ARTFIELDS

"ArtFields is a first-of-its-kind, Epic Southern Artfest Competition and Celebration to be held in the historic community of Lake City, South Carolina. The 10-day event will feature live music, dancing, delicious Southern foods, and cash prizes totaling $100,000 that will be awarded to winning artists. "

Lake City will be hosting this wonderful art event starting the 19th. There will be art, of course, on display and performance, live music and lots of food. There will also be art workshops most of which are free. For more information please visit their website at http://www.artfieldssc.org and download the full schedule of events. I will be there working all week but I will definitely take the time to post pictures and blog about the events. Please take the time to come out and support local art and agriculture coming together.

Thrifty Tuesday: Tip #1

Well this weeks finds are just a few not like the jack pot and mother loads I have been finding lately. However it was still successful, I found a lot of vintage jewelry, most of which I will transform to make statement necklaces. I love to take vintage necklaces and cluster them together to make unique statement necklaces. I got some great 80's style earrings that will be putting up for sale on the online in my etsy shop. The main thing I want to talk about today is about becoming friends with your local thrift store employees. The reason why I found such great jewelry this week is because I got a call from my contact at one of my favorite thrift stores. He called me to let me know they received a bunch of vintage jewelry. Establishing this relationship with employees/owners at thrift helps make your thrifting experience easier. Yes I love just discovering treasures all on my own, but I hate when I miss out on items that I really want because someone beat me to it. So having these contacts and becoming friends with them is a key advantage. Plus its always nice to make new friends. Now I can expect a call every time they get something that I really want in so I don't miss out. And they usually end up giving me a discount so being friendly definitely doesn't hurt. I have to admit I love walking into a store and the employees know me by name and ask how I'm doing and actually mean it. So I highly recommend you to take the time to get to know the people you see every time you go thrifting because you never know what they might be able to help you with and they usually are pretty cool people.

Gravy Train

I have been hearing lots of talk about a new restaurant that opened in Sumter last year. It's called Gravy and it opened up where my old favorite restaurant used to be so I was reluctant to go try it out. Well I finally went there for lunch one day and I was pleasantly surprised.
You walk in and it's a mix of southern charm and bistro chic. You sit down and they serve your drinks in mason jars and how cakes instead of bread, very southern. They have a regular menu with sandwiches and salads, and they have a daily special of one meat with either two or three sides. I ordered the chicken salad plate and Louis got the chicken friend steak with macaroni and mashed potatoes with gravy. Everything was delicious and tasted homemade and fresh. The hoe cakes were cooked per order so they were warm and crispy when you but into them. The chicken fried steak was super crispy and flavorful and my chicken salad was just like my moms. I definitely recommend that you go try it out, it's a quaint little spot but the food is big on flavor. Places like this is why I love living in the south.

Thrifty Tuesday

So my weekly ritual of thrift store shopping is becoming difficult. I keep finding all these great things but we don't have a retail space yet so I'm running out off room to keep things. Hopefully this weekend I can get the online store up and running.
This week I found a great deal, I got an old desk in good condition for only $30! I was shocked it didn't need any work and was exactly what I needed for my computer desk. It has dovetail joints which is a sign that it is old plus it has a tag in the drawer with the name of the furniture company. These are key details to look for when shopping for authentic old furniture. I also keep coming across vintage Avon bottles fort perfume and cologne. I find one that is a house head snag another that's a pocket watch. These are unique finds and fun to collect. One thing yo keep in mind with thrift store shopping is to not focus on what you think it's worth cost wise. Look at how unique out is, have you ever seen anything like it before. Also it's functionality can you use it for something else? Also the subject matter it's it something that means something to you, looker your grandma used to have one. Money is not the focus of thrifting aside from the bargains and deals you get. I love finding unique and different things that speak to me. Keep an eye out Goethe online shop so you can buy some of my cool finds!

Thrifty Tuesday

I went to a new thrift store today and hit the jackpot I found a set of vintage amethyst glassware! I have never seen anything like it before. And it was 25% off, love finding stuff on sale. I also found an entire set of vintage amber glassware including the pitcher also on sale. This week has been a great week of finding vintage glassware. Yesterday I found some very neat retro drinking glasses. As a southern woman you can never have enough glassware to use when you have company and a iced tea pitcher is a must have. If you found anything while thrifting please send me pictures.

Wednesday's Goodies

Today my class got canceled so I decided to go check out a thrift store I have never been to. So as I'm perusing through the furniture and I stumbled upon an interesting piece. It was a Maker's Mark display rack with mirror. And it was only marked $75! I went up to the sales clerk and asked if they would go down on the price just to see and he came back and I bought it for only $50!!! This was one of the best finds I've ever gotten. I was so ecstatic and couldn't wait to get home. It looks amazing in the house and my dad's whiskey collection will fit perfectly in it. See you never know what you will find in a thrift store especially in the south.
To celebrate my find I decide to whip up some homemade red velvet cupcakes. I was taught by my grandmother how too make them and sorry for now I will keep her recipe a secret. I choose to do cream cheese frosting instead of her frosting and they were the perfect late night treat! Every time I bake it reminds me of my mom and grandmother. I love how baking brings back the wonderful memories of my childhood. Baking is an important part of the south and defined many relationships between mothers and daughters. I try to bake as often as I can so I can appreciate my family, my roots and heritage. This is why I started Market South so I can share my experiences with discovering my past and how it affects me today.

Collecting: Hobby or Obsession?

So lately I have been checking out the local thrift stores and picking up some great treasures. I love collecting vintage housewares and accessories. My most recent finds have been colored glass pieces especially green and blue glass. Vintage ice buckets and fondue pots from the 1960s are retro and fun pieces to have in my collection. Costume jewelry and silk scarves are always a must have for me. Sadly I'm running out of room for all my stuff, its beginning to get out off hand the amount of stuff I have.

So now I'm going to turn my collection/obsession into something practical. My mother and aunt also love to collect as much as I do so we have decided to start our own business. So Market South will soon be selling the great things that I love to collect and obsess over. I want to share all my great finds with others that love vintage and antique treasures. Plus I will still be offering wedding planning services.

Online store and pictures to come soon.

Living it Up in Lake City

Currently I am working in Lake City, SC as a bartender at a local restaurant called the Railway. The Railway is located in Lake City's historic train station. The main dining room features a buffet Tuesday-Sunday and offers a Menu with a variety of Southern comfort food. The Pub Car is where the bar is located and is a great place to grab a cold beer and some delicious wings. This is one of Lake City's top restaurants and worth a trip to check it out.

Lake City is a small town located in Florence County which most people pass right by and don't even know it is there. This small town has a lot to offer however they have The Lake City Farmers Market which is every Thursday. The South Carolina Tobacco Festival is September 13-15, 2012 and it is held in Lake City, SC. This festival features a 5K Run, BBQ Cook-off, Battle of the Bands, and much more! I am looking forward to the BBQ Cook-off the most, I can't wait to try all the BBQ.

Also Lake City Farmer's Market will be hosting 2 cook-offs this September. If you or anyone you know is interested here is the information:

Call for Contestants.

The Lake City Farmers’ Market will host two cook-offs in the fall: a Chicken Bog Cook-Off on September 27th and a Catfish Cook-Off on October 11th. Each contest will have two categories and each category has a $100 prize for the best recipe. A $20 entry fee is required for each category chosen. Recipe Judging will begin at 5:00 PM with plates and drinks available to the public immediately after the Judging. $5 allows non-contestants to sample any recipe. For more information please contact Philip Huber at (843) 373-5750 or Krystal Miles at (843) 374-1500. Entry forms will be available at the Bean Market Museum.

PRIZE LIST

Best Chicken Bog ……… $100 & Trophy

Best Perlow……………... $100 & Trophy

Overall People’s Choice…………Trophy

Best Catfish Stew ……… $100 & Trophy

Best Catfish Nuggets……………... $100 & Trophy

Overall People’s Choice…………Trophy

Please try to make it out this weekend to the SC Tobacco Festival, September 13-15, 2012!!!

Food Trucks for Foodies! Part 2

We got to Manning as the sun was about to set and the temperature had dropped significantly. If you have never been to South Carolina then you don't understand what hot is, so it was a relief for it to be cool. Luckily we made after the lines had died down so we first started with the Sabrett Hot Dog Stand. Now this is not a "southern food" but since my boyfriend's family is from New York we could not pass this up. He got his dog the original way, steamed bun, dog , "Sabrett" onions and spicy brown mustard, I of course got mine with ketchup being the southern that I am. As you bit down into the dog you could hear the signature "snap" of the dog which tells you its right. If you haven't tried a Sabrett you should even though its a Yankee food it's still delicious, but don't order yours with ketchup up north, that's a death wish.

Louis's Sabrett with onions, he already ate almost half before I could take a picture.

Mine with ketchup :)

The main attraction was Pawley's Front Porch Food Truck, from Columbia, SC. People drove from Sumter, Turbeville, and other surrounding areas just to eat their burger which were definitely worth the drive and the wait in line. I ordered the Wadmalaw Burger that had chipotle BBQ sauce, fried pickle chips, apple wood smoked bacon and cheddar cheese. It was fantastic, it had just a little kick from the BBQ sauce and crunch from the bacon and tang from the fried pickles. It was a burst of flavor in my mouth! I devoured the entire burger without saying a word. My boyfriend ordered the Caw Caw Creek Burger with housemade jalapeno pimento cheese, bread & butter pickled green tomato, jalapeno bacon and grilled onions. Unfortunately they were out of bread & butter pickled green tomatoes but he said that it was great even with it missing. He mainly ordered it because of the 2 jalapeno items, which gave it just the right amount of spice. The pimento cheese was creamy, tangy with some spice and the onions added tons of flavor. Plus the fries were so crispy and delicious! My parents had gone before we got there and called us raving saying we had to get there before they ran out. All in all Pawleys knows their stuff on burgers and their unique creations are defiantly tasty and successful.

Wadmalaw Burger

Caw Caw Creek Burger

Caw Caw Creek Burger

Finally the last food truck was a funnel cake vendor who unfortunately I was too full to try anything. If I had I was definitely going to try a Red Velvet funnel cake. Just the name is screams southern, combing a southern staple of Red Velvet cake and then frying it as a funnel cake. What's not to like, besides the doctor visit you might have afterwards.

I am very impressed with Manning for embracing the Food Truck movement and bringing it home. I hope to see more events like this in the future.

Food Trucks for Foodies! Part 1

If you are a foodie like me then I am sure you love the popular food movement happening now with food trucks. Sadly around where I live they aren't any close by, but not for long. Manning, SC is hosting "3 Food Trucks and a Movie" night tomorrow, Friday August 17, 2012. They are calling it Manning's largest picnic and will be showing a movie for all to enjoy! Personally I am going for the delicious and unique food that the local food trucks will be serving.

Pawleys Front Porch is a 2012 Best of Columbia winner, with locations in 5 Points Columbia, SC and Mt. Pleasant, SC. Their food truck will be in Manning tomorrow for this exciting event and it is the one I am looking forward to the most! They will be selling their unique delicious burgers which have been featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives". What makes their burgers so great is they grind their own meat in house and then pair the burgers with unique and interesting combinations of condiments, cheeses, and  other tasty additions. Friday they will be selling their signature burgers, fries, house-made pickles, fish tacos and much more. One burger you should try is the Isle of Palms which has house-made pimento cheese and jalapeno bacon (Yes that is right jalapeno flavored bacon!). The Fripp Island burger has southern salsa, boursin cheese, and a fried green tomato, or try the Caw Caw Creek burger with house-made jalapeno pimento cheese, bread & butter pickled green tomato, jalapeno bacon and grilled onions. All the burgers are around $9 and come with your choice of fries, chips or pasta salad. Pawleys Front Porch certainly has a different take on burgers but with their house-made items and freshly ground meat these burger should be one of the best you have eaten in a long time. I hope that you take the time if you are nearby Manning, SC and come check out all the food trucks, I will be there and I will post pictures and tell you all about my experience their tomorrow!!!

Food Truck Menu

Food Truck