Charleston Ch. 2: The restaurants on Bay...The Ansonborough Inn and what's kid friendly & what's not

(sorry in advance for the poor photos...I unfortunately took few pics when in SC...due to almost dying from a cold)

So, when we went to Charleston, SC a few weeks ago I was 11 weeks pregnant and hungry.  Can I tell you how excited I was to check out all the restaurants and eat 'til my heart's content with no guilt what-so-ever?  I literally counted down the days and did some pretty thorough research before we left on the places to hit.  Sadly, I became so sick with a terrible cold the third day into our trip that I could barely taste anything and even when I did try to eat, it was pretty uncomfortable given I couldn't breathe through my nose....a lovely image indeed, I know. 

But, a pregnant girl's gotta eat, right?  And, that we still did...

Our hotel was great....we stayed at The Ansonborough Inn.  Awesome, especially if you have kids.  It was large, with huge vaulted ceilings, kitchen, separate bedroom....this was my view a lot of the time as I would lay on the couch begging God to help me breathe again:

The Ansonborough Inn is walking distance to everything and we walked.  A lot...

 

Probably our very favorite place to eat was Magnolia's....AMAZING!  It was so kid friendly, we actually ate in twice and got take out another time.  They knew Leila by the end of it.  Make reservations...go for Sunday brunch and order whatever kind of fritter poppers they are offering under the appetizers...we had the peach fritters, to die for.  Great atmosphere, awesome art work, friendly staff...a must.....

(image via Magnolias)

 

If you need a sandwich quick, like if you are starving when you finally get to Charleston....go to the East Bay Deli....SO good, huge menu, friendly...we ate here a few times.

 

  

image via eastbaydeli.net

Poor picture, but Slightly North of Broad was a place we at one day after walking a few miles.  We had worked up an appetite and we waited outside until they opened their doors for lunch.  While very good, not kid friendly....sadly.  Exposed kitchen, quaint bar...very upscale.  Go here for dinner with your other half....

Believe it or not, one of our other favorite restaurants was a place I never got to see...my husband did though and said it was really nice inside.  Several nights I couldn't leave the hotel because of being sick, so we ended up getting take out and Cru Cafe was delicious....the food was amazing!  Order the Mac and Cheese.......the Thai seafood was also really good, spicy, but good!


image via:  crucafe.com

The last night we were in Charleston we had an early dinner at High Cotton.  We each had their filet and it was delicious....and fast!  I couldn't believe how fast they served us.  They are only open for dinner....make reservations and order their grits!  SO good.  Leila had a meltdown during dinner so we had to rush things.  A lot...but thankfully before we left, an old friend of mine who moved to Charleston 8 years ago met us there for a quick visit....

And, while my hubby brought Leila back to the hotel, Helen took me to the Market Pavilion Hotel's rooftop restaurant/bar which overlooks Charleston. It features a pool, amazing atmosphere....etc....a great end to an interesting week, seriously:

Photo via:  evangarland.blogspot.com


These were just a few places that stuck out to me....Charleston has incredible food, no doubt! 

easy diy cupcake toppers

Getting ready for our girl's 2nd birthday party this coming weekend, can't believe she is already 2, crazy!  And, I put the hubby to work on football Sunday:

So easy....I ended up using odds and ends I had on my craft shelf:  scrapbook paper for the hats and bright buttons and embellishments for the toppers.  Should be cute, especially with 40 cupcakes and 40 big smiles staring back...what's not to love?

Meanwhile, we have actually been potty training our little girl.  So far, the hardest thing I have done in parenthood.  And, I know it may seem too early, but she has shown serious signs of wanting to be diaper free...letting us know when she needs to go potty, (As Grover says, Don't Wait!), waking up in the mornings with a dry diaper and when we are at home, she pretty much roams bottomless with very few accidents. 

But, I am not brave enough to leave the house regularly without her diaper on.  I fear the obvious, that we will be in the middle of the grocery store and all of a sudden I will see (or feel) liquid dropping from her body onto the floor.

Anyway, we do the happy dance and I sing "Go Leila, go Leila, it's your birthday...you went pee pee in the potty..." etc.  And, Leila thinks it is quite fun....chanting back to me "Go Leila, go Leila...." but she can't quite say the rest :)

Never knew before kids how extremely excited I would be for someone to go potty....it's the little things :)

Ginger & Spice...and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

                                           photo via Ginger & Spice Marketplace

I took a drive out to Ginger & Spice in Walkersville today (such a sweet shop!) since I have finally caved and decided I have to try this Annie Sloan chalk paint I keep hearing and reading about.  G & S is one of the few places I was able to find in the area that carries it. 

Anyway, I am eager to get started!  You might remember the Hecht chest I found at Goodwill a few months ago.  It has been staring back at me angrily as if to say, "you brought me all the way home now what are you going to do with me?"  It desperately needs new life to be breathed back into it.  This guy is going to be my pioneer piece....wish me luck!  eeeekkk...

I ended up going with the traditional Old White to start out with and then buying the Dark Wax which is apparently tricky to use but gives your piece a great aged look.  Will post pics when done!

Amazing vintage treasures and our baby's very first gift

 

 

My grandmother, "Mackie" as we call her, is probably one of the most hip, yet incredibly traditional grandmothers I have ever known.  She is one of those people you have to either know extremely well or be related to, to understand.  And even then, she still keeps you guessing.  I feel very fortunate to have her in my life, and now in her late 80's she still has incredible taste and views on issues that she does not hold back on.  She's one in a million.

 

 

 

 

( here we are in Hawaii many years ago...me in my very favorite "Hawaii" shirt...)

 

 

She sends my sister and me packages often that are filled with all kinds of unexpected things.  I happened to come home the other day to one sitting on my door step and I was jumping up and down with excitement as I unwrapped these little treasures.

 

 

demitasse sterling silver spoons

 

 

 

 

A vintage pillbox which was her mothers (Nana's)...and was given to Mackie in 1967...can only imagine how old it is.

 

 

 

 

A sterling silver bell, which according to Mackie, is to be used when I have a formal dinner and need to call on a servant (um, really???)  I think I will opt to use this when I am close to my due date and unable to get out of bed or bend over to tie my shoes.

And, the cherry on top of these amazing vintage pieces came this morning when I had my friend Beth over for coffee.  She mentioned she had some old, vintage postcards in her basement that she had been holding onto and she thought I might like:

Here is one of them...this poor kid is about to get whacked with a shoe!

 

But, the real gem is this incredibly darling 1940's baby book which she surprised me with (and has NEVER been used) for our little nugget.....I about died and went to heaven when she gave it to me....

 

Beth, thank you SO, SO much!

 

 

How sweet are these illustrations? 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

a baby bump revealed & Charleston Ch 1: The Mansions on King

 

 

We may have missed Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Bette (sigh....) but there certainly is no shortage of drama in historic Charleston, SC.  I have the pictures to prove it below.

 

 

In the blog I posted right before we left I mentioned needing some R & R during our trip down south.  The weeks leading up to Charleston have been filled with anxiety, morning sickness, exhaustion, Thai food & soda fountain cravings (weird!), a husband running out to the store at the drop of a hat, an expanding waist line....and our little girl figuring out she is going to be a big sister come the end of March...our little nugget is due to arrive on or around the 23rd :)

 

 

And, as excited as I am to be breaking out my Fall decor and Halloween figurines at the moment...I was even more excited to remember I can officially start using my bump mug (heck yeah!)  It's the little things during a pregnancy that help you get through the symptoms and worry any mom has during those nine months. 

 

 

 

We are thrilled!

 

 

 

While we had little R & R during our trip (more on that in the next chapter) there was PLENTY of inspiration.  I came home with my mind exhausted from all the ideas I have for paintings.  Charleston is an amazing place....rich with art, history, southern food at its finest....and classic, quintessential southern architecture...

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a town where bicyclists and stone streets are standard, the mansions on and around King Street are grand and even more common.  We spent one morning walking several miles through King Street, Battery Park and then back up to our hotel along the water then through downtown. 

Charleston is considered a "sleepy town" so it was incredibly peaceful and quiet that morning. 

So lovely...

 

 

These mansions overlook the water.......

 

 

sweet cottages (at several million a pop!) are sprinkled throughout downtown

 

 

 

 

So many houses have these gorgeous window boxes....

 

 

More to come....

Old School Sesame & to Charleston we go

 

 

 

I have no shame in the fact that I have turned our girl on to old school Sesame Street.  Yes, to the point now where she jumps on our bed and dances along to the opening number (while I, equally excited to re-live this memory, sing along..."come and play, everything's A-OK...." and so on.)  This is more like the kind of Sesame Street I remember....like when they would paint faces on the windows and have things that aren't like the others.

 

 

 

My husband and I watched the documentary "Being Elmo" the other night.  Oh my gosh was it good.  It was one of those movies that I had to pause every time I had to get up so I wouldn't miss a thing.  I had no idea Kevin Clash is from Baltimore, right around the corner from us.  So cool and his story is amazing....if you want to teach kids to follow their passion, this is a good one to watch.

 

On that note, we are off to Charleston tomorrow for some much needed R & R....so excited to spend a full week together and make some memories!  And, I am really looking forward to some new inspiration.  You've probably noticed I haven't started a painting in a while...it's not that I haven't had any ideas. 

 

I've actually had one image in my head involving these beautiful floor to ceiling windows from my old apartment in Italy...the doors would open out to the outside market and we would people watch for hours and talk to our neighbors across the street with those windows. I can't seem to shake this image....so I just need to start.

 

 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

 

 

custard

 

I made some yesterday.  Like the kind my grandma used to make.  I loved her custard, warm and yummy with nutmeg.  Still among my top 5 favorite desserts, along with flan, tiramasu, chocolate cake with cream cheese icing and chocolate mousse.  Don't think my custard is anywhere near as yummy as my grandmother's so I am going to be on the hunt for the secret to delicious custard.  Any suggestions?

And, I decided to also hunt for the same custard dishes she used when I was little.  They were brown with a turquoise interior.  I searched Etsy and couldn't come up with anything...will have to keep looking.  BUT, I did find these from T-Party Antiques:



Aren't they so sweet? Love the color and texture...!


And, had to share this amazing vessel I found among my Etsy search yesterday:




from the shop: up in the air somewhere

I am in love........



Have a great weekend, everyone!

the epitome of motherhood grace and the re-loved suitcase

Remember this vintage suitcase I posted about a few weeks ago?



I've been seeing painted suitcases and trunks a lot lately and I knew this cool piece, which I've had since high school, had more life left in it. And, like most girls I have a slight obsession with jewelry which always poses a problem for storage...

Wanting something unique that was easily accessible and where I could have my earrings side by side (don't you hate being 10 mins late all because you were searching for the match?) and something where I could hang my necklaces...

This is what I came up with:

painted the hardware a metallic gold

I added cork to the inside door for my earrings and pins...

Meanwhile, I had a near breakdown last Friday and I have to share my story in hopes fellow moms out there will tell me they have been there....and reassure me that I am not turning into the mother they feature on 60 minutes who's child runs around barefoot in the middle of a trailer park looking gaunt and in need of a bath yesterday.  Because, that is how I felt on Friday.  When I was shopping at Wal-Mart.  Here goes:

I have not had to leave a store as a result of Leila being upset since she was an infant.  And even then, if I had to leave a store it was because she was hungry, tired or had gas.  Simple as that.

I had to run out to the store on Friday to grab some last minute essentials: milk, diapers etc.  And, it seems since I have had a child I have become a Wal-Mart shopper (gasp!)...I would have never thought the day would come but let's face it....it is convenient and Leila's diapers and organic whole milk are a heck of a lot cheaper.  So, off we went for what was supposed to be a quick 15 min shopping trip.

It started when she didn't want to sit in the cart.  After some whining, I finally got her to sit down.  Not two minutes later she was telling me she wanted to take her shoes off.  Now, they are velcro and I thought they were hurting her...no big deal, I took them off.  30 seconds later, she was standing up, refusing to sit...now wanting to get into the "main" cart.

Fine, this was not a battle I wanted to fight with her.  So, my shoeless toddler is now in the "main" cart refusing to sit down and she is looking every bit of what makes me cringe when I see this same scenario.  But, now she is crying because I have told her that if she doesn't sit down she is going to fall.  And she does fall.  She is screaming, crying, whimpering (in that order) over and over again.  A crescendo effect my daughter is providing the shoppers.  People are beginning to look at me and when I look at them directly as if to say "what are you looking at?" they quickly look away.

We are getting close to the end of shopping and my patience is thin and I am frustrated.  Things are piled around her and she now wants to get out (we are by the fish section).  "OK, but we have to put your shoes back on."  "No."  This went on for a few minutes.  Now, I was starting to lose it...fine walk around Wal-Mart without any shoes on.  This is a new low.  I put her down and she giggled, taunting me.  She loved this no shoe thing at the store while I thought I was going to vomit.  I picked her back up and told her again, "It is fine if you want to walk, but we have to put your shoes on." 

SCREAMING.  I mean, top of your lungs screaming.  I tried to pick her up and push the cart with one hand but she refused to let me prop her on my hip.  Moms, you know this trick right?  By the time I maneuvered my way to check out I basically was holding her on my side with her body perpendicular and head upside down, no shoes on, screaming and wailing.  I rounded the corner to check out and there was a lady in front of me with her 15ish year old daughter (both of them pretty much laughing) as if the mom is thinking "oh, been there, done that."  But, the last thing I needed was for her to blatantly be humored by my situation.  One look at me and they both stopped smiling, but instead stood there gawking.  Really people?  I wanted the mom to be sympathetic and let me check out before her and get the heck out of there.

By this point I was exhausted.  Leila was exhausted.  When I got her out of the store I gently told her I was going to now put her shoes back on... and she let me.  We got into the car and I sat in the front seat asking her why she can't listen to mama and do as I say (pretty much talking to myself)...And I will be honest, I cried.  Okay, I cried a lot.  Not sure where it came from but in between tears I heard a quiet little voice in the back say:  "sauweee Mama." 

And that was all I needed to hear....who really could be upset with this girl?  Here she is with her daddy over the weekend. 

So, what's your coping tool?  I wish I could be that mom who just laughs it off and sees the humor in the situation but then I feel like I am just telling our little girl it is OK to behave this way?  Seriously, I looked like a train wreck and would like to not end up in tears the next time!