Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Charleston, SC

How to Cultivate the Tiniest Green Thumb

by Nicole

I'll be frank: I'm a vegetarian, cloth-diapering, thrift-store-shopping mother who has been dubbed the "recycling Nazi" for berating certain family members for tossing out plastic bottles. While folks in Berkeley or somewhere equally self-important might call me a lightweight, around these parts, I'm about as crunchy as they come. This spring and summer, we've been really focused on food -- ... Read more >

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Feed the Family: Three Little Birds Cafe

by Nicole

I love to eat out. It always feels like a special treat for someone to put beautiful food in front of me and then NOT have to do the dishes. However, it's not always easy to find restaurants friendly enough for the whole family that serve up healthy food grown-ups want to eat. But if I had a checklist for the characteristics I look for in a family-friendly restaurant, Three Little Birds cafe ... Read more >

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Fabulous Fieldtrip: Blueberries!

by Nicole

Blueberry season is here, and there is no better way to enjoy this fruity summertime delight than fresh from the bush. I've mentioned Champney's Farm (4492 Rose Drive, Ravenel, SC. Phone: 843-763-6564) briefly before, but I wanted to share our recent trip to their place. It makes a great field trip for the whole family -- and it's actually in a FIELD! If, like me, you're working with your ... Read more >

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tuesday top five: tabletop destinations

by Nicole

As the daughter of Midwestern meat-and-potatoes type of folks, I grew up eating dinners of classic American family meals: pot roast, homemade pizza, spaghetti, and the like. If we wanted to get ethnic, we had Mexican food -- and since we lived in Arizona, Mexico wasn't really THAT foreign. Then I met my husband, who introduced me to Cuban food on our first date and didn't stop feeding me until ... Read more >

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a taste of china in Charleston

by Nicole

Charlestonians are like Chinese: They eat rice, worship their ancestors, and speak in a language that's hard to understand. ~ Advertisement for a classic rice cooker at Kerrisons Dry Good Company [via Spicelines ] The best way to escape to a far off place -- and there's nowhere further than China, really -- isn't by plane or train or boat, but by mouth. If your family is new to Asian ... Read more >

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day trip: baby does beaufort

by Nicole

What do you do with a free Sunday, a tank full of gas, and a wanderlust? Why, you go for a drive, of course! About an hour and a half south of Charleston lies Beaufort, SC -- tucked between the quiet of Edisto and the resort of Hilton Head, with a personality somewhere in between, just as the location might suggest. We went yesterday for the first time and had such a fabulous day I ... Read more >

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have manners? yes, ma'am!

by Nicole

My first few months living in the South brought a bit of culture shock for me. Here, people say "ma'am" and "sir" as a matter of routine (and respect), gentlemen actually hold doors for you (especially if they notice you juggling small children, which is fabulous!), and all the friends I made seemed to have a stash of gorgeous monogrammed correspondence cards. I've come to appreciate the ... Read more >

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tuesday top five: bookshelf essentials for Lowcountry kids!

by Nicole

There are some books that you simply need to have around if you are a member of the Charleston short crowd. Here are some ideas for exploring -- and adding to! -- the Lowcountry charm. Seashells of the World (A Golden Guide) by R. Tucker Abbott While your preschooler will probably need some help to use this guide, this book is the perfect way to turn that trip to the beach into a ... Read more >

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happy thanksgiving!

by Nicole

The turkey's been dressed, the pie has been made (or, in my case, purchased) and the television football schedule has been perused. While food and family may dominate the weekend, don't miss this opportunity to share gratitude for and with your children. Ask them what they're thankful for. Their answers may surprise you. Share your own ideas about gratitude. Let them give a ... Read more >

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