Saturday, June 7.

Having conquered Upper King and Cannonborough, the party juggernaut rolled north of the crosstown Saturday night for two Piccolo Finale satellites.

5 pm. Home of Tyler and Michelle Smyth, Ashley Ave. 

Michelle and Tyler SmythWe got here a little late for this one but that freed up the hosts to give us a tour, white sangria in hand (pinot grigio and orangina). The Smyths had spent a year renovating this place, doing pretty much all the work themselves, and are now living on the first floor and renting out the top.

Homemade pimento cheese and cucumber sandwiches and lumpias (more about those in a minute) rested on the mother of all kitchen tables.

“I think it weighs about three hundred pounds,” Michelle said.

Tyler found the twelve-foot-long, three-inch thick piece of mahogany while looking for dog collars on the list of Craig. It spent a little time at JMO woodworks, where David Pastre (who with wife Amy recently begat Otto – welcome to the neighborhood little buddy!) helped work on it with a belt sander and a bandsaw. It took three men to install it just in time for the party.

I got the last lumpia, a Philipino pastry sort of like a mix between an empanada and a spring roll. Michelle’s parents Lucy and Dom Bellon get them from a Mr. Erese in Goose Creek.

We also got to see Tara Romano again – got her last name right this time!

7 pm Home of Jay and Amelia White, Hampton Park Terrace.

Amelia White brings out the finest meats and cheesesOnly a short walk to this newlywed cottage, where the party spilt out into the street. Good mix of architects (shocker), headlined by Sheri and Dinos Liollio, and regular folk, including some of Jay’s fellow Grace Episcopal bellringers. Word is that writer Lisa Rogak (author of dozens of books, including A Boy Named Shel) is hoping to do a Midnight-esque book about Charleston bellringers, if only she can find a murder to attach to it.

rhino beetleSo if anyone knows of a good one, let her know. For now we’ll have to be satisfied with this dead rhinoceros beetle that Jay (a deacon at First Scots Pres) pinned down while on a mission trip to Honduras.

drink diagrams by jay whiteSignature cocktails: Mint juleps, Pimms, Cockeyed Limeys. (See instructional diagram). 

Spread included: Antipasto, strawberry shortcake ladyfingers, sliders (I ate 14.)

People who commented on how tired I looked at the Choc Drops party: 5