our boogie shoes (a song reference for people my age)

Violet and I were invited down to the Edisto Blackwater Boogie again this year.  Her Fall Break aligned perfectly and there was no Cross Country meet on Saturday morning, so the timing was perfect.  I'm assuming you're interested if you're still reading.  Here are some photos and stories from that trip:

We were able to get up and leave Friday morning after my run and after enough breakfast to hold us until we could get to our favorite spot.  We drove straight into downtown Charleston and parked for free long enough to get our empanadas and Cuban coffees from CafeCito.  

We had to stop by Far Side vintage shop and while I love this Keith Haring Pop Shop shirt, I hope to never pay $100 for a tshirt.  (I used to say I'd never pay $30 for a tshirt, but look at concert tee prices now and you know I have a couple of concert shirts.)

This is my 3rd year doing live drawing at the EBB.  Remember that first year when we rolled up and saw that my tent was right beside the main stage and that literally EVERYONE could watch me draw?  Well, now I know what to expect so I was less freaked out.  We brought some swag to sell and got everything set up before the music started.  I regretted my procrastination on coming up with ideas while I sat in a chair and hoped the art gods would smile on me.  

We enjoyed the music all afternoon and the temperatures were so nice.  I brought a hoodie but forgot to pack long pants so I was afraid I'd get cold.  The fear kept me warm, apparently.  We were thrilled when Kennedy came to hang out.  We love Kennedy.  

I zone out when I'm in a drawing and I know the music is pumping in my ears, but I don't really hear it.  The music is great, but you wouldn't know it looking at my camera roll.  I was finished with the first drawing when Admiral Radio came out and I got to really hear them.  I even took a photo.  Violet and I met them a year or so ago and they are so nice.  I remember a lot of the music from year to year.  Last year there was an R&B band that I heard over all the noise in my head and thought it was great.  This year they were back and I made sure to note the name, Summer Royalty.  Dude sounds like Stevie Wonder.  It's great.  I talked to him after his set and he's also nice.  That's one of the many cool things about this music festival.  You have to be nice.  Dan knows all the great musicians, but he only invites the ones who are nice.  I love that.  

I was finished drawing by 7:30 and we had time to hang out and get some food.  Oh, we should talk about the food.  Last year there was an amazing doughnut truck.  We were devastated that they were not back this year.  But....the Fed Up food truck was back.  They've been a favorite every year.  I had the Hawaiian pig bowl and it was so delicious.  Violet gets to title the drawings.  After we ate and chilled a while, we headed out for the night.

The boogie puts me up at a hotel in Summerville.  This year we had an entire college football team in the hotel too.  They were nice and well-behaved.  I rode the elevator with one of the coaches on my way to run on Saturday morning.  I wished them luck.  I do love my running trail in Summerville.

We love to support the vendors but who can resist a gas station honey bun?  Every time I'm in Summerville and it's morning, I have to go to Coastal Coffee for coffee and breakfast.  We saw Danielle and this beautiful young lady took our order.  I got my bagel to go and we stopped for water and snacks before arriving at the state park again.  I stopped drawing long enough to refuel with the honey bun.  Fun fact, turns out the young lady at the coffee shop had a brush with fame during quarantine and her mom is a famous HGTV person.  Violet and I discussed how some people just have a spark that you can see.  Interesting.  

So, Dan puts this event on.  Jana, his wife, is amazing too, and takes the weekend to help out.  Their kids Oscar and Forest are always around, and this year Forest was driving an official golf cart around, ferrying people from place to place.  She stopped long enough to put on the duck costume and dance in front of the stage a while.  Then she carried a bucket around taking donations for WNC hurricane relief and raised over $1,000 in just a few minutes.  I love them all.

This is what's happening behind me while I draw.  People are hanging out, listening to music and having a good time.  They get up and walk around the tents and many of them say nice things to me as I work.  

This is the view from where they are.  My tent is just to the left of the main stage.  The sky was blue, the temperatures were perfect and the moon was full.  Violet and I had time to do a few laps after I finished the last drawing.

We also got to walk down to the river.  

It was beautiful.

We hung out a while again and enjoyed the music.  My legs were sore from holding myself in odd positions to draw lines and I was very tired from not sleeping much the night before.  We said our goodbyes and packed up.  Soon we were at Page's Okra Grill in Summerville for our treats.  We were tired and we smelled like campfires, but we feasted and had a fun waiter at the counter.  Oh, more food, Violet loves Crumbl cookies.  She said she deserved another treat for slinging merch and making me some money.  I gave in and we got a couple of those giant cookies before heading back to the hotel.  I'm just not a fan.  It's a weird tasting cookie.  Judge me if you will.  

The next morning Violet needed to run with me, so we got up and ran all along Sigma Drive which is apparently funny because some kids say "what the sigma" all the time.  I don't understand it, but I know the importance of a photo.  

More food again....have you heard of Cane's?  I think it's technically "Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers" or something.  Everyone in the family love it except me.  The closest one to us is usually Summerville so anytime we're near, they scream for it.  This is what Violet wanted for breakfast so we drove there before heading home with some to-go chicken for G.  If you're concerned about my contrary ideas about some foods, I would be all about Cane's if they had BBQ sauce.  If you don't serve BBQ sauce, don't look at me.  We can't be friends.  

There's no photo but there was a big, delicious nap for me when I got home.