Blogger Meet Up

Kate & Jim, Charleston, S.C.

Kate and husband Jim from the Visual St. Paul blog in Minnesota are visiting Charleston and dropped by the hospital for a tour. I was able to treat them to a classy cafeteria lunch and walk through our beautiful garden. Kate has a blog similar to mine featuring pictures from St. Paul but for the time being we can enjoy photos from the lowcountry. They are making the most of their time here. Thanks to everyone on Facebook who suggested places to find the best shrimp and grits in town.

It was a treat to show them where I spend my days. Welcome to Charleston!

Geoff's Big US Road Trip

The Outdoor Shoppe, Meeting St., Charleston, SC

I was in the bicycle shop on Meeting St. picking up brake pads for my brother in India who had been given a mountain bike by a Belgian gentleman when I heard a British accent and spotted lowcountry blogger Geoff. Geoff is preparing for a nationwide adventure and invites us all to tag along....online.

Geoff's plan is to visit places in the US that share a name with a place on the London subway system map. I know, I know, who hasn't done that? Well, no one I reckon. I have a soft spot in my heart for wacky adventurers.

So....the plan:
Is to leave Charleston on June 15th 2009 and head up to the state of Maine. There is a tiny town there called Epping, which matches up with the tube station in London with the same name. I quite like the fact that Epping, Maine is located in the top right of the USA and that Epping, London is located in the top right of the tube map. A perfect way to start.

I’ve then found the name of a place in all of the mainland/contiguous 48 states of USA that shares a name with a place on the tube map (using the fantastic placenames.com) - and I’ll be driving to all of them to see what’s there. I’ll also obviously take in some of the more traditional ‘things to see’ in the USA on my way round, as well as some offbeat quirky things to.

I’m not going to announce in advance the names of the towns I’m traveling too - you’ll have to follow along and see which ones they are as I make my journey. I’ll also be having various companions coming along with me for different legs of the trip, and similarly you’ll find out who they are and what part of the trip they’re joining me for as and when they do.

Follow along on the blog or Geoff's Facebook discussion page. Offer him a place to sleep. Buy him dinner. Geoff is not bicycling across the country. I happened to run into him in the bike shop. Safe travels Geoff. I'd recommend a paypal button for beer donations. That worked when my son's friends rode their motorcycles around the world.

Blog Meet Up - Everything & Nothing

College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

I've been reading the Everything and Nothing blog by Shawn Lea in Mississippi for years. I've stolen poems and recipes and ordered CD's she recommended. I vaguely knew she was planning a Hospital Association meeting in Charleston but hadn't kept up as much since she joined the twitter world and blogged less. Monday Shawn emailed saying she was arriving today and would love to go on a photo walk.

My ears perked. Photo walk!?! Right up my lowcountry alley. I had it all timed to catch the light until we were foiled by her flight delays. Still, we met up at the Francis Marion Hotel around 6 pm and I marched her through some of the peninsula's highlights. We started at the College of Charleston Campus, down King, sidestreets, through Charleston Place, Market St., St. Micheal's Church area, Philadelphia Alley, Waterfront Park, the Pineapple Fountain, Rainbow Row to the Battery. Luckily Shawn wore her walking shoes because I was determined she see the highlights before dark. I practically forced her into the exact spot in the pavement to get a good shot.

We ambled back trying to decide where to eat and I pointed at McCrady's saying "that's where my friend Andre' works, it is one of the fanciest restaurants in Charleston" and Shawn said, "That's where we are going to eat then and it's my treat," and with five minutes notice we did. Andre' sat us at a table near the door so he could keep an eye on us and make sure we behaved. ;P

We spotted blogger Dan T and his wife across the room celebrating her birthday and I thought, here I am sitting with a delightful blogger I've never met before, being welcomed by a new blogger, our meal prepared by an extraordinary chef blogger and seeing blogging friends across the room - how much this whole thing has become a delightful part of my life. We visited the kitchen where Shawn Lea met Chef Sean Brock.

Our meal was delicious and they treated us to the chips of strawberry frozen in liquid nitrogen which tickles me to no end. The vapor pours out of your nose and mouth and makes me want to blow smoke rings. Puff.

Thanks Shawn Lea. What a fun evening!

Fuschia Tea Emporium

Fuschia Tea Emporium, 113 Church St., Charleston, SC

Even though I brought work home to make up for it, it felt deliciously wicked to skip out of work to join a few fellow bloggers to try out the new tea room on Church St. Since we have our very own official Tea Blogger and Tea Tour Operator right here in the Lowcountry, it seemed like the right thing to do.

Running late, I parked at home and walking down in a rush met my friend Estelle on King St. and kidnapped her as well before we joined Uniquely Tea, Kittens on the Keyboard and the Pat half of Pat and Kathie.

Scones, mushroom and leak tarts, balsamic chicken with provolone, spinach and sundried tomatoes, crab with roasted golden corn and asparagus, boursin spread with vegetables over cheddar crisps......and I haven't even mentioned the desserts. Yum.

We had such a fun time and Mary Margaret McLernon was the perfect hostess. Thanks Ladies! Let's make it an annual event.