Good news…we live in a walker’s paradise! Check out this website we stumbled upon…walkscore.com. Just plug in your address, and it will calculate the “walkability” of your neighborhood based on how close you are to restaurants, grocery stores, bars, coffee shops, schools, libraries, movie theaters, etc. Charleston overall scored a 94 out of 100. While that calculation was mostly based on the downtown area, check out your own neighborhood’s walkability. If it doesn’t score so high, do something to change it! You’ll help create or enhance the overall sense of community, collaboration and inspiration.

It’s always exciting when someone else sees the greatness of our area! In the latest issue of Homestyles Magazine, author Lisa Rogak gives her input on the best places to eat, drink, shop, and stay, and her taste is impeccable! Noting our 11^th win of the “Most Mannerly City” award, Rogak hits all the hot spots. From the elegant and historic Wentworth Mansion, to the always cozy Vendue Inn. Dining at fabulous locations downtown and in Mount Pleasant, then on to shopping and exploring the city.

Rogak’s opinion is highly regarded, as she is a member of International Association of Culinary Professionals and the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, and has written over 40 books, including A Boy Named Shel, The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein, and edited the book Barack Obama, In His Own Words.

Canadian rocker Bryan Adams continues his special acoustic solo tour across the United States with this visit to Charleston Music Hall on July 21st. Originally conceived to debut songs from his latest disc, 11, the acoustic tour works, Adams says, because that’s how the songs began. “The album started out as an acoustic record, and halfway through I sort of switched gears and decided to make sort of an acoustic rock record,” says Adams.

11 was released in Canada and throughout the world, in the fall of 2007, and released in the spring of 2008 in the United States, where it is available exclusively at Wal-mart stores. 11 debuted atop three international charts, including Canada, India and Switzerland, and was Top 10 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, the UK and Holland. The appropriately titled disc, produced by Adams, is his 11th album of all-original music and features 11 songs.

The show starts at 8:00 p.m., doors open at 7:00 and tickets are $40. To purchase, visit any Etix outlet, Cat’s Music, call (800) 514-3849 or visit Etix.com

To request a review copy of 11 and an interview with Bryan Adams, contact: Marlene Palmer, marlenepalmer@shaw.ca, 604.763.2284

Photo courtesy of charlestonmusichall.com

The inspiration is catching on! North Charleston’s Noisette community was featured in Cottage Living magazine’s annual list of “Top 10 Cottage Communities.” Each neighborhood is chosen based on homes and architecture, walkability of streets and sidewalks, people with a vision for their neighborhood, innovative thinking, and those that have a unique aspect or approach to them.

Check out the video for a virtual tour the neighborhood, and meet some of the friendly faces who are inspired by their community more and more each day.

Photo courtesy of cottageliving.com