We headed out to Charleston this past weekend, primarily because I had never been there during Christmas - and I thought it would be great to experience this charming place all bedecked with tinkle lights and such for the holidays. Plus, I had decided to attend the 25th annual progressive dinner hosted by three Charleston inns, which takes place during the month of December.
It was an absolutely fabulous weekend - and met ALL my expectations... so where to begin with the details?
Day 1
My favorite place to stay in Charleston is the very posh Charleston Place Hotel. The property is owned by Orient-Express, thus need I say more? Dahling, it is truly 5-star, and just beyond.
We had a little time to kill before dinner - so we opted for an activity to put us in the holiday mood. It was bitter cold in Charleston (which never happens) so we were looking for some falalalala that did not require us to go outside...or at least, not outside the car. On a whim, we decided to follow some of the local yolks to a drive-thru Christmas light show....and wow! Something we would never normally do turned out to be just delightful.
Time for dinner. Close to the hotel, and wonderfully inviting ...was Magnolia's. Girls, this is serious, so please pay attention. Donald Barickman opened this restaurant in 1990, and it's basically Southern-style food - but very light, very elegant, and very, very delicious. I opted for the salad from the "Special" menu - arugula, apples, goat feta, and tossed in an amazing pecan vinaigrette. Then, of course - the spicy shrimp & grits. And finally, vanilla bean creme brulee. It was the best meal I've had in 4 years since moving back to North Carolina, and for which the bar is permanently set. Even Open Table boasts 526 reviews, and it's still 4.4 out of 5 stars. I can't stop talking about it, but....(sigh) I must.
Day 2
We did some "plain vanilla" sightseeing. Like....
the USS Yorktown - a WWII battleship permanently docked in Charleston
The Market
for decades - this has been a public marketplace for local vendors.
(These are Sweetgrass baskets, woven locally.)
and the cruise ship dock - which took us a little by surprise!
Of course, just loads of old, historic homes along the Battery
(Check out the pink bows and garland...)
More good food at Five Loaves Cafe - where I had half a turkey sandwich and a soup trio in espresso cups - this is apparently a very big food trend down here....
And finally the main event - the 25th annual progressive dinner. We started with hors d'ouevres at the Kings Courtyard Inn, then were taken by carriages to our next destination: Circa 1886 restaurant.
Salad and dinner was served at Circa 1886, which is part of the Wentworth Mansion.
Then finally - dessert and coffee was served at the John Rutledge House.
This trip was truly magical, and really brought out my Christmas spirit
... and my holiday elastic-waistband pants.
Have a good one,
Holli a.k.a. GT40
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