1-800-GETRICH

I have been so excited to get my hands on another Robert Bailey book…finally! It seems like it’s been forever since I finished the Bocephus Haynes series. I love that Bailey’s books are set in and around my home state, in places with which I’m very familiar. 

I was all prepared not to like the billboard lawyer, Jason Rich, in Rich Blood, but I have to say, the guy grew on me. And, since I’m from Marshall County, AL, the Guntersville setting is well known to me. As a foodie, I loved all the Alabama restaurants that served as gathering spots in the book. Most are in Guntersville, but not all. From Bridgeport in the north to Perdido in the south, food lovers can take a tasty trip along with Jason Rich. The list even includes a grocery store, Alder Springs Grocery. 

When Rich gets out of rehab in Perdido, immediately heads to Florabama (not a good choice for a struggling alcoholic) and then gets summoned back to his hometown of Guntersville to defend his estranged sister on a charge of murdering her husband, a prominent Guntersville doctor, the story is off and running. This book, like all of Bailey’s books, sucks you in from page one. It’s part legal thriller, part mystery and all exciting. 

While a couple of the restaurants included in the book, Fat Boys Bar and Grill in Bridgeport, and The Brick in Guntersville, have since permanently closed, all the others are very much still in operation. Some are old favorites (My rehearsal dinner when I got married was at the original All Steak in Cullman) and some are recent  discoveries (Just a few weeks ago I ate at The Old Town Stock House for the first time), others are completely new to me. Fractal Brewing in Huntsville and SaZa in Montgomery made my spidey antenna perk up. I’ve never been to either, but now I want to check them out for myself. 

In the meantime, Amazon Prime members can download a digital copy of the book right now, so what are you waiting for? North Alabama folks, head to The Docks at Goosepond in Scottsboro, or any of the other Guntersville dining options, and read Rich Blood as you enjoy seeing how Jason Rich navigates an unfamiliar challenge in all too familiar territory. 

Stay tuned to our Three Friends and a Fork and My Book Trips Facebook and Instagram pages and we will let you know about all the exciting book launch events coming up, from how and where you can meet Robert Bailey and hear him talk about Rich Blood, to all the places you can  get a signed copy of the book. #getrich 

How to Make the Most Out of Your Trip to Unclaimed Baggage

Are you planning a trip to the Unclaimed Baggage Center (UBC)  in Scottsboro, Alabama, but you are wondering what else there is to do in the area? Lucky for you, we are here to help. From where to stay, eat, and go or what to do, we've got you covered.

Where to stay: Gorham's Bluff in nearby Pisgah is the perfect place to rest your weary head after a marathon day of exploring UBC. The views are lovely and there is much to explore. You can hike, bike, kayak, fish, or just relax. The Dining Room at Gorham's Bluff offers delicious meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner and is open to all by reservation.

If you are wishing for a more rustic stay on the water, there are cabins and cottages at Goosepond Colony and Jackson County Park. Both have all kinds of water activities from boating, kayaking and canoeing to fishing, walking trails and hiking. Goosepond also has a world class golf course.

If you’d like to stay right downtown on the square, there’s is the exquisite Loft on Laurel. You can sit on the rooftop patio and watch the sun rise or set on the Jackson County Courthouse. There are two bedrooms, a fully stocked kitchen and lots of amenities. 

Where to eat: If you aren't staying at Gorham's Bluff or if you just want a quick breakfast, the Variety Bake Shop, located on the historic Jackson County Courthouse Square, is a great option. There you will find pastries, donuts, biscuits and sausage rolls. We love the tenderloin biscuit and the sausage rolls, as well as the chocolate glazed donuts.

For lunch, you can always grab a chicken salad sandwich and some baked potato salad at UBC's own Cups and that would be a great option, but there are a few other equally lovely options nearby. Here are some of our favorites.

Payne's Soda Fountain: As the oldest continually operated business in the state, Payne's has history and great food. It's right on the courthouse square. We love the Reuben with homemade potato salad, the fountain drinks and the ice cream. The hot dogs are served on toasted lobster-style rolls and you can get them with or without Scottsboro's famous red slaw. (I like the white slaw myself.)

McCutchen's Magnolia House: Just a short drive down Willow Street, you can get a meat and three, salads, sandwiches and more. We love the fried chicken, fresh vegetables, the Southern Pecan Crunch salad and the rolls with strawberry or honey butter. They have the best Mac n cheese and coleslaw.

Holy Smokes BBQ: A little further down Willow Street turn left onto Tupelo Pike and you’ll find Holy Smokes BBQ. There you can get pulled pork, smoked chicken, brisket and ribs with all the trimmings. The burgers are great, too.


For dinner, you can drive to nearby Hollywood and try the catfish and hushpuppies at MudCreek BBQ.

If live music is your thing visit KC's BBQ. KC's is laid-back and casual and right on the water at Jackson County Park. The restaurant has inside and outside seating. The smoked chicken sandwich with white sauce at KC's is a favorite. All the pies are delicious!

Miylah Jai’s serves up some of the best wings in town. For two years in a row, they’ve won the specialty sauce category in our annual Salsa competition on our downtown square.

Warehouse 207 is Downtown Scottsboro’s newest restaurant. They serve up wood fired pizzas, burgers and wings.

If you happen to be here on a Friday night, it's worth a 20 minute drive to the small community of Langston to see what's cooking at Homecoming Cafe at South Sauty Marina. Whatever it is, it will be a treat. Everything is always fresh and local whenever possible. Our favorite is usually whatever fresh fish is on the menu. But the vegetables, desserts and homemade ice creams are also delicious. Homecoming Cafe also offers delicious breakfast and lunch choices.

Where to Go and What to Do: If you've still haven't gotten your fill of shopping after your trip to UBC, go to the courthouse square. There you will find Hammer's, Goody Two Shoes, La De Da's Antiques, Back Porch Pickin’, Southern Grace, Sassy Nana’s, Bell’s Beautiful Boutique. The Mercantile and Southern All Sports.

 

Patches Consignment on Broad Street is 26,000 square feet of retail therapy. With more than 150 vendors, there is something for everyone.

For those who prefer being in the outdoors, there are many opportunities to enjoy yourself. Jackson County is home to many caves and caverns. Russell Cave National Monument is about 35 minutes north of Scottsboro in the town of Bridgeport. For more than 10,000 years, this cave served as a home to various groups of prehistoric people.

South of Scottsboro, in Woodville, you will find one of the most beautiful caves in existence. Cathedral Caverns has amazing rock formations and is definitely worth a look.

Outdoor enthusiasts will also love the Neversink Pit, Walls of Jericho and Stephens Gap. Neversink Pit is a 162 foot open air pit that drops straight down through waterfalls and rare flora. It is the most photographed sinkhole in Alabama. The Walls of Jericho is a bowl shaped canyon with two hiking trails and waterfalls. Stephen's Gap is a 150 ft. cave also with a waterfall.

Summertime is the perfect time to visit the Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge, also known as Blowing Wind Cave or simply, Bat Cave. At dusk, visitors are treated to the sight of 250,000 endangered gray bats as they emerge from the cave in search of the insects on which they dine. The refuge is home to about 250 of another endangered species, Price's Potato Bean Plant.

Finally, learn about the history of the area at the Scottsboro-Jackson County Heritage Center where you can explore the historic buildings of Sage Town. They are beautifully restored and offer a glimpse of life in the area in the 1800's. You can also visit the Scottsboro Boys Museum and the historic Railroad Depot. Both are located near Unclaimed Baggage and the Courthouse Square. Be sure to see the Scottsboro Boys mural, as well as several other murals in the downtown area.

We welcome you to Scottsboro and Jackson County and hope you enjoy your visit to our beautiful little corner of North Alabama. Thanks for making us part of your trip!

The Red Robe

We are Auburn people. We do not do houndstooth. We do not do red, in any shade...crimson (especially crimson) maroon, scarlet, burgundy, ruby or tomato. I have many Alabama friends and I love them, but I do not like their football team. They know this and accept it. In all honesty, they don't like my team either. Occasionally one of them will declare, quite magnanimously, "I pull for Auburn, except during the Iron Bowl." Yeah, it's easy to be bighearted when your team is in the National Championship Game...Every. Single. Year.  When JD was trying to decide where he wanted to go to college, he visited Mississippi State. He asked his dad if he would wear Mississippi State maroon if that's the college he chose. Scott didn't elaborate. He just said, "Nope." Apparently Rob, an Auburn graduate himself, does not understand this concept. I'm not sure where it came from, but at some point a red, terry cloth robe showed up in our house, perhaps left by an Alabama friend trying to mess with our minds. Anyway, Rob found it and adopted it. Like a pet. And now the darn thing shows up at the oddest times. The first time I realized we had a problem was in January a few years ago. Rob was packing to go back to Auburn. He came downstairs wearing THE ROBE and some navy house shoes his grandmother had given him for Christmas. He was loading his truck, his filthy truck, and while I thought it strange he hadn't dressed to go back to school before he began packing up, it did not occur to me that he wouldn't change clothes before he left. He didn't. I asked, "Why?"  He said, "I'm comfortable." I asked, "What if you get stopped?" He said, "I won't." And off he went, to the land of orange and blue in a red robe. Now it must be told, he did actually have on clothes under THE ROBE, but, still, he had on a red robe and house shoes. And his truck was still filthy. 

I shared this with my friends on Facebook. The memory pops up every year and the legend of THE ROBE grows. Sort of like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, only it's the Brotherhood of the Red Robe. Rob's friend, JP, said THE ROBE traveled with them to the beach once. He thought he had a picture of Rob wearing THE ROBE on the beach feeding seagulls. Sure enough, he did. I couldn't believe it. There's Rob, in the red robe, standing on a beach chair feeding the birds. 

Rob is now in Arizona. Red is much more acceptable out there, at least for us. People can just assume he is a Sun Devil. And THE ROBE is still proving its use. The boys were invited to a Halloween party this past October. JD went as the baby toting, Alan Garner, from The Hangover. Rob, having been in Austin for a month and not having time to pull together a costume, pulled out THE ROBE, the slippers and a pipe and went as Hugh Hefner. Now I think, we are stuck with THE ROBE forever. It will be handed down to future generations as a priceless artifact. Stories will be told about THE ROBE and they will be embellished. It will grow in relevance and will, I expect, be endowed with great powers, a totem, if you will. In the meantime, I wonder what will be the next great adventure for Rob's red robe. Stay tuned!

Planning a trip to St. Simons, GA and wondering where to eat? For a small island, there are many great choices. Here are a few you might want to consider, along with the dishes I've loved at each. 

Breakfast

Mallery Street Cafe

As we walked into this tiny cafe, one of the patrons at another table yelled out, "It's all good!" He wasn't kidding. This place was so good, we at there two days in a row. The eggs are perfectly cooked, the bacon is crispy and the pancakes are fluffy. I also loved that they had smoked salmon.

Chubs

My son said, "Mom, you are going to love the tomatoes here." He was right. The tomato on my perfectly made BLT was home grown, red, ripe and delicious. And the grits? Some of the best I've had.

Palmer's Village Cafe

Try the maple bacon French toast. That's all you need to know.

Appetizers, Drinks and Quick Bites

Barrier Island Brewing

Bacon wrapped dates, anyone? I can't remember what it was called, but we had a spicy pineapple cocktail that was out of this world. Not too sweet, not too spicy. Just right! Barrier Island has entrees, too, but I haven't checked those out yet.

St. Simons Sweets

Try the pralines. They are better than the ones in New Orleans. Creamy on the inside and oh, so good!

Frosty's

The ice creams are yummy. So are the hot dogs and the fried Georgia shrimp.

Grandy's

Two words: Cinnamon Roll. As big as your head. And if they ask you if you want it warm, with butter, I'd say yes to the warm, but leave the butter off. The butter wasn't necessary and I don't think it was real butter anyway. But the cinnamon roll was legit. 

Lunch and Dinner

Southern Soul BBQ

Besides the fact that Southern Soul knows how to smoke meat, they also do great things with sides and sauces. I'm not sure how Covid has affected their sauce serving, but pre-Covid they would line up the sauce bottles at the bar and you could mix and match to your heart's delight. For a sauce fiend like me, it was heaven. FYI, the pulled pork sandwich is amazing.

Beachcombers BBQ

It really isn't fair that St. Simons has two great barbeque joints so close together, but they do. Try the brisket sandwich. It is so tender and delicious

Coastal Kitchen

Near the FJ Torras Bridge, on the edge of the watery marsh, sits the Coastal Kitchen. Everything is fresh, local and creatively prepared. Be sure to try the duck egg rolls, the calamari and the orange cheesecake. 

The Half Shell

Right downtown and close to the pier, The  Half Shell has a fun, relaxed vibe, with inside and outside seating. The calamari is great and so is the crab cake BLT.

Gnat's Landing

Conveniently set in Redfern Village, Gnat's Landing is surrounded by lots of cute shops. You gotta try the fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese, shrimp po'boy and the fried okra. If the weather is nice, sit outside on the porch. 

Palm Coast

Another option located conveniently near the pier, Palm Coast has lots of healthy options for lunch and breakfast, too. Paninis, wraps, salads, soups and rolls, all freshly prepared, are great lunch choices. We had a spinach, artichoke, sundried tomato dip served with flatbread that was a big hit.

Porch

Super laid back and cool. Located on Mallery St. near the pier, you gotta try the Mother Clucker. According to Porch, it's why bread was invented. Fried or grilled chicken breast with pimento cheese, sliced pickles and you choose your heat level, naked, novice, Nashville, or napalm. They also have wings, shrimp and catfish. 

La Plancha

If, after a while you are like me and you just have to have your Mexican food fix, try La Plancha. I was really impressed with the fresh veggies and the dips, salsa, guac and queso were all yummy,

 

Del Sur

One of the single best bites I've had in St. Simons, or anywhere else for that matter, was at Del Sur. The butternut squash ravioli is velvety, complex and delicious. I can't recommend it enough. I'm still dreaming about it. The bacon-wrapped scallops were mighty fine, too.

Barbara Jean's

Also near the pier, on Mallery, Barbara Jean's has both fresh seafood and homestyle cooking. The crab cakes are a specialty and the coconut shrimp is delicious, too. 

Zuzu's

Craving a burger? Stop by Zuzu's. It is right by the pier on Mallery and they will put all the fresh toppings you desire on your burger. 

Fiddler's

Still craving fresh seafood. Check out Fiddlers. It's spacious and bright and the food is really good. The fried oysters were great and so were the fried deviled eggs.

Brunswick, Sea Island and Jekyll

If you feel like exploring nearby Brunswick or Jekyll Island, here are a few places to consider. 

Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon

If you're looking for authentic, you can't beat Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon. It is a Brunswick original. The dogs are delicious and you can get your choice of toppings, from chili to slaw and saurkraut and everything in between. But the sandwich Willie is most proud of is his pork chop sandwich. The side of his building is proudly emblazoned with the words, INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED Pork Chop Sandwich. Supposedly, Willie will pay $2000 to anyone who can find a better pork chop sandwich.

Gary Lee's Market

Another Brunswick original, Gary Lee's is part BBQ joint, part butcher shop and 100% legit. Like Willie's Wee-Nee Wagon, there is nothing fancy about Gary Lee's Market, but you will not find a finer piece of smoked brisket anywhere. It literally melts in your mouth, it is so tender. There are plenty of other delicious smoked meats to keep you busy, too, from chicken wings to pulled pork. We heard the pork chop sandwich at Gary Lee's is delicious, too, but it was sold out before we could check it out ourselves. 

Zachry's Riverhouse

If you are heading over to Jekyll Island, you can't go wrong if you eat at Zachry's Riverhouse. Rustic and quaint, Zachry's has fresh, regional seafood dishes, including wild Georgia shrimp and oysters and their fresh fish comes in daily. 

Southern Tides

There are fancier, more expensive places to eat on Sea Island, including the Georgian Room, the only Forbes Five-Star restaurant in the state of Georgia, but for a great view and fresh seafood, you can't go wrong with the Sea Island Beach Club's Southern Tide. The view alone is worth the visit, but the fresh, local seafood creations are divine. Try the fried green tomatoes, Sea Island peas and whatever fresh fish the chef is serving. Did I mention the grilled oysters with pickled green tomatoes and bacon? Oh, my heavens! I can't even describe how amazing they were.

 

Main Street Matters

Y'all know I love to travel. I like to visit places that are unique. I like to eat in one of a kind cafes and eateries, see things that are different, listen to different accents and learn new things. I want to see beautiful small communities with vibrant city centers and see how other people live. Getting off the interstates and traveling the backroads, avoiding strip malls and big box chains are ideas that appeal to me. 

If these are the kinds of places I want to visit, why on earth would I wish anything different for my home town? I don't! When I close my eyes and envision a Scottsboro five, ten, twenty years into the future, what do I see? More bypasses and big box chains? No! I see our square dotted with darling cafes and cute shops and exciting event spaces. I see people coming from out of town to visit stores that they can't find anywhere else. I see these locally owned shops and restaurants spilling into the streets surrounding the square, because there are so many of them we can't fit them all onto just four sides of a square. I see more events and bigger, too, because people want to come to our beautiful little town filled with plants and flowers and murals and art. 

One thing that being part of Main Street Alabama has taught me is that a lively economy doesn't just spring from nothing. You have to have something to offer. Do businesses want to come to a town that is depressed and depressing? Do they want to relocate to a town that has nothing to give back? Do their employees want to live somewhere that is ugly and dirty and not loved? No! The changes don't start with the ones who come here. They start with us. And it starts from the inside out. First we change our way of thinking. We become part of the solution, rather than the problem. Then we start with the heart of our town, in our case, our square. We start by cleaning up and sprucing up. We add landscaping and hang flower baskets. 

We paint murals and use many local talents so that each mural is unique. We host events, not just to give our people something to do, but to bring in others, so that they can see what we have to offer. We grow a symbiotic relationship with our business owners. Our events help bring in new customers and, in turn, they stay open for events, they put a little more sparkle into their storefronts, and they become a little more involved, a little more encouraged to try something new. 

To give credit where credit is due, one person really got things going in Scottsboro. Seven years ago, Richard Matthews took it upon himself to singlehandedly give our beloved Variety Bake Shop a facelift. That one act had more impact than any of us could have imagined. I really believe every single good thing that has happened on our square since, was an indirect result of his willingness to give back to his community.

Payne's Soda Fountain has been a big supporter of Main Street and, in turn, we realize just how important this venerable old business is to our town. They stay open for all of our events, stay open later on some nights and they give it their all. Recently, for Halloween on the Square, every employee dressed '50s style and the energy they gave off was contagious. As a result, the place was bustling and people were waiting in lines to get seated. It was gratifying to see.

One new store owner, Adam Stiles of Back Porch Pickin' took it upon himself to add corn stalks to our light poles. He just did it! Nobody had to ask him. He offered. And our town looked amazing for Halloween on the Square, all because one person cared enough to roll up his sleeves and do something he could do. 

Diane Widgeon, the owner of another new store, Sassy Nana, put beautiful flower pots outside her shop and she keeps them watered, too. They look great!

Recently, Magnolia House has started staying open at night. How exciting that was to all of us hoping for a bustling night life in our district. We applaud Magnolia House for stepping out and hope they are just the first of many businesses who will be giving people a reason to enjoy our downtown after five. 

Since the heart of our town is our historic Courthouse and our City Hall flanks one of our side streets, we will always be a downtown where county and city business takes place. Our attorneys took care of the buildings when all the businesses fled in the 80s and 90s. We are grateful for their help and support and we support them. It makes sense for them to want to be near the courthouse where they conduct a lot of business. But, for the other buildings on the square, which are limited, we wish for retail and restaurants. We want businesses that will make people want to walk around the square and shop, sit outside and enjoy music piped from the clock tower and our wifi and read a book or share a meal. We want to show people that we love our town and why they should love it too. 

So, what can you do? I don't know. What CAN you do? What skills do you have? What kind of resources do you have that could help make Downtown Scottsboro better in some way? Only you can answer that question, but we would more than welcome your help in any way your heart and your gifts lead you. Perhaps you know of a great shop or diner that would be a wonderful fit for our town. Call them and have them call us. We are actively on the lookout for new businesses and will be happy to meet with them. Our City Council appreciates our current businesses and will always support them, but they are also enthusiastic about helping new businesses come to our town. They are eagerly working to help Scottsboro be a place that is welcoming to new businesses.

Downtown Scottsboro would love for you to join us in helping to make Scottsboro the best little town in north Alabama. Contact us and let us know how you would like to help.

Do The Charleston, Chicks!

 

Want a great get-away for your girls? Look no further than Charleston, South Carolina, the Holy City in the Palmetto state. Charleston has a little bit of everything for you and all your girlfriends to enjoy. Let's check the Three Friends and a Fork girls' get-away checklist to see how Charleston stacks up.

Shopping? ✔️

Yes! Head to King Street for some of the best bargains around. There was a cute little hat shop where Julie and Alli found perfect toppers. We made a mad haul at Shoes on King and they even shipped some of our shoes home for us so we didn't have to fit them in our already overpacked car. The Old Whaling Company on Broad Street had all kinds of yummy smelling creams and soaps and candles.There is a city ordinance for mask wearing, so don't forget your masks!

                                             

                              

Dining?  ✔️

Yes, yes, yes! There were so many amazing options, it was hard to choose. We finally settled on

MAGNOLIAS

                              

VIRGINIA'S ON KING

                            

                            

POOGAN'S PORCH

                           

                           

MILLER'S ALL DAY (Try the pink unicorn grits, the sea salt chocolate chip cookie sprinkled with benne seeds, the brown coconut pie and, definitely get your picture made in the photo booth!),         

                      

                      

                         

                      

                        

CAPTAIN WOODY'S in Old Town Bluffton (This was the perfect, laid-back spot for dinner after our tour of Daufuskie.), 

                    

ELI'S TABLE

                      

                        

THE GLASS ONION (Owned and cheffed by an Auburn graduate!)

CALLIES HOT LITTLE BISCUIT (Watch the centers of your cinnamon stickies folks! Some people cannot be trusted!)

                           

They were all amazing, but we were really partial to our breakfast/brunch at Eli's Table where the low country Benedict, yogurt and berries and avocado egg sandwich were big hits, 

                      

and our dinner at The Glass Onion. Try the fried chicken, shrimp and grits and most definitely the French fries!

                            

                                              

                    

History? ✔️                     

Absolutely! Charleston was founded in 1670, so it is older than the country itself. 

                         

The oldest house in Charleston is a cute little Bermudian limestone building built between 1694 and 1712. We didn't actually get a photo of the oldest pink house, we did, however, find another, absolutely perfect little pink house on Tradd St. 

                      

                     

The 13 houses on Rainbow's Row formed the commercial center of the town during the Colonial period. 

                          

                          

Slaves brought to America from the Rice Coast and known as Gullah, not only taught the colonists about rice cultivation, they also taught planter, George Lucas's 16 year old daughter, Eliza Pinkney, how to raise and use indigo for dyeing. Eliza, in turn, started a whole new commercial venture that completely changed agriculture in South Carolina.

                         

                         

                          

The old Slave Mart, where enslaved people were bought and sold is now a museum and the City Market, where the people of Charleston still ply their wares, including traditional pine straw baskets woven on site by the Gullahs of Charleston, and stately old homes along the Battery are from Charleston's antebellum period. 

                            

                          

                            

                             

                            

                          

On April 12, 1861, Citadel cadets opened fire on the USS Star of the West as it entered Charleston harbor and the American Civil War began.

                             

Scenery?  ✔️

Without a doubt! Charleston is full of beautiful architecture surrounded by palmettos, southern magnolias, ancient live oaks and southern lady ferns. Around every corner there is a beautiful building, home, church, street art or a lush garden tucked away in a courtyard. The horse drawn carriages only add to the ambiance.

                             

                           

                              

                             

                             

                              

                           

                           

Literature? ✔️

Many of our favorite writers set their books in Charleston and the surrounding low country. Mary Alice Monroe, Nancy Thayer, Kristin Hannah, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Dorothea Benton Frank, just to name a few. But the one that drew us to take an extra little side trip was the low country's Prince of Scribes, Pat Conroy. This group of former teachers wanted to visit the island and school where Pat Conroy taught. It was, without a doubt, the highlight of our trip. 

                          

                           

Not only did we see the school, we saw original Gullah homes, often painted haint blue to keep bad spirits away,  

                            

                               

and the First Union African Baptist Church, the oldest building on the island, built in 1881 for use by freed slaves.

                            

Side Trips? ✔️

Our trip to Daufuskie Island was so much more than we bargained for. With only 400+ residents, the island is incredibly back to nature. But, oh, those residents! What they lack in numbers, they more than make up for in amazing stories.There is Lancy Burns, the owner and creator of Silver Dew Pottery, who has sailed around the world five times. Lancy's grandfather was the assistant lightkeeper at the Bloody Point Lighthouse (literally a house with a light). He didn't drink, but for some reason decided to start making wine and Silver Dew Winery was born.

                      

                                  

                               

Then there is Chase Allen, who creates works of art out of iron scraps at his Iron Fish Art workshop. He operates his business on an honor system. Drop your check in his jar or if you forgot your check, just leave a note. He'll call you later for your credit card number. He sold a $900 mermaid while we wandered around his yard watching him work and admiring his art. 

                    

                    

We also took a side trip to John's Island to see the amazing Angel Oak which is estimated to be between 400 and 500 years old. It is massive and absolutely beautiful. 

                    

Sullivan's Island was another little detour from Charleston we could not resist. We had all read Dorothea Benton Frank's, Sullivan's Island, so, of course we had to see it in person. It is truly lovely, with many gorgeous homes and beautiful trees dripping with Spanish moss. 

                       

Something Unexpected? ✔️

Everywhere you look there are surprises to be found! 

                               

                              

                            

                             

We had drinks and rested from all the shopping at a cute little pub, called The Blind Tiger and all the candy you want could be found at Savannah's Candy Kitchen near the old city market.

                               

                           

We caught our water taxi to Daufuskie in Old Town Bluffton. What a cute place! We want to go back and see all the shops we missed. The water taxi, itself, was a ton of fun, as was the golf cart ride around Daufuskie.

                            

               

                                   

                                   

                   

                  

                                      

There you go. Trip planned! What are you waiting for? You know you are already going to Carolina in you mind!