Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 20

Things to Do: pottery, moonshine, and ice cream; Edgefield, South Carolina

EDGEFIELD

This modest town with a formal square is located about 3 hours northwest of Charleston and is home to the headquarters for the National Wild Turkey Federation .  It is also home to the largest peach grower outside of California, Titan Farms .  And in 1997 it was transformed into the fictional town of Edgefield, Massachusetts in the Disney movie “That Darn Cat.”  Nowadays, the area is making culinary waves at nearby Juniper restaurant in Ridge Spring.

Old Edgefield Pottery  230 Simkins St., (803) 634-1634.  Thur-Sat 10am-4pm.  Master potter Justin Guy works here making the town’s namesake pottery, which range in color from olive green to pumpkin brown.  The fine stoneware style dates to the early 1800 and is highly collectible.  Several pieces are in the Smithsonian.  A tour and demonstration can be scheduled during which you’ll learn the history of one of South Carolina’s most memorable art forms (the others being Catawba Indian pottery and sweetgrass baskets).  At other times you can view an informal collection of pots--a sort of small museum--that Guy uses for inspiration.  “I love the pots,” he says.  “They all tell stories.”

Master Potter Justin Guy in front of historic pottery collection in Old Edgefield Pottery in Edgefield, South Carolina

face jugs from Africa at Old Edgefield Pottery in Edgefield, South Carolina

Edgefield General Store   102 Courthouse Square, (803) 637-3100.  Tu-Sat 10am-6pm.  Just around the corner from the pottery shop, this old fashioned general store has its original soda fountain and serves up hand-dipped ice cream.  I chose butter pecan.

ice cream sample at Edgefield General Store in Edgefield, South Carolina

Carolina Moon Distillery   116 Courthouse Square, (609) 510-7465.  Tu-Sat 11am-5pm.  $3/taste.  Must be age 21+.  Step inside here to sample some of South Carolina’s famous moonshine, which nowadays is totally legal, still local, and handcrafted.  In fact, this shop is located just across from the county courthouse.  Here they use local corn and other fresh produce--even the area’s famous peaches--to make memorable 100% corn moonshine whiskeys, bourbons, vodkas, and rums.  You can see the stills and sample the wares, including blends--don’t miss trying the smooth Rabbit Spit (116-proof moonshine that is “mean enough to make a rabbit spit in a bulldog’s face”) and blackberry moonshine, which is particularly popular because it is good in lemonade.  Production takes place both upstairs--known as the “fun level,” where the stills are--and in the dank dark downstairs, where the mashing, which entails enzymes and yeast and fermentation, is done “low and slow.”  They use old recipes in what is described as a “pretty primitive process,” and use an old-time pot still.  “There’s nothing new with what we do,” says owner David Long.   “We got into this business because we like to weld and build stuff.” 
still tour with David Long at Carolina Moon Distillery in Edgefield, South Carolina

David Long in packing area at Carolina Moon Distillery in Edgefield, South Carolina

peach moonshine in Mason jar at Carolina Moon Distillery in Edgefield, South Carolina

Rabbit Spit moonshine at Carolina Moon Distillery in Edgefield, South Carolina

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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Great Sleeps + Good Eats: Wentworth Mansion+Circa 1886, Charleston, South Carolina

Wentworth Mansion   149 Wentworth St., in Historic District, (843) 853-1886.  21 rooms.  Restaurant; full breakfast; afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres; evening port, sherry, and brandy.  Complimentary access to a nearby athletic club; health spa.  Pets ok.  What do Reese Witherspoon and Diana Ross have in common?  They both have stayed in this spectacular historic mansion!  Situated in a neighborhood in the downtown historic district, this splendid lodging features large guest rooms with 14 ½-foot-ceilings and Italian crystal chandeliers, plus luxury amenities such as oversize whirlpool bathtubs, nighty turndown with housemade chocolates, and triple-sheeted beds.  A special treat is the 360-degree view of the city available from the mansion-topping cupola.

exterior of Wentworth Mansion lodging in Charleston, South Carolina

love seat in Wentworth Mansion lodging in Charleston, South Carolina

guest room in Wentworth Mansion lodging in Charleston, South Carolina

guest bathroom in Wentworth Mansion lodging in Charleston, South Carolina

"do not disturb" door hanger Wentworth Mansion lodging in Charleston, South Carolina

Circa 1886   149 Wentworth St., Harleston Village, (843) 853-7828.  Considered by many to be the best restaurant in Charleston, this sophisticated and charming restaurant is in the former carriage house that is behind the stately Wentworth Mansion inn.  It is romantic to the core, and food is inventive and service superb.  The chef often sends out an amuse bouche to get things started--perhaps a pureed green soup.  Among the appetizers are Broccoli Ricotta Gnudi (black truffles, saffron squash, and petite basil).  I adored the simple Greens & Veggies with crispy corn, garlic, and pepitos.  For my main I selected a beautifully presented Chimichurri Beef enhanced with parsnip potato mousseline, sweet little baby carrots, and coffee oil, while my husband chose the chef’s special Jerk Brined Antelope from Texas, enhanced with key lime grits, red cabbage and yam hash, and coconut curd.  It is hard to imagine passing up a Peach Crisp Souffle for dessert, but other choices included a tempting Crispy Black Forest Bread Pudding and Strawberry Shortcake.  Throughout, we enjoyed an exceptional Pinot Noir from Ken Wright Cellars in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  This dinner was absolute perfection.

exterior of Circa 1886 restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina

service at Circa 1886 restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina

veggie salad at Circa 1886 restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina

Chimichurri Beef at Circa 1886 restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina
[image error]  


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Sights to See: Middleton Place plantation, Charleston, South Carolina

Middleton Place  4300 Ashley River Road, 14 mi. from town, (843) 556-6020 or (800) 782-3608.  Daily 9am–5pm.  $25, 7-15 $5.  Dating back to 1741, the immense Middleton rice plantation is a National Historic Landmark District that holds an inn, restaurant, and house museum, plus a stable yard that presents demonstrations of 18th-century life.  It fronts the Ashley River and additionally is home to America's oldest landscaped gardens and South Carolina’s constitution tree.  One member of the family was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.  It is interesting to know that the Britisher's ball scene for the movie “The Patriot” was shot here in 1999.

costumed guide at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

●The Gardens at Middleton Place  Though the 65 acres of English-style terraced gardens here are  magnificent throughout the year, the gardens are planned so that bloom occurs year-round:  centuries-old camellias in winter; azaleas in spring, and magnolias, crepe myrtles, and roses in summer.  The massive 1,000-year-old live oak tree known as the Middleton Oak, or Great Oak, has a trunk measuring more than 10 feet in diameter.



The Gardens at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

The Gardens at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina
 
Wood Nymph statue in The Gardens at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

Middleton Oak in The Gardens at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

●House Museum  Built in 1755 as three buildings, the Middleton Place House is now the only remaining structure.  It has remained under family stewardship for more than 320 years and contains original family belongings that include furniture, silver, porcelain, rare books, and family portraits. 


exterior of House Museum at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

scenic expanse at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

●Plantation Stableyards  The newly rejuvenated 18th- and 19th-century stableyards are brought to life by costumed interpreters who also demonstrate barnyard skills.  Craft artisans include a weaver, blacksmith, potter, and cooper/carpenter.  Heritage breeds raised here include Cashmere goats, guinea hogs, river water buffalo, brown Swiss and Jersey cows, and Dominique and Rhode Island red chickens.

water buffalo in Plantation Stableyards at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina


●Eliza’s House is a two-family 1870 freedman’s house that has been restored to its original appearance.  Displays tell about the lives of freedmen. 

exterior of Eliza's House at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

interior of Eliza's House at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

slave history in Eliza's House at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina

 ●Middleton Place Restaurant specializes in Low Country cuisine of the plantation era.

● The Inn at Middleton Place is secluded and offers 55 guest rooms. 

●Spoleto Festival USA Finale is an annual Charleston event that traditionally ends here with a spectacular finale. 

Spoleto Festival at Middleton Place plantation in Charleston, South Carolina


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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Sights to See: downtown itinerary, Charleston, South Carolina

Follow this itinerary for a delightful morning-through-afternoon visit to downtown Charleston.

The Gibbes Museum of Ar t  135 Meeting St., (843) 722-2706.  Tu 10am-5pm, W 10am-8pm, Thur-Sat 10am5pm, Sun 1-5pm.  One of the oldest art museum’s in the south, this vintage building features many architectural delights, including floors with tiny tiles.  The collection centers on Charleston and the southeastern section of the U.S.  It features many portraits of locals--including a collection of more than 250 miniatures--plus frames and furniture made in town.  Personal favorites from the collection include “Carolina Paroquet” by Anna Heyward Taylor, a 1935 woodblock; and “Magnolia Gardens” by Alfred Hutty, a 1920 oil.  I also really enjoyed “Betwixt & Between” by Patrick Dougherty, which was constructed in three weeks on site in 2017 of red maple and sweet grass. 
exterior of The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina

interior of The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina

"Magnolia Gardens" at The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina

“Carolina Paroquet” at The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina

“Betwixt & Between” at The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina

miniature portraits at The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina

Directly across the street, the charming 1681 Circular Congregational Church is built in the round and has the city’s oldest graveyard, which dates from 1696. 
exterior of Circular Congregational Church in Charleston, South Carolina

interior of Circular Congregational Church in Charleston, South Carolina

A sign marks the spot across the street where secession from the Union was declared. 
sign marks the spot where secession from the Union was declared in Charleston, South Carolina

Just down the street, Washington Square park opened in 1818.  In the center is a memorial to the Washington Light Infantry made of Carolina gray granite; it is a 42-foot-high miniature of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. and was unveiled in 1891.
Washington Square park in Charleston, South Carolina

Washington Square park in Charleston, South Carolina

Just around the corner, Poogan’s Porch at 72 Queen St., makes the perfect lunch stop.  Dining in the cozy, low-key atmosphere of this repurposed home is a treat in itself.  Outside, the sheltered front patio beckons, and inside, the small spaces--including the bar--as well as the very large former drawing room with fireplace, oversize mirrors, and tapestries are all delightful.  But the delicious Southern cuisine cinches the deal.  Items not to miss include plantation fried chicken (ask for spicy sauce on the side), fried alligator, pimento cheese fritters, chicken and waffles, sweet tea-glazed salmon, shrimp and grits with Andouille sausage and ham gravy, and some excellent biscuits. 
exterior of Poogan's Porch in Charleston, South Carolina

bar at Poogan's Porch in Charleston, South Carolina

pecan pie logs at Poogan's Porch in Charleston, South Carolina

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Sights to See: historic house museums, Charleston, South Carolina

HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUMS

Aiken-Rhett House Museum   48 Elizabeth St., (843) 733-1159.  M-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun 2-5pm (last tour at 4:15pm).  $12, 6-16 $5.  Dating back to 1820, this colorful neoclassical house was owned by William Aiken Jr. and stayed in his family for 142 years.  One of the state’s wealthiest citizens, Aiken was a businessman, rice planter, and governor of South Carolina.  It opened as a house museum in 1975.  Painted a colorful yellow mustard on the outside, this house features big rooms with high ceilings and original wood floors.  Architectural details include a free-flying staircase, wide doors, Victorian window doors that let in natural breezes, and plenty of shutters.  I particularly enjoyed seeing the herringbone brick pathways that are just like the one I have at my own home.  Both of the original outbuildings remain--the kitchen-laundry and the carriage-stable house; the latter also held the slave sleeping quarters.  The house is conserved, rather than restored, and so the interior finishes remain much as they were in the 19th century, including peeling paint.  Currently, excavation is going on in the back yard. 
exterior of Aiken-Rhett House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina


interior of Aiken-Rhett House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina




interior of Aiken-Rhett House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina

 
Victorian window-door at Aiken-Rhett House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina


excavation at Aiken-Rhett House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina

Nathaniel Russell House Museum   51 Meeting St., (843) 724-8481.   This neoclassical Grand Federal townhouse was built in 1808 and restored in the 1990s.  In dramatic opposition to the Aiken-Rhett House, it is constructed with local bricks as well as beautiful original white ironwork and furnished with items appropriate to the house.  The interiors are restored to their original 1808 grandeur, and viewing the inside of this impressive home and seeing how people lived when Charleston was at its apex of influence and wealth is enlightening.  Acclaimed features include 14-foot ceilings (which helped keep things cool), gilded cornices, and a free-flying cantilevered staircase.  The property operated as an “urban plantation,” with 18 enslaved people tending gardens and orchards.  Unfortunately, the carriage and stable house was destroyed in an earthquake.  Allow time to stroll in the lovely formal gardens and inspect the unusual blooms.  
exterior of Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina

gilded cornices at Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina


gilded cornices at Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina

free-flying cantilevered staircase at Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina
 
tea set at Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina
 
garden at Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina

garden bloom at Nathaniel Russell House Museum in Charleston, South Carolina

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Things to Do: Fort Sumter National Monument; Charleston, South Carolina

Fort Sumter National Monument   Sullivan's Island, in Mt. Pleasant, (843) 883-3123.  Tours depart daily by boat from Liberty Square and from Patriots Point.  $22, seniors $20, 4-11 $14.  The Civil War began on this tiny island on April 12, 1861.  Find out all the details on an informative ranger-led tour.  The fort was reduced to rubble during the Civil War, and so today looks nothing like it did originally.  The island is located at the entrance to Charleston Harbor and is accessible only by boat.  The pleasant boat ride takes about a half-hour each way, and the fort visit takes an hour.  
Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina

inside Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina

ranger Antoine Fletcher at Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina

flags inside Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina

●Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square  340 Concord St., (843) 883-3123.  Free.  This is the primary departure point for visiting Fort Sumter.  Exhibits provide a history overview.   

●Patriots Point  40 Patriots Point Rd., Mt. Pleasant, (843) 884-2727.  Daily 9am-6:30pm.  This port is home of the USS Yorktown, the Medal of Honor Museum, the Vietnam Experience, and 18 historic aircraft.  Fort Sumter tours also depart from here. 
USS Yorktown at Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Things to Do: horse-drawn carriage tours, a market, a restaurant in a repurposed church; Charleston, South Carolina

HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE TOURS + SURROUNDS  

Five horse-drawn carriage companies are located in the bustling Market Street district.  There are five different zones/routes, but drivers and riders never know in advance which one they will get because it is decided by lottery.  A local says, “I haven't had a bad tour yet.”  It is interesting to know that the only city with a larger historic zone is Rome, Italy.
horse-drawn carriage tour of Charleston, South Carolina, with view of leaning St. Philip's Church
Palmetto Carriage Works  6 Guignard St., (843) 723-8145.  From 9am.  Reservations recommended.  Free parking.  This is the oldest carriage company in town, and it operates out of Charleston’s oldest and largest barn.  Palmetto Carriage Works is known for having experienced guides and treating their animals well, and it is the only company that uses mules.  Riders board inside an air-conditioned red barn, from a platform that allows passengers to walk right into the carriage--eliminating stepping up.  Tours last one hour.
boarding the horse-drawn carriage inside barn at Palmetto Carriage Works in Charleston, South Carolina
My tour was of Zone 1, which took us through the oldest French Quarter in the U.S. and past a magnificent parade of vintage houses.  It included:
●Rainbow Row (99-101 East Bay St.), which is seen on many of the carriage rides.  Built between the 1720s and 1790s, it was considered a slum after the Civil War.  A renovation in the early 1900s gave it the pretty Caribbean colors still seen today.
Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina
Located just a block from the carriage rides,
● Charleston City Market   Market St./between Meeting and East Bay sts., (843) 937-0920.  Daily times vary by season.  This market is a must see.  Built in 1841 to sell produce and meat, today this open-air covered market features independent merchants selling a variety of items that make good souvenirs.  At the entrances, Gullah ladies weave and sell prized sweet grass baskets.  At one end, a newer enclosed and air-conditioned section can bring welcome relief from the heat. 
sweet grass baskets at Charleston City Market in Charleston, South Carolina
Christmas ornaments at Charleston City Market in Charleston, South Carolina
Among the food stands in the new section is:
        ● Hot Little Biscuit   188 Meeting St., (843-577-8900.  Sweet little handmade Southern dinner biscuits featuring a variety of fillings are hard to resist.  And because they are small, you don’t need to.  (When you get home, make your own cream biscuits using my recipe, which I think is even better.
yummy biscuits at Hot Little Biscuit at Charleston City Market in Charleston, South Carolina
Outside the market, the street is additionally lined with specialty shops and restaurants.  Located just a block from the carriage rides is:
● 5 Church   32 N. Market St., Ansonborough, (843) 937-8666.  L M-F, D daily, Sat-SunBr.  Situated within a former church that was desanctified in the 1960s, this unusual venue provides the opportunity to dine in a massive room with beautiful stained-glass windows.  The high ceiling was hand-painted by artist John Norris with Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” written out in its entirety (his wife read the book to him while he wrote on the ceiling.)  It took four months to complete and is a breathtaking sight to contemplate.  The sophisticated-yet-casual decor includes a white concrete bar, black leather banquettes, and elaborate chandeliers.  A more intimate dining room and outdoor patio adjoin.  The innovative New-American cuisine menu includes a delicious Lamb Burger with gorgonzola fondue and a sweet Crispy Chicken Roulade.  A variety of signature steaks and seafood are also options.  The full bar serves up some tasty cocktails, including the mai tai-like Lucky of the Irish, which consists of pineapple, orange juice, lemon juice, orgeat, and Jameson whisky.  I downed two with no trouble.  More restaurants in former churches. 
dramatic interior of 5 Church restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina
dramatic hand-painted ceiling of 5 Church restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina [image error]
 

More things to do in Charleston, South Carolina.

More things to do in South Carolina.  

More ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world. 
 
images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Good Eats: Sompong Thai, NYC--Queens--Jackson Heights

Sompong Thai  37-09 83rd St., (718) 899-8424.  L-D daily.  Featuring a lovely decor with natural wood walls and atmospheric decor, this tiny spot (only 6 tables) is perfect for a quiet meal.  Lunch specials are a great deal and include soup or salad and a spring roll.  We shared sautéed tofu with basil sauce and Drunken Noodle--sautéed flat rice noodles with mixed vegetables and a special sauce.  The portions were generous enough that when a friend saw us and stopped in, we had enough left to let her have a mini-lunch, too.  And to help us get through the day, we each ordered a regular Thai ice tea, though, if you really need a bigger jolt, a large version is also available.  I hear the lychee and coconut juices are also delicious. 

interior of Sompong Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

Thai iced tea at Sompong Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC


spring roll at Sompong Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC


lunch specials at Sompong Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC [image error]

 
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More things to do in NYC.  


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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Things to Do: Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica Pier  At end of Colorado Blvd./Ocean Ave., (310) 260-8744.  Free access. 
Dating from 1909, this wooden wharf, now known as a “pleasure pier,” holds a variety of restaurants and attractions.  A wide, paved footpath leading onto the Pier extends west from Ocean Ave.  The pier juts out over beautiful Santa Monica State Beach and on over the ocean and is lined with attractions, restaurants, and shops
● pier map

entrance to Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

overview of Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

●Free Historical Walking Tours are scheduled on Saturday and Sunday at 11am and noon.  They last an hour and depart from the Pier Shop in the carousel building. 

●Webcam:  View the action before and after you visit.

●Parking: 
     ●A lot is adjacent down on the beach.  $6-$15.
     ●An inexpensive city lot, Garage 8, is at 4th St./Colorado Ave..  First 90 minutes are free, then $1.25/hour. 
     ● map  

oceanfront parking lot at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California
●At the start of the pier is an antique 1922 Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel with its original Wurlitzer organ plus 740 lights, 2 hand-carved chariots, and 44 original hand-painted hand-carved wooden horses--not to mention a pig and ram.  It is completely enclosed in a 1916 Looff Hippodrome building, making it the perfect rainy day destination as well.  Parts of “The Sting” with Paul Newman were filmed here.  $2, children $1.

antique carousel at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

●On the level below the carousel, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium exhibits more than 100 local marine animals and plants (my favorite are the moray eels in the tall Kelp Forest tank).  Run by nonprofit Heal the Bay, it offers three touch tanks where kids can handle sea stars, sea cucumbers, urchins, hermit crabs, and several kinds of sea snails, plus a popular shark nursery where newborn pups are on display and egg cases can be viewed.  Educational activities and special events such as Sea Star Feeding on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:30 p.m. and Storytime Saturdays at 2 p.m. are also scheduled.  The Aquarium is a part of Santa Monica’s own “Heal the Bay” program, an initiative to educate, inspire, and empower its visitors to be stewards of the environment.  Tu-F 2-5pm, Sat-Sun 12-5pm; in summer to 6pm.  $5, children under 13 with paying adult are free.

moray eel at Santa Monica Pier Aquarium at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

● The Trapeze School of New York offers a fun-filled experience for everyone.  Classes are 2 hours long, and no prior experience is necessary.

trapeze school at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

●66 To Cali sells American-made souvenirs near the spot where the iconic Route 66 ends at the ocean.  Nearby is an official sign indicating you’re at the end of the road--the perfect spot to capture a photo--but the actual end of the route is a little farther away at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard on Highway 101. 

tour group from Wenzhou, China at the Route 66 sign on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California


●The Playland Arcade has more than 200 games from the classic to the contemporary. 

● Pacific Park --the West Coast’s only amusement park on an oceanfront pier--has a variety of rides, including the 9-story-high solar-powered Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel (the largest on the West Coast and the world’s first solar-powered) and a unique 5-story-high column-suspended roller coaster.  An assortment of midway games round out the fun.  Daily in summer.  Rides $5-$10; wristbands age 8+ $32.95, online $29.65, 7 &under $17.95, online $16.15.

solar-powered Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

●You can fish off the pier.  No license is required, and Pier Bait and Tackle offers gear, poles, and bait. 

●The pier has 7 restaurants , ranging from fine seafood to classic American.  Among them, The Lobster has been a favorite with locals since 1923 and features traditional American seafood and whole lobsters plus ocean views.  Bubba Gump appears mid-pier, and the Food Court is in Pac Park. 

● war memorial :  Each Sunday from sunrise to sunset, a temporary memorial of crosses appears in the sand below the pier.

war memorial in the sand beside the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California

●The Original Muscle Beach is along the Ocean Front Walk about a block south of the pier.  There await muscle-building equipment, volleyball courts, and a children’s playground featuring a stone-walled sandbox with a concrete Viking ship and an interactive dragon’s head.


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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

NSU Art Museum   One E. Las Olas Blvd./SE 2nd Ave., (954) 525-5500.  Tu-Sat 11-5, Sun 12-5.  $12, seniors $8, 13-17 $5.  No pets.  Founded in 1958, this museum became part of Nova Southeastern University--one of the largest private research universities in the United States--in 2008.
Its permanent collection contains the country’s largest collection of 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and drawings by American realist/French Impressionist-inspired William J. Glackens.  Currently, the Frank Stella: Experiment and Change show fills most of the galleries through July 8, 2018.  It is a big show with an entire room devoted to his preliminary drawings and collages, and a mini-theater shows an enlightening interview.  Stella says, “In the end it’s all about geometry.”  Cafe service is available in the lobby.

entrance to NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

"Cape Cod Pier" by William J. Glackens at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

"Children Roller Skating" by William J. Glackens at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


the parlor of William J. Glackens, at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


Frank Stella show at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


Frank Stella show at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


Frank Stella show at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


"Hercules and Achelous" by Frank Stella, at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


Frank Stella Show at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida


sketches by Frank Stella, at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers