Returning to the Palmetto State
Returning to the Palmetto State
Where I'm a fan of the palms
South Carolina … And we’re back!
After my lovely trip to Savannah, I prepped for my second house in Columbia. My host is Emily, a school teacher who just moved back from Atlanta. She has two cats, Mila and Marbles.
Her house was super cute, several shades of blue, retro furniture, wooden features and a variety of art. Her home was about 30 minutes from my aunts. In this post I’ll tell you about my Columbia adventures while I stayed here. In the next, I’ll tell you about my Chapin activities (my aunts town). It was a great balance, being in the city of Columbia and treating myself to the family lake.
First activity was actually a drive to Duncan, South Carolina. About two hours from my new abode. May seem counter-intuitive to pick up and go when you just arrived, but this was for family. I have another aunt and uncle I visited on my mom’s side. I love my mom so much. She’s adorable, no nonsense, hearty laugher that’s never lost her New York demeanor. Her sister is no different and I love being around New Yorkers. Even if they’re transplants for 20+ years, the New York never leaves. They took me to Italian, we caught up and I took a walk after dinner before getting back in the car.
Next, I found the closest piece of nature I could walk in (always on top of my to-do’s). There’s a canal overlooking Keenan Terrace. To get there was about a mile on gravel road that was torn up pretty good. The kind of road where you turn down the music and drive slower to strategize the pot holes. The day was HOT. I saw a few fishermen under the trees and a couple of joggers across the water in the beaming sun. Knowing my skin’s tolerance for sunshine… I thought I could do 15 maybe 20 minutes. To my pleasant surprise when I crossed the terrace, there was a staircase tucked in the trees that lead to a walking trail right next to the river and 100% shaded. You could walk with your feet close to the roots, as opposed to the runners tickling high branches in direct sun light. The trail was serene with few pedestrians and my 15 minutes turned into an hour and a half.
Emily texted me a link of weekend activities in Columbia. I found a live show that was a fundraiser for a boarding school in Africa. The woman who put on the show was a retired ballerina from the Columbia ballet. She has a non-profit that brings kids from Africa to the states and funds their stay, schooling and artistic pursuits. I watched two of her students perform ballet as well as other groups sing and dance, including one gentleman who competed on The Voice.
Soda City Market- You guessed it, another farmer’s market for my list! I was surprised how big it was, definitely more extensive than KC. Parking was not as easy to find. However, I did appreciate the set up. The city blocked off Main St, but still kept the perpendicular streets open to traffic. You could potentially park less than a block away and it allowed cars to move fluidly through the area, instead of navigating in a tragic rectangle.
There were a multitude of things to look at, and I was surprised how many food trucks were there. They also had public seating and tables for dining. Knoxville had various merchandise, as did Columbia, but Columbia’s vendors were more diverse. Different people, music, booth presentations, the aesthetic had more variety.
There were also more high rises as a backdrop for the white tents, tables, and colorful trucks. I enjoyed it a lot. The sun caught you depending on the time of day (definitely sweated, plan accordingly). All was welcome, family time, summer dress dates and pups in backpacks.
Staying Snug - I did enjoy the house and spent time relaxing, studying for my class and making content. Marbles and Mila were as low-key as their cat mom. Mila (mom of Marbles) reminded me at 6 AM that it was breakfast and they were on their own after that. Both are outdoor cats with their own door to come and go as they please. Marbles was the most conversational cat I’ve ever met and a snuggle bug. Mila asked for love more seldom. I did go out with Marbles once, Emily keeps her backyard more on the wild side.
I’ve been surprised how much the Southeast has reminded me of Hawaii. Everywhere I’ve been is lush and green. I’ve been content. I feel good here.
