CHILLY IN CHARLESTON

Sunday 11/20/22

The title of this post sounds like something cooked up by Doctor Marcia Fieldstone (Sleepless in Seattle), doesn’t it?

It’s 51 degrees here under a gray overcast sky.  No sun at all today, and the wind has a raw, wet feel to it.

The only thing that makes me feel warmer is knowing that it is 20 degrees colder at home.

I’m sure all of you know Charleston, and you know it is one of the best places in the US!  It sits on a peninsula, flanked by the Ashley and Cooper Rivers.  It has a rich history, and very strict codes about preservation and restoration.  As a consequence, it has a charming authenticity.  And an authentic charm.

We are staying in Charleston for four nights – to visit friends and to enjoy the vibrant restaurant scene.  

We had dinner Friday night at The Grocery – excellent!  The chef is a genius with sauces and vegetables.  We ordered the mushrooms and the cabbage for appetizers, and they were amazing.

Then yesterday (Saturday) we:

– Took a carriage ride around town.  It’s a great way to see the sights and learn some history.

I was surprised to see that the carriages left directly from in-town stables. We could visit the horses in their stalls, and see that they were well fed and well groomed. These are massive horses, most of them 17 hands high. We learned that they are former work horses from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin . Some of them were Amish farm horses, some were logging horses, etc. They are here as part of a retirement plan: they are treated well, and when they’re not pulling carriages they live on a rural farm. At the end of the day they are fed oats, and are treated to a Guinness, which helps to aid their digestion!

Guinness at 2 1/2 hands compared to the horse’s 17 hands!

We did NOT see Rainbow Row or The Battery, because our carriage was assigned a different route.  In order to avoid congestion, the carriages are assigned routes randomly at departure.  But we saw the center of town including churches and other historical sights.  We’ll save the Battery for Monday.

– Shopped the City Market, Charleston’s 4-block-long open-air shed offering everything you do not need.

– Had lunch at 82 Queen outdoors in a sunny garden (with propane heaters).  Perfect. 

Here are some beautiful churches and homes we passed on our ride:

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Notice the front door which leads to the open porch (called a piazza) facing south. In the summer heat, people would take off their heavy outer garments here to cool down. If the door was open, they welcomed visitors. If the door was closed and someone was passing on the street, they were to keep their eyes down to avoid seeing a woman’s ankles. If this occurred, they were honor bound to propose to her.

Last night we Uber’d over to Isle of Palms for supper with my cousins Stan and Susan.  Wonderful people.  Always a pleasure to see them!

Today, we are meeting friends of Lynn for brunch at Sweetwater.  Then we may curl up with a good book.  Tomorrow is expected to be slightly warmer, so we plan to take a walking tour of the lower part of the peninsula.