It’s an incredibly sad time to say good-bye to the in-laws’ Hilton Head Island condo.
We had (what we think) is our last trip during the end of my vacation week in June. The in-laws were also enjoying their last time there as well. It’s just sad to see the place get put on the market. That place has been the backdrop of so many great memories from the time I got married to our little boys growing up.
I was hoping to get in a quick trip to Savannah to visit my favorite used bookstore, but I don’t know. We’ve got a lot to do. There are closets to clear out, donations to drop off and a storage unit to rent and then fill!
My hope is to at least make it over the flyover bridge to Bluffton, SC. I’ve been saving a Facebook Marketplace listing for autographed Ina Garten cookbooks for almost a year now. I really hope I can find the time to scoot over there!
And don’t you know it. As soon as we’re relaxing in the condo on Thursday afternoon, Facebook Marketplace, which is still focused on Charlotte, shows me a Saturday morning yard sale filled with cookbooks. Of course, I would miss a great sale by being out of town. But, I actually reached out to the poster to see if he would put aside a few cookbooks for me to pick up on Monday….and he agreed! Yay!!!
Most of the nights during this trip had my husband staying up and talking with his parents until the early morning hours. So, on Friday morning, I woke up to a very quiet house and everyone else still sleeping. It was so quiet, that I decided to get ready and head out on my own!
First stop: St. Francis Thrift Store. Now that my favorite, Hospice Community Thrift, is no longer around this store has moved to the top spot for me. I went straight back to the book section and found a few cookbooks. Then, as I was walking around, I noticed they had two very busy workers trying to restock the bookshelves.
I asked one lady if she had any more cookbooks that were going to come out. She paused and asked if I wanted to come to the back room and take a look!
You know I always got to do that at Hospice Community Thrift! That’s why I loved that place so much!!!
Anyways, I went behind the curtain and was shown three stacks of cookbooks. I looked through and found a few more to add to the cart.
Here’s what I got….
Lee Bailey’s Cooking for Friends (Lee Bailey), Come on In! (Junior League of Jackson, Miss), The Sweetapolita Bakebook (Rosie Alyea) and Epic Vegan Instant Pot Cooking: Simple Oil-Free Vegan Instant Pot Recipes for Lazy F@cks (Derek & Hannah Howlett).
A Taste of New England (Junior League of Worscester), Angels’ Food (Lowcountry Presbyterian Church, Bluffton, SC), Conversational Cookery (The Clares of St. Francis College, Loretto, PA), World Famous Vidalia Sweet Onion Cookbook (Morris Farms), Islanders Cook Plain & Fancy (Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary) and Aquia Harbour Yacht Club Cookbook (Aquia, VA).
Brunch Entertaining (Williams-Sonoma), The TriBeca Cookbook (Mary Cleaver, Joy Simmen Hamburger and Mimi Shanley Taft), The El Paso Chile Company’s Sizzlin’ Suppers (W. Park Kerr) and Crème Brulee (Sara Lewis).
Whew! Nice way to start off the morning!!!
Next up….I’m trying my luck in Bluffton.
I had reached out earlier to the person with the Facebook Marketplace listing to see if those autographed Ina Garten cookbooks were still available. I mean, it’s been almost a year and they may have sold through all of them?!
Anyways, the lady responded pretty quickly. Her name is Kimberly and the signed Barefoot Contessa cookbooks are at her store, Cassandra’s Kitchen, in Bluffton. She does still have them and she’s open for a few afternoon hours.
She sends me the address and says it’s a little tricky to find. I followed the GPS and found it located on the back side of a professional business park. It may be on the back side, but it faces the water and has a great view.
But anyway, back to the store. It’s called Cassandra’s Kitchen and is a very nice, small but upscale specialty kitchen and dinnerware store with all things Ina Garten. Want Ina’s favorite pepper mill? Boom…they’ve got it. She has a bookcase featuring all of Ina’s Barefoot Contessa cookbooks….autographed!
I found two Ina Garten cookbooks and a fantastic Ateco spreading tool for icing cakes. Kimberly was super nice and even offered to retrieve copies from the back room that didn’t have pricing stickers on them. How awesome is that? Pristine copies of autographed Barefoot Contessa cookbooks!!!!
Modern Comfort Food (Ina Garten) and Cooking for Jeffrey (Ina Garten).
Amazing!
If you’re ever in the area and want to visit, it’s located at the following address:
Cassandra’s Kitchen
258 Red Cedar Street
#17
Bluffton, SC
843-815-3500
I didn’t see Barefoot Contessa Family Style…which has the French Toast on the cover. And I forgot to ask about it!
We didn’t get a chance to make it to Savannah. So no trip to The Book Lady for me. I’m sad about that, but I’m hoping we’ll find a way to visit again for quick overnight trips in the future.
And as we were on our way out the door, my in-laws gifted me the collection of cookbooks that were in the condo!
But more on that later…
And after a long drive back home on a Sunday evening, I’m back at work the next day. And if you’ll remember, I have some cookbooks to pick up!
I get the address and take my lunch hour driving over to pick up my “holds” from Saturday’s missed yard sale.
Market to Market (The Service League of Hickory, NC) is a First Printing! Yay! Minnie Pearl Cooks: Special Author’s Edition (Minnie Pearl) has almost lost its’ cover, but I’m okay with that. Catch of the Day: Southern Seafood Secrets (Ginny Lentz, Margaret Terrell editors and illustrations; cover design by Nancy Ricker Webb) is formerly Fripp Island Fare! And the title page is autographed by all involved!
And finally, Hors d’oeuvres (Mimosa Garden Club, Atlanta, GA). I love this little cookbook so much! Who can pass up recipes like “Burning Bush Balls”? LOL
Feels like I’m closing out a great weekend of sales! Hope we find another way to get down to Hilton Head again. I’m really going to miss that place and that little island, too.