Charleston, South Carolina

After a relaxing vacation on Kiawah Island, the female members of our group made a day trip to Charleston while the boys squeezed in another round of golf. I have been excited to visit Charleston for some time now; in fact, whenever we were in a 3 hour radius of the city, I would beg Mike to go. When his friend moved to Charleston, I suggested a trip. But I finally, finally had the chance to explore this beautiful city, even if just for an afternoon.

Sipping on peach iced tea during lunch at Palmetto Cafe set the mood for a sunny, Southern day. We explored the shops and then the market, where we fell in love with every seagrass basket along our path. We stocked-up on pastries and admired the iron gates. And as we drove along the water, gasping at each house we passed, I made the executive decision that Mike and I should move there when we grow up. I did not consult him on this decision, but rather made-up my mind and informed him of this later. I do this often - make decisions about parts of our adult life - though usually these decisions are smaller, such as the reclaimed farmhouse table that we will one day share meals upon.

So for now and the foreseeable future, we will stay Manhattanites. But every time I need a little break from the pace of city life, I find my mind drifting back to one of those houses, with porches on both sides of the house and the open windows and doors allowing a cross-breeze to drift through the house.