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I think it goes without saying that this is a really great destination. Sadly, one of the things Charleston is most known for, its food scene, could not be nearly as much fun this time around. We are still choosing to get takeout 90% of the time (thanks, germs). As a foodie, I would rarely insult quality gourmet food (or the chefs who prepare it) by carrying it around in a bag for 30 minutes before eating it. If you haven’t been to Charleston yet, make a plan to go in 2021.
As for us, we were granted a small suite on the 12th floor of the Charleston Marriott. It was just lovely. We could see the water across the street. I made use of their nice, big gym. I don’t enjoy wearing a mask while working out, but what are ya gonna do? The long rectangular gym here works great for walking lunges with 10 lbs. dumbbells. I don’t enjoy those either, for the record. I try to think of both things like taking medicine or eating vegetables. They’re good for me.
Some of Mr. HomeFree’s co-workers were kind enough to suggest a great place for dinner with outdoor seating. It was a tiny place in North Charleston that only locals would know.
Behold, Tiki Taco!
This isn’t Tex-Mex. This is the real deal. Tacos come with nothing on them except cilantro and diced, raw onions. No automatic cheese or guacamole here. You can ask for sour cream if you want. All tacos come with a double-layer of corn tortillas unless you ask for flour tortillas (and then there is just a single layer). I prefer flour tortillas, so that’s what I had.
Each taco is small and can be finished in a few bites. Apparently, most locals order five so, that’s what I did! I had one chicken, two pastor and two asada. The asada are really the claim to fame for this local joint. Truthfully, I could have eaten enough pastor and asada tacos to make myself sick. So delicious! Here’s a tip: if you are from my hometown, there is a terrific pastor taco at Cilantro Tacos. Just sayin’. Support local business! Pastor should taste a little bit sweet from the pineapple juice they put in it. If you don’t taste that, the restaurant has done it all wrong.
The year 2020 has been called “The Year of the Woman Voter.” It has been 100 years since women were finally granted the right to vote and this year has been a reminder of how powerful a woman can be.
I realized this recently after spending a day with a true Renaissance Woman. Once upon a time, five of us worked together and formed a monthly lunch bunch. After a couple of years, two people in the group moved away and two others got jobs elsewhere. The lunch bunch disbanded. While in Charleston, I happily made the 90-minute drive to Beaufort (pronounced byoo-fert in SC), to visit one of my long-lost lunch bunch buddies.
As I said, S.N. is a Renaissance Woman. She is a super-informed voter (so important this year). She camps. She hunts. She’s a yoga devotee. She can identify practically any bird or wild fungus/mushroom she comes across. She is even renovating her own house alone. She’ll tell you that “it’s just cosmetic” but, crafting your own doorway moldings is more than cosmetic to me. She has great taste in food and can hold her own in a discussion about art and books.
I was lucky that she cleared a Saturday to be my personal tour guide through the lovely coastal town of Beaufort.
First on the agenda was lunch at Panini’s on the Waterfront. Fresh seafood on the back patio overlooking the water with a carafe sangria? Yes, please!
When I mentioned my diet had been sadly lacking in fresh seafood since being in the Carolinas, she wisely reminded me to check if the crab on the menu was local or not. Duh! I nearly let that one slip by me. I would have been so disappointed. Saved by my tour guide.
My Caesar salad with fresh, local blue crab was ridiculous! Just what I needed. The three glasses of freshly made sangria didn’t hurt either. Isn’t this meal gorgeous enough to make you cry?
Beaufort has a free (Yay!) walking tour available for visitors. We spent several lovely hours strolling through the historic neighborhoods of downtown and ogling the antebellum mansions. While I would never romanticize the entire era, the historic preservationist in me will always sigh longingly at the architecture.
One of my favorite stories from the Charleston/Beaufort area is that of Robert Smalls. Mr. Smalls was born an enslaved person. During the Civil War he commandeered a gunboat and delivered it to the Union Army. Later in his life, he served in the South Carolina House and Senate. Eventually, he bought the plantation house where he was born. Yes, that’s right. He BOUGHT “the big house.” The story gives me chills.
My personal tour guide made sure that I got to see the house.
We also visited the family burial plot where he was laid to his final rest.
I got a quick exterior look at a little synagogue dedicated in 1905. Unfortunately, we were unable to go inside. This was due to a combination of it being a Saturday and those famous germs that are still out there.
Remember, when I said my personal tour guide appreciates art and literature in addition to nature? Well, she showed me a great bookstore. No, she showed me THE bookstore.
I am in love. I am in love with Evermore Books on Craven Street. How can you not love a bookstore with the motto: “Look for the Raven on Craven”?
Owned by Lorrie and David Anderson, Nevermore Books is a creative, funky, vintage-feel bookstore. My hometown used to have a used bookstore where you could get lost in the shelves and crawl on your knees to investigate the secret goodies on the bottom shelf. That store is gone now. For a few minutes, I got that precious, treasure-hunter feeling back while wedging myself down the cramped aisles at Nevermore.
Please understand that it is cramped in the best possible way. The place is chocked full of good stuff that you won’t find at a big box store. Books are displayed on antique books shelves and writing desks (which contributes to the eclectic look) rather than on sterile white shelves that all look the same. Forgive the use of the word “sterile” in these uncertain times. In fact, all visitors must mask up before entering and use hand sanitizer before browsing. Check out Nevermore Books here.
Traveling is a great way to expand your horizons and see new things. On this day trip, I was really lucky. I got to see a new place and cement an old friendship. If 2020 is the Year of the Woman Voter, then I vote to value friendships and honor Renaissance Women. What are you “voting” for this year?
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