Tag: Charleston

Bowen’s Island… always a treat!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment

Bowens Island. Now THIS is a restaurant that appears in countless magazines, has a fabulous view, fresh seafood that is SO delicious. Bowens has accolades up the gazoo. Every time you turn around there’s another article. Its funny when you go there for the first time, after reading about it you just have it in your mind as maybe a little fancy… well not fancy, but not… well, have you been there? Mostly plywood and assorted creative decor, its a place that has ATMOSPHERE with a capital A.

You can eat in the main restaurant if you’re getting seafood or steamed oysters by the tray (a cafeteria type tray, which I would say is a good many)… OR you can eat in the OYSTER ROOM if you get the ‘All you can eat’ steamed oysters. It’s a hip and happening place. Bring a camera if you go around sunset. It’s stunning!

I posted their menu back in 2011 (also have posted the 2012 menu, but that was in August and there were no oysters), give it a peek!

Hey maybe I’ll see you at Bowens? Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Cup Steeplechase NOVEMBER 11, 2012

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTSLeave a comment

Image: CharlestonCup.net

Have you ever been to the Charleston Cup event? If not, now is the time to get your tickets! It’s a fun, festive time! Many of the women wear hats, the tents are festive and fancy, it’s a good time! Here’s a blip from Charleston Cup Steeplechase (check out their website for more info!):

The 19th running of the Charleston Cup is scheduled to take place at The Plantation at Stono Ferry on Sunday, November 11, 2012.

Sanctioned by The National Steeplechase Association, the Cup has become one of the premier sporting events in the Carolina Lowcountry, offering spectators the opportunity to experience live horse racing at its finest.

Started by the South Carolina Jockey Club, the Charleston Cup is much more than just a horse race. The Cup is the social event of the season – and definitely not to be missed! You don’t have to be a “horse person” to enjoy all the Charleston Cup has to offer. The race weekend kicks off with the elegant black-tie Race Ball on Friday. Live music, fabulous food and a special race preview combine to make this gala party an essential element in the total Cup experience.

Sunday morning, the real excitement begins as the nation’s top riders, trainers, and owners prepare to compete for purses totaling $50,000. Over 16,000 spectators will enjoy a full day at the races with exciting steeplechase and flat races. The gates open at 9:00 a.m., and attendees arrive early with their picnic baskets packed with everything from champagne and caviar to fried chicken and cold beer. A vendor village and tailgating are in full swing by the time the paddock call rolls around at 12:00 noon.

A steeplechase race differs from a flat race in many ways. Flat racing is exciting in that it has a great deal of speed while a steeplechase takes that speed and combines it with the danger of jumping. The thoroughbreds that run in steeplechase races are three years of age or older and have been trained specifically for ‘chasing.’ Additionally, the jockeys are typically larger than ones that would participate in a flat race. The extra height is necessary in order to have a better hold on the horse while soaring over the jumps.

Whether you are entertaining clients in a private corporate tent, relaxing with friends in a reserved parking space, or just spreading a blanket out for a picnic with a view, the Charleston Cup will provide one and all with the ingredients for a fun-filled weekend.

Click HERE to get tickets!

On another note… Charlie has been with us THREE YEARS as of today! Woohoo Charlie! Love this little beast!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

CFADA Fine Art Weekend begins TONIGHT in Charleston, SC!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART2 Comments
Laurie Meyer at CFADA painting in the park… Charleston, SC 2011
Laurie Meyer at CFADA painting in the park… Charleston, SC 2011

This weekend is one of my favorites. It’s Charleston Fine Art Dealers Association (CFADA) Fine Art Weekend here in Charleston, SC!
Tonight you can visit the galleries, meet both the local and visiting artists and tomorrow, ahhhh, tomorrow…!

Tomorrow (Saturday, November 3rd) you can watch them paint from 9AM until Noon in Washington Park. Nothing gives me greater joy than to watch an artist I admire paint a fabulous painting while I’m standing there with a cup of coffee in my hand, hee hee… It amazes me how everyone approaches a painting differently, yet they all end up so wonderful! I just cannot wait!

Paintings will be auctioned off Saturday night and  benefits go towards helping local schools provide art supplies…

Hey! Maybe I’ll see you there? I’ll be one of the ones with a camera around my neck! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Marc Dalessio!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Street in Korcula” by Marc Dalessio – Image: Ann Long

First, I want to mention the obvious. The look of my site has changed a wee bit. I think I have made it cleaner and easier to read. You aren’t on the wrong site, it’s me… I’ve just changed things a bit, let me know how you like (or don’t like) what you see! Personally, I love the orange vs. the red… but that’s me! My goal was to make it clear so you can see all that’s going on! Ok, enough admin stuff… on to the post!

Marc Dalessio is quite the artist AND quite the traveler. His website is so interesting, he shows his paintings, gives tips, talks about upcoming workshops (Swiss Alps!), check it out! He’s got lots of cool tips (i.e. what he does with his brushes when done painting). Definitely interesting whether you’re an artist or not! I was reading about where he lives between Florence, Italy (oh!!) and Zagreb, Croatia and travels quite a bit of the time to places all over the world, then I saw he was having a show at the Ann Long Fine Art Gallery (Charleston, SC) for the month of November 2012! So… if you’re in the area, you know where to go to see his work in person! From Ann Long Fine Art:

What’s so fascinating is that for each group of paintings you can see a clear difference in the color palette. For example, Italy the colors were much warmer. Marc has a clean painting style, I don’t know how to explain it… like his brush never gets dirty or mixed with a color he doesn’t want it to get mixed with. Hmmm, must be nice, ha ha…

Here’s a blip about Marc from the Ann Long Fine Art Gallery:

Marc Dalessio, born in 1972 in Los Angeles, California, is a naturalistic painter who at a young age has established himself as one of the foremost plein-air painters working today. 

Marc’s artistic training began at the University of California at Santa Cruz where he majored in biology and fine art. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1992, he moved to Florence, Italy and trained as a portraitist for four years under Charles Cecil at his atelier. Charles H. Cecil Studios is a school of fine art that offers a thorough training in the traditional techniques of naturalistic drawing and painting. Upon completion of his first year, Marc was awarded a full scholarship, and after finishing the full course, he became an advanced painting instructor at the school. 

Articles Featuring Marc Dalessio
American Artist, 12/09 (pdf)

Currently the landscape painting instructor at the Florence Academy of Art, Marc keeps a studio in Florence, Italy but travels for much of the year. Recent painting expeditions have included Greece and Albania, Morocco, Rajasthan, Sicily, Kenya, and the Caribbean. His works are in private collections worldwide.

Did you check out the article that was in American Artist? Very good! – Catch you back here tomorrow!

Happy Birthday to the love of my life!

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTS8 Comments

There is something about becoming comfortable in your own skin. In my opinion, turning 50 affords you that luxury. A luxury you say? Yep, a luxury! By age 50 you’ve become your own person who can be happy with the little things in life, you don’t worry so much about what others say and do. You learn that it’s not WHAT YOU HAVE it’s WHO YOU HAVE BECOME. It’s a lesson that can’t be learned in your 20’s, 30’s and even 40’s. I think at age 50 the lightbulb goes off and you finally ‘get it’. We are grateful for our health, thankful for our family’s health and blessed to have each other. Life. Is. Good.

Fred is the sweetest husband in the world. I wanted to spend lots of money have a big party to LET HIM KNOW how much I love him, how happy I am that he’s finally as old as I am (hee), I wanted to CELEBRATE HIM… BUT… I also want him to be able to retire one day, so I have restrained… (IT. WASN’T. EASY!) Bless me, hee!

Now here’s a photo of a kid who loves his cake! A kid, who is still a kid at 50 and STILL loves his cake. He just doesn’t eat it often, but when he does, he gets this big brilliant smile, oh how I love that smile!

I know I’ve posted this photo before, but I love it, and I love you Fred! Hope you have the best 50th birthday ever, and here’s wishing you FIFTY MORE!!

H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y ! !

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Coastal Carolina Fair begins TONIGHT!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment

Image: Coastal Carolina Fair

Well, it’s that time of year… the cool weather has arrived and to celebrate the Coastal Carolina Fair rolls into town! The fair opens today, October 25th through Sunday, November 4th, 2012! Hey, did you realize that the fair will be open TWO Sunday’s this year? First time ever! So get out and enjoy!

Here’s the Entertainment Lineup (via Coastal Carolina Fair’s website):

Lakefront Stage

Day Date Performer Time
Thursday
Oct 25, 2012
7:30
Friday
Oct 26, 2012
8:00
Saturday
Oct 27, 2012
8:00
Sunday
Oct 28, 2012
5:00
Monday
Oct 29, 2012
7:30
Tuesday
Oct 30, 2012
7:30
Wednesday
Oct 31, 2012
7:30
Thursday
Nov 1, 2012
7:30
Friday
Nov 2, 2012
8:00
Saturday
Nov 3, 2012
8:00
Sunday
Nov 4, 2012
4:30

 

With plenty of rides, food, entertainment, as well as a host of competitions (horse, art, pageant) I think you’ll find yourself quite entertained! Check out their website for Gate Hours and Ticket Prices!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston, SC voted #1 tourist destination in the WORLD as well as the United States!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment

Readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine have awarded Charleston, SC the number one tourist destination in the world as well as in the United States… Here’s a blip from an article written by Warren Wise in our local Post & Courier newspaper, click HERE to read the entire article:

Charleston on top of the world in tourist ranking

Last year, Charleston was flattered. This year, it’s on top of the world.

Readers of Conde Nast Traveler not only named the Holy City the No. 1 tourist destination in the U.S. for the second year in a row, but also the top travel city on the planet.

“It was a giant surprise for us,” said Helen Hill, executive director of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s an honor to be in the Top 3, but to be No. 1 twice in the U.S. is unbelievable and to be named No. 1 city in the world, you can’t do any better than that.”

Last year, Charleston came in third in the world, behind Sydney, Australia and Florence, Italy.

KUDOS Charleston! This is a great place to live, with plenty of restaurants, art galleries, beaches, shops, you name it, we have it! If you’re looking for a vacation destination, look no further!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: CondéNastTraveler.com

Photo Weekend: Charleston… a walk downtown…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME6 Comments

For those of you who aren’t from Charleston… these shots are taken near Hominy Grill. Now if you’ve been to Charleston, SC you’ve most likely been to Hominy Grill. Nice restaurant, great breakfast, haven’t been there for dinner, but I’m sure it’s all good! If you take a walk around that area you can see the most amazing things. For instance, this house. You wouldn’t believe how narrow it is, but how incredibly charming is it? It’s quite like a treehouse! And lucky for them, they can walk to Hominy Grill!

This also happens to be very near the Ashley Hall Private Girl’s Day School. A prestigious school in Charleston that dates back over 100 years! Their grounds are beautiful from what I could see!

Look at this unique building on the Ashley Hall campus! I believe it’s called the Shell House? Very interesting! Take time to walk around and see what YOU discover!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

39 Rue de Jean, a fabulous Charleston restaurant!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD3 Comments

My birthday was back in August… it fell on a Sunday this year, so Fred and I went to Rue de Jean for brunch. Let me tell you. WE. WERE. IMPRESSED. The service, the atmosphere, the food, the experience, it was all fabulous. We had the BEST coffee, wonderful food, and they brought me a dessert with a candle for my birthday! Oh, not any ole dessert, this was so special I can’t get it off of my mind, ha ha… POTS DE CRÈME AU CHOCOLAT  – when you go, order it! Trust me, you will have a big smile on your face! I mean LOOK at this! Pure delight in every way!

Even the simple things had that classy French twist…

A glimpse into the restaurant… they also have an upstairs. Check out their website, and their MENUS! I know where you’ll be soon!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Shrimp Boats at Shem Creek Park

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment

Shem Creek Park is a wonderful place to take a stroll. Located right at, well… Shem Creek (Mount Pleasant Seafood, Vickery’s, all the seafood restaurants, etc.) it’s a lovely dock and it’s long enough to take a nice stroll and snap LOTS of photos! Especially at sunset!

The temps should be getting a little cooler now making it more bearable! Enjoy and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

 

Resurrection Fern – I thought I was losing it!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment

One morning a friend and I were walking our dogs as we normally do… we were talking about the ferns in the trees. It seems they were so lush and green and now they were dying. In the photo above you can see the top ferns are starting to turn brown. That night my husband and I took the dog around the blog. I was telling him about the ferns in the trees turning brown. We looked up, and there they were, as lush and green as ever.  Ok… did I just dream that my friend and I had talked about the ferns turning crispy brown and dying in these large old oak trees? Google saved my sanity! I Googled “Resurrection Fern”… it wasn’t my imagination WOOHOO, the ferns turn brown and appear to be dead. When it rains they’re rehydrated and turn a lush green without a speck of brown! It is the most amazing thing! I read a neat ARTICLE that explains it. Apparently there is a special protein the resurrection fern has called DEHYDRIN which allows it to become lush and green only hours after receiving rain/water! These ferns last up to 100 years!

How cool is that? Can you believe that it goes from lush and green…

To crispy and brown… and back again as soon as it rains!

Amazing! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Delicious lunch – Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B) – Charleston, SC

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD4 Comments

THE DECISION…

Slightly North of Broad is a wonderful restaurant located in Charleston’s Historic District, located on East Bay Street, they are located in a convenient place for both locals and visitors alike. It has a great atmosphere and friendly people working. It can be busy, so be patient. A few weeks ago Fred and I had a delicious lunch at Slightly North of Broad, (also known as S.N.O.B. ha ha, brilliant) – I was there years and years ago. They have something called an EXPRESS LUNCH, (changes daily) which is an entree, soup or house salad and coffee or tea. A $10.95 lunch at a higher end restaurant proves to be quite a deal. However, that day we both saw something else on the menu that grabbed our attention… After much consideration, Fred ordered a Pastrami Sandwich… it wasn’t any old pastrami sandwich, their menu changes daily so I don’t have the specifics, (Google Slightly North of Broad Pastrami, ha ha… no kidding! People love the stuff!), he ordered potato salad as his side. I had a bite, it wasn’t ordinary potato salad, it was very very nice. Now this was no Dr. Oz approved lunch, however, I did the best I could! The restaurant didn’t make a mistake in the photo below, I asked for only 1/2 sandwich, and they kindly obliged.  I love restaurants who realize not everyone likes a large portion. I ordered homemade potato chips with my sandwich- THE BEST EVER! I haven’t had a reuben since I was a kid and it was SO GOOD. I had a big ole smile on my face! (Click HERE for MENU).

I cannot believe we don’t have a photo of dessert!  I think we were so excited we ate it before we thought of it! We had BOSTON CREAM PIE.

Oh heavens. Let me go eat a Quinoa Puff for lunch now… whoopie!

I can’t wait to go back! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Restaurant Week September 5- 16, 2012!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment

Charleston Restaurant Week is here! Beginning today (September 5, 2012) through September 16, 2012 find out what all the hoopla is about! This is a time that both visitors and locals look forward to.  A chance to dine at the fabulous restaurants in Charleston while getting a deal at the same time! Those of us who live in Charleston, SC are so fortunate to have the cream of the crop, the top notch, the very, very best restaurants all around us! NOW is your chance to visit them! Charleston Restaurant Association has a great website. The link shows the list of participating restaurants (there are many!), along with their menu and their website. Click HERE to check it out!

Hey, if you go, let me know how you enjoyed it! Do you live here, or did you make vacation plans around restaurant week? I’m telling you now is the time to get out and visit area restaurants. That’s what Fred and I did when he took off for a staycation… it was fabulous. We went to restaurants we don’t normally frequent, and we had the best time! These restaurants have some mouth watering options… and it all starts TODAY! Check out that above link!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

MONZA… quite possibly the best pizza on earth?

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

Have you been to Monza? Located in Charleston, SC it’s quite possibly the best pizza you’ll ever taste! Here’s a general blip about their pizza from their website:

Hundreds of thousands have been making the pilgrimage to Monza since 1922. They go to witness greatness and glory. Sometimes horror. Sitting in the stands, some hanging in trees, they watch Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lotus run wild along 6.25 miles of sexy twists and turns. Monza is an Italian super speedway forever etched in racing history. Catapulting drivers into heroes. From La Pista Magica – the magic track – comes our Neapolitan style pizza. 

Our dough is made using imported San Felice wheat flour, natural Neapolitan yeast, filtered and pH balanced water then kneaded with a mixer imported from Naples. Our pizza is baked in a wood fired oven at 1000 degrees resulting in a thin crispy crust, topped with fiore di latte mozzarella, and fresh local and regional ingredients whenever possible. Rev it up for Monza.

 That crust they speak of… pure heaven in your mouth. It’s thin, but not like most thin/cardboard pizza. This is so good you just won’t believe it. Everything was exquisite. The mozzarella, the crust, the fresh sauce, oh boy, did we have a great lunch! We love their butter beans. A weird thing to love, but their butter beans taste like nothing you’ve ever tasted. They’re in a word… lovely! After the beans we had pizza… the first one was VON TRIPS it has house made Italian Sausage and seasonal greens. When I asked the waitress about the seasonal greens, she said that day it was kale… they sauté the kale and put it on top of the pizza and bake it. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse… whoa, that turns this into a super healthy food, kinda… Let me say, there was the perfect amount of italian sausage on the pizza, not smothered with it, just a little here and there, it added the perfect flavor without a ton of fat. The second pizza was the Materassi, with the fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil… we split both and came home with enough for lunch! They have great music playing, which adds to the ambiance. The space itself is very cool, someone spent time figuring it out and making it really quite nice. I love the orange glass tiles on the wall. If you’re in the area, I highly suggest you stop by… Here’s a link to their MENU!

Hope to see you there!

Location: 451 King Street, Charleston, SC

843.720-8787 | info@monzapizza.com

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm

Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Day trip… ROCKVILLE, SC

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, TRAVEL4 Comments

I mentioned a while back that my husband took some time off work and we had a staycation…we had a GREAT time. Took in the local sights, restaurants while still taking the dog (and ourselves) for a walk each day. It was so nice! One day we ventured to Rockville, SC.  A beautiful little town. A wonderful place to take photographs. It’s a little tricky to find a place to park. I was very careful to be respectful of peoples privacy. There are so many absolutely GORGEOUS homes you just want to take photos until you can’t take them any more. It’s a short trip from Charleston, SC. It’s not a place to go shopping, or out to eat. Just to take a little drive through and enjoy the beauty.

It was a cloudy day but still the photos are magnificent because ROCKVILLE is magnificent! It really is like stepping back in time. The big old oak trees, the charming homes, the views of the water… lovely!

One downside… MOSQUITOES… holy cow, I’ve never seen so many in my life. I was a walking Mosquito Magnet! Actually I was just about running, stopping only long enough to snap a photo… must have been a sight, ha ha… that’s probably why I didn’t see a single person!

Catch you back here tomorrow!