Walking through Chuck's town. An Anniversary Adventure.

Every year, Ton and I celebrate our Anniversary with a trip. It’s a shared experience and I love it more than presents. Well, it depends on the presents but MOSTLY I love it more than presents!!! This year, we decided to go to Charleston, South Carolina. Being a Southern Belle by birth, I am ashamed to admit this was my first ever trip to visit this Grand Dame of the South. We started our trip with a walking tour of Charleston. I read the online reviews and settled on the Charleston Footprints walking tour, led by an 8th generation Charlestonian, Michael Trouche. And it was a great choice! Michael was personable and funny. He shared history from the beginnings of the city, right up to present day including lots of stories and memories from his childhood. All the information was presented in a cultural context-- such as the drinking habits of the various old “institutions” associated with all the various ethnicities that settled the area! I have to admit, that I have precious few photos of the historic houses. It was really difficult to catch their charm and splendor.


Hiberian Hall, meeting place of the Hibernian Society, an Irish benevolent organization founded in 1801. On the National Historic register, built in 1840, designed by Thomas U. Walter of Philadelphia, who also designed the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building. If you were an important Irishman, this was the place to meet. And drink.


Saint Philip’s Church. Where the chimes ring at slightly after the quarter hours, so as not to conflict with the other church chime that has been chiming the quarter hour for longer.

The Huguenot Church. Founded on this spot in Charleston, 1687. The original church was destroyed by fire in the 1796 and this structure replaced it in 1800. It is the ONLY remaining Huguenot church in America.

We went into this church. Inside was an original Henry Erben Pipe organ was installed in the church in 1847. It is one of the few completely original Erben pipe organs in existence.

Our next stop was the Dock Street Theater. We also went inside this historic structure.


This is Michael, pointing out the craftsmanship in the original architectural details in the theater.

Details like this hand carved plaster ceiling.
One of the most beautiful stops on the tour was St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. What a glorious church interior. The stained glass Tiffany windows are incredible!




What sets the architecture of Charleston apart from most places is the majority of these stately homes don’t have a grand front that faces the street. Sure, some of the do, but most have fronts that face each other, while the side faces the street. This allows for the best air flow, allowing the breezes from the harbor to be drawn into the town, rather like a chimney draws the smoke.

But I still think it’s so silly to have that front door that opens onto a porch. The main door of the house is in the middle. So you have to unlock the front door, walk down the porch and then unlock the REAL front door. Seems like a lot of trouble to me. But I guess it keeps the winter winds at bay. And the occasional drunkard that wanders onto your porch for a nap.
After our tour ended, I was hot. And tired. I needed food and a cold one. We wandered around, past the Slave Market (which never sold slaves, did you know that?? It was forbidden to sell slaves in there. Instead it was were slaves and free people of color sold their goods) until we stumbled upon a restaurant sign advertising a roof top deck. What a grand idea!! Sitting on a roof with no shade when it’s 90 degrees! Let’s do it!!! Henry's House Charleston was a GREAT choice!
Nothing like a Blue Moon beer with orange on a hot day.

Unless it’s shrimp tacos with chipotle lime slaw, pico de gallo and sweet chilli infused sour cream AND a Belgian Blue Moon. MMMMMM. It was divine!!!

Dutchboy, being disgustingly healthy (and boring! OOPS! Did I say that out loud!!?!?) had a Greek salad. But he said it was very good, too.

Speaking of Dutch boy, here he is. In 90+ degree weather. On a rooftop in Charleston. See anything wrong with this picture??? Well, I have to admit, he didn’t get sunburned while I got severely toasted.

As great as lunch was, we couldn’t linger. We had a boat to catch. Our first day was planned down to the minute. I’m a fairly organized traveler, but this was an ambitious day even by my standards. We paid the bill and headed to the Charleston Maritime Center to take our Harbor Tour.
Now, anyone who knows me longer than two minutes probably knows that I don’t like boats. I am terrified of the ocean. It’s big, it moves and it has creepy crawly things it that can eat you, sting you and make you sick. Boats sink. I can’t swim. But Dutchboy being Dutch, loves the water. Thinks boats are grand. So my love for him, and my need to see EVERYTHING, often puts me on a boat.

I was clinging to that post behind me. The wind was blowing so hard, I thought I would fall. I was dizzy, I was sick with fear. I was PANICKING. But I look really calm, don’t I??? LIE TO ME PEOPLE. LIE TO ME!!! Oh, and behind me is the Arthur Ravenel Bridge. One of the true Charleston icons. But more on that later. You’ll see it so often you’ll be sick of it. Trust me.

One of the things I never got tired of, and one of the things that quieted my panic, was the pelicans. I love them!
The sailing was smooth, the pelicans were beautiful, and Charleston slid by like a graceful Belle on her evening stroll through the magnolias.




That tall building there? That’s the hotel where JFK stayed when he was stationed in Charleston.

Also included was a cruise past Fort Sumter, of Civil War fame. Doesn’t look like much, does it? The walls were higher back then. But the Yankees were so pissed off that they never took Sumter back after the Rebels gained control that they shelled it for an additional 500+ days. The height of the old walls is marked by a ring on the flag poles.

You can see the ring marker on the South Carolina flag pole (it’s the dark blue flag for those who don’t know).

While on the cruise, we had to yield to a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE container ship. It barely fit under the Ravenel bridge. After it cleared, we followed in its wake, crossing under the bridge ourselves.




Told you that you would see too much of that bridge. After crossing under the bridge, we returned to our starting point and disembarked. By this time my neck was red enough to live up to the moniker and I was starving AGAIN. Luckily, I had made reservations for us at Hominy Grill.

I was so excited to eat at Hominy Grill. It had been featured on numerous shows on Food Network, as well as in Bon Appetit magazine. It was FAMOUS. The food is good. The service? Not so much. It took FOREVER after we were seated to get waited on, even though the place was NOT busy. In fact, it took so long that I was almost ready to leave. But a kind waiter inquired if we had been helped, and I turned on my best “yes, I’m a Southern lady so I’ll be nice but I’m really not happy” voice. It worked. Service after that was impeccable.

They brought out boiled peanuts instead of bread. It’s a nice, homey Southern touch.

I had already decided to have their specialty, Shrimp and Grits. After all, it’s their signature. It’s what put them on the map. And they were good. But I had better at other places, so I’m not really sure what the hype was about. Maybe it was an off night???

Dutchboy decided to up the ante and his foodie cred by ordering curried chicken salad with apples & toasted almonds on a kaiser roll. Okay, that’s not a huge leap but at least it wasn’t a boring salad!

The best part of this meal though was dessert. There was a new offering on the menu and I could NOT resist it. It was an oatmeal porter beer with salted caramel ice cream float. Oh my goodness. May not look like much but it was sex on a spoon. Not sex with your husband, but sex with Dave Grohl on his tour bus. Yeah. EXACTLY. A little trashy maybe but totally worth it.

After a dessert that good, I needed a cigarette. Darned shame I don’t smoke. We opted instead to extend the day a bit and end it with an evening sunset stroll along Folly Beach. And NO I DIDN’T TAKE PICTURES. What kind of girl do you think I am, the kind that would ruin a romantic moment like that with a camera?!?!?! Of course not. That’s Dutchboy’s job. And for once he did the right thing and left the camera in the car. So there. The end of day one. Are you tired of this yet?? There’s three more days to come!!! All the photos from this day can be found on Flickr.

Day Trippers: Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville NC

I know I whine a lot about there being nothing to do. In this sleepy little county there’s not a lot happening! But in truth, Western North Carolina has a lot to offer, within a couple of hours ride. In the future, I’ll try to focus on NC Day Trips in a series called Day Trippers. But we all know me well enough to know that I post such things with the best of intentions that never seem to come to fruition!

First up in this new series, is Biltmore House. Biltmore is a turn-of-the-century French chateau built by George Vanderbilt in Asheville, North Carolina. At 135,000 square feet, it’s the largest “private home” in America and it is a self-sustaining estate. Admission is fairly steep, $59 for a day ticket with addition fees for guided “behind-the-scenes” tours, but it is all day admission to the house, all the Gardens and grounds, and Antler Hill village. There is no shortage of food, with the Stable Café, which used to serve as the carriage house and stables, offering soups, sandwiches and entrees at reasonable prices, as well as less expensive but no less tasty options at a bakery, a wood-fired pizza stall, candy store and an ice cream shop that sells Biltmore made ice cream. Tables are spread out within the stable courtyard, under the towers of the house. If you’re looking for fine dining, you can find it at the Biltmore Winery Bistro. Speaking of the winery, since my last visit a few years ago, Antler Hill Village has grown by leaps and bounds. It now not only includes the Biltmore winery (complete with wine tastings), but also a new special exhibits hall that will showcase the collections of George Vanderbilt on a rotating basis. Still included at Antler Hill is a small farm with the most adorable and petable animals in the world, the blacksmith shop, with blacksmith demonstrations, a woodwrights shop, with woodworking demonstrations. Should you get hungry while visiting Antler Hill, there’s a new pub, Cedric’s, named after the beloved Vanderbilt family dog, that features their locally brewed Cedric’s Ale (available at all restaurants) served up alongside traditional pub fare such as fish and chips. I’m a huge fan of Asheville, and a lover of this estate. I’ve been there several times, but always manage to find something new!
But where are the photos??
I’m so glad you asked!!!

So, how about stepping into my humble home?
I seemed to have missed taking a full shot of the house this trip! So have one from a previous time!



Two of my favorite details on the house are on this façade.

St. Louis of France

And St. Joan of Arc.
Stone cutters and sculptors were brought in from Scotland, Ireland and England to complete the work. Local artisans were used when possible, but at that time in North Carolina, we were building out of wood, not stone. And I have to say the stone work is ASTOUNDING.


And another favorite carving on the loggia. Isn't he a happy little devil? Even with a bird on his head.

The stone is limestone shipped via railroad from Indiana. The Vanderbilts made their money first with steamships and later with the railroads. It was the railroads already in place in Asheville that allowed Vanderbilt to build his marvel. But the limestone is a facade. The structure underneath that facade is good North Carolina brick, made on site.


We chose to go in April because it was their Festival of Flower celebration. The entire house was filled with lovely cut flower arrangements. In the foyer, they offer a display showing the types of flowers that are used throughout the house. The air was redolent with hydrangea, Asiatic lilies, snapdragons and other flowers I didn’t recognize. Columns were wreathed in rose garlands, at least a foot wide, a solid carpet of floral vibrancy. It was really seeing the house at its best, I think. Even better than Christmas, when every room has a tree but so many things are lost in there shadow. They do not allow photography indoors but I snuck a photo anyway. I’m not very good shooting from the hip, but you can see part of the “Winter Garden” and the fresh flower garlands that were wreathing the columns.

We opted to take an architectural guided tour because it allows you to go places that aren’t normal open to the public. Mainly ON THE ROOF. That’s right, all the way up to the top, through George Vanderbilt’s “study” (think gorgeous dark paneling in a room built to resemble a ships interior) up a wrought iron spiral staircase and out to a roof top catwalk that puts you on level with the gargoyles. It was GLORIOUS. Totally and completely worth the cost. Don’t hesitate. DO IT. Buy the ticket and take this tour.

See? Looking down, or at least level, with the rooftops.

Down at the entrance to the Courtyard!

Gargoyle butt crack!! (I love this gargoyle. LOVE HIM. I hugged him).
But we didn’t linger here. They lead us back through the study and out the “windows” on the other side, out to a rooftop deck that was even higher, with better views of the surrounding mountains.

Here we were eye level with the copper ridgeline of the roof, with the Vanderbilt crest.

And even more gargoyles!


We were overlooking the estate. The Esplanade, with the statue of Diana in the gazebo at the top of the hill.

And the Italian Gardens to the right, followed by the shrub gardens and the formal gardens and conservatory.

But we did not linger there long enough. A day would not be lingering long enough. Instead we trouped back into the house, past the attic and down to the family loggia, and the view that made George Vanderbilt fall in love with this land.

And here were some of the most beautiful gargoyles of all!




(Doesn’t this one look like Obi-Wan Kenobi???)
That ended our “rooftop” tour and we returned through the door on the right (The left door leads into George Vanderbilt’s bedroom, if I remember correctly) and our time at the house ended.


After walking out the front doors of Biltmore House itself, your day is far from over. There are miles and miles of walking trails and gardens to explore.
But not before we pause at the fountain to reenact the famous portrait of Richard Morris Hunt, architect of Biltmore, painted by John Singer Sargent.


Similar, huh??
Then it was down to the Formal gardens and the Conservatory, by way of a wisteria covered walkway.


More wisteria in the walled formal garden, this time white!

When you first enter the conservatory, it feels you’ve entered the jungle—and as you move on you are inundated with light, smell and color.

A whole room is devoted to different orchids.


But sometimes, it’s the simple things that are best.





It’s worth noting that if you really love any of the plants you see, they do have a garden center behind the conservatory and you can purchase plants to take home with you! I didn’t. Plants and I do not get along. They hate me and die immediately. I don’t know how I’ve managed to keep Dutchboy alive this long. Maybe because he doesn’t have chlorophyll.

Anyway, after leaving the conservatory, we moved back towards the house via the shrub garden, pausing to rest a moment in the shade and to marvel at bleeding hearts.


Then it was back into the sun, and the side gardens that used to house the modern outdoor swimming pool, now filled in and the site of the summer concert series that they have every year.

Not a bad place for a concert, is it??
Then it was on to stroll through the Italian Gardens. Not so named because they are particularly Italian but most likely because the statues were Italian. Or so the tour guide said!


The ponds were almost writhing with tadpoles, though. That sort of gave me the willies. I’m not a frog fan. The fish were nice, though.

It’s a great place for old friends to hang out on a sunny afternoon.

As much fun as it was we had more to see and it was time to push ahead to Antler Hill Farm and the Winery. The wine, it was calling me!! But along the way, we followed the suggestion of our tour guide who told us to follow the gravel road around the lagoon near the French Broad River and we would get a great view of the house, and the family loggia where we had been earlier. She said the bridge was narrow. She did not lie. One compact car width wide. But we made it. And the view was gorgeous!


AS soon as we arrived at Antler Hill Farm I was amazed and how much had been added since my last visit! The Exhibition Hall was our first stop—a Titanic exhibit was on display. The connection to the Vanderbilts??? The Vanderbilts were supposed to travel on the Titanic but decided to change to her sister ship, The Olympic. Also on display were some truly exquisitely carved Japanese netsuke, along with other Japanese artifacts and antiquities, as well as some of the period clothing worn by the Vanderbilts. The exhibition hall is a great addition to Biltmore estates. As it is, they estimate that only ¼ of the entire collection is on display in the house. This allows them to showcase more.
The last stop of our day, before heading to the winery where I would stash my camera and get serious, was the farm. On the last visit, I fell in love with a sheep. This time—baby goats. Tiny three-week old baby goats! They were frolicking around, jumping on the benches and generally stinking up the place with cuteness!! I was scratching one little fella’s knobby horns when he started nuzzling my foot. Little did I realize he was trying to eat my shoe!! But they were honestly so cute, I didn’t mind a little bite out of my shoes.

They were more like lapdogs than goats! I’m not sure this wasn’t the highlight of the trip.
But a girl can only take so much barnyard cuteness when wine awaits! You can tour the winery, see the whole operation if you like, or you can skip it and go straight to the tasting room and wine/gourmet food shop. Having been here before, that’s what we opted to do. You’re shown to a bar and given the wine lists of day. You can choose as many wines from the list as you like. If you’re not a drinker, like the Dutchboy, you’re offered water or Biltmore grape juice. The wines are good, the pours generous for a tasting and the little palate cleansing crackers are sweet and appreciated. It’s a perfect way to end any day but particularly a day at Biltmore—sitting back and enjoying the finer things in life with people you love.