Charming Charleston
When two of my best friends invited me to join them on a last minute trip to Charleston a few weeks ago, without hesitation I said YES! Of course I had to check with Brett and make sure I could find some help for Mignonne, but everything seemed to align so I booked my flight and a week later I was in one of my favorite cities with the very best company. I’m usually not a spontaneous person, especially when it comes to travel, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity for a fabulous collaboration and some time off for this momma.
Before I tell you about the details of our trip I want to back up and introduce you to Paige and Mary. If you don’t already follow them you most certainly need to! Paige Minear of (The Pink Clutch Blog) and I met several years ago at my first market. We love the same things, like pink gingham, all things preppy, a good estate sale find and fabulous paper so it was destiny that we would become friends. She is a wife, mom of 3 beautiful children and a lifestyle blogger + entertaining enthusiast living in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. Mary Huddleston (Mrs. Southern Social) is a talented southern hostess for the modern day woman and delegation specialist living in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a wife, a mother of 2 adorable children and we met at the Southern Coterie conference in Sea Island, Georgia this past February. We partnered to collaborate on a new collection of paper goods launching this week and a fabulous tablescape we created. This trip was a little work and a little pleasure and combined was the perfect girls getaway.
If you have never been to Charleston, you definitely need to visit. While most people stay downtown in the heart of Charleston, we decided we wanted to stay somewhere different. We found the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina and I would say it’s a hidden gem! We’ve all been numerous times but we wanted to try other restaurants and stay somewhere that wasn’t the norm. The Charleston Harbor Resort is located just across the Ravenel Bridge in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. You can even take a ferry across the harbor into downtown. By car its only 15 minutes from downtown. It has a beach, pool, tiki bar, spa, workout facility, restaurants and marina just to name of few. Who knew you could enjoy the beach and get the Charleston experience too! Everyone working there was very friendly, helpful and happy. I truly felt like I was on a vacation. It would be an excellent place to take the family because they have children activities. The rooms were very spacious and nice. They had a beachy feel to them and we had a wonderful view of the beach and marina. It was nice to come back at the end of the day to a relaxing location. How cute is this place though! I mean, the blue and white stripe umbrellas and cabanas got me!
Our Trip Itinerary:
Day one we hit the ground running and planned our first photo shoots at the home of the talented Krystine Edwards. She is a mom of 3 and makes it look easy! She is a successful relator, designer and renovator. Our tablescape photo shoot was at her home but that post will be coming later this week! She is a local and took us to a cute little lunch spot called The Obstinate Daughter located in Sullivan’s Island. We enjoyed afternoon cocktails and oysters. I highly recommend this place but make sure you get reservations. Charleston has the best food and drinks so you really can’t go wrong. That evening we dined at another local spot in the Mount Pleasant area called NICO. It’s known for its oysters and seafood. Delicious is all I have to say and the outdoor dining area was so charming.
Day 2 started early with fresh biscuits and grits from Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit. Callie has a complete website you can order directly from but if you go to Charleston stop by her headquarters for the BEST biscuits ever! Later that day we had the opportunity to visit Patricia Altschul’s residence and get a tour of her garden and home. If you are a fan of the Bravo TV show, Southern Charm, then you are probably a fan of Patricia. Her home was the most gorgeous curated home I have ever been to. I love antiques and history and this home was full of it. Did you know that Robert E. Lee’s bed that he was born in is in the guest room? The wallpaper was a dream and the gardens were beyond fabulous. I left there feeling inspired and in awe. It was such a pleasure and treat to be invited to that special place. Michael, her butler, was our tour guide and he was so sweet and welcoming. That experience was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. After our tour, we made our way to King Street to hit up all of our favorite spots. We shopped at The Skinny Dip and I bought my very first Beau and Ro bag and we enjoyed a Frose (frozen rose). We visited Hampden and Small, 2 clothing stores owned by another Southern C alum and we stopped at Lake Pajamas. Of course I picked up a new pair, or two, of my favorite pajamas ever. For lunch we ate at BASIC Kitchen. If you want a tasty, lighter lunch this spot will not disappoint. For the remaining part of the day, we ended up by the pool, gossiping and laughing and catching a few rays. We were so tired that we ended up canceling our dinner reservations and getting room service in our new Lake Pajamas. Best Day Ever!
The next morning we had one more photo shoot at 8:00 am. That came early but was so worth it! I must mention we had the most amazing photographer during our time there. Her name is Andrea Kinnear, another Southern C alum, and if you ever need a photographer while in Charleston make sure you reach out to her. She is so talented and I’m grateful that I can now call her my friend. After out last group of pictures we made our way to lunch at Cru Café. I’ve been here before and 2nd time around did not disappoint. Sit on the porch outside if you can. Before heading to the airport, we drove and walked around taking pictures of all the beautiful architecture.
This trip was quick but we made the most of it! My heart was so full after leaving Charleston. I loved my time with Paige and Mary and felt like it was just what the doctor ordered. Being a creative, sometimes I get in a rut, and this trip was just what I needed to be inspired and get motivated. We all had a blast and looking forward to our next trip together in Palm Beach! Stay tuned for another post on our fabulous tablescape coming soon and the launch of the Charleston Collection (a collection of invitations, stationery and other paper products launching this week on sweetcarolinedesigns.com.) Below are some of my favorite places in Charleston to eat, stay and shop!
xx
Caroline
Credits:
Photography: Andrea Kinnear Photography
Location: Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina
