I know I have talked about my few days in Charleston last month a number of times and the biggest reason for that is how fabulous it was. I have been to Charleston many times but never as a girls trip and I think this may have been one of my favorite trips to the fabulous city. It happened with rather short notice to come together for three of us (Sweet Caroline Designs + Mrs. Southern Social) to meet up with two Charleston girls (Krystine Edwards + Andrea Kinnear) to work together on a fabulous collaboration which I will share with you over the next few days. All five of us are Southern C alums and the talk had been buzzing for a while to work together so when the perfect opportunity presented itself we moved calendars and heaven (well, not really) to make it happen. It was the best few days I have had in the longest time with such inspiration, creativity, teamwork, and fun all rolled into one. I honestly am counting down the days for our next meet up as we have many more ideas floating around in our heads.
One of my favorite reasons to visit Charleston is all the incredible scenery and undeniable inspiration that exists on every single street. It is such a beautiful and picturesque city on the coast which makes it the perfect spot to get away for a few days. It is steeped in history and rich in culture, has incredible food and shopping and the water and beach are just a short drive away. You can relax by the pool for coffee, go for a long walk through one amazing neighborhood after another, shop until your arms are full and your wallet is not and eat one incredible meal after another.
Yes please.
We started our trip on a Tuesday and Mary, Caroline and I arrived in town at lunch perfect for grabbing a bite at The Obstinate Daughter which was a Krystine pick. She always makes the best recommendations and we packed up her precious new baby and headed for some eats and drinks. The food is incredible and I highly recommend getting a few things for the table and sharing. We ordered the Roasted Beets, a variety of fresh oysters, and a few of the Miss Carolina pizzas. We sipped on glasses of Rose and Mary ordered a fabulous Lady Sullivan. Every single bite and sip was de-licious!
With our bellies full and refreshed from travel we hit the ground running. Our goal for the few days we had together was to collaborate on a paper line + a coordinating and inspiring tablescape. I have so many images to share with you this week and I can't wait for you to see it all. I don't think I have ever been more proud of a table or collaboration ... it is that good.
Most of Tuesday was spent working on the tablescape, paper line product images, and brain storming all the other pieces that needed to come together. It was amazing to me how easy it was to have five creatives pull together and make magic happen. I have rarely worked on a project with a number of people where it flows as easily as the day did for us. We worked, laughed, shared lives, worked, nibbled, sipped (all the iced coffee please + thank you), and worked some more and within a few hours called the whole thing a wrap. It was magic. We finished in time to watch the sunset at our hotel and change for a yummy dinner together.
We stayed at the beautiful Beach Club at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina. It was the perfect location just over the beautiful Ravenel Bridge in Mt. Pleasant. I have always stayed downtown and this find was a gem for sure. It is stunning and the views are magical. Our rooms were centered for the perfect view of the pool and harbor and we had the most beautiful sunsets. The hotel staff was fabulous and the resort is perfect for families. The pool is huge and there are bonfires every evening on the beach. The list of children's activities is impressive and I love that the pool is large and includes cabanas for a more secluded lounging if you choose. You can hunt for crabs or take in a movie in the theater on site. Our time was limited or I would have checked out the spa. My favorite thing about the resort is the Charleston Water Taxi available to take you directly into downtown which is perfect for day trips or dinner + an evening stroll. I most definitely recommend our hotel.
Dinner Tuesday was at NICO and was just as fabulous as lunch. Once again we shared a number of things and I think this may be my favorite way to discover a new restaurant. We ordered more fresh oysters, baked oysters (my favorite), wood fired cabbage, pommes frites, pork belly, and salads. It was delicious but I would suggest bypassing the calamari, it was not one of our favorites. We all ordered delicious drinks and every single one was fabulous. Sadly Tuesday evening was the last time I got to squeeze and love on Krystine, motherhood and a previously planned trip to Derby got in the way of more girl time. I am thankful for the time we had together. She is one. of. the. best.
Wednesday morning started with the best breakfast in our room and all the coffee. It was an early morning but we wanted to squeeze in another full day. Any day that begins with Callie's Biscuits in your Lake Pajamas is the best day ever. Make sure when you stay you order the coffee service in your room so you aren't hunting down someone to bring it asap when you wake up. ☕
After filling our bellies once again we headed into Charleston for some strolling and for a lovely home and garden tour. We had been invited to tour the home and beautiful garden of Patricia Altschul and it was an enormous treat. Her home is even more spectacular than you can imagine and the incredible interiors done by the legendary Mario Buatta left me speechless. Mrs. Altschul and I had tried to coordinate schedules and could not find a time to get together with her filming schedule but she graciously offered us a tour with Michael who we all thoroughly enjoyed. It was truly a lovely morning none of us wanted to see end.
After our time with Michael we headed to our favorite shops. We stopped in to Skinny Dip, both Hampden and Small, and Lake Pajamas. You must add each of these to your list when visiting the city. Skinny Dip is so fun and is the best place to get a little bit of so many different and fabulous brands. I recommend the Frose, but the champagne floater may be a bit too much before lunch. The girls are so lovely and the selection is incredible. Hampden and Small are two of my favorite shops along with Crogans, Shoes on King, Amanda Lindroth (brand new), Charleston Collective, Candy Shop Vintage ... the list goes on and on. And you must visit the Lake Pajamas store. It is stunning and I snagged some more of my very favorite pajamas.
We ate lunch at Basic Kitchen and had another amazing meal. Still a little full from breakfast we had salads and beet margaritas and after some more strolling down town and snapping photos of all the beautiful homes we headed back to the hotel for some time in the sun and some much needed down time. This is my favorite part of any girls time away, the sitting and chatting for ever about anything and nothing at all.
We relaxed for the rest of the day and caught the most beautiful sunset from our balcony. It was the best end to another amazing day of brainstorming, talking about the highs and lows of each of our businesses, life and how to remain inspired. I loved it so much and went to bed feeling so full ... and so sleepy. Can you even handle the sunset? The hotel is situated perfectly to capture it from the pool, harbor or even your room.
Mary left us early on Thursday, and after some time shooting some incredible content with Andrea, Caroline and I packed up and headed back into Charleston for a quick bite before her flight and my trip home. It was the perfect balance of work and exploring and I think it was the best way to end the time together. We parked and walked so many streets just snapping pictures and talking about the gardens, window boxes (I need more of them), homes and beautiful architecture. I love driving the streets of Charleston, they are so very inspiring.
I know I said it at least five plus times just in this post alone but this trip was so good for me. I can't wait to show you all we worked on and the paper line we worked on together. It is soo good and I know you will love it all. Tomorrow I will have details on our incredible Wednesday morning breakfast in our room. It was divine and I have so many details to share. ☕🍴
Happy Tuesday ...
Professional images by Andrea Kinnear Photography
Iphone photos by Me
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