The holidays are upon us

The holidays are now upon us! Downtown Aiken has a festive feel with "Holly Days" live music greeting weekend shoppers on Laurens Street. The Christmas tree at the intersection of Laurens & Richland is aglow at night. And walking through Hopeland Gardens while it is lit up with thousands of twinkling lights being serenaded with Christmas carols is an annual treat for those of us in Aiken and those who visit.

While we have all had a challenging year, there is still much to be thankful for. We look forward to a peaceful and healthy New Year in 2010.

Warm holiday wishes to all.

The team at Aiken Today.

A Busy October

Of all the months of the year, it always seems as though, in Aiken, October is the busiest month. There are always so many options for things to do, there is never enough time to take advantage of all the opportunities for activities in Aiken.

October is our favorite time of the year for Hitchcock Woods - there is no better place in Aiken, right in the center of town, to enjoy nature.

Earlier in the month, St. Mary's ushered in October with its 21st annual Chocolate Festival - a day for sampling all sorts of chocolate baked goods and desserts, activities for children of all ages, and a chance to spend what was a beautiful, early autumn day with friends on the tree shaded grounds of the church on York Street.

For so many people here in town that are polo enthusiasts, October brings high goal matches as part of 302 Polo's regular schedule. In addition to the weekly games at Whitney and Powderhouse fields, there is the opportunity to see players with higher handicaps play matches at New Bridge Polo Club and at Meadow Hill. October saw two exciting tournaments -- the Monty Waterbury and the Silver Cup. We in Aiken are lucky to play host to two such prestigious tournaments. Both were held at New Bridge and afforded all spectators non-stop action on the field.

This coming weekend brings the Fall Steeplechase over at Ford Conger Field. Not as high octane as the Spring Steeplechase, but a full day of events and races are on tap and will surely provide a great day at the races.

Downtown Aiken is busy in October with sidewalk sales, art festivals and the Flavors of Fall activities set for Saturday, the 25th. October wraps up with downtown's annual Halloween festivities on Newberry Street.

With holiday time fast approaching, there is no better time to remember to spread good cheer to those in need. This blog features various local charitable organizations that will welcome donations, goods and volunteers to help, not only around the holidays, but year round.

This year, instead of getting all the people on your lists gifts wrapped up in a box, why not consider giving some friends, family and colleagues the gift of sponsoring a horse at Equine Rescue. These wonderful horses can be "sponsored," for a month, or the entire year, providing food and care, through the excellent program available at Equine Rescue -- http://www.aikenequinerescue.com/Adopt_a_Horse.html. For further information, call 803-643-1850.

M.M.

The Willcox has opened its new restaurant!

The Willcox, Aiken's landmark inn, has recently opened its new restaurant, The Restaurant at The Willcox, with Executive Chef Regan Browell, a native of New Zealand, at the helm.

The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a brunch being served on Sundays from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. and dinner from 5:00-10 p.m.

Also being offered at The Restaurant at The Willcox, for groups of 10 or more, is both morning and afternoon tea with a very tempting selection of sweets and pastries. This is the perfect venue to meet business clients in a relaxed setting and for ladies groups, bridal and baby showers and birthday celebrations to gather for tea and sweets in a comfortable setting right in the center of town.

This restaurant, with its delectable assortment of menu items, is a welcome addition to Aiken. Menus can be viewed on-line at the restaurant's website.

For reservations or more information, call 803-648-1898 or visit the restaurant's website at:

www.therestaurantatw.com.

A Happy & Safe Labor Day Weekend to All

Now that Labor Day is upon us, I guess that means summer is officially at its end for 2009. Hard to believe - because it just flew by this year! While here in Aiken, we're certainly in store for many more weeks of summer-like weather, fall is, indeed, here.

This weekend, I will be in downtown Aiken checking out what is on offer at the various shops participating in the annual Labor Day Sidewalk Sale. It's always an enjoyable morning or afternoon strolling along Laurens, as well as the side streets, stopping in at the shops. Heading into the 3-day holiday, it's the perfect time while downtown to stop in at Cote Designs, say hello to Karin and her staff, and take home a colorful bunch of flowers to enjoy over the weekend!

For those more inclined to spend their Labor Day weekend just kicking back, there's no need to cook on Monday! Don't forget about the The 2nd Annual "A Hard Day at Labor" BBQ Cook-off

on Newberry Street - beginning at 11 a.m. and until 1 p.m.

(or until all the BBQ is gone!)

To Benefit the United Way of Aiken County

For more information please contact Richard Pearce at (803) 642-7654

And there's no shortage of places here in Aiken to sit down, kick back and take time out to enjoy and savor the day!

Fall Polo --

Unbelievable as it seems, according to the calendar, summer is nearly over. So, that means -- fall polo!

It will surely be another good season - everyone can enjoy the polo...the people, the horses, and even some lucky dogs!

The first Sunday game for Aiken Polo Club http://www.aikenpoloclub.org/ at

Whitney Field is on Sunday, September 6th, at 3 p.m.

Hope there is a great turnout for the first game of autumn!

New Bridge begins its fall season this year with the first game on September 16!

http://www.newbridgepolo.com

302 Polo begins its season on September 21, with the weekend final (on Saturday, September 26th, at 3 p.m.), of the Ladies Invitational Tournament to benefit the National Breast Center Foundation http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/. The tournament is being sponsored by MavOffice.com. The link for more information and to order tickets in advance is http://www.302polo.com/AEC_ALI_NBCF_tournament.shtml

Let's hope the polo match benefit this year is a sell-out - it will be an afternoon full of exciting polo, catching up with friends after the summer, with proceeds going to a very deserving and worthy cause.

See you there!

A few images of Aiken --

Banksia,

the Aiken County Historical Museum,

home of the annual Aiken Garden Show

and many other events throughout the year, including

being one of the featured locations for

the annual Juilliard in Aiken week

The Willcox, Aiken's historic inn, built in 1898

The tree-shaded lane known as "The Alley" in

downtown Aiken

Enjoying a leisurely summer lunch on

the back patio at the West Side Bowery

While Aiken’s real estate market offers properties in all price ranges, some of the higher priced homes around town can easily match up, stone for stone and brick for brick, with homes and estates in the toniest of East and West Coast enclaves

Amongst some of the most charming homes in Aiken

are those located in the Historic and Horse Districts.

There are many exquisite homes and

cottages that have been lovingly restored.

For polo enthusiasts, there are even homes

right on the field out at

New Bridge Polo and Country Club!

The majestic, 100-year old oaks along South Boundary Avenue

Golf Courses abound in Aiken, from the venerable (and private), Palmetto Golf Club, to the lush (and public), Aiken Golf Club, just a golf ball's throw from the center of town, with many other courses available around town and in residential golf (and tennis) communities such as Houndslake, Cedar Creek and Woodside Plantation.

The clubhouse of the Palmetto Golf Club -- the course

at this private club dates back to 1892 and is said to be the second oldest in the U.S.

(with the Chicago Golf Club being the oldest)

Spring and Fall matches every Sunday at

Aiken's historic Whitney Field - in its

127th year of continuous polo.

World-class, high goal polo on the assorted fields of

the 302 Polo cooperative

Exciting action on the pristine fields

at New Bridge Polo Club

There are colorfully painted horse statues located at different spots around town

Downtown's Laurens Street

is home to Aiken Drug, which has been in Aiken

"forever" and offers friendly, personalized service

One of the many public garden spots around Aiken

There are many private stables throughout the Horse District of Aiken, as well as all around Aiken County - specifically along "302" which is one of Aiken's main equestrian corridors. There are also many boarding facilities in and around Aiken, including some with direct access to riding in Hitchcock Woods, including the excellent "Stable on the Woods"

http://www.thestableonthewoods.com

Even the streets are "horse-friendly" in the Horse District of Aiken. The red clay is soft on the hooves of horses, even though when it rains it can be a real mess. However, here in Aiken, a car covered in red clay is a status symbol!

Welcome to "Aiken Today"

Welcome to the inaugural posting for Aiken Today! If you're already lucky enough to be living here in Aiken, we hope you'll enjoy reading this blog to learn about upcoming events in our community and perhaps, send in some comments and suggestions to add to this blog. If you've never been to Aiken or are considering a move here, we hope this blog provides some helpful information to assist with your travel plans or your move.

Aiken is a very unique and special place. This is apparent from a stroll ‘downtown’ amongst the charming shops and local cafés and restaurants that line Laurens Street, our town’s vibrant “main street” with its historic architecture and buildings dating back as far as the mid 1830’s. It is apparent as you drive along South Boundary, Aiken’s picturesque avenue lined with its overlapping, majestic 100-year old oak trees. It is apparent when you stop in for a morning coffee or juice at the New Moon Café, the Stoplight Deli, the Track Kitchen or the Polo Grounds coffee shop and strike up a conversation with one of the “locals” and leave knowing you’ve made a new friend in town.

With just a short drive around town, it is easy to see some of the places that make Aiken such a charming place to call home. The shady oasis that is Hitchcock Woods, right in the center of town; the exquisite, 14-acre Hopeland Gardens abundant with a rainbow of colorful seasonal flowers, surrounded by its brick serpentine wall and mature oaks and magnolias; the red clay streets of Aiken’s Horse District with its historic Winter Colony homes, horse stables and Aiken’s Training Track and Track Kitchen – the ‘in’ spot for breakfast to discuss all things horse! And, for those more interested in ‘tee time,’ the place to be is over on the Bermuda Grass greens at the Aiken Golf Club where you can end up at the Club’s “19^th Hole” – for lunch at the Legends Grill, to replay the previous 18 holes…all over again!

In upcoming posts, this blog will feature articles about many of the people, places and events that combine to make Aiken a wonderful place to be. We hope you will visit Aiken Today again – and often. Thanks for reading the blog and we look forward to any comments you’d like to send in!