Random Connections – Page 63 – A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.

Hans and Franz Revisited

June 7, 2015 Tom 1 Comment

Restaurants

I have long lamented the dearth of German restaurants in town. There are three of them – Schwaben Haus, Bavarian Pretzel Factory, and Hans and Franz. Compare that to the number of Asian and Hispanic restaurants of different varieties dotting the culinary landscape. This is even more surprising given that there is such a strong German industrial presence with BMW and others.

I voiced these concerns on the Greenville Subreddit, asking if anyone knew of any other options. The list included the usual suspects, including Gerhard’s in Spartanburg (which I still need to try) and my two favorites – Haus Heidelberg in Hendersonville and Black Forest in Arden. Unfortunately, all three of those are quite a drive. I wouldn’t call them exacty…”Greenville.”

Each of the local places has been disappointing in one aspect or another. Bavarian Pretzel Factory is pricey, and their quality seems to be declining. I think they overextended themselves with the move to Haywood Road. Schwaben Haus has excellent food, but is expensive and doesn’t have some of my favorites – simple wurst and kraut. That would be kind of like going to The Peddler Steakhouse and ordering a hamburger. That leaves Hans and Franz, and my long troubled experience with it. My fellow Redditors insisted that I give it another try, so I did…

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Sparkleberry Swamp – the Drink

June 7, 2015June 7, 2015 Tom 1 Comment

Recipes

I had posted one or two of the photos from my recent trip to Sparkleberry Swamp on on eof the paddling groups to which I belong on Facebook. A commenter suggested that “Sparklberry Swamp” sounded like the name of a drink, so the challenge was on.

The commenter stated that the base should be rum of some kind. It obviously needed some kind of berries, and some sort of carbonation to add the “sparkle.” I put for the question to some of my other Facebook friends to see what they might suggest. Some of these sound more appealing than others…

The Briar Patch

June 7, 2015March 22, 2016 Tom No Comments

Restaurants

NOTE: This restaurant has closed.

Laura was in Florida and I was craving bratwurst and sauerkraut. My usual partner in crime for such cuisine is Keith Dover, so I gave him a call. He’d already made plans for the evening that didn’t involve German food, but invited me to tag along. That’s how Keith, Tony Sane, and I wound up at Danny’s Briar Patch Restaurant in Marietta.

Mid-Week in Sparkleberry

June 6, 2015 Tom 1 Comment

Paddling, Photography

Last week Dwight sent me a message asking if I’d be up for a mid-week paddle. Laura would be out of town with family, so I thought it would be a great chance to head down to one of my favorite paddling venues, Sparkleberry Swamp.

The sky was a bit overcast and there was a chance of thunderstorms for the afternoon, but it looked to be a good day of paddling. Laura had an early flight that morning, so I dropped her off at the airport and headed on down to rendezvous with Dwight and his son Adam.

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Paddling the Corner of South Carolina

June 4, 2015 Tom 2 Comments

Paddling, Photography

Last Saturday Alan and I decided to check out a new paddling venue. For awhile I’ve been intrigued by the narrow string of lakes in the corner of South Carolina. These include the upper reaches of Lake Hartwell, Lake Yonah, and Lake Tugaloo. We decided to check out the uppermost, Lake Tugaloo.

Alan and I had paddled the Tugaloo River back in 2010 with the now defunct Greenville Canoe and Kayak Meetup. For that trip we had put in below the Yonah Dam and paddled the furthermost reaches of Lake Hartwell down to the Highway 123 Bridge. Lake Yonah backs up another section of the Tugaloo River, and upstream from that, Lake Tugaloo marks the confluence of the Tallulah and Chattooga Rivers.

Gallabrae 2015

May 29, 2015 Tom No Comments

Entertainment, Local

NOTE: I’m just now getting around to completing this post. This has been a very busy week.

Gallabrae – rhymes with Gallifrey, for the Whovians out there. It’s a made-up Gaellic term that’s supposed to mean “bold and daring” and “beautiful highlands.” It’s also the name that has come to symbolize the Greenville Scottish Games at Furman University. This year was the tenth anniversary of the games.

I hadn’t planned to attend the games this year. However, Laura’s plan for the day was to relax and read at the house. She needed the down time, but I’d been working around the house all week. I decided to head on up to Furman for the games.

Great Scot Parade 2015

May 25, 2015May 25, 2015 Tom No Comments

Entertainment, Local

Memorial Day Weekend in Greenville means that the Scottish Games are once again coming to the Furman University campus. Last year we participated in the Great Scot Parade downtown in our Mini. This year we not only did the parade, but I made it over to the games themselves.

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Asada

May 21, 2015June 5, 2015 Tom No Comments

Restaurants

Laura says that I suffer from agoraphobia. While it’s true that I don’t particularly like crowds, it’s not necessarily the crowds that bother me. It’s large, unpredictable groups scrambling for a limited resource. That resource might be limited seating at a venue, but most often it’s food. For this reason I’ve never been a fan of Fall for Greenville.

Food trucks seem to fall into this same category. They seem to be wildly popular right now, especially as something of a novelty in our area. While some of them looked quite intriguing, with interesting menus, they also tend to attract the types of crowds I’d prefer to avoid.

Such was the case with Asada. When I heard that the Latin fusion food truck had opened a brick and mortar restaurant, I had to try it out.

Lake Hartwell from Lawrence Bridge

May 21, 2015May 21, 2015 Tom 4 Comments

Paddling, Photography

I really wanted to get out on the water. It was a beautiful day, but storms were predicted for the afternoon, so a morning paddle would have to do. That meant selecting from one of the many short-paddle options nearby. I had been threatening to introduce Ken Cothran to kayaking, so I decided to pick him up and head to Lake Hartwell. Specifically, we would be launching from Lawrence Bridge on the Keowee River branch of the lake and exploring some of the coves nearby.

Honeysuckle and Racing Fuel

May 17, 2015May 17, 2015 Tom No Comments

Entertainment, Local, Photography

Paul Wagenknecht had a confession to make. He and several other Furman professors had been making regular treks out to the Greer Dragway for their Thursday “Practice and Grudge Night.” He invited me to come along and bring my camera and audio recorders. How could I possibly refuse?