Holiday Lights at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens

If you have not been to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens yet, you should. If you have not been during this time of year, you definitely should. Having such a great attraction nearby is something I always tell people about when I'm asked about area attractions. The staff does a fantastic job decorating the gardens, the buildings, and even their orchid conservatory. There's events over the next month including Santa, a Holiday tea, and wreath making. If you have not been yet, I highly recommended it as a way to get in the spirit of the season. 

Yet another Bank of America Branch

The new Bank of America branch at Mill Creek Commons opens today. So if you were concerned about the lack of BofA branches in the area, rest easy. With this, another piece of Mill Creek Commons falls into place.

So this begs the question, what should come next? What would you like to see? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Crescent Resources

Foreclosures

I came across this handy function on Google Maps recently. You can use the real estate search function to view foreclosures. I know, not the happiest subject, but still an interesting way to see what the local real estate looks like right now.


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I continue to be surprised by how many foreclosures I see in places like The Landing, The Palisades, and River Hills. How about you? Does this layout of the land surprise you or is it better than you thought it would be? Let us know in the comments.

Sub Face-Off

Where's the best place to get a sub in the area? It's an interesting question. On to the options...

I've never thought this place was bad, but not great either. You'll find all the standards at Sub Station II, but nothing out of the ordinary.








At this point, if you haven't eaten at a Subway somewhere, you must not be living with is on planet earth. These things are everywhere. We even have two withing half a mile of each other (Food Lion and Wal Mart). Subway always has the standards plus there's usually a few new or unique subs. There're a good stand by and know what you're going to get. They won't surprise you for the better though.

Jersey Mike's is the newest option, having opened in October. This is probably the one most people have not tried yet. If you fall in that category, you should give it a try. They offer a good variety with good ingredients. I recommend the Chipotle Cheesesteak.








For me, Jersey Mike's is the clear winner. Personal taste is everything, so I say try them all and see what you like the best. Let us know your favorite in the comments.

Where does the Pilot come from?

I was talking with a friend the other day about the quality of local news or lack thereof. My friend said he was of the same opinion, but he said "I'm glad we have a decent local paper, the pilot..." You mean The Lake Wylie Pilot I said? The rating of decent is subject to your own interpretation, so I concede that part. Local, however, that is up for debate.

Many people define local as locally owned. Let's explore that. Have you ever thought about who owns the local paper? Lake Wylie residents? Nope. They're owned by The McClatchy Company.

A small family-owned newspaper business? Not even close. They have over 8,000 employees. Does this affect how they report on the community? The Fort Mill Times and Charlotte Observer have the same parent company.