Regardless of whether you’re in school, a parent of a student, related to a student, or none of the above,
The start of a new school year is often a time of adjustment. Despite the changes to your schedule, workload, and internal clock that just wants more sleep, everyone deserves a night off. Great news: You don’t necessarily have to wait until the weekend to take a break. On Devine Street, there is something to do almost any night of the week.
Leisure
As a graduate of USC, Erin Nobles knows a thing or two about what it takes to get through a school year. Her shop, Silver Spoon Bake Shop, is a neighborhood bakery that is cooking up some serious magic. In honor of Harry Potter’s birthday in July, Silver Spoon filled their bakery cases with fantastical treats for muggles, half-bloods, and wizards alike.
When not spellbinding patrons with their golden snitch macaroons, these pastry wizards produce equally stellar Southern favorites such as their take on Bojangles’ famous Bo-Berry biscuit. These treats are sure to give you that mid-afternoon pep in your step that you so desperately need. Selections vary day to day.
Where to find it: 2507 Devine St.; 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday. 803-673-6374. www.silverspoonbakeshop.com.
Fun
Now that you’re filled with sugar and spice and everything nice, take your renewed energy for a spin on the potter’s wheel. Southern Pottery Studio and Gallery welcomes all skill levels to their weekly workshops. The studio, housed in a converted carriage house built in 1923, offers eight-week wheel-throwing or handbuilding classes. The gallery has works by Southern potters, ceramic artists, and jewelry from throughout the Carolinas and beyond.
Where to find it: 3105 Devine St.; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays. 803-251-3001. southern-pottery.com.
Food
If ceramics left you feeling slightly dizzy and in need of some quality homemade and locally sourced food, drive on down Devine to Il Giorgione. With wrought iron outside seating and a babbling fountain, the restaurant of USC alumni George Kessler offers a taste of Italy at a fraction of what it would cost to go there. Open for lunch and dinner with a daily happy hour from 4-7 p.m.
Where to find it: 2406 Devine St. 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesdays-Friday. 803-521-5063. ilgiorgione.com.
Drink
If you need to hide from reality or celebrate some great news, head to Jake’s for a few hours before going home — they’ll even call you a cab if it gets to be that kind of night. Before the school year has you feeling dog-tired, check out their Yappy Hour from 4-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There’s also a Pint Night on Wednesdays with live music and discounts on almost all their draft beers. There’s more than 30 beers on tap, plenty of high-tops, and a great back deck, making Jake’s the perfect place to live out (or relive) a college night in Columbia.
Where to find it: 2112 Devine St. Open at 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 11 a.m. on Sunday. 803-708-4788. jakesofcolumbia.com.