Feature Story Sustainable Seafood: On The Bubble Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
Efforts to make sustainable food more visible and available are increasing. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments
get outta town Kendall Lukas Visits Wilmington, N.C. Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
Kendall Lukas has stars in her eyes and history under her feet as she explores the neighboring port city of Wilmington, N.C. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments A Lowcountry Life From Ballet Shoes To Bikinis Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
Poland native Maria Dobrzanska Reeves uses her dance discipline to achieve success in Charleston. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments essay Splashing Through Childhood Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
Author Ron Daise looks for joy and finds it in remembering his children in their youth. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments homestyle Cooking in the Great Outdoors Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
More on Megan Westmeyer and Jennifer Smith’s visit to Swimming Rock Fish Farm Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments from the editor Water World Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
I love being in water. I love that clear, cool swishing feeling around my ears. In fact, on a warm, sunny day, I like to go outside and get as hot as possible and then dive into a cool pool. For me, it’s refreshment at its finest. Read More 1 comment(s) / read/add comments distinctively charleston Beach Music Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
You can see the shrimp boats from your restaurant table, so that shrimp pasta on the menu has to be fresh and local. Right? Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments just dogs Water Babies Tuesday, July 1, 12 00 a.m.
We celebrate what we treasure in the Lowcountry and beyond that gives us an interior smile. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments from the editor Maxximum Style Thursday, May 1, 03 49 p.m.
My 14-year-old niece visited Charleston with her parents in March. She’s from Moscow, Russia, and I had not seen her in more than 10 years. There’s a big difference between 4 and 14! Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments feature story Holy City Style Thursday, May 1, 03 49 p.m.
When Nancye Starnes decided to move out of Memphis, she drew up a list of “must haves” for her new hometown: it had to be a walkable city, located on the water, and sizeable enough to support a vibrant performing arts community. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments just dogs Citadel Charmers Thursday, May 1, 03 48 p.m.
Move aside – bulldog coming through. In January, the American Kennel Club announced that the Bulldog, one of the most recognizable and iconic purebred dogs, has muscled its way into the 10th spot on the organization’s annual list of the most popular breeds in America. Read More 2 comment(s) / read/add comments delectable delights Beyond Cookie Cutter Thursday, May 1, 03 48 p.m.
Prime ingredients, Nostalgic tastes and creative bakers transform Lowcountry cookies into high-style confections. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments A Lowcountry Life Working for Peanuts Thursday, May 1, 03 48 p.m.
Anthony Wright, the man known throughout the Lowcountry and across the nation as Tony the Peanut Man, never intended to make his living selling boiled goobers. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments get outta town Kendall Lukas Visits Charlotte, NC Thursday, May 1, 03 48 p.m.
I had never been to Charlotte … not really. Well, I’ve gotten my kicks at Carowinds because that was part of being a kid in the Carolinas, and I’ve been to concerts at the open-air Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre because it’s a large complex for big-time acts. I’ve visited my sister at UNC Charlotte and have flown through the city’s major transit airport many times. But as for the metropolis of Charlotte, I’d only ever viewed its high-rises from afar. This time I took an up-close look at the interior and found a lot of reasons to relish in North Carolina’s top travel destination. Read More 1 comment(s) / read/add comments distinctively charleston Turning Heads Thursday, May 1, 03 48 p.m.
Bessie is almost 50 and looks as good today as she did in her youth – maybe even better. After all, back then she was hanging from a pole. Now she runs circles around the rest of us, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments homestyle Café Comfort Thursday, May 1, 03 46 p.m.
Banquettes are big. Heidi Walker, Allied ASID, of Walker Design Group, is currently working on three different kitchens that have banquettes. For this kitchen in a young couple’s home on Sullivan’s Island, Walker created a café atmosphere by building on the existing element of the laminated floor. “This promotes a casual impromptu gathering space,” she says. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments ESSAY Lowcountry Style Thursday, May 1, 12 00 a.m.
If you want to experience real Lowcountry style, you need to come to the Hebron Saint Francis Senior Center. Its members are long time Johns Island residents, a hardscrabble group of African-American women who meet every Wednesday for devotion and quilt making. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments homestyle Jewel Box Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
Although one of the smallest rooms in a house, a powder room is nonetheless important since most of your guests will pay it a visit. Jennifer Rhodes, ASID, principal designer of J. Rhodes Design, took the popular concept of making this room a “jewel box” and ran with it, creating a luxurious surprise in this 3-foot by 7-foot Daniel Island room. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments distinctively charleston Treasure Hunt Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
For some it’s a hobby; for some it’s an obsession; and for some it is all about the experience. Under a table, out of a box of old papers or tucked in a dark corner, you see it. It might have been neglected, someone no longer valuing it, but you know its true worth. Your heart speeds up and suddenly you realize … you found a something you must have.
Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments feature Story Let’s Go! Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
It is official – spring has sprung! As winter wanes, so does our brief tolerance for being cooped indoors. We have a bridge to walk, nature paths to bike, bass to catch, and azaleas that need planting. So dangle off the dock, put the top down, grab the gear out of the garage, or get the dogs ready for a ride. It is time for Lowcountry residents to play outside! Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments get outta town Kendall Lukas Visits Aiken, SC Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
Today Aiken is somewhat old-fashioned, but it is cosmopolitan in its direction. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments feature Story Exceptional Educators Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
Three Lowcountry teachers go beyond the call of duty to make a difference. We see it splashed across the headlines every day. South Carolina schools are struggling. In fact, it’s even become an issue in the upcoming presidential election. And with good reason. Our schools are struggling, dropout rates are hovering in some districts around 50 percent, and the heated debate about the emphasis on testing continues. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments essay The Art of Walking Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
The word “art” usually brings to mind pictures of such objects as paint brushes, canvases, pigments, and marble statuary. It does not call up, necessarily, the image of the walker or the bliss and freedom of the path – beaten or unbeaten – that unfurls ahead. But to walk, to enter truly the experience of locomotion merged with one’s surroundings, alert to air and leaf and salamander, is to practice a high and much-forgotten art. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments letter from the editor Go-Go Girl Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
"Go” has practically become my middle name. I’ve always been a fast mover, even when my body isn’t really up to it. A quick climb up three flights of stairs will remind me of this every time. Lately I feel like I’m constantly on-the-go: work; household chores; child rearing; trips to the grocery; trips to Target; trips to the vet to care for Bugsy, my dear aging Westie. It seems that ”going” has become an American pastime; if you’re not crazy-out-of-your-mind busy then you’re not doing something right. I disagree. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments delectable delights Spring Fling Saturday, March 1, 12 00 a.m.
Mother Nature delivers the first flush of spring in asparagus, onions and peas.
Spring enters life so beautifully,
With love within her tears of rain;
She whispers softly in my ear
Her presence in the world again. Read More 0 comment(s) / read/add comments
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The Great outdoors is calling, so shake off the winter cobwebs and enjoy spring
It is official – spring has sprung! As winter wanes, so does our brief tolerance for being cooped indoors. We have a bridge to walk, nature paths to bike, bass to catch, and azaleas that need planting. So dangle off the dock, put the top down, grab the gear out of the garage, or get the dogs ready for a ride. It is time for Lowcountry residents to play outside!
A Day in the Park
A popular choice for outdoor enjoyment is one of Charleston County’s well-designed parks and associated facilities. There are more than 16 to choose from, including Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, James Island County Park and dog park, Mullet Hall Equestrian Center on Johns Island, and the Folly Beach Fishing Pier. These public areas are ideal for activities such as fishing and crabbing, entertaining children, exercising, picnicking, and even pedal boating.
“I found out about Palmetto Island County Park from my Mom’s Group,” says Kris Galmarini, a new mother who frequently walks and runs outdoors. “It’s incredibly scenic with trails that go over wooden bridges or lead to docks on the water. It also has a great playground.”
You may well recognize the park names, but did you know that the climbing wall in James Island County Park is South Carolina’s tallest outdoor climbing structure? Or that North Charleston’s Wannamaker County Park has a unique 20-foot play hill for children? Or that Mullet Hall Equestrian Center has 20 miles of rural riding trails, and regularly hosts Hunter Jumper shows and other equine events?
The City of Charleston itself manages more than 90 parks and outdoor arenas, including the Peninsula’s beloved Marion Square; our old favorite, Hampton Park; our new favorite, Waterfront Park; and the picturesque Whitepoint Gardens.
Daniel Island has a park in each of its neighborhoods and is also the site of The Charleston Battery stadium, home of the city’s professional A-League soccer team, whose season begins in March with the Carolina Challenge Cup.
West Ashley is home to historic Charles Towne Landing, featuring a 22-acre natural habitat zoo, an African-American cemetery dating to the 19th century, and 80 acres of English gardens.
Amy Lutz, a West Ashley resident and Mount Pleasant business owner, often takes her elementary school children there in warm weather months. “It’s a convenient, beautiful place for the whole family to ride bikes together. We often see people we know there too.”
A spring must-see is the Angel Oak on Johns Island, one of the ancient wonders of the South with a park all her own! And while jaunting around Johns, you might as well head toward Seabrook Island to Rosebank Farms’ petting barnyard/museum/produce palace.
A Day in the Country
For those of you who would rather go for a ride than “park it,” an afternoon trip out to Rockville may be more up to speed. The country drive through Wadmalaw Island is oak-laden and breathtaking. The very much alive “dead-end” that is Rockville leaves behind a lasting imprint of the magic of the Lowcountry.
“I love to get in the car on the weekends and just drive the country roads of these islands,” says Margaret Martin, a longtime Johns Island resident. “There is so much to see out here in the middle of nowhere.”
While in the neighborhood, take a tour of the tea gardens at the Charleston Tea Plantation or visit Irvin House Vineyards, a 48-acre muscadine vineyard and winery. One of the Irvins will treat you to a tasting and welcome you to meander around, and one of their dogs is sure to accompany.
With all the “U-pick” farms in the region, spring is the ideal time to put all hands in – the dirt, that is! Why buy fruits and vegetables from afar when the best produce is growing right in our back yard? Take your pick of local produce at Ambrose Farms on Wadmalaw or Boone Hall Farms in Mount Pleasant.
A Day On the Water
From blackwater kayaking at The Inn at Middleton Place to taking a boat ride across the harbor to Fort Sumter, there is no shortage of aquatic recreation. If you have never taken the Coastal Expeditions ferry to Boneyard Beach on Bull Island, now is the time!
Sail through the swamp on a glass bottom boat at Cypress Gardens, an old rice plantation. The gardens have 4.5 miles of trails, a 2,500-square-foot butterfly house, an Aquarium Reptile Center and Aviary, a wildflower field, and a rare crocodile habitat.
“Spring is the busiest season for us because it is peak flower season,” says Scoot Bazzle, maintenance manager at Cypress Gardens. “The azaleas are in full bloom. On March 29 we put on the Breath of Spring Festival, our biggest single-day event, with live bands and vendors. There is music for everyone from bluegrass to Native American to traditional gospel. It’s a great time to come out.”
The charm of Charleston in spring is that it brings out the best in all of us! We are suckers for balcony sunsets, the return of sand in our toes, and the blessing of early arrival balmy breezes. We like to get back to nature whether it is on the water or in the dirt. Heck, a simple afternoon cocktail in the sun will suffice. Anything to enjoy all the aesthetically pleasing reasons we choose to live in the beautiful Lowcountry!
Lowcountry Living is a bi-monthly magazine of The Post and Courier, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C. 29403-4800. Copyright 2007 by The Post and Courier.
No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without express written permission from The Post and Courier. Printed by R.L. Bryan, Columbia, S.C. Click here to email the editor
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