Charleston is a very photogenic city, from the Arthur Ravenal Jr. Bridge we had to cross (and recross) when we got here . . .

. . . to the multitude of intriguing little alleys, like these . . .

. . . and these . . .

Lots of brick–which I love–and even cobblestones on some streets. And of course now it’s all decorated for Christmas. So even though most of the trees still have green leaves on them, and there are palm trees everywhere, there’s a gaslight glow to everything–which, okay, is probably here all year, but it goes really well with all the poinsettias and red ribbons and ornaments.

Then there’s the food. There’s a reason you always hear about southern cooking. We stopped in here early Friday evening a week ago . . .

. . . originally just for a glass of wine, but the aroma of BBQ was so enchanting, we decided to stay and eat. A local specialty is She-Crab Soup, so we each started with a cup of that. Words fail me. Maybe it was the combination of the wine and the ambiance of the roaring wood fire combined with the transporting redolence of barbecue, or maybe just the drizzle of sherry on top, but it was so amazingly delicious, we  were actually startled. What? Seriously. YUM. Then Shrimp & Grits for David and Famous Smoked BBQ Chicken Brick Oven Pizza for me, most of which we took home. A little too much southern deliciousness for one meal.

Then we wandered a bit more, happening upon the French Quarter Friday Night Art Walk, which was fortunate, as it only happens four times a year. Lots of great art, plus free food and wine, but of course, we had already eaten. Oops. So maybe not so fortunate, since we didn’t need the food and wine and the galleries were more crowded than usual, but there was a fun festive atmosphere everywhere.

Charleston and the Low Country seem to bring out the creative side of people, for me primarily with photography at the moment. I’ve taken so many photos, you should probably prepare yourself for a few more frequent posts while I get caught up. We’re definitely NOT sitting in the condo. We’ve been out and about having all kinds of adventures.

Hope you are too!