Charleston + SNOW = UNTHINKABLE! But it happened…

“Something’s not quite right.” The THEME of my trip.

Unlike last year, I planned well in advance for my New Years trip this year and knew exactly where I wanted to be. Charleston…Fig…Beach…good food and good company. I had already planned with my friends down there and planned to meet AD and C there, too. Who knew it would turn into what might have been the “most cluster fuck’ed” trip I have ever taken! But I walked away joyful and ready to get home at the same time!

Getting to Charleston was no problem. I left New Years Eve night, landed on time, Uber’ed to my friends, who was going to let me borrow one of their car for the night (I was planning to pick up a rental the next day because the rates were significantly lower.)  So, all was well in Charleston. It was a tad chilly, but I had come from snow in NYC and 20 degrees in NoVA. Nothing that a jacket and a scarf couldn’t fight. And off to Fig I went.

If you have explored my blog, you know that Fig is one of my top 5 favorites restaurants. Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere. It was exactly where I wanted to be for NYE/ring in the new year! The restaurant was oddly quiet and not too crowded. I grabbed a spot at the bar and made nice with the bartender, Andrew. I placed my order of Cape Bay scallops with winter citrus and avocado mousse, ricotta bolognese gnocchi and the cookies and cream baked Alaska. I should make it known that I ordered my dessert before I even placed my dinner order. I ate them in the “right order”, but I couldn’t order dinner until I knew what I would eat for dessert!

I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of my meal and dessert. It hit every possible spot in my body … and mentally, it was exactly where I wanted to be! (I’ve spent the last two New Years Eves doing exactly what I want. For ME! And the feeling is glorious.) After a good meal and good company with strangers, I made my way back to the house to get a good nights rest. I had to be prepared for all the exciting adventures Charleston was going to offer me this trip.

Well…that’s an overstatement and understatement at the same time. I wasn’t prepared for what this trip was about to turn into.

The first two mornings I was in town, I didn’t leave the house before 1pm. Haha. I slept in, hung around with my friends and their kids; I even helped them clean their house! I enjoyed not having anything to do; no places to go; no people I needed to meet; it was perfect. It was a vacation! Finally!

The first day we left the house, I asked my friends to drop me off at the car rental spot in the mall. Let’s just say, “apparently I wasn’t meant to get a car” – first sign of a difficult trip from the universe. “Something’s not quite right.” After being told that location would be open, the Manager decided not to open. Welp, after that drive around and asking my friends to come back to pick me up and drop me off at the airport location, I was finally set with a car. Equipped with a vehicle, I was off to spend the evening with A&C. But not before stopping at NorthFace outlet. I’m sure you question why I would shop for a winter jacket in Charleston? It should be known that I had been meaning to get one at home but never got around to it. So, no time like the present!

Finally met up with A&C- dinner, baked goods and everything beautiful Charleston had to offered. Again, wasn’t meant for me in this trip. We did, in fact, have an amazing dinner – pho and curry at CO on King Street. The meal prepared us for the winter weather outside….brrrrr!

We called it an early night and planned to meet up the following day for a run, Juice and baked goods. All were musts to this trip – A and I talked about trying a bunch of baked goods in town and essentially why we picked Charleston. By the time I got to A, we were both tired and cold but determined to run in downtown Charleston. The run was amazing and we did more than we originally planned or thought we could do. We crushed the run and was really looking forward to juice and goodies. Did we find either? NO! Sign 2 the universe didn’t want us in Charleston ? “Something’s not quite right.”

The plan WAS to “eat” – can’t say we accomplished as much as we planned. 

Late lunch ✅ Coffee ✅ Everything shutting down for the fear of a storm ✅✅✅ Because of the threat of the snow and ice hitting Charleston, everything was closing early – and I mean EVERYTHING! There were barely enough places open to catch dinner. We managed to find another Asian flare spot and enjoyed sushi and such. One thing that wasn’t closed, but filled to the brim, was the little local bowling alley. Super cute and fun place but the wait was ridiculous. Guess it’s the only thing Charleston folk do when they’re expecting snow. Instead A, C and I walked around Marion Square to check out the scenery. Charleston still had some Christmas decorations up and they were beautiful!

My doubtful self thought we wouldn’t get hit. Well, ladies and gents, I was wrong! We first got hit with ice…then the snow. It was coming down from all directions. The snow was “blizzard” status. Then sign 3 hit me…

I got crazy sick for a good 24 hours. Nausea, headache, chills and sweats at the same time. Pretty sure I had a fever…and then the vomiting struck. I will save you the details but I was down for the count. “Something’s not quite right.”

Realistically, I was supposed to head home that very next day. That wasn’t and didn’t happen!

I WAS STRANDED!

(and miserably sick)

IN MY FAVORITE CITY!

…Unbelievable right?

Minus the “illness”, I would have been able to thoroughly enjoy the blizzard in its present self. Unfortunately, I had to wait until the afternoon after. The grounds were still covered; the temperature was still freezing; and everyone in Charleston was loving the phenomenon of snow!!! Snowmans were everywhere. People were cleaning cars off. Sledding. Playing in the snow in their rain boots. The town was shut down! Nothing like I’m used to up north, even though NoVA isn’t the best at snow removal. We have equipment to get shit done, though.

Well, one snow day turned into two days, which turned into the airport being closed until Monday PM and North Charleston calling for a state of emergency. Oh I forgot to mention, they closed the bridges down on the first day – so essentially, I couldn’t get out. Geez! Haha. The experience!

In between working and trying to not go stir crazy (or sick), I was trying to find a way home. It wasn’t until late Friday night that I booked everything and coordinated with JM. He was going to pick me up at BWI because that was the cheapest flight home. And I needed to get home!

Dont think I’d ever hear myself say that, but I was going stir crazy. I would have been the same at home, though. I don’t handle being snowed in well – no matter where I am. And with being sick, I wasn’t at my finest. The new itinerary called for a two hour drive to Myrtle Beach, layover in Cincinnati and getting into Baltimore around 10 – which put me back in NoVA around 11pm! Ugh! What a travel day.

But before I had that trek to start, I had a great last night, filled with Whole30 food, good people and a lot of kidulting. (Apparently this is a word in the Oxford English Living Dictionary and is a hashtag like crazy! #kidulting) I managed to make a Charleston snowman, play on a hover board, build with magnetic blocks and be called the coolest “kid adult” ever! ??

Saturday was bitter sweet – I had to leave Charleston but I was also ready to get home to where the bomb cyclone conveniently missed completely. (Seriously?!?) Again, I slept in and hung out with my friends and the kids. Taking in the fact I had nothing to do and was actually on a vacation! Around mid-afternoon, I jumped in my thawed rental car and started my way to Myrtle. On my way, I got first hand experience with how the south handles snow and ice – closed roads and 3-day “late to the game” salt trucks. Thankfully the sun had been out for a few days (minus the drastic freezes over night), a lot of the snow/ice had been melting on its own. Such a bizarre experience!

On the way to the airport, I stopped to take a few pictures specifically for my blog. This Myrtle beach sign is the closest I got to a beach all trip long. Guess it wasn’t meant to be!

Before I wrap this post up, I have to share the biggest highlight of my entire trip. Sure, I enjoyed spending time with friends, the southern snow and the “never fails” good food. But this occurrence was AH-MAZING!

Like I said my flight was MYR > CVG > BWI + Drive back to NoVA. As people were preparing to board, I had snuck up to get a valet tag for my “not authorized” check bag and noticed a gentleman wheeled up in a wheelchair with “DESERT STORM” embroidered on his hat. I overheard a short conversation between him, the lady who pushed him to the terminal and the airline check in lady. In short, he was on the wait-list for the flight.

To confirm what I overheard, I asked him if he was on this flight. “No” he said, “are you or are you on standby, too?” I tell him I have a seat but I’m going to see if I can give you my seat! His jaw dropped, his eyes widened. He repeatedly told me I didn’t need to. “I’ve been stranded in Charleston for a week now. What’s one more day going to do! If you can have it, the seat is yours.”

Well, if the universe wasn’t looking out for me then (the universe ignored me in Charleston completely), I don’t know when it has or ever will. The airline desk lady asked where home was and I said “technically DC, but flying to BWI”. Now her eyes widened and was like “Oh wow, didn’t think about BWI…” At that moment, all I cared about was getting the veteran on the current flight to Cincinnati. So I stared dazed and confused.

Come to find out, there was an open, direct flight back to DCA leaving in about 45 minutes from my current flight. So not only did the veteran get a seat ANDDDD blow me kisses as he was rolled down the tunnel, I was getting a free transfer for a direct flight home. KARMA! The universe was looking out! #kindnessinyourheart

I do wish I got a picture with the veteran, but hope he made his connecting flight and back to his fiancé!

Despite the multiple challenges of this trip, I had plenty of time to recover, reflect and refuel. I was able to journal about my 2017 accomplishments and plan for my 2018 “word of the year”. Stay tuned for that post…I am crazy behind on posts. I’ll be catching up soon!

Looking forward to going back to Charleston…when there is no thought or threat of snow. Summer, where are you? I miss you!