Nelson's Neighborhood

On July 13, I thought the next day - July 14 - would be just an ordinary day. I would get up, drink my espresso, read the Post and Courier and head into my office for a day of work. Boy was I wrong! On July 14, Darren and I awoke to a phone call telling me that my mother, Lana, was having a heart attack and would be taken to the ER at a local hospital. As we drove there, my mind raced, "Could it be a mild one? How could this happen?" etc. and a thousand more questions swirled in my head. When we arrived, my mom was being taken into the Cath Lab where they needed to put a stent in her heart. The physician, Dr. Yarborough, looked at me and said, "Your mom is very sick. We hope she can make it" and BOOM....  my life changed in an instant.  Now one month and 9 days later, I still am feeling the affects from mom's heart attack. After a very scary time in a medical induced coma where she lived off an ECMO machine for weeks, she came out of the coma with her senses...

Just in time for a final celebration of summer, Firefly Distillery is proud to introduce their newly designed Sea Island South Carolina Rums. These unique, all-natural rums are handcrafted at Firefly Distillery on Wadmalaw Island, one of the 12 Sea Islands in Charleston County.   Sea Island Rums are sold exclusively in South Carolina and include three delicious flavors: Gold Rum, Java Rum and Spice Rum.   Using sugar cane from South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana, then aging the rum in bourbon barrels creates a unique flavor. Utilizing a Lowcountry twist is key for Firefly Distillery, which is why they use sugar cane from famed Johns Island resident and Rosebank Farms owner,  Sidi Limehouse. Each rum has its own distinct flavor and can be served over ice or mixed in your favorite cocktail.  Not only are the Sea Island Rums made in the heart of the Lowcountry, they stand behind a mission to be involved with their community and communities around the world, ...

Each year, more than one million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer. With an emerging body of research suggesting that physical activity not only has a positive effect on quality of life following a diagnosis of cancer, but may also improve survival, Dragon Boat Charleston aims to provide an outlet for physical and mental wellness for those cancer survivors in the Lowcountry. The Square Onion Too! Is pleased to announce that Dragon Boat Charleston has been selected as the beneficiary of the August installment of Pour It Forward. This monthly wine tasting giving event will happen on Wednesday, July 20 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at The Square Onion Too! at 411 Coleman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant. A $10 donation is requested. With that donation, patrons will enjoy a wine tasting, healthy snacks and music by Travis Allison.   For this August installment, the chosen nonprofit organization, Dragon Boat Charleston, promotes   physical and mental wellness am...

It’s a “grape” time to stomp some grapes at Irvin~House Vineyards’ Eighth Annual Grape Stomping Festival on Saturday, August 27, 2011 from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Irvin~House Vineyards located on Wadmalaw Island. Admission is only $10.00 per car.  The public is invited to join in the yearly harvest and stomping of the grapes at  Charleston's only winery, Irvin~House Vineyards, located at 6775 Bears Bluff Road on Wadmalaw Island. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or a blanket to picnic on the expansive lawn, but no coolers please. The highlight of the Grape Stomping Festival is the Lucy Look-A-Like Contest, where "I Love Lucy" Fans will get their chance to don their best Lucy costume and reenact the famous 1956 episode of "I Love Lucy" when Lucy takes a job in a vineyard and stomps grapes.  Along with the Lucy Look-A-Like Contest, a new contest has been added to bring out competitors who aren’t afraid to get a little dirty. The contest will consist of...