Tag: SC

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!

Bowens Island Restaurant Menu – as of August 2012…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD4 Comments

Bowens Island is a fabulous restaurant to visit. Here’s an update to my Bowens Island Menu post… a slightly new menu, so here is the latest as of August 2012!  The prices are still a deal. This restaurant has atmosphere like you won’t believe. It was fun to watch people walk in and say “WOOOOWWWW” mouths open, eyes wide. For all the notoriety it receives you would think it would be fancy (thank goodness it’s not!). The new menu has a photo of the old Bowens Island restaurant, this is what it looks like today… this place has a view that simply cannot be beat! We got there early (couldn’t wait!), but if you can hold out, the sunsets are magnificent!

Fred and I visited Bowens Island last week and had the best time as always! Fried shrimp that is so fresh and delicious it will put a smile on your face! So check out the menu, and pop on over for a quick bite, or lounge on the outside deck. It’s not health food, but if you splurge once in a while it truly is a treat!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… William Berra!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

This piece caught my eye. Artist William (Bill) Berra uses a stunning mix of color and light. I stop in my tracks at that warm golden light, with just enough of the sun hitting the landscape to make it so interesting.The light is so radiant and warm, the strokes loose and deliberate. All the great shadows from the cloudy day. THE. CLOUDS. WHOA! Amazing how light is peeking through. Very nice. I was happy to find that Bill Berra’s work is right here in Charleston, SC at the Sylvan Gallery. So if you’re in town… stop by and check it out! This painting is nothing short of amazing, click to enlarge (at least I know I can with my MAC)… hopefully all computers can??

Here’s a blip about Bill from the Sylvan Gallery website:

William Berra was raised in York, Pennsylvania and studied art there at the York Academy before moving on to the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts in Baltimore.  He left his formal training in favor of a nomadic life-style that carried him all across the country seeking subject matter for his plein-air paintings.  A winter storm stranded him in Santa Fe and he has made it his home ever since.  But the spirit of wanderlust still calls as he travels the world extensively in search of new material to paint.

William’s training as a “plein-air” painter is evident in the loose spontaneity of his pieces although he now does a great deal of his painting in the studio using his travel photographs as reference material.  His ability to make the viewer feel “oh, I’ve been there” has made him one of the most widely collected young artists in the country.

William’s work has been featured at many fine galleries throughout the country.  His work has also been exhibited at the Albuquerque Museum, at the Artists of America show in Denver, the Carmel Plein Air Competition and the Americana Museum in El Paso.  He was also the subject of an extensive article in a recent issue of Southwest Art.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Majestic Crape Myrtle’s in Charleston, SC

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME4 Comments

You don’t normally think of a crape myrtle tree as being “majestic”, but I would say these big old crape myrtles are pretty impressive! Their trunks are so interesting, the bark is such a beautiful color, almost the same as the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco! Hmmm, might be nice to color match, ha ha… wonder if the Benjamin Moore folks will come to a location and color match, ha ha…

Sometimes its the little things in life to make you smile. Don’t miss it! Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Art of the Staycation…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, THOUGHTS2 Comments

Charleston was voted #1 City in America by Conde Nast Traveler magazine… It’s been on the list for years, but this year it beat San Francisco! Whoa! I have to say, that’s another place that is near and dear to my heart! But since we live in Charleston, SC, I think a staycation is in order!

You’ve heard of it… a STAYCATION. Taking a vacation and staying at home all in one nice little package. A brilliant idea actually! However, the ART of a staycation may take some practice. It’s tricky to be “on vacation” while you’re at home. There are projects to be done, grass to cut, dishes to wash, and all of lifes everyday moments. BUT, life is short and you have to enjoy it while you can! So if you “take” a staycation, give yourself a break, you’ve worked hard, you need some R&R, no guilt!

A staycation has some nice benefits… No packing, no spending money on flights, no hotels, none of the other headaches that come with traveling. You can still get out and see some sites and still save money! (And what better place than Charleston, SC??) It gives you time to be a tourist in your own city. We don’t seem to get to many of the tourist attractions in Charleston and this is a perfect opportunity. So as of today, we are officially on STAYCATION. I guess I can’t say we’re “going” on staycation… we’re “staying” on staycation!

We have some ideas of places we want to go, for instance to the Gibbe’s Museum of Art to see the Mary Whyte: Working South exhibition! We’ve got so many great restaurants in Charleston, SC, that we’ll have to mull the options over a bit more!

I haven’t decided if I’m going to post photos from each days staycation or have a post scheduled for each day, but I guess you’ll figure it out. I will be posting every day regardless… haven’t missed a day since 1/1/2011, I’m heading into year two and I’m on a roll!

So stick with me! Have you been staycationing? Where do you go? What do you do? I was reading an article, it said when you staycation, you should do things differently, turn off your phone (eek), turn off your computer (double eek), plan different places to go (yay), etc. So we’re going to play it by ear. Maybe just cut down on computer time? Hee hee…

Catch you back here tomorrow… promise!

CHARLESTON image via CNTraveler.com

STAYCATION definition via Merriam-Webster.com

A Walk Downtown… (Charleston, SC)

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME4 Comments

How stately is this? Magnificent. Prestigious. Oh, Charleston is full of the most beautiful architecture dating back hundreds of years. Whenever I’m downtown I think what a wonderful city this would be to visit while on vacation… summer could prove a little humid for me, but it’s beautiful nonetheless! Everywhere you look there is a photo to be taken. So if you live here, grab your camera and head out! If you visit Charleston, bring extra batteries and a big memory card!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston SC Photos: Gardens of Charleston

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment

It is the exception, not the rule to have a large yard when you live in downtown Charleston, SC. For the most part the yards are very small. However, there are a few homes that have extensive yards that are just breathtaking. In the shot above my lens was poking through a fence so I was limited as to what I could snap a photo of… GORGEOUS!

Look at that! Magnificent! Someone stays very busy keeping that looking so perfect. What a treat for the eye!

What a great size yard! Especially if you have someone to maintain it!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photos: Doors in Charleston, SC…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME6 Comments

Fred and I took a walk around downtown early one Saturday morning and I brought along the camera (of course!). You can loose yourself taking photos downtown. THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO SEE! For the most part it was a cloudy morning, but the sun peeked through for a few shots… I love how the sunlight hits this beautiful wooden door. The quality of the homes downtown just cannot be beat. They are absolutely gorgeous!

I love the newspaper still on the step… and the carriage step from days gone by… it was a nice quiet morning… then the sun stayed out and it was a tad humid (understatement of the year)… it was nice while it lasted!

Everything is just. so. GRAND. Lovely!

Stay cool and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo: Italian Cypress Trees = Dramatic Photo

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment

Dramatic, eh? Photo taken while walking around downtown (Charleston, SC)…

I need to get up and go take photos early or late in the day… this was more around noon judging by the bright light, but you can still see what a cool place Charleston, SC is… everywhere you look there is a photo to be taken! If you are affected by heat, come in the winter! That’s when I really love Charleston! I wonder how many artists have painted this scene?

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Katie Dobson Cundiff!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment

“Merriewoods” by Katie Dobson Cundiff

I just love this painting for so many reasons. The cabin feels rustic and like something that fits within a perfect vacation, the trees are loose and full of character, the shadows are amazing and the clothes on the line, whoa! Those nicely added pops of color just make this painting extra special. This was one of the paintings that Katie had done for the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out (Cashiers, NC) that just ended on Saturday. What a delightful time that must have been. How great to be a spectator in such a beautiful location full of fabulous artists!

Another painting that I just love, also from the Cashiers Plein Air Paint Out:

“Toll House” by Katie Dobson Cundiff

I absolutely adore how the underpainting shows through, it just adds so much! The little bits of light on the house, the cool picket fence and gate, the bright green sunlit grass and the beautiful flowers in the foreground all make this painting what it is… fabulous!

If you happen to be in the Charleston, SC area, you’re in luck! You can see some of Katie’s work at Galerie On Broad… if you aren’t in the area, check out their website!

Here’s a blip about Katie from her website  (click HERE to read in full), she sounds like such an interesting person!:

I am primarily a landscape artist, although I enjoy painting many different subjects including portraits and figurative, animals, still life, rural landscapes, boats, and urban scenes.  I think my work differs from that of other artists because of the influence and instruction I received from my father.  As a child, I loved to sit and watch him work on his illustrations, and would often pose for him.  He would let me look through his art books and by the time I was a teenager, we had long discussions on art and artists.  He showed me the works of master artists Degas, Lautrec, Sargent, Sorolla, and Zorn (to name a few). Frequent visits to the Art Institute provided me the opportunity to study these and other great painters. This strong foundation in drawing and painting, and exploring the works of fine art masters has been the most important element in my journey and quest to becoming a “painter of life”.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Images: Katie Dobson Cundiff Facebook

Charleston Photo: Bocci’s Restaurant… special memories!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

This is a neat old restaurant located on Church Street in downtown Charleston, SC. It’s where we ate dinner on our wedding night almost twenty years ago! I love this neat brick and the cool awning, it’s a very authentic feeling space. We haven’t been in years, have you? Let me know if you’ve been recently, what did you get? Here’s their MENU. I don’t recognize any of our old favorites from long, long ago…  Strolling around downtown makes for some fabulous photo taking! I’ve seen artists paint Bocci’s and it’s always such a cool painting! Hmmm, Italian food is sounding mighty tasty right about now!

Charleston restaurants have such character…

Catch you back here tomorrow!