vacation

Postcards from Charleston

June 19, 2013 by jessica Leave a Comment

After our stay in Folly Beach and a day trip to Savannah, we ventured to Charleston for the last three days of vacation and stayed in this condo. (Ahem, “The Pool House at the Villa.”)

I fell in love with the resident cat. It was a little mangy, wonderfully sweet and desperate to come inside the house (as evidenced here). We couldn’t help but bring home a tiny brass cat spotted at an antique store. The forlorn look reminded us of him.

And the condo had a koi pond. It probably goes without saying that we’d stay here again if we made our way back. It was charming, clean and cheaper than nearby chain hotels.

This was taken during our walk along Rainbow Row. I’d love to live in a city where the pink house on the block isn’t an eyesore.

This snapshot is my latest color inspiration. However, I can’t decide if turquoise and lime is better suited for my wardrobe or home. Both? (Dave might argue for neither.)

Horse-drawn carriage rides along The Battery add to the neighborhood’s historic charm, but they come with one major drawback: horses smell. (We actually wondered if the rancid smell was a type of plant. Nope.)

I don’t know what these are, but they’re better than Wisconsin’s pine trees.

As I took a photo of the pineapple fountain in Waterfront Park, a 20-something girl interrupted me to ask if I’d take an iPhone photo of her and her entourage. Shortly after, another girl asked me to take a photo of her with her boyfriend. Apparently a DSLR fools people into thinking I’m good at this.

Postcards from Savannah

June 10, 2013 by jessica Leave a Comment

The rental car we had in South Carolina was a Fiat 500. When we realized how fuel efficient it was – and how little we’d actually drive in the Charleston area – it was evident that we made a huge mistake purchasing prepaid gas. Instead of letting that $40 go to waste, we made an impromptu trip to Savannah for the day.

I had purchased a Lilly Pulitzer tunic before vacation. It was a lifesaver in the sunny, hot weather: breezy enough to stay cool with enough coverage to fend off a sunburn. (The shorts are from J.Crew.)

The prettiest gardens are peppered throughout the historic area of Savannah.

We stopped at The Olde Pink House restaurant for lunch. They served cheese straws in silver mint julep cups, which made me want to expand my collection. I dined on the best crab cake of my life and tried fried green tomatoes for the first time.

Another one of Savannah’s many gardens.

We didn’t visit all of the squares in the historic district, but they all had lush greenery and beautiful monuments.

If only magnolia trees grew in Wisconsin…

As you’d expect, Civil War monuments are common in this part of the country.

Summer Lovin’

June 5, 2013 by jessica Leave a Comment

Every beach getaway deserves a new swimsuit, so I was especially grateful that Orchid Boutique offered to send one over just in time for our South Carolina vacation. The shop offers an array of beach essentials and has already become my go-to destination for flattering one-piece swimsuits.

I fell for the whimsical updates on this classic navy swimsuit. There’s enough ruching to hide trouble spots and the box pleats are a welcome way to boost my small bust. A word of warning to other ladies with full hips: this suit is difficult to hike up. I had chosen my regular size (I didn’t want it to be too large on top), but I’d recommend sizing up if you’re blessed with an hourglass figure. It comes with a detachable halter strap if you’re looking for additional support.

Really, though, I felt beautiful in this swimsuit and isn’t that what matters most? (Truth be told, I didn’t feel as confident as the bikini-clad gal on the beach nearby. Her boyfriend was snapping photos of her in some awfully risque poses!)

Featured: gifted Seafolly swimsuit // Juicy Couture sunglasses // Essie “First Timer” nail polish

Postcards from Folly Beach

June 4, 2013 by jessica Leave a Comment

We spent the first three nights of our vacation in Folly Beach where we had a spectacular view from our room at the beachfront Tides hotel.

Mornings were spent lazily sipping iced coffee by the pool…

…and stumbling across critters like this horseshoe crab.

Lost Dog Cafe was our daily stop for a hearty brunch and drinks served in Mason jars.

We took a private charter boat over to Morris Island, an uninhabited island and location of the Civil War battle featured in the movie Glory. On the way over, Captain Gresh pointed out Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (the first time I’ve seen them in the wild) and oyster beds.

We headed up the shoreline of Folly Beach to a more secluded area of the coast for an evening stroll. (I don’t think Dave knew I was busy snapping photos of him.)

It’s hard to see in this photo, but there were little pelicans perched atop the Folly Beach street signs.

Honestly, I was probably looking for shells at this moment. (The retro-esque beach coverup was purchased at eShakti.)

I’ll never grow tired of serene beach sunsets…

…or vibrant sunny days.

And, in true blogger fashion, I took an obscene amount of Instagrams.

I’ll share photos of Savannah and Charleston soon!

Instant Replay: South Carolina

June 3, 2013 by jessica Leave a Comment

We got back from South Carolina yesterday evening. Chicago’s chilly drizzle was a harsh snap back to reality after a week of perfect weather. To make our return even more unpleasant, the alternator broke on my car while we were driving back to Madison and we were left waiting for a tow truck on the shoulder of the Interstate. (I’m taking today off from work to recoup and deal with the unexpected snafu.) I haven’t had time to go through our proper photos, but I wanted to share some of the highlights. Many of these were on Instagram, where you can find even more snapshots from the trip.

Featured above: The view from our hotel room in Folly Beach. A morning walk under the pier. Dipped my toes in the pool. We enjoyed many Mason jar cocktails at the Lost Dog Cafe. Collected sand dollars on Morris Island. Spotted dolphins. Went on an impromptu drive to Savannah (we had pre-paid gas to burn) and spotted Georgia peach stands on the side of the road. Loved the African Iris so much that I’m determined to grow it in Wisconsin. Snacked on cheese straws from a silver julep cup at The Olde Pink House in Savannah (also where I had the best crab cake of my life). Enjoyed a seaside sunset. Lounged by the pool on my birthday. Fell for the resident stray at the condo we rented in Charleston.

Found the best beer bar in Charleston. Treated myself to a Milly for Banana Republic top. Went to the Hominy Grill for brunch. Visited Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. Charmed by the pineapple fountain in Waterfront Park. Enjoyed Rainbow Row, Charleston’s most colorful street. Inspired to plant my own flower boxes. Bravely took an oyster shot (a whole oyster with cocktail sauce and pepper vodka). Walked for miles along picturesque streets. Listened to live jazz at a coffee shop/beer bar located in a historic house. Took part in “Sticky Bun Sunday.” Headed back to the Midwest.

I’ll share the nice photos later this week. You know, after I deal with the car.