Tag Archive

Sparkle City Headlines: SH-J’s Suprisingly Deep New Year’s Eve Coverage

By Steve Shanafelt

Seeing as how I gave the Spartanburg Herald-Journal such a hard time earlier this week for their top-down coverage of downtown’s new “vibrancy,” I thought I’d give them props for something they actually did right. No … better than right … for something they totally schooled the Spark on. Their coverage of the New... »

New Year’s Plans

By Steve Shanafelt

Thursday is the traditional day for our “Tell us about your weekend plans” question, but given that New Year’s Eve is on Thursday, it seems like we should really get a jump on the subject and ask a day ahead of schedule. So, what are your plans for Thursday evening? Surely there are some parties... »

Big Idea: Your Local New Year’s Resolutions

By Steve Shanafelt

Friday morning, most of us will be looking bleary-eyed and slightly hungover at a the first day of a New Year, and the start of a new decade. (At least if most of us will be. Some will contend that it’s not really a new decade until 2011, but those people also won’t be... »

Weekending: Holiday Edition

By Steve Shanafelt

Even though it’s not technically the weekend, many of us are already off of work thanks to the Christmas holiday. It’s a special time of year, even if the whole religious thing doesn’t interest you, because other people’s belief nets you a few needed days off. Everyone wins. Of course, it does come at a... »

Miss Mom: My need to wrap things

By Sylvie Galloway

Apparently, it is a well-established fact that my gift wrapping skills lack a certain something, like the ability to cut paper in a straight line, make even corners and cut enough paper off the roll the first time to completely cover the package I am intending to wrap. Five-year-olds wrap presents better then I... »

Big Idea: Spartanburg Christmas Wish List

By Steve Shanafelt

Sometimes, these weekly Big Idea columns can border on the abstract, asking for nuanced thoughts on some already vaguely defined topic. This week, however, we’re going to keep it short and sweet. It’s the holidays, that glorious time of the year when we all decide it’s a good idea to be nice to each... »

Big Idea: Giving Locally, Be It Time Or Money

By Steve Shanafelt

We are mere weeks away from the biggest holiday of the year. It also happens to be the most hyped, commercialized, stress-filled, travel-choked and all-around expensive one, something made only worse by a high national unemployment rate and a general financial malaise which is forcing people all over the country to scale back their... »

Video-O-Rama: Dickens, Activism, God Vlog And “Guilty”

By Steve Shanafelt

If you didn’t make it out to the A Dickens of a Christmas event in downtown Spartanburg, you might be desperately wondering just what all the fuss was about. Victorian costumes, classic holiday tunes and an overall holiday vibe were on display, so it’s only natural that anyone who didn’t make it would be... »

Listening Party: Two Local Songs For The Holidays

By Steve Shanafelt

Last week, I posted a holiday music challenge to local musicians, asking them to record their own versions of classic holiday tunes or write new ones. It didn’t have to be anything fancy or professional, but rather just something to show a little holiday spirit. While the consensus was that the idea was a fun... »

Gifts, trees and science all found at The Chapman Cultural Center

By Sylvie Galloway

If you are looking for ideas for the holiday then a stop by the Chapman Culteral Center may have just what are are looking for. There are things for the shopper as well as activities to keep the kids entertained. If you are looking for that special gift for that person on your list... »

Chapman Cultural Center hosts holiday performances

By Sylvie Galloway

The Christmas season may be a busy one for shoppers but it is also a very busy one for those performing under the lights as well. There are four major productions in Spartanburg in the next few weeks all with a holiday theme. The first is the Spartanburg Youth Theater’s production of The Best Christmas... »

Miss Mom: Thanksgiving History

By Sylvie Galloway

The big day has arrived. Someone has been slaving over a stove since early morning, and has likely made desserts the day before. Guests are arriving dressed in comfortable clothes, while several discuss which football team will be the winner of the Sugar bowl this year, with a few casual bets suggested on the... »

Spiffy HUB-BUB Halloween Photo Set

By Steve Shanafelt

Halloween weekend may already be a fading memory for most of you (if you remember it at all), and perhaps you’re read to move on to planning your next holiday caper. This awesome photo set from HUB-BUB documenting the recent “Evenin’ Of Earthly Delights” party may just make you wish Halloween came more... »

Weekend Plans? We Don’t Need No Stinking Weekend Plans!

By Steve Shanafelt

It’s Thursday! And do you know what that means?! Time to brag and/or gripe about our respective weekend plans! How exciting! (Hence all the exclamation marks!!!) If you’re not up to speed on our Thursday tradition, here’s the gist: I ask you to share, telling all of these other outstanding readers what your weekend... »

Sustain Spartanburg: Simple Is Sustainable

By Tammy Stokes

Coming back from vacation is hard. There have been times this week when I wondered if vacation was worth the hell you go through when you return. I have concluded that it is. Last week, the family and I spent the week at Edisto Beach. Love Edisto. It’s very old school. It’s so less... »