So I love the Azalea Bar, felt too cute after work to just go home and as usual my super generous boss, the owner of the Winchester Spa and Salon, gave me a nice tip today!
This bar feels like a swanky speakeasy, owned by Will and his wife who were recently featured in the local Azalea Magazine, woot woot!
They are dog friendly due to a spacious outdoor garden at the back of their establishment.
I'm most impressed they have a portrait of Andre Michaux who I first learned about at Middleton Plantation 🌺
Great service, amazing cocktails, mocktails, and substantial Small Bites, highly recommend to anyone in the Summerville South Carolina area.
Moderate prices, friendly staff, dog friendly outside and on porch, bar on porch. Fun vibes and best burgers. Parking limited
They make their veggie burgers in house, you think it's smallish portions but the servings are exceptionally filling!
I tried the pimento cheese version with potato salad.
Potato salad very fresh and delicious.
Veggie burger slightly spicy, nice bun, fresh condiments, good!
What a wonderful tour for $10! Super knowledgeable staff. I didn't take pictures but highly recommended if you love the military, artillery and history.
Moultrie grave engraving reminds us of what greatness and patriotism is.
Not dog friendly except for service dogs.
November 4, 2024
A delightful State Park, $12, dogs allowed but not at zoo or house (in the past I took Beau here for a fun interactive historical walk, today I focused on the Zoo, house closed due to wedding).
Nice inside museum, snacks, can bring your own water, use bug spray in the warmer months.
I used to watch Mutual of Omaha when I was little, amazed to discover Jim Fowler helped design a natural setting for native South Carolina animals.
An African American graveyard was unknowingly destroyed in the 1970s, a plaque and signs designate areas of respect.
Lovely walk, camellias fragrant, the otter was avtive but I didn't take a photo thinking I'd get one later but he wasn't to be seen 😂.
Highly recommend this educational place, inside museum super informative.
Trying places I couldn't go with Beau, as usual a coffee meal and tip at The Dime about $30, oops!
Family friendly, gravel parking by the pier has a high curb entrance and some dips like potholes but beautiful trees and the trail is nearby and of course the water
Got Lavender delicious hot Mocha Lavender Decaf latte and a healthy refreshing avocado black bean egg cheese breakfast burrito with bacon of course!, i did have to ask the friendly server for salsa, they have hot sauce and salsa Verde which was pasty, hmmm. Only thought, they upgrade their salsa.
Definitely recommend!
Since Beau Bo passed I've been doing things Ive always wanted to do but couldn't take him so I held off. I'll post later about the Charleston Museum, Caw Caw Exhibit and Patriots Park, before he crossed we did Drayton Hall and Hampton Park which I'll also post about another time.
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Upon entering the park, brackish lake ahead, dog wash area to the left, watch out for alligators. I've only seen them on the other side of the lake but always good to be cautious as they are strong and surprisingly fast.
There's a wonderful up and coming area called Park Circle however this post is about the nearby playground in the shape of a circle, INCREDIBLE! It's the World's Largest Inclusive Playground, I even saw a Speech Pathologist dream, language based area.
Wish they had one of these for adults, definitely would take children here for a fun free outing.
There's a dog friendly sidewalk around the circle as well as a Frisbee Golf course across the street from the park also in a circle around the drive.
So fun!
Finally made it to the Chef's store on meeting and what I thought was a farmers market north of it on Meeting Street.
I thought the Chef's store would be equipment etc, it is open to the public but actually had lots of bulk food and supplies!
Some pricing seemed more than Aldi's of course but they had huge blocks of cheese, pieces of meat, etc. Definitely a hostesses dream!
I went north of the store, saw A LOT of cars by the Refinery, thought it was a farmers market, stopped and did a walkabout, pretty much all second hand clothing at decent prices. They call it a Vintage Market, definitely worth a look see.
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Upon entering the park, brackish lake ahead, dog wash area to the left, watch out for alligators. I've only seen them on the other side of the lake but always good to be cautious as they are strong and surprisingly fast.
Where to start? Middleton Plantation has a wonderful array of tours, many included in the general admission price but I chose to invest a total of $65 for general admission and the extra house and rice fields tour, INCREDIBLE!
House Tour
This is my third year living in the flourishing state of South Carolina. She never ceases to amaze me especially with her depth of importance regarding the Revolutionary War and signers of the Declaration of Independence. That juxtaposed with the son or grandson of the afformentioned signer initiating South Carolina's Secession from the Union.
Sooo, the house tour was eye opening: a signed pass from President Abraham Lincoln, tiara worn at the Czar of Russias wedding, 19th century children's furniture and toys, beautiful silver tea sets and much more.
Rice Tour
Chuck drove us in a trusty 6 seater golf cart, flying a beautiful American flag this lovely Memorial Day weekend of 2024, past virulent bamboo, baby alligators and flooded rice fields. Chuck is a patriot and historian, his wife Rhonda led the house tour!
Garden Tour
Versailles inspired, the once neglected geometric formal garden is once again brimming with life including a surviving camellia plant brought to the United States in the 1700s by Andrè Micheaux, she's a beauty.
My favorite flora however was the 1000 year old oak tree you see me laying my hand on, such energy! Incredible.
I loved how each tour guide acknowledged the unsung slaves who did all the arduous work digging out the rice fields, planting toe and heel, digging 8 feet deep 60 foot long reflecting pools in the garden and ensuring the silver in the house shined.
Our garden guide shared a beautiful story of a Middleton slave who remained as a paid staff member after the emancipation and eventually became the pastor of Summervilles First Baptist Church and a leader in the recovery efforts after the horrific earthquake in the late 1800s.
Not dog friendly due to the sheep, horses, etc.
There were water buffalo as well. Fun fact, Chuck shared that mozzarella cheese comes from the milk of water buffalo!!! Now you know
6.2.24 Lovely day at Daniels Island, followed the trail behind the dog park towards the Right, past the tiny cemetery and over the wooden bridge to North Dock No. 1. Unfortunately no snack shack to get water or refreshment for the pupup. The Dime had outdoor seating but no service unless you go inside, super cute though from the outside. Looked like alot of other shops and eateries at that location including the trail going further if you have the timeÂ
