This past weekend we met up with our best buddies Zoe and Stuart in Charleston. I haven't been to Charleston since I was 18, so its been a couple of years : ) Danny actually lived there years and years ago so he was the travel agent and found a 2 bedroom apartment right in the heart of the city for us to share and it was perfect! We had good parking and were in walking distance from everything.The initial reason for the Charleston trip was for Danny and Stuart to attend a Christian men's conference Iron Sharpens Iron. This left Zoe and I lots of "girl time" all day Saturday.
Friday we met up at the Tanger Outlet Mall first where Zoe and I did a little bit of damage to our pocket books at Ann Taylor. (This is good damage, no?). Don't be fooled, the men did their own shopping for mandals at Clark's and then the Nike store! Luckily for us, they did not by anything matching ..... Zoe and I actually bought the same dress! I was tempted to buy one for each of the Wine-Price girls, but I knew Beth (yes, you) would be opposed to the idea.
Next year we are going on a cruise together to celebrate all of us turning 40 and there is constant chatter about acquisition of cruise attire. How funny would it be for all 7 of us girls to wear the same dress?!
Anyways, back to this trip. Friday night was dinner in the apartment with crab cakes, rice and asparagus and gabbing and a movie. Saturday the boys were gone, and Zoe and I did our power walk around Charleston and saw the battery to rainbow row to the slaves' market. The weather was HOT and STICKY!!! I'm telling you what, I thought I was from New England the way the weather affected me. Later that day we headed out again for lunch and walked to the end of Charleston for pedicures --- which were wonderful! Our toes are gorgeous!
Saturday night we got all dressed up and went the Peninsula Grill -- named Charleston's top restaurant 9 years in row. Yes, it was hoity toity, but I hate to get all Langley High School on you, but I love, love, LOVE a fine dining experience!
We were definitely not the $800 bottle of wine clientele, but the sommelier sold Danny (and Stuart) on a Cabernet Sauvignon by the Californian winery Steele. I on the other hand had a glass of bubbly. Zoe? Well, she opted for "Charleston" water over bottled.
As for dinner, (Catrina this is for you):
I had:
PAN ROASTED MUSCOVY DUCK BREAST
with Creamy Spinach Flan, Duck Confit Spring Roll and Port Wine Jus
Danny:
Some sort of fish special
Zoe:
PEPPERED SEARED NY STRIP “AU POIVRE”
with Crispy Potato Cake, Teeny Weeny Benne Beans and Brandy Pan Sauce
Stuart:
Grouper of some sort with beets. He was all about the beets.
For dessert we shared their famous coconut cake:"Twelve layers of pure indulgence, The Ultimate Coconut Cake is infused with coconut and fresh vanilla. Unlike most traditional coconut cakes, the pound cake center is topped with an icing made from cream and butter, coated in toasted coconut and dripping with simple syrup."
Seriously? Food is an absolute gift from God. I thank my God for my tastebuds. I shall use them as much as I can before I get too old to taste anything!
The evening was topped off by a visit to the River Street Candy Store. (Don't even say it.) There were purchases of chocolate mint fudge, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered marshmellows, and chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz crackers! Not to mention the free tastings of the Savannah pralines. And that doesn't include what the Gardners purchased!Sunday we made breakfast in the apartment and then headed out for another walk of the city with the guys. Plus I had to walk off some of that coconut cake!
As much as I enjoyed the shopping and the food and spending time in the southern charm of Charleston, it was really the blessing and pure joy of hanging out with Zoe. There's nothing like one on one friend time where you can talk and laugh together in person. All four of us were grateful that God provided us with the means to have a weekend of indulgence!
