Charleston
September 29, 2014
Just a
few photos of our trip to Charleston a few weeks ago. We met my good
friend from college, Cristina, and her kids for the weekend and we thoroughly
enjoyed every
minute. Even though we speak on the phone almost weekly, we had not seen
each other in over 6 years! Now, this is way too long to go without seeing a good friend. But we picked up exactly where we
left off, like no time had passed at all. This is a true testament to
the strength of our friendship. And we really had so much to talk about....we talked non-stop. I'm sure you can imagine.
Charleston was lovely. I especially enjoyed the
food and the architecture. Let me give you a few highlights-
I loved this quote in the middle of Magnolia Plantation's garden. It is all really about finding the beauty and pleasure in the simple and real things.
Aside from spending quality time with my friend, I also had an ulterior motive for this reunion- to establish the next generation of friendships. It was really so sweet to watch our kids get to know each other. They took to each other immediately and played as if they had known each other for all their lives. I love how kids make friends so easily and genuinely.
The food in Charleston is spectacular. We ate at some delicious restaurants I would highly recommend- Macintosh, Fig where we had the most amazing gnocchi ever, and Indaco recommended by the fabulous Amy. They have amazing pizza and fresh homemade pasta which was to die for. We also tried an 'out of this world' ice cream parlor called Jeni's, also recommended by Amy. Ok, I could have easily stayed there for ever and turned into a ball
trying all the inventive flavors like brown butter almond brittle,
Whiskey and pecans...oh my! oh and they ship their ice cream!! No joke. If you need a creative gift for that person that has everything, or a fun birthday gift a few pints of different flavors from Jeni's would bring a smile to anyone's face!
It was also fun to meet Amy and Krystine, two fellow Charleston bloggers. I'm a big fan of their blogs so it was fun to meet in person and of course they are just as fabulous as I knew they would be. After reading someone's blog for a while you can really get a sense for the person behind and these two were exactly true to what I had pictured in my mind's eye. It was such a treat!
We didn't do much shopping because of the kids but would like to highlight two stores that I would have loved to spend more time in- Lily, which had the most beautiful little luxuries like candles and stationery and curiosities like earrings and clutches, and Mitchell Hill, a beautifully curated home decor store.
If you go to Charleston you need to visit The Magnolia Plantation. The grounds are spectacular and they have an amazing petting zoo for the little ones. It is only about 30 minutes from Old Charleston and very worth it. And another must-do is to take a carriage ride around the town. It is a fun and relaxing way to see the secret areas, get a sense for the city, and learn about the history and get all the gossip.
As for hotels we stayed in the King Charles Hotel which was fine, nothing to write home about but it had a small pool which was nice when you are traveling with kids. It is also wedding season and most hotels were booked solid. I really wanted to try Zero George. So, maybe next time and I really do hope there is a next time.
Have you been to Charleston? How do you best keep up your old college friend? Do you also believe in making sure the friendship is carried forward by the future generations?
[all photos by AC]
15 comments
What a beautiful trip and how nice that you were able to meet and spend quality time with friends. Great pictures.
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Charleston one day too. Looks amazing
ReplyDeleteI have been DYING to get to Charleston! It looks so perfect. How cute are the girls?!
ReplyDeleteAhhh dying to go, so magical, what a place!
ReplyDeleteA bucket list locale for me (I'll bookmark your recommendations)! Looks like a beautiful trip to cap off the summer with good friends. Enjoyed seeing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI'm really feeling the love today my friend! You're too sweet to give me props and I so loved meeting you in person as well. I love the picture in front of the fountain. Your daughter looks like a trained model! So beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOne of my very favorite places. These pictures make me want to go back! What a great time.
ReplyDeleteCharleston is one of my favorite cities. We are going this November to spend time there and Savannah. Aren't the carriage tours great?! I love how they sugar coat their stories. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful city. I haven't been there in so long. Your pictures and beautiful and so are the girls!
ReplyDeletewww.designsbykaty.com
Love these photos! It's always fun to see Charleston through someone else's eyes! I'm so glad to finally meet you! You & Albertina were darling and I loved meeting Christina & Sophia. Hope to see you again soon sweet friend!
ReplyDeleteIt's always the best when you can catch up with old friends and feel as if you can pick up where you left. Charelston looks amazing, definitely somewhere I need to visit in the future!
ReplyDeleteI feel so blessed to be your friend and what a gift to watch our children forming an innocent and genuine friendship!! I loved exploring Charleston with you! I'm still dreaming about the amazing food we enjoyed and our endless conversations. Your our Charleston pics turned out amazing as I anticipated!! My Pics = Not so much...hahaha
ReplyDeleteawwww what an amazing time you guys had together! the girls are so cute!
ReplyDeleteMy best friend from college is my daughter's godmother. Your trip looks just perfect. I've never been to Charleston. I'd absolutely love all of the beautiful architecture.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite places in the country! Great photos!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou make my day with your comments! Thank you!!