Floral fountain

Queen St. fountain, Charleston, SC 

We can't complain about losing our blossoms to the season just yet. This beautiful floral fountain is in the yard at Husk Restaurant on Queen St.

Until I clicked on the website to add the link I hadn't realized there will soon be four Husk locations - Charleston, Nashville and soon to come in Savannah and Greenville, Well done Chef Sean Brock.

The Husk building on Queen St. used to be used for art classes for the Gibbes museum of art. I once took a calligraphy class in the same room I have since licked tasty sauce off my fingers and eaten crispy pigs ears in.  

Gadsdenboro Park

Gadsdenboro Park, Charleston, SC   

I might hop from fountain to fountain during this heat spell. 

If it stays this hot I may just take a dip. 

I believe this is now called Gadsdenboro Park. 

It is across from the Maritime Center on Concord St. offering soccer fields, swings, 

playground and a fountain. It has everything that a 5.7 million $ renovation can offer!

Kinda Sorta

Sweetgrass Basket Fountain, Market at Oakland, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

I saw a little picture of this sweetgrass basket fountain in the Post & Courier recently and wondered where the heck it was. Now I can't find the original photo on the newspaper web site but I did find the real thing!

I was at our new Mt. Pleasant Hospital this morning interviewing potential volunteers and kept my eye out for a place for a late lunch on my way home. I turned into the Market at Oakland shopping area that has the Kohl's store and Walmart and had the most scrumptious lunch at Gringo's Fresh Southwest. It is described as "kinda, sorta Mexicanish". Heh.

What a great find! Owner Reggie Kinney had an amazing display of fresh ingredients laid out to put my order together and kept offering tastes of everything so I could make up my mind. Great find! The restaurant is a bit tucked away so here are the directions.

On the way out I practically walked into the fountain in one of the mallish traffic circles. Very cool.

Water Bottle Fountain

College of Charleston, Coming St., Charleston, S.C.

Why just have a water fountain when you can have a water bottle fountain?

Fountain water with a taste of mystery

Fountain, White Point Gardens, Charleston, SC   

It has to be pure! What germ would dare come out of that mouth? Our serpent dragon fountain friend is at the upper part of White Point Gardens offering fresh water with a taste of mystery.

Pineapple Fountain

Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC  

Waaa, waaaa, waaaaa. It is so hot I was tempted to take a dunk in the fountain with the kids.

It's a bad sign when this early in the summer it's already too hot to walk at night and I sit at home eating ice cream pops. Last night I did walk down through Avondale and taking a short cut through the community garden on Magnolia I was given a delicious warm tomato. Thanks neighbors!

Kids, water & laughter

Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC  

If this heat continues we might need a map leading us from fountain to fountain. 

When this fountain at the waterfront park was first built my children wore their bathing suits under their clothes for most of the summer on the off chance we drove by and they could jump in. 

Ice in the fountain

Ice, Charleston, S.C.

We are such babies about weather in the lowcountry and it doesn't take much to send us into an Ice Storm tizzy. Our homes and roads simply aren't prepared to deal with cold and icy weather since we get it so infrequently. My azaleas were already starting to bud. Thursday night was our coldest and this was what the fountain in the courtyard at the hospital looked like.

I pulled all the protective blankets and sheets off my plants this morning because I understand it is supposed to be close to 70 degrees by tomorrow. That is enough of that!

Medical Memorabilia

Pitt St. Pharmacy, Mt. Pleasant, S.C

What a treasure trove of vintage medical memorabilia the Pitt St. Pharmacy is! It is like a museum. People often bring me things they can't bear to throw out. I'd love to have a display case like this at the hospital. What a quaint pharmacy this is. You can still get a milkshake and grilled cheese at the soda fountain.

Pitt St. Pharmacy: Washington "Wattie" Ziegler, RPh opened the Pharmacy in 1938 at 121 Pitt Street.  In 1951, the Pharmacy was moved a few doors down to its present location.  Dr. Ziegler died in 1982.  He left the store to his wife, Della, Gene Whitley, RPh and Lavern James, RPh.  Their commitment to the pharmacy lasted generations as Gene and Lavern worked here for 37 and 32 years respectively while Della continues to work here with over 50 years of service.

 

Throughout the years, scores of Mt. Pleasant children and teenagers have carved their name in the old black soda fountain counter, taking with them wonderful memories in return.  There is plenty about the Pitt Street Pharmacy worth remembering.  It's the kind of place where time seems to move at a slower pace, and people have time to be friendlier.

 

 

Chicago Trip Impressions

Crown Fountain, Millennium Park, Chicago

• Planes arriving early? What's with that? Have they changed the travel estimate so passengers get the impression that we are arriving early? It works for me. Yipee, I got in early!
• Chicago Taxis are cute little Scion XBs. 
• Pedestrian signals lights up before green traffic signals giving walkers a head start before cars start turning. Thank you. 
• Architects must love Chicago. Skyrise buildings are presented like precious treasures. I never heard as many Architect's names as I did on the river Architecture boat tour. 
• Sporty town! People can ride their bike to the lake to go swimming. The beaches are full of serious volley ball action, roller blade hockey, soccer. We watched exciting sail boat races at the Navy Pier.
• The large outdoor art installations are grand and delight so many people - the bean, the spitty mouth Crown fountains. Such joy!
• The Art Institute is worth an entire day so that is what we did.
• There was an adorable wee kid's level sink and soap dispenser in the bathroom at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  What a hit with the toddler crowd. 
• It was great being with my daughter. She does the travel research and lines up interesting restaurants and neighborhoods to explore. We walked for miles each day dodging rain storms in musty antique stores and coffee shops. More photos here.  

Now, time to see what you have all been up to while I've been away!

Architectural Tour, Chicago

Chicago Art Institute, Chicago

Chicago Art Institute, Chicago

The Bean!

Crown Fountain, Chicago

My gal scouting out coffee shops in the rain

NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me!

Volleyball at the Lake

Amazing sailing at the Navy Pier

Home early

Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

I love the sight of towels drying over a porch railing. It makes me hope that the occupants are having the perfect lowcountry summer. They should be working a little, studying enough to justify staying in town, spending a lot of time on the beach and yet not keeping me awake all night long (hint, hint).

I ended my day early with a photo op in town that didn't leave enough time to get back to my office so...oooops, I am home early. Walking home I cut through the MUSC shortcut between Ashley and Rutledge and spotted these flowers in the fountain. A lady called out asking if I was the "Charleston blogging lady" and explained that someone regularly left a floral arrangement in the fountain. Nice to meet you Terry! Thanks for saying hello.

Charleston Fountains

Fountain, Ladson St., Charleston, SC   

I understand it gets a little cooler this weekend and the time change will soon make it seem like fall so I should feature these blossoms before we lose them. I found this pretty fountain on Ladson St.

I slipped out of work early this afternoon for a wedding and the reception was out at one of my favorite places, Magnolia Plantation. Not a bad way to end the week. Happy Friday kids!

Pineapples - not just for eating

Pineapple Fountain, Charleston, S.C.

I grabbed a quick snapshot with my pocket camera as I was heading to meet a Facebook friend for a cuppa coffee at Baked on East Bay St. but it is fun to look at google images to see the amazing images people have captured of a popular landmark. In the warmer weather the fountain is full of kiddies splashing around.

Love these quiet days at work. No meetings, few phone calls. I've been so efficient tossing and organizing. My desk is brown by the way.

Three cheers for volunteers!

Fountain at Pearstine Distributors

I went to a luncheon sponsored by the good folks at Trident United Way today held at Pearlstine Distributors on Daniel Island. Yep, the beer folks let us meet at their facility and I kept sneaking around checking everything out. This bird fountain was in the yard.

The luncheon was to celebrate the second year of the Corporate Volunteer Council in Charleston and Anita Zucker was the speaker. The people attending represented businesses whose employees volunteer and are active in the community. If that includes you, please do check out the web site and join the team!

Waterfront Park Charleston

Waterfront Park, Charleston, S.C.

In between the frequent thundershowers lately we have been treated to beautiful skies. The pineapple fountain is a draw for every kid to explore on these hot days. I don't know if this story about the symbolism of the pineapple is true but I like it:

The pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality since the days of the early American colonies. The legend began with the sea captains of New England, who sailed among the Caribbean Islands and returned to the colonies bearing their cargo of fruits, spices and rum. According to the legend, the captain would spear a pineapple on a fence post outside his home to let his friends know of his safe return from sea. The pineapple was an invitation for them to visit, share his food and drink, and listen to tales of his voyage.

Check out these dramatic photos of the pineapple fountain. 

I need to get to my bed kids. I download books from the library, forget about them until I get the three day expiration notice and then I have to read every spare minute in the race to finish the book before it disappears. 

Fresh drinking water

Water fountain at Cannon Park, Charleston, SC 

This may have been more important when part of Charleston and the island had water that didn't taste very good. People would fill up their jugs to stock drinking water. Now it is simply a nice fountain. Thanks Herman Bruning!

Peppermint Patty Cold

Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, S.C.

What did we do to deserve this? The symbol of hospitality isn't suppose to freeze.

Walking in this chilly weather reminds me of the old Peppermint Patty commercials. When I bite into a Peppermint Pattie I still always say, "Oooohhh, it's like a cool breeze up my skirt" and that's how cold it feels today. No mints today thank you.

Luckily the best way to warm up a house is to go for a long walk. What are you all doing to pass the time while we huddle up and try to stay cozy this weekend?

Symbol of hospitality

Pineapple gate shadow, Charleston, SC 

From fountains to furniture to gates, the welcoming pineapple symbol shows up on everything. Charleston Magazine had one of the best explanations of it's meaning:

Paradise Found Christopher Columbus is credited with introducing the pineapple to Europeans. In 1493, he and his men came across an Indian village on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. The natives had disappeared into the jungle, leaving the makings of a feast, including a fruit so delicious they called it “anana,” or “excellent fruit.” Columbus named it “Pine of the Indies” for its resemblance to a pinecone.
Hospitality Sweet The fruit became a sensation in the American colonies. Since fresh pineapple was hard to procure, the hostess who offered it was making a statement of hospitality and affluence. Brokers even rented out fruits for use in decorative centerpieces.
Sea Faring Early New England sea captains returning from trading voyages began spearing a pineapple atop a stick at their home’s entrance. This signified the successful completion of a venture and said, “My door is open to visitors!”
The Real Deal Ananas comosus is an edible member of the bromeliad family. Fruits develop from purple or red flowers growing amidst waxy leaves.
Gate Keeper Perhaps the most notable example of Charleston’s historic pineapple architecture is at the Simmons-Edwards House at 14 Legare Street. Built in 1816, “The Pineapple Gates” welcome visitors with stone fruits atop the pillars.
Bearing Fruit Colonial artisans and architects began using the pineapple as a decorative motif. You’ll find it on bedpost finials, carved into fireplace mantels, and sculpted into doorway lintels.
Still Makin’ A Splash Hospitality’s been at the heart of Waterfront Park since its May 1990 opening, thanks to the bronze and stone Pineapple Fountain that a team led by Stuart O. Dawson of Boston’s Sasaki Associates incorporated into the public space.
Honorable Mention Since its 1985 establishment, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau has presented annual Golden Pineapple Awards to individuals and organizations who promote positive growth in tourism. Among the 2013 winners: the Cooper River Bridge Run and Isle of Palms Mayor Dick Cronin.

Yesterday's walk

Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, S.C.

What a magnificent statue and fountain. I hardly ever see it since it is at the back of Charleston Place Hotel. Cars pulling up to that entrance get the dramatic effect but the rest of us miss it. Yesterday I walked through the hotel, out the back door and passed these colorful displays from the Mellow Mood shop on Hassell St. There is always something new to catch my eye on a Charleston walk.

I hope everyone is having a good Father's Day. My family is getting together this weekend in Canada and I am missing it. My younger brother Jim, is back from India for a visit and he is flying down this afternoon to spend some time in the lowcountry and paint my house.

Tradition

Fountain at White Point Gardens, Charleston, S.C.

My after-travel ritual for many years has been to walk down to the tip of the peninsula and sniff the ocean. That is how I know I am home and this little gal welcomes me each time.

In other news, holy flooded streets Charleston! This has happened so often this year it is ridiculous. I can almost be glad that I moved off the peninsula and don't have to check tide charts before I head home anymore.

First day back in the office today and I spent most of it responding to the close to three hundred emails waiting for me. Sigh. Even though I had an "I am out of the country" away message some people wrote two or three times thinking that would make me change my plans and come back faster. Fooled ya!