Taste of Florence is tomorrow night at the Florence Civic Center.  Just looking at the Vendor list makes me want to go!  This is a very nice event.  I hear the Pee Dee Foodie will be there, and you may spot my blue hat walking around checking out the dining selections!  It looks like most of my favorite places to eat will be there.

The 1st Annual Taste of Florence is a family friendly, community-wide event that will showcase over 40 restaurants and dessert professionals from around the Pee Dee. Enjoy light entertainment and socializing with friends while you sample some of the best cuisine in the area. You’ll want to “Savor Tuesday’s Flavor.” The event takes place at the Florence Civic Center on October 18, 2011 from 5pm to 9pm.

Guest Judges include Nathalie Dupree, author of 11 cookbooks with her most recent being “Southern Biscuits.” WBTW Meteorologist Chris Still and Carolina Live host Cecil Chandler will also judge this year’s participating vendors. A visit from South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is also scheduled so guests will have many opportunities to visit with “famous” faces.

The Taste of Florence is sponsored in part by Adams Outdoor Advertising, Miller Communications with Star 93.7 and Frank FM, and OM Ships International. A live remote broadcast with Star 93.7 will take place during the event at the Florence Civic Center, located at 3300 West Radio Drive, Florence, South Carolina.

Admission tickets for the event may be purchased at Sweet! Gourmet Cupcakes, Bravo! Event and Party Rentals or Locals Grill for $5 in advance or $6 at the door. Students 18 and under are free with a paying adult. Once inside the ballroom guests may purchase food tickets for $1 each. Vendors will offer up to three items each, ranging in price from 1-3 food tickets.

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

The mornings are just enough cooler now that outdoor exercise seems actually tolerable. I know there are a lot of walks and runs coming up and I am going to be adding them to the calendar. I have gotten lots of emails from teams raising money for the Heart Walk and I am sorry I can not give to each and every one of you– BUT you can email me your individual fundraising events and I will try to post some of them.

I saw a young couple out walking this morning. I was herding children into cars and searching for a missing library book…it would have been so nice to just not go to school and take the kids on a walk instead. The school tends to frown upon that though. Also, why does my daughter have to lose a library book that cost TWENTY dollars. Sheesh.

What… oh where was I? Walks and runs. Let me know whats happening so I can add it to the calendar. I’m gearing up to “Run Like a Nut” at the Pecan Festival. Also gearing up for the fried strawberries. (See mention here, here, and here. Oh.. and here is the initial post about them. Wow, I really like them.)

Anyway, I am going to lunch with ……….. today at …………………

Yeah, I knew you wanted that information.

(This is a post by Flossip and obviously is a little scattered. I’m testing out a new app so I hope this posts to facebook and twitter automatically. I will give up my identity for fried strawberries.)

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

My iPhone camera does not do this sunflower justice. They are so tall and still blooming! (I really love this house.)

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

We were sitting in a corner booth, happily discussing things of no real consequence to the world around us. I noticed a young family seated at a table close by. The dad had on an army uniform– the same color of the uniforms I see on the news when units are deploying. The kids were full of smiles and yammering to their dad about everything under the sun. The mom looked as if her smile was forced, she was leaning into her husband as if she needed him to help her hold it together.

I continued my meal, paying no more attention to the family until I noticed an older woman approaching their table. She paused next to them and held out her hand to the young soldier. “I just want to say thank you. Thank you for everything you do for me and everyone I know. I want you to have this.” She handed him something then, I don’t know if it was a dollar or a thousand. I think she was paying for their breakfast, but it was the gesture that inspired me. I looked at him too. I noticed his uniform and assumed he might be shipping out. Yet, I wasn’t the one that took the initiative to say thank you.

The older woman left the restaurant and I looked at the young family again. The young mother was openly crying now, her husband was attempting to comfort her. The children were looking at their dad with the brightest, proudest eyes I have ever seen. As well they should, he is not only their hero but ours as well. He kept his arm around his wife for the remainder of the meal. The young boys tried to cheer her up by smiling and joking with her, already trying to fill a void that their dad’s absence will create.

This is not a family I saw on television or read about on the news. This family was right here in the Pee Dee, people that you may know. It is not a love story about strangers, it is a love story about our neighbors.

Have you said thank you to a soldier lately?

To any and all members of the armed forces that read the Flossip, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know many of our service members are headed to Haiti, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other points around the globe. Thank you for all that you do. If there is ever any problem that you think I may be able to facilitate help with, please email me at theflossipATgmail.com

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I found this at the Piggly Wiggly at the Florence Mall, what a find!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

My children have loved seeing the ice around town the past few days. (Personally I was about ready to become the Florida Flossip until I saw that it was cold there as well.)

Here are some pictures from around the Pee Dee. Thanks to everyone that emailed them to me!

Country Club of South Carolina: (Taken by Allyson)

Home of Brenda and Marvin Munnerlyn, Darlington SC: (Taken by Jason)

This one was taken in Myrtle Beach by Kyle Grainger at WMBF News:

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

I have had THREE really good experiences in customer service recently. These experiences were enough that I remember each person by name. I am going to split them up over the next few weeks.

My first customer service shout out is to Benson with Verizon Wireless. I had something I needed urgently and had to go to the store. I knew the store would be a madhouse and I literally had very little time. I called the store and Benson answered. He listened to the issue, came up with the best solution and told me he would have it ready– to just give my name at the door. I was a little worried when I got there as the place was PACKED with pre-Christmas madness. However, I gave my name at the door and within minutes Benson was assisting me. He had everything ready to go, was super efficient with check out and didn’t try to upsell me on ANYTHING. He was smiling and laughing amidst the madness and acted as if I was the only customer he had that day.

Hats off to Benson for all his help!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Another Pecan Festival has come and gone, and I think this festival is going to be a long term success! As you know, I think Florence has been woefully lacking in the festival department prior to the Pecan Festival. How can we be a southern town without a festival? Despair no more… we finally can rightfully claim our status as a southern city. Now we just need a “Miss Pecan”…

Anyway. The festival was a blast. I got there early in the morning and did not leave until late at night… after the last band (The Okaysions). I really wanted to hear Drink Small on Sunday, but honestly my feet were just refusing to walk me anywhere else.

First, I have to thank this woman:

I have no idea who you are, but you are absolutely the Flossip’s favorite person. Why? I was standing behind you and saw that you had printed out the Pecan Festival schedule FROM MY WEBSITE. I felt… famous! So, thank you for reading. (Thanks to ALL of you that read, but especially my new friend.)

About 12:30 you may have noticed a strange phenomenon. Central United Methodist Church was actually LIFTED UP by the Masterworks Choir. Amazing!

I was not sure that I would be moved by the music, and I was so wrong. The songs were uplifting and beautiful. It actually felt strange to walk outside and smell funnel cakes and…

KETTLE CORN!!! (See how quickly I can change direction?)

Y’all. I have this friend that doesn’t believe in the sweet/salty combination. Personally, I think that Clay Smith’s Lowcountry Kettle Corn  is being served as an appetizer in heaven. It is just that good. (They sell it at the New York Butcher Shoppe as well).

I was getting tired then, so I checked out the Blues Breezeway.

This guy was awesome. You could tell all the kids were exhausted (I was kid free for once)… and he totally got them involved in the show. He would scream chicken, they would scream chicken… great fun (and the beer truck was right there as well).

There was a TON of food.
I found the people that make the fried strawberries… but they forgot the strawberries! They were SO nice and so apologetic… apparently I was not the only one that asked. He did promise me that they will have them next year…. sigh. Good things come to those that wait, right? (I confess I asked him where he will be in the next few months… desperate much?)

I also saw some great local artists that had some fabulous Christmas gifts. We have some really talented people in this area!

I KNOW that I saw many of you at the Pecan Festival… especially my best friend above. Next time you see me in my glasses and blue hat be sure to wave! (Perhaps I need to have a float in the Christmas festival. Who has a spare fence I can use?) I really can’t tell you how awesome it was to see downtown as it is meant to be– brimming with people, laughter, and places to eat. Hopefully this will transfer over to everyday downtown at some point!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

Isn’t this a beautiful picture of a man and his horse? Just… grazing.

Well… yeah. Except that he is grazing in front of the AIRPORT. Yes, that is the Florence Airport. I guess he just needed to stretch his legs!

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.

to go, that is.

Florence’s newest restaraunt is called “All that & a bag of chips.” I went last week for research purposes and took my chief investigator (CI) with me. I had the roast beef sandwich. She had shrimp salad. We ordered ahead. We checked out the new Drinkin’ Donuts on the way and everything was waiting for us when we drove up.

We used the coupon for a free sandwich or combo, so it was less than $8.00 for the both of us to have lunch. That alone is enough for you to eat there today. Everything smelled yummy, so we took it back to our headquarters. We analyzed everything. The bread? Homemade and delicious. I have to confess that for an instant it was as if Benton’s was still open and I had a to go box. CI was a little nervous about the shrimp salad. I have to admit, that was an ambitious first order. I usually stay with something safe… like roast beed. CI took a bite and deemed it DELICIOUS. She has already been back and had the chicken salad… also awesome.

There you have it, its a HIT. It is drive through only, so I recommend calling ahead if you can. The hours for November are 10:30-2:30. Try it out this week, and be sure to tell them that you read about it on the Flossip! Don’t forget the COUPON!!

If you are going:
All That & A Bag of Chips
400 Pamplico Highway
Florence, South Carolina 29505

(In the spirit of full disclosure this post is written in conjunction with an advertisement. However, I bought my sandwich as myself and used my own money.)
843•669•8851

Flossip Featuring reviews, to-do's, and the not quite news in Florence, SC.