To learn more about Florence, South Carolina and upcoming family-friendly events, go to: FlorenceMom.com.

To learn more about Hartsville, South Carolina and upcoming family friendly events there, go to HartsvilleMom.com.



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One of the few fortunate things that I was able to see for myself is the site where the bomb was dropped by the air force. Not a lot of people know about it because there was an article that said that they wanted to keep it a secret. Although the site is somewhat preserved for its history, there is a chance in the future that that site could be replaced with housing. Here are the pictures I took of the site and the bulletin board that someone put there about the history. 


The Florence Morning ...
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The best Mexican food I've ever had in Florence, SC is at the Flea Market at a little place called Jennifer's Taqueria. Don't be deceived by its little shack. Their tacos are phenomenal with all the right fixings! Make sure you bring cash because that is all they take. My favorites are the carne asada and chicken tacos. They all come with a piece of avocado. Make sure you put some of their hot sauce on it. It's so good and authentic!

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We went to the San Jose's Tacos & Tequila restaurant today located at 3410 W. Radio Drive
Florence, SC 29501 and it was surprisingly nice inside. You know they spend a lot of money building the whole place inside and out. The podium was inviting and we were greeted right away by the staff who was waiting in the front. 

When presented with the menu, I was very happy to see that they have California Fish Tacos on the menu. I'm originally from San Diego and I lived on fish tacos growing up! They a...
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It rarely snows in Florence, SC but last night it did. The weather channel was accurate in their predictions and all the schools and most of the businesses are also closed for today. Most residents are staying inside. 

Since it usually only snows once a year around here (if we're lucky), most of us really appreciate it. Of course, it makes driving a lot more dangerous but as long as we know to stay indoors before the sleet starts, we should be okay. My husband didn't work today so we played in...
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We had an unexpected theme this week at our home. A few days ago my husband and I watched the movie The Butler and felt really moved by the courage of a few who stood up for the millions in order to get equality. One of those figures in the movie is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A couple of days letter, I received a flyer in the mail about a public celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the local university and I felt that I must attend.
 
It was held at the Chapman Auditorium inside of Fra...
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I have never had sandwiches from Honey Baked Ham before and there was one in Florence, SC. To my surprise the sandwiches are fresh, big and the bread is delicious. See the picture of my sandwich below. It's a must try! 

Their address is: 2151 W Evans St, Florence, SC 29501

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I was craving sushi and wanted to try Sakura Japanese Seafood & Sushi since it looks like they are usually pretty busy around lunch time, judging by the parking lot. My husband ordered some teriyaki chicken and I ordered two rolls of sushi: a crunchy roll and and a crab roll. They were okay but the server who served us was excellent. Even though it's a Japanese restaurant, it looks to me that the owners may be of Vietnamese descent. I noticed it is a trend around here. 
Since they don't have w...
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Long Grain Cafe's ingredients are fresh and the place is clean. Not only that, they serve a fusion of real all American and Asian dishes. Their breakfast is truly the best in the area! 

Don't forget to check out their fountain towards the back of the restaurant. Their address is 260 W Palmetto St, Florence, SC 29501


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My husband and I went to Thai House 2 located on Dargan St. for lunch and I feel that the food in the day time is fresher than the last time we were there for dinner. 

The great thing about coming for lunch is that a complimentary salad is included with your meal. The salad is small but it's nice to have something to munch on while you're waiting for your entree. It's also pretty fresh. 

My husband ordered the mango duck that came that was under the lunch special and I ordered the Thai House N...
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I've always liked Chipotle and it's a great thing that it's a chain because chances are if the small towns are big enough, they will open one. I always get the barbacoa burrito with tomato salsa, black beans, sour cream and guacamole. The guacamole this time cost me 1.80 extra so my burrito turn out to be over $9 with taxes and I didn't even order a drink. I guess it's really expensive for a burrito but it's so good, I'll fork over $9 every once in a while for it. 

What's a bonus is I got a go...
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If you've never driven towards the end of the Florence Darlington Technical College's campus where the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SIMT) is, you'll never know how truly big the campus is. SIMT is a beautiful building with more fountains to see. It was a cloudy day when I took this picture but imagine it on a beautiful day!



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I like joining rewards programs for restaurants because most of the time, I will get a free meal coupon for my birthday. Even though Ruby Tuesday's doesn't give you a free meal, they give you a free dessert where you get to pick among two. I picked the cupcakes to share with my husband. It's a nice treat. You just print out the coupon that they email to you around your birthday but you need to join their rewards program on their website. One is a carrot cupcake and the other is velvet. 

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I've been to Miyami a couple of times and I was never impressed. I'm so glad we discovered Shogun Japanese Steakhouse because the food taste and quality of the food is so much better! It's kind of a small, underrated place. After talking to the waitress, I realized this place has been opened for many years before Miyami. 

It's a Japanese restaurant but they are owned by Vietnamese owners. The flavors are amazing. Here is a picture of my plate and the experience. Hands down, Shogun Japanese Ste...
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If you're planning a family get together and it's a nice day, going to the David H McLeod Park with a picnic basket and some great company is a wonderful way to enjoy a pretty day. With a skate park, a dog park, picnic tables, stationed grill and pretty pond and trees, this park is a knock out. See pictures below from our visit.


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If you read an older blog post of mine, you already know that I've been thinking about starting school at FDTC for this fall. After getting accepted into the school, I decided to go get my ID before it gets too busy so I drove to the main campus and walked to the Student Services building. I was very glad to have walked by the fountain on my way there. It made the place so tranquil and welcoming. I can picture myself sitting here often with my lunch.

Here's the picture of the fountain as I ma...
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There is a fenced dog park at David H McLeod Park located at:
620 S Santiago Dr
Florence, SC 29501

This dog park at David H Mcleod Park has a really nice tranquil pond. Just a slight hover over the water and you'll see dozens of fishes. They don't have a water fountain but my dog really likes to drink out of the pond water. He's been there 3 times now and hasn't had a stomachache from it. (see pictures below)

Visitors aren't allowed to fish here anymore so that's great news for the dogs. Another ...
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We went to the Florence Veterans Park Trail (one of the Connectors to Florence Trail System, SC) today and brought our dog along for a nice nature walk. We really enjoyed the memorial park and the trails right by it. It is right by the Civic Center.

It was a beautiful May day. Here are some pictures that we took today at the Florence Veterans Park and the trail. 
We're so proud that the City of Florence did this because my husband is a military veteran.

The Wall with The Oath of Enlistment (the...
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Finally! I found my place for sushi in Florence, SC. Red Bowl sounds like it would be a fast food joint but it's not. It's a nice sit down with a full bar. They have specials for lunch and special combo specials for dinner as well. I've been here 3 times and for all 3 times, I opted in to get sushi and they never disappoint. They're all good so try them all! It's fresh with great ingredients. I also like that they don't overdo on their rice in the sushi portion. It's perfect. They also have s...
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We went to Palmetto Subs for the first time over the weekend and we were so happy to find a great sandwich place in Florence, SC. My husband and I ordered the large #19 (their special sub) and split it. It was delicious. They know how to thinly slice their meat, veggies and provide great service. We will be back again. I want to try their tuna sandwich. (The size below is only half of the full large sandwich we bought. They kindly put it in two different plates.)
 
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Even though I don't find out if I got accepted to my particular program of choice for FDTC until 2 months from today, I've been accepted by the school to be able to enroll in general education classes which is a great start! 

Today is when pre-registration starts and I decided to go to FDTC's main campus for the first time to see which classes I can get enrolled in before I find out about my radiology program's decision. The enrollment office was busy! There were about 20 students waiting arou...
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Flavors of India (located on Palmetto St) in downtown Florence has excellent Indian food. My husband and I ordered the Chicken Tikka, Lamb Curry and the Samosas. We loved every dish and will come again. I drank a glass of milk the minute I got home because my stomach was getting upset from the spices. Indian food does that to me. We will be back to visit again!
 This is the inside of the restaurant
Chicken Tikka that we ordered

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I love this place. Don't let the outside fool you. It's not a bowling alley. It's a magical restaurant with an inside town replica full of buildings and fascinating interior deigns. The food is great and romantic. There is also a kid's area where you can go to a station ice cream truck to get free ice cream. Yes, all of this is really a restaurant! It's amazing and my first choice for great dining. There is also a bar area in front as well. Make reservations if you're coming with a big ...
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