Hello from Walker Percy Weekend! I’m settled down in my room at the Myrtles, the haunted plantation house (no kidding), and don’t you worry about me, I’m FINE, just FINE! (Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio…). I realized just now that I didn’t take any photos tonight, despite the fact that I saw Franklin Evans, Jon F., David J. White, Alcuin, and Bernie from this blog. I’ll do better tomorrow, promise.

I picked up Anne Snyder Brooks at the airport on the way to St. Francisville late Friday morning. We ate lunch at Restaurant 1796 at The Myrtles. It’s a new restaurant. I knew that my cousin Daniel Dreher was the sous chef here, but I didn’t realize that he recently became the chef. I’m not just saying this because I’m related to him, but dang, the food was really good. I had cornbread with greens and bacon confiture, and I mean to tell you, it was phenomenal. Then Daniel came out with bread pudding and homemade cinnamon ice cream, raspberry sorbet, and pistachio ice cream. Here he is with his masterpieces:

No kidding, this restaurant is something else.

I met some friends from New York, including Tara Isabella Burton, at The Saint, the new cocktail bar in the St. Francisville Inn.  A couple bought the inn a year or so ago, and totally renovated it. It’s amazing! It’s exactly what you want when you come to the deep South. We had cocktails (gin for me) in the languid mid-afternoon, listening to French cabaret music, and speaking of religious exotica. I didn’t want it to end.

Then, I did an interview with Anne late in the afternoon, talking about community. Met Walter Isaacson, here for his first WPW. Later, the opening night reception at Jackson Hall of Grace Episcopal Church. I spent two and a half hours, literally, trying to get from the bar outside to the food in the church hall, but unable to do it because there were so many great people to talk to. I went through two bourbon and sodas before finally pushing through, and having delicious food. Oh, friends from Birmingham came down, and brought Orthodox me a nice present. More news from me tomorrow.