a love letter to charleston

There’s something about Charleston that makes it stand apart from other cities, and there’s a reason why people are flocking here–no, moving here–in droves.

It could be the charm, or the history, or the food–or maybe it’s the fact that the city is surrounded by water and the most perfect palm trees line the imperfectly perfect cobblestone streets–but there’s other reasons why I fall more and more in love with this city each and every day.

I love the fact that I take the same walk–day after day–yet always manage to discover something new and beautiful. Whether it’s the scent of jasmine in May, a brass pineapple door knocker that stands out against a coral hue, or a rod iron gate that leads to the most lush and vibrant garden, it’s those little things that bring me joy. Those little things that keep me in awe over the fact that I have been so blessed to have lived in this very special place for two whole years.

To most, Charleston is this fantasy land; a storybook city that one can only dream about, yet never have the opportunity to live. To me, it’s a storybook city–and a life that I dreamt about–that I had the privilege of calling home for twenty-six, much too short months.

Before moving to Charleston, my dream was that I’d live in a carriage house downtown; I’d bike to work everyday; Mike and I would sit on our front porch in our rockers and watch the sun set (Riley at our feet); then we’d walk to dinner hand in hand.

I may not have had the exact life that I’d envisioned upon moving here, but my reality was quite special, even still. I’d bring my dog to work, we’d take nightly sunset strolls overlooking the harbor, I paid very little for gas and groceries, I’d go to the beach from April through October and never had to shovel an inch of snow, I lived in a real one bedroom apartment–by myself–and I had a dream job that people in New York would kill for.

All things happen for a reason and there’s a reason why my stint in Charleston has been cut short. There’s also a reason why I’m going back to New York; I’m following my heart… Although there will always be a piece of it in this storybook city.

gone pickin’

Mike and I have been pumpkin picking several times before, but strawberry picking has always been at the top of my bucket list. Strawberries are tied for first with nectarines as my favorite fruit, so once strawberry season hit here in Charleston, I knew that I had to get out there.

My friend and I headed to two local farms on Johns Island and had two totally different experiences–pouring rain and lots of mud puddles at Ambrose Family Farm and bright sunshine at Bugby Plantation… it’s hard to believe that they were only five minutes apart from one another.

One and a half buckets and $10 later, I have enough strawberries to last me the month. Yay!

long time, no see.

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted anything on this little website of mine, and although the months leading up to the big day will be both busy and emotional, I am going to try my best to keep up with this.

Over the years, I have found that posting, writing, and compiling have been some of the greatest stress reliefs and creative outlets for me, so I refuse to give up so easily. The past several months have been a fun and exciting blur and it is my goal to document it all as much as I can, and what better way to do that than by sharing some of my most favorite photos of Charleston in full bloom this spring?

Pinewood Social

I’ve heard so many incredible things about the city of Nashville–the food, the music, the culture, the shopping–so I was not going to complain when given the opportunity to travel to the Music City for the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville.

As with any work trip, I didn’t have a chance to explore the city as much as I’d like, but I did have the opportunity to dine at Pinewood Social–a much-talked-of space that’s a blend of restaurant, bar, café, lounge, and recreation center.

Frequenters go from sipping their morning coffee to grabbing a drink at the bar to devouring fried broccoli (my personal favorite) to throwing strikes (or gutter balls in my case) to singing karaoke to yes, even taking a refreshing dip. The frigid temperatures kept me from checking the pool out for myself, but from what I hear, it is pret-ty great.

Weekend Scenes: Litchfield, SC

Weekend Scenes: Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville

something blue

Green is typically my go-to color for all things fashion and home, but for some reason I’ve been drawn to every possible shade of blue as of late. It could be because I’ve got weddings on the brain, or maybe even because Mike has managed to rub off on me after six years… either way–powder blue, cobalt blue, navy blue–it doesn’t matter, they’re all on my radar.

 1. J.Crew pants  |  2. N. Peal Cashmere sweater  |  3. Chloé coat
4. Madewell shoes  |  5. YARNZ scarf  |  6. Topshop dress

weekend recap

There was quite a bit to celebrate this past weekend as things started to get real in terms of the impending nuptials. It felt so nice to cross a few tasks off the list which included:

• finally committing–or should I say, “saying yes“–to a dress (!!!)

• finalizing our wedding party, which I could not have done without these two Etsy shops: Honizukle Press +  Label with Love

• save-the-dates are printed… there’s no turning back now

weekend scenes from charleston

Old Westbury Gardens

Personally, I love nothing more than exploring new places with nobody else around. Guilty pleasure? I think so. After an impromptu meeting with a potential vendor, Mike and I had the opportunity to do just that at the beautiful and breathtaking Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury, New York.

The shooting location for several films, Old Westbury Gardens is as beautiful in the dead of winter as it is in the springtime when its gorgeous gardens are in full bloom. I swear it almost felt as though we stumbled upon the set of The Secret Garden.