After her busy, busy weekend - party for 150 at her house on Friday, the Cup and a party at someone else’s house on Saturday - the Shop Tart wanted brunch and a newspaper. Since she had enjoyed a grown-up weekend, she didn’t want to ditch the children. Full disclosure: She kind of did want to ditch them as she is not a perfect mother. In fact, she and “Perfect” live so far from each other they don’t even shop at the same Target. But her children are good boys and they like brunch and newspaper on Sunday morning as much as she does, so it seemed only fair to bring them. Sunday’s New York Times is a treat for la famille Shop Tart; they have a subscription to the weekday edition but not the more costly Sunday paper.

In fact, la famille tried another place first. The Shop Tart does not know why, because Cafe Strudel is the bomb. At the other place, they were sort of seated, sort of ignored and sort of got a bad vibe. The hostess acted like she would lead them to a table and disappeared, so they sat themselves at a table in the direction she had pointed. At the table, they waited to be acknowledged for several minutes and it didn’t happen, though several servers passed by them. Note to servers everywhere: Parents want to get their children out of your restaurant as quickly as you do. Really. Offer them menus right away and they will probably be ready to order within moments. Just so you know. La famille made a quick decision and left. (Not in a huff, and they’ll go back, just maybe not with a hungry three-year-old in tow!)

They crossed the bridge to State Street, where Cafe Strudel is located, and the Shop Tart felt a little cloud lift. She knew within moments she would be enjoying a piping hot cup of locally-roasted Cashua Coffee from the self-serve coffee bar. By the way, did you know Cashua delivers? Because they do. Every so often, the coffee fairy arrives on the Shop Tart’s doorstep, leaving her with delicious-smelling bags of coffee. It’s one of the “perks” of her job. Get it? Coffee? Perk? She shared this information solely for the purpose of making that joke. Also, you need to know that Cashua delivers. If you can’t plan ahead - and the Shop Tart gets it - you can also purchase it at Rosewood Market.

La famille entered the restaurant and - unsurprisingly - there were no tables. This might have been a problem, but the owner graciously agreed to give the scary monster three-year-old a bagel with cream cheese, which was all he needed to be happy. There was no drama, no hassle. All they had to do was remind their server later to add it to the bill. The coveted bagel was ready within moments. They were seated within moments too, so the bagel met them at the table.

Everyone at the table who could read tried to. Some of them even succeeded for as long as thirty seconds. Luckily, the Shop Tart is quick with the camera and was able to snap this shot, because it didn’t last long. Someone had to go potty.

As she happily sipped her coffee, she watched the youngest try to engage his brother in a thumb war. You know the drill. “One, two, three, four. Let’s have a thumb war.” In the latest version, that opening statement is followed by, “Five, six, seven, eight. This will be a piece of cake.” Children today are so inventive.

He gave up after a tough defeat and played thumb war with himself. It was a tie.

After a few rounds by himself, he went for a rematch…

…and tattled when he was ignored.

His mother refused to intervene - she was afraid thumb war would eventually result in the spilling of her delicious coffee. He made do with these “blocks” of plastic-encased jelly and honey.

Quickly, the food arrived. The oldest child is a classic kind of guy and ordered the classic breakfast, two eggs, bacon, grits and toast. (Turkey sausage and hash browns were also options, but he is very traditional.) Apparently, children like their eggs scrambled. Scrambled eggs don’t photograph well, but she was unable to talk them into sunny-side up.

The middle child ordered Cafe Strudel’s famous Hangover Hash Browns. They are delicious. the Shop Tart did not love trying to explain the concept of Hangover Hash Browns without glorifying over-indulgence, but that’s just part of being a parent. Yes, that is his hangover face. He also prefers scrambled eggs, but the Shop Tart strongly advocates over-easy eggs with this dish.

Mr. Shop Tart was true to his heritage and ordered a French omelet with mushrooms, Swiss cheese and onions.

The youngest child continued his conversation with his bagel and cream cheese while his mother enjoyed her favorite breakfast quesadilla, a divine combination of eggs, peppers, onions, black beans, chopped bacon and cheddar cheese, served with a side of sour cream and salsa. This must be shared and it may seem like a criticism, but it is not. The Shop Tart likes her food very, very hot, unless it’s meant to be rare. She is not afraid to use a microwave to achieve the hotness and does so often at home, even mid-meal. In short, this is her issue, not the restaurant’s. Often, she fears the derision and won’t ask to have her food heated more. But the staff at Cafe Strudel is so friendly, she took a chance. It was re-heated with nary the hint of an eye roll. She loves this sort of commitment to friendly service, don’t you? She added copious amounts of hot sauce and felt very, very happy.

They ate outside and the patio was lovely. Speaking of patios, it’s too warm for a jacket, but still a little chilly. The Shop Tart is in lurrrve with her new spring scarf, knitted by her very own mother! Remember their trip to In the Loop? La mère Shop Tart announced she was teaching herself to knit and her daughter jumped at the chance to get a free scarf. Her mother let her pick the yarn and the result is fab!

Speaking of In the Loop, the Shop Tart was jog-walking by the shop the other night and spotted a bunch of ladies, cozy on the couches inside, working on various projects. Owner Lara hosts regular “Stitch and Bitches.” Fun! Remember The Friday Night Knitting Club? Loved that book!

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

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P.S. Where might you like to go this evening? How about Cellar on Greene? They’re offering a crazy deal: A reserve Syrah flight for only $7. (It should be around $20.) Flights are a really fun way to compare and contrast several different wines, though the fourth is a tad hazier than the first… Tonight’s special flight includes Whetstone 2006 Syrah from Napa, Cristom 04 Syrah from Oregon, and the 06 Cadaretta Syrah from Washington. Also tonight, Cellar’s email subscribers can enjoy something special for only $4 a glass when they ask Kaitlin about her secret Grab Bag Wines. What? You aren’t an email member? Puh-leeze. Sign up right this second for great wine deals and the inside track on all of Cellar on Greene’s great events.

P.P.S. Still need an Easter dress? Or a fab skirt? Shorts? A top? A bow tie or sash? Everything in stock at LaRoque is 15 percent off through the weekend!

Full disclosure: The Shop Tart had great intentions, she really did, but she planted her potatoes too late and they don’t seem to have sprouted. This month, the planting is so easy, she feels sure she can oblige. Besides, cucumbers and parsley are an essential part of her summer. Once again, master gardener Jenks Farmer helps us garden, right here in the city.

Columbia City Farmer, Part III

Did anyone actually plant potatoes when I suggested it - on Valentines Day? At least one person, my housemate Hunter, did and they are up and racing. Little sprouts about four inches tall and kind of hairy got a fertilizer mulch last week. Free fertilizer is almost always in the alleyway behind Starbucks - or ask and they’ll give you a tidy foil bag at the counter. Just spread grounds over the soil in your garden. It’s safe and doesn’t attract possums or rats or anything but big earthworms. (That’s a good thing.)

If this seems a bit too much of the dumpster-diving lifestyle, here’s the deal: My beau Tom will do it for you. He loves to get those grounds and mix them with donkey manure. (It’s getting worse isn’t it, Shop Tart?*) But it’s the best little top dress for those veggies!   It’s local and organic and our donkey is named Buck. Hence, our BuckStar(ter) Dark Blend. Tom’ll give a free baggie full if you’ll sit in on this event.

Since spring keeps me on the road, veggie gardening isn’t high priority in Melrose Heights these days. There are three easy, efficient things to do now. Efficiency in gardening is important to me, because I can’t stand any half-finished projects, like flopping tomatoes that never fruit or stunted corn. In garden terms: Nobody notices a mulched empty space; everybody notices a dying anything.

The first thing to do now is to fertilize. Veggies (and all plants) need a boost right now as they are putting on lots of growth. You can use an organic compost as above or buy something similar at a garden center. Okay, I also used a very light application of 10-10-10 with micro-nutrients, the same stuff people use on their lawns, maybe three pounds of it for my entire back yard. Don’t over-think and don’t use too much - everything in moderation.

The second and third things to do right now are to plant some quick-to-start and easy-to-care-for plants. But be aware, both of these will grow only into really hot weather, say mid-July.

The second gardening task is to get some cucumber seed in the ground. A few tips:

• Plant in lots of sun. They don’t have to bake all day; shade in the afternoon is okay.
• They will need something to climb. (A chain link fence is great.)
• The seeds take seven to ten days to sprout. Once sprouted, don’t mulch anymore, because you don’t want lots of stuff that holds moisture, which harbors insects around the stems.
• Plant at the edge of your irrigation system or near water. The plants don’t need to get sprayed, but the soil should stay evenly moist.

Wait and watch. If you plant the first week in April, you’ll have cukes in mid-May. We use them to make my favorite summer drink, cucumber water. By mid-July, the plants look ratty and stop producing much. Don’t fight it, just pull them up and plant something else.

If you have children to entertain and teach about food and stuff, cukes are fast and very productive. You can also buy these funny clear molds of Buddha, stars and hearts. When I was little, we did Jimmy Carter heads. [Ed. Note: The Shop Tart was unable to locate these anywhere online for less than $70 and most came from Asia. There must be something cheaper available locally and she wants them. Star-shaped cucumber slices as a garnish for cocktails would be totally awesome, like summer-alteringly awesome. First person to her email her with information on where to find them gets a Shop Tart sticker or three and her undying affection. Wonder if the Hyundai Market stocks them...]

The third third thing you should do this month is grow parsley. This is even easier than the cukes. Simply get some parsley plants, at least three. Put them in a pot with some BuckStar(ter). Parsley will grow about anywhere, sun to light shade. It makes tons of leaves until the days get really hot.

Packed full of minerals, enzymes and flavonoids, parsley is great for digestion. Flavonoids are great anti-oxidants, also found in citrus, green tea, wine and dark chocolate. Use your parsley to make my favorite easy salad: a handful of parsley, some spinach, sunflower seeds, a garlic clove and feta. Chop the ingredients up very fine, chill and add some lemon juice or vinegar.

As soon as it starts getting hot, parsley is going to bolt - that means flower - and die. Leave it standing, because the tiny yellow flowers attract interesting insects then make seed. You can grow parsley from seed; my Momma does it, saving her seed from year to year.

I’d stick with a reliable seed company like Greenwood, South Carolina’s Park Seed Company, though Momma insists Dollar General has great seed. For plants, go to Southern Vista behind Owen’s Field. They open at 8 am and early opening time often determines where I shop. I went out this morning for some gardening supplies and ended up at Southern Vista’s Garden Center where owner Mark Schimmoeller was unloading trucks with a handsome crew. Columbia’s only downtown garden center, Southern Vista has been open for about a year and can’t be beat for convenience and quality.

The End.

Nothing is more chic than growing your own and the Shop Tart can’t wait to drop a handful of star-shaped cucumber slices into a pitcher of Hendrick’s Howitzers. She’ll use the parsley for everything from cocktail garnish to summer meatballs. Summer meatballs, you ask? The Shop Tart is married to a man who is Serbian on his father’s side and French on his mother’s. This led to a lot of delicious fusion cuisine. The Shop Tart loves to make her own version of Serbian ćevapčići, blending copious amounts of parsley and other fresh herbs with ground beef or turkey and an egg to hold it all together, then sautéeing the patties or meatballs in a pan with olive oil or butter until they are cooked. She also learned a trick from her Italian friend’s mother; a jar of capers in the mix is a good thing. Adding a fresh, delicious filler to your meatballs saves money and your health. (And turns a heavy dish into something perfect for warmer weather.)

Happy Growing and don’t forget to mulch!

P.S. The patio at Terra officially opens on Thursday, April 1st. No fooling. The Shop Tart lurrrrves her some spring patio dining and will be there for sure. Enjoy special deals on bubbly from Spain, France and Italy to celebrate the beginning of spring. Glasses will start at $4. Hooray!

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P.P.S. Have you heard about Gervais and Vine’s new “Dinner and a Show” deal? They are working with local theaters and arts groups to offer you a lovely evening out at a discount. For one price, you can enjoy a three-course meal at Gervais and Vine and a great show. Right now, you can have dinner and see Trustus Theater’s The Last Five Years for $39. The play, starring award-winning actor Jonathan Whitton and directed by Chad Henderson, is a modern musical classic telling the tale of a couple from two different perspectives, his from the beginning and hers from the end. The stories converge in the middle at their wedding. The deal is good for Friday and Saturday shows and does not include alcohol, tax or gratuity. Call Trustus for reservations (254-9732).

* For the record, manure does not scare the Shop Tart. She has three sons and a husband and her mom is from Winnsboro. Manure, schmanure.

The Shop Tart had not attended Camden’s Carolina Cup since high school, when she and a friend accompanied the friend’s aunt and grandparents and spent the day trying to be polite while wandering off periodically to find their high school friends. No, the Shop Tart did not see a horse that year, but she did have a lovely time. As an aside, she recently learned of one young lady who attended several races before realizing the “cup” referred to a prize for a horse race rather than the fact that everyone’s cup was full. Wow. That girl sounds fun! This year, thanks to the graciousness of Celebrations, the Shop Tart and her husband got to hang with the grown-ups in the sponsor tents, where the drinks are cold and the caterers and florists are fabulous. (Please note Mr. Shop Tart’s floral salute, another tie by Liberty of London for Target.)

The photo below is of the Shop Tart’s hosts, Bryan Causey, Lynn Galloway, Christie Causey and Jamie Causey of Celebrations. Lynn is rocking a fab dress by Milly, the Shop Tart is wearing Phillip Lim (shocking, for sure) and Christie is wearing a classic custom Cup dress from LaRoque. The guys are wearing guy clothes. (And they look great!) The Shop Tart will fully admit to looking a bit drab, but when she woke up in the morning it was cold (and she may or may not have co-hosted a large party the night before and stayed up way too late). The tights had to happen, because she hadn’t had time to apply self tanner and it was freezing. As the day unfolded, it got a lot warmer and she found herself wishing she had brought an alternate outfit and kept it in the car. Lynn had the right idea, a lovely coral sheath with boots. Love! Christie looked great; LaRoque is de rigeur for the Cup.

The Shop Tart fell in love with the gorgeous arrangements by Rish Florist in Columbia. They were stunning and sophisticated, pictured below with the signature drink, a delicious concoction of pineapple, coconut, vodka and blue Curaçao. The drinks were served in mason jars with twine bows, which Lynn of Celebrations tied herself, right up to the last minute. The Shop Tart intends to steal this idea very, very soon. Lovely!

The most fabulous thing about the flowers was that a closer look revealed cauliflower and cabbage. Mad chic, y’all, mad chic.

The food in the Celebrations tent was delish, far better than the cold friend chicken and chips and salsa of the past*. The spread was provided by Aberdeen Catering, Jack Brantley’s iconic Camden company. Although Aberdeen is based in Camden, their fame and reputation reaches much farther than that. This was Mr. Shop Tart’s first helping; he returned for several more. Classic dishes like shrimp with cocktail sauce and tenderloin with horseradish, mustard and mayonnaise were prepared to perfection.

Sipping her ice-cold Diet Coke from a glass, the Shop Tart gazed across the track at the mass of tents (and didn’t really miss them, though she had a grand time back then). From the Celebrations tent, she was able to actually see the horses race by - and it was really cool!

She spotted several Cup dresses by LaRoque under the tent, including this one. Gorgeous color and gorgeous wearer!

This young lady from Sumter looked absolutely fab, with a color blocked dress she accessorized with a LaRoque sash. Her look was great from head to nude-colored flat toe.

Do you ever read about a trend and think, “I could never rock that?” But then you see someone wearing it in a way that works. The Shop Tart loves massive rings and has been intrigued by rings that span more than one finger, like brass knuckles. The young lady pictured above was wearing a delicate ivory enamel bird version. And the Shop Tart does love an enamel bird. Want!

Across the fence, the Shop Tart spotted Brad Weeks and Jessica Shillato of Spotted Salamander. They were catering the Carolina Cup Association Nexsen Pruet tent. Mr. Shop Tart was still hungry - and his repeated return to the Aberdeen table was starting to raise eyebrows** - so they jumped the fence to say hello. They chatted with Brad and Jessica and met Brad’s father, Donnie Weeks, who is the president of Kershaw Health, another main sponsor of the Carolina Cup. Let’s talk hats for a moment. The Shop Tart desperately wishes she had worn one, because Jessica’s from 2G’s Clothing looks awesome. And she wishes Mr. Shop Tart had worn one just like Mr. Weeks. (Wonder where he got that hat. Might make a great Father’s Day present.)

The food inside was delicious. Though the Shop Tart was full, she is a good journalist and had to do research, so she tried almost all of the sandwiches, from roast beef to chicken to shrimp to roasted vegetables. (Yes, she will be eating a lot of salad this week.)

In addition to sandwiches and salads, there were two soups, served in mugs and the perfect antidote to the early chill in the air. The watermelon and tomato salad made her feel ready for summer.

There is one thing perplexing about the entire event. The Shop Tart loves lemon bars with all her heart. She sampled both Aberdeen’s and Spotted Salamander’s. Repeatedly. After much research, she declares a draw. They were both divine. While shoveling lemon bars into her mouth, the Shop Tart was thrilled to finally meet Shop Tart reader Blakely Hallman Chikhliker of the National Kidney Foundation of South Carolina and her husband, Nexsen Pruet attorney Tushar Chikhliker. Um. Could they be any better looking? Gorgeous! (And she hopes they don’t mind her saying so.)

Wandering around, the Shop Tart and her husband were happy to see Anthony and Kristy Quattrone and friends Madison Weston and Brad Henry, all four impeccably dressed. Kristy took the Shop Tart to task for not rocking a little more color, and rightfully so. The Shop Tart promises to plan ahead next year!

Later, the Celebrations crowd presented the prize to the winning team of the race they sponsored. (Please note: Lynn was smart enough to bring shoes to change into should warmer weather arise. The Shop Tart is jealous!)

The Shop Tart will always associate the Cups in Camden, both Carolina and Colonial, with Celebrations. They provide all the tents and decor (and they host a heck of a great party). The whole scene was so pretty and sophisticated, a far cry from the tailgating atmosphere the Shop Tart remembered. (Although she does love a good tailgate.) Just so you know, Celebrations does private parties, too. If you can imagine it, they can probably make it happen. The Shop Tart has fantasies of putting a dance floor and a tent over her entire back yard. Permanently. What do you think?

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

* Though there ain’t nothing wrong with cold friend chicken and chips and salsa.

** Kidding, kidding. Aberdeen and Celebrations are far too gracious for that. The food was plentiful and the Shop Tart just likes to tease her half-French, gourmet husband a little.

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P.S. Are you coming to Runaway Runway? Because you should. Because the Shop Tart is already getting excited. Now, what are we wearing?

Are y’all looking forward to it? The Shop Tart was a judge last year and had an absolute blast. She begged was asked to be on the panel again this year. Remember last year?

Hope to see you there!

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The Shop Tart likes to eat. Over the last week, she has enjoyed some fine restaurant meals*. Here they are.

• Saturday, McCrady’s with the VanJean crowd after the Charleston Fashion Week Finale. They dined in a semi-private room with this awesome chandelier. Want.



House-made burrata - kind of like cheese made from unsweetened, lightly salted whipped cream - with beets and watercress.



Salad with goat cheese, country ham and a fried farm egg. Sounds like breakfast. Delish.



Mr. Shop Tart’s smoked trout with potato, parsley and egg.



His wife’s seared diver scallop with kimchee puree, radish, apple and barbecue pork belly. Not sure what pork belly is, don’t want to know. This was insane, so good.



Delish tilefish with potato puree, clams, fennel and greens. Peace, yo.



Mr. ST’s salad won Best-Looking.



The desserts were so good that when everyone got up to leave, they realized Mr. ST and Tripp (Mr. VanJean Buyer) were missing. They looked back to see the two of them standing around the table with spoons, polishing off dessert after dessert. When Mr. ST took off his coat later, he admitted to swiping the last of the strawberry white chocolate for a late-night snack. Classy.

The Shop Tart’s new bag from Novel perfectly complemented the decor. Just saying.



• Fleet Market, Sunday morning with Mr. Shop Tart. She hears it’s a tourist trap, but loves it anyway. She is a tourist. The burger was excellent…



…as was Mr. ST’s tilefish. (He kind of regretted not getting tilefish the night before, ergo…)



• Sunday and Monday night, the Shop Tart ate at home. Mom.
• Monday and Tuesday lunch, also at home. Oops. Monday lunch was at Panera, because the housekeeper was at the Shop Tart’s house and she needed to work. They have wi-fi. So that lunch doesn’t even count.
• Tuesday, Champagne Tuesday at Cellar on Greene with a bunch of ladies. Look at those deals.



Smoked salmon is perfect with bubbly.



Tuna nachos, also excellent. The Shop Tart appreciated the healthy serving of tuna.



• Tuesday night, Round Two, Baan Sawan. (Yes, the car got dropped at home in between the two places. You never know what might happen on a Tuesday.) The Shop Tart enjoyed a spring roll and an excellent glass of bubbly. Organic, because she’s a health nut.



She had never tried the three-flavored duck. Now she has and is in love. Each perfectly-seasoned bite is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Check out the carrot garnish: That’s “T” for Tracie (aka Yum Diary) and “A” for Anne (aka the Shop Tart). Where is the “D” for de-flipping-licious? Huh? Where is it?



• Wednesday, lunch and dinner at home.
• Thursday lunch, Immaculate Consumption. Greek salad with tuna salad on top. Heaven.



The lunch was work-related. The Shop Tart is planning something new. Wait for it…

• Last night, she had every intention of staying home. (She needed to rest for this weekend as she’s hosting a party in honor of her soon-to-be-married cousin tonight for…gulp…200 people or so. And she’s going to the Carolina Cup bright and early the next morning. Please keep her in your thoughts.) On the way home from the gym, she got a fateful text. Do you ever get those? They arrive at the exact moment of your second wind and you realize that, in fact, you should go out. Darn you, Camille Maurice, and your, “Are you available for a drink around 7:30 at MoMo’s?” Well, yes. The seared sea scallops were delicious, piping hot without being over-cooked. Why can’t the Shop Tart achieve that at home?



As these things go, the conversation turned to fries, so they shared some. Dessert!

So…what are you eating this weekend? Whatever it is, make sure you enjoy it. Mwah!

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

P.S. Soak has mani and pedi appointments available today and tomorrow, but they will get taken, so call now. (787-0313) They’re offering a special for the Cup, too. Check the calendar for details.

* She is often asked - to the point where it should be added to the FAQ - how she maintains a healthy weight while eating out all the time. First of all, she doesn’t go out all the time, perhaps only slightly more often than most people, Mom. It is part of her job, after all. Don’t hate. Second of all, she’s all about portion control. (Unless we’re talking fries.) Third, she eats a lot of green vegetables at home. All those meals you don’t hear about? Healthy-ish and eaten at home. This morning’s breakfast was several handfuls of salad greens sautéed in olive oil, sprinkled with Parmesan and topped with a fresh egg from Wil-Moore Farm. (The egg gets cracked over the top, yolk intact. She covers the whole mess with a pot top and lets the egg steam until it’s over-easy, similar to this meal.) Salad is good, yo. Even for breakfast.

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