🌴 Summerville: New Bar, New Park, New Popup

Hi there, Palmetto Parent!

We hope you’ve been staying cool and dry! Anyone else having their windows fog up from so much humidity? Or maybe you can’t see through your glasses when you first walk outside? Anyone?

For these rainy and muggy days we’re pulling out all the stops for indoor excitement – Play-Doh, Magna-Tiles, paints, baking, etc. But if you want to get out, this past week we took advantage of two free/cheap indoor opportunities that we’ve featured in the past to help us have fun while enjoying the AC.

1. We introduced our son to bowling at Stars & Strikes (nothing like seeing your small child in bowling shoes) and

2. A morning at Regal Theater watching the latest Paw Patrol movie.

It’s not too late to take advantage of the free bowling for kids this summer at Stars & Strikes or the $1 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11am. If you go to the movies, be sure to stop in and buy tickets or buy them online in advance. The theater was completely full when we went.

Learn Chess From a Master in Summerville

Bahar is a Chess Master right here in your neighborhood, a Florida State Women’s Chess Champion, and now teaches group chess lessons to take your kid from a chess hobbyist to a chess master.

Chess can be traced back at least 1,500 years.

It’s a challenging game that requires focus, planning, critical thinking, and keeping your cool under pressure. For kids, chess is an excellent way to learn an amazing skill playing a game that will be popular for the rest of their lives.

Whether your kid is already in chess club or looking to learn for the first time, there is no better way than to learn from Summerville Chess Master Bahar.

For more information or to register your kids for chess class, you can reach Bahar at her contact info below, or email her by clicking below.

Register my Kids for Chess Class

If you want your Summerville business in front of over 1,500 Palmetto Parents, click here.

To Do: Central Creek Park

This week’s “to do” takes you outside of Summerville —but not far — to the neighboring town of Goose Creek. One of our favorite parks this summer is Central Creek Park, a newer park that has an “Under the Sea” themed playground and splash pad.

What’s unique about this park is how seamlessly kids can go between the splash pad and the park which is a huge bonus with the heat of Charleston summers. The park is specifically designed to be accessible for kids of all abilities, so every child has something to enjoy there. Our toddler loves running through the large “Under the Sea” tunnels (shown below). As a mom, I appreciate the amount of shades above the playground, the plentiful seating around the splash pad, and how cushioned the playground floors are.

The park is located at 147 Old Moncks Corner Road, Goose Creek. The splash pad is open from 10am-6pm daily. For moms of littles, be sure to enjoy the toddler/tot time hours from 9am-10am on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

An Event: Buy & Sell At Charleston’s Best Pop-Up Resale

If you’re looking to sell clothes or toys that your kids have outgrown or are looking to purchase these items at a great price, The Just Between Friends Event is the perfect opportunity.

The goal of Just Between Friends is to provide access to high quality clothes, shoes, & toys at discounted prices so families can get what they need. The event is taking place at The Exchange Park in Ladson (​9850 Highway 78, Ladson, SC 29456) from July 17th-20th.

As a seller, you set your own prices, tag your items, and earn 60-70% of your total sales with minimal effort.

Accepted items include:

• clothing (baby, kid, teen, and maternity)

• shoes

• books

• toys

View this slideshow with more specifics on what items are accepted. To sell, you sign up here and then tag your items at home. You book your drop off/pick up appointment (drop off July 15th/16th and pick up July 22nd) and let the event do all the selling work for you! There’s even an option to donate what’s left at the end of the sale if you don’t want to pick it up.

As a buyer, you can purchase high quality items at 50-90% of the cost for yourself and your kids. You can start shopping on July 16th if you purchase tickets, July 17th if you preregister for a free ticket or pay $3 at the door, and for free with no tickets from July 18th-20th. On the 20th, all items are 50% off. See the specific hours and purchase tickets here.

There are also ways to volunteer or work at this event! Volunteers get perks like early/extra shopping opportunities and additional discounts. There’s also opportunities to get paid as a Retail Sales Specialist. Check out all the details here. 

Restaurant: PNO at The Azalea Bar & Godwin’s Beer Hall

Date night? Ladies night? Bros night? Summerville now has a brand new spot to enjoy the evening. Godwin’s Beer Hall officially opened its doors on July 5th. The goal of the new beer hall is to create a traditional European style experience including beers from over 20 different countries and selections of wines, meads, and ciders so there is something for everyone. It will also have European style bites to complement your drinks.

Godwin’s is named after Sir Oliver Godwin who lived in Dorchester, England in the 1800s. He was known for his extensive beer collection, which he often shared with friends.

Godwin’s is owned by the same people who operate The Azalea Bar, one of our favorite places for cocktails and Southern snacks/desserts downtown Summerville. The Azalea makes you feel like you’ve escaped to an upscale bar in the 1920s. The attention to detail with the drinks and decor is truly unmatched. The owners have put the same care in creating the environment at Godwin’s, curating a spot to give a true European feel with shelves of European literature and globes with maps covering the walls. Both places give you a truly unique experience that leaves you satisfied with your parents night out.

Godwin’s is located next to Coastal Coffee Roasters at 108 E 3rd North Street and is open from 4-10pm Tuesday-Thursday and 11am-10pm on Friday and Saturday.

Palmetto Piece: How to Make Friends As An Adult

Last week Daniel wrote about the importance of having a village and how to lean on other people as we parent. In our poll, more people said that they do not have a village than do. For those of us that moved here recently or entered into the new life stage of parenting, sometimes creating that tight-knit friend group can be hard.

So, how do we make new friends or deepen friendships as adults? The image below shows what Google AI had to say about it.

Surprisingly good list actually, lol. Spend some time reading the list and thinking how you could try one of the ideas.

Here are a few methods we use to make new friends.

1) Join groups. Online, in person, whatever you like. You like running? Find a group to do it with. Sewing? Find a group. Reading? Join a book club. It’s always easier to bond with people over shared interests. Daniel recently rekindled his love for biking and running and has found local Summerville groups to meet new people as he does those hobbies. In this phase of life, I’ve heavily relied on my mom groups (like events through Postpartum Support Charleston) and spiritual groups to create new friends and have community. The MomCo of Summerville organizes summer playdates at different parks/splash pads. Going to those is a great opportunity to meet new friends, too!

2) Be willing to have the awkward first conversations. As parents, we’re constantly out and about with our kids doing activities and more often than not we’re surrounded by other parents. There’s value in pushing yourself to start conversations with the other parents vs. just looking at your phone to pass time while you’re child is playing at the park, you’re waiting for them to finish gymnastics, etc. If you start a conversation and are enjoying it, take the next step and ask for their phone number. I’ve done this with a number of moms at parks this past year and I’ve been so grateful I pushed past the initial awkwardness and did it. A number of those interactions have transpired into some really fun and beautiful friendships as we continued to have playdates and mom nights out together.

3) Be the friend you’d like to have. When you do spark a new friendship, be a good friend. Many times we are worried about imposing on people or we’re just consumed in our own life so we don’t think of others (I’m guilty of doing that). Ask the people you meet what’s going on in their life and it will often be clear if there is something you can do to support them. For example, if they are moving soon offer to bring them dinner. If they are going through a lot of sickness, bring them a get well package. If they are having a challenging week with work or their kids’ behavior, bring them flowers, cookies, or a bottle of wine. These little gestures go a long way with creating and deepening friendships and show others you really care.

BONUS: Great Parenting Newsletters

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