What use to be the Railway Restaurant in Lake City is now the Railway Charcoal Grill and Club Car Pub. After three months of renovations, Tony Whitlock and Katherine Fridl have definitely reached their goal of offering a restaurant that is classy but still casual, sophisticated but friendly, and great taste but without a great cost. They accomplished this by offering the Dining Car which offers a non-smoking dining experience and the Club Car Pub which is an English style pub. Both offer a full menu including unique dishes such as fried alligator bites to traditional entrees like the 16 oz. bone-in Rib-Eye steak. The cocktail menu is also diverse with offerings such as the Railway's Dirty Blue Martini to the Railway's signature lemonade made with Firefly sweet tea vodka. Desserts are to die for with a sure to be favorite of caramel filled donuts with a coffee dipping sauce. So for a different but for sure wonderful dining experience get all aboard for a great dining experience at the Railway Grill in Lake City located in the old railroad depot.

For too many years we have been getting pills to treat our symptoms rather than prevent the diseases that plague the Pee Dee region in South Carolina. Some physicians in the little town of Lake City may have the medical model that is needed in health care. Lake City is the home of a new six million dollar investment, the Live Oak Medical Center. This may just be the answer that we need to help with sky rocketing costs of health care. Instead of just treating the symptoms of our disease, it is also about preventing the diseases. Live Oak Medical Center combines physician offices, wellness center and physical therapy center. Dr. Albert Mims, one of the founding physicians said “I have practiced in Lake City for 28 years and see this concept as an answer to some of the issues that plague the I-95 corridor where there is limited access to health care and little chance to correct diet and sedentary lifestyles that can prevent or delay chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease and diabetes.” Hats off to these physicians for providing the Pee Dee region with a chance not just to treat their symptoms, but to also make some life style changes that can prevent or delay many diseases. The facility though, will only be as effective as the willingness of the patients to take advantage of the many resources offered there.

If you are looking for a different place to eat, then be sure to try Food Scapes located at the Lake City Airport. Yes, believe it or not Lake City does have an airport, but better than that it has one of the best little restaurants around called - Food Scapes. All dishes are prepared using fresh, seasonal, local ingredients and boy do they know how to do it right. Better than that they are open seven days a week from 10AM to 10PM. Along with a wonderful selection of entrees, they have some of the best desserts around. Food Scapes also offers - delivery, grab and go deli case, boxed luches, corporate catering, special events catering, "tween" pricing, children's menu and gift cards. So, are you ready for a new place to eat? Check out Foodscapes at the Lake City Airport, 244 Clifton Road, Lake City, SC. Don't be fooled by the small green block building that houses Food Scapes. I promise you will be making many more trips to Lake City for this hidden treasure.

I experienced a first today. I went on my first train ride, catching Amtrak in Florence, SC and traveling to Wilmington, Delaware. My 83 year old mother, two sisters and I are visiting a first cousin in Maryland, the Amish country and Philadelphia. I was very pleased with the train ride. There is a lot more room on the train than you have on an airplane and you have electricity to power any electronic devices. I was able to use my laptop and not worry about losing power. Our train did not have a dining car, only a concession stand, so it was good that we brought along sandwiches and snacks for the trip (very cost effective too.) It was nice not to have to worry about driving and being able to visit with my mother and sisters during the trip. So if you have never experienced a train ride, I would definitely recommend trying one especially if you are traveling with family or friends. It gives you bonding time, sleeping time, reading time, or whatever you want to make of it time. All Aboard!

The National Bean Market Museum of SC located at 111 Henry St., Lake City, SC will be hosting a plethora of events the remainder of 2008. The schedule is as follows.

Hours of Operation Monday – Friday 8-4 2008

Fall Schedule of Events

Farmers Market every Saturday through October (9am – 1pm)

September 3rd – October 1st The SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum Traveling Exhibit: Write from the Front. This exhibit showcases SC Military who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia.

September 20th SC Tobacco Festival: Activities at the Bean Market: Attic Artifacts (a showcase of local’s citizen’s antiques and antiquities), Antique Auction, Exhibits, Expanded Farmers Market, and Entertainment.

October 24th – December 21st Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit: Key Ingredients: American by Food

October 24th and 25th The SC Humanities Festival with guest speakers, tours and entertainment.

November 1st Registration Payment for European Trip: Germany and Switzerland (July 8th - July 21st) Dr. Joe Stukes Tour Leader and Sherri Moore/Briley Altman Tour Coordinators.

November 15th Junior Women’s Club Annual Oyster Roast

November 21st and 22nd Native American Days (schedule TBA)

November 29th Clemson-Carolina Tailgate and Game

December 5th – 7th SC Holiday Market (schedule TBA)

Currently, renovations and reconstruction of the Bean Market building are under way. However, intensive designs and redevelopment of the building to enhance the property as a community facility without diminishing the Bean Market feel will start after the first of the year. The National Bean Market Museum will close January – March 2009 due to these renovations; the office, however, remains open at an offsite location.

Scrantons's Schoolhouse Bar-B-Que offers some of the best food to be found. It is in Florence County in a historical setting. This popular restaurant opened in 1994 in Scranton, SC in a schoolhouse built in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Howell has added on several times due to his growing business and now has a seating capacity of 350. So if you want some good ole southern barbeque or fried chicken leave  church a little early on Sunday because the crowd will be gathering for their Sunday dinner and the line is always back out the door.

The sign is a replica of the actual building which Howell has decorated with a lot tins to lend to the rustic atmosphere. So see what the buzz is all about in Scranton Thursday - Sunday at the Schoolhouse Bar-B-Que.

Mcleod Park offers over 50 acres of recreational fun in the heart of Florence on Santiago Drive. It has many of the common features you find in most parks - picnic areas, nature trails, tennis courts, volleyball court, baseball fields, basketball goals, horse shoes, concession stand and restrooms. But one unique feature that you don't find at other parks is a Skate Park Facility. Skate boarding is a passion of many especially the younger crowd and they now have a place to perfect their skills without using sidewalks and parking lots. So thumbs up Florence to offering this facility that is unique and needed.

Florence County is fortunate to be the home of the new Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SIMT). Located at Florence Darlington Technical College, SIMT will provide training and technology solutions that will maximize workforce productivity in the manufacturing industry. According to the SIMT's website, "The Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology is the premiere technical service provider, and training facility, for industry in the southeastern portion of the United States. It’s state of the art facilities are located on a 146-acre campus in Florence, SC. SIMT provides engineering/CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, and 3D/virtual reality services as well as leading edge manufacturing workforce development and business process training."

Coward may be small but it is home of one of the best barbeque restaurants around. A little over a year now Fat Back's BB-Que has made its home in the little town of Coward. So when you are passing down Highway 52 from Florence to Lake City stop by and enjoy a good ole plate of southern barbeque in their rustic setting. The restaurant mimics an old tobacco barn.