A lovely vacation

After a long summer of working full time and taking a class, a vacation was definitely in order. And Charleston, SC was a perfect destination. Corey and I stayed in the Marriott in the Business District, which put us 10 minutes from Folly Beach and 5 from downtown.

Our days were spent on the beach, and the biggest decision we made each day was where to eat. AND OH DID WE EAT! Corey and I have decided to vacation in foodie cities. Austin was our first spot. Charleston was equally delightful. We had lots of fresh seafood, but also a little of other cuisines as well. Our favorite spot by far was a Thai place called Basil. It was our first Thai experience and it was DELICIOUS! Corey had the Red Curry Duck, extra spicy. I had the Basil with tofu. It was awesome.

A close second was Taco Boy at Folly Beach. Fresh ingredients in awesome sauces. They also served a mean margarita.

My favorite (nonfood) spot by far was a bar on King Street called the Belmont. It was an old-fashioned bar that served old-fashioned drinks. Our bartender's name was Joey and he knew SO MUCH about cocktails. He had a passion for pre-prohibition drinks and made me a few of the best ones that I have ever had.

this is the old-fashioned: two slices of orange peel, rye bourbon, simple syrup, bitters, orange cordial. YUMMY!

We didn't take any tours or really do anything terribly exciting. But we walked all over down town. I am in love with the architecture of Charleston. The details are amazing, the colors, even the businesses all have a very trendy vibe.

It is easy to enjoy the simplest of walks. Our last full day was spent walking all over the place-doing some shopping etc. I was stung by a jellyfish the day before, and I was scared to go back to the beach. There is a huge market with handmade wares as well as a row of very, very nice shops on King Street.

It was such a relaxing vacation. We enjoyed every minute. But we were ready to get home...we missed our kiddos! I highly recommend Charleston to anyone thinking of traveling. Maybe not in August (it was HOT--100+ everyday). I'll leave you with some photos from all around :)