I loved talking walks or going for a jog in the beautiful surrounding residential neighborhoods of Charleston. The homes were stunning…charming, historical, well preserved – but what I couldn’t stop obsessing over were the beautiful private gardens – most of which seemed to be for the viewing pleasure of the home owners only, as they were tucked away from the street or hidden behind [beautiful!] gates…
Here were some of the secret little oasis’s that caught my [wandering] eye:
Loved the gates, arched doorways and walkways that prevented snoops [who, me?!] from getting a closer look…
Fountains frequented many of the verdant settings.
And if there wasn’t enough open land for a proper garden, people added plantings where they could…I particularly LOVED the ground cover used in between the steps!
While others, still, had to rely on the existing trees lining the streets and modest window boxes to get their flora fill.
But…don’t be fooled – there were plenty of Charlestonians that had ample space for one heck of a garden spread!
I loved the use of rich, hardy and sculptural boxwood, paired with the brighter, airier maiden hair ferns.
Come on, with the sculpted perfection of these yards! Who has time to maintain!? [Hired gardeners, no doubt…]
While historic Charleston and the nearby residential neighborhoods only fill up about a mile by mile area and one can easily explore it all in a day or two…I loved that I had multiple days [perfect opportunity to take advantage of The Man playing golf] to roam the darling streets over and over, looking for these perfect little hidden gems.
After a chaotic day back in the office, I simply can’t ignore the pit in my stomach that I’m associating with my longing for more of the charm and beauty of our trip to Charleston last week.
Or….
Perhaps that funny feeling in my stomach is my body telling me that I’m still full from the obscene over-indulgence that the week provided!
Needless to say, the Lowcountry Cuisine did not disappoint!
Now – as a disclaimer – please note that I do not pretend to be much of a serious foodie. While I immensely enjoy dining out, trying the hot new spots [known and unknown], and have become quite spoiled with the elite restaurants and chefs we Chicagoan’s have at our fingertips, I really must admit that I am simply a girl who has spent most of her adolescent and adult life abiding by a fairly strict diet of modest deprivation and utter boringness – all in the name of vanity. But now that I am pregnant, I also come clean to the fact that I seem to have misplaced my iron will these last 7 months and have regularly wondered where my determined diet resoluteness has gone and am, simply put: enjoying being a bit of a cow these days. All of that said, it seems to have been The Perfect way to explore a city with such a strong culinary presence as Charleston, South Carolina. And so, here were just a few of our favorites, each located in the heart of the darling historic district:
Magnolias – 185 East Bay Street
Crappy iphone pic – sorry!
Umbrella in tow, we ventured the couple block journey to our first dinner date of the trip: Magnolias. The regarded restaurant offers traditional southern cuisine with a fresh, current approach to preparation and presentation. We shared the vanilla bean poached pear and arugula salad, a perfect and lighter way to start the meal. Joel got the blackened chicken and I ordered a salmon special that left me painfully full, yet seriously yearning for more. We loved our meal!
Sermet’s menu is influenced by the Mediterranean and was a wonderful change of pace from the amazing lowcountry cuisine we were quickly growing accustomed to.
We started with the artichoke torta, followed by delish entrees. Perhaps one of Joel’s favorite dishes of the trip, he ordered the chicken sautéed with bacon, granny smith apples and mushrooms in a light marsala/parmesan sauce over sweet butternut squash ravioli. I chose the shrimp in a light curry/citrus sauce with pearl couscous, sun-dried tomatoes and cilantro.
The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable with exposed brick, warm timber and beachy, crisp white linen.
And our favorite evening was spent on the eve of our return trip home at Bon Appetite’s Best New Restaurant in America:
Husk – 76 Queen Street
Via
The exterior of the stunning two story 1893 Queen Anne building that houses Husk has Charleston’s undeniable charm with its welcoming porches and towering magnolia trees that provided a romantic patchwork of shadows to the picturesque scene. The interior is refined, rustic and welcoming. We were lucky enough to be granted a table outside on the porch, overlooking Queen Street.
Husk is Southern. Coreshakingly so. “If it’s not from the south, it’s not coming through the door”, said James Beard award winning chef Sean Brock. The menu changes daily based on the seasonal offerings and local visits to farms and markets.
We started with the boiled peanut hummus and house made crackers, followed by a couple of entrees that made us appreciate and agree with the frenzied buzz that still surrounds Husk. J ordered the chicken breast with sweet potato pepper mash, spicy [!] pumpkin greens and garlic and chili broth. I enjoyed every last morsel of my wood-fired flounder with risotto-esq Carolina rice middlins, the freshest most verdant green peas, chanterelles and green garlic. Oh – and we must not forget the cast-iron skillet of fresh cornbread that tasted like it was cooked over a campfire, to accompany our meal!
While the convenience factor of the rooftop/pool eatery was just plain silly since this was our hotel…the food was wonderful! From fresh flatbreads and wood-fired pizzas to salads and sandwiches – everything is delicious…including the views.
Sweet Cece’s on Market Street
A self-serve yogurt shoppe with heaps of unique toppings and adorable pink and white stripe chairs that I’m fairly certain made the frozen treats taste even better.
Lovely for interesting sandwiches, the fluffiest quiches and indulgent baked goods.
Avoidance:
We seriously enjoyed every meal, everyday…with the lone loser of the group: Poogan’s Porch. I must admit, I was blinded by the idea of dining al fresco [not knowing what the incomparable Husk had in store for us later in the week!] and ignored the grimy setting, mobs of [quite tacky] tourists and funky odor of the main entryway. I had to send my meal back to the kitchen and Joel left half of his on his plate. With so many amazing restaurants to choose from, we were disappointed to have wasted an opportunity here.
Overall:
The Charleston dining scene is both understated and world-class. Forget about pretentious attitudes – the southern charm and hospitality of places that offer street-fare or fine dining seem to be authentic and inspiring!
I am heartbroken to admit that our little get-away is coming to an end…Charleston was The Perfect way to spend some time before Sweet Baby S joins us later this fall.
I’m composing a few posts to include some favorite highlights about shopping, dining, accommodations and scenery [ooooh the hidden gardens…] in Charleston. Too much to share, I promise I’ll try to edit the content!
The only silver lining is that we have our adorable doggie awaiting us, Illiebelle. [Simply can’t imagine what the feeling will be like when it’s our little boy [ah!] waiting to greet us – in addition to a cutie crumb-hustling beggar of a pooch!]
We’re heading to Charleston for the week as a way to celebrate the culmination of an amazing wedding-packed summer in addition to enjoying a little time together pre-bébé.
As I am starting my third trimester this week, the doctors wanted us to keep stateside and didn’t want us flying for much over three hours. Charleston seemed to offer much of what we were looking to experience on our little get-away!
And so, we’ve got a bit of everything planned for our little babymoon – from relaxation poolside, to exploring antebellum mansions and plantations, to wandering the charming historic streets, to a little fussy pampering [while the man golfs], to catching up on some pleasure-reading, to deliciously indulgent meals [hey, elastic waistbands do have their advantages…] and dreams and discussions of what our lives will be like in 3 short months!
Now that I’ve made it through a week of playing catch-up (ok, perhaps I’m still playing catch-up), I thought I’d share a few photos from our annual trip with the in-laws.
The Southern Caribbean water and weather was seriously divine – perfect for sunning and catching up on some reading…
As someone who rarely can even make time to scan my beloved design and wedding magazines, I happily flew through these two delightful reads…”Rules of Civility” (a glamorous yet down-to-earth glimpse of NYC society the late 1930’s) and “Silver Girl” (a beachy read taking place on new favorite…wait for it……..no surprise here…………Nantucket!)
A few favorite photos, clockwise from top left: Sunrise skyline as we prepare for departure. Husband and the sea. NYE (post wardrobe change…). Les macarons shipped seaside from Rollet Pradier in Paris. Sailboats in St. John. Dinner in San Juan.
Beautiful botanicals in St. John.
Athleticism doesn’t really count when playing bocce…right??? (Phew.)
Is it too soon to start planning our next getaway?
(Photo credits) All images other than book photos taken by me and my fancy new zoooooom lens and iphone.
Upon arrival in Nantucket, the rain continued to pound. J and I were still buzzing with excitement {or was it terror from our stormy flight in an airplane the size of a minivan?!} and we insisted on exploring town. Our first stop was for a late lunch and we found the perfect cozy respite for burgers and beer…
Brotherhood of Thieves was originally opened in the 1840s as a whaling bar and much of the original setting still exists today.
I decided on the Veggie Burger and loved every bite. J chose the Bayou Burger and thought it was delicious – especially with the spicy red pepper remoulade. A couple of beers from the local Cisco Brewery were the perfect partner for our burgers and provided the energy needed to continue meandering down the cobblestone streets.
We had selected our first dinner in Nantucket to be at Lola 41. This chic global bistro had a menu that we couldn’t resist {paired with countless first hand raving recos!}, with seemingly something for everyone. We selected a couple of random dishes, not meant to be complimentary paired, but meant to explore the menu. We started with the Tatara, a basic starter sushi roll {J is new to sushi…we were easing into it}. It was delicious and sizable. We then moved on to the handmade Gnocchi Bolognese. The buttery little pillows of potato were as light as clouds…absolutely delectable and quite possibly one of our favorite dishes of our trip! We also shared the Pressed Sandwich – featuring thick crusty bread hugging a combination of proscuitto, arugula, asparagus, bufala mozzarella and thick, gooey aged balsamic. We waddled home, navigating ankle-deep puddles, in a blurry haze of delicious wine and indulgent dishes.
Day two started with a delicious breakfast prepared by our innkeepers. We had a day of exploring the island ahead of us and, therefore, I felt in necessary to have even more fuel than our abundant breakfast offered…
A strong latte from The Bean was a good start…
But the sure way to keep me going is to have a sack full of sugar-candy! The sweet lady at the Nantucket Candy Company viewed me as a regular by the end our our trip!
After hours of sightseeing we were ready for a snack to sustain us until dinner and decided to pop into the Easy Street Cantina for a bite. The location is great, on the corner of Easy and Broad Streets, right by the water and I can imagine that it is packed in the summer months. The fish taco and chicken salad wrap were average, but did the trick.
We were seated at a cozy window table for dinner, our second night. Black Eyed Susan’s is a teeny little BYO {cash only!} restaurant that offers breakfast and dinner. People rave about their breakfast…but I’m only able to rave about their dinner. I had the Salmon Tikka Masala that had a deliciously Indian flare, while J chose a safer chicken dish that the waiter offered as a special for the evening. We so enjoyed our meal, romantic and casual…and quite bustling for off season!
The next day we embarked on an island bicycle trip and stopped at The Green, after breakfast, to pick up lunch on the go…something that would fit in the woven basket on the front of my bike {J would not hear of putting a basket on his bike!}
Once we hit Siaconset beach {10+ miles later} and found the perfect overturned rowboat to act as our picnic respite, it was time to sample the natural/organic creations the early shift at The Green put together for us. My multigrain wrap was stuffed with tuna, veggies, spinach and brown rice. To say it was fresh would be a massive understatement…it was the perfect fuel I needed. J’s chicken salad wrap must have also been noteworthy because before I could ask how it was…it was gone!
Once we got back into town, nearly 25 miles in nutty wind-gusts later, we both agreed we were owed a treat {as if the backpack full of sugar-candy wasn’t treat enough…}
Petticoat Row is a darling bakery bursting with even more darling treats. In the 1800s, many of the island men were away on whaling voyages for months, if not years, on end. The wives at home were forced to step up and fill in with the labor shortage and started running businesses and shops. The lady-run shops on Centre Street started being referred to as Petticoat Row.
The macarons were massive, the cookies were trouble with their gooey centers and crispy edges and the misc goodies left us wanting more {while also feeling sickly full}…
After a bit of relaxation, it was time to gear up for yet another meal! After a menu change at our originally planned restaurant, Toppers, we selected Dune for our final dinner.
The almost urban setting was bustling with an interesting mix of chic, glossy patrons and with a few casual hoodie-clad locals, all simply awaiting a delish dinner with drinks.
I convinced The Man to start with Oysters on the half shell. We shared the pepper pappardelle with black truffle and risotto. The dinner was delicious and we were so glad to have shared our last dinner there.
The morning of our departure, we realized we had yet to make a visit to a local favorite…Downyflake Donuts.
We decided to walk, even though it’s location was described as middle island. The donuts were surprisingly small…allowing us the further indulgence of a sampling of a few of their flavors: regular, chocolate, and pumpkin spice. The walk was way more manageable than expected, therefore not easing my conscious…perhaps I worked off the free sample bite left on the counter?
Before the weekend came to an end, we needed snacks for the flight and treats for friends at home and made a final stop at Sweet Inspirations, where chocolate covered gummy bears {surprisingly delicious} and chocolate covered cranberries {local and seasonal} came home with us by the boatload.
I haven’t yet stopped my two-a-day workouts and am pretty sure I shouldn’t for months to make up for the few fabulous days of dining we experienced on Nantucket.
There was a significant chance that I was setting myself up for a massive disappointment. I have heard nothing but rave reviews for the charmed island, therefore I had built Nantucket up in my mind as a magical place where locals and visitors were casually beautiful, carefree and discreetly preppily posh. Where the setting provided a backdrop of lapping waves, lighthouses and weathered shingles. A place where there were tunnels of trees edging the streets, where roads consisted of brick and cobblestone instead of smooth concrete, where shops had both the character and vision to be unassumingly fabulous.
A place like that was surly mythical. Was surly a big fat farce, for a part of me wouldn’t have been surprised to find grimy, littered streets just beyond the heart of downtown; pretty buildings whoes interiors were outdated and grandmotherly, posers that couldn’t tell the difference between Nantucket Reds and Old Navy chinos.
Oh – but on the contrary! Nantucket is core-shakingly authentic. Every inch of the intimate island is cared for and tended to – determined to keep the integrity and charm that has attracted visitors for generations.
In short: I’m obsessed.
Here are some of the dreamy sights we took in…
The harbor…
View of town from the beach…
Downtown Nantucket. {As much as I didn’t want to believe – one truly does need to forego their pumps, favoring flats as the streets of ‘Tucket promote utter klutziness!}
Darling residential streets with houses dating back to the 1800s…
Weathered shingled homes and cottages…
My favorite home on the island {no surprise there…}
Window boxes still boasting blooms so late in the season.
A quiet spot to catch up on Coastal Livings’ latest issue…
Seals frolicking in the surf….
Cranberries waiting to be harvested…
And I have still much more to share – so put on your Sperry’s and check back soon for more reports on accommodations, dining and details!
We are officially heading to Nantucket next week! A HUGE thank-you to favorite clients The Wolfs for providing the inspiration, guidance and the encouragement needed to make this fall getaway happen!
We presently have some fun things planned but are always appreciative of any insider advice…
We are staying are the darling Union Street Inn, a former whaling captain’s home that was voted “one of the 10 most romantic hotels in the US” by fodors. Who doesn’t need some added romance?!
The inn is in the heart of Nantucket Town where we will be able to walk to shops and restaurants. While we have a few dinner reservations made…
Any MUSTS you seasoned travelers recommend?
We will be exploring the island via bicycle, foot and moped.
Any favorite sites and stops?
I am hopeful that I can convince J to get a pair of Nantucket Reds…and if he doesn’t succumb – perhaps this well-dressed chap will come home with me, instead:
Any other shopping recos?
I’ve been warned about the cobblestone streets and the hazards of foregoing flats. I will also have to give my packing some serious thought as our flight schedule doesn’t allow for checked bags – ahh! My pack-job will include the likes of worn polos, riding boots and sperry’s, striped tees, cable-knit sweaters, pearls and plaids.
Will this suffice for autumn in nantucket?
Counting down the days…Can’t wait to report back!
{Want more Nantucket visual inspiration? Visit Here.}
Well, the long Labor Day weekend came and went in the blink of an eye. While we had high hopes of spending a couple of days on the lake, the Wisconsin weather had other plans for us. We stayed on {not quite so dry} land at our hosts farm for the majority of our time away.
Acres of verdant property was enough to relax the most maxed out wedding planner in the world.
Equestrian details were charming and perfect for the fallish weather.
And our new friends, the alpacas, provided much entertainment with their woolly coats, inquisitive demeanor and crooked teeth.
So while the weather didn’t quite cooperate, there was still some serious fun to be had {and I haven’t even touched on the hours spent in neon bowling shoes and knee socks, riding in limos and toasting s’mores on the bonfire}…
