Mama and Dada's trip to Charleston

Posted on Apr. 2, 2009 at 4:56 PM - Post Comment

So although this post will nto include pictures of Grady, I did want to share a little recap and some pictures of our great trip to Charleston.  Eric and I went this past weekend for Eric's birthday.  Grady stayed with "Team Grandma" while we were away.  Thank you Grandmas!!! 

We had a fabulous trip in Charleston for Eric's birthday!  We got there on Friday, early afternoon and left Monday.  In that time we had some great weather and some OK weather.  It was never cold (at least high 60's the whole time) but it was cloudy and then stormed one night (tornado warnings too!).  However, it really never bothered us.  We ate, drank, saw lots of cool sights, relaxed a ton, and enjoyed the crazy amount of flowers in bloom there right now.  Everything is in bloom at home too, but Charleston is just covered in beautiful trees and flowers.  I forgot how lush it is!

Grady did well while we were away.  It was rainy here, so they were inside a lot, but they went out to dinner (where he ate an entire children's meal of ribs at Sticky Fingers - hahaha!), went to the book store, and made cookies.  He also slept pretty well.


Friday we got into town, checked into our super nice hotel - Mariott Rennaisance Downtown Charleston.  Then we headed to Jestines for lunch.  It has been featured in every magazine imaginable.  They were all posted on the walls - Oprah, Southern Living (about 100 times) an lots of travel magazines.  It is a very casual place with soul food.  We had fried chicken, sweet tea, and fried okra - yum!

After that we walked along the Battery (where all the beautiful homes are) and through some parks.  We also stopped to have a drink at the Vendue Inn rooftop bar, which is so fun.  We had been there before, last time we were there.

That evening we had dinner at Magnolia's, which is a great restaurant and very trendy.  Then we went to an Irish bar before heading back.

On Saturday it was rainy in the morning.  After a breakfast of crab omlette (seafood is everywhere in Charleston) we headed to the aquarium, which is really nice.  It is partially outside, which was OK since it stopped raining early in the day.  They also have a new panguin exhibit.  I felt bad that we were there without G since he looves penguins, so we stopped at the gift shop and got him a stuffed penguin and a book about penguins.  We also would really like to take him there, maybe in the fall.

We had lunch at the Crab Shack, and it was so so good.  I had crab cakes and fried green tomatoes over a bed of cheesy grits.  I also had a yummy margarita.

That afternoon we toured two amazing historic homes (pictures to follow) and gardens.  That evening we ate at Social Wine Bar, a really cool tapas-style place.

http://www.socialwinebar.com/

After dinner and more drinks at the bar (which was hopping since it was Fashion week in Charleston, and this place is very trendy) we hit a place called Henry's. 

Sunday was Eric's birthday.   It was a gorgeous day.  We started the day with a long walk through Charleston to a restaurant called the Hominy Grill.  We sat outside and had a delicious brunch.  Then we headed to the area where the boat rides to Fort Sumter leave from.  We had a fun time seeing the city from the water and touring the Fort.

When we got back to town we ate lunch at a deli and then stumbled upon this really cool thing.  The Charleston Symphony Orchestra was having a benefit where they open up these showcase homes.  They are historic homes that have been redecorated by famous local interior designers.  I love interior design so it was so interesting.  These homes were incredible.  And the money went to a good cause.  This is a link to the event, which runs for about a month.

http://www.csolinc.org/csoldsh.php

After the tour we shopped a bit on King Street (where all the great shopping is)  and then had a few beers outside in a great people-watching spot.  Then we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our fanciest dinner.

We had dinner at the Charleston Grill, which was amazing.  Seriously - it was maybe the best dinner and experience I have ever had.  I told them ahead of time it was Eric's birthday, so when we got there they wished him Happy Birthday, as did basically everyone who works there.  They had a special table for us at one of those cool half-moon-shaped booths.  The place was quite fancy and beautiful, but they were so friendly, and we weren't afraid to ask questions.  All of our food was ridiculously good.  And they even gave us a free dessert wine "flight" (where you get a glass of several different types of wines/champagnes at once) each.  One of the champagnes was the type they serve at the presidential inaugurations!  Anyway, the whole thing was just amazing - a wonderful evening.  After that we just wandered over to the fancy bar that is in the same hotel (Charleston Place - amazing hotel) and had a few beers.  I think Eric was quite happy with his birthday.

We left Monday after breakfast and got home before Grady's nap.  I have never seen anyone so happy to see me in my life.  He just jumped in my arms and laughed and hugged me and kissed me, and said "I love you" over and over.  Then he asked me "Did you have fun?" which was just so cute.

Now for some pictures!

At a park:









At Battery Park:



homes on the Battery:





my favorite:



blurry at the aquarium:





gardens of one of the historic homes we toured:



the Calhoun Mansion - 24,000 sq. feet - so amazing!



gardens:









random architectural shot of some building



Old Custom House



Wentworth Mansion - on Wentworth Street, where our hotel was



random pretty house



famous bridge - the longest of its type



Battery from the water:



Fort Sumter





birthday boy with a cannon

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...