This is an adventure for me without a ship! The whole point of this trip is to see my granddaughter graduate from University of Indiana, Kelly School of Business. So, we decided to make it a bit more and pay a visit to Nashville (never been there before!), then by car travel a part of the Bourbon Trail (of course, tasting along the way!), then a graduation weekend. At this point my sons and wives will return home and I will go on to South Carolina to visit a good friend, and then on to Phoenix for a visit with a grandson and more friends. Hope I can fill this blog with some good stories and adventures!
Sunday, April 28 - SFO to Nashville, Tennessee
Arrived at the airport this morning with plenty of time to spare, only to find thirty minutes later that our flight to Nashville would be delayed. While it should have departed at 10:44 a.m., we finally left the tarmac at around noon.
This flight is a test for Steve and Rose’s dog, Aristotle, aka Ari. It is his first flight, and we’re hoping that he fares well so that he can come to Italy with us in June. So far, so good. What they have to travel with to make certain that the dog is safe and secure is much like traveling with a baby, except there are no diapers. Did you know that now at airports there are pet relieving areas? Once on the plane, the dog is in a little carrier case where he can see out. They have checked a contraption that looks like a mini stroller, but this one for animals.
Easy flight, awful food, even in first class - so I ate less which is not a bad thing! Ari did well, though I understand that he continued to give Rose the evil eye as she stuffed his carrier under the seat in front of her. He was very happy to be let out and on a leash once we were in the baggage claim area, where all of our luggage arrived safely. Once again, my “Priority” luggage was the last one onto the conveyor belt!!
The guys went in search of our car rentals and we were given details on how to meet them via text. Escalator down was broken - we located the elevator, and walked to where our cars awaited. Dollar Rentals was so S. . .L. . .O. . .W!!! Steve got his car fairly quickly, but the people that were between Steve and John held up the line for so long that we left in our car almost one hour after Steve and Rose.
Off we went to the Holiday Inn, but wait . . . there are two Holiday Inns and of course we went to the wrong hotel!!! Goofy story there where we couldn’t enter the hotel main entry as cars were all backed up, so we went directly to parking to enter the hotel from the garage. Couldn’t get into the hotel from the garage without our key cards, which we didn’t have until we registered. So we took our luggage, walked out of the garage and around the block to the hotel entrance and found we were at the wrong Holiday Inn. We’d parked at Holiday Inn Express when we should have been at the Holiday Inn and Suites.
Were told that John couldn’t get his car out of the garage without a key card, to please speak to the valet. Valet was still busy with a line of backed up cars. John got the car out of the garage by going out the entrance. Luckily there was no bar blocking the way, nor were there any spikes to ruin his tires!
While he was getting the car, some old guy stopped his car in front of Sandi and me (and all of our luggage) and tried to get friendly. Everyone is very friendly here, but this was a little much as he parked his car right in front of us, got out to speak with us while holding an open can of beer. Wanted to give us a ride to our hotel. John to the rescue as he pulled up across the street and helped us get our luggage back into the car and off we went to the Holiday Inn and Suites.
Met the rest of our group in the hotel bar where giant screens showed all sorts of sports events, music thumped and harried waitresses tried to keep up with the demand for drinks and food. Rose’s dad, Paul (and Linda) had arrived from Florida.
Finally we all had our beverages, I ordered fried catfish to go. Others would go down to the main street and wander around and perhaps have dinner there. Way too tired to do that, so I volunteered to keep Ari for the night. We shared the catfish (DELICIOUS!), and settled down to a good night’s sleep. . . . and while I slept, here's some of what they saw.
Monday, April 29 - Nashville, Tennessee
Had a light breakfast in the hotel coffee shop. Met with Sandi and John for a visit over coffee. Rose and Steve had come to my room at 7:00 a.m. to take Ari for a walk. We would meet at 10:30 in the lobby for a wander and shopping for the girls, while the guys found a really good BBQ for lunch. More later . . .
Did a bit of shopping at an outlying area of Nashville proper. Some interesting boutiques, lots of restaurants and a very well recommended BBQ place - Edley's. Guys went off to BBQ and sports - ladies went to shop. Best store for me was Draper James owned by Reese Witherspoon. Some very cute clothing - found a nice summer dress. Then I decided that the guys were smarter than we - and went off to join them.
Enjoyed a glass of whiskey, lots of ice, George Dickel (Edley's blend). It was good. But, oh my, what have I done!?!?! Whiskey at noon - so had to eat. Catfish again - this time in delicious tacos - really well done. And then? A nap! It's all the whiskey's fault!
Looks as though this jaunt is turning out like a lot of the previous trips - food, drinks and naps!!
My hotel room has the best bedside lamps. Every time I turn them on or off I giggle!
Meeting the group at 4:45 for a walk to Etch, a restaurant near our hotel. Will report later . . . boasts upscale food, great cocktail and wine menus . . . we shall see . . .
Really fun and interesting dinner at Etch. Food good. Pork chops (John and Steve) looked awesome. Appetizers of bruschetta with octopus etc., grilled cauliflower, and an unbeatable empanada!! Best yet! I sort of enjoyed a Moroccan Bastilla that had so many things in it I lost count of the ingredients. Good, but so rich, could only eat about a third of it. We enjoyed all of the food with a really good cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles. Drank way too much! One of the unforgettable side dishes was a warm potato salad where potatoes are first deep fried and then mashed with additional ingredients - really good!
Warm Potato Salad
Moroccan Bastilla
Pork Chop
Shared three desserts - a rhubarb almond tart (sensational), coconut Pavlova and some sort of chocolate concoction. All good but rhubarb the best!
Back to the hotel to walk the dogs (there is also another Coton that belongs to Paul and Linda - one named Wyle. Then we're off to the main street so I can get my personal fix on Nashville.
Wyle in the foreground and Ari in the rear.
Dinner at Etch was good, had a fun and knowledgable waiter, wine list was pretty good and we found a lovely cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles that appealed to everyone, plus a sauvignon blanc for those who wanted some white wine.
Appetizers of bruschetta (with octopus!), grilled cauliflower, and the most delicious empanadas were shared. Entrees ran the gamut from grilled pork chops to Moroccan Bastilla (my order) that sounded much better than it actually tasted, and looked beautiful upon serving. For me, there were just a few too many flavors and it was super rich. Only ate about a third of it. We then shared three desserts - all delicious, but the rhubarb almond torte took the prize.
Back to the hotel to walk the dogs. This was my night to experience downtown Nashville, and we were to meet up with John and Sandi who had walked from the restaurant. In our true fashion, and following the confusion of our arrival, aided in that confusion from misread texts, Paul, Steve and I ended up at a beautiful rooftop bar in a fancy hotel - nowhere near downtown! That's not where John and Sandi were! They were downtown at a place with a similar name. Thanks to Uber, John and Sandi joined us on the rooftop for a drink, and then we all Uber'ed back downtown.
Nashville is a crazy place! Loud, drunk, music of all kinds trying to blend and failing miserably. At one point wanted to yank out my hearing aids to get a moment of quiet!!
The place we landed had music that was more rock than western. After a while we went in search of some of the good old stuff! Found it!
This is the cool new way you can tip the band - VENMO!!!
We stayed there for almost an hour. Interestingly, noticed that there is no glassware in any of the bars. Everything is served in plastic . . . guess because people come and go with their drinks. Hope they recycle!!! The band took requests when you put a $20 bill into the bucket and we heard some of the standards. It was time to go, but alas, we stepped out of the bar into a deluge! Uber couldn't come to us because police had closed off the street expecting a traffic jam after a ballgame ended at Vanderbilt. We fast-walked almost four blocks in the pouring rain and arrived at the meeting point totally soaked and laughing all the while. Gratefully, John had my hand all the way.
Waiting for Uber and totally soaked!
Tuesday, April 30 - Nashville, Tennessee
Woke at 4:00 a.m. this morning, no doubt the effects of too much wine! An easy day today, so will nap. Tonight we have tickets to Grand Ole Opry. Really looking forward to the evening. Dinner first at a steak house. Rose has friends coming in from Kentucky to join us for the evening.
Uber'ed in two cars out to Opryland which is such a vast complex one should have an interactive map in order to find one's way. The main hotel reminds me of a huge city inside a glass dome where beautiful tropical gardens, waterfalls and pathways connect many buildings that house thousands of rooms, identical balconies face toward the gardens for viewing - incredible. These buildings all connect and besides all of the accommodations for a stay, there are multi restaurants and shops. Also on the property are museums, an aquarium, and more!
We finally found occupants of the first Uber at a bar beside a pouring waterfall and enjoyed a rye old-fashion. Then it was time to try to find the steak house, where we met Kyra and Brad who live in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Kyra is a childhood friend of Rose - delightful!
A really good dinner at a steakhouse was enjoyed by all, accompanied by a lovely Pinot Noir.
BLT Bibb Lettuce Salad
Salmon
. . . finally it was time to get a shuttle to Grand Ole Opry . . . OMG! HOLY COW! I am finally going to attend the Grand Ole Opry! This is probably the largest auditorium I've ever been in. Along with a gargantuan stage, there are jumbotron screens situated all around the auditorium. While we had fabulous seats up close to the stage, there were times that we could see even better on the nearest screen.
What an evening! Unforgettable! Funny moments when we remembered that this show is telecast and has commercials . . . what? . . . commercials at a concert?!? You bet, and still wonderful. New and old music - new and old performers - all wonderful! The comedy was so refreshing and nary a cuss word!
Chapel Hill, Dillon James, Ashley McBryde, Charlie Daniels, and more. . . so much fun!
Wednesday, May 1 - Nashville to Lexington, Kentucky . . . via Jim Beam!
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, sometimes informally referred to as "the Bourbon Trail", is a program sponsored by the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) to promote the Bourbon whiskey industry in Kentucky. The KDA has registered the phrase "Kentucky Bourbon Trail" as a protected trademark.
We left at 9:30, but realized once on the road that we would be late for our lunch, tour and tasting at Jim Beam. There's a time change - one hour forward!
Leaving flat-landed Tennessee traveling toward and finally into Kentucky. Countryside is beautiful, green and heavily forested. Beginning to see more rolling hills in Kentucky. But there are no mountains to be seen! Almost three hours on the road, a telephone call to adjust our reservations at Jim Beam and we were there. Another huge complex, beautifully landscaped, old and new buildings.
Jim Beam was established in 1935 and a few of the buildings are original. This facility is the only distillery in Kentucky that has its own fire department. In their history, they've had two bad fires.
Lunch al fresco (ordered catfish again). Barely into our lunches and we were given a "one minute" warning to jump to the tour or we would miss it. Jamming food into our mouths, we trooped to the tour and began our education on the making of Jim Beam bourbon and whiskey while tasting - yes, there is a difference. Bourbon must have at least 51% corn mash, and rye whiskey must have at least 51% rye. Now, I know that there has to be more to the explanation but all I know is that I really like rye!!!
At our hotel in Lexington, some chose to rest, some chose to walk and then meet up for drinks - more bourbon, of course! We found a wonderful restaurant right across the street from the hotel for dinner that could accommodate nine of us in a private alcove. That morning we'd been joined by another childhood friend of Rose - Marnie, and her son Noah, who will be graduating from Texas A&M University in one week. They'd flown in from Dallas.
Really artistic street lamps in Lexington.
The restaurant, "Italy", had a most interesting menu. There were items on there that I've seldom seen outside of Italy, and almost everyone loved their dinners. The ones not satisfied both had risotto specials and after tasting Steve's, had to agree. Risotto is my forte and I could have showed them a few things in their kitchen! John enjoyed fresh papardelle served with a chicken piccata over the top (sensational!), and I had Cacio e Pepe that was also sensational. Needed some pasta to sop up the bourbon of the day! We were told that the kitchen makes its own daily fresh pasta - they do a superb job.
Had some interesting company in the elevator. Apparently, this particular hotel has different colored penguins where their hotels are in different cities.
The only down side to this charming town is that we are on the main street and there is a contingent of trucks and motorcycles that go by periodically, and seem to wait for our intersection to rev their engines. If it happens when you are trying to eat, you are lucky not to spill the contents of your fork into your lap - so loud - so unexpected!!! It really made me angry - they should be in jail. This didn't just happen a couple of times, but throughout the afternoon and evening - really annoying!
Thursday, May 2 - Lexington, Kentucky - Three Bourbon Tastings
Today is a three-distillery day! Don’t know how I will keep up but am going to try. First stop was Bluegrass Distillery, in an old warehouse where they began, but will soon move out to a beautiful 26 acre ranch where a new facility is being built, and where restoration of some old buildings is taking place.
When the Covid pandemic began, the governor of Kentucky made all distillers essential workers, and suggested that they turn their whiskey making skills into hand sanitizer production. Bluegrass did just that and made a BUNDLE which enabled them to make a purchase of the aforementioned property. They took the leap to change during the pandemic and it really paid off!
The guide was great! Knowledgable, funny and personable - just what you want that person to be. Tasted some Kentucky straight whiskeys - no “rye” available. But what they do make that is unusual is a whiskey from blue corn. We were able to taste that and I just might order some from their website when I get home. Can’t fit anything more into the luggage!!
Then on to RDOne Distillery. The “RD” stands for “registered distillery”. I really enjoyed the tasting here. Thought all were quite good, but some were unusual. We tasted bourbons flavored with ammabura wood from South America. This is the wood that flavors Cachace liquor and I believe is used in making kaiperinhas and maybe Pisco sours? Will have to check that out on google once I’m connected to internet.
Lemonade, Orangeade, Bourbon Slushy
Also, at this winery, we were able to taste and perhaps bottle two whiskeys that one could only purchase at the gift shop. One was flavored with applewood (quite good) and one with pecan wood (my favorite), that I’m bringing home - well maybe not bringing it home!
What is it with the blue animals in Lexington?
And, the highlight of this tasting is that they have a slushy machine into which is poured equal parts of bourbon, orange juice and lemon juice over tons of ice and then is mashed. The best “lemonade” slushy you’ve ever tasted!!
We decided to walk to a Mexican restaurant for lunch prior to our third tasting at Barrel House Distillery. Desperado had pretty good food and we ate to attain sobriety before moving on.
After lunch I decided I’d had enough bourbon, so John got me an Uber and I went back to the hotel for a nap.
Felt so much better later in the afternoon, was ready to go out again and find my Woodford Rye Old Fashioned at Harvey’s Bar across the street. Was joined later by some of our group, and then five of us went back to Italy for a quick dinner. This time had what John had ordered the night before - Chicken Piccata over Pappardelle - it is so good that I must try it when I get home. We also ordered Farinata once again, and while eating it, checked out the preparation on google so that we could also try that when we get home, or at least when we’re in Italy next month.
A nice day . . .
Friday, May 3 - Lexington, Kentucky to Bloomington, Indiana, along the Bourbon Trail.
Skipped breakfast today - still full from last evening. We had to check out by 11:00 as the hotel is fully booked. This is Derby Weekend and the area is humming . . .
John texted me that we might go over to the Henry Clay estate before leaving for our last tour and tasting at Buffalo Trace on the way to Indiana. Got all my gear together and headed for the elevator. On the way down it stopped at the 13th floor and a fellow got in who had the biggest head of white hair you’ve ever seen. We exchanged morning greetings. He said that he really liked my Johnny Was embroidered denim shirt. Stopped on the 12th floor and John and Sandi entered the elevator. John looked at the white haired guy and said, “You’re somebody famous - country - Marty”? Yep! Marty Stuart of the Grand Ole Opry Hall of Fame returned with a smile and said “I’m workin’ the elevator”! John was so proud of himself he couldn’t stop smiling. None of us remembered to take a photo. So that’s certainly a highlight of the trip!!
. . . 'cept his hair is all white now!!!!
Then we were off to the estate of Henry Clay, and on the way went through a neighborhood that was reminiscent of the beautiful and stately homes of Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia. Wonderful old properties, manicured to the nth degree. It’s just a shame that it is raining so walking around isn’t in the cards for me today.
Originally, the Henry Clay estate was 600 acres, which the heirs subdivided in order to create a trust that would support the historic house and immediate grounds for years to come.
While the kids toured the Henry Clay house, am sitting in the car trying to bring the blog up to date. I’ve been to the gift shop and have acquired homemade Bourbon Balls for dessert tonight, along with a couple of bottles of honey that is finished off in bourbon casks - should be delicious.
Buffalo Trace Distillery is a huge sprawling place. They make 18 different products. Though I can’t name them all, here are a few:
Century Vodka (at only $100 a bottle!) - really delicious, but really, that many $$$???
Blanton Bourbon
W.L. Weller Bourbon
Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream
Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Sazerac Rye
. . . and they make Freddie’s Root Beer . . . and a brand of Ginger Beer
We tasted all of these except for the Sazerac and the Ginger Beer.
Other products they make:
E.H. Taylor
Pappy Van Winkle (hard to find and super expensive)
Eagle Rare
There is one house on the property that is an original building built in the 1700’s. The numbers in tons of grain, barrels and gallons were just too much for me to remember but there are lots of zeroes after the numbers. Some of the fermenting tanks are so huge that if you were to put a school bus into the tank, it wouldn’t stick out of the top, nor would it touch the sides . . . but then who wants to put a school bus in the tank?!?!. Very difficult to get an idea of scale with a photo, so didn't try.
When we were beginning our tour, both John and Stephen spotted Tony Gemignani who owns the famed Tony’s Pizza in North Beach San Francisco - such a small world. After a very short visit we were on our way for the rest of the tour.
Also in our small tour group today was the Master Distiller of RDOne Distillery where we visited yesterday.
Found very interesting the fact that every year the bourbon is in a barrel, some evaporates. For the 23 year old bourbon, sometimes a barrel is readied for bottling to find that there is nothing there but vapor. How disappointing, and certainly a dollar loss for 23 years of preparation. From our tour guide, Art, I learned that when buying bourbons or whiskeys, to look for the designation of "small batch" on the bottle. To his palette, these are superior in taste.
Tasting finally done, no more purchases because don’t know how I’m going to fit all bottles into suitcase to get to South Carolina, Phoenix and then home. But I can order them online once at home!! So off we go to Bloomington, Indiana. Tonight we will have a pizza dinner at the apartment of Joe (grandson).
Finally arrived in Bloomington, gathered at Joe's apartment and enjoyed nibbles and pizza. So good to be with the grands!
Saturday, May 4 - Graduation Day for Sofia
This was a very special day - to see Sofia graduate from the prestigious Kelley School of Business at Indiana University after four rigorous years of study. In a couple of weeks she will be off for a bit of travel in Europe, joining family in Italy for a few weeks, and then on to begin her first job at Mondelez in San Antonio, Texas. So proud of her!
Over 7,000 students began their journey four years ago at Kelley School of Business. But, only 2,354 graduated - that's some attrition!!
Parents of the Graduate!
Aunt and Uncle of the Graduate!
After a wonderful graduation ceremony where the main speaker, Dean of the School, focused on the graduates and their families (no politics! - no Palestinian protestors, though they are on campus). He reminded the graduates and us that this class had begun their four years during the pandemic, and along with the rigors of their studies, pandemic rules were added onto their already full plates.
We then did a walking tour of part of the campus and checked out a fabulous art museum - Ashkenazi Museum of Art - four floors of art from soup to nuts - a really beautiful collection.
The museum was designed by I.M. Pei and there's not a single right angle in the building!
We returned to our humble abode for a nap before a celebratory dinner at Samira. Interesting food. Then back home to watch the Running of the Roses.
Most ordered a variety of skewered meats, but I thought the meatballs on sticky rice sounded really good - bad choice!
What a Mess!
It's been a wonderful day. Tomorrow we will veg and try to pack and prepare ourselves for the rest of the trip. We are cooking in with Rose's dad preparing his famous Caesar Salad and the boys will BBQ chicken and ribs.
On Monday my family is returning home with Joseph. Sofia will be remaining here until leaving for Ireland with a friend at end of month before she and her friend join us in Chianti. I am going on to South Carolina to visit a good friend. We hope to spend a couple of days in Charleston.
Sunday, May 5 - Bloomington, Indiana
Well, we almost had a day of vegging, but the girls went in to town to do a bit of shopping - will have to unzip the extension on my suitcase for the rest of the trip! Compared with yesterday, the town is really quiet - hardly anyone on the streets. Lunch at the Owlery - a vegetarian restaurant, where once again, I ordered a "mess"! I have a real penchant on this trip for ordering awful stuff!!
Afternoon filled with gin rummy, preparing food for dinner, and catching up this blog. Internet not really good for uploading photos, so may have to wait to complete until I get to South Carolina - stay tuned . . .
Shouldn't have worried about taking home too many bottles of honey, bourbon, etc., because it's mostly gone!!
The BBQ was great - ribs, chicken and sausages, corn on the cob, and Paul's famous Caesar salad. The saved Bourbon Balls from Henry Clay Estate were our dessert.
Monday, May 6 - Bloomington to Indianapolis and then to South Carolina
Driving to Indianapolis airport where we will all board the same flight, but I'll deplane in Charlotte to meet up with Jane.
The countryside in Indiana is once again beautiful, verdant, manicured. Everything so clean and bright. I was to find out later that this is the greenest time of the year.
Easy flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, though delayed - said goodbye to the kids before the flight because they were going to have a tight connection to SFO, and I knew Jane would be waiting for me.
Met up with Jane at the luggage carousel, and within an hour we were at her charming home in Lancaster, South Carolina. Correction - Jane actually lives in Indian Land, South Carolina. Lancaster is 20 miles away, but that's her mailing address!!!
Good friends are such fun. Even though we've not seen each other since the cruise from Turkey to Israel almost two years ago, seems like yesterday. Remember that day of arrival in Istanbul and the whole darn day it took us to get our luggage??? . . . bonded us forever!!!!
Finally stopped talking and drinking and went to bed late.
Tuesday, May 7 - Indian Land (Lancaster), South Carolina
Great night's sleep!! The next morning it was laundry and errands and a tour of the retirement community. Really beautiful. This area was once a youth camp and they have kept some of the original cabins and turned them into theme cabins. One is a post office, another a meeting room, a library, entertainment place, etc. Charming.
Out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant where we shared fried calamari and each had a beet salad and a really good bottle of wine - a Justin Cab from Paso Robles.
Wednesday, May 8 - To Charleston, South Carolina
Approximately a three hour journey - once on Highway 77, it was a straight shot to Charleston. Tons of big trucks on this highway.
We are staying at the Marriott Bonvoy on Calhoun Street. Jane had hoped we would be in the historic district, but alas, though close, we are not. So, after a spot of lunch while waiting for our rooms to be ready, we chose a tour through the historic district, via horse and buggy.
Getting directions from the hotel and being told it was a short walk, we started off and got lost - even using the maps on our phones. In the midst of our confusion, my phone rang and the tour company was asking where we were. The girl on the end of the line tried to talk me to the right area, but we realized we wouldn't get there in time. She sent a man in a golf cart to look for us and we were there in minutes.
The tour was fun and interesting - lots of really beautiful homes and gardens, and a ton of history here. Should we return to Charleston, both Jane and I feel that a small hotel in the historic district would be the way to go.
As our tour ended, I checked out my Uber app. Son, John, (thank you!) had set me up with an Uber account. Needed to try it. I put in our restaurant reservation because it was eight minutes until the reservation and didn't want to take the chance of getting lost once again.
We were picked up in a Tesla, with a driver from Argentina, and whisked three blocks - YEP! - just three blocks!!! UGH! We couldn't seem to figure that out on our own!
Lovely dinner at the 225 Grill on E. Bay Street. Even though we were careful in ordering, the food was too much and we left some behind.
All Gone!
Started with an order of Sassy Point oysters (1/2 dozen) from Prince Edward Island - delicious! Then a wedge salad, followed by sharing an order of crab cakes - the biggest crab cakes I've ever seen!! All delicious! Especially the wine we ordered - a Paradigm Merlot from Napa Valley. Our waiter found of bottle of 2014 that was superb. We saved a bit for our waiter and the host who'd made the final choice from the three in which we were interested.
Because we didn't want to get lost again, we used Uber and were back at our hotel in short order. At least this time it was longer than three blocks - almost two miles!!
Thursday, May 9 - Charleston, South Carolina
Up early for coffee and breakfast in the hotel lobby - Starbucks. Today is a tornado watch / warning - not certain which!
We Uber'ed over to the meeting place for our tour and food experience this morning. We met at the Veggie Bin where we met our tour guide and the chef which would prepare our four course meal later. While waiting for the tour to begin, browsed the shelves to find some very interesting items.
There were only four of us in the group and we were each asked to walk around the Veggie Bin (which had lots of other things besides veggies) in order to choose one ingredient. I chose fresh basil, Jane chose asparagus, Jennifer chose Gruyere cheese (she's a vegetarian), and Dan chose hot chili plum jelly. We'd have to await how it was used for lunch.
We walked to the restaurant for about one and a half hours in the heat. It was a tour de force for me (I dislike humidity), but Jane and I both finished on our feet and not complaining. The guide was very good - told lots of interesting stories and pointed out peculiarities in the architecture. Charleston has an extremely large historic section where the rules for remodel and/or tear down are quite strict. People have been known to tie a chain attached to an automobile to a corner of the building and drive away so that the building will collapse. Apparently this is the only way a building can be rebuilt. Unfortunately, many get caught with their shenanigans and get fined. Though a $3,000 fine is still considered better than being stuck with a tilting historic building. Others have arranged other very creative ways to make a building totally demolish-able.
Check out the bottom of the door in relation to the step in!
Toward the end of our trip we visited the oldest Jewish cemetery in the south whose first occupants were Sephartic jews. Then came the Ashkenazi. The guide told a story about some very conservative Jews who wished to have an organ in their temple so they could sing the old songs of praise. The Rabbi declined, but with persistence, he finally succumbed if the congregation could vote, and vote they did - for the organ and singing.
Many of the older more conservative members of the congregation felt they could no longer be buried with those "new-fangled" worshippers, so the cemetery at one time had a brick wall dividing the two sections. So interesting.
Some houses in this neighborhood tilt quite a bit and are also so close together, that one wonders how siding is restored between houses when remodeling. I suppose one must work from inside, reaching around to nail in the siding?
Nothing in the architecture here is plumb - doors don't line up with the floors, windows are a little tilted, walls waver in and out - one feels a little bit drunk when viewing!! When a building is considered to be ready for remodel by whatever committee is in charge, then whatever work is done on facade must be accomplished with the same product that is gone . . . or a suitable substitute must be found. In this way they keep the city of Charleston true to its origins.
A small boutique bakery along the way nationally famous for their cupcakes!
After an hour and a half of walking (we were tired), we came to Uncork - a restaurant on King Street where Chef Natasha is a manager/chef/partner. She loves to cook and serve people her creations, and part of the tour today was that she would cook for us.
First course - a baked brie topped with a sauce made from the Chili Plum Jelly, candied pecans and basil infused olive oil. . . .
Second course - a salad (maybe mesclun lettuce) with goat cheese, turnips, sauteed asparagus, and a vinaigrette dressing . . . and one shrimp!
Third course - a melange of sauteed veggies over a bed of shredded gruyere cheese and garlic aioli.
Fourth course - gnocchi with an Alfredo sauce made from cream, cheese and topped with poached shredded chicken. Very good, but oh so rich!
For dessert we brought home a lovely candy/cookie, like a praline. Will have it later.
This restaurant had a very interesting way to taste wine - self dispensing. You submit your credit card and get a numbered card that coordinates with a wall of assorted wines. You put in your card, get a clean glass, slide it under the correct spigot, decide whether you wish the 3oz, 6oz, or 9oz pour and press the button. Believe this is a very good money maker for the restaurant. Jane and I both had the French white burgundy. So good that we bought a bottle to take home for later.
Doubt we will go out to dinner as we brought home what we couldn't eat at lunch. Yet, even the thought of more food later isn't at all appetizing. Perhaps just a glass of wine and the cookie!
If any of you are going to Charleston, here are five restaurants off the beaten track that are unique and very recommended. A couple you probably wouldn't enter if seen from the outside - so be brave!
Fuel Cantina
R Kitchen
Southbound
Xaiobiscuit
Wild Common
Thankfully, after lunch was finished we decided to Uber back to the hotel - it had just begun to rain. Great timing. There's supposed to be some BIG weather this evening, but it should clear before we hit the road back to Jane's tomorrow morning.
It stormed for the next few hours, thunder and lightning and then cleared up - no sign of a tornado.
There were some tours and/or restaurants that we might have enjoyed, but this weekend and last have been three major college graduations in the area, so everything is really crowded and already reserved. This might be a city that I'd like to revisit. Next time will also add Savannah to the itinerary.
We didn't want the cold, left over food we'd brought back from lunch, but had brought back a bottle of very good French white wine. With some cheese and crackers and the cookie dessert, we were fine. Along with that meager but perfect repast, we watched a 2014 movie on Netflix. Would highly recommend "The Judge" starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Robert Duvall. Very stirring . . .
Having lots of trouble with getting photos into the blog - am wondering if my computer is getting tired. Will have to check on it when I get back. Eventually the photos will get here!
Friday, May 10 - Charleston and back to Indian Land
An uneventful ride back to Jane's home until we caught up with the dark clouds we'd been viewing for a couple of hours. Then came a rain so hard I wondered if we'd be carried away by the water. Most dramatic downpour of my life! At least now I know why so many people down here drive pickup trucks or other large road worthy automobiles.
Had an easy rest of the day trying to figure out a wine tour for family before we went out to dinner. That done, off we went to an Italian restaurant where I once again ordered incorrectly. That's been the story of my life this trip - trying new food that is my favorite back home, only to be disappointed. The side of spaghetti bolognese was a star, but the eggplant parmesan was disappointing. Jane's pasta with clams looked a winner. Should have followed her lead and ordered the same. Additionally, we'd brought a bottle of Gamble Paramount and felt we were rushed, both in the constant pouring and the apparent need for us to vacate out table. But . . . when you're with a good friend, almost anything is okay because the visit time is so precious!
Saturday, May 11 - Indianland, South Carolina
Today I caught up on some work, especially planning for our family trip in Italy next months, and got out information emails to the group. Then it was time to pack. A wonderful time with Jane ending too soon.
Staying in and enjoying leftovers tonight and sipping good wine.
Yesterday, Jane had been told that her step sister had suffered a series of TIA strokes and wasn't doing well, so while I packed, Jane decided it was time for her to go to Iowa to see her sister. She would depart on Tuesday and come back either Thursday or Friday. She has surgery scheduled the following week. It's a busy and serious time for her.
Sunday, May 12 - Charlotte, North Carolina to Phoenix, Arizona
Off to the airport at about 8:20 a.m. Hardly any traffic, but where in the world did all of these people come from at the airport. It looked like an Apple convention - lines everywhere with people's noses buried in their iPhones!
When I checked in to Priority Class, the agent at American Airlines told me that I didn't have TSA pre-check and wouldn't honor my Global Entry. So it was the line for me. In a little over one hour, I finally got to the checkpoint. Didn't make it to the gate in time. It had just closed and once closed, they won't open those doors - even for God himself!
The ticket agent steered me across the terminal to an American Airlines desk where I could get rerouted. I was put on standby and sent to another gate where another flight would leave for Phoenix in a little over one hour. Not bad, I thought. The agent said my chances were very good.
At this age, and being fairly well traveled, one would think I should know the right questions to ask. Just assumed that I would have a first class seat - WRONG! - I did get on the plane but in coach. By this time I was so tired that I exhaustedly sank into my seat and just kept quiet! Thankfully I slept most of the way.
Got a taxi to the hotel and had a very pleasant surprise. The hotel is very beautiful, and my room is almost as big as my bedroom at home, with an additional office space and large living room. Both living and bedrooms have HUGE television screens on the walls. The bathroom is very elegant. Am on the third floor where some of the rooms are arranged around a very large patio. Had I brought a swimsuit, there is a sparkling pool on the adjacent patio and hardly anyone using it. Next time will include one!
The bathroom mirror has a digital clock embedded within - so clever - wonder how you change the battery?
Hadn't eaten anything but a few pretzels on the plane. (someone else was eating my first class meal on the previous flight) so went downstairs to the bar/ restaurant to order something. It was now almost 3:00 p.m. This would be my only meal today. I sat at the bar and straight ahead in my vision was a beautiful bottle of Templeton Rye Whiskey - my favorite at home. It was Mother's Day and probably the very first time I've not spent time with family. So, I ordered it on the rocks and toasted my family. The whiskey was accompanied by a spinach salad and a side of sweet potato fries.
I took my time and savored the meal as I watched a program on the big screen about some hot prospects for the NFL football draft, listened in on their phone call offers from their dream teams, and wondered why these guys had to present at this event, to a national audience, in pink lame, sparkling navy, and other ill-considered fabrics in their suits - to say nothing of the gaudy jewelry that accompanied most outfits. It's a puzzlement!!
Monday, May 13 - Phoenix, Arizona
Visiting good friends - so excited to see them as it's been a long while!
Dori and Barry picked me up at the hotel in the morning - they'd insisted. I felt bad when I realized how far they'd come to get me. I should have Uber'ed, but could remedy that on the way back.
Had a lovely day catching up with Dori and as always enjoyed Barry's stories. Also got to visit briefly with Jane Felice, their daughter. She and I share the same birthday. I mustn't let so much time go by before I do this again, especially if grandson, Trent, continues to work here in Phoenix - that gives me two good reasons to come to Phoenix.
This Uber business is so easy, can hardly believe it's taken me this long to use it. The ride back to the hotel was fast. The driver picked me up within 10 minutes of my placing the order, and had me back at the hotel within 25 minutes.
Tuesday, May 14 - Phoenix, Arizona
Am using today to catch up with some work on my computer, and hopefully straighten out the issues in importing photos (which I did!). Meeting Trent tonight at 6:45 p.m. for dinner at the Arrogant Butcher - great name for a restaurant! So looking forward to seeing him.
Tried to use my "directions" from hotel to restaurant via iPhone - but got confused. Finally found my way to the restaurant and Trent joined me there shortly. This is perhaps one of the most noisy restaurants in the world - well, that is, before the next night!
We both enjoyed fish and chips and a starter of pretzel balls which one dips into a heated beer and provolone cheese sauce. Delicious, but very bad!!!
Wednesday, May 15 - Phoenix
Today I took care of some things that could be done via computer, especially an extensive grocery list which will be delivered tomorrow evening via Instacart. Such a wonderful service.
Uber'ed out to Trent's place of business for a tour. Wonderful to see him so enthusiastic and knowledgable about what he accomplishes with TPUSA. Trent had hoped to show me where he lives, but time was running out on our dinner reservations.
We went again to another very noisy restaurant - but what a great idea they have. The restaurant is named Culinary Dropout Restaurant, and is owned and operated by culinary school dropouts. The food is good. People come here to eat (big time!). Lots of really loaded plates coming out of the kitchen and several hundred people dining in this old warehouse. Quite an experience . . . and yes, noisier than the previous evening. No food photos - sorry! But the amount of food being created and served filled me up so I ordered a chicken salad!
Thursday, May 16 - Phoenix to San Francisco - Going Home!
Check-in this morning at American Airlines was easy. Had a delightful agent who double checked that my travel number was on my ticket (she added it). So there were no long lines for me this morning. Sailed through TSA Precheck. No shoes off and no computers removed.
Now in the American Express Centurion Lounge - first time I've used this lounge. It is available to platinum card holders and is better than waiting for an extended period of time at the departure gate. There are free food and beverages available. The only down side is that the lounge is two extremely long corridors away from my departure gate which is B1A.
This trip has been an adventure for me with all the different places and people visited, the many different flights within this two and a half week period, and some very challenging weather (for me!). Do not do well in high heat, especially when accompanied with humidity.
It's been fun but I'm truly ready to be returning home and will look forward to normal routine before the next jaunt.
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