The friendliest party ever

Spartanburg SC. Oh the endless hospitality of dear old friends! I for one am having SO MUCH FUN being everyone's house guest - why did we not think of this before? We know a bunch more people we can mooch off of too. Hey you in So Cal you know who you are...

The Mrs. served up paninis so good that George Forman would wipe away a grateful tear if he even saw one. After much fun in the pool a couple of delectable Rum and Tonics (the secret is to use a spoon to get pulp as well as juice out of the limes) we leave the kids with a sitter and head out to a Beer Tasting at their supper club, The Piedmont Club. The beer selection was interesting (like an award winning locally produced peach beer or a Austrian Raspberry one). There was a buffet of smoked short ribs and duck and lamb sausages, beer fondue and 3 styles of chicken wings. It was the company that really made it such an incredible night for us - I have never in my life felt so welcomed or included by a group of people who are all friends and neighbors. Imagine if everyone in high school were nice to one another - all the cliques mingled and everyone cared about other people's feelings. Elegantly social but completely comfortable. The one woman entertainment (guitar, piano and vocals) sang everything from "Stormy Weather" to Beetles hits in a beautiful voice and apparently was once homeless before the gig at The Piedmont.

Since the Mr. is King of the Coals, the next day he smoked us dry rubbed baby back ribs using apple wood with cherry and apple juices in the drip pan adding more flavor to the smoke. The Mrs. adapted a pie recipe for peaches and blackberries - Alice Waters would have been proud to served it if there were any left that is. Lightening bugs followed immediately by a Disneyesqe thunder and lightening storm that we watched from underneath the massive sun umbrella and the fourth bottle of Syrah. Fun fun fun.