charleston: part i

We're back!  I had an amazing time exploring Charleston this past week.  Not only was the weather deliciously warm — it was "room temperature" whether you were in a room or not — but the minute our plane landed, we felt like we had splashed our way into a bath of color.  Coming from months of cold, gray days in Vermont, we practically drank in the city's rainbow of buildings and flora.  I mean, the grass was green, people!  I had forgotten what that looked like.

Anyway, unabashed tourists that we are, we took an astounding number of photos chronicling our adventures, from paddling around in alligator-laden swamps at Cypress Gardens (easily the most serene place I've ever visited) to hearing our friend's band play at a dive bar to cavorting around the city and downing drinks with four retirees on an awkward but hilarious pub tour ... and much more.

Oh, and can we talk about the food??  Gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce at Pane e Vino, a ridiculously decadent caramel sea salt brownie from Baked, the best biscuit I ever ate (not to mention amazing buttermilk-fried chicken and mashed potatoes) at Poogan's Porch, and — yes — I had my first Whole Foods experience.  It was all delicious.  The only thing I didn't quite "get" were the collard greens ... true sign of a northerner, I guess.

I'll be posting more photos over the next few days. For starters, though, here's a look around downtown.