Food - Restaurant - Charleston - South Carolina /  by Dave Hileman

Today we feature Cru Cafe, a well regarded restaurant in downtown Charleston. You can read about it here: http://crucafe.com

Our experience lived up to the reputation. Jill and I went for dinner after a full day of walking and sightseeing around the town. The building is not pretentious, in fact, it is a bit underwhleming, until you enter. There you see gleaming tables, nice decor, fresh flowers, a really nice space. The menu was limited but we still had several choices that appealed to us. Jill ended up with a most unique chicken dish, Poblano and Mozzarella Fried Chicken that looked a bit like Cordon Blue. She enjoyed her choice and swooped just a bit over the Potato Gratin that came with her dinner. I had an eclectic seafood dish, Thai Seafood Risotto, that was well presented and tasted even better - a gem. We planned on a Jeni's ice cream a bit later in the evening so we did not sample a dessert at Cru. It is an excellent choice in a city full of delicious options, well recommended.

Boating on the Tennessee /  by Dave Hileman

Friends Jim and Leann took Jill and I out on their boat for a short ride one beautiful summer evening. It was peaceful and relaxing as the sun set and the rhythm of the water lapping along the boat soothed all the other sounds. And there were Osprey. Several Osprey. What a treat. We have not seen a bird on TLT for too long so, enjoy.

Yes I know this is not part four of the low country for Reasons!

Please note the photo that is not an Osprey is of Moby, the admiral for the trip.

The Low Country .3 /  by Dave Hileman

Charleston is a town of beautiful well-known homes like those on the battery or Rainbow Row and I have a lot of those photos but the last time Jill and I walked quiet streets away from the main tourist spots and I took these shots of homes not usually pictured.

The Low Country .2 /  by Dave Hileman

The Hobcaw Barony - that is the real name, was a land great made by the King of England in the early 18th century to a man who never came to North America. He was granted tens of thousands of acres. What is left was a joining of several rice plantations along the coast of South Carolina near Georgetown. In the early 1900’s a financier, Bernard Baruch, purchased several thousand acres and built a home on a creek to use as a winter retreat. Baruch advised Presidents from Wilson to Truman and was personal friends with Winston Churchill. FDR was secreted away from Washington is the later years of WWII for enforced rest. We were able to tour the home Baruch built and where he entertained both Churchill and Roosevelt. When we arrived - it is a long tour of the whole property - yesterday’s photos were also of our tour, the guide said there was a bathroom here. The bathroom quickly got a line and she told me to go use the one in the bedroom. It is the one for the guest bedroom and it is just like it was in the 1930’s. So FDR and Winston and I shared, well, you get the picture. This was a very interesting place and well worth the 3 hour tour. A hidden gem in Georgetown’s Low Country.

Want to read more? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Baruch

The Roosevelt / Churchill guest room. Also used by many other rather famous people.

Check out the sign on the way to Georgetown.

The Low Country /  by Dave Hileman

The coastal area around Charleston is known as the “Low Country.” Jill and I spent a week here on the second half of our honeymoon, so this week’s theme is from our trip and possibly a few other times that the Low Country has been the destination,.

One thing that is certain if it is summer (or spring or fall) it is hot and usually humid - it certainly was true on the second full week of August. That is just part of the reality of living in Charleston yet the benefits are lovely: history, scenery, ocean, marsh, charm, marvelous food and lots more. We had a great time and love the area, hope this week encourages you to take a trip to the Low Country..

Today the photos are from the Hubcaw Barony - story tomorrow plus….

…. when you find out how I shared a bathroom with FDR and Winston Churchill. Really.

I had to take this through the windshield of the van we were in, hence the mirror shadow. But it was so neat. This is the original King’s Highway and along it rode, Lafayette to meet George Washington, The Swamp Fox, F. Marion as he harassed the British, Cornwallis on his march to the infamy of the surrender at Yorktown and so much more. It would be Route 17 today if not for an influential man who did not want a highway across his land. More later on that story.

Church and house in what was an enslaved people’s village

A vital weather station along the tidal marsh

A Different Post /  by Dave Hileman

Today is one year removed from CIndy’s last morning. And my worst day ever. This photo is one of many where she was most happy - with one or all of her grandkids. This photo from 2008 is EB as a baby and Cindy’s delight in her curiosity. Cindy would be so proud of her children and her grandchildren a year later, they are all doing well, achieving and living in the context of church. We all miss her greatly.

My life took unexpected, wonderful turns and has so changed in the last year that it is hard to imagine. And Jill is a blessing every day. I am so grateful for such a compassionate and loving partner who knows how to bless and comfort when tears come.

Solitary .4 /  by Dave Hileman

Yes, I know this is very familiar - look at Monday’s post. However it is about 5 minutes apart. The dog continued down the beach and this fellow riding his bike came to an impasse with the inlet. It looks very shallow but there was an 10/12 inch crease filled with the water and the sides were quite soft. He was trying to decide if he could ride or push across or go back. A solitary moment.

Solitary .2 /  by Dave Hileman

This was an enslaved person’s home from near the end of the Civil War and later it was lived in, by choice, well into the 20th century by a single woman who did not want any improvements made to her home. Located on old sugar cane plantations a short distance from Georgetown, SC and owned in the early 1900’s by Bernard Baruch a financier and advisor to presidents and personal friend of Winston Churchill. More on that next week.

Food - Picnic -Friends /  by Dave Hileman

From time to time I will share here on the Food Saturday’s not ice cream or restaurants but some home meals and today, a picnic we had at some dear friends over Labor Day. This was held at the home of Jean Burkhart who was my honorary “mother” at the wedding last month. Jean is not able to get about as well as she once was so the picnic was indoors at her lovely home. A much preferred picnic venue because of the lack of bugs! I don’t like bugs! But the food was pure spectacular picnic fare. And we had wonderful home-churned strawberry ice cream, too. What a nice way to celebrate a holiday: great food, great friends and joyful conversations. You are permitted to drool:)

Tea Week .3 /  by Dave Hileman

An afternoon tea at home. Jill celebrated a birthday a short time ago and I served her an afternoon tea in the style (sort of) that we enjoyed at Waveland in Kentucky (Monday’s post). I brewed two teas from Elmwood Inn (yesterday’s post) along with an assortment of small bites on nice china. Not to worry, I bought most of the “small bites” at the food bar at Whole Foods so it was all safe and fun. A lovely afternoon experience with a touch of elegance..

Our first tea was Paris Afternoon and the second, Chocolate Mint, both are black teas. At the Elmwood Inn store we also had a short lesson on proper tea brewing and I bought a neat electric kettle from Cuisinart, a GK-1 Digital Goose Neck Kettle. It was at that point offered at half price which was nice but the neat thing is the you can set the temperature between 140 and 212 and when it reaches the temperature it will then hold it there for 30 minutes. And it is fast.

Tea Week .2 /  by Dave Hileman

The tea we had at the mansion - yesterday’s post - was provided by a tea company just a short distance from Lexington in Danville, KY. So we thought we would visit. Turned out to be much more than we expected. The town intself is historic with beautiful old homes, Center College, and a great heritage, for example, this is where the Kentucky Constitution was signed.

The tea company, Elmwood Inn, was also much more than we expected. It was there we met Bruce, the proprietor, and, in keeping with our emerging theme, so much more than one would expect. Bruce is an encyclopedia of tea knowledge but that is not just our newly formed opinion, it is seen in his many books on the subject and his speaking about tea that takes him around the world, Bruce’s tea shop was the first in the US to be designated by the English Tea Association. His expertise in blending teas is sought out across the globe and he is known for his designer teas. One example was his blend to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party in 2023. He has designed teas for royalty, famous restaurants and many special occasions. We chatted with him and had an informative tour of the little shop that is adjacent to the shipping and production end of his business. We also enjoyed a tasting of two distinct teas. We did, naturally, purchase three cans of tea, Paris Afternoon, Paris Morning and Chocolate Mint. They are in small cans with a sealed reusable lid and will keep the tea fresh for a long while. There is a lot of tea in each container as well so very well-priced. Jill also bought a book - that Bruce autographed with lots of afternoon tea menus, ideas and recipes. Danville and the Elmwood Inn Tea Company turned out to be a delightful afternoon stop.

More information here: https://www.elmwoodinn.com

A suffragette reproduction tea service - I think Rusty and Dennis were opposed to this measure?

Tea Week /  by Dave Hileman

From the 1925 Broadway show, “No, No Nanette” comes a song with a chorus that goes:

Picture you, Upon my knee

Just tea for two, And two for tea

Just me for you, And you for me

Alone

Welcome to Tea Week on Two Lane Touring. Jill enjoys tea and we often have afternoon tea. That was the theme of our reception as well, Afternoon Tea. Photos from which will be included on Thursday’s post. On our honeymoon I made a reservation for an afternoon tea (no dummy here!) at the historic Waveland Estate near Lexington, KY. The home was built by the grandnephew of Daniel Boone in 1848 and is now a state historic site. We were there for their “Tea Tuesday” with our several hosts in period costume. There were two teas served and the story behind them is tomorrow’s post. The first tea was a darjeeling and the second was a mint dessert tea. And three courses of small bites like chicken salad on a croissant, tiny quiche, ham biscuit, and four desserts on the last plate. They even accommodated my “no cheese mandate.” After the tea we had a guided tour of the house and then walked the grounds and gardens. Nice afternoon.

Food - Restaurant - Kennett Square - Pennsylvania /  by Dave Hileman

Kellett Square is a pleasant town located in Southeast Pennsylvania near the Delaware boarder. The famous Longwood Gardens is located just a mile to so away thus there are lots of restaurant choices and shops on the charming main street. Jill and I were engaged the day that we ate at Portabello’s so my usual brilliant, insightful, and completely accurate perspective “might” be flawed. Our engagement celebration was magical and the restaurant added to the nice day with a fabulous meal. The upscale atmosphere with linens and soft lighting were lovely. The dark apricot walls showcased many local artists. The chef owned restaurant serves contemporary American cuisine and the menu features several mushroom choices as they are in the midst of many mushroom farms. Jill had a mushroom risotto while I stayed with the seafood choice that was brimming with wild shrimp, clams, PEI mussels, calamari, and cooked with Pinot Grigio and Linguini. As a bonus Jill’s daughter and her husband had arranged with the restaurant for a slice of amazing cake for us. I found the food exceptional and if you are looking for a great meal and all flowered-out from Longwood Gardens, try Portabellos. And if you just got engaged it is a the superior choice.

National Park Service Week .4: Lake Clark National Park, Alaska /  by Dave Hileman

Lake Clark was all about bears. We saw 13 that afternoon. Tom Light and I flew from Homer, AK, in a sea plane (which was super cool all by itself) to vast salt water “flats” at the southern edge of Lake Clark. There is no access to this National Park except by plane or boat. The plane landed at a basecamp where we transferred to an airboat, like you see in the Florida Everglades. In fact this one was made in Florida and when we were at Lake Clark it was one of only two airboats in Alaska. The airboat sat two rows of 5 each and Tom and I were on the front. The operator would skim over the water and then cut the engine to wait as he knew the bears’ patterns and we would sit quietly as they approached. Not quite the thrill of Katmai National Park where we walked among the bears but close. A highlight for me was the young cub, six months old, with his mom. He was chasing birds and captured a large stick that he played with for 15 minutes. Also at one point another bear charged our boat but stopped - as the guide said he would - about 30 feet away. Still a bit of excitement for sure. We watched three of them move toward us but one caught a fish and ate it less than 25 feet from the boat. I also spotted three new birds for my life list and that was cool as well. We were in the airboat for about 2 hours and it took nearly an hour each way in the air from Homer. Note the photo of the old, rusty crane. There is a lot of abandoned equipment in Alaska because it is too expensive to remove it and the mud will slowly engulf the whole machine.

Great experience and worth the steep price.

This last photo is what many of the memories of Alaska represent. Bears, we saw about 35 grizzlies, mountains, water and small planes. A wonderland.