Friday, November 11, 2011

Things to do in Columbia South Carolina

If you are looking for things to do in Columbia, South Carolina, you may want to start by contacting our Chamber of Commerce. There you will find a wealth of information and folks who are willing to give you some advice on our fine city. Three things that I like to do are to visit the vista in Downtown Columbia, Go to the Riverbanks Zoo, or spend a day at Lake Murray.

The Vista is a revived area of Columbia that was once industrial in nature. It is in my opinion the most happening spot in The Midlands. There you will find unique places to dine such as Pearlz Oyster Bar and Nonna's Restaurant (best dessert in town!) as well as great places to gather and have a drink or play a game of pool. The best place to have a good beer is The Flying Saucer. If you want to take a little walk down main street, you can go to the Sheritan Rooftop bar and have an awesome birds eye view of the Capital City while you munch on calimari. The Vista is the home for Columbia's Night Life as well.

The Riverbanks Zoo has long been a favorite destination for people looking for things to do in Columbia, S.C. The Zoo hosts seasonal events like "The Lights Before Christmas" and "Boo at the Zoo". Of course, you can always get a good walk in looking at all the animals or having a bite to eat.

Lake Murray has several special destinations depending upon whether you are on the Lexington Side or the Chapin or Prosperity side. Lake Murray is a great place to fish for striped bass, crappie, or just have a good time and get a tan at "The Dam". If you have a boat and need to store it, Johnson's Marina is a great choice.

In conclusion I want to say - welcome to Columbia! We pride ourselves in being a friendly, fun place to visit or to settle down in and raise a family. The single life here is great as well and you are sure to find many friends. If I can be of assistance to you in your search for anything having to do with Columbia, S.C. from lawn mowing service to plumbers to just about any other businesses or things to do and see, please don't hesitate to call on me!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Busineses in Lexington South Carolina

Lexington, South Carolina is a small town located West of The Capital of SC (Columbia). The main roads that pass through the Heart of Lexington are Highway 378 Sunset Blvd., Highway #1 Augusta Road and #6 North Lake Drive. As you are passing through, some businesses in Lexington of note are:

The Other Pancake House! - What an awesome breakfast and friendly staff. This restaurant is located in a small strip mall on Sunset Blvd.

Tractor Supply! - Located along the same strip on 378, here's a great place to get Horse Supplies, Nuts and Bolts, Seed, Work Wear, and even small engines if you need one!

The Flight Deck! - Fun place to have great food...try their Onion Rings, they're awesome!

Other businesses in Lexington, S.C. include:

Busy Bee Lawn Service Lexington S.C. Lawns never had it so good. These guys can take care of the grass in your yard like no other. They also do sprinkler repair, turf fertilization, and fall leaf cleanup.

Bartlett Financial - Comprehensive full service financial planning firm. Investment advice, retirement 401(k) rollovers, insurance, long-term care, mortgage and debt counseling, stocks, bonds, CDs, etc

Have a business in Lexington or Lake Murray? I'd love to add them here, just contact me and lets network!

Friday, July 16, 2010

droid x

Totally enjoying my new droid x!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

University of South Carolina Baseball

Well the University of South Carolina Baseball Team pulled a win last night at the College World Series - Congratulations USC!

I guess I'll get to work on my long put-off project, http://www.uscbaseball.com/ , and start blogging!

Visit my USC Baseball website for the local scoop on where to stay for games, where to eat, schedules, links, local vendors to count on, and  more.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Columbia S.C. Business and Social Update

Well its been 5 years since I did any posting on my Columbia, S.C. Information blog so here goes. 

So what has happened in the last 5 years in Columbia?  Here are just a few updates:
  • The University of South Carolina Baseball Stadium was completed - and what a great time it is to attend those games, I must say (although I'm a Clemson Grad haha)...still, very good for the economy and a welcome replacement for what used to be in that spot near Huger and Blossom.
  • Urban Sprawl - it seems like every time I get a call for a new customer, its in one of the new neighborhoods out in Chapin or out in the Lake Carolina Area.  Really pretty neighborhoods happening here in the Midlands!
  • Sheraton Columbia - google "Sheraton Downtown Columbia" - what a view!  Go to the top floor and check out the rooftop bar...all new, very cool.
  • Columbia Business Report - I deal with a very diverse group of customers ranging from attorneys to nurses to bankers and everyone in between.  It seems to me that in our little micro economy, we're not doing all that bad...and if we are, its in out heads!  Come on Columbia, just spend, come off that cash, go have some fun, buy a car, spruce up your yard or whatever and help the economy :)
  • Columbia Weather - This past winter 2009-2010 has been the coldest, wettest, most bitter oppressive beast I can remember.  Just last week, we had the biggest snow blanketing since 1973!  But don't fret - if you're looking to move to central S.C., its usually much warmer and dryer.
  • What I'm into - Facebook!  Haha, just kidding...sortof.  Twitter micro tweets about landscaping Columbia SC and such and Facebook have really become a great way to meet new people and network.  Tweet me sometime!
More to come, I know there are so many of you fans out there (haha).

-ash

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

University of South Carolina Baseball Stadium

Here's an update on the new University of South Carolina Baseball Stadium that is going up in Columbia South Carolina:

The Estimated cost of the stadium is $20 Million

There will be 6,800 seats

The site is a 29 acre tract along the Congaree River

The site cost alone is $8.5 Million. This land is being bought from the Guignard Associates and "others"

Here's a timeline projection:
At this time, they are getting input from the local residents of Richland and Lexington Counties (Columbia and Cayce South Carolina) regarding parking, traffic, and other issues that may have an impact. What is certain to be a POSitive impact is the fact that we are getting a first class ball stadium right in the middle of our City!

By October 2006, construction will begin. By the same time in 2007, the USC Baseball Team will begin fall practice. 5 months later in February of 2008, the 2008 USC Baseball Season will begin in the new stadium!

The picture you see here shows the site of the new stadium marked on the right, and the location of my home in Cayce, South Carolina (just on the other side of the river) marked on the left. The distance from my home to the new stadium as the crow flies is approximately .82 Miles:

USC Baseball Stadium

Columbia South Carolina Baseball Stadium

New Baseball Stadium, set to begin construction in October of 2006...right across the river from Cayce South Carolina. This new Baseball Stadium ( which is actually in the Columbia South Carolina City Limits ) is sure to boost the economy even more in this, the fastest growing city in the Southeast - Columbia South Carolina.

Here is a link to The State Newspaper's Article about this new Baseball Stadium in Columbia South Carolina

Friday, December 09, 2005

Columbia South Carolina Real Estate

The Columbia South Carolina Real Estate Market is Booming. Not only are there more attractions than ever in this area, but there are also better neighbors moving in. This is particularly true in Cayce, SC which is just across the Congaree River on the edge of Columbia.

Some of the real estate that has cropped up in Columbia include:

The Colonial Center - A venue for concerts, events such as the "monster truck" show, University of South Carolina Basketball, etc. A recent guest at the Colonial Center was "The Wiggles"!

The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center - The name speaks for itself! This brand new facility is in the heart of the "Vista" area Downtown.

First Citizen's Bank Corporate Headquarters - This mammoth undertaking is coming to our fair city in the form of a huge new building. Watch their site for updates on this new Columbia Building that will change the skyline forever!

The Riverwalk Commons - I think that's the name of it...anyway, this is a new residential area building project that is going on right on the river. The lots alone are going for as high as $350,000 apiece. These million dollar condo's, apartments, and houses are sure to increase the property value of the West Columbia and Cayce Area.

If you're looking for real estate in Columbia, South Carolina, don't overlook this property - it's in the best location you can find! ::::: My piece of Columbia South carolina Real Estate

Contact me, Ashley Brooks for more info!

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

View From My Real Estate in Cayce Towards Columbia South Carolina

Here is the view looking out of my back door in Cayce South Carolina pointed directly towards the Capital Statehouse Grounds, the Vista on Gervais Street, and Downtown Columbia South Carolina.

If there were no leaves (as is the case in the winter) you would be able to see the buildings of downtown Columbia. From my back porch, as the crow flies, the distance is EXACTLY 1.89 miles as measured using Google Earth (download google Earth and take a look! - earth.google.com).

I've also included an aireal snapshot (again, from Google Earth) pinpointing the South Carolina Statehouse Grounds and the Location of My home in Cayce, South Carolina.

columbia south carolina

This home is as close to the City of Columbia without living IN the city as you can possibly get! Everything you need is at your fingertips - the city, the vista area, 5 points, University of South Carolina Campus (1 mile away!), Bi-Lo Grocery Store, ACE Hardware, Convenience Store, Movie Rental, BOWLING alley, and many many other restaurants and attractions.

Please contact the owner of this blog, Ashley Brooks, at ashleybrooks@sc.rr.com if you are interested in purchasing this home (see more pictures of this home in Columbia on this blog - more coming soon or as requested!).

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Is Columbia South Carolina a nice place to retire to? What things to do are there in Columbia?

Here's a recent reply I gave to an inquiry about Columbia South Carolina Real Estate, Community, Culture, and things to do:

(name kept anonymous),

About Charleston South Carolina - you're right, it's very close; about 1.5 hours drive from Columbia down I-26 East. Very artsy type place with lots of history. I've visited it many times. I used to live in Myrtle Beach, SC...now THAT's the golf mecca of the East...but very touristy. They have an annual "Bike Week" or Biker week there...

Columbia has become a very diverse place. There is growth everywhere...in business, leisure, population, the arts, real estate, you name it. It's very exciting (for me) to live in such a growth environment.

If you're a techie type, google earth will help with my little online tour here...do you have google earth? If not, here is a direct link: http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html (this is a link to html, not an exe file, direct from google). It may be a good way for you to investigate any given area. To see where I live, just type in 109 Riverhill Court, Cayce SC...you'll see the river which separates my neighborhood from the City.

Anyway...golf...Columbia has some sprawl going on in the Northeast area too. I believe there are, like 3 golf courses in that area alone. (Spring Valley Area) - again, maybe on google earth...look for "brickyard road" - that's in Spring Valley.

The older, more established (year round of course) golf courses are Linrick aaaannnnd another one...I'm not really a golfer :). Point is, yes, there is golfing...but no where near as much as in Myrtle Beach, SC

To answer your question about sprawl, real estate, downtown...look on google earth for "gervais street". Gervais Street is roughly 4 minutes from my house (because of traffic). As the crow flies, it's about a mile. Gervais is where the "vista" is located. This is where all the restaurants are, country line dance hall, disco dance place (club RA), Longhorns, and the more upscale restaurants like "The Blue Marlin".

In that same general area on "Blossom Street" is the new Colonial Center, a venue for concerts, USC Basketball, Pro Wrestling and the like. Behind it is a new Convention Center...right next to that is the new Hampton Inn on Gervais Street. There is a YMCA there on Sumter street (steamroom, raquetball, basketball, freeweights, etc) across from one of the largest hotels, The Marriott.

South Carolina State Fair is a yearly Fall attraction. They have their own website at http://www.scstatefair.org/ . We just saw the Oak Ridge Boys play there in Loretta Lynn's stead (she twisted her foot or something). Near the State fair (on Bluff Rd at Rosewood Drive) is the SC State Farmer's Market.

Not far to the right of the vista area on Gervais Street is "5 Points"...as Columbia is a bit of a College Town (USC Gamecock Football Tailgating is big here), 5 points is the eclectic College area. But is trying to appeal to the more mature crowd as well in recent years.

Coliseum, Koger Center, Williams Brice Stadium, baseball stadium - The nutcracker plays every year at the Koger Center on Assembly Street...this and the like play all year there. If you like Hockey (beer & fighting hehe), the "Inferno" plays almost year round at the Coliseum on Assembly Street. The University of South Carolina Gamecocks play at the Williams Brice Stadium on George Rogers Blvd at Bluff Rd right next to the SC State Fairgrounds. The Capital City "Bombers" WAS our baseball team which recently got replaced by the "Blowfish" (I have no idea what blowfish has to do with Columbia except for Hootie and the Blowfish).

Malls - on Google Earth, look for "Columbiana Blvd. or Harbison Blvd" in the St. Andrews Area. That's my favorite mall. Hundreds of shops, I'm sure including Parisian, Belk, Sears, Coldwater Creek, BIG food court with Carousel, etc. Kiosks everywhere selling anything from cell phone accessories to neon Virgin Marys hehe. Chick-Fil-A is big here...and if you want a treat while you're there, there's a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Marble Slab, Dairy Queen, and Orange Julius nearby in an ajoining strip mall called "Columbiana Grande" - this is where the big newest movie theater is that I like.

The Riverbanks Zoo is a popular place to spend time. Personally, I think it's just as good as the Bronx Zoo. Very clean, lots of diversions, and of course animals in cages to look at :). Popular events there include "Boo at the Zoo", a trick-or-treat week before Halloween, and "the lights before Christmas".

Kayaking, boating - If you're into such avocations, you can "put in" AT the aforementioned Zoo, and "pull out" either at the Gervais Street Bridge (again, see Google Earth) or on down at the Cayce Boat Landing (maybe 3 miles down the "Cayce Riverwalk"). If you wanted a longer excursion, you could pull out at highway 601 or go all the way to the coast.

Lake Murray is our main lake here in Columbia, South Carolina. Just look west on google earth...it's huge, you can't miss it. We like to go water skiing out there as well as striped bass fishing.

Museum - The Columbia Metropolitan Museum and a new kids place called "EdVenture or Ed Venture" are points of interest, also near the Vista on Gervais Street, just on the city side of the Congaree River. My favorite attraction there, and one I volunteer for every year is the Palmetto Health Sponsored "Festival of Trees". Basically, what people do is donate a designer tree that they put together, honarable guests (well, guests paying $125 per ticket) "bid" on the trees (silent auction), and the $$ goes to Children's Hospital. It's fun because there's heavy hors d'orves, upscale entertainment, high profile appearences (Mayor Bob Coble was there this year), and it's a black tie event...so we all get to act like we're hoyty toyty for the night hehe. On a regular basis, though, the museum is a formidable attraction alone - the most recent exhibit is the Norman Rockwell Exhibit.

Airpport - Our main airport is the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. US Air, Independence Air, Delta, are the main flight services out of there. You still save money if you drive an hour or so North To Charlotte, but there are direct flights to places like Chicago O'hare and other major airports like that. They just renovated our Airport, so it's easy on the eyes as well...and rarely "packed". The Columbia Metropolitan is roughly 4 miles West of my home on Riverhill Ct in Cayce.

Churches - Well, it's the Bible Belt...need I say more hehe?! Seriously...we go to 1st Baptist on Hampton Street Downtown. There's everything from Cathlic of course to Evangelical to Non-Denominational.

If you want to visit in the Spring, my Wife and (at that time in the future) 1 year old girl would be happy to be your contact while you're here. I can show you some houses in the best areas if you'd like, and you can get a look at our home/area in Cayce.

If you do want to talk to an actual Real Estate Agent, I know several. But as you know, you run the risk of having them try to sell you something for the sake of selling you something :). Nevertheless, the best one I know of is Jerry Fowler - www.jerryfowler.com - he's a straight shooter and a good man all around. Coupled with that, my favorite mortgage group is http://www.midlandmortgagecorp.com/, Mr. David Hilburn.

Do Email me if you have any more questions... ashleybrooks@sc.rr.com or keep checking my blog for updates at the Columbia South Carolina Blogspot

Bye for now,
Ashley Brooks
www.ashleybrooks.info