Roamin' Catholics: Strolling around the Holy City

Post title is Izzy's suggestion.


Fun with silhouettes and backgrounds. Viewed from Calhoun Park.

I worked a flu shot clinic in Charleston on Friday. Izzy had a half-day of teaching, and wanted to do some serious backroads riding after school. As I was leaving Thursday night, he suggested that I consider not heading back here after the clinic -- he'd ride towards the Low Country and we'd meet for dinner in Charleston.

I threw a nice frock and shawl into the overnight bag. Sadly, not the nice shoes, but that turned out to be fortuitous.

After the clinic, I went back to the hotel where I'd spend the night before, and changed into said frock. Discovered lack of fine dining shoes. Oh dear, I'm stuck with the sneakers I'd worn to observe/document the clinic. Decided (1) not to stress and (2) not to go shoe shopping, despite being next door to an outlet mall. (What was wrong with me?)

Izzy arrived, I donned my helmet, and rode with him downtown. It's usually easier to find bike parking than to find car parking. Yes, rode in the nice frock.

Dinner at Bocci's. Lovely, perfectly proportioned, and even better now that restaurants are non-smoking.


Grilled beef tenderloin with rosemary, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomato demi with herbed risotto and sautéed spinach.


Artichoke hearts stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, lightly fried, atop a bed of mixed greens with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette

After dinner, we headed up to a gelateria we'd heard about. Paolo is from Italy (his other store is in Atlanta) and typically makes only eight flavors of gelato each day (marvel at the full list). We were glad to see his business busy (it was Citadel Parents' Weekend), and Planet Smoothie less so. It's nice when people appreciate small businesses and good quality.


Cute gelato patron.


Door handle.


Raspberry, under incandescent lights. Hard to adjust the color, but Izzy reports it tasted very good.

I hadn't expected to have anything to eat there. I looked in the case and saw lots of forbidden foods. I mentioned to Paolo that I had been so pleased to find sugar-free, soy-based gelato in Italy. He pointed me to a sign--turns out this particular concoction IS available -- you just have to be willing to overcome its intended audience.


Yes, I ate some. Not bad.

We strolled back towards Broad, window-shopping and enjoying the lovely weather. All told, I walked about three miles yesterday, two of them after dinner. Good thing I hadn't gone out and spent $$ on new shoes.




Bookstore's guard kitty, wishing we would go away.


Click to see the price. Those must be "diamonds on the [tops] of her shoes."


Lovely frock -- where to wear it?


Landmark shot.


St. Michael's, at the "Four Corners of Law" on Broad Street.

Home late last night, pictures up this evening.