Lots & lots

12 days and counting! Met with my friend and photographer this morning out at Lowndes Grove to scout it for an upcoming shoot. Mere days before we reopen, we'll be doing a shoot of both the property and the Main House. (Yes, we LIKE pressure.) Oh, and yes, I will be sharing those photos with you, in COLOR even.

In other news: from Sunday's Post & Courier recap of the Food + Wine Festival:

"Nico Romo's words, and even his accent, sounded exactly like Desi Arnaz in the old "I Love Lucy" show.

"Happy anniversary, honey, I love you!" he crooned from the stage, waving to his wife in the audience."

We're so grateful to be the lead in the story, so thank you. However, let me take a moment to bring some clarity to what seems to be a rather confused part of the Charleston population. Our beloved Executive Chef Nico (Nicolas) Romo hails from Lyon, France. His accent is indeed strong. I would compare it to the accents of fellow Frenchmen, Gerard Depardieu or say, Jean Reno.

On the other hand, Desi Arnaz, born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III, also known as Ricky Ricardo from "I Love Lucy," was born in Cuba.

Nico = France. Desi = Cuba.

Any old way, though Nico and Marc Collins didn't win the cooking competition, it certainly wasn't for lack of talent or effort. Both did an outstanding job, and a bunch of us were on-hand to cheer them on and check out all the festivities.

Pastry Chef Susie Ieronemo rocked Bubbles & Sweets with her pineapple tart (don't be fresh). And, here's an inside scoop for ya: Susie is super allergic to pineapple. Like, she can't touch them without gloves. So, as she and I talked about her spring/summer dessert menu, I suggested this name: Susie's Pineapple Adrenaline Tart. Get it? In case of allergic reaction, adminster EpiPen. I know, you can hardly wait.