Winner of the Zia Taqueria

Congratulations to Jessica Woolsey!! You are the winner of the Zia Taqueria's gift card for $40.00. You and a guest will enjoy a fabulous meal for two on Hobson Group Realty LLC. We thank you all for participating and hope you continue to view and spread the word out our company blog.


Remember this is the Charleston guide to all the exciting events.

Don't forget to stop in Zia's and tell Kevin Grant (owner) hello and try all those authentic Mexican dishes.

Below is my son Gabriel who is 3 yrs old drawling the name out of his car basket he got for Easter.

Charleston's Mexican Hot Spot

This maybe the best prize yet, something to make your tummy and your pocket happy at the same time. Growing up in Charleston all my life, I've always heard we have no clue about "real" Mexican food.

Michael's mother, sister, and brother lived in Mexico for several years, so when they heard about this place called Zia Taqueria, they had to go check it out for themselves. I don't think I've ever seen such a happy bunch of people come back from dinner. It was like someone had taken away their favorite food for years and at last they were just getting to experience it again. So, my family, Mike, Gabriel (3), and Devin (2) saw a perfect Blog opportunity!

When we got there, I noticed it was laid back and everyone was just as friendly as can be (and we all know you don't find that a lot of places anymore). The best thing on the menu (in our opinion) was their famous Baja fish taco. I had never associated "fish" with "taco" before, but it was just incredible. The Nachos were really cool. They weren't just a bunch of chips with stuff dumped all over it but instead were individually prepared corn tostada shells topped with black beans and cheese. The results were....my family and I have found the most authentic Mexican restaurant in Charleston and we will be going back, especially for the famous Zia Rita Margarita (all I can say is WOW)!

Meet the owner.....

Zia Taqueria is a locally owned Mexican restaurant that knows how to cook it up!

Kevin Grant, Owner, & Chef of Zia Taqueria, started this company with a passion for Mexican food. He grew up in Houston, Texas and has been in the Mexican food business for 10 years. Growing up in Texas, there was no place for still another Mexican restaurant so he ventured to Charleston, SC to pursue his dream of introducing a new market to the way authentic Mexican food should be prepared. This place is the type of place where you can come in and grab a taco to go or you can hang out with your family and eat, drink and be merry.

Kevin has combined three different types of Mexican flavors, - New Mexico, Tex Mex, and Regional Mexican - into one mouth-watering flavor! Let me tell you, this isn't your everyday restaurant. Kevin says, "This is a place people can go for quality food at a moderate price" . This guy actually knows how to do it right! From the moment you step inside and get in the self-order line, Kevin wants you to have a great experience. Zia uses all fresh ingredients and spices straight from Mexico to give it the flavors that make it so unique.

Kevin's purpose is to make you experience and fall in love with the true flavors of Mexico. You will never think of Mexican food the same way again. Don't take my word for it - try it for yourself. You are also helping our LOCAL market take control again. To help one lucky winner do just that, our contest prize this month is a free dinner for two at Zia's. (See contest rules on the right sidebar.) Zia Taqueria is located on Maybank right next to the Terrace Theater. For more information, visit their website at http://ziataco.com/

Charlestown Landing Winner is....

The winner is .....doddlebug!!! Congratulations on winning TWO FREE tickets to the Charlestown Landing. You've got to love this blog! Next time your mouth will water for our next contest..umm...umm

Below is your first clue:

Charles Towne Landing

Now this is history at it's finest. Being a native from Charleston, some of my favorite memories come from Charles Towne Landing. As a little girl, my parents would load us kids up in the car and head to the park for a picnic and to go exploring. Once we got there we would lay out our large blanket in the big open field, spread out our food and dig in. After our bellies were full we would take off to see the animals, with my dad excitedly trailing behind. Secretly, seeing the bobcats was his favorite.

Just a little history for you; at Charles Towne Landing, a group of English settlers landed in 1670. This established what would become the birthplace of the Carolinas colony, the plantation system of the American South, and one of the continent’s first major port cities. Here at the park the story is still told. Opened in 1970 as Charles Towne Landing State Park, the peaceful park on a marshy point off the Ashley River was rebuilt in 2006 with a sharpened focus on the site’s remarkable past. This place is amazing and you will have so much to explore while you're there. There is the animal forest,Living History, Archaeology, crop garden (following instructions from 1670), 80 acres of gardens that includes an elegant live oak alle’ and the Legare-Waring House(one of Charleston’s favorite sites for weddings). One of my personal favorites is the Adventure ship (Charleston's only 17th century replica sailing ship).

(Me at age 7)

Attention all moms - this is one of the best places to take your kids. They can run and play and get all their energy out without you having to worry they might break something. Michael and I took Gabriel & Devin there awhile back and they had such a great time. Their favorite part was seeing the big bear in the animal forest and of course the open field (lol). I wasn't able to capture any of it on photos so whoever wins this contest, don't forget your camera because you will have some priceless pictures. As you can tell, Charles Towne Landing has made a big impression on my life that I still talk about from being a little girl, age 7, till . . . well, I won't get into current age, let's just say older. Ohh, the memories!! Now go and make your own memories!


Good luck with the contest!!

(Me at age 7)

Yorktown Winners!

Ok!! Drum roll please.....The winner of the Yorktown tickets is Eugene!!

As always, thanks for playing our contest. It is such a pleasure to see everyone enjoying this blog. Keep in mind we are blogging on other events and topics during each month so check back often so you're not left out!

This next attraction will be displayed on the 5th and trust me you will not want to miss this one. Will be Blogging you soon! See below for your next clues:

Come Aboard the USS Yorktown!

As we head into our third featured attraction we have already discovered that Charleston has a lot of hidden jewels. This month's featured attraction is for all you history buffs. This is the well known USS Yorktown docked at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant.

If you’re like me, you have driven past this a million times without stopping, but this may motivate you to visit. This attraction called for the whole family to test it out to see if it was blog worthy for all our faithful readers. So, with my husband and two little boys in hand we set off to see what the big deal was. The day did not start off as planned it was rainy and cold but the boys had been talking about seeing the big ship and airplanes all day! Come rain or shine, this experience turned out to be a fun filled adventure.
The ship is huge and has all sorts of different tours you can take. Be prepared to spend at least two to three hours. Don't worry, though, there is a food stand in there in case you need fuel. There is a Congressional Medal of Honors where you can go and listen to different stories of the people who went above and beyond for our country, you can stand before actual WWII fighter & bomber aircraft, take a ride on a flight simulator, go down below deck and explore the ship and feel like one of the crew members, and much more.

Out of it all, though, Gabriel & Devin’s favorite was the “stage” - yes, you heard right. See picture below:

The end result was an awesome experience and I was able to have a peaceful car ride home!

Facts about the USS Yorktown:
The USS Yorktown (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. Under construction as Bon Homme Richard, this new Essex-class carrier was renamed "Yorktown" in honor of Yorktown (CV-5), sunk at the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). Built in an amazing 16 ½ months at Newport News, Virginia, Yorktown was commissioned on April 15, 1943. Yorktown participated significantly in the Pacific Offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. Yorktown received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II. Much of the Academy Award-winning (1944)documentary "The Fighting Lady" was filmed aboard. In the 1950’s, Yorktown was modified with the addition of an angled deck to better operate jet aircraft in her role as an attack carrier (CVA). In 1958, Yorktown was designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam (1965-1968). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). Yorktown was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve. In 1975, Yorktown was towed from Bayonne, NJ to Charleston to become the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. Another fun fact is you can actually camp out on the Yorktown! Come experience the patriotism, honor and character of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.

Thanks for Exploring Charleston with Hobson Group Realty. Remember, all you have to do is just leave a comment and you are automatically entered to win two tickets to explore the USS Yorktown for yourself.

Don’t forget - YOU will need to check back March 1st to claim your prize. You will have 15 days to claim your prize at info@hobsongrouprealty.com We don't have your contact information, so it will be up to you to contact us to let us know who you are.

IMAX Winners!!

Congratulations Kacey Huff!!! You are the winner of our monthly contest. Kacey just won two free tickets to the awesome IMAX Theatre and a family special at the concession stand which includes a large popcorn and two large drinks. Way to go!!

Devin is our 22 month old son who drew the name! This picture is taken from our next featured event. Can you figure it out? Check back on February 5th for our next contest. You will not want to miss this!

Charleston IMAX

Hello everyone and thanks for continuing to Explore the Charleston area with us. Each month we are going to be featuring different attractions in the Charleston area. All you have to do to win is just leave a comment and it will automatically enter you to win. There are no obligations just free tickets! Our featured attraction this month is the new Citadel Mall Stadium 16 with IMAX. The contest prize is a package of two tickets to the IMAX (including 3-D) and a family special order at the concession stand (large popcorn and two large drinks with unlimited refills).

My husband and I just went to the new IMax in West Ashley and had an incredible experience. This was my first 3D movie and let me tell you this is not your mom and pop’s movie theater. This was an in your face, breathtaking, nail biting event. We saw the movie "Avatar" and were absolutely blown away by how you felt like you were right in the movie. Between the enormous screen and the sound system you could not help but feel that way. I highly recommend the 3D effect when watching your next movie. “Avatar” is currently playing at the IMAX, and will be there until March. However, if you prefer a different movie, the tickets are good for any movie at any of the 16 theaters.

One common misconception is that the IMAX is simply a larger screen. However, it is much more. An IMAX theater is designed to meet very specific physical criteria. It is designed to make the viewer feel a part of the movie, not just a viewer. It provides an intense viewing experience partly because it has twice as many projectors (two instead of one) which make the picture much sharper and the colors brighter. The huge screen is perforated with thousands of tiny holes to allow sound to past through it, and it is coated with a proprietary high-gain silver coating to maximize picture brightness. Every morning before the theater opens, the screen is calibrated so that the light intensity is just right. Three-D technology comes into its own at the IMAX – the images not only appear to pop off the screen but truly seem to reach out and touch you. To give you an idea of just how large the screen is, see the picture below (that's me standing there - look close!).

Sound is just as important as the picture in an IMAX presentation. It is laser-aligned to envelope each audience member, making the smallest sound audible and allowing the listener to know which direction it is coming from. Before a new IMAX theater opens, a team of technicians check each individual seat to ensure that the sound is perfectly balanced. The sound track of each movie is specifically designed for the unique IMAX sound system.

To see what movies are playing, click here. http://www.southeastcinemas.com/charleston-imax.htm

Of course, no movie experience would be complete without refreshments. The picture above is of the theater's spacious lobby and concession stand.

Leave a comment to be entered for a chance to win this contest (you will need to have a google account to comment - if you have trouble, let us know and we'll help you through it)

Contest Winners!!!

Happy New Years from Hobson Group Realty!

Dustin Crosby is the winner of our monthly contest. He just won two free tickets to the Miracle Worker at that Charleston Flootlight Theatre. Way to bring in the New Year Dustin!

Stay tuned for our next contest with two free tickets to the New I-Max theatre in West Ashley. You will not want to miss this!

Gabriel our three year old drew the name!

Exploring the Holy City with Jenn

Hi All you Bloggers,

My name is Jennifer from the Lowcountry. First off I want to give you a quick background check on myself, I have lived all my life in Charleston SC and throughout my 31 years, I have come to have a lot of titles. I'm a daughter, sister, wife, Mommy, Realtor, business owner, homemaker and the list goes on and on (I'm sure many of you can relate to this). I met my husband Michael at church and got married in 2005. Since then I have been blessed with two beautiful boys, Gabriel and Devin. Don't ya think they are so cute?

You may be wondering why Charleston is considered the Holy City. Well, if you have ever visited here, I'm sure you have noticed all the beautiful old churchs, one on almost every street corner. I personly LOVE all the history this city has to offer and invite you to explore it for yourself!

Growing up in Charleston, I know of many places to go, but my favorite place when I need to clear my head is Folly Beach! It's so relaxing watching the waves crash into each other and watching the sunsets or sunrise. See for yourself below: Folly is nothing but flip flops year round as you walk the streets of this town, which fits me perfectly.

Michael and I opened our own real estate company in 2005, Hobson Group Realty LLC., offering Commission Free Services and shaking up the Real Estate industry by far! We offer people full service real estate and marketing services with the opportunity to sell without paying any commissions. Check it out for yourselves at http://www.hobsongrouprealty.com/

Hobson Group Realty will be sponsoring a contest each month. All you have to do is post a comment on the blog to be entered for a chance to win. For the month of December, the prize is two tickets to The Miracle Worker at the Footlight Theatre. The Miracle Worker is an inspiring production that explores the true story of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, For more information, please click on the following link. http://www.footlightplayers.net/content.asp?catID=13027 The drawing will be December 31, 2009. Entries will be limited to one per e-mail address. See contest rules on the sidebar.

We will not be posting every day or even every week, but will always have a new post on the 5th day of the month to announce a new contest. There will be random posts in between, sometimes real estate oriented, but mostly just talking about fun things to do and see. If you want to be notified by e-mail any time a new post is published, please subscribe.