Where to Eat: Tommy Condon's, Charleston, S.C.

While in Charleston we relied on coupons to help scope out and select places to eat.

During our rainy walk around the historic district of Charleston we stopped in at Tommy Condon's, an Irish pub at 160 Church St. Since we ate there for lunch we got $3 off an entree. If we'd ate there for supper, it would have been $5 off.

Right now, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau has a coupon to the restaurant for buy one entree, get another free.

For lunch, Chris got fish and chips and I got shrimp and grits, a dish you should try anytime you're in or near the Low Country (or here). We also shared a cup of She-Crab soup, another Low Country dish that I wanted to eat before leaving the coast.

Mmmm ... she-crap soup with some sherry! A perfect way to begin the meal.

Shrimp and Grits, which included tomatoes, ham and green onions. I've never had shrimp and grits with tomatoes before, so that was a welcome surprise.

Chris' delicious lunch of fish 'n chips. It wasn't even greasy. Not in the slightest!
Fun Fact: This is the only type of seafood Chris will eat.

Tommy Condon's should be your go-to place for a quick bite if you're walking the Museum Mile or exploring historic Charleston. There are other restaurants in the area, most within walking distance, so be sure to check them out, too.

Where to Eat: Mitchie Tavern, Charlottesville, Va.

In Charlottesville, we grabbed a bite to eat at historic Mitchie Tavern, located below the hill from Monticello. It serves an all-you-can-eat buffet of an 18th century fare.

Dressed in period clothing, waitresses brought out more food as you requested it. Though a bit pricey at $16, I think it's worth it. The food was spectacular! We ate chicken, black-eyed peas, stewed tomatoes, green beans and roast potatoes.

While there, we also checked out the shops on the property. Here's the metal smith shop where you can buy many different things:

This woman told us about the courting candle. When a young man comes to call on a young lady, the father would set out the courting candle. The father could make the candle longer or short depending on which way he turned the candle's knob.
If he liked the young man, he turned the candle up; if he didn't, there wasn't much candle to burn before the young man would have to leave. Once the candle burned down to the first coil, it was time for a young man to leave.

Church Hill, Richmond, Va.

Probably my most favorite neighborhood in Richmond was Church Hill. We spent a lot of time walking around Libby Hill Park and the streets, checking out the historic homes.

This neighborhood is one of the earliest incorporated areas of the city. It's on a hill that overlooks the James River, downtown and other neighborhoods.

I would love to live in this neighborhood! It's just so quaint, especially with the Italianate houses, which you know I love. :)

Check out this streetscape. So wonderful! I love it.

Check out this sunset.

The statue was erected in 1894 for Confederate soldiers and sailors. It's at Libby Hill Park, where we saw several kids biking and dogs fetching early in the evening.

We also saw a Segway Tour pass through. The people stopped to check out the view below. The Segway Tours take people to various historic and interesting sites throughout the city. We thought about taking the tour, but opted to explore areas on our own.

Here's a link to the site for the Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods and one to Church Hill's own news website. These are good sites to learn more about the history of the neighborhood and what's currently happening in the area.

Below the hill, is Shockoe Bottom. We parked at Libby Hill Park one morning and walked down the hill to eat breakfast/brunch at Poe's Pub. Chris and I both ordered frittatas, which may sound like a light breakfast, but it wasn't! Both plates were loaded with eggs, cheese, sauce and veggies. We could have easily shared one between the both of us. 

This pub would be a great place to grab a bite to eat or a drink with some friends. The pub hosts several bands throughout the month, from rock and blues to R&B and country.

If we lived in Church Hill, I could imagine us walking down to the pub often during the week.

Where to Eat: Sette, Richmond, Va.

Our first night in Richmond, Chris and I grabbed a bite to eat at Sette, a pizza joint on N. 23rd Street.

The restaurant is a small, intimate place with colorful, abstract artwork on the walls. Staff was prompt and cordial.

The table for two we sat at was sort of small, but big enough to hold one pie.

We ordered the Church Hill, which has pepperoni, roasted red peppers and mushrooms on a tomato sauce. It was so tasty! Take a look:

We had three pieces each and finished if up so we didn't have to worry taking it back to the hotel. Not that we could stop eating it anyway! It was that good. :)

I sprinkled black pepper on my slices and Chris used parm cheese. There was plenty of sauce and cheese and all the flavors melded together beautifully. Nothing was burnt. Nothing overpowered everything else. Everything was in harmony and so was our tummies!

For dessert we shared tiramisu. Not really anything to write home about, but I find it hard to screw up tiramisu. It was a generous helping and one was enough for both of us. A nice ending to a wonderful meal.

We were tempted to go back another night, but we were only in Richmond for a short weekend and wanted to sample other local fare.

If we visit Richmond again, Sette will have to be the first food stop! Other pizzas I want to try are:

* Arugula: white sauce, arugula, roasted red peppers, goat cheese and basil

* The Greek: balsamic glaze, kalamata olives, merquez sausage, artichokes, grape tomatoes and feta

* The Florentine: white sauce, baby spinach and goat cheese

* Herbivore: white sauce, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, artichokes, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized fennel and onions with mozzarella

* Wild Mushroom: tomato sauce with a blend of wild mushrooms

I count at least 5 more visits and I didn't even glance at the appetizer or salad menus!

Where to shop: Main Street, Abindon, Va.

We went to Abingon, Va., last Saturday to walk the Virginia Creeper Trail. While we were there, we also checked out Main Street and some local businesses.

First off, we ate a quick lunch at the famous Martha Washington Hotel and Spa's Market Deli (there's two links: hotel and the deli). This hotel is gorgeously decorated and would be a very pleasant place to stay. I'd love to check out a cabaret and get a massage at the spa.

Chris had a reuben with chips and I had 1/2 a turkey sandwich with Italian Wedding soup and chips. Very delicious.

After the walk, we stopped by A Likely Yarn, a local yarn shop on Pecan Street just below the Creeper's trail head.

The business is one of the largest, locally-owned stores I'd been in. A knitting class was taking place in a small room to the left as we walked in and several ladies were browsing books and yarn in the large shop area to the right.

There was a large collection of books, a lot separated by category, such as socks, crochet or knitting. There was also a rack that had "Handknit Heros," a comic book of needle welding crime fighters.

I was very impressed with the large selection of crochet and knitting books at A Likely Yarn.

The yarn selection was pretty nice too. Prices were comparable to other shops I'd been in and there was a wide variety of brands.

I think I just about picked up every skein of yarn along this wall.

I signed up for the shop's e-newsletters and the lady tending the shop told me about an upcoming retreat in February.

Next we walked around Main Street and stopped in several antique shops, including Abingdon Mercantile and Frames. We were on the hunt for Rookwood Pottery (Chris' parents collect it) and a dress form (I want one so much!).

We also stopped at The Arts Depot to check out some artists' studios. I really liked some fabric hats and paintings, such as those by Jackie Dolpp and Joyce Samuel. The artists' collaborative is a one block off Main Street on Depot Square.

Before heading home, we grabbed coffee at Zazzy'z Coffee House.



While in Abingdon, you should also check out  Barter Theater, A House on Main, The Tavern, and other antique, clothing and gift shops along Main Street.

Evansville, Indiana

As you read this, we're probably settled in for Christmas with Chris' family in Evansville, In. We usually head to Cincinnati for a while too, but not this year. Since we visited family in Ohio in August, we're not going to stop by this year.

Here's some photos from November 2007 that I snapped on my first trip to Evansville and my first trip, ever, to a state that wasn't on the East Coast! Make sure to read the cutlines, I'll explain the photo and posts links.

The city's greenway, which runs along the Ohio River.

The Four Freedoms, a monument along the greenway, facing the Ohio.

University of Southern Indiana. My father-in-law tutors there.

The old courthouse, built in the late 1800s.

The old jail, located across the street from the old courthouse. It was also built in the late 1800s.

An old art deco Greyhound bus station 

The Gerst Bavarian Haus, a German restaurant, is my favorite place to eat in Evansville, with Emge's Deli a close second! (Ignore the crazy man running at the camera.) There's also Turoni's Pizza, which is a favorite for the locals.

We also visited the Evansville African American Museum. It was fabulous! I was very impressed and loved all the detailed and interactive exhibits.

I have yet to visit the Angel Mounds -- another Native American burial ground. I've been told that the mound is usually operating on off-season hours when we're there, so we haven't been.

In a later post, I'll share photos from the Mesker Park Zoo, a small zoo in Chris' hometown. We've already visited it a couple of times together. It recently added a rain forest exhibit and I must go check that out!

Have a very merry Christmas and talk with you soon!