Where in the world is Byron?

King St., Charleston, SC

Where in the world is Byron?

Has anyone had a Byron sighting lately? I've been spending my King St. toll dollar on lottery tickets since I haven't seen him for weeks. The last time we talked he admitted he had been restricted by the Police from the section of town between Calhoun and Morris St. They had good reason no doubt, and yet....can't help worrying a little.

Vote for "Best of Charleston"

King St., Charleston, S.C.

It's time to vote for the Charleston City Paper's "Best of Charleston" awards. You have to vote in 35 different categories to make it count and only one vote per person. The recognition means a lot to local businesses so take a few minutes and give your favorites some love.

I won the Best Local Interest Blog last year, was invited to the Mustache Theme party and had a blast. Thanks to everyone who voted for me. It was so much fun and I have the award plaque hanging in my office.

Click here to vote: Charleston City Paper

The big question is, who will be "Best Street Character" now that Byron has moved back to Arkansas? Speaking of Byron, did you know there is a "I've given Byron money" group on Facebook with 1,152 members?

For real? I'm famous on the internet?

Byron, King St., Charleston, SC

For real? I'm famous on the internet?

Byron is my King St. toll. $1 usually allows me to pass freely and earns a hug into the bargain. On the odd occasion (no cash on hand) I've treated him to breakfast. Once and a while I grab a quick picture so he can be a participant in the exchange.

Byron asked what I did with my pictures so if you happen to see him on King St., and you will, tell him you saw him on the internet. And pay the toll.

Resting in the shade

Byron - King St., Charleston, SC 

When I lived on the peninsula I got to know most of the usual street folk and Byron was my King St. toll. I always turned over a couple of bucks and on occasion bought him a meal. I am not in town as much and had worried about him lately and hoped all was well. 

My walk this morning steered me to upper King St. and I was pleased to find him enjoying the shade under the highway overpass. A quick hug, a couple of bucks exchanged. On my way back down the same route I watching him offering his trademark chiropractic adjustments to a couple of young men and he caught my eye and grinned. 

Have you been good, bad or Super Bad?

Super Bad, The King of Fashion, Charleston, S.C.

Good news, kids - the Super Bad, the King of Fashion store is being renovated.Some things are so much part of the King St. scene I'd be sad to lose them. One is the Super Bad. The other is the King of King himself, part of so many student's college experience, Byron.  Things have been tough for the Best Street Character award winner lately. Curbside chiropractic discounted for the holidays.

Fun note: Byron is the Man on the Street interview for the recent article on bustling growth on upper King St. Who better?

Saturday morning walkabout

Bogard St., Charleston, S.C.

I like to check on the floral arrangement in the orange traffic cone vase on Bogard. The plastic reptile with the blossom in his mouth is a happy new touch.

I walked the Spring, Bogard, King loop this morning and ran into Byron up around the Piggly Wiggly. I declined the offered chiropractic back treatment but did give him all the change I had. I hadn't seen him for a while and the update is that he is now banned from crossing Calhoun St. anywhere below Spring St. so his traveling area is narrowing.



It is a perfect Charleston day and everyone (everyone but me) gets out to do yard work and home maintenance. This fellow is putting the finishing touches on what looks like a new doughnut store called "Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts". If you like them on Facebook you can suggest a new doughnut flavor. Stores keep closing but new ones replace them just as fast.

Have a good weekend, kids. I am going to a friend's wedding this afternoon.

Hey Bo, wassup?!

Link to video clip.

Byron won the Charleston city Paper's Best Street Character award for 2010 and he doesn't even live here anymore. There is a current major gap in sidewalk chiropractic treatments.

Best of! Charleston City Paper

Byron - Best Street Character, Joan Perry - Best Local Interest Blog.

Andre' Guillet - McCrady's Restaurant GM, Sean Brock - Best Chef, Tanya Brock, Clint Sloan - Best Sommelier, David Howard - Buccaneer Restaurant - Best Place to Take Country Kin Folk.

Sean Brock, Andre' Guillet, Joan Perry

Marjorie & Lori - Best Day Care, Roper St. Francis Learning Center

A few year's ago, when I had a baby blog called Walk this Way, my sister Shirley in Edmonton submitted it in the Best of Canada Blog awards. It was a great joke, since I live in the lowcountry of South Carolina. But, I am Canadian so I was eligible, and although there were some rumblings in Canadian blog circles about American influences, I won second place in the Photo/Art category. It was good fun.

Tonight I won the Charleston City Paper's "Best Of" category for Best Local Interest Blog. Woohoo! This is even better since most of my audience and commenters are not from Charleston. I tend to attract readers who used to live here and have pangs of homesickness, wished they lived here or who have visited here. This is quite an honor to get the local vote and I thank everyone who took the trouble to vote for me. Picture me blowing kisses.

The party was at the Joe Riley Stadium and had a mustache theme. I stopped by Hokus Pokus on the way home from work the other day and bought up a supply of mustaches.

Best Local Interest Blog
Joan Perry's photo collection is a daily affirmation that we live in, "the most beautiful city in the world."

My health care system cleaned up as well. Roper St. Francis Healthcare won Best Hospital, Best Place to Have a Baby and Best Learning Center. Tonight I am allowed more than one daily photo. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to the Charleston City Paper for a fantastically hairy event!

Too bad I'm not a writer

Keats at Shelley

Kipling at Shelley

What a shame I'm not a writer. I've moved to the right neighborhood for them. There are more....Longfellow, Byron, Browning, Barrett. That settles it. I need to start writing.

More Tiny Charleston

Meeting St., Charleston, SC

I've left a dripping trail of sweat all over Charleston for anyone who wants to follow my walking route. While I was walking I thought this shot might make a better tilt-shift Charleston view. It looks like a wee model fire station.

In other news, I was happy to have Byron flag me down and ask for $3.18. I knew he'd been missing and he admitted to spending sixty days in jail. His story was that he'd been picked up sleeping on a bench after being told not to be on King above Calhoun St. Then as he woke confused out of a deep sleep, they assumed he was intoxicated. He was released this morning and walked all the way down from Leeds Ave.

I suspect the police report might be a little more complicated than that, do ya think? Still, nice to see the rascal.