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!