephan had a crazy, Murhpy's Law, kind of day in which "anything that could go wrong, did" but still sounded great when they played for Concert Band Festival earlier in the week. They have come a long way in two and a half years. I'm so proud of all the Mister has accomplished since he got to Berkeley High School!
Yesterday, we planned to spend some time downtown roaming the streets but the weather got in the way. So, we had lunch here. Always a fun time at Perfectly Franks!
And, we spent last night having a game night around the table. The kiddos played a two hour game of Headbandz. If you haven't tried it, you should. Definitely. Lots of laughs!
I hope this post finds you finds you well, dry and maybe getting the coffee going. We are going to be heading out for two church services this morning~hopefully by car and not canoe (!) and then back home to prepare dinner with all of the fixings!
Be sure to check back tomorrow...I have an interesting new juice bar to share with you. Happy Palm Sunday from Charleston Treasures!COAST
I am so totally smiling in this picture. Are you wondering why? Well, let me share these shots first...
High ceilings. Ships on the walls. Maps. Cool place! The mister requested a quiet dinner alone before heading to this concert. I agreed, on the condition that he choose the place and he did well with this one...
Those crazy, light-up signs are so hard to photograph with my iPhone! COAST. Now, the reason I was smiling was easy. We went to a scrumptious seafood restaurant and I was served the most beautiful plate of vegetarian food that I have ever been served since I started this veggie journey. It was so well thought-through. You know so many places simply offer the vegetables of the day or a veggie quesadilla or worse yet, a salad and an order of fries. Not COAST. This is what I enjoyed...
A portabello mushroom perfectly grilled and topped with quinoa and lentils, roasted red peppers and brussel sprouts, a slice of bruschetta topped with beets and some fried goat cheese. This dinner was amazing. Now, even funnier, the mister finally, after what felt like an hour of perusing the menu, settled on his usual steak, coleslaw and mashed potatoes.
We're goofy. A nice dinner out. An incredible seafood restaurant. And, neither one of us chose seafood for dinner. So, to remedy that, we ordered some Buffalo Fried Shrimp.
I have been occasionally eating some seafood and I will probably forever have dreams about these melt-in-your-mouth shrimp. Wonderful! The picture does not come close to telling you how delicious they really were! All of this made the Mister one very happy man!
Coast is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. Go to John Street and locate 39 Rue de Jean and Coast is directly behind it. In fact, the two restaurants share the same owners!
We are now looking forward to those balmy summer nights when we can return to Coast and score a table outside in the alley and pretend that we are in Paris. Ahh, I can dream, right??
Hope you are gearing up for a great week-end! We have two of our kiddos and one girlfriend driving down tomorrow to celebrate the holiday so, Palm Sunday week-end just became Easter Sunday week-end. Bring on the bunnies!
Happy Thursday from Charleston Treasures and be sure to make a stop at Coast when you are in the mood for a great meal!
We have had some interesting experiences the past few days and I wanted to take a few moments before I head out to hear the band play for Concert Festival and share this church with you.
Stephan and The Mister had the very fortunate experience of attending a workshop presented by the Charleston Brass Symposium. They brought Dominic Derasse to town and what a player! A trumpet player, that is. We went downtown Saturday evening after they finished up in the workshop to hear him play at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul. Incredible surroundings and the concert was a delight! But, it's actually the building that I wanted to share with you.
Construction on this church began in 1811 and was completed in 1815. It is located on Coming Street and the organ is monstrous! You can see Dominic in the choir loft along with his accompanist.
We love old churches and make it a point to seek them out whenever we are traveling. Fortunately, in Charleston, there are so many beautiful structures! We just haven't had enough days to check them all out, yet. I also have an incredible seafood restaurant to share with you but I am going to save that one for tomorrow. Hope you are enjoying our beautiful weather....I hear that might change for the week-end :( Happy Wednesday from Charleston Treasures!#28 Lunch with HOLLY HERRICK!!
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I have to agree! This picture was taken yesterday while I was having lunch with food writer and cookbook author, Holly Herrick. She had heard about the Charleston Treasures Top 50 Bucket List and agreed to make #28 a reality. The first time the mister and I encountered Holly was at the Charleston Farmers Market in 2010. We had just moved to the area and had decided to take a Saturday and head downtown to check out the market. We lucked out! Not only was it filled with huge amounts of local, fresh vegetables and fruits, they were hosting food demonstrations all day. Holly's book, The Southern Farmers Market Cookbook, had recently been published and she was doing a demonstration and making a salad with Winesap apples and fried goat cheese under a tent in the middle of Marion Square. Some things stick in your memory. This day definitely did. Needless to say, we bought the book and had it autographed.
Holly has traveled the world, lived many places, met Julia Child, published cookbooks, and on and on. Her life, as I discovered yesterday, has been an interesting mix of twists and turns with so many incredible successes. My readers know how much I love food and how I tend to collect cookbooks that have much to teach me. Holly's books are beginning to take up their own space on my bookshelf. I have this one...
And, this one....
And, now, thanks to a very generous Holly, I have the just-published Sauces. I was told that this is the first in a series all entitled The French Cook. I know there are many cream puffs currently being tasted, tested and tried. So, you do the math as to what will be next! Yum!
I guess I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't share with you the location of our lunch. Thanks to Holly's great suggestion, I experienced my first meal at Rutledge Cab Co.
I had a gorgeous plate of Vegetable Kabobs served over herbed wild rice and Holly had a totally delicious looking Lamb Burger~shaved lamb, olive tapenade, roasted tomatoes and feta. I have to say it was a beautiful burger and she seemed to love it!
Add in a few glasses of wine and some great conversation and, well, it was definitely the exciting adventure I was hoping for.
All of Holly's books (there are more that those listed above) can be found on Amazon and if you are really observant, you might just see her strolling the Charleston streets with her beloved furry friend, Tann Mann. You can read more about her on her website. Holly, thanks so much for taking time out of recipe testing, cooking and tasting to have lunch with me!! And, to all of you reading, go to Amazon and order some cookbooks! Have a great week-end and Happy Saturday from Charleston Treasures!#12 on the Charleston Treasures Top 50 Bucket List
I feel like saying welcome back but I would be welcoming myself back and not you and that's kind of crazy! Right? We have had a few crazy, busy weeks but we are slowly coming back to planet Earth. While I've been out and about, here and there, growing more gray hair, something exciting occurred. This should give you a good idea...
Yes! That would be the Mister holding his Charleston Tour Guide license. Can I hear a loud WOOHOO? He has worked really hard for this one and now, we can cross #12 off of the Charleston Treasures Top 50 Bucket List. His mind goes a milea minute these days making plans, organizing and preparing for the day when he can lead tours through the Holy City. Needless to say, he is ecstatic and I am so totally proud of him.
The text book from which he studiedweighed more than my third son for the first four years of his life! But, he did it and we celebrated with lunch at this place. I had an incredibleBaby Arugula, Beet and Fried Goat Cheese Salad.....FANTASTIC!
We were also at 39 Rue de Jean to celebrate this kiddo's 15th birthday. He enjoyed a great birthday brunch there and then, a cake and presents back at the house.
And, of course, in the state of South Carolina turning 15 means a trip to the DMV. And, yes, he passed and now has a Beginner's Permit. Given that he is the sixth child in our family to learn to drive, I can honestly account for every gray hair on my head! Just teasing, Stephan :)
So, as you can see, we have been shaking and moving and impatiently waiting for the sunshine and the heat and the beach and SUMMER! And, I will be checking another item off of our bucket list tomorrow. I am so excited that I can hardly wait but, mum's the word until tomorrow evening. You'll see soon enough. Hope this finds you enjoying this beautiful afternoon~Happy Thursday from Charleston Treasures!The Name Is Everywhere! Hominy Grill
Okay. They like their name. They really like it. But, I give up. How many places can a restaurant owner advertise the name of the restaurant? Let us count the ways....
On the Restaurant Wall
On the Side of the Building
On the Front Door
On the Tile Floor
I guess by now you have figured out what this blog post is all about, right? I probably don't even need to tell you. You got it the first four times. Hominy Grill is on Rutledge Avenue and definitely deserves a spot on your "to visit" list.
Last Sunday, before we toured the Aiken-Rhett House, we stopped by here for brunch. Why? Because the mister googled "Best Brunch Restaurants in Charleston" and Hominy Grill happens to be ranked first. Well-deserved title, too!
We did have about a thirty minute wait which made me growl just a bit but I was patient because I was listening to the people around us chat and knew we were in for a treat. I did feel sorry for the hostess whose spot outside didn't appeal. It was darn chilly! Even with the outdoor heaters, it was cool for this time of year...
However, once we were inside and seated, all was well and busy and bustling and.....delicious! The mister ordered lunch. A BBQ chicken sandwich with slaw which he switched to potato salad.
And, I ordered Huevos Rancheros~poached eggs with black beans, rice, tortillas and salsa and topped with avocados. Totally scrumptious and filling! I think I skipped food the rest of the day.
I also tried a mixed drink made with some Negroni and Cheer Wine. I was really expecting something along the lines of a Slow Gin Fizz...but, not quite and pretty strong. I think I'll just stick to wine. The service was fantastic even though they were crazy busy and extremely friendly! We are looking for some time to return and give their dinner menus a try. This one should be on the top of of your list!
Hope you are into a great week! I'm busy getting kiddos ready for All-County Chorus later in the week and heading to Myrtle Beach in less than 48 hours to pick up my Mom who is returning from Califorina. YEAH! Happy Tuesday from Charleston Treasures and stay warm and stay dry.....darn, crazy weather!?!Top 50 Bucket List #27 Aiken-Rhett House Tour
It's amazing and it definitely lives up to its' reputation! #27 on our Charleston Treasures Top 50 Bucket List is "Tour the Aiken-Rhett House". Sunday was crisp and clear and just plain cold but we bundled up, had a great brunch (which you will hear about soon!) and bought tickets for a house tour. The house was built for John Robinson, a Charleston merchant in 1820. Apparently, it was a typical design and this piece of land has quite the history. I won't give you the detailed, lengthy version, but Robinson lived there for eight years until he lost five ships at sea. He then had to sell it to meet his financial obligations. It was bought by William Aiken, a wealthy Irish immigrant, in 1827 who used the house as rental property until he died suddenly in a carriage accident. It has been passed through several generations since.
The tour takes about 45 minutes and you walk through with a headset and listen to all of the details and history of the property. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed inside so you won't get any great views but I strongly urge you to go and see it for yourself! The out-buildings and slave quarters and much more expansive than I imagined and the property extends into the back lot for carriage buildings, extra slave quarters, the outdoor kitchen and even housing for chickens...
We enjoyed the tour but greatly missed our warm, balmy weather. Hopefully, sunny days are headed our way soon! Even the mister was bundled up and waiting impatiently to get back inside for some warmth...
The house is located at 48 Elizabeth Street and is only a two block walk from the Charleston Visitor's Center. Tickets are $10.00 and worth the price.
For other interesting tours and museums, check out this link to the Historic Charleston Foundation. And, if you want to keep an eye on our progress with our Bucket List, check out this page and bookmark it so you can return often!
Hope you are having a great week so far~Happy Tuesday from Charleston Treasures!!RB's Seafood on Shem Creek
Saturday was the day to be outside. To simply enjoy the view. We had an extra crazy morning and afternoon but by the time dinnertime rolled around, we were ready to put our feet up and enjoy a great, waterfront meal! We headed over to Shem Creek to RB's. Ever heard of it? We love a restaurant or two in that area but had never stopped to check out the restaurant with the ship-like frontcomplete with a light-up sailfish.
I missed the photo of the huge lobster on top of the connecting building but you would have enjoyed it. The entire restaurant has a ship motif. Cool. Interesting. But, the views of the inlet are great!
While waiting on our dinners, we munched a monstrous appetizer plate of onion rings. I believe that these were probably the best part of our dinner.
We got to see a few boats dock, some paddle boarders come and go and even some fishing kayakers. After watching a guy cast from the kayak, we decided that definitely requires some skill. Stephan had his usual burger and fries but this one was topped with blue cheese crumbles and onions.
The mister ordered a crab cake sandwich and coleslaw. Oddly enough, this sandwich was served with a slice of American cheese.
Nothing like Kraft singles?!? That part was plain weird but my Farmers Market Salad was pretty good except that my oranges and pineapples were straight from a can. Not so Farmers Market-ish.
The food was okay. Nothing to write home about but the views were scrumptious and the service was great! I don't highly recommend it but if you want to be near the water for the evening and watch the sunset and the boats dock, it works. Hope you are having a fantastic week. Do your best to stay dry and Happy Tuesday from Charleston Treasures!
Born Charleston,SC; 4 yrs USMC; 1960 Scholarship to University San Diego; Union-Tribune staff photographer 7 yrs; Graduated USD 1968. Covered Charles Manson trial for CBS TV; 2 yrs at Universal Studios; promoted Southern Calif then Kansas City ConVisBureau. Missouri State Director of Tourism. Ass't Dir. FLA Div.Tourism. Back to Charleston; Post and Courier InfoLine Manager & ad sales. Retired June 2004. Life is good!
Talking to a live person is hard to do these days, but eventually a "Customer Service" rep came on the line.
She fumbled around - I actually heard some papers rattling in the background - and told me "Your service has been cut off." But, I sputtered, the monthly payments are done automatically by my bank.
"Ah," she answered, " we have just learned the person named on the account has died."
Well, she had me there.
About 12 years ago, when I had moved in to take care of her, I had made my mom's monthly water bill part of my automatic payment plan at my bank.
"But," I protested, "isn't cutting the water off a pretty drastic way to handle a simple name change?" Then I asked her to please have the water turned back on.
Nope, not that simple. I had to bring a copy of mom's death certificate to them before the water would flow again. Mom died a year and a half ago.
She said a letter had been mailed, telling me they would cut off the water if the name of the deceased stayed on the contract.
Huh? I had not seen such a notice.
After I went to the North Charleston office, showed the death certificate, my driver's license (with my two pictures on it) and the current bill - showing it would auto-pay in July, I was told a person would be sent to turn the water back on.
I asked when and Tony, the guy at the counter, said it was hard to say.
He didn't know where the guy was who goes around turning things on and off but a notice was going to the dispatcher.
Back in 2008, when my street was really torn up, I never lost water, gas nor electricity.
Now a simple name change had me sitting here at 4:00 in the afternoon, getting thirsty and wanting to pee.
Around noon, Tony had called to correct a statement he had made about me getting a letter from them.
Seems it had been returned by the post office, marked addressee deceased.
I said to Tony, that should have told them I was unaware of the problem and maybe someone could have picked up the phone.
He suggested I call a supervisor to get a time frame on when the turn-on guy would arrive. I called 843-727-6800.
Eventually the same "service" rep answered and I started my tale.
She promptly put me on hold.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
The kitchen tap is open so I know water has not returned yet.
Saturday it was time to do another tutorial on Neutral Density filters.
The Summerville version drew more members of the Photo Group than the weekday one at Folly Beach.
In fact, our crowd drew a crowd.
You gather a dozen photographers with bulging gadget bags, large cameras on tripods - and a serious air - and people stop to ask "So, what's going on?"
Six people also asked for information about the Photography Group, so we may have picked up a few more photographers and wannabes.
The fountain where we gathered (near the parking garage) is right next to the Farmer's Market so lots of people were around.
We were using dark filters on our camera lens so we could take long exposure pictures on a sunny day.
It's a beautiful fountain and different exposures showed it differently.
In some the water flowed smoothly.
In others, it became a misty, moody centerpiece next to booths selling fresh corn, bright red tomatoes and fuzzy Carolina peaches.
We had a total of 16 turn out for the demonstration and how-to guidance.
Rudy Lutge, the same fellow who led the seminar at Folly Beach, went through step-by-step.
Then he answered questions and we got started.
Rudy went around making suggestions and adjustments until we all felt comfortable.
Meanwhile, shoppers carrying bags of produce wandered by and some children wanted to get their hands wet. Hey, why not?
Found a shot of a "speeding shopping cart" so I tried a 1/10 of a second picture with my camera in a shopping basket at Trader Joe's in Mt. Pleasant.
Yes, I spoke to the manager first and explained what I hoped to do.
He asked "how fast will you be pushing the cart?" I went into more details. I'll push the cart pretty slowly and the shelves on each side will blur, creating the illusion of fast speed.
One of the beauties of using digital is, after a few shots, I was able to show him what I had taken.
He agreed I had not bothered anyone and, I think, he was impressed.
Rudy mentioned this type of shot as well as how to make a room filled with people appear to be empty by using long exposure.
Grand Central Station in NYC is a busy place but if you take a photo lasting several minutes - the place is deserted.
Well, except for a few people who did not move during the exposure.
For example, the Farmers Market would not appear empty because of people staffing in each booth and the slow, meandering pace of the shoppers.
After the instructions, we were sharing tips and showing the results we were getting.
One member, David, was showing a hand-held device that covers the screen on the back of the camera and it becomes a viewfinder.
In bright light, those screens are hard to see and this provides a way to block out the light, see a perfect image and makes it easier to focus.
I had never heard of such a thing. I had used a towel draped over my head and camera when we were shooting at the beach.
So, look's like I'm all set for 2014 (or is it December of 2015?)
The new Gaillardwill have less seats but better acoustics.
Fewer people will hear things better in the new place.
In the old one, I have chosen to be seated in the balcony, but also plopped down in the first row for the k.d.lang show last year.
Closer is better.
The Cistern Area for Spoleto events is another place where I usually buy a seat in the first row.
Yesterday, the weatherman convinced Spoleto to move the J.D. McPherson Show from there.
Some fears of electric guitars being played outdoors in a thunderstorm.
As I thought would happen, all the stage setup was moved to the TD Arena. Naturally the sun shone brightly.
J.D.said they were pleased with the change and reminded us they play there again tonight (Saturday).
It was my first visit to the C of C basketball court but it felt just like a Cistern Show...with the bonus of air conditioning. Yeah!
It was an evening of great music with a passionate delivery.
The former school teacher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, has a Punk resume. Mr. McPheron has found his Retro Sound musical calling.
He and the band mixed together elements of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Led Zepplin and, yes, some punk roots from "The Pixies."
It was a rollicking time and, just past the halfway point, the gyrating dancers swiftly moved in front of the stage and the party was going on.
Chicago record producer - and superb bassist - Jimmy Sutton laid down a steady bass line to bring back the 1950s sound. Sax man Douglas Corcoran also came across the stage to play organ.
When the music is THAT strong, what heartless (or brave?) volunteer usher is going to stand in the way of all those dancing Happy Feet?
The crowd was a mixture of young and old, hipsters and their granddads, locals and visitors.
I talked with city natives as well as Spoleto fans who came from out-of-state.
One couple had come year after year, took a four year break and now drive in again for the arts festival.
They explained to a couple from New York the differences between Spoleto and Piccolo.
I could not have done better and I grew up here.
Spoleto began 36 years ago and Piccolo just turned 25 this year.
If you plan to go there tonight, the officials have honored those who bought reserved seats.
You can choose any seat on the basketball court floor itself - first come, first served - and the others are in seats rising behind you and on two sides.
I have no idea where the dancers had been sitting but they slowly appeared, dancing off to the sides, until they surged to the middle.
Hard to resist the energetic thumping beat that was being laid down.
Little details caught my eye.
Raynier Jacildo played a "real" piano - an upright - and NOT the usual electronic keyboard. The organ also was a heavy monster that had been lugged onstage with wheels strapped to it.
Sorry keys players...you can't compete.
The beautiful arena lobby was well maintained. The floors shiny bright and all the windows sparkling clean.
You go past the Cougar statue just before you enter into the lobby.
It reminded me of the black Panther statue up in Charlotte, outside the football stadium, but the internet link explains the differences between the two cats.
A piano and small organ provides ALL the music. A pin-pricked balloon gives a "pop" when needed.
The earth is doomed. In fact, the whole galaxy will disappear.
Good Grief!
Sitting in the sold out Sottile Theater along with 600 captivated friends, we watched the live-action graphic novel develop with cartoons on the screen, clever sound effects and talented voices.
David Higgins is the voice of Timmy, Danu Uribe is the Pulitzer Prize winning authoress and Christopher Lee Gibson speaks as everybody else. Cami Alys is the Foley artists responsible for the correct sounds at the appropriate time.
He welcomed the audience and expressed his happiness at being in Charleston and part of the famed Spoleto Festival USA.
General Director Nigel Redden had called him with an invitation which he gladly accepted.
During the intermission of Part 1 last night, Nigel could be seen mingling, chatting with fans and friends as the crowd returned to their seats.
The fate of earth still hung in the balance at this point.
A few days ago, a Spoleto-Piccolo music event brought me to Hall's Chophouse on King Street for an afternoon of Jazz.
Lead singer Lyndsey Goodman Moynihan was joined by Jamie Harris on bass and "Uncle Joe" Wilson on guitar.
The banter between songs was humorous and showed the depth of their friendship.
And their love of music.
Leaving Hall's, I walked through Marion Square and saw a small crowd gathered to enjoy an impromptu bluegrass performance.
Spoleto does indeed bring together friends of the arts.
Did not interrupt the players to get their names but paused for a moment or two to listen and take a few pictures.
Hope they'll get in touch so I can credit them.
I'm scheduled tomorrow evening for a concert on the Cistern Yard area at the College of Charleston.
Andrea, first tropical storm of the 6-month storm season that just started, is also due to skim our coastline tomorrow.
My guess is the venue - to avoid a rain out - will switch to the TD Arena This would be good as I have not been inside there yet.
Oh, TD stands for Toronto Dominion Bank, the new name after a local financial group was bought that had its name on the 5.100 seat venue. It opened in 2008 as home of the Cougars.
Some members of my Photography Group have mentioned "Plug-Ins" a few times.
Usually during "Show & Tell" when we all suck in our breath and express admiration for a picture projected on the big screen.
My shots usually don't draw that level of appreciation.
I bought my first Topaz plug-in called CLARITY, hoping I could add some of that missing awe element.
This shot of the Ravenel Bridge was pretty good but now it surprises even me ... and I was there!
Same with this late-in-the-day picture of the Grand Canyon.
It was a highlight of a magical afternoon, evening, night and dawn on the South Rim.
This manipulation tool brings out many subtle shades of canyon strata that didn't seem so obvious in the earlier posting.
Once I found out the Topaz product was compatible with the Photoshop Elements 10 I have been using, I decided to give it a try.
It's part of a whole suite one can buy and download. I had been told that ADJUST would be a good first step then this was just announced.
It offered an introductory price of $29.99 (save $20) so I was eager to check it out.
I take a LOT of pictures in music venues with varied levels of lighting.
The Pour House has been visited by me 6 times in the last 14 days. The last show was a group of talented performers called the New Orleans Suspects.
They have played with the Neville Brothers, Professor Longhair, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Sax man Jeff Walker, was with James Brown for 12 years.
Yeah, they have the chops. And showed every bit to a happy, clapping Friday night crowd.
Here's keyboardist C.R.Gruver and drummer "Mean" Willie Green (in a 4-panel acoustic shield around his drum set).
"Ice Man" Reggie Scanlan and Jake Eckert on lead guitar join the sax man in the ever-changing colored spotlights on the PoHo stage.
These performance shots were run through the Topaz plug-in to bring out certain colors or textures that had not shown before.
Out on the deck, ending just before the NOLA Suspects started, the Steel Rollers drew the faithful to a FREE themed night show that varies during the week.
A fan had written to ask where the name came from?
Not describing pieces of metal but from the name of a malt liquor beverage.
I've enjoyed both the band and the beer.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
Did not use the Topaz treatment on the deck band. Well, not yet.
My younger brother called and asked if I wanted to go on a mini-Photo walk to test out his new camera.
I had already planned to stop by a beer-tasting event by Allagash Brewing Company from noon to four on Sunday.
We agreed to see what photo ops would present themselves at Mixson Market over in the Park Circle neighborhood.
Even if there was nothing to photograph, I would enjoy the Allagash Tap Takeover and sip some of their fine Black, a Belgian style stout.
There was PLENTY to take pictures of at this growing "urban community" that was about as far from a typical housing tract as could be!
The friendly pourer was Les Addis, in charge of Southeast Sales for Allagash.
I told Les I had had their white on tap around town but had not seen the black very often as a draft choice.
He took care of that need.
At his suggestion I tried a flight of 4 small 4 oz. samples of their Dubbel, Tripel, the black and Curieux.
My brother and I wandered around looking at some of the homes already built.
The map showed where we were standing in the proposed very large community along Durant Avenue.
The development hit a snag during the financial slowdown but has picked up steam again.
I am quick to explain these two buildings were shot with my Fish eye Lens Effect setting.
It causes distortion, curves and contortions NOT envisioned by the architects.
The pinkish building on the left reminded me vaguely of a visit I had made to Amsterdam a few years ago..
No. Not a flashback to a "coffee shop" experience.
The "stacked" roof line had a definite Dutch look. Really.
If you've been there, you would see it too. Maybe.
Live music was provided by the Local Honeys, a smiling trio set up with construction going on behind them.
It appeared to be a series of structures of corrugated metal.
One looked like a large silo.
I thought the ladders added a constructive touch.
Found myself humming along to a song they were playing and realized it was "If I only had a brain" from The Wizard of Oz. Don't hear that everyday.
Meanwhile, inside the Market, I saw it was really a grocery store for the people living around it.
And a deli, bodega and cafe. It's a place to buy the kids an ice cream cone or to pick up some sun block.
Or buy milk and bread from the in-house bakery. Neat place for the residents.
As people came in and out, Les would fill their Allagash beer needs. Bratwurst sandwiches and other small snacks were available.
I noticed this locator sign when my brother and I arrived and parked.
The pink area seems to be what I was seeing where I stood, surrounded by very active construction.
I saw a marker for Summey Street.
When you look at images of the overall projected layout online, it does not state "You Are Here." Because we were so close - and my brother Dennis had not been there - we drove on up to the Circle and around to Montague Street East. I wanted to take a look at DIG in the park.
Lots of improvements in the outside seating area. They've added an outdoor bar and colorful umbrellas on the large patio.
My brother had a chance here to experiment with a feature on his camera that clicks three times, while bracketing the exposures. The "normal" shot and one slightly over-exposed and another a little under, then combines the trio.
Shadow details show even on a bright sunny afternoon. Very cool, Bro.
Before we left the Mixson Market area, I spotted a happy couple.
They "hammed it up" in a picture for me.
I knew not to "trifle" with her.
They seemed a perfect match.
(Click on the photos for more detail.)
Oh, if you've ever been served a "flight" of beer, you noticed the paddle that's used to hold the 4 (or 5) glasses.
Met Brendan Sweeney who makes them. He had a small booth set up. His paddles were being used inside.
His company is called BeerFlight.com. The slogan is "try everything."
Too bad I still had my camera set for taking a fisheye view.
When you meet him, he'll look differently.
I showed this picture to his wife and the newly-weds had a private laugh.
As I drove out to eat on Memorial Day, I saw that at least one person had bought a mattress set today.
He or she probably saved about 60 or 70%.
Maybe even more.
Ads for beds, mattresses and springs seem to center around major holidays. Sealy, Beautirest, Simmons, etc. all run colorful advertisements in the paper and on television, offering huge discounts.
Fourth of July and Labor Day seem to be the other two "firm" or "soft" slumberland Sale-E-Brations.
When I need a new mattress I know they cost a whole lot more the other days of the year.
I don't cook out anymore but I did have dinner at a BBQ place.
It's a tradition.
(Click on the photo. Notice there no hands holding it to the roof.)
Managed to stop by the Pour House three times in a week.
Well, actually, it was 8 days.
The "Po Ho" is one of my favorite music venues and owner Alex presented a varied and interesting line up for my 8-day week menu.
Jimbo Mathus brought his Mississippi Southern Rock show to town Thursday night and had the appreciative fans on their feet till the wee hours.
His newest album, White Buffalo, was released in February by Fat Possum Records.
I've enjoyed the 46-year old performer from his Squirrel Nut Zipper days (1993 -2000) and into his extensive traveling performances that bring him through Charleston every year.
Between sets, Jimbo told me he remembered being here 3 years ago during the February Blues Bash. "Oh Yeah, that was the night it snowed on Charleston," he smiled.
Friday night was a return of Acoustic Syndicate, the North Carolina rock, folk, & bluegrass band who also swings through annually.
One fan in a large top hat caught my eye in the crowd and I angled around to get his silhouette in front of the stage.
There was a dazzling light show as well so when arms were waving in praise and enjoyment - and many beers were held aloft - the party atmosphere was bright and cheery.
The brothers Fitz, Jr. and Bryon McMurry teamed with their cousin Steve and formed a trio in 1992 playing for church groups then really spread out.
The Acoustic Syndicate - brothers and cousin - are well known for their 3-part harmony.
His new album is titled "Love Is Only Everything" and he belts out his 1960s Old School soul sounds at every energetic live show.
That was the start of a lively round of music and I returned night after night for more, more, more.
Finally, last night, had a chance to step next door for a meal at The Lot, the sister restaurant that replaced El Bohio, and then carried my bratwurst back over to the club side.
Good food, cold beer and great entertainment. Life is good.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
"8 Days A Week" is a nice challenge and opportunity to see and hear some great acts.
Not digging in the dirt. More like sampling different biers in der garten.
The 2nd annual Beer Garden was held in Brittlebank Park on a cloudy Saturday. It did not rain.
Was reminded - as I saw Craft Beer growlers all around me - that Charleston has come full circle with cars and beer. This event was sponsored by certain Sunoco gas (and growler) filling stations.
As a teenager growing up here, I recall you could get a beer with your cheeseburger and fries at drive-in restaurants. Where the cool high school kids hung out. (Burp, 'scuse me).
There were plenty of places here to have your souvenir (plastic) pint stein either filled or used to sample 3 ozs. of different beers. Several times.
Picnic tables, white folding chairs and shady spots galore. Also games involving beer themes.
While I was there I enjoyed the sounds of Lily Slay of The Royal Tinfoil.
Mackie Bole backed her on guitar.
It was just about the right size crowd - plenty of room to roam, quick service at the draft pulls and many of the white chairs ended up scattered around in front of the stage. Comfy.
People -watching was good here.
A yacht was anchored nearby and cigar smokers had a clear field day.
The Bridge radio station signs mirrored the "other" one with the Ashley River bridge in the background.
Body art was on full display. Many tattoos showed real artistic ability.
And some whimsy.
The beer itself offered quite a variety.
Local brewers were represented as well as regional and national brands. All pull together now!
Saw people walking around wearing "necklaces" they had made by stringing small pretzels on a cord.
I settled for a few of the small bags to munch with my Dogfish Stout.
There were games of skill and brawn sited around the park.
Don't know what the prizes were but I saw throw-the-hoop-around-the-growler at one table.
A crowd gathered to watch and cheer the Keg Toss competition.
The longest throw was marked with a small flag marker and the goal was to make yours land further ahead.
Apparently it was open to both men and women. That's only fair.
I was really impressed until I noted these were EMPTY kegs. Well, Duh.
Didn't see anyone spin around and around and release like throwing the discus.
But it was early yet and the beer had not kicked in sufficiently.
All in all, it was a pleasant afternoon for a walk in the park.
Heard some music, saw some creative and ornate tats, and dodged empty kegs flying through the air.
No surprise where my appetite led me to continue this German-ish celebration.
There I ordered my favorite : a plate of Wiener Schnitzel.
The camera can catch an image we don't really see.
When you use a slow shutter speed - maybe 10 seconds - waves crashing onto a rock jetty become misty and moody.
But a camera will overexpose if you do this on a bright and sunny day at the beach.
Ah.... the secret is to use a dark Neutral Density filter. Think of it as sunglasses for your camera.
This was taken at my camera's slowest ISO (what used to be called film speed) with the smallest aperture opening (f/8 is the best I can do) and a very dark ND 3.0 filter. For a long, long 10 seconds.
My Photography Group had an outing Sunday to Folly Beach to learn about these tools.
Our teacher was Rudy Lutge, a talented and very patient man who said "Let me run through this and please hold your questions until the end." Rudy gave a succinct and step-by-step tutorial.
He showed us how to create images of smokey water swirling around wooden groins and boulders at The Edge Of America
My small Canon S90 is called a Point & Shoot (P/S) as opposed to the much larger DSLRs by Canon and Nikon.
The members brought an array of high-end equipment, tripods and a selection of filters and other accessories.
I don't even own a bag to carry such items. My camera usually hangs on my belt.
Today I had it attached to my tripod so I was able to "play with the big boys." The longer the exposure, Rudy explained, the softer the moving water will appear.
Long enough and even the waves will appear as glassy smooth. My camera is limited to a maximum long exposure of 15 seconds.
Rudy checked on each of us to reiterate the steps to success.
I later found that half a dozen members had gone directly to the light house at the end of the island.
We had gathered near the Summer Place paid parking lot at the dead end cul-de-sac of Ashley Avenue.
A few dared to park on the street - a challenge to the many beach parking rules and regulations.
We had included the Big Three: 1. Park in the same direction as the flow of traffic; 2. All tires completely off the road and 3. 15 feet from a fire hydrant.
We are not sure if we violated a warning sign as we worked our way down the beach toward the Morris Island light house.
The "any time" was extremely intimidating. Guess we could plead ignorance.
I usually can claim that.
It was fun as photographers would show off what they had just snapped.
Those handy lighted screens on the back of digital cameras usually are clear and distinct but it's a bit different on a beach in bright daylight.
Still beats shooting film and not being sure of what will develop later.
Because we started around 4:30 in the afternoon, we kept an eye on the clouds to see if a spectacular sunset was in the offing.
Not too likely. But there was no rain either.
By adding a polarizing filter to the ND filter made the clouds register nicely as a backdrop to the sea oats on the dunes.
Later I realized I also showed the rooftop of a beach cottage.
Hey, it was bright and the screen was hard to see.
I do want to show another view that was softened because of Rudy's instructions.
It was a fun and educational outing.
Members are now uploading their shots to a ND album for the event.
We create one for all of our adventures and invite you to take a look.
Unless you check out using ND filters, this might be the only time you can view the misty waters off Folly Beach.
Caught a nice trio from New Orleans Monday night at Royal American. Ragtime, Delta-folk, rock and roll and fantastic slide work.
His degree is in Jazz Guitar.
Luke Winslow-King announced they would play "The Royal" again on Tuesday.
Wednesday (tonight) catch them at Awendaw Green. It would be a shame to miss these talented musicians who said they really are enjoying their first visit here.
30-year old LWK played 3 different guitars Monday, notably using slide on his Dobro, with amazing energy as he sang along.
Esther Rose played washboard while seated. (Had not seen that before).
Cassidy Holder was slappin' bass.
Esther, the seated washboardist, said toward the end of the set, that her "instrument" had snapped in half.
Replacing guitar strings often has to be done. But on a washboard?
She held up a broken screwdriver and asked for a roll of tape.
On the next song, I stepped closer and saw she had switched to clanging on a large horse shoe.
Percussion will adapt as needed.
I stifled the urge to suggest the bartender fix her a screwdriver*.
There is just something about Ragtime and Swing music to make a dancer leap to his or her feet.
Tonight was no exception.
The stage at American Royal is high so the musicians looked down and saw results from their efforts.
I believe the background on this venue was to open as an "upscale Dive bar."
Have not tried the potent rum, bourbon or vodka punch yet yet but saw many with the tall cups.
An odd coincidence for this New Orleans band, the menu offers a Muffaletta Sandwich.
Only a few places offer this tasty treat I had enjoyed a few years ago while sitting and relaxing in Jackson Square.
I saw the price was $20 - YIKES - but, reading the menu further, saw a half was $11 and a quarter size was available $6.
The olive spread gives it a distinguished and unique taste. Good way to sample something new.
Here's a link to Yelp to see more of an overall view of the venue, food and drink list and it's place for entertainment along the Warehouse Corridor.
There was an opener, and Luke began a little after 10:30 so not a late evening.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
Pretty quiet around town after the College of Charleston graduations on Saturday.
It's nice to nibble at the edge of downtown.
Taste a Muffaletta.
*If the bartender uses milk of magnesia instead of orange juice., the drink is called a Phillip Screwdriver.
We get together each month (2nd Wednesday) to meet and the special moment each time is the Show & Tell.
We all are shooting our take on the stated theme.
For May it was "Moving Water." My thirsty plants were pleased that I was using the fast shutter speed (1/2000th of a second) on my camera.
It was hit or miss so I poured glasses of water about 25 times. Finally I chose this one.
Catching a single "drip drop" of water was even more challenging.
Same fast shutter speed but there's a slight delay with digital cameras.
Many times I was "close" but missed the shot.
The lag is from when you push the button and when the shutter actually clicks.
Passing neighbors saw me up on my front porch with my small camera atop a sturdy tripod.
I was slowly dripping water from a spoon into a filled saucer. They've seen me doing stranger things.
One of the members - Sarang Remakrishman - showed how to use a Neutral Density filter in bright sunlight.
The filter (think of sunglasses for your camera ) let him use a slow shutter speed to render a rippling brook in a different way.
Several of us are planning a Photo Shoot out at Folly Beach by the pier to experiment with waves and tides and ND filters.
We'll probably attract attention if enough of us show up with large cameras on tripods.
Member Charles G. presented a fountain shot that he had enhanced.
Charles slowed his shutter speed a bit to change the look of the flowing water. Just the opposite of what I did with a super fast shutter speed to freeze action.
If it's a cloudy day, or the object is in a shaded area, sometimes you can merely close down the lens opening (f/stop) and shoot slower without adding a dark filter. Good examples of creating something our eye would not register.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, without using camera "tricks" or special filters, I heard it start to rain. Went outside with my umbrella and watched puddles form in my yard. The expanding circles caught my eye. There was no flooding but the water coming down did move leaves around, making nice frames for the over-lapping vibrant rings in the puddles.
In an attempt to "think outside the box" I submitted a shot I called "Under Water." Literally the water was yet to fall but it was very tangible - and imminent - in this shot from a Wal-Mart parking lot. Actually the storm front moved on and no rain fell on me. But, the members saw my point during Show & Tell. I also added a close up of a leaf-clogged storm drain. That was where ALL moving water eventually disappears. (Click on the pictures for more details.) The theme for our group for June is "FIRE." That COULD be a chance to show off my revolver at a Summerville gun range. Or just burn something on a non-windy day. Thanks for stopping by.
Stood in a drizzling rain last night to see Bob Dylan in concert. It was nearly candle lit. I feel a bit of what this NY lady stated about her underwhelming Dylan experience last year.
I DID see the restored 1955 Peacemaker Tour bus she mentioned. Hmm, I thought, maybe it's Dylan's tour vehicle. Certainly was quirky enough. The link above also connects you to a story of the "triple decker" restoration by a religious commune.
I found out later Dylan has been to Charleston 4 or 5 times but I had missed all of those shows. One might have been a daytime show. That would have helped!
Had a general admission ticket ($50) so stood on the clay court of the Family Circle Tennis Center and looked up at the raised stage about 100-150 feet away.
Frankly, I was closer than people who paid more to sit up in the seats.
A lady came on stage after DAWES, the opening act finished, and "suggested" we not take pictures.
But, nobody enforced the ban so an array of phone cameras, at least one LARGE SLR a few rows in front of me, and my personal little camera with its mighty 20x zoom lens clicked away. It had done a great job recently with Eric Clapton and with Bob Seger.)
Ah, but that was on a brightly-lighted stage, indoors, in a large arena with 18,000 of my Charlotte friends.
I stress the lighting. Or lack thereof.
It was dimly-lit.
Moody.
Like playing in a small cabaret.
I suppose they were going for the atmosphere of a little club (this Center seats 10,200 - although half were taken up with the stage and blocked viewing sections).
For the entire show, the stage was very dark, in deep shadows and severely back-lighted. Hard to see details. Artistic but daunting when you're trying to take a decent picture.
Oh, but that's right, we had been told to NOT take pictures.
A timid ineffective flash would go off every now and then and the aroma of banned substances wafted in the wind.
No announcement had been made about that "second hand" smoke. Felt like I was at a legalization party in Colorado or Washington state. Not that THAT's a bad thing
A drizzle would start, then stop, then pick up again.
Not a REAL rain which was good because umbrellas had been taken away by security at the entrance.
I doubted an umbrella would be feasible down on the court level so I had brought a flimsy plastic poncho.
That I had left that in the car because the sky looked like it was clearing.
The owner is experimenting with evening hours during events so I had a nice turkey Reuben sandwich and fries at the Honeycomb Cafe with a $4 beer. Then I strolled across the street to the Center.
My trusty camera was set to its absolute limits but it gave me something to work with as a starting point.
Photoshop helped me overcome the challenge of darkness and the high contrast lighting. Had not seen gas heaters on a stage before. Was meant to add to the ambiance I guess.
A few days ago I set up a Bob Dylan Radio station on Pandora to get myself in the mood for an evening harkening back to the 1960s.
Man, Dylan made a LOT of records.
Some songs were coming back to me - even the lyrics - after all these years.
Pandora also slipped in other folk and folk rockers from the era such as Van Morrison, Stephen Stills, Marshall Tucker Band. Neil Young and Buffalo Springfield. Yikes.
I was humming along at home with Mama Cass Elliot, early Elton John, Joni Mitchell, John Prine, Otis Redding, Led Zeppelin, Eddie Vedder and Billy Joel.
I was ready for the concert.
(Click on the pictures for more details.)
Despite my "training" I recognized only a few of Dylan's songs.
His voice is gravely and much older ...but, then, so am I.
It's been almost 10 years since I shopped for a treadmill.
Things have really changed.
Oh, the basics are still the same: pick a speed, start the unit and adjust the incline if that's a feature.
But all the OTHER stuff that's been added!
Flashing lights and big consoles that include cooling fans and even small image screens.
There are places to plug-in your iPod music maker or hook up your computer to download extensive pre-programmed exercise plans. And charts and graphs and diaries built-in to track your progress.
Good grief.
I walked past all that and looked for a simple, sturdy machine to replace mine that flamed out.
I learned that what burned probably was the circuit board. Motors hardly ever fail I was told.
In fact, most treadmills come with a 5 -10 year warranty on the motor. Some companies guarantee the motor for life. Circuit boards however start at around $300 (plus installation) and could sizzle unexpectedly. Yikes.
Here's the one I chose yesterday at Play It Again Sports near Anna Knapp Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant.
The Vision Fitness T9000 is described as an entry-level commercial machine. You know, like you see in gyms.
Heavy (350 pounds) and sturdy, it's built the way I want to use it. I have several fans and I watch a tv that's streaming Netflix movies.
A simple, non-fancy console with START and STOP buttons.
SPEED control up and down arrows and INCLINE up and down.
My former machine offered a 10% incline which I would use to get more results from my daily 30-minute fast walk.
This rugged workhorse has a 12% incline.
Starting to sound like a stress test machine at the hospital.
(Click on the pictures for more details.)
Two men and a truck will deliver it tomorrow. There's a small fee but it sure beats ME trying to get it home. In my Saturn Ion.
I was seated SO close, I could not get all of the band in one shot. Yikes. Nice complaint!
The horn section is on a riser to the right and a grand piano player.
A grand piano and a fellow playing it who also was pretty grand.
I had seen Seger once before, years ago but this show was better.
Longer show, great song list, 14-people on stage backing him.
Here's your 1960s Rock & Roll master from Detroit.
Four decades. So far
Sitting in the 5th row means if you were any closer, you'd probably have to pick up a guitar and play.
Or perhaps hoist an over-sized saxophone. Big and shiny.
Yes, the man goes by the name Alto Reed but - checking around - I found he really answers to Tom.
He's been with Silver Bullet for about 35 years and is a big part of the band's sound and success.
Seger played many, many of his hits for us this night including songs from his 1975 "Live Bullet" album that finally brought him into the national spotlight.
Turn The Page (On the road) marked his shift from a popular regional band to a national one.
His 1976 follow up album "Night Moves" hammered home that this was gritty rock and roll and captured the strong spirit of the 1970s live concerts.
When he sang the title song, it demonstrated his intensity and emotional power, descriibing a young man's sexual discovery and bittersweet passage into adulthood.
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is a great rock & roll singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist.
He showed us all of that, along with a friendly, comfortable presence on stage.
The Grammy Award winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
He hinted that his future plans would be a major change for him.
No more touring? No more recordings? "The end is imminent, but not in sight," he stated.
Just before the show started, I glanced up to see 2 of the 3 lighting guys climbing into position.
VERY high above the stage.
I noted the safety harnesses they all wore.
They handled the "follow spots" that evening, keeping the bright light emphasis where it belonged.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
Two concerts in Charlotte within 3 weeks.
April has been a busy musical month and I saw a LOT of big trucks on the highways.
Most shows at the Pour House in West Ashley start late. An "early show" means it begins before 11 pm.
The regulars start coming in around 11 no matter what time the musicians actually start.
Read carefully: it might say DOORS open at 8 and the music starts at 9.
The opening act might start around 9 or later. That happened a few nights ago when "Paul and the Tall Trees" actually began at 9:50 and finished their part a scant 25 minutes later. The Extraordinaires - the headliner's band - then took the stage and started playing.
Good sounds. Nice active horn section.
After two or three songs, the MC stepped to the mic to announce "Let's give him a great big Charleston, South Carolina welcome!!"
Then, the STAR headliner of the night, Charles Bradley, exploded onto the stage.
He has been called "The Screaming Eagle of Soul" and, as a young man, performed as a James Brown impersonator under the name of "Black Velvet."
He showed quite a few of Brown's moves - often dropping down into a split - and playing around with the microphone, hoisting it and the stand into the air.
Not sure what he does to protect his voice but he was indeed singing, screaming and shouting...a LOT. The fans loved it.
After about 25 minutes, he left the stage but came back shortly, wearing a different outfit.
Reading about Bradley online, it says he often comes into the audience for hugs at the end of the show.
The copy quotes him as saying "Not just the first few rows, I like to go all the way to the back of the room."
"That's where I used to stand to see shows and I want everyone to know I appreciate them."
At the end of this Thursday night show at the Pour House - just before midnight - Bradley bounded off the stage and, I guess, right out the side door.
We didn't see him or the band members again despite the heavy applause and chants of "one more song."
Charles Bradley missed a bunch of hugs from fans who had paid I felt an unusually high $18 cover charge at the door.
(Click on the pictures for more details.)
I didn't stop at the Merch Table for a copy of his second album "Victim of Love" that was released a few weeks ago.
The 2 times a year Blues Festivals actually are not "at" Kiawah. Nor "at" Seabrook
You don't have to go through security.
We park in the Newton's grocery store parking lot at Freshfields Village. It's on Johns Island between the two island gated communities
Arrived early enough to watch the final stages of the giant tent being erected on the village green.
This is the 9th annual Blues By The Sea and the second year (I think) of the tent being used.
I first saw the 40' x 90' tent in October 2011 and thought then it was a great idea.
It was purchased with Kiawah Island accommodations tax dollars and would ensure such events happen rain or shine.
Good for businesses and encourages more visitors to come check out the area. I'm sure concerts result in increased spending for dining, shopping and room nights.
Also don't remember seeing Food Trucks here before.
There was a booth for a few years by Taco Spot and I regret I never tasted what they offered at the shows I attended at Freshfields.
I discovered them later next to Home Team BBQ in West Ashley. Glad I did. Check it out.
Gary Erwin, founder of these seaside events, is on keys (aka "Shrimp City Slim") as his new discovery Shelly Waters plays guitar and belts out songs.
Born in Louisiana in the heart of Cajun country, Shelly is known as the Swamp Pop Princess. Yes, the fisheye lens effect has captured the entire stage...with a bit of distortion, as usual.
A cloudy day was predicted and the sun never did break through. It was pleasantly cool.
The rain held off until just a few minutes before the final act was finishing so the entire 2pm to 7pm was completed.
Professor Bottleneck (red jacket) on guitar and Harmonica Frank were born in Germany and play the Blues all over Europe.
Gary met them overseas and invited them to his Kiawah bash.
They were the opening act, followed by Gary and his band, featuring Miss Waters.
Their "mission," Frankie announced, is to present Blues, Jazz, R&B and Zydeco with all the energy they can muster. And they did.
They were joined on stage by (L) Billy Flynn, who, as they say, has been a mainstay of Chicago Blues style music since the 1980s.
He was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, only a 3- hour drive from Chicago, and got started when he was 14 years old.
Flynn plays with the show's headliner Billy Boy Arnold who came on to get the crowd up on its feet, dancin' to the beat.
This Chicago player, singer and songwriter took informal harmonica lessons in 1948 when he was a 12-year old, from the legendary John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson..
His 1955 Vee Jay record had several songs that were covered in England by The Yardbirds, The Animals and David Bowie.
In the printed program, we were reminded this is his first performance in the Carolina Lowcountry.
It also was announced that the Accommodations Tax Committee has already approved funding for NEXT April in 2014.
There will be a 10th annual Blues By The Sea.
(Click on the photos for more details.)
The last time I saw Frankie's Blues Mission was on a cold February night, huddled in a plastic-lined hotel patio overlooking the harbor.
It was part of Gary's winter annual Blues Bash.
Glowing gas heaters fought hard to keep out the cold, the rain, the fog and the chilling wind.
Frankie and his crew had another "Mission".... Warm up the joint.
And, they did.
Today was a delightful Spring Day in Charleston.
The drummer "Clam Chop" waits for his set to begin, smoking and sipping a beer.
Admiring the bright azaleas.
He really is having a good time.
I could tell he is smiling and his beer looks cold.
A happy drummer.
Hard to beat.
A Frisbee Dad has had a lot of practice with his son.
"We've done this since he was 3-years old. He's good at it," he said proudly.
I didn't realize it was even raining this afternoon.
A loud crack and then a deep thunder roll and the cat was at my feet mewing "Hey, make that stop." She probably thought I was causing the noise and commotion. She knows me well.
It was really pouring down so I looked out over the deck and saw there was more standing water than I had ever seen before.
What to do? I grabbed my camera and an umbrella.
Oh, I don't mean there was actual flooding danger for my car.
But it sure was moving leaves all around the back yard.
And forming interwoven circles of rain drops in the puddles.
It was starting to slack off - "Hey Kitty, no problem, I took care of it" - but I stayed up on the deck.
Just found another good use of having a zoom lens for the first time in many years.
My Mom and Dad moved up here to Hanahan back in 1962 and never spoke of any real flooding in the neighborhood.
I grew up in Ansonborough back in the day (1950s) and we were spared high water there too.
So, rain and puddles to me are just pretty things to photograph.
From under an umbrella. With my feet dry.
Predictions are for a sunny weekend with temps in the upper 70s.
There's an outdoor Blues By The Sea concert down in Freshfields Village I want to attend. They announced it's "rain or shine."
Last year the tourism officials at Kiawah Island bought a huge white tent .... just to make sure shows go on as planned.
(Click on the photos for more detail.)
When I came back in with my camera, the cat came out from under the bed.
It used to be that cameras were not allowed in clubs or music venues.
House of Blues in Myrtle Beach comes to mind. "Your film will be seized" was warned before digital.
By the entrance was a small room with a sign: Pick Up Your Camera Here.
The PAC in North Charleston and the downtown Charleston Music Hall also tried to keep wicked cameras out of their performances.
"Pirating music" with recording devices or making "bootleg" copies we were told cheated the singer or band member.
I've heard "No professional Cameras allowed," which was defined as one having a removable lens.
But then phones-with-cameras appeared Yikes.
At the Pour House a few nights ago, I prepared to take a picture of Rachael Price, lead singer of Lake Street Dive, and a voice close to my ear whispered "Please, no flash." It was the doorman who had taken my "Cover Charge" at the door. Hope he also told the person in front of me.
Home Team - at both West Ashley and Sullivan's Island - hasn't stopped me from taking non-flash pictures. Even of a Zydeco squeezebox player named Johnny Ace.
Whoever added the annoying bright flash on cell phone cameras must have disliked musicians.
The Music Farm - far as I know - has never banned cameras. You catch odd shots.
One night James Thackery's drummer surprised us by moving away from his elevated drum set and marched forward to a steady military drum beat.
I've spent late evenings there enjoying Robert Randolph & The Family Band and many others.
Got some very nice pictures from in front of the stage and from the balcony on either side.
The Pour House offers close up action with your camera as well as having the best sound mix in the area.
Here Rachael Price of LSD, belts a finish to her song.
It helped that the odd placement of the drummer Mike Calabrese on stage right gave me an almost over-his-shoulder view.
Mike Olsen on trumpet & guitar and Bridget Kearney plays the upright bass.
More and more acts are using "elaborate" light shows that add to the entertainment factor.
Earlier in the week I was at the Po' Ho' to see Joy Kills Sorrow.
This talented group featured Matt Arcara and his flat-picking talents so I used software to make him a "Poster Boy" for the evening.
Lead singer is Emma Beaton and Zoe Guigueno is bass.
Wes Corbett plays banjo and Jake Jolliff plays a sweet-toned mandolin.
Emma quipped that without the two ladies, it could be called "Band of Beards."
Because I don't use flash, I feel I'm almost invisible.
Sometimes you breeze in, do your business and are out very quickly.
Other times you stand in line to get to the point where you can stand in line.
Or, more precisely, where you are assigned a number and take a seat and wait to be called.
My driver's license renews this month so I popped over there about 3:30 on Friday.
The line snaked out the door. Ouch.
You shuffle forward and eventually you have your number.
Hmmm..I see they've added something new to help pass the time.
Large Flat-screen tv monitors. With trivia.
Sports headlines. National news updates.
$uccess $tories. "Did you know?" factoids.
And paid advertisers.
Just like you see at airports.
While I sat there ads flashed up on the screen for Trident Tech, State Farm auto insurance, Holt Transmission service, David Hood, Attorney At Law, Road Warriors, Driver's Choice auto insurance, SC HELP mortgage assistance.
But then my number was called and flashed on the screen. Time to go get my picture taken.
Went to a weekday concert on Tuesday. Up in Charlotte.
To hear a fantastic Blues legend.
First time I recall seeing Eric Clapton close-shaved.
He always wore that "stubble effect" growth.
He had it when I saw him before - in 2007 - also in Charlotte.
But his music .... ah yes, the music.
I had a good seat - on the aisle - in the 12th row. The sound was excellent. So was my view.
People would rush up the aisle past me to take a picture, closely pursued by a Security person, who politely said they needed to return to their seat.
And they would snap a picture , turn and go back down the aisle.
There were a few cameras but mainly, the fans used their phones to take away a souvenir photo.
Some persisted and were slow to respond but Security really didn't seem to have a problem with people taking pictures. How refreshing.
They mainly were concerned with keeping the aisles clear.
An eight-person band backed Eric.
Two backup singers, keyboardist, drummer, bassist, second guitar, mandolin and piano man.
A tight group that has played together enough to be a cohesive unit. Knowing when to play, how long and when to step aside. Smooth.
Eric began the evening, standing at center stage.
At least an hour into the show, a chair was brought out and most of the band stepped away.
He sat and played an amazing acoustic set before standing again.
He has a HUGE array of songs that were known and loved by the audience.
He played many Tuesday night.
The sound, as I said, was great. The overall staging and lighting was superior.
You expect a lot when a big ticket touring super star comes to town.
It's mind-boggling to think that the stage was bare when the trucks pulled in.
All of the effects, lights, mics and speakers are moved from city to city by experienced technicians, stagehands and roadies.
And, then, it's all packed up and headed to the next concert, starting even as we are slowly shuffling toward the exits.
The Time-Warner Cable Arena is huge. Seats about 18,000.
If you come out after the show and turn the wrong way, it's quite a walk to get back to where you started.
I know this for a fact. Locals call the venue The Cable Box.
By the way, all of these pictures were taken from the same spot in the 12th row.
My newest camera, the Canon sx260 has given me a 20x optical zoom lens to bring me in close after starting with a fine wide-angle that can take in the whole stage.
Appreciated the no-hassle attitude of Security and I even complimented one of the guys on my way out.
Don't do THAT too often.
(Click on the pictures to see more detail.)
Inside I saw "authorized" t-shirts on sale for $25 but didn't buy one this time.
They looked nice but I still have my 2006-2007 Tour one at home.
There also was a $75 poster that came with a protective sturdy mailing tube.
It's the first day of my 8th year of posting this blog. Hurrah!
My celebration is filtered however.
Literally. The clouds look great in this picture over my brother's house, right?
This was shot through my brand new CPF.
The Circular Polarizing Filter is used to darken blue and it makes clouds really pop out.
The primary use of this filter is to eliminate glare.
You look at the image in your camera and slowly rotate the filter.
In the sky, things get darker and clouds become whiter.
This wood floor has light streaming in through the door on the left and, as the filter turns, the glaring streaks slowly disappear.
Poof.
Gone.
You have to see it to believe it. We did.
About ten days ago I became able to use this - and other - filters with an adapter just added to my camera.
The delay has been the ordering process online and waiting for the mailman to deliver the new tools.
In addition to "polarizing" a scene, I soon can use my new Neutral Density filters to create images that don't really exist. Well, not to our eyes.
Flowing water and ocean waves can be shot in daylight with long 10-15 second exposure times and the movement is transformed into a misty, foggy effect. Waterfalls become ribbons of frothy white.
I've seen the end results taken by some talented people and I'm eager to experiment with my much smaller camera that - up till now - lacked the ability to place filters in front of the lens.
I was having a delicious Easter dinner with my brother and his wife.
Naturally, I brought along my new camera set-up, my tripod and several of my new filters.
Pretty exciting to see some of the effects.
He broke out his camera too as we enjoyed the meal and snapped photos of each other.
At one point I noticed that his cat "Bebe" had curled up in her spot in the afternoon sun.
She moved just a bit - to get comfortable - and snoozed, ignoring our foolishness.
My attention turned to a great looking meal.
I see all the food groups are well displayed.
A little white wine poured all around and we dug in.
Yes, a tin foil-wrapped plate came home with me for a future tasty meal.
I often feel like I go out hunting with my camera and feel good if I get a little exercise and bag at least one good picture. It gets me out and about noticing things around me. This weekend I parked at Hampton Park and walked the neighborhood and park for an hour. The flower beds were in their glory and I am stealing ideas left and right for what might work in my neglected yard.
I wasn't the only one enjoying the warm morning and it is clearly a comfortable spot for homeless and street people. There were blankets claiming spots under the wide tree branches and I was startled a couple of times by movement in the shadows. I marched on briskly through certain parts of the park.
I spotted the colorful vintage cars at the Coastal Carolina Corvette Club Car Show at the Ashley River Baptist Church parking lot on Savannah Highway yesterday when I was heading to Harris Teeter. In honor of fellow blogger Lowandslow I had to back track and walk through. Luckily they had more on display than Corvettes. I love the real oldies.
I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I've been so busy lately it was delicious simply to be off. I had a $150 gift certificate to Hyams Garden Center that my son had given me for Mother's Day burning a hole in my pocket and I was there first thing this morning. I bought two large blue glazed ($$) containers for plants. I haven't done much to my yard yet so this is a step in that direction.
Here is one from my family album in honor of Father's Day.
My dad is on the far left after earning his Masters of Philosophy degree at the University of Toronto in 1952. The ladies with the hats are my grandmothers Grace Perry (left) and Helen "Nellie" Cameron (right) and on the right my uncle Ralph. I am not sure about the identity of the lady in the middle.
Happy Father's Day to all my readers who fill that special role in a fortunate child's life.
You can see what has kept me busy all week! Congratulations to my SCRUBS Camp graduates and thanks to all my co-workers who made it such an incredible week. I love y'all!
I swore these little buildings were everywhere but now that I am looking for them, they are harder to find. Ain't that always the way? I tracked down two more - the Ellis Photo Studio above and Dan's Barber Shop below is in Georgetown.
Busy week and I am happy to see Friday. My flock of SCRUBS students graduated and I got to meet all their proud parents. It has been a week of happy chaos. They were a wonderful group and I have every confidence they will be our future health care providers. We will be in good hands. Forgive me if I owe anyone an email or call. I have lived and breathed teenagers for the entire week!
I am scrambling this week and have nothing clever to say. I am in the midst of coordinating my annual SCRUBS summer health careers camp and trying to keep this happy gang busy and interested. In the evening I upload all of their photos. Luckily I had these photos from my weekend walk downtown.
Don't stay up too late, kids. (I am speaking to myself here).
On Travel Tuesdays we take a trip off the Charleston peninsula and dip into past travel albums.
This evening's visit is to one of the markets in the hill town of Bomdila on the road to Tawang. Pots and pans, kettles, fresh vegetables, the best oranges in the world and hanging on the strings below - dried yak milk, hard as a rock to suck on for hours. Not something you find at the local Piggly Wiggly.
That is my sister-in-law Val, shopping for kitchenware in the photo above.
I need to get to bed, kids. I am taking forty four teenagers on a field trip to Trident Technical College in the morning. Wish me luck!
This is the happy gang I am spending the week with. Each year I sponsor a SCRUBS Health Career Camp at Roper St. Francis Healthcare. I intend to make their heads spin! So far so good. I am den mother to the gang at St. Francis Hospital while Cathy Hallman Kenner shepherds our guests at Roper Hospital.
I am hoping these students will take care of my when I am old and frail. :) Meanwhile, I'd better get to bed so I'll have enough energy to keep up with them in the morning. G'night kids!
Here is a bonus joke from Beliefnet.com thrown in for good measure. Yep, they have a joke of the day feature:
E-mail Me a Prayer
I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord’s Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer.
Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer:
“Lead us not into temptation,” she prayed, “but deliver us some e-email. Amen.”
My $10 duck may not have won the Rotary Duck Race but I felt like the grand prize winner being out on the water to watch the annual festivities. What fun!
I had invited St. Andrew's Rotary Club members to set up a table selling ducks at the hospital last month since they had generously included Nursing Scholarships as a beneficiary of the charity. I mentioned on Friday that I might head out to Daniel Island to watch the ducks come in and the next thing I knew there was a package in my mailbox with a ticket for the Rotary sponsored boat going out to watch the drop from under the Wando bridge. Too fun! Thanks to Philip Cook for my fun morning. I love last minute adventures.
The ducks are sponsored for $10 and then dumped off the Wando Bridge. Not all the swimmers followed directions and I got a kick out the Rotary Navy boats equipped with nets to capture the strays - and with the current and winds most of them did stray! Heheh. Naturally those were my favorite pictures.
It is estimated that $100,000 was raised for a number of charities. Thanks Rotarians!
Where does a brown bear on George St. go to get out of the rain from tropical storm Andrea? I'd hide out in Caviar & Bananas myself. This fella was a surprise!
How absurd! to swallow a bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I don't know why she swallowed the fly, Perhaps she'll die.
Notice a trend here? I mentioned earlier that there was a probably a building like this in every South Carolina town. I may track them down. They are usually barber shops although the one above has been turned into what looks like a used furniture store. Let me know if you spot another one with the same layout.
I had lunch recently in the Single Smile Cafe in Summerville and picked out a bag of Organic Assam Tea from their wonderful selection. I boasted that I had enjoyed Assam Tea in Assam (above). Reflecting back, I have sipped Darjeeling in Darjeeling, Assam in Assam, Kenyan tea in Kenya, Cocoa tea in Peru and Charleston Tea Plantation Tea on Johns Island.
More photos from the Assam trip in this album. *Travel Tuesdays will feature photos taken out of Charleston and the Lowcountry. Join me for Travel Tuesday field trips!
I've been to day lily heaven. Once a year Heidi and Charles Douglas open the day lily gardens at Brown's Ferry to guests and put their lilies on sale. I thought it might be a little crazy driving up from Charleston but I am so glad I did. Heidi and her granddaughter met me and told me to feel free to roam and take as many pictures as I liked. Wow....what glorious color. From sale lilies at $8 to well over $100 they were hard to resist.
Bio from Facebook: "What happens when an Ohio girl marries a South Carolina boy and they go off to make baby daylilies together? You get some really exciting new daylilies! Heidi and Charles Douglas are producing some outstanding plants that are selected for their northern hardiness. And the flowers are to die for. Come meet these great daylily people and see what they've been been up to. You'll be glad you did."
I was ready for the long drive back home when I was invited in for lunch. Lunch? "That's the way it's been done for nineteen years", I was told. Mark your calendar for next year!
The Oleanders are in bloom at Colonial Lake making a nice frame for the Baker House. When I recently featured old pictures of the downtown hospitals someone asked about the old Baker Hospital. This is it. It is now ritzy condos.
Baker House: The Baker House was constructed in 1912 as the Baker-Craig Sanitarium. This sixty-bed hospital and nursing school was founded by Dr. Archibald E. Baker Sr. and Dr. Lawrence Craig. The Baker House was designed by John D. Newcomer and Ernest V. Richards, prominent architects of the period. The building is a rare example of early 20th-century Eclectic architecture in Charleston, with Mission Revival and Craftsman design features. The Baker Hospital relocated in 1981, and in 1983 the building was rehabilitated for residential use. The building is protected under a conservation easement by the Preservation Society.
I hope everyone is having a good weekend. I am trying to spruce up my yard and stopped at Lowes to load up my little car with greenery, blossoms and edging stones. I've been spending so much at Lowes I might as well arrange to have my paycheck directly deposited there. On the way home I stopped at the new Black Bean Company restaurant on Savannah Highway. Yum! They have a full dinner menu now and had live music playing. It was a healthy, tasty oasis in the KMart parking lot.
My last entry in the Guess What S.C. town? series was clearly too easy. Let's see if anyone recognizes this spot. You'd have to be very familiar with back roads because I had to check the next sign to figure out where I was myself. The cool mural was painted on the sign of a car wash.
Let's see who knows their small towns in South Carolina. Where is this tiny Barber & Beauty Shop? Not that it matters. There is probably one just like it in every small town in South Carolina.
Fourteen flours high counts as a sky scraper on the Charleston peninsula but we got used to it. Built in 1950 it is considered at the end of it's usable life. Now the Beach Company is hoping to rezone the area and will probably demolish the Sergeant Jasper apartment building. Susan Cohen at the Charleston City Paper reports on the discussion of the six acre area might be used for.
As it stands today, the big, brown Sergeant Jasper apartment building on Lockwood Boulevard (or Broad Street, if you'd like) shoots up 150 feet into the Lowcountry air. It has 14 occupied floors, plus two additional floors for mechanical equipment. There is also 17,000-square-feet of commercial space leased by doctor's offices, insurance and financial planning companies, and a minimart, while a mix of college students, MUSC nurses and interns, young urban professionals, and retirees live in the 221 one- and two-bedroom units. And these are very, very small apartments. "If you want to have a refrigerator, you have to put it in your closet because there's not room to put one in your kitchen," explains Kent Johnson, vice president of the Beach Co., which owns the Sergeant Jasper. The pipes for the plumbing systems are so small that the units can't have garbage disposals or dishwashers. And the whole place smells a little funny.
If those walls could talk we might have an interesting book about Charleston. Each former tenant could write a chapter.
I like to throw in a bonus shot with a cool automobile for Lowandslow. That usually earns me a comment!
Gourmet grocery stores! Delicious treats where you can have a table for one and get a great meal and a glass of wine on a walk. Oh yum. This shot was taken at Caviar & Bananas. No worries. I left with a Duck Confit sandwich for a picnic.
Stop the press: I just noticed there are a few more days for their 5 for 5 Menu that goes through May.
I couldn't resist passing on this wonderful photograph and bit of history that was being shared on Facebook. I have never seen this picture before.
"According to Professor David Blight of the Yale University History Department, the first Memorial Day was observed by formerly enslaved black people at the Washington Race Course (today the location of Hampton Park) in Charleston, South Carolina. The race course had been used as a temporary Confederate prison camp in 1865 as well as a mass grave for Union soldiers who died there. Immediately after the cessation of hostilities, formerly enslaved people exhumed the bodies from the mass grave and reinterred them properly with individual graves. They built a fence around the graveyard with an entry arch and declared it a Union graveyard. The work was completed in only ten days. On May 1, 1865, the Charleston newspaper reported that a crowd of up to ten thousand, mainly black residents, including 2,800 children, proceeded to the location for a celebration which included sermons, singing, and a picnic on the grounds, thereby creating the first Decoration Day."
Edit: I was informed that although the story is historically true the photograph is not from Charleston but a scene in Hampton, Virginia. This link has more information on the beginnings of Memorial Day.
Let's make a law that every homeowner in Charleston is required to plant Confederate Jasmine and azaleas. It won't pass, but how much more fun to argue about than the current bills up for discussion. I am stepping up and offering to be the Floral Inspector.
Welcome to Charleston. You will need to plant some jasmine. No, I don't. Yes, you do. No, I don't. Get out.
Thanks to these upstanding citizens who followed my unwritten rules for living in the lowcountry. I must be allowed to stay as well. I had my old garage covered in jasmine in town and although it isn't blooming yet, I have some started in my new nest.
Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the US Armed Forced. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.
Built in the symmetrical style of Italian architect Andrea Palladio, Drayton Hall is an 18th century plantation house preserved in its original form and open for public tours. Especially notable is its large projecting portico, a classic Palladian feature. It served both as protection from the sun and as a place to openly view the grounds.
The shadow of the world's tallest building moves across an arid urban landscape like a giant sundial. What time is it? Time to gape in disbelief at the Burj Khalifa's astonishing height! To see more of my photographs from the United Arab Emirates see my new tumblr blog, Hue and Eye Photography.
This figure is part of mural painted on the side of Planet Follywood Bar on Folly Beach. The painter is award winning Charleston artist James Christopher Hill. Any of you film buffs know the depicted Hollywood actor and in which movie he played?
Looking a bit like a geological tea pot, a butte of chalk rises above the High Plains of Kansas at Monument Rocks. In 1968 these rocky outcrops became the first designated National Natural Landmark in the U.S. Their origins however are much older... This outcrop brews a mixture of 80 million year old fossils with multiple layers of sediment from an ancient inland sea.
Channels of erosion in limestone rock form "rivers of stone" at McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas. The Cretaceous age limestone is the result of an ancient shallow sea which covered present day Texas.
Drayton Hall is one of the few plantation houses to survive from the colonial era. It was built in 1742 and designed in the Italian style of Palladio. In contrast to most of the other Charleston area plantations, it endured the marauding forces of both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, persevering in its original state. Unlike players on reality TV, Drayton Hall is a real survivor.
An antebellum mansion looms above South Battery in evening light. A low angle view brings out quintessential Charleston elements of architecture... a tall ornate gate, multi-columned piazza and hipped roof.
Where is the best place to buy souvenirs when in Rome? Probably in front of the Colosseum. You can buy a soccer ball and kick it around with your friends where plebeians once cheered the gladiators of ancient Rome. And don't forget to buy a delicious ice cream afterwards... GOOOOOOAL!
Not only does this fan cool the room, it's also perfect for hanging cotton shirts to dry. And yes, the word cotton comes from the Arabic qutn. To see more photographs from our UAE trip, take a look at my new tumblr blog
This aged truck once enjoyed a vigorous life with a fresh green coat of paint. But since retirement, its splendid green has faded as it languishes in abandonment, subject to corrosive elements of the weather. It has remained sedentary for so long it is known now for its bright red hues, hence the name Old Rusty.
There is nothing quite like the textures at farms... the rough hardwood of fences and barns, the bristly fur of livestock, the soft feathers of fowl, the delicate leaves of crops and gardens, the cool metal of machinery, the firm yet friable feel of the earth... the simple joy of being connected with the land.
Along Rough Ridge, the Tanawha Trail becomes a boardwalk over a fragile mountain-heather ecosystem. Rhododendrons bloom rosy hues while in the distance the Line Cove Viaduct, part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, can be seen below a cliff.
The solitary remains of an old pine overlooks a lake in the Rocky Mountains. As this tree fades to dust, younger pines growing near by will replace it. The life cycle continues.
This "Stonehenge" on Folly Beach is nothing more than the rotting remains of an old jetty. Despite man's best efforts, constant erosion by wind and water whittle away the beaches. And yet, we continue to be drawn to the magnificent, natural boarder of land and sea.
A scene on Edisto Island symbolizes the way many envision the Deep South... a tunnel of live oak limbs festooned with Spanish moss, arching over a rural road... y'all.
Years ago one of the spectacles of Charleston was the colorful and profuse blooming of oleanders along the entire length of East Battery. It was one of my favorite places to go to capture the picturesque beauty of the city.
But in recent years the parks department has kept the fast growing shrubs trimmed low, and the abundant flowers no longer frame the views of the old antebellum mansions.
A quiet morning at The Battery shows an old canon and a statue of General Moultre facing sunrise over the harbor. William Moultre's defense of the harbor at Sullivan's Island prevented the British from capturing Charleston in the early stages of the American Revolution.
Even with all the military reminders at The Battery, it is the perfect locale for a peaceful day's beginning.
I made this image of wavy salt marsh grass looking straight down from the Ravenel Bridge several years ago. I was captivated by the strong color and texture, a perfect match for the Velvia slide film I was using at the time. Spoleto chose the shot as an accent image in this year's ticket brochure.
A spotlight venue for Spoleto performances is the old Dock Street Theatre. Included in this year's shows is Matsukaze, a Japanese Noh play made into an opera... sung in German with English subtitles... directed by a Chinese director... in Charleston's French Quarter. You don't want to miss this one!
Saint Philip's Church is an iconic landmark in Charleston's French Quarter, where many art galleries and restaurants can be found. The French Quarter is also a busy locale for Spoleto events.
The city of Charleston holds its own version of Spoleto called Piccolo Spoleto. Historic Saint Philip's Church is the venue for one of the Piccolo events, a choral music performance featuring the Singers of Summerville.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.PNG)
.PNG)
++-+out+front.jpg)
.jpg)
jpg.jpg)
+-+Topaz+Denoise+-+Clarity.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
+emotional+energy.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
+teams+with+Frankie's+Blues+Mission.jpg)
\
+snoozes+in+the+sun.jpg){kind=link}
