How do I love thee, Greenville? Let me count the ways...

I'm really, really enjoying being in Greenville. A lot. There is so much to do here, it almost hurts the brain just thinking about it!

On Saturday, we had a nice lunch (although it was around 11, but it wasn't really a brunch, as there were no mimosas) at the Cafe' Medeterrania. It's this little "Espresso Cafe & Wine Bar" that's in the strip mall right next to the apartment complex--but they've got a pretty great food menu, too. Salads, sandwiches, hummous, falafel, pitas...Patrick had a falafel & hummous plate that came with fresh pitas, and I had this meatball/mozzarella/marinara sandwich on toasted foccacia. And this is easily within a 5-minutes' walk from our apartment.

We went to the libraries (note the plural form....not just one!)--the local branch & the big-honkin' main branch downtown. Then we went walking downtown...I love doing that. Just ambling along the sidewalks, watching everyone who is also downtown. Enjoying people-watching, doing some window shopping (and in the case of Llyn Strong Jewelry, a lot of drooling!!!). We were told about a benefit for the hurricane victims: New Orleans Love Feast, where a lot of the really great chefs from some of the really up-scale restaurants were going to cater the benefit. We thought it sounded like fun, so...

On Sunday morning, we got up, dressed up a bit & went downtown to partake in the N. O. Love Feast...and boy, was it scrumptious. I had some of the best scrambled eggs & cheese grits I've ever had; they also had hot beignets; fresh fruit; champagne; all sorts of breads; some of the best cajun catfish I've ever eaten...it was really, really great. And, 100% of the proceeds that were taken in will go directly to the Red Cross (and my law firm is matching dollar-for-dollar, every donation to the Red Cross [up to $5K]--we're already over $4500, which I think is great)--so it was great food for a great cause, and we were able to take part in it.

After we'd eaten ourselves silly, we went walking downtown & sat on a swing that looks directly at the Falls. We sat, swung & watched people, kids & dogs for about an hour, then we waddled on back to the car, left downtown & just drove around Greenville. In all honesty, we were looking to see if the Toyota dealer had any Scions, but they didn't have any out (I know, Dad--you think they're ugly. But I like 'em. And really, I'm just perpetuating the cycle where kids like stuff their parents think is ridiculous. Sort of like rock-n-roll. But with a car.).

We found a store--Rugged Wearhouse--that's sort of in a strange strip-mall. It's a place that you can't be afraid to really dig through stuff. I bought 3 pairs of shorts...they were tagged $3 each, but apparently they were on special, because they ended up being $1.50 each!!! They have a pretty impressive jewelry rack, with Nine West, 1928, Marvella....all for around $3-5. They do have some pretty awful stuff, too...like I say, you gotta dig. Patrick found a cool "Dickies" trucker hat that fits his big melon head, so he was happy.

We just had a really great weekend...the weekend that we hoped & dreamed we'd be able to have when we moved to Greenville. And the dream came true....we're really starting to feel at home here, getting to know our way around, feeling like we're part of a community. Whatever that "it" was that was lacking in Jackson/Finger, we've found "it" in Greenville. I just can't wait until hockey season starts up.