First things first: I love Charleston. As in, if I didn’t love New England so much I would move here in a heartbeat. Also, it’s hot here. And not just regular old hot (it was actually hotter temperature-wise at home yesterday), but “walk out the door and you’re already drenched in sweat” hot. So I suppose humid is the better word for it.
I first fell in love with Charleston, South Carolina about 16 years ago when I took a road trip to visit my family at their new home in Florida. I spent a couple of days in Charleston on the way home, and it immediately captured my heart. The laid-back lifestyle, the quaint Charleston single homes with gas lamps beside the front door, and the genuine southern charm have brought me back several times since that first visit. It has been about 5 or 6 years since I was last here, and as soon as I stepped off the plane I wondered why I didn’t make it back sooner. It’s hard to believe that just a short 2 hour flight can transport you to such a completely different part of the country.
First item on the agenda this morning: breakfast at Rooster in downtown St. Louis. Given that one of its breakfasts was named by Food Network as the best breakfast in Missouri, it had to be on the list. The Finnish pancake I ordered was interesting… a custard pancake with jam and syrup. It’s probably not something I would order again, but it was good. Unfortunately, the restaurant had a pervasive smell of grease, and I realized after I left that every piece of clothing I was wearing smelled like bacon.
You’re probably wondering why I picked St. Louis for my latest weekend escape. I’ve been a huge gymnastics fan all my life, and for the past several years I’ve been following NCAA gymnastics pretty closely. When I found out that the 2018 SEC Gymnastics Championship was being held in St. Louis, it quickly got added to my “year of travel”. Plus, I’ve only ever passed through the St. Louis airport, so it was a good excuse to explore a new city. I wasn’t sure I was going to do any blogging this weekend because I didn’t think I’d have much to write about. As it turns out, St. Louis has some pretty amazing food. So if you’re hungry (or even if you’re not), prepare to salivate.
Homemade Pop-Tarts. I’ll just leave that there for a minute. If you’re wondering why I’m bringing it up, well… I may have indulged in one with my breakfast this morning. Ted’s Bulletin is basically a D.C. area institution. Picture an old-timey, throwback diner-ish place tucked into a nondescript block of Capitol Hill and you’ll have Ted’s (they also have a couple of other locations). The back dining room even has a large screen showing old black and white movies! Well-known for these delectable treats, Ted’s also serves down home comfort food. In addition to a blueberry cheesecake Pop-Tart, I also had the biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs and hash browns. So good, this place deserves two photos in today’s blog post!
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I was a trouper today. I’m proud to say the cold and miles and miles of walking (I walked about 6 miles today) didn’t keep me from tackling the city head-on. I thought I might just take my time and eat breakfast at the hotel restaurant, but I woke up with a new resolve to be a cold-weather person for the day. It was 15 degrees when I set out from the hotel for the ¾ mile walk to Founding Farmers. Their latest claim to fame is boasting the most Yelp reviews in D.C. And deservedly so… I had a French toast that was basically like a deep fried Twinkie. I kid you not, they literally pipe the custard inside the bread. I know, I couldn’t believe it either. I was simultaneously thinking, “this is amazing” and “how did they come up with this?” the entire meal. Anyway, I obviously had a lot to burn off after that feast (which I couldn’t even finish).
Lavender hot chocolate, anyone? Yep, that’s how I started my first morning in D.C. Of course, the weather forecast earlier this week was calling for mid-50s today; the reality was 35 degrees and plenty of wind. I hate the cold. I gamely made it through my weekend in NYC in November because it was the first really brutal cold of the season. It’s now 2 months later, and I’ve had my share of cold for the winter. First stop of the day: Open City D.C. for the aforementioned lavender hot chocolate and a stuffed French toast breakfast. Open City is kind of a loft-style diner that manages to be both open and cozy and was only a few blocks from my destination: the National Zoo. A great way to start the day!
Continuing (or “officially beginning”) the “Year of Travel”, this weekend I’m hitting up our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. I’ve been to D.C. several times, so there’s no pressure to see and do everything in three short days. D.C. is close enough for an easy long weekend trip, yet far enough away to feel like a mini-vacation.
First, the two highlights of the day…
Clinton Street Baking Company: So I gave in and actually waited until 9AM for breakfast this morning, and stood outside in the cold for 30 minutes, all to have what have been called the “best pancakes in New York City”. Since they are also the only pancakes I’ve had here, they lived up to their reputation. They were also some of the best pancakes I’ve had anywhere. With my sweet tooth for breakfast, that’s saying a lot. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy inside. And they were served with… wait for it… maple butter syrup. I had mine with blueberries, which not only had blueberries baked in but also had a hearty ladleful of blueberry compote on top. Scrumptious!
I’m just going to stick to the highlights today:
The Met Cloisters: The Cloisters has been on my NYC bucket list since I first saw pictures of it a few years ago. The reconstructed cloisters were originally from French monasteries and abbeys. The museum contains hundreds of decorative arts and sculptures from medieval Europe. It was one of those places where a picture can never do it justice. I stopped several times to just sit and enjoy the surroundings. If you want to feel like you’re in Europe right in New York City, this is the place. It was definitely a highlight of not just the day, but the whole trip, and well worth the 30 minute subway ride and walk across Fort Tyron Park to get to.
Traveling with Laura 