Category Archives: things to do

Don’t Miss Southern BBQ and Bluegrass at Hobcaw Barony!

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BBQ and Bluegrass at Baruch

Celebrate fall with a barbeque and bluegrass concert at Hobcaw Barony,

the Baruch Plantation at the tip end of the Waccamaw Neck on Saturday,

November 17. Party participants can enjoy the sunset from the dock, a

cold beer, a handful of boiled peanuts and a plate full of pork. Inside

the lodge, around the fire pit or at the screen porch, the Southern

sounds of music make you happy to be in the Lowcountry. SAWGRASS, one

of the premiere bluegrass bands on the Grand Strand, brings its

“AcoustiLectricBlueGrass” to Hobcaw’s Pond Pavilion with acoustic and

electric guitars, banjo, dobro, mandolin, keyboard and amazing

harmonizing vocals.

 

Impressing former Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art concert

goers and among many venues, loyal customers at Pawleys Island Tavern,

SAWGRASS has opened for the bands Acoustic Syndicate, Leftover Salmon,

Blueground Undergrass,The Nashville Bluegrass Band and The Marshal

Tucker Band. Sawgrass has been joined on-stage by SC’s own Mark Bryan

from Hootie and the Blowfish. They put on a show that creates a

Southern memory.

 

Bluegrass is a form of “American roots music,” inspired by Appalachia’s

18th century Scottish, Irish, and English traditions andinfluenced by

African-American jazz. Bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe describes

bluegrass as “Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin’, blues and jazz.

It’s Methodist and Holiness and Baptist!”

 

Just as the music reflects a diverse culture, your library plans to build

The Library Center-Waccamaw, a larger facility and a heritage center,

which reaches out to our diverse community. Join us on Saturday, Nov.

17 from 3:30pm to dusk for BBQ and Bluegrass at Baruch. Families

welcome to this fundraiser.

 

Tickets, $50 adults/$15 children under 16,

go are on sale and should be bought ahead of time through The

Library Center atTLCWaccamaw@gmail.com or call 843-979-0561.

 

Upcoming Atalaya Festival Makes Ocean Home Magazine!

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Local Realtor, Troi Kaz frequently blogs about her fabulous neighborhood, Debordieu and other local interests.  Her love of our area shines through in her writing.  Ocean Home Magazine obviously loves it, too!

You can read more of Troi’s blogs at http://www.coastalschomes.com/

South Carolina’s Finest to be Displayed at Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival

Some of the finest art in the South Carolina Lowcountry will be on display, and available for purchase, this weekend at the Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Just north of Pawleys Island, Atalaya, the ocean front castle, located in Huntington Beach State Park is the former home of the world renowned sculptor….read more at  http://oceanhomemag.com/atalaya/

Plantation Tours Series – Estherville Plantation

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This post is part  of a series I’m doing on the 65th Annual Plantation Tours sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women of Prince George Winyah Parrish.  These posts will be interspersed with our regular eclectic offerings. 

Each year  plantations and town houses (most privately owned) are graciously shared with the public. A different group of homes is on tour each day.  As part of the tour of pre-Revolutionary and antebellum churches, town houses and plantations, visitors are invited to the Winyah Indigo Society Hall for tea each afternoon.

The dates for the 66th Annual Plantation Tours are March 22 and 23, 2013.

Estherville Plantation

I arrived at Estherville Plantation just as rain was threatening. The misty light was wonderful and imparted a fairy tale feel to the gardens.  It was one of the many times I wished I were a painter.  Or at least a better photographer who doesn’t rely on a blackberry to take all her photos.  Some of these may have been taken with my actual camera.  I tend to switch back and forth depending on battery charge.

Estherville has incredible wrap around marsh views.

The combination of azaleas and Spanish moss draped live oaks is breathtaking!

Add marsh view and my heart stops!

Photographs aren’t allowed inside the houses so all photos will be of the gardens.  The interior of the house is amazing with a screened in pool, big game trophies and lots of books. It’s beautiful and lived in and loved.

Here’s what the Plantation Tours brochure says about Estherville Plantation.

“On June 18, 1711, Winyah Barony, containing 12,000 acres, was granted to Landgrave Robert Daniel, who sold it the following day to the second Landgrave Thomas Smith.  Nothing is known of the history of his grant until 1732 when Landgrave Thomas Smith laid out a part of this barony as a second town.  From 1732 until his death in 1738, he tried to sell lots in the town, but was unsuccessful.  Georgetown was already growing, and two towns on Winyah Bay were not needed.  Subsequently, a portion of these lands came into the hands of Archibald Johnstone, who married Esther Allston in 1745.  It is she for whom the place is named.  Their great grandson Francis Withers Johnstone, planted Estherville in 1850, and records show that in that year he had ninety slaves who helped him harvest 300,000 pounds of rice.  Estherville remained in the Johnstone family until 1918.

Historically, Estherville is interesting as the probable site of the first experiment in tidal cultivation of rice.  Tidal fresh water presumably was brought from Minim Creek, a branch of the Santee River, through a large irrigation ditch or canal.  After the success of this experiment, this method of agriculture spread in all directions, vastly increasing the rice production potential of the South Carolina Coast.

The origianl house burned and the present dwelling was constructed on the old foundation in the early 1900′s.  Estherville is owned by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Lucas Lumpkin, Jr. and Captain & Mrs. R. Parker Lumpkin.”

After the tour through the house we came out to beautiful sunshine!

Butterflies also enjoyed the azaleas and sunshine!

And for the finale, a rainbow!

 

Tony Dorsett AMIKids Georgetown Kids First Golf Classic

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You can make a real difference in the life of a child by supporting the Tony Dorsett AMIKids  Georgetown Kids First Golf Tournament.  Tony Dorsett is excited to team up with you at the great event which benefits the  kids of AMIKids Georgetown, SC; a non-profit organization committed to giving disadvantaged kids a second chance.

Community leaders will be joined with celebrities for the event on May 18th and 19th at the beautiful True Blue Golf Course in Pawleys Island, SC.  Mark your calendars and join us for two days of fun at one of America’s greatest courses.

The field will be limited to 36 teams and will be sold on a first come first sold basis. It is not open to the general public.  Each team will consist of 4 members plus  a celebrity and will receive some great gifts. Each team will be required to have a 30 handicap minimum, not including your celebrity.  The format will be Captain’s Choice (scramble) and shotgun start.   Prizes will be given to the top 3 teams, longest drive and closest to the pin.

Entry fee is $4000 ($1000 each player) by April 2nd.  A nonrefundable deposit of 50% ($2000) is required to reserve a team by deadline.

Each player will receive a Players Gift Pack, a framed 8″x11″ team photo , 2 tickets to the Player’s Pairing Party and Auction, and 2 tickets to the Awards Party.

Call or email Shirley Reilly at 843.237.2094 (sreilly@lachicotte.com)  for more information, to reserve your spot, or for help with travel arrangements.  This event is not open to the public.

This will truly be an event to remember!

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Broaching the Subject

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Thanks to Cindy Kinder, Directory of The Kaminski House Museum for this blog post!

Several years ago, an astonishing find was uncovered at the Kaminski House Museum. This find is still talked about today; in fact it is one of the favorite stories told by the docents at the Museum. This astonishing find was just a simple, but elegant broach.

In 1996, the Museum received a grant from the Institute of Museum Services to hire a Registrar, a temporary position. A registrar’s job is to catalog the artifacts in a museum. This means numbering and writing a description of an artifact for inventory purposes. In 1997, Michelle Parks, the registrar at the Museum was cataloging the artifacts in Julia Kaminski’s Bedroom, specifically the dressing table located in that room. In order to catalog this dressing table correctly, Michelle had to take the skirting off of the table and when she did, pinned to the underside of the skirting was a dusty brooch. Michelle dusted it off, examined it and concluded that is had to be just a piece of costume jewelry that Mrs. Kaminski had hidden behind the skirting.

This brooch was in the Museum for about a week. The staff at the time enjoyed wearing it, and wondered where it came from. Finally, Michelle brought it down to the jewelers to have it cleaned. While she was at the store, she called up the then Director of the Museum, Ralph Calhoun, and told him that they might have a problem with the brooch. As it turned out, this brooch was made up of 13 old mine cut diamonds, each being a different karat weight totaling 13 karats with the biggest diamond being 2.55 karats. To top it off, the diamonds were set in 14-karat white gold. The problem was, what would the Museum do with such a beautiful and one of a kind piece?

The Kaminski House Museum kept the brooch; it had no choice. When Julia Kaminski died in 1972, she left her house, the contents and the grounds to the City of Georgetown to be a Museum in honor of her late husband, Harold and his mother, Rose. Her will is very specific about how her gift to the City was to be used and who the governing body should be. It also states that if the City of Georgetown wanted to sell any piece from the collection, the proceeds from the sale would go to the Seeing Eye Dog Foundation. This means that the Kaminski House Museum had to think about how to secure the brooch since it could not sell it.

Julia and Harold

Today, “the pin”, as it is called, is in a secure place and only comes out for very special occasions. When it does come out in public it is well guarded by Georgetown’s finest.

This brooch brought up another question. Where did it come from? When the brooch was first found there were all sorts of stories about how Julia Kaminski attained the brooch. All of the stories, although juicy, were not true. The brooch, like most of the antiques in the Museum, came from Julia’s mother-in-law, Rose Kaminski.

When this story is told during the tours of the Kaminski House Museum, the next question that is usually asked is how did the Kaminskis acquire their money to afford such jewelry and antiques? The answer to this question is simple: the American way, through hard work.

It all started with Harold Kaminski’s father, Heiman Kaminski. Heiman Kaminski was born in Posen, Prussia, which is now Poland, in 1839. He emigrated from Prussia in 1854 to Charleston where he worked in a mercantile house. During the Civil War, Heiman served in the Confederate Army. After the War ended Heiman came to Georgetown and started working in a local hardware store. In 1867, Heiman started the H. Kaminski and Company Hardware Store. This store was very successful and expanded into dry goods. He later was able to expand his holdings into about five other businesses, including a shipping company.

In the late 1800’s the country was in the mist of a major recession, especially in the south. Along with this recession, Georgetown County was suffering the beginning of the loss of the rice culture that had made this county extremely wealthy. It is believed that Heiman Kaminski would extend credit to these one-time wealthy rice planters excepting furniture for payment of the supplies they needed. This is how the Kaminskis amassed such a fine collection of priceless antiques and incredible wealth.

The only way to see these antiques and to hear many more stories about the Kaminskis, is to take a tour. The Kaminski House Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM the guided tours are $10.00 per person. Call for tour times. The Kaminski House Museum is located at 1003 Front Street in historic Georgetown. For more information call toll free 843-546-7706.

 

Make Plans Now to Attend the Winyah Bay Heritage Festival

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Some years ago in Georgetown, there was a festival in January celebrating Winyah Bay.  My family attended the first two and had a wonderful time. We missed a few years due to weather but now it’s back and at a much more reasonable time of year!

Now in it’s fifth year on March 2, 3, and 4,  the festival is a celebration of the rich heritage of Winyah Bay and the surrounding area. It honors the traditions rooted here, in the rice fields, uplands and marshes.

This year, the festival will take place at the Bobby Alford Recreation Center located in Georgetown.  The many activities hark back to the time when hunting and fishing were a necessity, rather than pastimes of avid sportsmen and a way to develop conservationists of tomorrow.

The Palmetto Dock Dogs will be on site this year demonstrating how dogs jump and retrieve.   Fishing guides will be on hand to talk about some of the best fishing spots, share tactics and teach techniques for the perfect throw with a cast net.   The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources brings their fishing simulator and shooting range which are huge hits with children.

Children's decoy painting at a previous Winyah Bay Heritage Festival

Additional activities for the young and young at heart include the Birds of Prey, decoy painting and the youth duck calling clinic, a new event last year.  New this year, and suited for all ages, will be a demonstration called “Snakes in Your Own Back Yard.”

Numerous exhibitors bring many items for sale.  If you are looking for the perfect call, decoy or painting, you’re in luck.  Please support the exhibitors as they, too, are an integral part of the festival.

“View of Chicora Wood Plantation”, oil by Joseph Cave

The featured artist for this year’s Winyah Bay Heritage Festival is local artist Joseph Cave. The painting titled “ View of Chicora Wood Plantation” was unveiled in November at a special reception held at the historic Stewart Parker house in Georgetown and will be auctioned at the sponsors party on March 2. It is currently on display at the Georgetown County Museum at 632 Prince Street, Georgetown SC.

All proceeds from ticket sales and sponsors benefit the Georgetown County Historical Society, which in turn supports the Georgetown County Museum, a 501 (c) (3) entity.  In addition to festival activities, many museums and tours in the area are available to further your knowledge of this special place.  Your visit will make you want to live here, and you’ll certainly understand why pluff mud sticks to our boots and to our roots.

Information contained in this article is in part from http://www.winyahbayfestival.org/index.htm.  Please visit the site for much more extensive information!

 

New Year’s Day – Southern Style

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Frank and Raejean Beattie hosted their annual New Year’s Day gathering at their home, Hopsewee Plantation.  The weather was wonderful and there is no better setting to enjoy the first day of the New Year.  The Beattie’s provided the country ham, collard greens, and hoppin’ john to make sure we have a lucky and profitable year and guests provided their favorite sides and desserts.  There is no doubt that Southerner’s enjoy their food!  For those not in the know, it’s a Lowcountry tradition to eat hoppin’ john for luck and collard greens for money on New Year’s Day.  All the food was excellent and guests should be a fortunate and wealthy group this year!

A scavenger hunt provided the opportunity to get to know other guests, with objectives such as, “find someone who has flown in a jet fighter,”  “someone who plays the cello,” and “someone who can touch their tongue to their nose”.  It was quite the conversation starter and a good time was had by all!

After eating, strolling the grounds provided wonderful photo opportunities.

The view of the North Santee River is always beautiful.

Conversation is always better under moss draped oaks.

Hopsewee has some of the most gorgeous camellias in the lowcountry.

Thank You to the best hosts in the lowcountry for the BEST New Year’s Day!

 Hopsewee was built 40 years before the Revolutionary War and is a national historic landmark that has been preserved rather than restored.  If are interested in the history of the house, tours, or weddings on the plantation, visit hopsewee.com .  The Tea Room at Hopsewee receives rave reviews from visitors from all over the nation.  I and my family love to visit it!   Check their website for current hours.

Trental

Antebellum Home Open for Tours

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Of the more than 60 antebellum homes in Georgetown, the Kaminski House Museum stands out as one of the most representative of the Georgian style architecture of the era. Built on a bluff overlooking the Sampit River, the Kaminski House is typical of the “single house” construction of the time. The narrow end of the home faced the street with the entry way located midway down one side of the building. A stroll down the streets of Georgetown or Charleston’s historical district will reveal many homes built in that tradition. The entry usually led into a hall leading to a staircase to the upper floor or floors. There would usually be a large room on either side of the hallway on all floors.

In the Kaminski House, the huge dining room is to the right of the hallway and the drawing room is to the left as you enter the home. The home was built by Paul Trapier, a leading merchant of South Carolina and sometimes known as “The King of Georgetown”. Born in 1716 of Huguenot parents in the French Santee section of Berkely County, Trapier moved to Georgetown and opened a small store. He soon became so successful he opened stores in Charleston also. By the 1750’s Trapier was considered one of the wealthiest merchants in the colony. During the Revolution, Trapier was active in supplying the military with provisions until the fall of Charleston to the British in 1780. Trapier gave the home and land to his daughter Elizabeth in 1769. It is assumed that the house existed at that time, but it is not clear from available documentation. Over the years the home was passed along to her niece who married John Keith whose family maintained it until 1855. From then until 1931, when it was purchased by Harold and Julia Kaminski, the home was owned by various owners including Thomas Daggett and George Congdon.  Harold was the son of Heiman Kaminski, one of Georgetown’s most prominent merchants during the latter part of the 1800s. He maintained holdings in shipping, rice and timber, dry goods, groceries and hardware. Julia was the daughter of John Pyatt, a product of “old Southern aristocracy”.   At her death in 1972, Julia Kaminski bequeathed the grounds, the house and all the furnishings to the City of Georgetown, suggesting it become a museum in memory of her husband, Harold. Harold served as Mayor of Georgetown and was instrumental in the development of the Coast Highway, improvements in the Inter-coastal Waterway and bringing inexpensive electricity to Georgetown. He also served as an officer in the US Navy during both World War 1 and World War II and was on duty in Pearl Harbor on the morning it was attacked by the Japanese. During their ownership the home was extensively renovated, modernized and furnished with the unique furnishings it contains today. In the years since Julia Kaminski bequeathed the home to the City, it has become a significant tourist draw as both an information center for Georgetown and a unique insight into the construction and furnishings of a bygone period. With a gift shop and daily tours conducted, many feel the house serves a unique roll in the ambiance of Georgetown as very few period homes are available for tourist to get the feel of the antebellum south.

 

Guided tours are given daily.  Please call 843 -546 -7706 for times  .Adults are $7.00.   Ages 6-12 are $3.00 and children under 5 are free.  There are group rates available.Tours of the Stewart-Parker House are available with the Kaminski House Museum tour for an extra $3.00.  The lawn of the Kaminski House Museum and the Stewart Parker House is available for weddings and other special occasions:Kaminski House Lawn:  $300.00 non-refundable user fee.  $200.00 refundable deposit.Stewart Parker House: $1,000.00 user fee plus $200.00 refundable deposit.Please call us to discuss dates and availability.

The Holidays’ at Hopsewee Plantation

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Christmas at Hopsewee

Although snow is infrequent and this photo was actually taken in February, Hopsewee Plantation can certainly put you in the Christmas spirit.  Don’t miss this lowcountry plantation during the holidays.

Hopsewee Plantation will welcome you with traditional decorations like the symbolic pineapple in arrangements like on this mantle.  Notice the candlestick detailing in the woodwork.

Hopsewee will be decorated with natural  things from around the grounds.  Don’t miss this chance to see an antebellum plantation for the holidays.

While there, don’t miss an elegant holiday Tea in the English tradition with flavorful Southern inspiration. The Tea Room at the charming cottage offers a delectable assortment of of savories, scones and sweets, with over a dozen varieties of English teas. A unique specialty is homemade, tea-infused jellies, including Arctic Raspberry and Earl Gray Cream Tea. One of the top-rated tea rooms in South Carolina according to teamap.com, the afternoon tea at River Oak Cottage consistently receives five-star reviews. Click for Menu

We now are pleased to offer our Hopsewee Blend House Tea blended exclusively for Hopsewee Plantation.  Beautifully packaged to remind you of your visit to Hopsewee. Order a box or a case by e-mail or give us a call.
Serving Tuesday – Friday from 10 am – 3:30 pm. Saturday Noon to 3:30 pm.  Occassionally we have groups that reserve the tea room or group tours that fill our tour space so we encourage you to call for Reservations.

Whether you are looking for a site for a rehearsal dinner, reception, anniversary celebration or private party, the cottage nestled beneath the river oaks of Hopsewee provides an ideal and unique setting.

Whether you’re holding a retreat, entertaining clients or celebrating a successful year, Corporate functions at the cottage are truly eventful.

Bordered by the natural beauty of the Santee River and surrounded by landscaped grounds and natural forests, the expansive cottage containing the banquet hall/meeting room can be supported by on-site or off-site catering in the adjoining professional caterer’s kitchen.

State of the art sound system, AV technology and internet access complete the combination, nestled in the heart of this privately owned plantation.

Amenities include the spacious deck and seating area on the river and the social area of the beautiful stone patio between the river and cottage. Box lunches and outdoor barbecues are other options.

Executive retreats, training seminars, client events, banquets, holiday parties and company picnics make this the newest, ultimate corporate event destination in a setting that boasts breathtaking natural beauty and gracious Southern hospitality.

Frank and Raejean encourage you to contact them and schedule a personal visit to plan your event.  Call 843-546-7891 to schedule your tour or visit.

Murrells Inlet’s Newest Attraction

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The Frank Company is a 100+ year old movie theater icon dedicated to providing family fun and entertainment.  Starting with 11 newly remodeled theaters, you will be in state-of-the-art comfort and accommodations as you take in the newest releases.

In keeping with the promotion of family fun time, adjacent to the theater complex is Revolutions Entertainment, which features the latest and greatest “Boutique Bowling” facility along with an Extreme Fun Arcade.  The Bowling center features 16 lanes with the most modern equipment that Brunswick has to offer.  With plush leather seating and soft lighting, it’s a bowling atmosphere like no other.

The Extreme Fun Arcade will provide hours of fun for kids of all ages with state of the art arcade games and an onsite redemption center.

Rounding off your Franks Entertainment experience is “The Grill” Restaurant & Bar which will make your “days of fun” even better!  With menu selections that will easily satisfy the toughest food critic, your most difficult decision will be…..what do I order today?  A movie and a pizza…..not a problem.  Let the friendly efficient concession staff deliver your homemade pizza loaded with fresh toppings and lightly basted with garlic butter right to your movie seats!

 

All you need to do is visit Frank Entertainment at the Inlet Square Mall and let them know you are a fan of elowcountry.  You will then be registered for your VIP Card which will afford you lots of special perks just for being an elowcountry fan.

Some of the VIP benefits will include:

*  Advanced Notice of Special Preview Events

*  Buy One – Get One Free Bowling every Sunday (up to 3 free games)

*  $2.00 Off Bistro & Bar Menu Items

*  Free “Bottomless” Pitcher of Soda with each Large Pizza

*  $1.00 off Hot Food at Concessions

*  VIP – Special of the Month (Movies, Bowling, Arcade, Food & more!)Frank Entertainment will gladly tailor special parties and gatherings to meet individual needs so do not hesitate calling Kali at 843-651-9400 ext. 6 for your next big event! 

In addition, for all our bowling enthusiasts - Kali has set up a special league rate for any elowcountry fan interested in participating in a weekly social league.  Leagues are scheduled to begin on January 12th so anyone who would like to sign up for a league or for additional information,  please  email Kali Karellas at kali@frankcompanies.com or call 843-651-9400 ext 6.   You will then be assigned to a league coordinator and given information about the “LEAGUE Kick Off – Bowling Party!!!