Hominy Grill Breakfast

Sunday, June 3 - My friend Kjerstin once again recommended a winner:  Hominy Grill in Charleston for either breakfast or lunch.  They open at 9am for brunch on Sundays, and according to the tips on Foursqaure, people start lining up early.  A few other recurring and entertaining recommendations on Foursquare:  get the Big Nasty (biscuit with fried chicken, cheddar cheese and sausage gravy... you can only imagine the commentary), Shrimp and Grits or the Chocolate Pudding.

So, we got there about 8:40am, and while the line had already started, we were there early enough to get a table right when they opened.  While neither of us got the Big Nasty - I'm sorry, just couldn't do that for breakfast - I did get one of the specials, a Shrimp Western Omelet along with a side of grits, and Sandy got another special, the Red White and Blue Pancakes with blueberries, strawberries and peaches.  Oh, yeah - we got the chocolate pudding, too.  Yum, yum and yum.

Dinner and Spoleto in Charleston

Saturday, June 2 – After Fort Sumter and a little happy hour on the roofdeck of our hotel, we had dinner at Hank’s, a seafood restaurant where my mom and her cousin ate several years ago and had a fantastic time.  We also had a great meal.  The crab cake appetizer was amazing.

As we were planning out the trip about 6 weeks before leaving, Sandy read about Charleston’s Spoleto Festival USA in Coastal Living Magazine.  We had never heard of it, but it’s a 17-day performing arts festival that’s been around since 1977… and it perfectly coincided with our road trip schedule.  Sandy took a look at what was available when we would be there, and she found a concert by solo ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.  He is an amazing performer, and plays songs from all different genres like jazz, rock, funk, and bluegrass.  He got his big break after a video he posted on YouTube several years ago, a video which now has over 10 million views. 

The concert was in a great outdoor venue, the Cistern Yard on the campus of the College of Charleston, on a perfect evening.  What a great night. 

Fort Sumter

Saturday, June 2 – This, of course, is where the Civil War began.  Our overall assessment of the voyage:  Great ferry ride. Fantastic views of Charleston, the Ravenel Bridge and an aircraft carrier.  Very informed tour guide at the fort.  Good value for the money.  Even made friends on the ferry.  All that + beautiful day = Definitely worth it. 

We had such good seats on the top deck.  We - along with everyone around us - wanted to claim “same seats” for the ride back.  So, in the spirit of looking out for the team, which included a couple from Montgomery, AL on one side and a multigenerational extended family on the other, Sandy high-tailed it back to the ferry to save seats for everyone as most of the people were still taking their time in the fort.

As we were on our way back to Charleston from the fort, a “tall ship” on a cruise of the harbor also appeared.  Very appropriate.

BTW…  Today was laundry day, since it marked the end of week one.  We found a great Laundromat on the campus of the College of Charleston before we went to Fort Sumter in order to get our chores done.  It’s good to be clean.

Green and Lean 5K

Saturday, June 2 – In all three previous road trips, we had never done a race on the road, so we were on the lookout for one this time.  We got lucky, and found the Green and Lean 5K on the Charleston peninsula to benefit the mission to Keep Charleston Beautiful.  It took place in Brittlebank Park and around The Citadel on the Ashley River.  It was also sunny in the mid-70s with high humidity, so any runner knows that = hot…

It was a really nice, well-run race, that also gave prizes for first dog and first stroller to cross the finish line, so that gives you a good feel for things.  They announced that this year’s race had the most people that they’d ever had register, with 241 finishers.  And, in a first for my running career, I placed first in my age group!  That’s a feat I never come close as one of thousands in NYC races.  In addition to the visual proof with the photo of me accepting my medal, to back up this claim you can see the results HERE.  A nice start to a weekend in Charleston!

Dinner at Husk in Charleston

Friday, June 1 - Both my friend Kjerstin and my Uncle Bob recommended we have dinner at Husk, which Bon Appetit rated as the best new restaurant in America in 2011.  When I called about 10 days before our visit to make a reservation, they said that they were booked two months in advance.  However, they could put us on the waiting list, and we could try to come early to get one of about seven or so walk-in slots on their upstairs porch that they typically have each evening.  So, the plan was to get there at 5:30pm right when they opened.

Then, I got the phone call on Friday morning: they had a cancellation, and would we like to come for a 5:45pm reservation?  Definitely!

The chef is known for pork, so I went with the pork dish and had a chilled corn soup to start.  Sandy had an excellent chicken with barbecue sauce that had peaches in it, and we got a side of bacon cornbread.  Then, to top it off, we had a peach cobbler for dessert.

Put Husk on your list for your next visit to Charleston!  And, plan ahead!

Entering South Carolina

Friday, June 1 - Savannah is right on the South Carolina border, which you cross as soon as you go over the Talmadge Memorial Bridge.  The bridge was completed in 1990 to replace an old, lower bridge because it had become too dangerous for all of the large ships entering the Port of Savannah.  The port is the largest ocean container terminal on the US East Coast, and is the nation’s 4^th busiest seaport.  Who knew?!

There was also some beautiful marshlands in the Low Country as we drove to Charleston.