A Few Day Of Spring Down South

Dear Readers,
I am currently spending a few days down at the beach in South Carolina, where spring has definitely arrived.  Everything is in full bloom, from dogwoods, to azaleas, tulips and daffodils.
This is not entirely a vacation since I am here to take care of my father's beach condo, but the warmer weather has been a real treat. So I am not complaining one bit.

After a few glorious days, storms have moved in, and currently, the ocean looks angry and the forecast calls for potentially dangerous storms.

I will be back in Carroll Gardens soon, so please check back at the beginning of next week for more news of our favorite neighborhood.
Cheers, Katia

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A Late Fall Trip To The South: Of Sunrises, She-Crab Soup And a Foot Injury

Greeting from Surfside Beach, South Carolina, dear Readers.
This past October, Hurricane Matthew made landfall not very far from my father's beach condo in Surfside Beach.  Thankfully, there was only minimal damage to the complex and to the unit, but the ocean did breach the dunes on the beach and deposited quite a bit of sand in the courtyard.
Many others along this stretch of beach were not as lucky.  Garden City, which is just two miles south, was hit quite hard and many of the beach houses did sustain a fair amount of water and wind damage.
This and the fact that we needed to do some fall maintenance on the beach place after a busy rental season, brought us down South for a few days. The weather has been absolutely beautiful this past week: in the low 80's with crystal blue skies and a slight breeze.
And the sunrises, as you can see from the photos above, have been spectacular.
Unfortunately, soon after arriving here, Mr. Pardon Me wrangled with a very heavy sofa couch and injured his big toe nail.  I won't go into detail, but the injury was pretty gruesome and he was in quite a lot of pain.  He is feeling better now and he was able to take a walk on the beach for the first time two days ago.
Despite lots of home repair, cleaning and toe injury, it is nice to be down here. As always, when we are here, we took time to go to the Inlet Crab House in Murrell's Inlet to eat a big bowl of she-crab soup.
We will return to Brooklyn in just a few days. I am working on stories and news about Carroll Gardens, so I will meet you back here very, very soon.
Cheers, Katia

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It's Lovely In Surfside Beach, South Carolina

Good morning, Brooklyn friends,
I am still down South, but I promise I will be back in Carroll Gardens to bring you news of the neighborhood in just a few days.
Like every spring, my husband and I are spending a week at Surfside Beach, South Carolina, to get my father's beach condo ready for another summer rental season.  Despite the work, it is wonderful to wake up to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and to witness amazing sunrises and sunsets.
The weather has been very nice during our stay, so that we have been taking long walks along the beach.
Perhaps you have already visited Surfside?  If not, it definitely is worth a visit.  If you need a break from New York City,  my family's oceanfront condo at Admirals Quarters II is available for weekly rental this spring, summer and fall.
Feel free to contact me and I will gladly send you details.

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A Visit To Brookgreen Gardens In Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

If you ever find yourself near Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, you should really stop to visit the splendid Brookgreen Gardens. This National Historic Landmark is part arboretum, part sculpture garden, part natural reserve, it offers an ever changing display of flowers as the seasons change.

Once the plantation of the Alston family,

The more than 9,000 acre garden were once the property of magnate Archer Milton Huntington and his artist wife Anna Hyatt Huntington who purchased four former rice plantations in 1929. The sculpture garden was opened to the public in 1932 and features works by Anne, her sister Harriet Hyatt and many other American sculptors. The art is displayed in various themed gardens and water fountains.

You may recognize the bronze "Aganippe" or "Fountain Of The Muses" by Swedish sculptor Carl Milles, which were commissioned by the trustees of the Metropolitan Museum and  once graced the museum's large first floor restaurant.  The five figures were sold and moved to Brookgreen Gardens in 1982.

Besides the beautify plantings and sculptures, Brookgreen Gardens is a wonderful nature preserve that exemplifies different ecosystems found throughout coastal South Carolina.  There  is also a small native wildlife zoo, complete with a rather impressive gator.

No visit to Brookgreen Gardens would be complete without walking along the Low Country Trail and a restored rice field of the former Brookgreen Plantation. Along the way, an audio tour informs about life for enslaved Africans on a rice plantation and aims to educate about their daily life, work and the culture. Their history and plight is deeply moving and highlighted beautiful by sculptures created artist by Babette Bloch. (see below)

Regular admission to Brookgreen Gardens in $16, but the ticket is good for seven consecutive days.
I have already been twice in the past two days and will probably go back once more before heading back North to Brooklyn.

Hope it s not too cold back home.  Here in South Carolina it is sunny and in the 60s.  There is not a cloud in the sky.

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