Homes of Charleston

It is incredibly enjoyable to meander the streets of Charleston, SC to enjoy the variety of beautiful homes. 

The most famous seems to be Rainbow Row so I took a few photos.

Old entryways are converted into residential doorways.

Spring time is very touristy due to the flowering trees and shrubs.

I try not to forget to look up rather than across the street to admire the old beauty.

Flower boxes are also a gorgeous feature.

Some homes are ridiculously large so I stood in front of this one to demonstrate the grandeur.

Iron work balconies are a common feature.

Inviting entryways.

Homes with second and or third story balconies are called Charleston Style.

Some of these porches have closures to block sun and wind.

Picking a favorite is impossible!

Soft wisteria is draped throughout the strolls.

I hope you enjoyed this charming stroll. These are the more Charleston like styles of the area but there are also more Victorian and Colonial like styles here to appreciate.

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val

Hampton Park

Jim and I took a much needed spring break, heading to Charleston, SC. It was cloudy, but we had perfect walking weather!

Being only our second time to this beautiful city, we ventured to a park we did not visit the first time.

 At 60 acres, Hampton Park is the largest park in Charleston.

Unfortunately it is named after Confederate General Wade Hampton III, one of the largest slave owners of the south. Considering the park's history, I would have named it Freedom Park, or something like that.

In the 1700s, the land was the Orange Grove Plantation owned by John Gibbes.

In the 1800s, the land was acquired by the South Carolina Jockey Club. The horse racing ended here when the Civil War was going on.

I just love the look of Spanish moss contrasted with vibrant flowers.

This park also boasts marvelous live oaks!

The site became a prisoner of war camp during the war. More than 200 Union soldiers were buried here in mass graves. 

After the Civil War, black Charlestonians along with white missionaries and teachers held a parade of 10,000 people on the race tracks used by the wealthy white slaver owners. This must have been a powerful event of emancipation triumph!

These crepe myrtles are surely gorgeous in summer with their flowers and the Spanish moss doing its messy goodness thing.

This city took over at the beginning of the 1900s.

In the mid 1900s, the park was home to a zoo which closed in 1975.

In the early 1980s the designing of the park locals and visitors enjoy today began.

It is a gorgeous park for running, walking, picnicking, bike riding and dog walking.

There was a lovely variety of spring flowers and even camellias still blooming! The summer must be beautiful here with crepe myrtles, roses and other summer blooms showing themselves.

Since this was a fairly long walk from the historic section that we were visiting, we maximized our time by the park. This meant visiting nearby Rodney Scott's BBQ. We enjoyed seeing this pitmaster in action on a Netflix's BBQ series so it made sense to make the hike for this whole hog barbecue. Rodney's restaurant can also be found in Birmingham, AL and Atlanta, GA.

Also near Hampton Park is a restaurant and bar co-owned by Bill Murray who occasionally calls Charleston home. Someone who we are both big fans of. Harold's Cabin is filled with charm that includes 3 separate indoor spaces filled with quirky decor. Rooftop seating is also available.

If you go, the park is located at 30 Mary Murray Blvd in Charleston, SC. website

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val

St Patrick's Day Festival

After missing our town's St Patrick's Day Festivities the weekend prior to the holiday due to the weather, we made it to the 40th annual Columbia celebration in the Five neighborhood this past weekend.

Jim and I were all about the music rather than the green beer.

This neighborhood celebrates its history with murals and photos of what it was like the in 1940s and 1950s.

Some features have been preserved like this cowboy in a bathtub. This building is currently for lease so some lucky business can have this as an attraction.

The old theater is now a bar. This neighborhood has many bars since it is in walking distance to USC which seems to be a party school from what we witnessed!

There is an eclectic collection of buildings here.

I need some crazy green wearables for next year.

We saw many marvelous and fun outfits.

The day was like a music festival for us. 5 stages throughout the neighborhood, each on 1 of the 5 streets that intersect here. 

Many genres were represented including rock, funk, hip hop, country, folk and pop. The music started at noon and went until 8 - 9pm (we left before crowd got super drunk and wild). Each band played 1 hour so it was constantly changing with a fantastic variety. Definitely an event for the music lover.

Here were the entertaining 502s from Orlando. I am guessing they are a college band because the students here knew the lyrics. These guys used a great variety of instruments throughout their set.

 

This was the Stews out of Alabama. Since we are partial to rock, they were one of our favorites for the day.

 

We saw a lot of great bands and had a blast. The day started off cold and wet and ended up hot and sunny!

Here is the website for local's reference next year! https://stpatscolumbia.com/

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val