Charleston, South Carolina and Just Us Girls

It was a pleasantly cool early Thursday morning at the end of June last year that we began our journey up to the East Coast. I managed to put my packed belongings and myself in the car at 6 a.m. What a triumph. After kissing hubby goodbye and showing each other love, I backed out of the driveway and was on my way to pick up my friend Jennifer Bess. The triumph was that I had left my house on time as Bess and I embarked on a three day trip to Hanahan and Charleston, South Carolina. Bess and I both had sisters in the North Charleston area. We were looking forward to seeing our sisters and nieces, and just enjoying the time away from home.

The drive up there was relaxing and fun. We girls got to talk about stuff we don't normally get to talk about due to our busy lifestyles. She had me laughing about her bouts with an elderly man that she sits with everyday. Of course we took turns driving and stopped a couple of times to eat breakfast, and to refresh.

Before either one of us were too tired to still be excited, the eight hour drive from my front door in Troy, Alabama to her sister's house in Hanahan was concluded. I then went to my sister's house and spent the night in anticipation of the next day's events. I planned to join Bess and her sister, Dee shopping at the Charleston City Market.

Charleston Market is home to hundreds of vendors who set up and sell wares, mostly in open air areas of downtown Charleston. The place where they set up had been the auction blocks during slavery times, so I'm told. If I remember my history correctly, Charleston was one of the main ports of entry for slave ships. The city had been home to some of the most wealthy and aristocratic southerners. Plantation owners as far south as Mississippi would travel to Charleston to buy slaves. It was a port where ships full of imported goods embarked. Merchants would read about some new fashion, gadget, or implement in a magazine and come to Charleston to purchase, then return home and sell it in their communities.

Charleston is also home to the Gullah people, the descendants of slaves who kept their own language and customs. These people are expert weavers, creating baskets and other items from sweetgrass. Their baskets fetch a good price, too.

The City of Charleston has maintained much of its historical buildings. It is considered an international tourist city. On the way to the open air market, Dee, Bess and I passed so many shops that sold specialty foods or gifts. I felt like a young child someone had stood up in the middle of a candy shop - I wanted to go in five different directions at one time. All over downtown, the Gullah people occupied street corners where they sat on cans and weaved their baskets. Passersby could stop and watch them or take a photo.

Once inside the market, there were wall to wall vendors from all over the place. Specialty foods and spices, jewelry, purses, designer belts, bags, toys, gadgets, novelties and accessories were among the wares the vendors pedaled. I purchased, among other things, a purse created with coconut shell. The three of us started in one building and walked straight through to another, and then another, and then another. The buildings had to be as long as a football field if not longer. Bess was looking for some special lemon cookies that she could find nowhere else but Charleston. Food vendors put out plates of cookies, candies, peanuts and other snacks for shoppers to taste. Even if you didn't have a lot of money, walking and looking at all the items there, plus talking to some of the vendors was a lot of fun.

We were heavy laden with gifts and food we bought at the City Market as we made our way to Waterfront Park to refresh and rest a bit. Bess stood in the fountain; arms slung outward, and enjoyed the wind and the water going over her body. I took a more conservative approach - a picture of her getting wet. Then we sat on the pier overlooking Charleston Harbor. There were lines of palm trees and rows of buildings in one direction and a marina in the other. The I-526 spanned miles and miles in the distance high above the waters. The winds were high and delightful. Peddlers shared tables on the pier with sea gulls as they created long stemmed roses from palm fronds to sell and shared historical facts with me. Children speeded around us on their bikes.

The day was already perfect. But we were hungry. Dee told us about the different restaurants her family has eaten at. She kept talking about a dish called Shrimp and Grits. I'd heard of and eaten Fish and Grits, but not Shrimp and Grits. In my mind, I imagined some fat fried shrimp lying on a plate beside some creamy cheese grits. And wouldn't it be better for breakfast?

The restaurant we choose was bustling and crowded. I felt somewhat adventurous, so I ordered the Shrimp and Grits. I also ordered the collard greens. The menu featured so many delicious offerings; I had a hard time settling.

When my entrée arrived, I just stared at it for a minute. There sat a mound of buttery grits in a china bowl that was as big as a small mixing bowl. The other platter held the shrimp, which actually were fat, but they were not fried. The shrimp had been sautéed in peppers and onions and then mixed in some tomato based gravy. One taste of the shrimp dish alone got me hooked. The next step was to combine the two. When I did and took my first bite of Shrimp and Grits, I was hooked for life. My mouth waters even as I write about it more than a year later. The combination of textures and flavors gave my taste buds an unexpected pleasure. As we ate to the full, waiters carried around dessert plates of some of the biggest slices of cake I've ever seen. They'd just hold them in front of our table so we could feast our eyes on them. But my Shrimp and Grits and Collards was feast enough for me.

Once we were done eating, we were ready to go home. Our day in downtown Charleston had been fulfilling and so much fun. Bess and I have talked about going back to Charleston this year, but it hasn't happened yet.

I certainly hope it happens soon. Shrimp and Grits are calling me!