Lost in the Garden of Eden

On a whim, I went back down to Charleston on Friday to see my friend Jennifer and her son Eden. He is 7 months old and pretty much a butter ball with a smile that will melt the coldest of hearts. Anyway, it was great. I met Jen at Fast and French, on Broad Street between King and Meeting streets. Jen worked there many years ago when she lived in Charleston and she is still very close with the owners. We enjoyed a garden salad and the cheese and pate plate. Tout a fait parfait (insert accents where appropriate).

Then we strolled over to the battery, relaxed in the mid afternoon sun and giggled at the baby.

After that it seemed appropriate to go back to Fast and French for a coffee and some chocolate mousse cake. Jen's friend Melanie came to meet us too. Melanie's husband, Chris Crowley is the owner/operator of Coastal Expeditions, a sea kayaking outfit focused on preservation and environmental education. Going out on the water with them is a truely fantastic experience. Jen and Jason just moved down from NYC to take over one of Chris' other endeavors, Carolina Heritage, a canoeing on the Edisto River and they also have treehouses that you can sleep in. I'll be down there next weekend so I'll add some pictures.

Once we finished our coffee and dessert, we headed over to the City Gallery at Waterfront Park to the opening of "The Changing face of Charleston" Exhibition. The owners of Fast and French, Gwylene and Jean-Marie, had a couple of pieces in the show. Jen and Melanie saw many familiar faces and there were even a few people that I knew as well. It was a great exhibit and I was reminded why openings are so great, free appetizers, free wine and some interesting art and people. I'll be sure find good gallerys in Beijing.

The next morning was spent relaxing over coffee:

I stopped at Traci's house for lunch on my way back out of town. Pictures of the Magnus clan will soon be put in the mix.