Hi Columbia and happy Friday! Who’s ready for the weekend?!?! Not me. Well, yes, I am. I’m ready for two days of beautiful weather and no work but I don’t have anything planned and am planning on winging it for the next 48 hours. If you’re like me, enjoy the Procrastinator’s Guide to the Weekend –
Saturday
Soda City Market (9-1) downtown on Main Street (blocks between Washington and Taylor Streets). Vendors, food, fresh flowers and veggies, and excellent people watching. It’s one of my favorite Saturday morning activities in Columbia, especially when the weather is nice (which it will be tomorrow!).
Bierkeller Tour (noon-6pm) on the grounds of the Hampton-Preston Mansion at 1615 Blanding Street. Y’all, a socially distanced outside activity in beautiful weather? Sign me up. The tables have all been reserved but the grounds are up for grabs…bring a mask, a blanket or chairs, and well-behaved kids and/or dogs and go have a beer (sorry, bier!). Admission is FREE!
Shopping your thing? I haven’t even started Christmas shopping yet but two of my go-to’s are 3128 The Collective and The Gourmet Shop. The Collective has different at least 5 different vendors (probably more) under one roof. Art? Done. Jewelry? Done. Clothes? Done. Adorable odds and ends to make you a little happy? Done. And all the rest. It’s literally a one-stop-shop and it is fabulous. Open Saturday, 10-2.
Some of the beautiful Columbia Toile from Hue Home Studio (photo credit: Hue Home Studio) 
Earrings at 3128 The Collective (y’all, they’re clay and so light!)
The Gourmet Shop is my go-to for picnic lunches, brunch, kitchen goodies, stunning Vietri pottery, and wine. Shop hours: Saturdays 9-6; Sundays 10-5.
To round out your Saturday, it turns out Carolina is playing Texas A&M at good old Willy B tomorrow at 7pm. Tickets are still available but it you can also watch it in the comfort of your home on ESPN. Start a fire, grill some steaks or burgers or wings, and get comfy. That’s a pretty sweet Saturday night! (GO COCKS!!)
Sunday
Relax with coffee. Do a few chores. Ease into the day. When the sun is up and you’re finally ready to get dressed and moving, keep it simple.
Picnic lunch at the Columbia Riverfront or, if you didn’t make it down there Saturday, go to the grounds of Historic Columbia and pick a property (get your food from the Gourmet Shop to keep it simple and delicious).
Steel Hands Brewery has live music by Mark Webb, Jr. from 1:00-4:00 on their outside stage!
This list is for procrastinator’s though. If you are a person who likes to be on top if things, you can spend a lovely day at home doing meal prep, yard work, and getting things all tidied and ready for the week. You probably also already have weekend plans. And your life probably doesn’t generally devolve into chaos and piles of laundry, like mine. What does that look like? Can you make me a list?
Missy & Tots 