Anniversary Picnic

Tonight John and I celebrated our 4th anniversary spread out on a picnic blanket at the park down by the Battery. It was blazing hot in Charleston today, the heat and humidity of summer is finally here. But with the sun setting and a cool breeze coming off the water, a shady dinner under the live oaks was just beautiful.

Happy anniversary, Love.

We've had a really crazy, busy week and are also preparing to head out out of town after work tomorrow for a week in Oklahoma (woohoo!) So we decided a low-key, relaxing picnic was the perfect way to celebrate. Our dinner consisted of some rosemary olive oil bread, chicken salad, pimento cheese and crackers, watermelon and two delicious cupcakes. 

John's such a Southern boy. He loves him some pimento cheese! 

Glad this picnic is another check off my Charleston bucket list!

The park was beautiful, besides a few pesky dogs off leashes who kept sniffing around our food. We saw a couple elope in the park's gazebo, right near our picnic spot, and watched the tourists goof around on the nearby cannons. It was a lovely evening eating, talking and snuggling on the lawn. 

Our view while laying on the blankets, looking up. Gorgeous!

Palm trees, cannons and cannonballs in the background. I love this town. 

Sticky Buns and New Honey Bun

Catching up a little on what's been going on since Sarah Roland came to visit us (been a few very very busy weeks!)...I forgot to fill you all in on the best morning ever that happened a few weeks ago.

On the morning of Sunday, May 20, Sarah Roland and I woke up early and went for a long 6 mile run---how all great morning's should start if you ask me. The night before, my sister Sarah went into labor back home in Oklahoma and I was up several times that night checking text message updates from my mom. It was driving me crazy that I couldn't be there to be with my family, so pounding the pavement on a 6 mile run really helped.

After our run, we headed to WildFlour Bakery to finally try their famous Sunday Sticky Buns that we've heard so much about. We tried once before a few months ago, and by the time we got there, they had already sold out. This Sunday, we made sure to be there early. 

Back in Oklahoma, Sarah went into the operating room for a C-section right about the time we got to the bakery in Charleston. I was a nervous wreck the whole time we were ordering and nibbling our sweet treats. Their deliciousness wasn't lost on me though, they were amazing---big, soft cinnamon rolls with glazed pecans on top.

Could hardly snap a pic of them before they were eagerly devoured.

By the time we got back to the car and were driving home, I got a teary-eyed phone call from my Mom and this picture sent to my phone...

My new honey bun, Kingston Alexander is born

I couldn't be more proud to be this little guy's aunt. I talked to him on the phone a few hours after his arrival (aka my mom held the phone up to him crying,) but we've yet to meet in person yet. I can't wait to hold him and give him lots of kisses when we go to Oklahoma this weekend. 

Love my beautiful sister and baby Kingston.

Swamp People

On Shannon and Neal's last full day in Charleston, we decided to get real country on 'em and take 'em out to the swamp to catch gators. Okay, not really. Really we just drove to Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner and explored the swamp and nature trails there. 

This activity actually far exceeded my expectations. It may be one of my favorite new attractions in Charleston. First thing we did was hop in some flat-bottom boats and paddled out into the black water swap (don't worry, there was a marked path to follow.) 

Here's my view from the boat. Beautiful cypress trees growing out of the black water. 

Are you thinking this setting looks very romantic and beautiful and oddly familiar? Maybe it's because this is where they filmed the boat scene from "The Notebook"! You know....

This part from the movie

Here Shannon and Neal are in their boat. Just as romantic, eh?

 Unlike the movie, there weren't hundreds of white birds floating around on the water while we were there (I heard they flew those in for the movie.) But there were tons of pretty lilly pads!

Paddling in the lilies

Lots and lots of lilies

Don't worry, Mom, we didn't see any gators in the swamp, but we did see some in Cypress' swamparium! We also checked out the nature trails and the butterfly house (where we met a fellow Okie by the way.)

By far the best part of the day was when this happened...

Oh yeah, we're cool.

Wanna Be Your Crystal Baller...

For Valentine's Day this year, I got John tickets to see Third Eye Blind in concert as an early present. When I saw they were coming to Charleston the week before Valentine's Day, I just couldn't resist surprising him. 

The concert was Wednesday night at the Music Farm, which is right off the main strip of Upper King Street. For you Okies out there, the Music Farm is to Charleston what Cain's Ballroom is to Tulsa. So we were excited to see our first show there since we had heard so many good things! And by we, I mean me, because John hadn't heard of it until that night :) 

But he was really excited when I gave him the tickets! He's been a huge 3EB fan since he was a kid and has never seen them live. So I knew this one was on his concert bucket list. 

And the concert was amazing! They played lots of their old songs and I was glad since I didn't know any of their new stuff. I was glad to hear "Motocycle Driveby," "Crystal Baller" and of course "Semi-Charmed Kind of Life," which they saved for the encore. 

Overall it was just a great date night going out on Wednesday night (I know, crazy!) and dancing and singing together and having a good time. 

Love my Valentine!

Christmas in Marion Square

I forgot to mention that last weekend, John and I went to the Holiday Farmers Market in Marion Square. Marion Square has an awesome farmer's market every Saturday that we like to go to for the fresh fruits and veggies and the local shopping vendors. I always plan to blog about it, then forget to take pictures. Woops! I can't say I did a whole lot better this time.

The farmer's market was pretty much the same, with a few extra Christmas-themed booths and extended hours. They did have a band playing Christmas music and Marion Square had their Christmas decorations up. It was in the high 60s this day, so it was beautiful weather to hang out in the park.

John eating a crepe from the Charleston Crepe Company! Yum! We got breakfast crepes with eggs and veggies. Definitely worth the 20 minute wait at their little food booth.

Marion Square is also the home of the city of Charleston's Christmas tree, which is not actually a tree, but a light display in the shape of a tree.

I liked these little (real) trees they had along the walkways decorated by different elementary schools. Look, this one's just my size!

Just a beautiful day for relaxing in Charleston!

Charleston is born!

A few weekends ago, my friend Connie and I visited with a couple Indians and pilgrims about the origins of Charleston (originally called Charles Towne.)

Our new friends. They were very stoic.

The pilgrims (they prefer to be called "settlers") told us how they sailed here from England and built Charles Towne in 1670 as the first settlement in South Carolina. On the way here, they stopped for a mini vacay in Barbados and decided to model their town after their new favorite getaway. Even though they both have palm trees and humid weather, turns outs Charles Towne was not as sweet as Barbados. Literally. Their attempt at cashing in on sugar cane crop failed, so they just cut down a bunch of trees and sold barrels instead.

The Indians (they prefer "Native Americans"), didn't say much besides they tried to play nice and the pilgrims enslaved them. Figures.

After our chat, our new friends gave Connie a house...

And put me in the stocks....

Figures.

Then we all made up and played a nice game of 17th century bowling....

Strike!

Okay, I digress. Connie and I actually learned and saw all this on our visit to Charles Towne Landing, a park on the original site of the English Settlement. Though the history museum and the little replica village were fun, our favorite attraction was the replica boat, the Adventure.

Ships ahoy, matey!

The Adventure was used by the settlers, not pirates unfortunately, for sailing around and trading their awesome barrels.

Later while wondering around the park, we found this cute little plantation house. We forgot to stop and read the plaque, so we don't know much about it besides it was locked and we couldn't go in.

The park also has an Animal Forest, where you can see many of the animals native to South Carolina when the settlers first arrived here.

One of these animals was the buffalo. Looks like home to me!

Picnic at Angel Oak

Today after church, John and I headed out to Angel Oak to have a picnic. Angel Oak is a famous live oak tree on John's Island that is 1,500 years old (supposedly the oldest thing, living or man-made, east of the rockies). I've been wanting to see the tree for a while now, so I packed a picnic lunch for John and I to have a Sunday afternoon date.

Unfortunately, we got to the tree about noon and it doesn't open until 1 pm on Sundays (yes, the tree has hours. It needs its rest, too.)

So we took our picnic to a nearby park and lunched there while we waited.

Yum! Sandwiches and pasta salad!

The weather was actually very nice in the shade and we enjoyed sitting by the quite pond and chatting over our lunch. Plus it was free! Hooray for cheap dates!

After a nice lingering lunch in the shade, we headed back to the tree. And here she is:

Oooo! Twisty!

We were actually very surprised at how not-tall the tree was. What it lacks in height it makes up for in canopy though. We learned the live oak has a diameter of spread reaching 160 feet and the trunk's circumference is nearly 25 feet.

While we were at the beautiful site, we also had a mini photo shoot because I need a new "Letter from the Editor" picture for my new job. My first issue as editor of Where Charleston magazine comes out in September! Woohoo!

One attempt during the photo shoot. It was actually very challenging to get a shot that didn't have a ton of tourists in the background.

John and all his tourist friends

Crazy tree limbs everywhere!

What a great afternoon in Angel Oak's shade.

Second Sunday on King

Once a month, the city of Charleston shuts down the ever-popular King street to traffic and lets the pedestrians take over the pavement. This wonderful idea is called Second Sunday on King and John and I went to check it out today.

King Street is always fun to explore because of the many shops, boutiques, restaurants and speciality stores that line the street. But today was even better because we didn't have to worry about getting hit by a car. With the road blocked off to vehicles, the crowds took to the street. Many restaurants had tables out in the street, shops had sale racks on the side walk and street performers were jammin' on almost every corner.

Take that cars!

We had a great time just shopping around at the stores and checking out some shops we've never been in before. And FINALLY I got to try a popsicle from King of Pops...something I've been wanting to do forever now. It seems whenever I see this yummy food cart, I never have any cash or time to stop. But today, a popsicle was the perfect solution to a hot muggy afternoon.

King of Pops sells handmade gourmet popsicles made with fresh fruit and ingredients. Today I tried the grapefruit mint ( a little tart, but very refreshing) and John got the South Carolina Peach (made with local peaches). Both were great, but a word to the wise: eat fast! I was too slow apparently and mine started melting down my arm.

I recommend bites, not licks.

Later in the afternoon, we decided dessert wasn't enough and we needed some lunch. So where did we stop? None other than good old Pita Pit! Nothing like Pita Pit to make me feel like I'm back in college in Norman again. Sigh. Too bad this Pita Pit was a little more run down than the one in Norman. Eww. But the pitas and the memories were still great.

Aww just like our college days!

Gardens and swamps

Charleston is full of plantations and historic houses. So many in fact, it's hard to choose which one you should see. While the family was in town, we had to see at least one of them. Mom chose Magnolia Plantation and Gardens because not only is it a plantation, it also has famous gardens and a swamp tour!

Us in front of the plantation house before our tour.

Mom and Larry keeping cool on the veranda.

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the house, so you'll have to take my word for it — it was a nice big house with some interesting furnishings and an extensive family history dating back to the 19th century. I liked the house tour (and gift shop for that matter) because it was air conditioned!

The rest of the beauty of this plantation was out on in the gardens...where it was not air conditioned unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, the gardens were absolutely beautiful and included several miles of winding trails with hidden gardens, alcoves, water vistas, cute gazebos and many many beautiful bridges. However, as much as I wanted to get into it, it was really hard to when I felt like I was melting. My advice: wait until spring to visit this plantation, when the weather is cooler and the flowers are in bloom.

Me and Sarah posing in a gazebo, or trying not to die in the heat, one of the two.

Us on one of the many beautiful bridges laying over the swampy water.

Larry in my favorite little garden. Loved the flowers and the Spanish moss, but I especially loved the little maze of hedges because it reminded me of the OU campus :) Sigh.

Although we were all dying from the heat, apparently the critters didn't seem to mind. We spotted many animals, birds and reptiles on our tour of the gardens. Got to give mom props for the pictures, I was too hot to worry about my camera.

Mossy turtles

We saw many of these birds

We also saw several beautiful peacocks

Mom, Larry and I braved the heat to also go on the swamp tour. I wanted to see an alligator! Unfortunately, I just got bit by a lot of swamp mosquitoes. We did find an old slave cemetery in the swamp though that was pretty neat and spooky. And one more critter I was not happy to encounter....

Ahhh!