I do love a festival.
One of my favorites is the Lexington Peach Festival held on the Fourth of July weekend in Gilbert, S.C.
You can get peach ice cream, peach fizzes, peach tea--well you get the idea.
Live music, with dancing encouraged, rides for the kids and those brave parents, lots of arts and crafts and a car and tractor show and of course, a parade. It's a great way to spend the day.
If you'd like to learn more about some of the great South Carolina festivals and parades check out www.discoversouthcarolina.com.
It's summertime and that means festivals and parades.
The Hampton Watermelon festival is all about the watermelon. Really, everyone and everything is covered in watermelons. From umbrellas, to keep the sun at bay, to signs, to a classic watermelon eatting contest, the watermelon is king!
To learn more about this festival and others in South Carolina, go to www.discoversouthcarolina.com.
Not a bad way to spend the day floating on the river with folks who know the ins and outs.
Check out the RiverRats, www.riverratscanoerentals.com, for some great fun.
Used with permission of South Carolina Living.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was in Columbia the other day helping to campaign for Nikki Haley, who is a Republican gubernatorial candiate.
The event was at the Statehouse and according to the Associated Press and The State, about a 1,000 people turned out to hear both women speak.
A few protestors showed up.
Here are a few images from the event.
I found out recently I know very little about Sumter, S.C.
I knew about the amazing Shaw Air base and that the city was nicknamed "The Gamecock City" and that I need to go around it to get to the beach.
That was it. I'm not proud.
So when I got the call to photograph food at Hamptons Restaurant I was surprised to learn about this fine dining restaurant with amazing and delicious food.
They have a great space at 4 W. Hampton Street right downtown.
I introduced you to the chef in the last post, Laurence Gottlieb so now I'd like to introduce his food.
And for those of you looking for a place to have that perfect wedding or rehearsal dinner check out Hamptons at www.hamptonsfoods.net.
Did I mention they have a bakery!
Enjoy.
If you are searching for great catering for your wedding, rehearsal dinner or just having a great event and need some great food, you should check out Carolina Cuisine, www.carolinacuisinesc.com.
I got a chance to sample some of their food at the Bollywood /PAALS fundraiser at the Windermere Country Club. The event was to raise money for PAALS (Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services) who train and provide dogs for individuals with varying disabilities. Carolina Cuisine stepped up with some great Indian inspired dishes that tasted as great as they looked.
On occasion I do some work for the Charleston Silver Lady, www.charlestonsilverlady.com, Dawn Evers Corley. She is the expert on everything silver and her knowledge of antiques is amazing. Whenever I get to shoot some of her latest collections it's like being asked to photograph museum pieces, except they are not under glass or behind ropes and I can hold them. It's quite a treat.
Some of the latest things she had asked me to shoot where wedding antiques. In the large photo you'll see pieces that might have been given as a gift to the bride. From a silver fruit basket, to ornate silver flatware and in the upper right of the image a silver basket that held the wedding bouquet, wrapped of course in cypress grass. All of these items date in the 1800's and some even before. But what I found truly beautiful was the tiny silver vial in the shape of an ear of corn. This was tied to the wedding bouquet and the bride would catch the tears from her wedding day in it.
If your looking for that unique gift for that special bride, something that can be passed down through the generations, check out the Charleston Silver lady. She has a shop in Lexington, S.C. open by appointment only. It's a beautiful trip into the past.
It's not often that I get to wake up to about five or siz inches of snow on the ground. It's highly unusual here. So after we moved some limbs out of the yard, the snow was pretty heavy, and headed down the street I stumbled upon Yankess. I know what your thinking, well THAT'S not unusual. It is!! A group of Yankees' and their three cannons were parked at the end of my street re-enacting the firing on the State House by Gen. Sherman.
So hope you enjoy some Yankees and cannons and a few snow pictures from my neighborhood.
When I married my husband Dale, almost five years ago, we decided to spend our honeymoon at Dollywood, Nashville and end up in Memphis. We could have skipped Dollywood and Nashville. But Memphis. Well, it was wonderful. Not only are we total Elvis fans and believe that BBQ should be it's own food group, but we finally got to visit Graceland. Me and Dale think Elvis was/is the coolest, we don't dress up in jumpsuits or anything, but if you give me a call and have to wait for me to pick up, Elvis songs will keep you entertained. We also named one of our cats Elvis, he is the last photo in the bunch.
So in honor of the King's birthday I thought it might be fun to share some of the pictures I made then at Graceland and Sun Records.
Hope you enjoy!
Awhile back I had the opportuniy to photograph Jenny Sanford and two of her sons playing soccer at the Governors Mansion here in Columbia, where she was living with her husband and Gov. Mark Sanford. But all that ended this summer when Gov. Mark Sanford admitted to an affair.
Tonight at 10pm, Barbara Walters will talk with Jenny Sanford about her cheating husband and her upcoming book, " Staying True". This picture will be included in the book, due out in April.
I'm a sucker for puppies. My wish each Christmas would be to have a puppy waiting under the tree for me. I know, can you imagine, but I do love them.
So it was a bit like Christmas for me when I got to spend some time with the newest crop of PAALS (Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services)puppies. These nine-week old labs have already begun their training as service dogs, but they are allowed a little puppy badness, like chewing on my camera bag!
Chloe, Radford, Roberta, RC, Red and little Carol are a true delight. You'll notice that Carol is wearing a sweater and is a bit smaller than her brothers and sisters. Carol won't be able to be a service dog, she was born with a heart murmur and she is quite small. She'll be looking for a home that can take care of her and her heart.
Here are a few of my favorites and if you are looking for a break in your holiday shopping this Saturday, you are invited to attend a doggie wedding. It seems as if these puppies have been born out of wedlock and this weekend their parents are making it official.
If you'd like to have more information about Akira and Charlie's doggie wedding, please go to www.paals.org.
And yes, you can find information on the site where the happy couple is registered.
I recently took a trip back home to Virginia. Now I have lived in South Carolina for almost 20 years but Virginia was where I was born and raised. It was my Uncle Mike and Aunt Anita's 30th wedding anniversary.
Aunts, uncles and cousins descended on the Northern Neck and settled in for some food, fellowship and fun.
It was a great time and in just a few days, I promise, I will post some photos of the event.
Sometimes it's easy to forget how very loved you are until you take the time to spend it with people you love. So don't be afraid to slow down, take in the view and touch base with all the familly, near and far, and get prepared to get some love!!
I know, I know I really get to see some great stuff.
This is a handmade silver globe clock, the detail is amazing and when you realize it was made in the thirties by hand, no machine stamping. It is quite simply mindblowing. You can also see some of the tools used to make it.
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On Saturday morning, my neice Olivia was getting ready for her first dance recital. She was wearing her first makeup and knee high hose and looked too adorable in her sailor outfit. The dance recital was inspired by the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid and the stage at Wando High School was about to be filled with fish and mermaids and sailors and most anything else that could be found on or under the ocean. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but Olivia and all the students at the Tapio dance school in Mt. Pleasant really did themselves proud.
I'm a sucker for a puppy.
So when my neighbors decided to adopt two lab/pitbull mix puppies, sisters, I was very excited. They are about nine weeks old and are as cute as they can be. The smaller of the two with brindle markings and grey/green/blue eyes is Ginger and the larger black girl with a white patch on her tummy, chin and on all four paws, is Layla.
People are always raving about how great naps are and that you should take one everyday, however, I think a puppy break is a much better idea. So here's your puppy break!
It's hit the stands, Lake Murray/Columbia magazine's May issue is out and I had the opportunity to photograph two of the stories.
The first story is about an artist named Anne Boudreau. Born and raised in the South she works with textiles and makes amazing looking fabric sculptures. Her show will open on May 7 at the new 701 CCA on Whaley Street and will run until July 5, you should check it out!!
The other story that I was able to photograph was local bakers offering tips for best cake making and decorating. As a wedding photojournalist I have the opportunity to sample a lot of cakes, some of the best the state has to offer and one of my favorites is Chocolate Nirvana. They make an amazing Godiva Liquor cake that will make you wonder if it would be poor form if you ate the entire thing. It's that good. Don't even get me started about the flourless Chocolate Nirvana Cake--WOW!!!! If you want to try it for yourself, they are located on Richland Street and their website is www.chocolatenirvanabakery.com. Tell them Heybabysmile sent ya.
Here are my favorites from both shoots.
Here's a few of my favorite pictures from James and Ashley Kilpatrick's wedding. The ceremony was at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Lexington and the reception was at the Palmetto Club in downtown Columbia, S.C. The club also handled the catering. It was a great day with a delightful reception complete with lots of fun dancing. I'd like to thank Brett Flashnick for helping me out!!!
A few months ago the Southern Short Course in News Photography was held in North Carolina. The Southern Short Course is the oldest photojournalism contest in America and gets entries from all over, despite the name "Southern", which is a nod to where the contest began, right here in the Carolinas.
I don't get to do a ton of editorial work but last year Bloomberg News called to see if I would cover the Presidential candiate Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, as she read to kids at the University of South Carolina. It was great fun and I've got to tell you she was a delight to watch, very engaged and really seemed to have a good time with the kids. Even Cocky showed up.
The photograph took an HM in the Campaign 2008 category and I was reminded of this when a plaque showed up in the mail over the weekend. Thought it would be fun to take a look back!
With all the discussion going on about the economy and stimulus money for the state, imagine my surprise when I looked up after walking back to the car from a wedding, and saw South Carolinas' statehouse bathed in a spooky light. Looked a little like trouble brewing to me.
Here are some of Ashley's bridal portraits. She had a wedding dress with pockets, how fun! We shot in Lexington County, even talking a farmer into letting us borrow his red barn. I'm sure it will be the talk of family gatherings for years to come, it's not everyday a beautiful woman in a wedding dress asked to borrow your barn!
Check back to see some selects from the wedding in just a few days!!!
