More of the Southern lifestyle
I am six months into living in South Carolina, and there are interesting lessons to learn. Here are a few more:
There are a lot of redheads around here. I'm not talking about redheads made that way from a bottle. I'm talking about redheads with milky white skin. I noticed several while going to the gym near us, and I figured it was a minor matter. I learned, however, that this was more than chance. The Upstate of South Carolina has the largest number of those with Irish or Scottish heritage. Said so on the news. What's notable is that's the same fact author J.D. Vance talked about in describing the hillbilly culture of eastern Kentucky. Those folks are fiercely loyal to each other and have a bit of a combative streak. Vance noted that the Hatfields vs. McCoys was sparked by this demographic.
There is a lot of black skin around here. I'm going to sound rather insular here. I never lived in an area with as many African-Americans as Anderson, S.C. That's understandable. I grew up in The Dalles, Oregon, and I remember one African-American student at another school. My elementary and high schools didn't have any. I went to the University of Oregon and was around several African-Americans, but never on a friendship basis. The majority of media outlets at which I worked had no African-American employees. Sure, The Denver Post had more, and I worked closely with Anthony Cotton, Chris Dempsey, Thomas George, and others, but I was rather shielded in my earlier days. My living arrangement now is quite different. There are eight apartments in our little cluster, and three have African-American families. Guess what? They're teaching me lessons.
Little things make me feel more at home. The longer you live in an area, the more little tricks of the locals you learn. I try to avoid Clemson Boulevard whenever possible. It's the one street in this town that can have a version of gridlock. Locals learn ways to get around the Boulevard Backup. There is the Ollie's Cut-through. I drive by the strip mall that is anchored by Ollie's Bargain Outlet near our apartment, and I get to a major route I use, the East-West Parkway, without having to get on the boulevard. Returning from our son's home could involve going on the boulevard except for the Canterbury Route. This drive takes you through lovely residential areas, and through one of the most beautiful forest edareas I've seen. My Eugene friends might understand my analogy of this route being like going around Nectar Way if there were fewer homes there. The forest is so untouched that you'd never guess you were a minute's drive from well-traveled roads.
The food is different here. I enjoy fried okra, collard greens, and grits. Maybe pecan pancakes aren't exclusively Southern, but they're so good. Hashbrown casserole? It's hash browns with cheese and onions added, and it's sensational. I have yet to try chow chow, which is a tangy vegetable relish and a Southern staple. This is the home of barbecue, and this place has some good spots. I rate The Pompous Pig as the best BBQ place I've ever been, but folks here rate The Smokin' Pig as being better. I've heard you can expect to stand in line for awhile. One fact about BBQ places: Most are closed for several days a week, If you want good BBQ, plan ahead. The best little food secret I've discovered? Arden's Burgers. It's a hole-in-the-wall place with exactly seven tables. It's in a strip mall that's easy to overlook. However, it has the best Asian fusion-influenced menu. There are Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Thai and Korean burgers. The latter three come with a warning from the wait staff: Be ready for some serious heat with the sauces. You also get your choice of french fries (only Five Guys is as generous in providing portions) or Asian vegetables. Arden's has carved out a nice niche for those of us who like to try something different. It's really that good.
Side note: My previous blog entry talked about seeing only six Confederate flags during my time in the South. That number nearly doubled last week because I passed one place on our travels returning from Asheville, N.C.There is a shop called Dixie Republic just north of Travelers Rest, S.C., and it is a bastion for all things Confederate. There is a big Confederate flag in front, and two smaller ones. There are small Confederate flags by signs right along the road. Need a flag that has "Southern Rights" on it? It's there. (I checked out the Republic's website.) Want Confederate versions of state battle flags? Yup, you guessed it. Need one that says "The South Will Rise Again"? Place your order. There also are shirts, hoodies, and anything to show your love of the Old South.
There are a lot of redheads around here. I'm not talking about redheads made that way from a bottle. I'm talking about redheads with milky white skin. I noticed several while going to the gym near us, and I figured it was a minor matter. I learned, however, that this was more than chance. The Upstate of South Carolina has the largest number of those with Irish or Scottish heritage. Said so on the news. What's notable is that's the same fact author J.D. Vance talked about in describing the hillbilly culture of eastern Kentucky. Those folks are fiercely loyal to each other and have a bit of a combative streak. Vance noted that the Hatfields vs. McCoys was sparked by this demographic.
There is a lot of black skin around here. I'm going to sound rather insular here. I never lived in an area with as many African-Americans as Anderson, S.C. That's understandable. I grew up in The Dalles, Oregon, and I remember one African-American student at another school. My elementary and high schools didn't have any. I went to the University of Oregon and was around several African-Americans, but never on a friendship basis. The majority of media outlets at which I worked had no African-American employees. Sure, The Denver Post had more, and I worked closely with Anthony Cotton, Chris Dempsey, Thomas George, and others, but I was rather shielded in my earlier days. My living arrangement now is quite different. There are eight apartments in our little cluster, and three have African-American families. Guess what? They're teaching me lessons.
Little things make me feel more at home. The longer you live in an area, the more little tricks of the locals you learn. I try to avoid Clemson Boulevard whenever possible. It's the one street in this town that can have a version of gridlock. Locals learn ways to get around the Boulevard Backup. There is the Ollie's Cut-through. I drive by the strip mall that is anchored by Ollie's Bargain Outlet near our apartment, and I get to a major route I use, the East-West Parkway, without having to get on the boulevard. Returning from our son's home could involve going on the boulevard except for the Canterbury Route. This drive takes you through lovely residential areas, and through one of the most beautiful forest edareas I've seen. My Eugene friends might understand my analogy of this route being like going around Nectar Way if there were fewer homes there. The forest is so untouched that you'd never guess you were a minute's drive from well-traveled roads.
The food is different here. I enjoy fried okra, collard greens, and grits. Maybe pecan pancakes aren't exclusively Southern, but they're so good. Hashbrown casserole? It's hash browns with cheese and onions added, and it's sensational. I have yet to try chow chow, which is a tangy vegetable relish and a Southern staple. This is the home of barbecue, and this place has some good spots. I rate The Pompous Pig as the best BBQ place I've ever been, but folks here rate The Smokin' Pig as being better. I've heard you can expect to stand in line for awhile. One fact about BBQ places: Most are closed for several days a week, If you want good BBQ, plan ahead. The best little food secret I've discovered? Arden's Burgers. It's a hole-in-the-wall place with exactly seven tables. It's in a strip mall that's easy to overlook. However, it has the best Asian fusion-influenced menu. There are Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Thai and Korean burgers. The latter three come with a warning from the wait staff: Be ready for some serious heat with the sauces. You also get your choice of french fries (only Five Guys is as generous in providing portions) or Asian vegetables. Arden's has carved out a nice niche for those of us who like to try something different. It's really that good.
Side note: My previous blog entry talked about seeing only six Confederate flags during my time in the South. That number nearly doubled last week because I passed one place on our travels returning from Asheville, N.C.There is a shop called Dixie Republic just north of Travelers Rest, S.C., and it is a bastion for all things Confederate. There is a big Confederate flag in front, and two smaller ones. There are small Confederate flags by signs right along the road. Need a flag that has "Southern Rights" on it? It's there. (I checked out the Republic's website.) Want Confederate versions of state battle flags? Yup, you guessed it. Need one that says "The South Will Rise Again"? Place your order. There also are shirts, hoodies, and anything to show your love of the Old South.
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