A Delicious Weekend

Tiffany’s Bachelorette weekend was a complete success! We wined, dined, beached, toured, and danced our little hearts out. Out of all of the festivities I must say that the incredible FOOD was one of the highlights of the whole weekend. Since I had never been to any of the restaurants before, it was quite a treat to try out some new places. It’s no surprise that the meals were amazing, they all have outstanding reviews. So I was more than pleased that they all lived up their reputations. So next time you’re in the downtown Charleston area, I strongly encourage you to check these places out!



Our first stop was lunch at 82 Queen located on Queen St. The outdoor setting was absolutely beautiful and quite comfortable despite the 95 degree heat and humidity. I am usually not a BLT fan, but their spin on the classic sandwich sounded too delicious to resist. Not only did it come with a million slices of bacon, the "T" consisted of fried green tomatoes. SO SO good.

We stayed with the lowcountry cuisine theme for our dinner venue, the famous Hominy Grill (located on Rutledge Ave). They offer everything from collared greens to pancakes, purloo, and more.The Bride-to-be was especially pleased with their award winning shrimp & grits.

Our big celebratory dinner was held the next night at High Cotton on East Bay St. The ambiance and overall feel of the place was completely simple and classic with their hardwood floors and crisp white table clothes. I have to admit this one of of my favorite meals of the entire weekend (rib eye steak with bearnaise sauce and fried okra on the side). I once again went for bacon and fried green tomatoes, this time served on a wedge of lettuce.

We finished our weekend with a fabulous brunch at Poogan's Porch on Queen St. Attempting to be healthy, I went with a light quiche (which was very tasty). But after seeing the other plates at the table, I had some serious food envy of the southern fried breakfast classics.

One of the best parts of all of this indulgent eating, was that it was also affordable. Each meal averaged around $30 and was worth every penny. So needless to say, after an amazing weekend with such lovely ladies, I am a little fatter, with still a few bucks to spare in my wallet!

Visual Update

Don’t worry, I haven’t abandoned the blog (again). I’ve just been a little busy lately. So with getting back on track, I’ve put together a little update using pictures instead of longwinded boring stories. Be forewarned, it’s extremely random… but then again, so is my life.

  

Memorial day weekend consisted of friends, rum, grilling, and fun. I even got to go sailing for the first time. I chose this picture in particular because it makes me look productive and like I actually did something to contribute.



Almost a year later, I FINALLY finished my Mom’s belt!





I decided to get creative one night and ended up making an entire bacon themed dinner. It’s a definite winner with the dudes, fyi. The chicken is stuffed with spinach, chopped bacon, and cheese. The asparagus was sautéed in the same pan as the bacon and some of the extra “juices” from the pan were added to the potatoes. Not the most heart-healthy meal, but will surely appease any craving for baconish comfort food.



I was fortunate enough to be able to go back to KY for my cousin's wedding the weekend after Memorial Day. The fact that I was actually able to get some great pictures of my family is a MAJOR accomplishment. We’ve never been big on family photos so needless to say these pics are rare and make me very very happy.



My Dad (left) and Uncle Charlie





After getting back to Charleston, I decided to do something totally wild and crazy… I joined a gym.  I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy working out! And since I do not have any pictures in me in my workout gitup, I have posted a lovely picture of my weight loss inspiration, the actress Sara Rue.  
You go girl.

My sweet baby boy’s 3^rd birthday!



And speaking of the pups, little Halsey is almost 13 weeks old! He is tipping the scales at just about 20lbs and continues to keep growing like a little weed. I swear there are days when I think he is literally growing bigger by the minute.  He’s also about 95% potty trained and responding well to his name, simple commands, and his new crate. Our next step is getting him use to more BATHS. 2 dogs + sandy backyard = messy house and a clogged vacuum cleaner.





Back to food, I recently discovered a fabulous little restaurant on King St. in downtown Charleston. It’s called Sermet’s and is located right in the middle of the shopping action. The menu is diverse, affordable, healthy, and delicious. Next time you are in the area, I would recommend you plan your lunch break from shopping at this little establishment.



Finally back up to speed, I must share one of my all time favorite pictures of my 2 best friends from home, Tiffany (the bride-to-be in the hot shoes) and Anna (with the crazy face). This picture was taken back in November of 2009 which was sadly the last time that the 3 of us had a true girl’s night out together. However, this Friday that will quickly change. All of the girls will be coming to town for Tiff’s bachelorette party and I couldn’t be more excited. So in honor of Tiff’s big weekend, I thought I would share a little laugh and hope that this weekend brings just as many fond memories, hilarious stories, and incriminating pictures.

Happy Anniversary, Charleston!

I can’t believe how quickly the time goes by. Exactly 1 year ago today, I moved 550 miles away from home to a city I had only visited once before, Charleston SC. At this exact time, I was white-knuckling the steering wheel of my Honda attempting to keep up with our caravan and the flow of traffic on I-75 south towards Knoxville. I had my darling best friend Kim in the passenger seat and my beloved puppy dog Jackson in the back. This only lasted for about an hour… my nerves were already completely shot and the sight of watching the trailer of our furniture in front of us was causing me to replay my own imaginary version of Final Destination. Needless to say I didn’t do much driving that day, but the overall move to Charleston was a success but very bittersweet. I had left behind everything that felt like home. My comfort zone, free meals at mom and dad’s, and the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. But looking back, I can honestly say that it has been one of the greatest challenges and most rewarding experiences of my life. Throughout this year, I’ve learned how to embrace being alone, realized what it’s like to be flat broke, and experienced relationships come full circle. I have learned a tremendous amount about myself and grown as a person, daughter, friend, professional, and Christian. More so than I ever did in the years I spent playing it safe back at home.

But in addition to the personal growth and maturing, I learned a few other things too…

Each day is a gift

It’s OK to have a dog as your best friend

How to budget for gas money

A 1 hour commute really stinks when you’re hungover and don’t have your dad to drive you to work.

I can apply lotion and/or sunscreen to my entire back all my myself

Life is short

I am VERY allergic to Oak trees

Cereal makes for a really good dinner

Fleas are very difficult to get rid of

I’m horrible at packing

It’s best to slowly break people in when they haven’t heard me sing before

The interstate isn’t THAT scary

Yuengling is a poor girl’s best friend

I ask A LOT of questions

Getting a tan is my favorite free weekend activity

The dollar store is the greatest thing on earth

People CAN change

Sometimes the Lord likes to surprise us when we least expect it and need it the most

So here’s to the past year, which has been such an amazing journey all in itself. I could not have done it without those comforts from home who made it possible to sit right beside me, even from 550 miles away. I can only hope and pray that this coming year will be just as exciting! (Just with less moving, fleas, funerals and break ups, and more money, healthier living, cheaper gas, and of course more visits :)

Happy Anniversary, Charleston!

Snakes, Lizards, and Poison Oak... Oh My!

On April 1st, Scott and I became the proud renters of a quaint little house in North Charleston (geographically located a few miles to the west of Charleston). I have to admit, and I'm sad to say that "North Chas" does not have a very good reputation. The crime rates are high, along with the drug and gang activity and the traffic is a nightmare. However, contrary to belief, there are some VERY nice parts of North Charleston. We were fortunate enough to find a rental house in one of them, and it fits our every need!

*picture circa 1990


Within the past month we have learned and realized that renting a house is a lot different than renting an apartment. Especially when you have a "hands-off" type of landlord. So in some ways, we're getting a small taste of home ownershipismness.


THE PROS

We can decorate and hang things however we want. There are beautiful hardwood floors and tons of space and natural light.

THE CONS

Critters that slither inside the house, poison oak all over the place, snakes that hide in the leaves, and a yard that hasn't been cleaned up in over 2 years.

Needless to say we love the place, but have quite a bit of yard work ahead of us if we want to get the most out of having a front and backyard. And even though there is A LOT to be done, I'm actually looking forward to getting my hands dirty and seeing the final results!