Destination, Charleston

We were fortunate to spend last weekend in one of the most charming and lovely places in the South - Charleston, South Carolina.  You can't help but feel like time stands still when you walk through the cobblestone streets past the Victorian style homes with huge rocking-chair front porches.  And the food...oh, the food! Here are the highlights of our weekend getaway, and places I would highly recommend visiting next time you find yourself in one of our favorite cities...

           

 

We arrived on Friday night just in time to pick up our race packets for Saturday's main event: The Cooper River Bridge Run.  I have been so fortunate to feel well and stay active for the first half of my pregnancy, and even at 5 & 1/2 months pregnant, I was not about to miss out on this race that we had registered for months ago! We checked into our hotel, the Embassy Suites in downtown Charleston - a charming place to stay and packed full of history.  It was the original Citadel, and the Hilton has done a fabulous job of keeping the original feel (exposed brick walls and orginal winding staircases), while updating it with modern amenities.  

From there, we walked a few blocks over to King Street to enjoy a pre-race meal at Basil.  You can't go wrong at this Thai food heaven, where we enjoyed Pad Thai and Green Curry Shrimp with plenty of rice to get our fill of carbs.  This was the last restaurant we ate at during our previous visit to Charleston, so we decided to make it our first for this trip - and we were not disappointed!

Saturday morning came bright and early, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect -sunny and 70 degrees! We were fortunate to walk only 2 blocks to catch the race shuttle, which transported 40,000 runners over the bridge and to the starting line in Mt. Pleasant. The organization of this massive race was impressive, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish - from Edwin McCain crooning his top hit songs at the starting line to the bands every 1/4 mile of the 6.2 mile course and the lively finishers festival in Marion Square, it all went off without a hitch.  

This is definitely a race worth running, though don't expect to get your best time/PR.  The course is crowded, even though the wave start stratifies runners by time. And although I wasn't running for a specific time goal, I didn't do so bad for a preggo gal - thanks in large part to my faithful running partner! :) At the finish line, we grabbed some cold watermelon and then walked one block back to our hotel, where we made it just in time to enjoy our hotel's complimentary breakfast on the patio right next to the main stage.  As we listened to Edwin McCain and other entertainers keep the crowd alive, it felt like our own private concert on the patio!

After recovering from our early morning run, we set out on foot to our lunch destination: HUSK.  I had read wonderful reviews of this restaurant, and now I know why!  One look at this place, and I knew it would be good. We were seated on the upstairs patio balcony, overlooking the cobblestone street where horse-drawn carriages passed by.  While we usually choose two menu items we both like and split them, this time we both ordered shrimp and grits... and this turned out to be a wise decision, since they were the BEST shrimp and grits we've had anywhere.  Neither of us had to suffer from food envy this time! I HIGHLY recommend this venue as a brunch/lunch option, though I am sure dinner is equally as excellent (though much more pricey).

Front porch sittin' at HUSK

Pan corn bread and fresh rolls

Shrimp and Grits

We took our time strolling back down King Street and stopping in and out of the unique shops - here you can find designer stores to one-of-a-kind boutiques and everything in between. Of course, a gelato shop was not to be passed up, and we stopped in to enjoy some salted caramel (for him) and Belgian mint chocolate (for her) authentic gelato.  Then, after a relaxing afternoon, we enjoyed the manager's reception at our hotel on the patio with some new friends we made, who also ran the race.

 

After hors d'oeuvres and drinks (Arnold Palmer for her ; ) at the hotel, we took a bicycle rickshaw taxi to the only seafood restaurant on the harbor, Fleet Landing.  Here, we enjoyed a beautiful night of al fresco dining overlooking the water while enjoying mouth-watering hot biscuits, pesto infused mahi mahi, and crab cakes.

Waterfront Dining

Back at the hotel after a perfect date night

 On Sunday morning, we enjoyed a leisurely brunch at another local favorite, Poogan's Porch.  Not to be outdone by its neighboring restaurant, HUSK, Poogan's Porch has a reputation of it's own. Named after a former owner's dog, this is yet another hot spot (the wait time was over an hour, but well worth it!)  We waited on the huge front porch in the rain, but when we finally got seated, we received some of the best service we'd had anywhere in town.  Homemade biscuits that literally melt in your mouth, chicken and waffles with blueberry compote, and shrimp and grits - and we split everything right down the middle.  No wonder this is consistently voted Best Brunch in town!

Before we headed home, we made one last stop at the Angel Oak Tree, located just south of Charleston.  One of the oldest trees on the East Coast, it is estimated to be as many as 1500 years old.  It was so serene to stand beneath the twisting, overgrown branches that sprawled out all around us.  We had just enough time to get a few pictures before it started to rain, and we headed back home.  It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend!