Month: June 2014

The last time we were in Charleston, we had lunch at Poogan’s Porch, a fixture of Charleston’s dining scene.  As they put it:
WE BELIEVE IN conversations on porches, Sunday brunch, old Southern dogs, ghosts!, seersucker, biscuits, homemade and handmade, sweet tea, handwritten recipes, friends old and new, great stories, gracious hospitality and our Moms. Not necessarily in that order.

The chairs on the front porch have those nice palm fronds, and on each table, a palmetto rose:

Their biscuits were amazing.  Not with a big delicious crust like the ones I make in my cast iron skillet, these were terrific in their own way — pillowly and light, big but dainty, off a sheet pan:

And this may be some kind of heresy, but they’re much better than the biscuits at Loveless (although the late Carol Fay was a sweetheart), and unlike Loveless, which is known for not giving away any secrets, the kind people at Poogan’s just give their recipe to whoever asks for it.  They put it on a card already printed for guests who ask — and here it is for all the world to see.  Bravo, Poogan’s!  That good karma boomerang is heading right back to you.

We devoured those amazing biscuits that came out first, and rather than order for each person, we ordered ‘for the table’ so we got more as fried chicken sliders:

Macaroni and cheese:

Shrimp and grits:

…and pimento cheese fritters atop green tomato chutney:

So terrific, all of it.  And it will be on our list the next time we’re in CHS.

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A mural of Charleston culinary figures as characters in an interpretation of Renoir’s ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’ now appears next to Poogan’s Porch (and it’s good).  Among those included: Nathalie Dupree, Matt Lee, Sara Clow, Matthew Niessner, Frank McMahon, Frank Lee, Mickey Bakst, Craig Deihl, Charlotte Jenkins, Mike Lata, Robert Stehling, Michelle Weaver, Victor “Goat” Lafayette, Karalee Nielsen Fallert.  One day they may need to add Sean Brock.

Several months ago, we decided to go to a beach we’d never visited before (and cash in some Marriott points) in Hilton Head, South Carolina at the big Marriott Resort there.  Hilton Head was nice, and the beach was great.  The boys were taken immediately with the sand sculpture in the hotel lobby:

Our room was needed some updating, but still, it was fine — and when we’re at the beach the idea is to not be in the room very much, so:

…and we had a balcony with a nice view:

There was an indoor pool which we didn’t try:

but we did go in the outdoor pool, and of course the beach, which was so enjoyable:

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The NYT just did this piece on property in Hilton Head with slideshow, but I think I’ll choose this one.

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It’s pay-what-you-think, at Hilton Head Smoothie Co., from the Island Packet:
“It costs whatever you want,” said store co-owner Marty Crocker.

Looking flummoxed, Spade handed him cash.

“It’s like they were staring into my soul, man,” Spade said after he paid $8 for a strawberry smoothie. “You’d feel guilty if you didn’t (pay). I figured there had to be a catch.”

Several months ago, we were in Savannah and had lunch at Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room, something I’ve wanted to do for so long.  It’s been in business since 1943 as a boardinghouse — and while the lower portion of the structure is the restaurant, upstairs is a condo that can be reserved.

We tried to get there early as the restaurant is known to have a line, and we waited almost an hour — hot but happy…

…and completely worth it (besides, we made some new friends in line, and even more around our table!)

Among the offerings — this restaurant, like Dillard House and many other family-style restaurants just puts everything on the table, and you take what you like — fried Chicken, sausage, meatloaf, cabbage, peas, macaroni and cheese, butter beans, black-eyed peas, rutabaga, squash, rice and gravy, potato salad, baked apples, dressing, greens, biscuits and cornbread, and more:

…’nana puddin’ for dessert!

It was all completely delicious (the fried chicken pieces were small but terrific) and was a great experience.  Loved the boys having the experience of making fast friends with people from all over the country.   There are worlds of other fantastic options in Savannah, but on our upcoming trips I think we will always make the effort to come here again.  Yes, yes.

The Pensacola Museum of Art is hosting LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya’s ‘The Art of the Brick‘ exhibit, now through August 8.  The actual building is from 1906 and used to serve as the city jail, and the structure hasn’t been renovated to such an extent that it’s lost at all to the guest:

Their permanent collection includes works by Calder, Warhol, Picasso, and more — I was really happy to see these three Clementine Hunters (below), but you really want to visit when there’s a good exhibit going on.

We enjoyed the exhibit and appreciated that there was space adjacent to the exhibit gallery that had worktables and LEGOs for children and adults to make their own creations.

Nathan Sawaya’s site lists his current and upcoming exhibits.