Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve

Dood and I have been hiking a few times around the area. He just bought me a kick ass camera, so I wanted to get out in the daylight and play around with it. We decided to go to the Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve right down the road from our house.



We had no idea what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised with the terrain. Hilly, rocky and a bit steep at some points.

As we got closer to the water, I kept asking, "what is that noise?" And he would reply, "The interstate, it's the interstate." But it turned out to be a lovely view of the Savannah River with no interstate or cars in sight - it was the sound of the river! It was a nice place to rest before we ventured on to the last half of the hike. The river was a little muddy with all the rain, but nothing that a little photo editing couldn't take care of!




After we left the bluffs, we kept running into nice little picture-esque places for me to stop and play with my camera.








The fall colors were brilliant and we were happy we got up so early to take advantage of the morning sunlight.

If you're looking for a nice hike one day, check out the Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve. The trail is nicely marked and is a great way to get a peek of the Savannah River!

The Animal House

I've been dormant for the past few months as life got in the way of writing! The day job took over and some life drama overshadowed the writing as well as getting out and about in Augusta!

I'm back and ready to write -

With each city that we move to, we search long and hard for a temporary home away from home for our Great Dane, Lando when we decide to go away on vacation and short trips. This is sometimes impossible to do. We were unable to find a kennel that we were comfortable with in Massachussetts, as we tried kennel after kennel. We had better luck in Augusta only trying a few before we found the only place we will take our dog as long as we live in the Augusta area.

The Animal House is located on 2917 Riverwest Drive, Unit 7, Augusta, GA. It is not a kennel but rather a Pet Resort. We met owner, Lisa Getson in our poker league and thought we would try her pet resort out! The dogs are left in a doggie day care atmosphere during the day, so all pets must be brought in for a temperment test or pre-boarding evaluation. This is a four hour time frame that you can schedule your pet to be brought in to play with the other dogs of similar size and see how well he or she behaves. This evaluation is free. We have never taken Lando to a Doggie Daycare, so we were hesitant and fearful that he would pass the temperment test. When we picked him up, we were given two thumbs up and scheduled him for his first stay!

I love the idea that my pet is being socialized and allowed to be "out and about" during the day instead of being cooped up in a runner. Many of the kennels we used in MA had extra fees for "play time" or "walks" so the concept of having supervised doggie day care during the day makes me smile! Lando LOVES going to The Animal House. We typically bring him treats for the week, however always have leftovers because he was too tired once he was put in his kennel for the night.



We requested a tour of the facility and were impressed at the size and layout of the facility.

Cats are welcome at the Animal House too with their Kitty Kat Korner

The Animal House also provides professional grooming services and we are always happy to pick Lando up happy and smelling so handsome!

If you are looking for a great place to board your pet, try out The Animal House at 706-737-5960. Their staff is very warm and friendly, and it's a great place to socialize your dog!

Aiken Bluegrass Festival

Dood and I were fairly impressed that Aiken, SC would host a Bluegrass Festival. Dood turned me onto Bluegrass a few years ago and although I haven’t gotten into as much as he has, I still enjoy it from time to time. When we looked at the lineup, we were impressed to see Steep Canyon Rangers playing. That was what really drew us in. Dood’s friend, Adam, brought him a Steep Canyon Rangers CD while we lived in Greenville, SC and he has been hooked ever since!

The fifth annual Aiken Bluegrass Festival was held on May 8-10 to benefit STAR Riding and Driving. STAR provides services to disabled adults and kids through interaction with horses. What better way to raise money in horse country, Aiken, than to have a Bluegrass Festival! This year, the lineup was fantastic with the Hackensaw Boys playing Friday and Saturday. I’ve got a friend in North Carolina that raves about the Hackensaw Boys, so I was excited to see them in action.

We were only able to make it out on Saturday with work and all keeping us occupied on Thursday and Friday.

We got up early Saturday morning and left so we could “beat the crowd.” Having just moved from Massachusetts, we are used to the hustle and bustle of any event that draws a crowd. We got mentally prepared to walk a long ways, be stuck out in the sun for hours and be REALLY far away from the stage. We got to the festival about 30 minutes before things were to get started, expecting to have to wait in line to park….and there were n

o crowds as far as the eye could see…Pleasant surprise – no waiting…AND WE DIDN’T HAVE TO PAY FOR PARKING! In MA, you pay for parking EVERYWHERE!

We went in, parked, right next to the stage almost and looked at the festival grounds. We packed up our lawn chairs and slathered on the sun screen, but as we set our gaze on the grounds – we saw a big tent with chairs and tables set up. This keeps getting better and better! We set up our lawn chairs inside the tent to avoid the lobster-esque look that Dood tends to acquire during sun exposure. We had a gre

at view of the festival grounds, the stage and were positioned so that the wind hit us just right! It was a beautiful day for some Bluegrass!

The first band to start the show off was, what I like to call, traditional Bluegrass. Savannah River Grass came out stompin’! Five gents from right around the area and they had us all tappin’ our toes.

They were followed by the Dixie Bee-liners. It’s always nice to see the ladies on stage. I always enjoy hearing the ladies sing, but it’s a real treat when you get to watch them sing and play the fiddle and guitar!

Dapple Grays came out next and impressed us all. Such great bands with different sounds! Dappled Grays are from Atlanta and have had some MTV exposure as well as playing with many big names in the acoustic arena.

Cadillac Sky came barreling out next and these guys had the look of a rock band, but busted out the Bluegrass tunes in full force. These guys are from Texas and can pull out the gospel bluegrass as well as the rockin’ tunes that make you want to get up and shake your tail feather!!!

Steep Canyon Rangers were up next and I was super impressed. CD’s can only account for a small percentage of the energy that comes from a live band. We happened to relocate closer to the stage as the sun went down and I’m so glad that we did – these guys put on a fantastic show and were dressed to impress!

The last show for us was the Hackensaw Boys – we weren’t able to stay around for Drew Emmitt. The Hackensaw Boys…what can I say? The only words that come to mind are: Bluegrass on Crack! Don’t plan on going to see the Hackensaw Boys if you plan on sitting down the entire show. These six guys are a whirlwind of music and energy! I still can't figure out how they play so fast, stay together in synch, dance around and have funat the same time! They couldn't keep from breaking their strings! They were definitely the highlight of the festival for us and have converted me to one of their biggest fans. Check them out on YouTube - Hackensaw Boys - Cannonball.

All the bands were fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed the laid back atmosphere of the festival. Even though we are southerners at heart, we did go through a bit of culture shock moving back down to the south after only two years. The great thing about the festival is that you can bring your kids, your dogs and the whole family and have a great day! Even the port-a-potties get two thumbs up! The food vendors were reasonable, there were plenty of tables and chairs, there were games to keep the kids entertained and come on – for $15, you get to see 8 bands? How is any of that not worth heading out next year?!

World Poker Tour Amateur Poker League

When I first relocated to Augusta, I lived in a hotel, alone, for a month before Dood joined me. Although the Marriott downtown was good to me, it offered me no way to pass the time. I found myself staying at work until 7:00 at night to keep myself from going insane. When I decided that I was not going to become "one of those people" I figured I would search for a poker league in Augusta...and I found one!!!

The World Poker Tour Amateur Poker League was formed in February 2004. I heard a rumor that Doyle Brunson started the Amateur League himself and then the WPT took it over, but I will confirm and get back to you! I haven't been able to dig up any factual information on that yet.

The league is free to join and is offered pretty much throughout the US. Bars and restaurants can sign up to host tournaments. The only requirements to join - you have to be at least 21 years old and have a valid driver's license. Around the Augusta area, there's a game almost every night.

Well, free poker, what fun is that? It's a great way to meet people, learn to play poker, practice playing poker and trying out different strategies once you get the game under your belt. You can also win a $10,000 seat into the actual WPT tournament to play with all the big dogs if you win
tournaments or earn a lot of points! You can read more about the various ways to win your glory at the WPT link.

I must warn you - you will run into ALL SORTS of card players in this league. Players like Dood and me, who are there just for fun, players that like to play everything (donkeys as they are called), players who like to chase, players who take it way too seriously, players that get drunk, players that get drunk and angry, players that get drunk and happy....I often find myself giggling by people watching.




We have also found some great bars by playing at the different venues. If you like to play poker, want to learn how to play poker, want to kill some time and meet new people, I recommend finding a tournament or league through the WPTAPL and signing up! It's kept Dood and myself entertained so far!!

Mayor's Master Reception at the Botanical Gardens

For those non-golfers and non-Augustians, this week is the Master's Golf Tournament. The city of Augusta thrives during this time as golfers, celebrities, tv networks and fans flock to be a part of such a prestigious event. As we've noticed over the past few weeks, if you live in Augusta, you either hate Master's week, or you love it. Many people will go on vacation this week just to get away from all the hustle and bustle or leave so that they can rent their home out. Then there are others that enjoy all the business that the week brings. This one week brings so much to the city that it's hard to not want to get involved!!

Last week, we started to notice the first signs of Master's week.

Fans and ticket scalpers started to set up camp all over the city. They even invaded our only Dunkin' Donuts!


Then we started to notice the "Golf Traffic" signs all over town...



Dood and I decided to hang around town and see what all the fuss was about. Although we didn't have tickets to any of the practice rounds or the actual tournament (we were able to go to a practice round a few years ago - and it was amazing!), we still wanted to take part in the action.

Each year, the Mayor holds a Master's Reception to honor one of the golfers. This event is held at the Augusta Botanical Gardens in downtown Augusta. We were familiar with the gardens as it was right next door to the hotel we called home for a few months! The reception also brings out food vendors all of the city and they are all equipped with booths and free samples! This year, over 50 restaurants came out with food and wine - everything from the small restaurant / business owners such as the White Elephant and Wine World to chains such as Blimpie, Red Lobster and Sticky Fingers. With the free food, also comes the free food partakers...and they seem to come out from the woodwork. I remember waiting in line at the Sticky Fingers booth as they were handing out free ribs (only 1!) and the lady in front of me complaining that there wasn't any meat on her rib and she should get another one!



We were lucky enough to meet up with some friends and really spent time chatting and people watching. I do not recommend coming to this event if your sole interest is the free food. It is absolutely NOT WORTH IT! But, if you're there for the people watching, socializing, the ceremony and the gardens, and only partake in the food because it's there, it really is a great experience! The gardens are beautiful and the atmosphere (aside from the greedy food fiends) was laid back and relaxing. A total Southern experience!



We were able to see the honoree and two time Master's Champion, Mr. Ben Crenshaw, and hear all about his life and golf accomplishments as the Mayor presented him with a key to the city.



Next year, if you happen to be in Augusta around Master's week, I highly recommend gathering a group of friends and heading over to the Botanical Gardens to the Mayor's Master Reception!

First Friday and Nacho Mama's

Beginning in March, downtown Augusta hosts an event called First Friday. The first Friday of each month, Broad Street Art galleries and studios extend their hours, vendors line the streets, musicians come out to play and people fill the sidewalks. The event extends from 7^th Street up to 12^th Street on Broadway. This event highlights Artist’s Row, which contains various art galleries and studios as well as antique shops, restaurants and bars. This event goes on until December when it actually gets to be a little chilly!

This was my third First Friday and because it was the weekend before the Master’s week, I felt compelled to experience all the happenings! Turns out that many establishments downtown were numbered with a "golf hole." Visitors are given a golf card and these numbered establishments represented a hole on an 18 hole golf course. You could check off that hole when you visited! What a great idea!

As we headed toward the bars, we passed by some endearing children playing on the sidewalk, something that you don’t normally see anymore!

I enjoy downtown Augusta so much because it is so quaint and friendly.

There were fire dancers out last month performing on the street and this time around, there were bands playing in the Augusta Common as there were Hot Rods and Muscle Cars lining the streets around the Common. Augusta’s new Roller Derby was out in full force trying to gain some community support for their newly formed team. Visit Augusta Roller Derby to get more information!

Dood and I met up with some friends at Nacho Mama’s. I am a fan of Nacho Mama’s and my first experience at the establishment was about 2 years ago on a business trip down to the area from Massachusetts. We all headed into this “hole in the wall” joint as I called it back then and the food was AMAZING!

Nacho Mama’s is located on 976 Broad St in downtown Augusta. The restaurant offers a selection of nachos, of course, tacos burritos, quesadillas, pastas and salads. It is really a fun atmosphere with items called Sunburn, Daddy, Bombs and Seizure Salads. It’s fast, it’s good and it has a great bar! If you can snag a table outside (like we did), you can sip on Margaritas and munch on nachos as you watch the passer Byers on a First Friday night! It’s a great location for lunch, dinner and the casual drink! It is definitely one of my favorites!

First Friday’s are a great way to see downtown Augusta in all of its glory. I highly recommend planning a trip to Augusta around the first weekend of the month just for the event! And while you’re downtown, head to Nacho Mama’s for a Bomb burrito and a margarita!

The Pizza Joint

Dood and I lived out of the Marriott in downtown Augusta for a few months. During this time, we were able to walk to downtown each weekend and indulge in downtown living. The great thing about downtown Augusta is that it isn’t too busy and it’s a great way to window shop and support the local businesses.

Some friends and I had gone to The Pizza Joint one night before the David Copperfield show and I wanted to let Dood try it out.

The Pizza Joint is located at 1245 Broad Street, Augusta, GA and the place to stop for a fast, no frills slice of pie. They also have locations in Evans and Aiken, GA. I have not had the opportunity to check out the other two locations. Don’t expect fine dining here – the service isn’t always the fastest or most attentive, but you get what you pay for here. They have a great selection of Pizza, Calzones, Specialty Pies, Sandwiches and of course, Beer. After all, what is pizza without the beer?!

This time around, I ordered the Tree Hugger, which has artichokes, black olives, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach, tomatoes; while Dood – the meat lover that he is had the stromboli. We had a side order of New Castle to compliment our great food.

We managed to snag a seat outside with the entourage of people that we met up with. I highly recommend a seat outside during the spring and fall if you can grab one! The Pizza Joint is set back off of Broad Street so that you can enjoy the downtown life, without the up close personal experience of all the passer Byers and cars.

Wine World

We were invited by a friend to an in shop wine tasting in North Augusta. I love wine, although I don’t know much more than just the simple fact that it tastes good!

Dood (the husband) expressed his interest in learning more about wine. The beer connoisseur himself decided that there were just as many wines out there as there were beer and he wanted to join that world as well. What better way to introduce him to the world of wine than take him to Wine World!

Wine World is located at 133 Georgia Ave, North Augusta, SC, right at the 13^th Street bridge that connects SC to GA. Wine World is owned by a wonderful couple Dick and Sally Benjamin and co-owner Leigh Dye. All three were present at the in shop wine tasting which is such a great treat. The Augusta Chronicle did an article on the 35 year old wine shop. Visit Augusta Chronicle to read the full article.

For a small price of $4.00, you can taste 6 types of wine and various cheeses to compliment each wine. We were greeted at the first wine station by Mr. Benjamin himself. There waiting for us were two wines: Pinot Grigio delle Venezie ’07, Cesari Duetorri, Italy and Chardonnay Pionero ’06, Morande. Maipo Valley, Chile. I explained to Mr. Benjamin our newbie situation: Dood, who never really indulged in wine. I also explained of my lack of knowledge for the art of wine. He began explaining to us the various ways to age the wine and during the explanation, I was actually able to taste the “oak” in the wine. Fantastic! I have always been a fan of Pinto Grigio from the wine tasting I went to at the Biltmore Estate many moons ago.

We then headed over to the cheese counter were we were able to try some of the Havarti that nicely complimented the Chardonnay. I now understand the cheese and wine expressions!

After bogarting another slice of the Havarti, we headed over to station #2 and met our next two wine selections: Rose of Malbee ’07, Crios de Susana Balbo. Argentina and French Red Wine, Roncier, Burgundy, France. The Rose was a bit sweet for my taste, but still very good. The French – my favorite of the night. I got a second taste! We headed back over to the cheese counter and found ourselves tasting some of the Edam that was displayed. I decided then and there, I was a fan of the fine cheeses! No more Velveeta for me!

By our third booth, Dood decided that he was enjoying his wine tasting to my surprise! The third station introduced Dood to Chianti ’05, Poggia Felice, Tuscany, Italy and a Merlot ’04, Powers, Columbia Valley, Washington. There weren’t many raves from the crowd we came along with on the Chianti, however I found myself sneaking yet another taste.

What can I say, I’m a sucker for the dark wines! I wandered back over to the cheese counter to taste the remaining DaVinci and Camembert cheeses. They were a little more pungent, but so very well complimented the two wines!

I soon looked over and Dood was drooling over the selection of beer. We struck up a conversation with one of the employees about the beer ratings listed on the wall under some of the beers. To read more about the beer ratings, visit Wikipedia.

We ended up with two bottles of beer: Saison Dupont (Belgium) and Lion Imperial Lager (Sri Lanka). We also managed a bottle of the French Red Wine. We ended the wine tasting with a wonderful conversation with Dick and Sally as their love for wine and their store became truly apparent during their story telling. I had an absolute wonderful time! Wine World offers in shop wine tasting every two weeks. They also hold various wine appreciation courses and hold beer tastings about four times a year. To learn about upcoming events, visit Wine World and join their mailing list.