Afternoon storm clouds

Terrace Theater, Charleston, S.C.

I stopped to catch the storm clouds over the Terrace Theater yesterday but that wasn't too difficult since this has been what our skies have looked like every afternoon lately. We've had dramatic skies and awesome lightening shows but the rain has been spotty. I just did a nice walk around the neighborhood in a warm drizzle.

I don't know what I would do without the Terrace Theater. I go to a movie almost every Friday afternoon and sit in the dark alone with a hot cuppa tea letting the work week slip away. I missed this Friday so treated myself to the Intouchables yesterday afternoon and sat there grinning through the show until that last few minutes when my eyes burned with tears for just a few minutes. Really, really good. If you can live with subtitles go. It is a French movie. 

Has anyone else seen any good movies recently?

Speaking of dramatic skies over Charleston, check these out: VanessaK: More Summer Storms. Wow.

Secret alleys and afternoon escapes

Philadelphia Alley, Queen St., Charleston, S.C.



Philadelphia Alley is such a sweet shady alleyway no one with a camera can resist it.



Nice day. I arranged to let all of the volunteers at Roper St. Francis Healthcare go to see The Help at the Terrace Theater this afternoon. What fun! It felt like we were playing hooky and I have to thank Charlie and Darrell who agreed to cover the Front Desk at the hospital because they thought it was a "chick flick". I arrived early to greet everyone and collect hugs. We filled the theater with so few seats to spare I was a worried we might not all fit in. I work with such a great gang. After party at Zias next door for margarita and nachos.

Ocean View

James Island, S.C.

I gave my brother a break from painting and took him to the ocean.

We went to see Super 8 at the Terrace Theater. I didn't realize I was going to an alien monster movie. I read the first part of the review and assumed it was all about Super 8 film. It was actually a fun movie although unexpected.

The Terrace Theater is breeding baby theaters. Behind every door another movie is playing. They now have four separate little theaters. This afternoon we were in theater two where you exit facing the menu from Zias. It isn't a bad evening so we sat outside and enjoyed the cooler break.

This bit of graffiti is in the back parking lot at the Terrace Theater.

Terrace Theater Sold. Sob.

Terrace Theater, Charleston, S.C.

I finally got back on track and pulled off one of my favorite rituals yesterday, rushing from work to pull up at the Terrace Theater in time for the matinee. It is the perfect end to my work week - sitting alone in the dark, sipping a cuppa hot tea and letting the busy week melt away.

It was not the perfect end to the day to be greeted by Mike, the owner telling me he had sold the theater.

Aaaaack! Is this allowed? Am I not to be consulted? I'm practically a weekly investor. Will the new owners keep it the same? Will they be able to make me hot tea that doesn't taste like coffee?

Moving Picture Show

Terrace Theater, Charleston, S.C.

I took a couple friends to my favorite theater this afternoon. One hundred and thirty of them. Heh! There were about ten regular customers who I am sure hoped for an empty theater on a Thursday matinee and we had the place packed full.

Owner Mike Furlinger gave me a little discount for my hospital volunteers and we used it as an end of summer thank you event, skipped out of work and saw "Julia & Julia". What fun. The movie was grand, Meryl Streep was the perfect Julia Child.

I found it hard to care about the blogger gal part of the movie and that's too bad considering I've been more of a blogger than a cook lately. Since I wasn't familiar with her part of the story before today I'm not sure if a good actress was realistically portraying a whiny person or if a bad actress was portraying a likable gal. The contrast of her cranky character with the joyful Julia was almost too much. Julie Powell still has a blog.

It was a blast knowing everyone in a packed theater. A few of us continued the party at Zia next door. What I had was very good but I am going to have to go back for the Portabella Quesadilla I had my eye on across the table. Yum, yum!

Have the rest of you seen it already? What did you think?

Thanks Mike, for hosting us so graciously at the Terrace Theater! We had a great time!

I love me some Friday's off, I do

Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, SC

Up and at 'em kids! I took the day off to celebrate my adopted country and the fact that if I was Queen, three days weekends would be mandatory. Hip hip hurray!

I pretended that yesterday was a technical Friday and made it to the Terrace Theater in time for a matinee, sat in the dark alone with my cuppa tea letting the work week seep out of me. It is my theater/therapist/spa. Mike the owner let me know he had discovered the blog - hey Mike! Isn't it time I rated my own large tea mug?

Today's photo is of the renovated Francis Marion Hotel. It is one of our few tall buildings in Charleston and over looks Marion Square. You can walk out the door and have breakfast at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays. Here are a million reviews. I pass it almost every day of my life on my walking route and will do so again in about ten minutes.