Feeling blue on King St.

Bluestein's Menswear, 494 King St., Charleston, SC   

Bluestein's Menswear is such a striking building standing out with it's signature blue brick design it stands out even on a dreary day like today. It is closing as a menswear store after 134 years in business. I hope it is reincarnated into something cool.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV): Another long-time Charleston business will soon hang up its hat. Bluestein's on King Street will close early next year after 134 years selling menswear. “It was started by my great-grandmother in 1883,” said Nicky Bluestein, who took over the family business in the 1960s. In 1987—a fire destroyed the building, along with old photos and keepsakes. Years later, Bluestein said a contractor found a handful of the original brick in the signature blue. “He said it’s got to belong to you and he brought me the four bricks,” he said. “I have four boys, I gave each of them a brick and I kept this one here.”

Train set at Charleston Place Hotel

Model train display at Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, SC   

Pausing to watch the model train set at Charleston Place Hotel is a holiday tradition. It is a grand display.

Teeny, tiny buildings

Headlines at the Edge, Folly Beach, SC   

I like teeny, tiny buildings and I like them more when they are in use. This one is a colorful hair salon called Headline at the Edge (of America), on Center St. on Folly Beach. Cute!

Lucky I had an active day at work because it's been a rainy and dreary evening and foiled any plans for an evening walk. More of the same tomorrow. Stay dry kids!

Bird watching in the cemetery

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC   

I have friends who go to Magnolia Cemetery and never take a picture of a tomb. It is a bird watching paradise. 

Walk with me - Folly Beach

Christmas on Folly Beach, Folly Beach, SC   

I am happy to see there is still a colorful character side to Folly Beach. Sadly, living here I hesitate to go to the beach in the crowed summer time but in the winter it is a lovely walk.

Hammock at the beach - Folly Beach

Folly Beach pier, Folly Beach, SC  

This is better that trying to find to trees the perfect distance apart. He was swinging back and forth and didn't notice me sneaking a shot from behind. I had a lovely walk on Folly Beach this morning. Sadly traffic tends to scare me away during the hot summer when the beach would be so welcoming. It's always a treat to walk on Folly. 

Cemetery accesories

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC    

This particular cemetery statue was dressed for the occasion with a pearl bracelet. I've walked through Magnolia Cemetery so many times that I am always trying to look at it with fresh eyes and see some new details. Spotting a pearl bracelet made my morning.

Teeny, tiny buildings of Charleston

King St., Charleston, SC    

I love these charming tiny buildings that grow up in between the larger structures. This is 193 King St. 

Turns out it is for sale! It may look small but is over 6,000 square feet and since it is in prime retail shopping district on King St. you may buy it for a cool $2,450,000. Invite me over. I'll help decorate. 

Prime high street location. Centered in King Street’s luxury retail district. The interior space is 6,418 square feet with an additional 784 square feet of exterior courtyard space. The stately facade has 30 linear feet fronting on King Street. The ground floor is ideal for retail or restaurant use. Previously it was occupied by a restaurant on the ground floor and offices above. The building is zoned General Business and is currently vacant. This offering is an excellent opportunity for an owner operator or a real estate investor.The William Bell building, circa 1840, is a three story building with many historical elements intact: featuring high ceilings, exposed brick walls and heart pine floors. Square footage breakdown: ground floor interior 2,509 square feet; ground floor courtyard 784 square feet; 2nd floor 2,509 square feet; 3rd floor 1,400 square feet.

Health Care Hero Awards

Rocky, Pet Therapy Health Care Hero, Charleston, SC   

Each year at this time I look forward to nominating a few of my volunteers for the Health Care Hero awards. One of my best looking team members took home an award for Health Care Hero this year - Rocky the pet therapy dog! Rocky serves in the Cancer Center offering a little comfort to patients receiving their chemo and infusions. He has just the right touch. Congrats Rocky!

There were many worthy recipients honored this evening. Another volunteer on my team was honored in the human volunteer category - Solveig Bracy who has hand knit over 1,200 bonnets for new born babies. The awards are sponsored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. 

And so it begins.....

Charleston, SC    

They have more energy and Christmas spirit than I do but I am glad they do! This house is in my neighborhood but we all have that one person who goes all out for the holidays. Bless them.

Find a Ginkgo Biloba party near you!

Ginkgo Biloba leaves, Charleston, SC   

It seems to happen overnight and I added quite a few steps to my weekend walk to see if I might catch the Ginkgo Biloba leaves on the pair of trees at the Library Society building in their bright yellow party wear but they were a disappointment this year and much more brown than yellow. I found others along my way to make up for it but those two usually put on a dramatic show.

Joyful noise

Street musicians, King St., Charleston, SC   

These kids were so good! They had an admiring crowd surrounding them yesterday on King St. Their youthful adorableness didn't hurt either. I always put a buck or two in the pile before I grab a picture. Hope you made a lot of money!

Walk with me - Beaufain St.

Beaufain St., Charleston, SC  

It's fun to walk downtown Charleston on the busiest shopping day of the year when you aren't actually looking for anything to buy. I parked and walked along Beaufain St. and enjoyed all the splashes of color along the way.

Charleston gardens

Charleston Garden, Charleston, SC   

It might be fall but our gardens still look good. In fact it is raining at the moment and that should cheer things up. I took the top photo on a recent walk-about town but the shot below is from the hospital garden this afternoon.

Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance - Stono Baptist Church

Stono Baptist Church, Ravenel, SC    

I am captive at home with the sniffles this weekend so dipping into my back road photo albums for this morning's Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance.

Every photographer I know has stopped to take a picture of this sweet chapel on a hill in Ravenel. Because of that we can track the deterioration through the captured images. The piano used to be upright in place but now is flat on it's back. This time I also spotted the typo in the word "cemetery" in the sign :). Ooops.

Youth Recognition

West Ashley Optimist Club Youth Recognition, Charleston, SC   

Meet the winners of the West Ashley Optimist Club Youth Recognition awards for 2017. I am invited to nominate a student for this award each year and love getting recognition for these amazing students. I am always amazed to read off their list of accomplishments.  Congratulations!

Still dressed for Halloween

McClellanville, SC   

Someone is wearing his Halloween costume too close to Thanksgiving. Isn't there an etiquette rule covering this? No white after Labor Day, no fangs in November. 

For Steve

McClellanville, SC   

You know I have the greatest collection of sidewalk inscriptions but this was a first. I slipped away from my outdoor luncheon table, leaving my companions to chat while I took a picture of the poem in the pavement that caught my eye. It turns out I was eating lunch with the poet William P. Baldwin who had written and inscribed the poem in honor of the gentleman who had laid the patio tile before passing away. Sometimes all the pieces come together.

Backtrack here to see more of my collection of concrete thoughts.

Paddling with the poet

Paddling Honey Hill, McClellanville, SC   

I had a last minute invitation Saturday night offering me a chance to join a kayak ride this morning and luckily I was able to accept. My friend English and I joined author and poet William P. Baldwin at his home in the village of McClellanville. He had just completed writing his morning poem before helping us loading our kayaks into his truck.

We put the kayaks in at Honey Hill. The colors were so beautiful I aimed my little pocket camera at the reflections as much as my surroundings. We did see birds, bullfrogs and a few gators. We paddled in perfect peace winding through the low branches and around cypress logs capping the morning off sitting outside in the village listening to local stories over sandwiches at Boats N Hoagies. I felt very fortunate.

Now, must we do this work week business in the morning?