A Folly Good Time

IMG_1067_Layers_v1

IMG_1107_Layers_v1

IMG_1075_Layers_v1

IMG_1064_Layers_v1

IMG_1151_Layers_v1

IMG_1059_Layers_v1

IMG_1079_Layers_v1

IMG_1109_Layers_v1

IMG_1101_Layers_v1

 Hooded Sweatshirt Dress: HiHo (on sale!) via The Skinny Dip boutique in Charleston / Sneakers: Converse / Heart Sunnies: Amazon – similar

I discovered the cutest boutique while in Charleston…adorable shopping downstairs, coffee upstairs…and I had to snag this beachy throw over while it still fit! Hah! Made of 100% cotton terry, this hooded sweatshirt dress is so comfy-cozy + perfect for those spring and fall beach days or a chillier summer evening during beach season. It fit over the bump with a little room for growth even in the XS, so I had to scoop it up! It’s currently on sale, so bump or not, grab it while you can!

These photos are from our last day in Charleston…we spent it on Folly Beach, which was a ton of fun…perfect weather, perfect scenery. Honestly, couldn’t have been a better way to end the trip!

Fast forward to yesterday…it was a crazy one running around getting my shattered iPhone fixed, but the weather was GORGEOUS, so I was pretty much on Cloud 9. Call me basic, but the sunshine TOTALLY makes my day! Lots of outdoor time to make up for all the rain…

Also hit 27 weeks this week! This pregnancy is going so fast!

Make it a good one!

XO,

Gina

Charleston Spring

IMG_7836_Layers_v1

Oh, Charleston! How I miss thee. With all the rain here we have going on in NYC this week, I am reminiscing back to 75 and sunny, wind in my hair, toes in the sand…our kid-free (well almost kid free haha) trip to Charleston was magical, and I’m so glad hubby and I got the opportunity to visit this charming town. Thanks Mom and Dad for watching the boys so we could take this little adventure!

We pretty much ate our way through this city and then walked most of it off. It was a great place to explore filled with incredible local southern food and seafood, adorable shops, colorful houses, beautiful architecture, CLEAN streets, interesting history, and nearby beaches. Looking forward to sharing our travels with you below and some of our favorite stops we made along the way. I wish we had gotten to explore more, because you all had SO many amazing recommendations, and we didn’t even get to see HALF of it…but I think we definitely got a good taste of the city, and we will definitely be returning one day for sure!

IMG_7666_Layers_v1

Yes, we ROAD-tripped it all the way from NY. We stopped in NY for Passover/Easter celebrations with the family and to drop the boys off with my parents, and then made our way down South. Of course, we had to stop at this glorified rest stop, South of the Border for a little photo opp and some ice cream. I hadn’t been here since I was 7 and we drove down to Florida, so it was a trip down memory lane.

IMG_7684_Layers_v1

Our first night we arrived and strolled in at 9pm to the beautiful and delicious, Husk. It was pure vacation magic that we were able to just walk up and enjoy with no wait! I would recommend a reservation if possible, and this place was a must! We had pig ears for the first time you guys…yep. Not kidding. And they were actually fantastic! Hubby also enjoyed a beautiful piece of fish and I had the steak. It was pretty divine southern food at it’s best, I must say.

IMG_7695_Layers_v1

IMG_7698_Layers_v1

If you know me, you know I love breakfast food, and Hominy Grill is probably on the very top of my list of places for brunch. OH EM GEE. So freakin’ good. I enjoyed sweet potato waffles with pecans and coconut glaze. Holy heaven. And I also got a cup of the she-crab soup, because #vacationmode. They also had an adorable little garden area, and next time we go to Charleston, this will be my first brunch stop.

IMG_7723_Layers_v1

Since we had our car with us, we wanted to take advantage of visiting some of the islands and beaches nearby. So we took some of your suggestions to visit Sullivan’s Island, and we were not disappointed! Grabbed a burger at Poe’s for lunch that was out of this world.

IMG_7742_Layers_v1

IMG_7752_Layers_v1

IMG_7724_Layers_v1

IMG_7907_Layers_v1

IMG_7749_Layers_v1

So many of you mentioned the oyster bars and how amazing they were, so even though this pregnant lady couldn’t eat raw oysters this time around, we had to check one out. Pearlz was fantastic as well as affordable. I ordered the oysters rockefeller instead and both of us got an order of steamed clams cooked in different sauces. Everything was ON POINT.

IMG_7750_Layers_v1

IMG_7765_Layers_v1

I think it’s pretty standard that you HAVE to enjoy a biscuit when you go down south, and Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit did not disappoint!!!

IMG_7772_Layers_v1

Okay okay, while all of this southern style food was AMAZING…our bodies were craving some HEALTHIER options a few days into our trip! We stumbled across Basic Kitchen, and oh my gosh, it was EXACTLY what we needed!!!! Fueled with fresh, healthy, local ingredients and GREENS that gave me the exact energy boost I needed. A definitely must-visit for a simple, yet incredibly delightful, healthy bite.

IMG_7808_Layers_v1

Early reservation for F.I.G. which was a definite high end splurge, but the gnocchi might be the best I have ever tasted. Baby bump in full effect both before AND after this meal. Haha.

IMG_7802_Layers_v1

IMG_7851_Layers_v1

We came across this cute little mobile boutique while we were walking along King Street. It travels around to different areas, but this little van was packed with some adorable tops, dresses, jewelry, bags, and more. If you can track it down, definitely hop in to Urban Izzy to check it out!

IMG_7833_Layers_v1

Okay, this next Greek restaurant was not one I anticipated on going to before our trip, but with two strong recommendations and good online reviews, I felt I just had to try it. WOW!!!! I am so glad we did. The food was out of this world. The ambience was great. We went for lunch, and literally every single thing we ordered was made to perfection and so delicious. Highly recommend Stella’s!!!

IMG_7837_Layers_v1

IMG_7855_Layers_v1

Xiao Bao Biscuit was a hubby choice for some spicy Asian food…and while it wasn’t my PERSONAL favorite…he LOVED it…and I did enjoy it as well. The food was interesting and not like any I have tasted before, and if you know me, I always love trying new things. It also felt like we were back in Brooklyn with the hipster vibe and loud (but not annoying) trendy music. It was definitely a cool spot, and one to visit if you love new, different, spicy food!

IMG_7861_Layers_v1

Another enjoyable history-filled southern style restaurant we enjoyed was Poogan’s Porch. We had breakfast here before heading to Folly Beach.

IMG_7867_Layers_v1

And lastly, enjoying our final day here on Folly Beach. This mama was in HEAVEN in her happy place parked here for the day. <3

IMG_7913_Layers_v1

Okay…I know that was a lot, but there is still more…I didn’t have photos of everything, but I still have some other recommendations that I wanted to make sure to detail below.

 

Things to Do:

Historical Walking tour (you can also do a carriage tour, but we opted for the exercise!)

Explore the beautiful College of Charleston

Walking and shopping and browsing on King Street around surrounding blocks

Rainbow Row (the colorful buildings in the first photo)

 

Shopping:

The Skinny Dip – my favorite boutique with a little coffee shop upstairs as well

Candlefish – an amazing candle store that creates their own  hand poured candles in house

Savannah Bee Company for fresh, raw, local honey

Cornerstone Minerals – an amazing shop for crystals, gemstones, fossils, and more

Veggie Bin for a small, quick, healthy grocery stop – we got snacks and some healthy goods to keep at the place we stayed for the week

 

Coffee:

The Bearded Cafe – our favorite stop for coffee in the AM

Revelator Coffee

Carmella’s – a perfect after dinner cafe for coffee and dessert

 

 

Restaurants + Spots on our list that we didn’t get to:

Shem’s Creek (in Mt. Pleasant on the way out to Sullivan’s Island) or Obstinate Daughter (on Sullivan’s Island)

Taco Boy or Wash Out (on Folly Beach)

Kudu Coffee + Craft Beer for the best of both worlds

Plantation Tours (Middleton or Magnolia)

Slave Market

Boat Cruise

Holy Cow Yoga for a prenatal yoga class

The Restoration Hotel and Trager Contemporary Art Gallery for art

SNOB (Slightly North of Broad Street southern style restaurant)

Halls Chophouse (high end steakhouse)

Mello Mushroom for pizza

Rooftop Bar at Henry’s

O-Ku for sushi

Butcher & Bee for local and sustainable goodness

Five Loaves for soups and sandwiches

Kaminsky’s for pie

Cannon Green for seasonal Mediterranean fare and plant-filled ambiance

Toast for breakfast

Goat.Sheep.Cow. for cheese

…and you guys…my list actually goes on, because you all are AMAZING and we got SOOOOO many recommendations, but I will stop here, because I know this is already super overwhelming!!! Suffice it to say that there is plenty to do, eat, see, shop, learn, and enjoy in the beautiful city of Charleston!

If you’re wondering where we stayed, it was a little studio apartment we found off Airbnb that was clean, functional, comfortable, and close enough that we could walk to many places. Happy to share the exact location for anyone who is looking for an affordable place to stay on your visit. I will say that it was close to a busy road, so it was a little bit noisy at night, even for this Brooklyn girl.

We also met up with one of Zack’s college friends while we were there, and it was so nice to feel that southern hospitality as they opened up their home to us and fed us a delicious home-cooked meal! Great company and great times.

If you have any specific questions about our trip, please don’t hesitate to shoot a comment below or send me a message! I love chatting with you all and sharing my experiences.

Happy Travels!

XO,

Gina

 

 

 

 

Joylab

IMG_0724_Layers_v1

IMG_0676_Layers_v1

IMG_0733_Layers_v1

IMG_0722_Layers_v1

IMG_0680_Layers_v1

IMG_0730_Layers_v1

IMG_0736_Layers_v1

IMG_0751_Layers_v1

Sweatshirt: Joylab for Target (sold out) – also like this one / Side Tie Leggings: Joylab for Target / Sneakers: Blondo via Trunk Club / Sunnies: Brickyard Buffalo (old)

Okay, you guys. I am seriously behind on blog posts! This shoot was done back in NOVEMBER. I know, I know. Look how long my hair was! And this was before the baby bump even existed. But better late than never right? And guess what? Joylab, the now new-ish activewear line from Target is still fabulous…and comfortable and adorable…and totally perfect for that busy mom-on-the-go life.

I’m telling you, this sweatshirt is the softest, most comfortable ever, and was my go-to all winter long. The fit is loose with plenty of room for that belly that continued (and still continues) to grow as well. The leggings no longer fit with the bump, however, I look forward to wearing them again once baby arrives. Super sleek, comfy and perfect for either a workout, running errands, or hanging at the playground with your kiddos.

The rest of their line is adorable too, so I would check it out if you haven’t already!

This week has been a bit gloomy here in the Big Apple, and I’m personally missing the sunshine. However, mama and baby had a good doctor’s appointment this week…which if you have been following me on Facebook, you know it’s been a crazy roller coaster. I haven’t really shared over here, but we had a super big health scare with baby a couple weeks back which required some further testing, and luckily the results came back looking good, thank GOD. So to hit Week 26 this week with another good appointment is frankly the only real sunshine I TRULY need.

Happy Friday to all, and cheers to getting some more uber-belated blog posts up in the next few weeks!

XO,

Gina