Ten years in the making and good to the last bite

Chef Jeremiah Langhorne, Andre Guillet, Chef Sean Brock

Although it seems a different lifetime ago, when I met my friend Andre he was the General Manager for one of the best restaurants in town - McCrady's and Chef Sean Brock was the Executive Chef. It was a new fine dining experience for me and I had such a good time eating the most wonderful food and taking pictures in the kitchen with visiting chefs from all over the country. Now, some ten years later Chef Sean Brock has since won every possible award, published his own cookbook and been on every food related tv show. Last night he celebrated his ten year anniversary of joining McCrady's with an alumni dinner welcoming back the chefs and sommelier he has worked with through the years.

And I enjoyed every bite. 

Just after most of us had our drink in hand and had enjoyed our appetizers, the fire alarm went off and we headed to Unity Alley to mix and mingle before continuing with our main courses. It was a wonderful night.  

Just charge it!

Tesla charging station, Santee, SC   

The news about the 276,000 pre-orders for Tesla electric cars that haven't even been built yet is a fascinating turn of events, isn't it? Maybe I should order one! It will take long enough to build that many I might even have enough time to save up for it.

Worldwide deposits for the new lower-priced Tesla electric car hit 276,000 over the weekend, surprising even the company's CEO, who says it may force Tesla to open another factory.  CEO Elon Musk posted the number Sunday on his Twitter feed and said if the trend continues, Model 3 orders could hit 500,000 and would require another factory in Europe to meet demand.

When my friend Martha Rose told me the first Tesla charging station had been built in Santee, I had to check it out. Sure enough - there were two Tesla's plugged in behind Clark's restaurant and hotel. I am not sure I had even seen one before. The Model 3 cars will have glass top and come with attractive tax credits. I'll take a blue one please!  

Wood Nymph in the window

Wood Nymph miniature statue, Charleston, SC   

Until I spotted the familiar statue of the wood nymph from Middleton Gardens in the window of the Historic Charleston Foundation shop on Meeting St. I had forgotten that there were miniatures made. How sweet she is! I always visit her if I am at the gardens and have an enlargement in my living room.

This shot of the original is from a couple of years ago but it must look the same now with the gardens in bloom.

Cooper River Bridge Run - Wheelchair Division

Cooper River Bridge Run - Wheelchair Division, Charleston, SC 2016

It was dark and rainy this morning when I woke up and very tempting to snuggle back under the covers but I knew I would be sorry if I did. Once a year these incredible wheelchair racing athletes motivate me to try my hand at sports photography. I go down to where they have to turn the corner off King St. in the hope that I can catch them looking up to maneuver. They are so incredibly fast that getting sharp photos is a real challenge for me.

Congratulations gentlemen! I am one of your greatest fans!

Hemingway's Cuban Home

One of the amazing things about Cuba was that things were still there - Spanish statues, Catholic churches, revolutionary signs and Hemingway's home and belongings. All still there. You can have a drink in his favorite bar sitting next to a statue of him, wander the village that Old Man and the Sea was based on and snoop around his old home property looking in the windows. His boat is there and the tombstones for his dogs have been maintained and repainted. Our guide said, "we know he had some problems, but in Cuba, he was relaxed, he was happy and he was our favorite gringo".

Ten miles east of Havana is Hemingway's Cuba house - Finca Vigia, meaning "lookout house". Finca Vigia is located in the small, working-class town of San Francisco de Paula. The Cuban people have always respected famous writer's choice to live in a modest town, amongst the people he fished with. Built in 1886 by a Spanish Architect Miguel Pascual y Baguer, Finca Vigia was purchased by Hemingway in 1940 for a cost of $12,500. There, Hemingway wrote two of his most celebrated novels: For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea. A Movable Feast was written there as well.

Eutaw Springs

Eutaw Springs battle site, Eutawville, SC  

It is an odd feeling to stand on lush green grass in a peaceful park where fishermen have their lines in the water and read about the hundreds of lives lost on that very spot. The Eutaw Springs battle of the American revolutionary war was the last major battle in the Carolinas. Wikipedia has a thorough description of the sequence of events. The tombstone is so worn it was impossible to read the inscription but I think it would be Major John Marjoribanks. Rest in peace, gentlemen.

Eutaw Springs:  Eutaw Springs is the site of the last major battle of the Revolution in South Carolina which took place on September 8, 1781, when the armies of General Nathanael Greene and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart met near these limestone springs. Technically a British victory, the American forces decimated the British ranks forcing them to retreat once again to Charleston. One month later Lord Charles Cornwallis, commander of the British forces in America, surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia. The springs are under the waters of Lake Marion today, but most of the battleground is still above water. Part of the site is maintained as a park by the Santee-Cooper Authority. Major John Marjoribanks, British hero of the battle, is buried on the park grounds.

Rustic lunch spot

P.M. King's Grocery, Wadmalaw Island, SC

This looks like a rustic lunch spot. I've never been in the area on Wadmalaw Island when it has been open. The signs look relatively freshly added so it appears to be active. Has anyone eaten there?

I hosted dinner this evening for a group of friends in honor of my friend Rosie's visiting twin sister. Twins are endlessly amazing, aren't they? These two have the same laugh and sense of humor and she is just as delightful as her sister. Bonus!

Rainy day pictures on a sunny afternoon

Eutawville Parish House, Eutawville, SC   

I walked out from work to bright and sunny skies with billowy white clouds. It almost seems wrong to post rainy day images but that is what I have lined up for today's post. These were taken on my drizzly drive home from Eutawville yesterday. I was trying to beat the storm clouds but couldn't resist stopping for a couple of photo ops along the way.

Now, I need to dump the bags of mulch that I bought in the rain yesterday.

Jail House Gang

Eutawville Jail, Eutawville, SC 

I had such a lovely Easter weekend with a lakeside picnic with friends, my son and Archie the poodle. My friend Martha Rose lives in the Eutawville area and us gave the background story on some of the fascinating history of the area. We hopped in our cars and toured her family's historic church (photos to follow!), the Eutaw Springs battle site and the old one room jail house. Our gang posed for a picture thanks to Brandon our photographer but I don't think we all would have fit inside. Meet the Jail House Gang!

I hope everyone has had a good and meaningful Easter Holiday. I meant to do some yard work this evening and ended up at Lowes buying mulch in pouring rain. Not my best plan.

Jail House Gang!

Festive Easter wear

Coburg Cow at Easter, Charleston, SC   

The Coburg Cow was bravely trying to look cheery for Easter in the rainy drizzle while back at my house the bear easily won the Easter egg hunt.

Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance - Rockville Presbyterian Church

Rockville Presbyterian Church, Rockville, SC   

This evening's addition to the Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance series (Wednesday evening service edition) is the beautiful and historic Rockville Presbyterian Church. Across the unpaved street in the little village is the Fellowship Hall.

Rockville Presbyterian Church - Built 1850. Simple Greek Revival structure on raised foundation. Facade has two entrances and a pedimented portico supported by two square columns. Steeple, destroyed in 1893 hurricane, was used as a look-out by Confederates in the War Between the States.

Rockville, SC

Rockville, SC

The village of Rockville, SC was peaceful and quiet except for the chirping of so many birds that it could have been a bird sanctuary. We had intended to do a longer road trip but the threat of rain led us to licking powdered beignet sugar off our fingertips at Angel Oak restaurant (crowded! delicious!) and replanning our afternoon. Rockville!

Rockville, one of Charleston County’s oldest surviving summer resorts (ca. 1824), is important architecturally, agriculturally, militarily and in the areas of transportation and recreation. This summer community’s serene, slow-moving, lifestyle is reflected in its architecture and landscape. Although houses vary in size and degree of architectural importance, nearly all have spacious porches, raised foundations, and large central hallways designed for summer comfort and relaxation. The buildings within Rockville’s Historic District have obvious visual unity. All are well ventilated to take full advantage of sea breezes. Several houses appear to have been year-round residences with architecture adapted for cold weather but still well-ventilated for summer use. The district also includes two churches. Live oaks draped with Spanish moss and palmettos dominate the landscape and add to the quaint atmosphere of the community. Listed in the National Register June 13, 1972.

Teeny, tiny houses

Rockville, SC

The latest addition to my teeny, tiny house series may be cheating just a bit but isn't it a cutie?! And it is a real Charleston style single house. I spotted this model home in the village of Rockville.

It's been a good weekend although I had to keep changing plans to stay a step ahead of predictions of rain. Turns out it mainly rained in the night and the days have been lovely, fresh and cool. I shouldn't have listened to the weathermen at all. Now, as is my custom I am trying to do all my weekend chores in the last hour. Blah.