Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, formally known as Charles-Town, is a charming port city. It is the oldest and second largest in South Carolina, founded in 1670 in honor of King Charles II. Charleston is known for its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, and antebellum architecture. This past Saturday, March 4th, my boyfriend, Austin, and I decided it was time to check one of his goals off from his bucket list: eating at Lewis Barbeque. 

Charleston City Marina : We arrived into town a little before opening time for Lewis Barbecue. To kill time before it opened Austin and I bought a 32 oz styrofoam cup filled with juicy hot boiled peanuts, and we took a pleasant, leisurely walk through Charleston City Marina, as we both have a love for everything sailing. We laughed at the multitude of different boat names, including "Fore Play" and "Isle Rider." One yacht's name was "Cecilia" so I, of course, sent a picture of it to my best friend, Cecilia. There was a range of different styled motor and sail yachts for sale through St. Barts Yachts, so if you're interested in buying a boat I would check out the marina or go to their website.

Lewis Barbeque : At Lewis Barbeque, an industrial-hip, Central Texas styled smokehouse, we ordered a pound of pulled pork and a pound of pork spare ribs. The pulled pork was very tender but rather tasteless; the pork spare ribs were also tender, and they fell off the bone effortlessly. Unlike the pulled pork, they were seasoned thoroughly and tasted superb. The contemporary atmosphere was neat, an unexpected vibe for a barbecue place, and there was plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Austin and I chose to sit outside at a long rectangular picnic table. There was also another charming section outside that had small square tables sitting amongst patio heaters. However, fair warning, the pound of pulled pork and pork spare ribs and our two drinks cost us $45... pricey, so make sure you come prepared. 

Waterfront Park : Waterfront Park was a perfect place for me and Austin to relax after shopping around in the hustle and bustle of downtown Charleston. This harbor side park is 12 acres with a pier extending into Cooper River consisting of the famous Pineapple Fountain, sheltered rocking benches, a floating dock, an open lawn landscape, and a dense canopy of oak trees with many benches. While me and Austin swung on the rocking benches located on the sheltered portion of the pier, we enjoyed the breathtaking views of the marvelous river, and listened to live music performed by a man raising money for children in Haiti. 

Belgian Gelato : Austin and I got a bit tired and we were both ready for a break, and so we decided to head into Belgian Gelato. It was a cute Belgian sweet shop serving gelato, waffles, coffee, and milkshakes. Austin ordered a coffee while I ordered a single scoop of coffee flavored gelato, together costing us an overpriced amount of approximately $11, but disregarding the price both purchases were very yummy. The gelato was so delicious I couldn't help but scoff it down.

Tips : 

• Bring plenty of money because most things aren't cheap downtown. Bring nickels, dimes, and quarters for meter parking. Have cash on hand just in case.
• Bring a small hairbrush with you. My hair was constantly blowing around and creating tangles.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

This past Saturday, February 25th, my friends, Cecilia and Ana, and I took a girls getaway to Hilton Head Island, SC. After all of us having a stressful week at school, we were relieved to be able to take some time together and have some fun. 

Our first destination: the beach. We spent hours laying out, listening to music and taking cute pictures. I know ya’ll probably think we’re slightly insane to be laying out on the beach in winter, but surprisingly enough it was really nice. The weather was in the lower 80s-comfortable enough to be in a bikini, yet not freezing. 

We were smart enough to bring towels, sunscreen, and snacks, but we were definitely disappointed in ourselves for not bringing one of our many Bluetooth speakers. How can you truly enjoy a day on the beach without some sort of entertainment? For some people, it’s reading or playing frisbee, but for us, it’s music. We ended up resorting to listening to our music straight off our phones, and I have to say, letting our batteries die down was definitely worth being able to jam out with my friends on a day off from all of our responsibilities.

Oh, and I must share this with you... We saw a Search and Rescue go down! So here we are packing up our things preparing to head to dinner when we realize everyone, now I mean EVERYONE, on the beach was staring out towards the ocean. We all spun around and saw a helicopter circling what everyone thought was a man swimming out to sea. All three of us immediately grabbed our phones to record footage of the scene. Thankfully after watching the Coast Guard circle the “body” a few times, we received a report from a fellow beach goer -- the one who contacted the Coast Guard -- that it was an unattached orange buoy floating out to sea.

Our next destination, dinner at Up the Creek Pub & Grill. This restaurant was beyond expectations. Most reviews online give them a 4 out of 5-star rating, but after enjoying their steamed shrimp and their beautiful waterfront view, I for sure would bump up their score to a 5. 

If you’re a seafood lover, then this restaurant is must try. For me, I normally can be pretty picky about shrimp. My father has mastered the art of preparing shrimp in every way imaginable so it can be rather difficult actually enjoying shrimp at a restaurant. There are only a few places in my hometown, Savannah, GA, that I will actually dare to order shrimp because I don’t want to be disappointed and have wasted money on mediocre shrimp. Now "Up the Creek" absolutely gave justice to their shrimp. The shells peeled off effortlessly; they were thoroughly seasoned and the serving portion was just right. 

The only downfall about the restaurant were the bugs. As I said before, it was a waterfront restaurant, which means sand gnats. The bugs were terrible, and I know it was our fault for choosing to sit outside without applying bug spray, but they were still aggravating nonetheless. I would highly recommend you purchase NO NATZ if you are ever going to be somewhere around the water. Every time I use this product, not one gnat bites me. It's  a little on the expensive side, but it’s worth not having bug bites up and down your legs.

Tips :

• Bug spray; specifically NO NATZ : You can purchase it at most places, including Walmart. 
• Bluetooth speakers; some sort of entertainment