Down South...Day Sixty-Five...Tuesday, February 2, 2010

By the time that wake up at 8:00AM, Vickie has left for work. So...I fix myself a cup of coffee and check emails.
By 9:30AM, I'm out and back on the road to Charleston. It's a pleasant drive...under four hours...partly Interstate and partly multi-lane State highways. By 1:30PM, I'm in the historic section of Charleston and heading for lunch at Hyman's Seafood...one of my favorite places. A Bloody Mary, a glass or two of Sauvignon Blanc and a big plate of fried oysers...ah...a great lunch. Soon, I'm down the street at the Days Inn...unpacking, showering and planning the night's schedule. Magnolia's is my favorite place for dinner, so that's definitely on the schedule. Several weeks before I left home, I saw a segment on the Food Channel about what many call the "perfect" Coconut Cake, and...best of all...it's sered right here in Charleston at the Peninsula Grill. So...that is definitely on the list as well.
A few hours later, I'm ready to go...well, sort of. Magnolia's is closed for renovations...damn!...so, instead, I opt for her sister restaurant, Blossum. A Stoli Martini, a glass or two of Alsatian Pnot Blanc...and...more fried oysters, these served "Rockefeller-style", with spinach and a splash of Pernod...very good. It's just an appetizer, but I'm still full from dinner...besides, I've got to save room for "the cake". Arriving at the Peninsula Grill, I sit a the bar and place my order..."the cake" and a White Russian.
"The cake", I must admit, is every bit as good as advertised...light and airy layers of white cake and an intensely coconut frosting...yum. They give you a huge slice...I can barely finish, but I struggle through.
Then...it's on for a little bar-hopping. A place called T-Bonz seems friendly, and they have a great local lager on tap. The bartender is friendly (and cute, and I also strike up a conversation with a local attorney and one of his corporate clients.
I don't mind talking business...so long as it's retrospective as opposed to prospective. Despite that huge dessert, the lagers are going down pretty easy. Before I know it, it's after midnight...time for a well-deserved rest.