Photo for thegazz/com by Walker DeVille

A snake of holiday lights wriggles across the top of Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream Shop on Capitol Street this past Friday eve. How much ice cream does she sell in December? Love the soups.

Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

I rather wish I might be able to share a mug of holiday grog with the lovely lady in the window at Ivor’s Trunk, which features perhaps the most stylish holiday window in downtown Charleston. The grog might loosen her up, as she does seems a bit stiff, although that fetching dress would enliven any December bash.

Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

It’s the biggest Xmas tree in the state and maybe in all of Appalachia. And you can see it from both sides of the United Bank building. When did this tradition start at this building — and how much work does it take to pull off? Are those offices lit with green lights and how?

Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

The barber and beauty school in the 200 block of Capitol Street is one of the cheapest places in town to get a haircut. Though one does cross one’s fingers when a novice operator of the sheers and clippers comes at one — and the supervisor is nowhere to be found. One may wish to flee. But it sure beats paying $25 for that month’s haircut, even if you are part of someone’s homework.

Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

The coven of lawyers who call this Capitol Street address home hang a simple, elegant wreath to mark the holiday. No, no, I’m not calling them witches. Druids, maybe. But Druids are kind of cool.

Click to enlarge. Photo for thegazz.com by Walker Deville

This building needs help. Ever since Rose City Press went down a few years ago, the building that housed the office supply center along Virginia Street has sat idle, looking grumpy and unhappy. Buildings get unhappy if unusued. Isn’t uber-entrepreneur Virgil Sadorro talking about locating a new club upstairs or something? (And speaking of Sadorro, has anyone adequately scounged up the reasons why Vandalia Lounge went down, right before the lucrative holiday season?)

Click to enlarge. Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

It was a foolish thing to do. But there you have it — fools do foolish things, no? One rainy day, I snapped this shot while driving I-64 east, coming across the Ohio River just as the cityscape of Charleston comes into view. Not the best, most focused of shots, but then I was driving 50 mph at the time, OK? And yes, officer, I will never do it again.

Click to enlarge. Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

There’s an invasion of “Cats” going on this morning in and around the Clay Center, in preparation for tonight and tomorrow’s touring production of the furry spectacle.

Click to enlarge. Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

Charleston sometimes just looks cool all dressed in blue.

Click to enlarge. Photo for thegazz.com by Walker DeVille

Somebody brought in the sheeves at Charleston’s Capitol Market. This reception line of stalks is a good introduction to an eve of fine dining at Soho’s Restaurant (which, to toot a gazz horn, you can find in the new gazz restaurant list).