30. South Carolina

Month: March 2017
Location: Charleston

While it would my 30th visit, the genesis of this actually began almost 10 months and 800 miles away.  I was on my usual visit to Manhattan over the “Memorial Day Weekend” and I decided to do something that I had never done before.  I went on a guided "Walking Tour" of the city.  Now, walking in Manhattan is something that I had done for over a decade, but it would be interesting to see it from someone else’s point of view.  So I booked myself on a 6 hour tour and as I arrived early in the morning at our meeting location, I was promptly mistaken by a family to be the guide.  As we cleared the misunderstanding, very soon I became friendly with the family, who was visiting from Florida. They were comprised of Lisa, her husband Lloyd, daughter Maria, son Dustin and Lisa, his girlfriend.  Lisa, the mom, was interested in my travels and so we exchanged numbers and decided to stay in touch.  Over the next several months, as Lisa followed my blog, she mentioned that it would be fun to go somewhere together and we instantly decided that we should visit Charleston over Spring.  We picked a weekend and went ahead and made our reservations, booking a house that we could share.  Over Fall and Winter, I continued travelling through other states and then before I knew it, March was upon us.

Our home for this trip
I arrived at Charleston airport on Thursday afternoon and saw all of them – except Maria who couldn’t make it – waiting for me with a sign.  They had driven from Florida and so we all got into their "SUV" and headed off to find our lodgings, which were in a residential neighborhood.  We followed directions, which took us through the back streets and through a narrow entryway, into the backyard of a cute house.  The car was full of food and beer, so much so that it looked like we were going camping in the wilderness.  But I wasn’t complaining since that meant that we would have a good time.  The house itself was very cozy with 3 bedrooms and I took over one with twin beds.  We unpacked and then assembled in the living room to plan our evening.

The fantastic 'Husk'
We had made reservations in one of Charleston’s premiere restaurants named ‘Husk’ and decided that rather that get too adventurous, we should just proceed there early and grab a drink at the bar.  We called an ‘Uber’ and our first ride into the downtown showcased the beauty for which Charleston is known.  ‘Husk’ is located in a beautiful house and the bar was located at the back, in an equally beautiful area spread over 2 floors.  After a cocktail there, we were guided to a charming dining room which had a balcony overlooking the courtyard with a tree.  The food itself was as good as we had hoped it would be and if this was what the next few days were going to be like, it would be a fantastic weekend.  All of the desserts looked delicious and being in a big group meant that we could order the entire lot.  After that, all that was remaining was to return back to our house…but not before encountering one of the most flamboyant ‘Uber’ drivers, who would have been right at home in the haze induced 60s.

The courtyard at 'Eli's Table'
The next morning we got ready and headed out for brunch to a place which had been recommended by our ‘Uber’ driver last night, and was called ‘Eli’s Table'. In fact, I had made reservations while we were in the car.  We were guided to a table in the backyard and it was the perfect setting for a brunch.  Once again, the meal was outstanding, and I was beginning to see why Charleston is considered to be the best in the land when it comes to cuisine.  Our server was a young man who knew his way around   town and gave us pointers on places to visit – mostly bars – and things to get while there, even saying that we may probably run into him.  The brunch had been substantial but now it was time for our activity for the morning, which was a “Walking Tour” and considering that we had met on one such tour, it only seemed appropriate.

The multicolored tree
As we walked towards our meeting point, in the light of day the architecture looked even more amazing and made us look forward to our tour.  We met our guide, a distinguished looking lady, and our fellow tourists, a group from Atlanta via Massachusetts.  The lady had a pink flower, which is native to the area, and said that since I had come all the way from Chicago, I should have it.  I said that in this case I would be proud to display it during the tour and so wore it on my jacket.  Speaking of flowers, our very first stop was to see a tree which blooms with flowers every Spring for a very short time.  But what was unique about this tree was the fact that it bore flowers of two different colors on the same branch.  I had never seen anything like this before and luckily for us, we were visiting during the right time of the year.

The beautiful streets of Charleston
We proceeded to look at historical buildings such as churches and even walked through a graveyard, where our guide told us a story of how she had once walked into the place with a certain number of tourists and had walked out minus one!  Well, all of us were accounted for and we continued through the neighborhood and past some establishments such as a 150 year old Hotel – with its own ghost story – and past a Market.  But the main highlight of the tour was still ahead of us, the magnificent houses of Charleston; something that this city is known for.

Walking through what must have been one of the most expensive streets in the nation in terms of real estate, what I was struck by the most was not the gaudy opulence, but the simplicity.  There weren’t any golden tiles or intricate artwork on the walls, but just beautifully constructed houses.  Plus we could peek inside and see the immaculate gardens and in some cases, walked through narrow alleyways, which revealed even more treasures.  We had made our way to the waterfront, which has an elevated walkway next to it and a row of even more beautiful – and pricier – houses with a view.  Our guide was telling us about the stories of those places, as well as the “Waterfront Park” which had seen its share of “Pirates” from back in the 18th century.  Before going inland for the last part of our tour, we looked outward through the harbor and in the distance was the single most famous building of Charleston, ‘Fort Sumter National Monument’.

On the waterfront
We continued back towards the place we had started from, admiring more houses, some of which were brilliantly colored.  I have done some tours of houses and neighborhoods in the past but this one had been as good as any in terms of charm, history and elegance.  We were still quite full from our brunch, but wanted a breather before our next activity and so headed to a place called ‘Blind Tiger’ for some cocktails.  After that we headed to ‘Market Street’ which hosts the “Historic Charleston City Market”.  This is a street over a few blocks that are lined up on both sides with local shops and eateries. Running through the center of the street is a long, single-story building in which local vendors and artisans have set up shop.  It reminded me a lot of Boston’s “Quincy Market”, though without all the food.

This used to be a "Gas Station"
Our next activity was a “Culinary Walking Tour” and since their main office was nearby, we thought that we had plenty of time and so were taking it easy.  However, we realized that the meeting point was actually a couple of miles away and so we frantically ordered an ‘Uber’ and made it there right on time.  Our first stop was a restaurant called ‘HoM’ - or “House of Munch”, as it is known - and upon entering we saw that other visitors were already assembled, including the group with whom we had done the tour in the morning.  We had 3 tastings here – including a flatbread with “Pimento Cheese”, which was delicious - and then moved on to the next place.  It was a small place called ‘R Kitchen’ which hosts “pop-up” style dinners, albeit with the same staff but different menus.  After a couple of samplers here, we moved over across the street to a place called ‘Fuel’, which was essentially a restaurant inside a “Gas Station”.  While the food here was good, by this time we were feeling stuffed and so couldn’t do it justice.  But we did have room for a small cupcake at a final stop at a bakery and then since we were less than a mile away from our house, just walked home.

The "Escape Game"
I spent the next hour on the couch trying to recover from the drowsiness and lethargy that all the food had brought on and I saw that I wasn’t the only one who had been affected.  However we did have one final thing to do this evening and that was play an “Escape Game”.  Now, I have done this a lot during all of my travels, but never with my own team.  I have always joined other groups and while each of them had made me feel welcome, I was still an outsider.  So I had told Lisa that I wanted to do this during our visit here and they were on board.  So, for the first time after dozens of these rooms, I arrived with my squad for an attempt at “Prison Break”.  We were joined by another couple and then for the next 60 minutes, the 7 of us worked together and managed to escape.  It had been a lot of fun and I knew that as exciting as these rooms are to play, it is truly memorable when you do so with your own team.

An evening on the porch
There was no way that I was going to have a full meal after all the food that I had imbibed, but that did not stop me from getting my favorite “Belgium Chocolate” cone at ‘Häagen Dazs’, which was located right next to the game.  We went back to our place and it was a nice night to be sitting outside on the porch.  So Lisa made us a “cheese plate” and some dips and along with some beer and popcorn that I had gotten from Chicago, we had ourselves a great time, just chatting.  I have had several great evening during my travels, most of them involving food and drink.  But relaxing with friends on a porch is now way up on the list.

'Magnolia Plantation'
We had a lot planned for this Saturday, starting with a visit to a plantation, which was a few miles outside of downtown.  But before that, we decided to get the breakfast of champions by stopping over at a place called ‘Glazed’ and getting ourselves an assortment of donuts.  The locals were already lining up and clearly this was a place to be.  With our sugar levels properly adjusted, we headed over to ‘Magnolia Plantation’.  The entrance resembles a “Countryside Estate” and as we drove up the pathway towards the house, we passed immaculately maintained gardens lined by an avenue of trees.  As beautiful as this was, on the side, clearly visible as a scar, were the shacks that had been the “Slave Quarters”.

The horrible part of the plantation - "Slave Quarters"
Our tour started with a short presentation over there and just walking through those shacks was suffocating; forget living there with dozens of others, all of them crammed like sardines.  We were then taken for a tour of the house, which in stark contrast had all of the opulence and elegance.  We were told on numerous occasions that this had been a site for filming of several movies, most famous being “The Notebook”.  Now, I have never seen it but several of the ladies obviously had and I noticed that none of the men owned up to it.  After the house tour we went for another demonstration on “Gullah Culture”, which told the visitors the story of the people who were brought to these lands as slaves and their life during that era.  The lady also touched upon their culture and food and how that has influenced the people and communities of today.  Yes, slavery was and always will be an atrocious part of our history and I have heard people say that they would never visit South Carolina, let alone a plantation.  But we cannot ignore what has happened and need to learn from it.  Coming to a place like this is the only way to confront our ugly past and heal as a community.

Approaching 'Fort Sumter National Monument'
There was a trolley tour that took us around the plantation grounds, which are now used for multiple things such as “Halloween Tours”, “Strawberry Picking” and other farming activities.  It was cold and I for one was glad when we concluded the tour since the trolley wasn’t completely enclosed.  While waiting for the trolley I had booked for us an excursion to ‘Fort Sumter’ and so we headed towards the waterfront.  We collected our tickets and had less than an hour to grab some food, which we did at a flamboyantly titled place called ‘Ted’s Butcherblock’!  We arrived back to see that there was a long line to board the ferry for our 30 minute ride.  Also, the wind had picked up and I for one was hoping that there would be an indoors seating area.  There was one and everyone made a beeline towards it, meaning that soon there wasn’t any place left to sit.  So I went outside and while it was cold, it wasn’t unbearable. Plus, there was something special about watching the island approach, knowing all the battles that had taken place over there during the war.

Inside the fort
The fort itself is now almost non-existent, though the remnants of the fortifications remain, along with the old cannons.  There is a small museum which tells the story of the pivotal role that this place played during the “Civil War”, right from the first shot being fired, all the way to its defense and eventual surrender.  There were also stories of its role during the “Revolutionary War” and it truly was amazing to be standing on the site of one of our Nation’s iconic landmarks.  There was a group that looked like they were going to a High School prom – though this place would certainly be an interesting choice!  We learnt that they were in fact a part of a travelling school band and were passing through Charleston.  The gift shop had memorabilia from the war, including “Union” and “Confederate” uniform caps and it was sad and funny to hear one of the girls point to the hat and tell her friend, “Oh, it comes in multiple colors”.  So much for the kids and history books!

The incredible "Chocolate Pudding"
We took the ferry back to the mainland - though this time I stayed inside - and then after driving through some charming neighborhood, returned back to our place.  It was our last night and we wanted to go out and have some fun.  We called an ‘Uber’ and went to a place called ‘Proof’, which was listed as the top bar for cocktails.  Both, the ambience, as well as the drinks were great and a good choice to start the evening.  From there we proceeded to another restaurant that was known for its food – ‘Hominy Grill’ and what a dinner it turned out to be!  When people talk about food in Charleston, they aren't kidding.  Of all the cities that I have been to so far, this may end up being on top of my list as far as food is concerned.  I was full, but just had to get their “Chocolate Pudding” which I can honestly eat every day of my life.  I refused to waste any of it and took the leftovers to go, no idea when I would be eating it.  We weren’t done yet and stopped for a nightcap at ‘Little Jack’s Tavern’, which was around the corner from our house.  It was a typical neighborhood bar and a nice end to the evening.

'USS Yorktown'
Next morning dawned grey and chilly, but we had one more activity left to do before our departure.  After my breakfast of the leftover pudding, we packed up our car – everything that had come out had to go back in – and left for brunch at a place called ‘Paige’s Okra Grill’.  Upon arrival we were told that there was a wait of over an hour and so we decided to come back here later in the morning.  We were headed to ‘Patriots Point’ to see ‘USS Yorktown’, an aircraft carrier from “WWII”.  It was windy and really cold as we walked over to the ship and even inside we could feel the cold draft.  As with any other aircraft carrier this was huge and there were a few self-guided tours that one could take through the ships interior.  We went down to the lower decks and followed a path through the vast labyrinth which took us to different parts of the ship, from the “Crew Quarters”, to the “Galley” to the “Dining Room”, to the “Medical Section”.  There were other exhibits along the way that told the story and history of the ship and to explore everything in detail would have taken us hours.  There were 5 different tours, including one which took us all the way up top to the “Tactical” and “Navigation” sections and by this time we were cold, tired and hungry.  So we decided to forgo the rest of the ship as well as the Submarine and headed back for brunch.

My squad for this trip!
There wasn’t as much crowd at ‘Paige’s Okra Grill’ as this morning, but it was still buzzing.  Considering it was our last meal in Charleston, we went all out and ordered the works, deciding to have our brunch “family style”.  Then we went to the “Bloody Mary Bar”.  Now, typically you have a few hot sauces and other garnishes like cheese and pickles that people add to their drink and call it a day.  Oh no, not this one.  This one had a full buffet that you could mount on your glass…a very long buffet.  There was every food item - savory and sweet - that one could imagine being on a breakfast or lunch menu and you were allowed to use it like a garnish.  By the end our glasses resembled gigantic towers and how we managed to get them back without toppling over is a mystery that Physics cannot answer.  And there was more food waiting for us.  If my every last meal in a city were to be like this, I would be extremely happy…and obese. 

It was time to head home, but had just enough time to go back downtown for some last minute souvenir shopping at the Market that we had visited on Friday.  Then it was onwards to the airport to drop me off.  As we said our goodbyes, I thought that it had been one of my best trips.  My last several visits had followed a pattern of me coming to a city, going to the main tourist attractions and finding cool places to eat and drink.  Well, I had done that here, but the main difference was that I wasn’t alone.  This time I had friends with me and the fact that prior to this we had only met for a few brief hours meant very little, for we had enjoyed every single moment of this trip.  I often think about “what if’s” and if I hadn’t decided to do a that tour in New York all those months ago, I would have never met Lisa and her family and we would have never done this together.  But we had, and it ranks as one of the highlights of my travels.


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