Friday, May 2, 2008

Mayberry. Or is it Greer? I get the two mixed up.

Today's Wonder of the World is Greer, South Carolina, my hometown.

Technically I live between Greer and Greenville, but my mailing address says Greer, and I'm happy to claim it.
Here are five reasons why I nominate Greer as a Wonder of the World:

Reason #1: Trade Street
Just look at it. It's our main street, though it's not Main Street.



Take a look at Bullock's Barber Shop. Can't you just imagine Floyd and Andy in there, gabbing away?



It even has The Starlight Ballroom!



George Clooney must have liked Trade Street pretty darn well, since he used it quite a bit in his movie Leatherheads. Here is another blog which shows pictures of Trade Street transformed for the movie. Thanks, Leiby family!

Reason #2: If you walk down to one end of Trade Street, you come to the old Train Depot. There are several cute shops in there, and a guy named Steven who gives a great haircut. And his family is in the antique/auction business, so you can talk antiques while he makes you beautiful.



Reason #3: Cannon's Restaurant
Cannons is a great place to get your standard Meat & Three. (For you sophisticated people out there, that's a meat and three veggies. And yes, macaroni and cheese counts as a veggie, just in case you're wondering.) But I get their hot dogs. They're awesome and they're just $1.50 a piece! The sweet tea is nice and cold and crystallizes between your teeth. If you're a drag racing fan, it's owned by Scotty Cannon's family. Woo Hoo!
I'm not really an expert on that.



Reason #4: Panaderia Y Pasteleria La Estrella
It's a Mexican/Central American bakery and it is full of pastries that will make you want to speak Spanish even more than Shakira, just so you can tell them how happy they've made you. In fact, I think this place deserves its own Wonder of the World status. I'll blog more on it another time, but suffice it to say that I had to buy new pants after a few months of Saturday visits.

And I thought I was leaving addicting pastries behind when we left France!



And last, but certainly not least
Reason #5: Mr. James Worley
You can always find Mr. Worley on Main Street, in the parking lot in front of Staggs Plumbing, across the street from the McCleskey-Todd Pharmacy, selling fruits and veggies out of his truck. When I bought strawberries from him on Wednesday, he told me that he is 87 years old and that he got married twelve years ago, so he's practically a newlywed. He looks slightly demonic in this picture, unless you click on it for a close up. He's a sweetheart.



So is that enough proof for you?

Have a great time this weekend, living it up in your own hometown! And if you don't have a Mr. Worley near you, head for the grocery store for a can of these.



They make for good eating!

25 comments:

Susan said...

Thanks for the link! I'm loving your blog! Greer... France... we have a lot in common! (Okay, so it was just my parents who lived in France, but I totally know those sugar wrappers!)

Loved reading about the man selling veggies! Always wondered about him!

I'm going to bookmark your great blog!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Hi Susan! I'm so glad you like it! And your parents lived in France. We do have a lot in common!

Julee Ann said...

Ok, I've been lurking long enough. What a great big plug for your cute little 'ole town. Love it. I'm pretty sure I found your blog by way of my niece Parisienne Farmgirl. I love your style~I'll be back for more.

Liz Harrell said...

A real ballroom! I'm hyperventilating. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh how I love a good list. This one, as well as your town, are simply divine! *read that with an Audrey Hepburn accent*

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Hey Julee Ann! Guess what? I've lurked on your site too! I love those pigtails in your photo!

Liz, I'm hyperventilating right along side you. I LOVE just that the place exists, though I'm too much of a klutz to dance there. (but how can you not like a ball room with that name--it just sends you back in time!)

Hi f.o.t.! Is your office still covered in foil? I can't get that out of my mind! I'll try the Audrey Hepburn accent, but it's not my best one. Though I do love her.

Anonymous said...

Yup! Parts of it are still in foil. I don't have the heart to tear it down right away. They took so much time on it. I love how the light shines off the foil anyway.

David Ebright said...

Your town is certainly clean & tidy. Kudos to Barney & Andy for keeping the litterbugs off the streets. Nothing like top notch law enforcement. With the right hat, Mr. Worley could pass for an older version of George Lindsay (Goober). Looks like a real nice place to live. Have a great day!

Sandra Evertson said...

Great blog!
Sandra Evertson

La Belette Rouge said...

Oh, how you have made me miss the Mayberry we lived in. You have made me long for a trip to the farmers market. I want some peaches.

Rebecca Ramsey said...

JaxPop you're right! He does kind of look like an older version of Goober. I bet He wouldn't mind the comparison. Everybody loves Goober!

Sandra, as I said at your blog, that skirt of yours is amazing. I've never seen anything like it. (Check it out folks!)

La Bellette Rouge, come for a visit! The peaches are ripe late July. Nothing is better than a juicy peach dripping down your chin!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Just noticed I capitalized he when referring to Mr. Worley. It's not that I think he's a god. But he is nice, though!

May Vanderbilt said...

Clooney is like some kind of honorary Southerner, isn't he?

First there was Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? when his Southern accent didn't make me cringe.

Then there was the pet pig.

And now Leatherheads!

Greer is beautiful and so full of local businesses. That's the mark of a good town, no matter the size. (Shakes fist at Panera Bread across the street)

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Yes, May, I think you're right about George. He's a Kentucky boy, right? I did love him in Oh Brother Where Art Thou. My hairdresser got to talk with him--she was an extra--and says he's quite a gentleman.

And I do love local places and try to give them tons of business. (I wish I'd never discovered Panera's Asian salad. I'm afraid it's delicious.)

savvycityfarmer said...

this is getting fun now...are you sitting down?

Cityfarmer here...mother of parisienne farmgirl and sister of JuleeAnn....told ya this was fun.

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Cityfarmer, Wow! And I love all of your sites! Creativity must run in the family! Any others I should know about?

Ada [The Duchess] said...

George Clooney would be enough for many folks! My favorite is the ballroom bit.

Win!

P.S. Thank for the MySpace add.

paris parfait said...

It looks like a very charming place! Great post. xo

cotedetexas said...

Hi - thanks for your so sweet comment!!!!

Your town is adorable. It reminds me of Chappell Hill, Texas where my sister inlaw lives, only bigger haha

Joni

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Hi Adaora,Tara, and Joni! Thanks for stopping by!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I am so glad you stopped by my blog! It gave me a chance to come here and meet you! I live close toyou. I live in Hendesonville, NC and go to Greenville all of the time. Greer looks like a lovely town to live in. Thank you for the tour.
Penny

Sherry said...

Oh this is so old town homey!! I laughed when I pictured Floyd in his barber shop -- I could so "see" that!! These are the slices of life we miss when we live in major urban centres!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Penny, hi neighbor! Thanks to you and your beautiful post, I'm going to have to come up your way to the Tobacco Barn antiques!
And Sherry/Cherie, yes I think you're right. Major urban centers do lack that old time homey feel that I love so much. But I do also love museums and sushi! Luckily Greenville and Greer compliment each other well. (Though Gville isn't exactly a major urban center...but it's enough of one for me!)

Ada [The Duchess] said...

Small towns have lovely personality.


It's always nice to stop by. ^_'

kari and kijsa said...

What a wonderful hometown!! Have a blessed Sunday!

smiles,
kari & kijsa