March 29th, 2015
Always look forward to visiting churches on my travels. Not necessarily on a time when religious services are taking place. I like them when they are totally quiet. For me is a time for reflection; to pray for my family and friends. I usually stop at churches of all denominations, even though I am Catholic. I thank for our religious freedom. Historic churches and chapels…I am in awe of their beauty and of their strength.
Here are some of my favorite churches and the list is getting longer.
NEW YORK
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is a New York Landmark. In 1785 there were only 200 Catholics and one priest in New York City. The doors opened in 1879. The newspapers hailed the New Cathedral as “the noblest temple ever raised in any land to the memory of Saint Patrick, and as the glory to Catholic America”. When I have visited New York with my friend, Shelley, who is Jewish…she always makes a point to stop at St. Patrick’s. So beautiful.
St. Paul’s Chapel was built in 1766. It is the oldest public building in continuous use in Manhattan. It survived the Great Fire of 1776 and the attacks on 9/11. George Washington prayed here after his inauguration in 1789. It is located at 209 Broadway, between Fulton St. and Vesey St. Still standing against all odds, this church has been a place not only for spiritual healing but for physical refuge, as well.
PUERTO RICO
I grew up in the Island of Puerto Rico. When you see my posts from there is because that’s where my formative years took place. Old San Juan is the Capital and it is over 500 years old. La Catedral de San Juan is formally known as the San Juan Bautista Cathedral, named after the Puerto Rican Patron Saint, San Juan Bautista or Saint John the Baptist. It is located on Cristo St. between Luna St. and San Francisco St. It was built in 1540 and it is the second oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. The Cathedral contains the tomb of Spanish explorer, Ponce de Leon. And, the mummified remains of Roman Christian Martyr, Saint Pio.
Capilla del Cristo or Christ’s Chapel is located at the end of Calle del Cristo, which is also where the Cathedral is located. The Chapel was built to commemorate a miracle. Local lore has it that as a young man lost control of his horse and galloped down Calle del Cristo over the cliff at the end of the road, he prayed to a Catholic saint and his prayers were answered.
Parroquia San Francisco de Asis is located at San Francisco Street #301 in Old San Juan. The Crypt – As in old colonial churches, the remains of Christians were buried in catacombs. This can also be seen at the entrance of the Parish. They are called catacombs similar to the Roman catacombs but they are crypts. In the crypt are the remains of personalities of Puerto Rico. They are considered of important historical heritage.
Iglesia Dulce Nombre de Jesus is located in the town plaza of Humacao. This is where I grew up. It is on the eastern side of the island. I went to primary school at Academia San Jose which was across the street. My family went to church here, my parents were married in this church, and I also made my First Communion there. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally, it was a single structure built in 1769. A second church was built from 1825-1826. The present church was built in 1868-1877. It was designed by Don Evaristo de Churruca in the Gothic Revival style. Further renovations have taken place since then.
Parroquia Nuestra Senora del Carmen is located at 33 Marina, in Punta Santiago near my hometown, Humacao. Punta Santiago is a fishing village. Nuestra Senora del Carmen is the patron saint of Fishermen. The official Feast Day is July 16th. I have fond memories of this church. It is always kept in pristine condition. My late husband, John, and I got married here. We chose this church because it was on the beach and it really is pretty, small and cozy. It was the second wedding….first one in Orlean, Virginia and then this one in 2 complete different years. One was not enough!!
SHOWELL, MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE
Saint Martin’s Historic Church and the importance of historic preservation. For so many years it stood neglected, just waiting for those who would take over the mission of its restoration. It is considered by many historians “to be the finest preserved, most significant piece of American history on the Lower Eastern Shore”. It is an Architectural gem, built in 1756, and a museum located at 11413 Worcester Highway in Showell, Maryland. For more info., please visit http://www.historicstmartinschurg.org.
LEWES, DELAWARE
St. Peter’s Church is located at 2nd & Market Streets in Historic Lewes, Delaware. Lewes is the First Town in the First State. Since 1680 this church has served this community. The early settlers who were members of the Church of England formed its first congregation. The graveyard which surrounds the Church has stones dating back to 1707. Stop by while strolling Lewes.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
 
The Baltimore Basilica’s is America’s First Cathedral. I have a deep connection to Baltimore. My late husband was from Baltimore and many years ago, I lived and worked in Baltimore. Love the City. The Basilica’s construction started in 1806. George Weigel, the biographer for Pope John Paul II said “No other Catholic edifice in America can claim to have seen so much history inside its walls”. At least 15 saints or potential saints have prayed in this Basilica. The Crypt inside the Basilica holds the tombs of Archbishop John Carroll, the first Bishop of the United States of America, Archbishop Martin John Spalding, and James Cardinal Gibbons.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia has 4 Catholic shrines: St John Neumann, St. Katherine Drexel, Miraculous Medal and St. Rita of Cascia. Philadelphia is considered a city where the foundations for our right to freedom and religion were laid. The National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia is located at 1166 S. Broad St. and it was built in 1907. I came to know it during my stay in Philadelphia the summer of 2013.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
St. Michael’s Catholic Church is located at 71 Broad St. in Historic Charleston. A National Historic Landmark. Pewes are made of native cedar and remain the same as they have always been. The altar is Victorian. The chancel rail is made of wrought iron. It dates to 1772. George Washington worshipped at Governor’s Pew #43. This church is gorgeous and the docent was so amazingly inspiring.
St. Philip’s Protestan Episcopal Church is located at 142 Church St. in Historic Charleston. The original building was completed in 1724, destroyed by fire in 1835 and finished the rebuilding in 1838. Porticos and columns remind visitors of Roman porticos. This church is also a National Historic Landmark and has the tallest steeple in Historic Charleston. The docent was so nice and proud of her church.
I am looking forward to this list getting longer. These churches welcome us all. Many of them are so simple. Some are architectural wonders. You don’t really have to look for them, some times they find you.
Another magical Sunday….but waiting for summer is what I am doing.
March 25th, 2015
 
The Edmondston-Alston House was the first house museum we visited in rainy Historic Charleston the last week of February. It is called Edmondston-Alston because Edmondston was the first owner who built this beautiful home in East Battery. He was a successful merchant. Financial depressions got the best of him and he had to sell….the new buyer was Alston, who was a member of one of the wealthiest rice-planting families in South Carolina. The house is very open and, definitely worth seeing. This house museum is administered by the Middleton Place Foundation who also owns and operates the Gardens, House and Plantation Stableyards at Middleton Place.
In the back of the Edmondston-Alston House there is a privately-owned luxury bed and breakfast. These were the servants’ quarters. Guests of 21 East Battery Bed and Breakfast enjoy a complimentary tour of the Edmondston-Alston House museum. For more information, please visit http://www.21eastbattery.com. Tel. 843-556-0500
Historic Charleston is full of antique wrought iron. There are accents pieces and intriguing openings.
My cousin, Maru, her husband, and I were standing at the Concierge Desk talking to our favorite concierge, Carrie. She loved us because we did what she told us to do. So, now we were telling her we wanted to visit Middleton Place. This plantation has the oldest landscaped gardens in America…plus there was the connection to the Edmondston-Alston House, which we had earlier in the week visited. How could you visit Charleston and not go to a plantation?
 
We told Carrie that we did not want to go in a bus full of people. We were tourists but we would only go so far. We wanted a private guide. No hesitation, Ian Sanchez, would be the one. Carrie went on and on about how good of a guide he was and how good looking….OMG she said “You are going to love him”. During this conversation, Maru’s husband was like….”I don’t care if he is good looking.” Maru and I were like…We do! He was quickly outnumbered. We even had to wait an extra day to go with Good Looking Guide Ian. We hoped he was worth the wait…and not like the coconut cake; they told us so much how good the coconut cake was that once we tried it, was not a big deal…it was okay, though.
We finally met with Ian Sanchez….he was good looking but not drop dead gorgeous as we were expecting. He spoke Spanish. I believe one of the parents was from the Dominican Republic and the other from one of the islands. Needless to say…Latin looks and southern charm work every time; we liked that! And so we took off with him. He was a really good guide. He took his time in explaining Charleston and its history, knowledgeable, very friendly and easy to understand.
To escape the summer’s heat, the wealthy left their stately homes in Charleston and retreated to their plantation houses. These plantations had formal gardens backed by rivers and woodlands.
Middleton Place is located at 4300 Ashley River Rd., Charleston, SC 29414. Tel. 843-556-6020 Website? http://www.middletonplace.org. Please visit the website for events happening at Middleton Place. We arrived late in the afternoon, so one of our first stops was to tour the only building that is still in operation as a museum. There were 3 residences at one time. The original residence was circa 1705 and the north flanker was circa 1755…these were burned by Union troops in 1865, and then leveled by the 1886 earthquake. The house museum was a gentlemen’s guest wing in 1755. It contains family furniture, silver, paintings, china, books and documents.
I think you should give yourselves more than a few hours to tour the plantation….there is much to see and much to learn.
 
Eliza’s House dates to 1870 and its 2 family vernacular dwelling provides information regarding the conditions of the African American community at Middleton Place before and after the Civil War.
We stopped at the Blacksmith Shop, where iron was being heated, forged and shaped. Middleton Place had both, free and enslaved workers performing different tasks.
Carpentry and Coopering …building and repairing, the coopers made barrels for storage and shipment of rice.
Free range…animals were mingling with the guests.
The Spring House and Plantation Chapel were beautiful. On the lower level, the spring waters provided the perfect place to store dairy and other foods. The upper floor was, apparently, added in 1851 and was used as a chapel for the Middletons’ slaves until the Civil War.
The Mill…It was before the Civil War that the mill was built. Built both as a garden folly and for practical use.
The gardens have rational order, geometry, symmetry, balance, vistas, focal points and surprises.
After the Civil War and the Earthquake of 1886 these gardens were overgrown and neglected. Early in the 20th century restoration began and in 1941 the Garden Club of America gave its highest award by recognizing them as “the most interesting and important gardens in America”.
It is a little unkempt, and a little wild, when looking at the rest of the formal gardens…family tomb and burial sites. The last resting place of generations of the Middleton family…the garden called Bosquet and Tomb.
Notes: Ian Sanchez can be contacted by calling 843-276-4601. You may also email him at iansanchez4@gmail.com. Do you prefer your tour in English, or Spanish? You pick because he can do both. His pledge: “Guaranteed phenomenal tour every time or you don’t pay!!
Information for this post was taken from Middleton Place tour guide info.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later…
March 15th, 2015
I am crushed that Fried Green Tomatoes…..not a Southern dish. That they, apparently, entered the American culinary scene in the Northeast and Midwest, with a link to Jewish immigrants. I love them and when I see them on menus, I do order them. Having been in Charleston, I tasted them everywhere I could. But, let me tell you that, here, at the Delaware Beaches, we have some pretty awesome ones served at our local restaurants.
Looking forward to my fig tree this year. Not just to eat figs off the tree but to also prepare my Fried Green Tomato, Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack….It is my own recipe; not begged, borrowed, or stolen. You can get the recipe by clicking on the month of August of 2013 on the archives of AboutMyBeaches and scrolling down to the 11th.
In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware:
FINS ALE HOUSE & RAW BAR on Coastal Highway. I just had these the other day. They were delicious and hopefully, they will keep them on the menu.
BLUE MOON located on Baltimore Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. This is a signature appetizer. The fried green tomatoes are served with herbed sheep’s cheese, onion, compote, pesto and a balsamic drizzle. Definitely, a blending of flavors.
In Bethany Beach, Delaware:
PATSY’S RESTAURANT in Downtown Bethany Beach. Her fried green tomatoes are topped with roasted red pepper/Vermont cheddar cheese spread with fresh basil pesto and balsamic reduction.
Cape Charles, Virginia’s Eastern Shore:
AQUA AT KINGS CREEK MARINA in Cape Charles serves a Fried Green Tomato BLT Salad…smoked bacon and mixed greens, tossed with a roasted tomato vinaigrette.
Historic Charleston, South Carolina:
TBONZ in Historic Charleston had these great fried green tomatoes….they went in my burger.
SOUTHEND BREWERY & SMOKE HOUSE, located in Downtown Charleston had never had anyone topped their pizza with fried green tomatoes. Of course, pimento cheese was included. The pizza did not wow me here. But, the combination of pizza and fried green tomatoes was pretty good.
LOWCOUNTRY BISTRO, located in Historic Charleston has a great Ambrose Farms Spinach Salad….an addition of Fried Green Tomatoes made it just perfect.
A.W. SHUCK’S – We stopped here with our Culinary Tour (post in the making)….the praline butter on the fried green tomatoes was delish.
TOAST, located on Meeting St. had their fried green tomatoes with sweet pepper relish.
The following recipe is soooooo good. You can serve it with roast beef, chicken, or even in a sandwich. It takes some time to make but once in the jars you can store them for a long time. Give it as presents to special friends.
MERRYMAN’S GREEN TOMATO PICKLE
1 peck (8 quarts or approx. 20 lbs of small green tomatoes
6 red peppers
12 large onions
5 tablespoons celery seed
5 tablespoons mustard seed
1/2 gal. cider vinegar
3 lbs. light brown sugar
1 cup salt
Slice the tomatoes and onions very thin. Cut peppers into thin strips. Place alternatively (some tomato, some onion, some peppers) in layers in a large bowl, sprinkling salt over each layer.
Let mixture sit for several hours or overnight to draw out liquid.
Squeeze the pickle dry and place in a large kettle. Pour vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed over pickle.
Cook slowly until onion is clear and tomato is almost transparent. One to two hours. Check and stir often.
Place in sterilized jars and seal.
Note: It is usually served in my house during the Holiday Season. It is an old Merryman recipe.
Have a good one!!
March 12th, 2015
I don’t know what possessed me to even talk my poor cousins into this tour. They live in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is over 500 years old. Lol!! The thing is they went along with it. It was at 10:00 p.m. It was cold in Charleston that evening.
First clue was that our tour guide had been doing these tours for 6 years and had not seen or felt anything. Hmmmm. The second thing is that even though most of the structures are intact, inside there are too many reproductions. Hmmmm.
 
Our tour guide closes every night by herself with not a care in the world. Okay.
The stairs are original and they looked that they were not going anywhere.
The American College of the Building Arts acquired this building so this is also a school doing research and historic preservation.
The jail was in operation from 1802 until 1939. Infamous criminals of Charleston called this home. Federal prisoners during the Civil War were also housed here. The building has massive walls. Interesting to imagine being a prisoner in those times. The tour guide explained that well.
Some of the more famous inmates were John and Lavinia Fisher, convicted of robbery and murder. They said that Ghost Adventures crew got something on an EVP of her saying the last 2 words of her message before she was hanged…The Devil. I really don’t know. Another was Denmark Vessey who was accused of planning a slave revolt. High sea pirates were also inmates here.
 
I think there is too much commotion for entities to be hanging around. The Old City Jail is basically a lab.
Charleston has more than 1,400 historically significant buildings within the Charleston Old and Historic District, and this is one of them.
Well, to tell you the truth, it was scarier walking back to our hotel at that time of the night….churches, buildings, little alleys…Yikes, I am going to sleep.
I just remembered that Carrie, my favorite Concierge in Charleston said she was scared to death. That she felt something. Really?
Note: Bulldog Tours, located at 18 Anson Street. Tel. 843-722-8687 Website? http://www.bulldogtours.com
March 12th, 2015
I really like my accountant, Rich. He is the one that first sent me to check out Jestine’s Kitchen. He said it would be worth the wait. No waiting was necessary because we arrived fashionably late.
Jestine’s Kitchen is located at 251 Meeting St. Tel. 843-722-7224 Website? http://www.jestineskitchen.com This restaurant is one of the top 50 best fried chicken restaurants in the U.S.
I did not even have to read the menu….fried chicken is all I wanted. Our table was comfortable, the service was prompt and the atmosphere was quiet at the time.
The restaurant pays homage to Jestine Matthews who worked for the Ellison family back in the day. The owner is the grandchild of the Ellisons. Jestine’s Kitchen invites customers to take a seat and enjoy good home cooking.
On the table the pickled cukes had a kick to them.
Local beer was ordered. Palmetto Brewery is a small brewery in Charleston, located at 289 Huger St. Check http://www.palmettobrewery.com if you want to know more about them, taste or see what events are on the schedule.
The Charleston Lager on the left is a classic American lager, the perfect Lowcountry beer. It is good while enjoying an oyster roast, bratwurst, soups, salads….light cheeses too. The Amber Ale on the right is their flagship beer. It pairs well with a variety of dishes, including chocolate chip cookies and dessert pastries. I don’t think I have paired beer with cookies and pastries but when you think about it, why not?
Flour, water, salt, chicken and lard are just the beginnings. Some people soak their chicken in buttermilk. Two orders of the fried chicken, please. The sides? Collard Greens and Okra Gumbo….OMG!!
Look at the chicken. It was crispy and moist. Believe it or not….and picking the chicken with my fingers….they were not greasy!!
The collard greens also had a bit of a kick. The okra gumbo was well seasoned.
My cousin Maru wanted something simple like grilled chicken breasts and mashed potatoes….not me, I wanted it complicated. No room for dessert.
Jestine’s Kitchen opens Tuesday to Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 9 .m.
I know that locals have their favorites….George, if you are reading this post, where did you say your favorite was?
Talk to you later. Have a good one!!
March 10th, 2015
 
My stay in Historic Charleston, South Carolina, took even longer when my flight was cancelled on Sunday, 3/1. Too bad, to be “stuck” in this historic city for a couple more days. My accommodations for those 2 nights were at the Meeting Street Inn. It is located at 173 Meeting St. Tels. 843-723-1882 and 800-842-8022 Website? http://www.MeetingStreetInn.com
Meeting Street Inn was built in the style of the Charleston single house around 1873. The “Charleston Single” was built from 1740s to the late 1800s. The lots are narrow and the porches were called piazzas by the English. The porches also served as hallways for air circulation.
My cousin and I had eyed this inn during our stay. We even stopped by to check the rooms. I thought that on another trip this would be a nice place to stay. It is within walking distance to everything you want to do in Historic Charleston. They do have a small shuttle that could take you around anywhere you would like to go in town if you don’t feel like walking.
So as I sat at the Charleston Airport wondering what to do…..a call, a reservation, and I was good to go.
Checking into the Meeting Street Inn was easy. The staff was so nice and ready to help in any way. The bed was most comfortable.
Sunday was not a nice day but Monday turned out to be the best day of the week. The Meeting Street Inn has a small pool and also outdoor seating for R & R.
Great to enjoy the outdoors early in the a.m. with coffee and breakfast which by the way is included or wine and appetizers in the evening, also included.
 
The breakfast is served from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. Hot and cold breakfast service…fruits cereals, buns, etc. etc.
 
In the evenings wine, cheese and refreshments for the guests from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. Appetizers including the ever present Charleston Cheese Spread which is pimento cheese spread.
I really enjoyed it and until next time….thanks to the Meeting Street Inn staff.
March 10th, 2015
I am not sure if you are ready for shopping or not, but stores are open. Historic Charleston offers great shopping for everyone. If your husband decides that shopping is not his cup of tea on this trip, there are a few places you can park him.
Or if you are traveling with your pooch….have your husband or significant other take him to the dog park and meet other Charleston dogs, while you engage in something a little more interesting.
C’est La Vie of Charleston we found on 108 N. Market St. Tel. 843-212-5744. The owner opened the store last year and is ready for the prime months that Historic Charleston offers its visitors. Good weather, plenty of restaurants, history, shopping….the town, I hear is starting to bloom. You can find C’est La Vie of Charleston on Facebook. Check it out because you can get 10% off purchases until 3/17.
 
The shopkeepers of Historic Charleston deserve a shout; so friendly!!….Shopping in local boutiques is what I usually like to do. Individual attention is what we want. No rush, please.
The store is eclectic in the sense that you can find gifts for someone special, or just something to thank a friend. Having a party? Cards, napkins, place cards, cups for an event, or just because.
We fell in love with these beads. They are called Chew Beads. They are perfect for the summer. We just did not realize that they are also chewing beads for your little ones. Mothers, grandmothers you can be in style with these ones.
 
It’s springtime and time to refresh, or update.
 
If you think about it all boutiques are shops, but not all shops are boutiques. C’est La Vie of Charleston is unique and local!! Stop by and say hello.
Have a good one.
March 9th, 2015
 
“The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.” ashley montagu
When I posted on my Facebook page timeline the photo above of my cousin and I having one of those moments in Charleston, South Carolina last week there were a lot of likes. Comments like “It’s a shame that you never have a good time.” One of my other partners in crime wrote that, knowing that we try our best not to wait for that perfect moment but to take an opportunity and make it perfect.
In Charleston we found the Old Charleston Joggling board. Enjoying the moment we did try it, but thinking it would break we got off quickly. They really don’t. Since the 1800’s these joggling boards have taken a special place in the hearts of Lowcountry residents. You see them as you walk Charleston….don’t be afraid, try them. You can order them by visiting http://www.oldcharlestonjogglingboard.com.
This peacock was trying his best to seize his moment but his lady friend was not interested one bit. He was gorgeous. We found him at Middleton Place, in Charleston, SC, where you can find America’s oldest landscaped Gardens.
I confess, my birthday was Sunday, 3/8, and I usually do not broadcast it, but social media as it is does. Pisces are awesome! We are compassionate, adaptable, accepting, devoted and a good friend. I think we are known to be happy, so I guess it fits.
Plenty of good friends are Pisces and yesterday one of my good friends came by to share her bounty….Stone crab claws sent to her from Florida. She cracked them, I staged them, and then we ate them!! Priceless!
Having a birthday is supposed to be a time of renewal. And, having it on Daylight Savings springs you forward into that mode.
55 degrees has given the residents of Delmarva a reason for joy…..shorts and flip flops are coming out. Really, I am not kidding. Driving from Bethany Beach to Rehoboth Beach, crossing the Indian River Inlet Bridge reminded me that pretty soon I won’t be the only one on the road.
Newfoundlands are spectacular dogs. To see a chocolate one is unusual. But we did, at the Market in Charleston. Little things that make you smile.
 
And then when I see my photo on the Island of Culebra….I can honestly say to enjoy the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future….Carpe Diem!!
 
|
Comments Off on Historic Churches, Chapels, Architectural Wonders, It’s Sunday, A Day for Worship, 13 Churches on My Travels