One of the best parts of living in Summerville, is it's adorable and historical downtown area. I find myself down there at least a few times a week. In addition to the variety of unique shops, there are several well attended restaurants all in about a two block radius.
One thing that caught us by surprise when we moved down here is that the price of food is as high or higher than the Northeast. That's why I was so happy to hear that Summerville has a Farmers Market every Saturday starting in the spring till late fall, from 8am to noon, right behind the town hall. With $20 I am able to buy all of my fresh fruits and vegtables for the week, a loaf of organic bread, eggs, cheese and homemade dog biscuits for my faithful hound, Katey. Everything there is sold tax free and wholesale...what a bargain! There are also several local crafters present, which is nice if you want to splurge a bit. The downtown farmers market is well established for many popular years and sometimes the vendors change over. I hear there's a very long waiting list if you want a booth.
However, the market is more than just a place to buy your produce for the week, it's an entire social scene unto itself. It's an excellent way to meet and catch up with your neighbors. Last week I brought Katey and was instantly the hit of the hour. It's amazing how a cute and friendly dog raises your social standing. We talked and introduced ourselves to everyone. I think it's safe to say we'll be a big supporter of the local farmers for years to come.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Can I get an Amen!
My mother in law was a real trooper and shared the drive with me when I moved down here. Thank God, the drive down 95 is a real snore. She stayed with us a few days, and her and I took in a bit of downtown Charleston. Her one request was to have a really good seafood dinner. Well, nearly every restaurant downtown has seafood, but we had no recommendation to go on what was worth it.
As the dinner hour approached we found ourselves taking in the Charleston Place Hotel shops and it's very classy lobby. Now having worked in hospitality for many years I knew the Concierge would be able to make an excellent recommendation for a seafood restaurant. I approached Rick at the Concierge desk working the evening shift and told him we were looking for the best casual seafood place nearby. Rick's advice was a restaurant called Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar on East Bay St. A little known tip...although lots of casual restaurants do not take reservations, including Amen, they will make exceptions for Charleston Place Hotel guests. Score!
Fifteen minutes later we found ourselves seated in a cozy nook. You can feel the history emanating from the aged bricks. The décor stays true to the architecture of the historical building, with a few surprises, like the chandeliers made from oyster shells. Service was friendly and efficient and we cooled off with some iced beverages to start.
We ordered the Jumbo Crispy Calamari as well as the Shrimp and Vegetable Spring Rolls for appetizers. Both were delicious, I found myself scraping the plate from the spring rolls, cleverly shaped as triangles and served with hoisin sauce, sriracha, and lemon aioli. For entrees my mother in law chose the Peel and Eat Shrimp, my husband ordered the special Seared Tuna, and I got the Lump Crab Cake with a side of green beans. We all shared some of our plates with each other, which made for a varied and fun dinner. The crab cake was very well done, with nice chunks of fresh meat. I especially enjoyed the green beans, which were seasoned and cooked to perfection, just a hint of snap when you bit in.
Normally, I don't have room for dessert, but the offerings were so tasty sounding we had to sample. Executive Chef Todd Garrison sent us a sample plate of the Chocolate Mousse, the Strawberry Shortcake and my husband's favorite Key Lime Pie. We didn't leave a crumb on the plate.
If you find yourself near The Market and hungry for lunch or dinner, give Amen Street a try. It definitely made my favorites list.
As the dinner hour approached we found ourselves taking in the Charleston Place Hotel shops and it's very classy lobby. Now having worked in hospitality for many years I knew the Concierge would be able to make an excellent recommendation for a seafood restaurant. I approached Rick at the Concierge desk working the evening shift and told him we were looking for the best casual seafood place nearby. Rick's advice was a restaurant called Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar on East Bay St. A little known tip...although lots of casual restaurants do not take reservations, including Amen, they will make exceptions for Charleston Place Hotel guests. Score!
Fifteen minutes later we found ourselves seated in a cozy nook. You can feel the history emanating from the aged bricks. The décor stays true to the architecture of the historical building, with a few surprises, like the chandeliers made from oyster shells. Service was friendly and efficient and we cooled off with some iced beverages to start.
We ordered the Jumbo Crispy Calamari as well as the Shrimp and Vegetable Spring Rolls for appetizers. Both were delicious, I found myself scraping the plate from the spring rolls, cleverly shaped as triangles and served with hoisin sauce, sriracha, and lemon aioli. For entrees my mother in law chose the Peel and Eat Shrimp, my husband ordered the special Seared Tuna, and I got the Lump Crab Cake with a side of green beans. We all shared some of our plates with each other, which made for a varied and fun dinner. The crab cake was very well done, with nice chunks of fresh meat. I especially enjoyed the green beans, which were seasoned and cooked to perfection, just a hint of snap when you bit in.
Normally, I don't have room for dessert, but the offerings were so tasty sounding we had to sample. Executive Chef Todd Garrison sent us a sample plate of the Chocolate Mousse, the Strawberry Shortcake and my husband's favorite Key Lime Pie. We didn't leave a crumb on the plate.
If you find yourself near The Market and hungry for lunch or dinner, give Amen Street a try. It definitely made my favorites list.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Secret Garden
So one of the negatives of living in an apartment again, is having a big dog that needs room to run. Katey, our sociable collie mix has been taking the change mostly in stride, proving to us again what a terrific pooch she is. However, I know being reigned in on leash everywhere sucks for her, and she actually gained two pounds since being here! That's a lot for a dog. The woods here are not the friendly kind you can easily walk through like in New England. It's dense and jungle like. Visions of creepy crawly things dance in my head. Hell no. Not to mention any body of water that's not the ocean probably has alligators waiting to pounce.
So, we are motivated to check out all open spaces near us that we can take her to. I had spotted one of the schools nearby that had a big grassy area, so we got up early the other morning and took Katey there. That's great, but school's about to start again, and that spot won't be an option anymore. As we were headed back home, all of a sudden my husband exclaims “What's that?!” and points to an area I hadn't really noticed before or dismissed as some rich person's yard. He insists I pull over to investigate. Sure enough, he was right, it was a park almost hidden from the main road, access to the parking lot is actually on a side street.
Azalea Park, as we discovered, is a secret garden with shady winding paths across 16 acres. Around every corner is a surprise and beautiful areas to sit and reflect. There is a gazebo, with impatiens planted all around, that is apparently used for garden weddings. A little further on we came upon a reflection pond with a bronze sculpture of a crane. There are several sculptures in the park. The best part is since it was early, Katey was able to run free and chase any squirrels that unwisely crossed her path. We can't wait to see the park in full bloom come this spring. The pictures I took can not really convey the beauty and oasis like feel of walking through. Accidental discoveries like this are the best, and moments in life you really treasure.
So, we are motivated to check out all open spaces near us that we can take her to. I had spotted one of the schools nearby that had a big grassy area, so we got up early the other morning and took Katey there. That's great, but school's about to start again, and that spot won't be an option anymore. As we were headed back home, all of a sudden my husband exclaims “What's that?!” and points to an area I hadn't really noticed before or dismissed as some rich person's yard. He insists I pull over to investigate. Sure enough, he was right, it was a park almost hidden from the main road, access to the parking lot is actually on a side street.
Azalea Park, as we discovered, is a secret garden with shady winding paths across 16 acres. Around every corner is a surprise and beautiful areas to sit and reflect. There is a gazebo, with impatiens planted all around, that is apparently used for garden weddings. A little further on we came upon a reflection pond with a bronze sculpture of a crane. There are several sculptures in the park. The best part is since it was early, Katey was able to run free and chase any squirrels that unwisely crossed her path. We can't wait to see the park in full bloom come this spring. The pictures I took can not really convey the beauty and oasis like feel of walking through. Accidental discoveries like this are the best, and moments in life you really treasure.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Folly Beach
Sunday we took a drive to Folly Beach, just a quick hop over from downtown Charleston. We arrived around 11:45am and that seemed ideal, we snagged a sweet parking spot on the the side of W. Ashley rd. It saved us a little money, the beach parking area is $1 an hour, and the county park lot is $6 for the day. Some beach rules to be aware of, if you park on the street you must be completely off the pavement, or you will be ticketed. Stick with plastic bottles and cups while soaking up the rays, no aluminum or glass allowed.
The atmosphere was very relaxed, casual. Although it was naturally hot, the sea breeze made the afternoon very pleasant. Even better was the water, which had to be 85 degrees. There was a bit of a rip tide to be aware of, but that was mostly in the shallow end. We hit the Food Lion on the way for a cooler lunch. Is there anything better than cold fried chicken, while your toes are in the sand? I think not.
When you've gotten your fill of the sand, head down to Center St. and hit one of the many seafood restaurants or bars. We found some ice cream, and took a walk to the Fishing Pier...definitely the highlight of the day. Walking 1045 feet out into the Atlantic, and leaning on the rail while the breeze cools you off, we felt like we were on the deck of a cruise ship. There's a fishing contest in progress, and the fishermen abounded looking for anything between Trout and King Mackerel.
We skated out of there just before the rain. Can't wait to check out Edisto and Kiawah island next!
The atmosphere was very relaxed, casual. Although it was naturally hot, the sea breeze made the afternoon very pleasant. Even better was the water, which had to be 85 degrees. There was a bit of a rip tide to be aware of, but that was mostly in the shallow end. We hit the Food Lion on the way for a cooler lunch. Is there anything better than cold fried chicken, while your toes are in the sand? I think not.
When you've gotten your fill of the sand, head down to Center St. and hit one of the many seafood restaurants or bars. We found some ice cream, and took a walk to the Fishing Pier...definitely the highlight of the day. Walking 1045 feet out into the Atlantic, and leaning on the rail while the breeze cools you off, we felt like we were on the deck of a cruise ship. There's a fishing contest in progress, and the fishermen abounded looking for anything between Trout and King Mackerel.
We skated out of there just before the rain. Can't wait to check out Edisto and Kiawah island next!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Weather and other thoughts
I will never grow up. I can't help it, I'm over 30 and still love going into a candy shop and filling a bag with cheap sugary treats. That sense of awe and wonder can still hit me coming upon a colorful display. Honestly, just about every vacation we've ever been on, we'll find the candy shop and spend at least $20 between the two of us. We were coming out of the deli near us after dinner when a thunderstorm suddenly erupted. We ran into the nearest store which happened to be a candy/party store. 15 pieces for $1! How can you resist?! Doesn't matter that it's crap for me, I'll work it off some other way and pay whatever I need to at the dentist. Screw it, life's too short.
Speaking of the weather, let me give you a little lesson on what we've discovered about South Carolina weather. As you expect it's hot and humid, but unless you're a real winter lover, you really do get used to it. Plus, everywhere you are has central air. Average summer temp is 91 degrees or higher. We've been told to expect that well into October. Also, we get a thunderstorm here nearly every day. You can almost set your watch to it, right between 4 and 6 in the evening. According to the locals, it's not unusual to be wearing shorts for Christmas. For a summer girl at heart, that's music to my ears. I plan on cackling obnoxiously when “winter” really sets in and the locals start complaining how “cold” it is, or freaking out about the inch of snow we may get. When Clayton was interviewing for his position, the conversation steered towards winter here, and they said how last year was a “bad winter” cause they got 3 inches of snow. LOL!! That is adorable. Connecticut had received 2 feet of snow before the official winter solstice!
Stay tuned next week, for posts about Folly Beach, and what to expect for moving expenses. Have a great weekend!
Speaking of the weather, let me give you a little lesson on what we've discovered about South Carolina weather. As you expect it's hot and humid, but unless you're a real winter lover, you really do get used to it. Plus, everywhere you are has central air. Average summer temp is 91 degrees or higher. We've been told to expect that well into October. Also, we get a thunderstorm here nearly every day. You can almost set your watch to it, right between 4 and 6 in the evening. According to the locals, it's not unusual to be wearing shorts for Christmas. For a summer girl at heart, that's music to my ears. I plan on cackling obnoxiously when “winter” really sets in and the locals start complaining how “cold” it is, or freaking out about the inch of snow we may get. When Clayton was interviewing for his position, the conversation steered towards winter here, and they said how last year was a “bad winter” cause they got 3 inches of snow. LOL!! That is adorable. Connecticut had received 2 feet of snow before the official winter solstice!
Stay tuned next week, for posts about Folly Beach, and what to expect for moving expenses. Have a great weekend!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Single Smile Cafe
I am currently sitting in my new favorite hangout, in the quaint downtown of Summerville, Single Smile Cafe. Located just over the train tracks off Rt. 17, this new coffee and tea house stole my heart the moment I walked in. The design and décor is a beautiful blend of classic Charleston architecture and modern display and furnishings. It is just the kind of place I was constantly wishing I had in Norwich, CT. I am an avid tea lover, and the selection here is quite good, I am currently enjoying a pot of Almond Biscotti black tea. It's as delicious as it sounds and really curbs the craving for something sweet.
The owner offers a daily tea service, a 12 oz. Pot is $2.50 and a 20 oz. Pot is $5.00. If you'd like dessert with that it is $12.88. Same prices apply for coffee lovers. The owners have done a very nice job with their window displays, showcasing tea service sets, table linens, and coffee/espresso paraphernalia. There is also an entire wall bookcase with magazines, newspapers and books to enjoy. Not to mention a small flat screen TV and DVD player with a few movies, and I assume can be used for an impromptu meeting. There is also free wi-fi.
Breakfast and lunch specials are offered as well and change daily. Examples include a Jimmy Dean sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on a croissant or biscuit for $1.38, or for lunch, chicken salad on a croissant, served with a small salad and chips for $4.98.
All of their teas and coffee beans are available for purchase to enjoy at home. The only thing I would recommend to this new business is to make better signage detailing their tea selections, and dessert offerings. It can be a bit confusing and daunting to make a selection from the wall of coffee and tea on display. Stop in if you're in the area for a cuppa, and watch downtown Summerville life pass by from the huge windows. If you would like to plan a get together, or catering event you can contact the owner Dawn Keltz at 843-875-7745.
Sit a spell...
The owner offers a daily tea service, a 12 oz. Pot is $2.50 and a 20 oz. Pot is $5.00. If you'd like dessert with that it is $12.88. Same prices apply for coffee lovers. The owners have done a very nice job with their window displays, showcasing tea service sets, table linens, and coffee/espresso paraphernalia. There is also an entire wall bookcase with magazines, newspapers and books to enjoy. Not to mention a small flat screen TV and DVD player with a few movies, and I assume can be used for an impromptu meeting. There is also free wi-fi.
Breakfast and lunch specials are offered as well and change daily. Examples include a Jimmy Dean sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on a croissant or biscuit for $1.38, or for lunch, chicken salad on a croissant, served with a small salad and chips for $4.98.
All of their teas and coffee beans are available for purchase to enjoy at home. The only thing I would recommend to this new business is to make better signage detailing their tea selections, and dessert offerings. It can be a bit confusing and daunting to make a selection from the wall of coffee and tea on display. Stop in if you're in the area for a cuppa, and watch downtown Summerville life pass by from the huge windows. If you would like to plan a get together, or catering event you can contact the owner Dawn Keltz at 843-875-7745.
Sit a spell...
Enjoy a good book!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Sell it, baby!
You might have done some thinking on the timing of things and be wondering how it is we sold our house in CT so quickly, in this lagging and uncertain market? Well, I'll take this opportunity to give you my advice. A good motto is: Research, Preparation, and Negotiation. I'll start off by saying, our house was well cared for to begin with. We had done several improvements over the 7 years of owning and regularly maintained the bones of it.
First off, you must research who will be your selling realtor. Do not make the mistake of calling the closest or biggest agency and accepting the first agent you talk to. It helps if you have a recommendation or two from family or friends, but keep in mind what works for them doesn't always work for you. In my case, with the time crunch we were under, I gave myself a week to interview realtors. During that time I looked up and interviewed three realtors. A good website for a list of questions to ask is: http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/tp/Agentinterview.htm Mainly, I was looking for someone who was an aggressive internet marketer, a proven track record of sales within %3 of list price, an excellent communicator, and just friendly and easy to get along with.
Now if you don't already know what houses in your area are selling for you can find this out easily, a great site is http://www.zillow.com/. It will detail your whole neighborhood and the current market value of every house. Of course, your realtor will also do this research and give you a recommendation on your starting list price. Listen to them. You must ask yourself what is more important to you...getting out or pride.
Next, you must prepare your house for showing buyers. I will admit I'm an addict of HGTV and there are a few shows on there that will show you what to do to make your house really stand out from your competition. The main concept is de-clutter, depersonalize (but not too much) and finish projects. We took two weekends to get the house ready. One weekend for painting, somehow although I loved the light lavender in the living room, it probably wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Another weekend was devoted to packing up personal photos, clutter and thorough cleaning. Even if you're a neat person there is always something you can lose. Generally, buyers don't want to see your stuff and notoriously lack imagination on how to set up a room. So make sure all of your space is defined well, have a little color, and is clean. It is best to do this before your realtor shows up to take pictures for marketing. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, in your case it will be dollars.
Finally, when that offer comes in, be prepared to negotiate. Typically, if your house does not need any major renovation, a buyer will start off with an offer ten to fifteen below asking price. Don't be upset by this, its just a starting point and hopefully you can meet them in the middle. You can throw in appliances or furnishings in great condition as an extra incentive to get that buyer to agree paying a couple thousand extra. First time buyers especially appreciate this. Have your rock bottom price you'll accept in mind, and if there is a lot of back and forth you can end it by saying, that is your final offer. Be careful though, if you pull that bluff too soon, the buyer can just walk away. My final comment is regarding the home inspection. There's always something an inspector will find that the buyer will ask to be fixed or get money at closing to deal with themselves. For the small stuff, it is better to fix yourself or even hire a licensed contractor to do. We had a few minor electrical issues that were brought up. The buyer asked for a licensed electrician to fix it or two thousand off purchase price. It would've been ridiculous to adjust the purchase price when hiring an electrician only cost us $350.00 for a few hours of labor and parts.
Using this knowledge we were able to sell our house in just over a month. Our closing is today in fact! Lucky for us attorneys can take care of the paperwork, and we don't have to physically be there. I expected to feel a sense of loss when selling, but I was so focused on packing and moving there was no time or energy left to mourn. I'm here now and excited for the future!
First off, you must research who will be your selling realtor. Do not make the mistake of calling the closest or biggest agency and accepting the first agent you talk to. It helps if you have a recommendation or two from family or friends, but keep in mind what works for them doesn't always work for you. In my case, with the time crunch we were under, I gave myself a week to interview realtors. During that time I looked up and interviewed three realtors. A good website for a list of questions to ask is: http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/tp/Agentinterview.htm Mainly, I was looking for someone who was an aggressive internet marketer, a proven track record of sales within %3 of list price, an excellent communicator, and just friendly and easy to get along with.
Now if you don't already know what houses in your area are selling for you can find this out easily, a great site is http://www.zillow.com/. It will detail your whole neighborhood and the current market value of every house. Of course, your realtor will also do this research and give you a recommendation on your starting list price. Listen to them. You must ask yourself what is more important to you...getting out or pride.
Next, you must prepare your house for showing buyers. I will admit I'm an addict of HGTV and there are a few shows on there that will show you what to do to make your house really stand out from your competition. The main concept is de-clutter, depersonalize (but not too much) and finish projects. We took two weekends to get the house ready. One weekend for painting, somehow although I loved the light lavender in the living room, it probably wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Another weekend was devoted to packing up personal photos, clutter and thorough cleaning. Even if you're a neat person there is always something you can lose. Generally, buyers don't want to see your stuff and notoriously lack imagination on how to set up a room. So make sure all of your space is defined well, have a little color, and is clean. It is best to do this before your realtor shows up to take pictures for marketing. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, in your case it will be dollars.
Finally, when that offer comes in, be prepared to negotiate. Typically, if your house does not need any major renovation, a buyer will start off with an offer ten to fifteen below asking price. Don't be upset by this, its just a starting point and hopefully you can meet them in the middle. You can throw in appliances or furnishings in great condition as an extra incentive to get that buyer to agree paying a couple thousand extra. First time buyers especially appreciate this. Have your rock bottom price you'll accept in mind, and if there is a lot of back and forth you can end it by saying, that is your final offer. Be careful though, if you pull that bluff too soon, the buyer can just walk away. My final comment is regarding the home inspection. There's always something an inspector will find that the buyer will ask to be fixed or get money at closing to deal with themselves. For the small stuff, it is better to fix yourself or even hire a licensed contractor to do. We had a few minor electrical issues that were brought up. The buyer asked for a licensed electrician to fix it or two thousand off purchase price. It would've been ridiculous to adjust the purchase price when hiring an electrician only cost us $350.00 for a few hours of labor and parts.
Using this knowledge we were able to sell our house in just over a month. Our closing is today in fact! Lucky for us attorneys can take care of the paperwork, and we don't have to physically be there. I expected to feel a sense of loss when selling, but I was so focused on packing and moving there was no time or energy left to mourn. I'm here now and excited for the future!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
New Beginnings
So is it crazy that four months ago, I quit my job of 6 years and packed up my lovely little ranch starter home in Norwich CT and moved 800 miles to Charleston, SC? Where I have never even visited before, and have no family or friends? Some may think so, but I have longed to get out of Connecticut where I was born and raised and experience living somewhere else. College doesn't count. Secondly, my husband had been pretty unhappy with his previous job for quite a while. He was being run ragged, with hardly a day off and no relief in sight. There just weren't any other opportunities in his field where we were.
He was religiously surfing the job sites, and I had also started the habit of looking for him when I had time. So there I was just scrolling through careerbuilder, expecting the same ol'crap, when something jumped out at me. Oh my God, I said to myself, this is right up his alley! It was the College of Charleston, what the hell I thought, I've heard great things about the area. It was a long shot, what were the chances of them considering someone currently so far away?
As it turned out, pretty darn good. Clayton, my husband, seemed to say all the right things and by the end of April it was official. It was time to dig up our roots and transplant! The pineapple is synonymous with welcome and hospitality and is a popular theme down here. Hence, The Pineapple Transplant!
My idea on this blog is to reflect on what it's like to start over in a place so different than New England, and also share my discoveries of the area for those that are visiting or thinking of moving this way as well. I have worked in hospitality for 9 years, and I am always excited to find those places to see or eat at that are worth it, whether it's on or off the beaten path. I hope my musings are entertaining and informative for you!
He was religiously surfing the job sites, and I had also started the habit of looking for him when I had time. So there I was just scrolling through careerbuilder, expecting the same ol'crap, when something jumped out at me. Oh my God, I said to myself, this is right up his alley! It was the College of Charleston, what the hell I thought, I've heard great things about the area. It was a long shot, what were the chances of them considering someone currently so far away?
As it turned out, pretty darn good. Clayton, my husband, seemed to say all the right things and by the end of April it was official. It was time to dig up our roots and transplant! The pineapple is synonymous with welcome and hospitality and is a popular theme down here. Hence, The Pineapple Transplant!
My idea on this blog is to reflect on what it's like to start over in a place so different than New England, and also share my discoveries of the area for those that are visiting or thinking of moving this way as well. I have worked in hospitality for 9 years, and I am always excited to find those places to see or eat at that are worth it, whether it's on or off the beaten path. I hope my musings are entertaining and informative for you!
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