Old Gas Lamps

 Tons of houses have these natural gas lamps - super quaint and lovely.

Where's Chris?

Dinner Night 2 - Delaney Oyster House

Walked 400 feet to the Delaney Oyster House for dinner.   What a lovely little spot in an old house.  Enjoyed oysters (Half Moons from MA and Port Royals from SC), and a bunch of small plates.  We also got the flan that was least like any flan than I have ever had.  That is...it was really delightful.  Another great meal here.

Sweetgrass Baskets

We walked through the Charleston City Market, a ~4 block long market where various merchants sell their wares.  There were quite a few stalls with people selling sweetgrass baskets - which are South Carolina's official state handcraft.

The artisanship on these is brilliant, and they are a historically significant example of African cultural heritage that was transported across the Atlantic by enslaved African people.  No two are alike, and they require alot of skilled craftsmanship to make.   I love the one that I bought. 

Food Tour

Spent the morning on a food tour of Charleston.  While it was good, it just just "good."  All the food was very good, but I think I'm looking for a hole in the wall, and what I am getting are places that can cater to food tour groups.  The food was good - don't get me wrong, but I wasn't wowed.  Except for the chocolatier.

We had city grits and beignets to kick it off at Another Broken Egg Company - those were both really tasty.  I would have had a second bowl.   Next we went to a spice place I can't remember the name of...and then to Charleston Crab House for fried green tomatoes and Charleston rice, which were very good.   The final food stop was Handy and Hot where we had hibiscus tea and these amazing biscuit sandwiches which were so good we are going to go back and have breakfast there tomorrow.

Finally, we went to Christophe - a chocolatier and patisserie.  Had a little macaron and truffle, and a little glass of their Stella:  coffee and drinking chocolate.  It was so good we went back and went shopping there, and got a 20 oz. Stella.  It was outstanding.  And felt like a little bit of Paris right here.  

 

FIG Charleston

Run, do not walk, to this restaurant if you are in Charleston.   And definitely don't drive because you won't find a parking spot and you'll have to drop Chris off to make your hard-to-get reservation on time and you'll drive around and try and find a space including a parking ramp that had no open spots until you just abandon and drive back to your hotel to valet park the car and you just walk to meet Chris at the restaurant.

That said - holy shit.  This might have been one of the top 10 meals ever. The menu consisted of:

• Chicken Liver Pâté - so wonderful and smooth, with bright Dijon mustard and pickles
• Clam Chowder à la Minute - smoky and filled with whole clams
• Salad Lyonnaise - perfectly constructed, and look at that bright yolk on that poached egg!
• Lowcountry Bourride - a beautiful composition that highlights all things cuisine in the lowcountry:  shrimp, mussels, Carolina gold rice, butter beans, in a rich broth
• Chocolate Budino & Roasted Strawberry + Hazelnut Tart - both which were ordered against our better judgment but we did it anyway 

Everything, including the service, was exquisite.

No Sunset Harbor Cruise

Unfortunately Mother Nature had different plans for our ability to see the sunset on our harbor cruise.   

It started with a little rain and wind, then a lot of rain and wind.   Our captain almost abandoned, but we stuck it out and actually had quite a lovely little tour of Charleston Harbor.  

We got to see and go under the ridiculous Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge a couple of times - the only way I will be near it, thank you very much.

We also got to see the harbor coastline, complete with mansions, and a couple of dolphins that swam with us here and there.   It really was lovely.

Charleston Bound!

 First trip to Charleston began last night with a short (but kinda bumpy) flight to Charlotte.  We drove down to Charleston this morning, stopping in Columbia to hop out of the car and take pictures of the South Carolina State House.  

It's pretty, but not nearly as pretty as the Minnesota Capitol, not by a long shot.   And it's fairly small - like the Vermont State house, which is interesting to me.  The monument out front, when read with the Civil War as a backdrop, is upsetting and cringeworthy.  

No time to go in...had to get down to Charleston.  No we wait to check into our hotel, and then it's off to a harbor sunset cruise and dinner at FIG.