A little trip to Greenville, SC
With a diet twist.
In November, I spent a few weeks in Greenville, South Carolina. Why, you ask? As in, “What the heck is in Greenville?”
Well, I was considering moving south (a scenario now on hold) and thought, “Why not?” I love Charleston, and have been there many times, but between hurricanes and floods, and many people telling me how great Greenville is, I thought I’d check out the Upstate. It’s close to Asheville and the mountains, and presumably a bit less sticky in summer. Folks in the humid coastal Low Country come up here to beat the heat.
I thought it was worth a look and planned to make this trip a get-healthy time and give intermittent fasting a try, especially before the holidays.
It seems easier for me to set new habits when I am away from home. Can anyone reading relate to this?
Long story short, Greenville as a vacation destination is fine, but once may be enough, at least for me, especially with other places on the bucket list. I’d say it might be a good choice for young people if they are looking to move south. Lots of young people here.
Yes, the downtown is extraordinary. Over the years, downtown Greenville has been transformed from an industrial site into a beautiful and thriving city where pedestrians can dine, shop and stroll, enjoying views from Liberty Bridge that crosses over the Reedy River in Falls Park. Pictures tell this story.
If I had lots of extra dough, I would stay at the Grand Bohemian Lodge, which overlooks the bridge and park. If you go, at least check out the lobby art gallery and have some food or a drink.
There are dozens of shops (lululemon, Spartina, etc.), galleries and restaurants, more than enough for a long weekend, maybe a week. Restaurants are excellent. Many choices.
My favorite: a French bistro with a view, and right on the bike trail. And the bridge is just steps from the restaurant. Passerelle
Outside the nucleus of the city, the area is sprawling with development, traffic and only so much a tourist can do. Plenty of malls and shopping, though. Before I ever stepped foot in SC, a friend who had moved to Charleston said, “Deb, you gotta come down. The cars – they let you in!” He meant drivers actually practice alternate right of way. New Yorkers don’t typically follow this option. Nor do Greenville drivers. And they get testy if you dawdle at a light. This, I admit, is my biased opinion.
How I spent my time, and what I loved about my visit:
SouthernOm Hot Yoga. I’m a certified yoga teacher, though not doing much teaching at the moment. I was hoping to turn this time into my get-healthy, back-to-yoga trip. Many choices in the area, but this studio (with 2 locations) was everything I wanted. Before I even checked into my Airbnb, I stopped into a Whole Foods (Woodruff Road) and poked my head into the studio next door. Made an instant decision that it was right for me. Favorite studio ever. Super clean, lots of classes, great variety and excellent teachers. This is not Bikram. This is many offerings: yin, flow, Pilates, power. The West End location has a studio with infrared heat ( which is supposed to be therapeutic) and was very near my Airbnb. I attended a class almost every day, and only wish they would come north. If you go, try some yoga here.
And, of course, anyone who knows me, knows I love to ride my bike, which fits snugly into my Subaru. So on days not in the studio, I rode the Swamp Rabbit Trail. It was so close to my Airbnb that I could hop on the trail without loading the bike in the car. I would stick to the trail and not ride the roads around here. The path is 22 paved miles roundtrip, with a few spurs mainly downtown. You can ride right through the park. Riding at a moderate 10 miles an hour, you can cover this trail in an easy three hours, taking breaks for rest stops, but why not plan to have lunch along the way?
The trail takes you to Travelers Rest, a cute little town north of Greenville with plenty of lunch choices and a little crepe place that is a must. Tiramisu crepe, anyone? Tandem
Go to Paris Mountain for some hiking, also in Travelers Rest. I hiked with Audrey, a new friend I met on the bike trail. She’s from Brooklyn. Second time I made a New York friend in SC, who I have since stayed in touch with.
This is a state park, so there is an entry fee. A few nice trails with enough elevation to make you feel that you are getting a little workout. (We stuck to Lake Placid, an easy 1-mile walk around pond, and Mountain Creek 2.6 miles RT).
Back in downtown Greenville, check out M. Judson Booksellers, a thriving independent bookstore and cafe that demands browsing and has lots of events, including cooking classes and wine nights. I spent a bit of time here.
Since I was on a food plan, which was a big part of my trip, I’m going to mention Harris Teeter, my favorite Southern supermarket. There are a few of these in the Greenville area, and whenever south, I look forward to friendly staffers, the clean, large space and store-label products like HT coffee. It seems every employee has a smile and wants to help. I always buy Duke’s Mayonnaise, not unlike Hellmann’s, but creamier and a tad sharper. Brought some back for a foodie friend.
As to my intermittent fasting, it worked. Even with Duke’s mayo and lunch out every day, I lost 6 pounds. Skipped breakfast, sticking to coffee. Lunch was my main meal. Loved Smoke on the Water for lunch, great specials every day. Delicious crispy fried chicken.
Behind this restaurant, you can pick up the bike trail, and you’ll see a Chihuly sculpture.
My food window started no earlier than noon and wrapped up by 7 p.m. I ate a light dinner, usually salad or the like.
How did I do it? I drank a lot of coffee, and not strict on that. Often had a morning cappuccino. My go-to place, after trying many, was Old Europe Desserts, where I occasionally splurged on a sweet.
Overall, the fasting worked. And it was a good trip.
More about how the fasting is going in future blogs.