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!