Falling in Love with Charleston All Over Again

Charleston is my happy place. It's been my "future home" since I could remember. I've always had the same vision of how my life will play out. I'm going to go to med school and end up as some kind of surgeon in Charleston. I'll have a house with two-story (or three (; ) wraparound porches, and a husband I met in med school. Ever since I was a little girl that's been it. Everytime I go I fall back in love with the place harder than before. This past week I stayed in Isle of Palms with my best friend, which is right across the bridge from downtown Charleston. I'm really, really, really sorry for all the pictures.. I narrowed it down from 200 to 40 so relatively I am doing really well!! ;) Here's my week through the lens.

As a southern girl, I obviously love to eat. So most of my pictures are of the good food in Charleston! The first night we ate at Hyman's, where I got the Carolina Delight.. Outstanding! Of course, I also got some she crab soup every. single. night. Michael Phelps had eaten at our table, too!


                                     
After that, we explored the city. The Charleston Place hotel is BEAUTIFUL. It also has some really amazing shopping in it.. Amazing as in Louis, Gucci, Prada, and a few other brands that I felt fancy just looking at. It had a Kate Spade but it had already closed. :(

We spent the rest of our night at Waterfront Park which was gorgeous and right on the Cooper River. The pineapple fountain was too cute not to get a picture of!

Not a beach trip without cute BFF pics on the beach! Also I'm thinking about pursuing a modeling career. Won't be too long until you see that third picture on a magazine cover.

I got all dolled up in my Lilly for my personal favorite restaurant in Charleston (and my mom's recommendation), Magnolias. I got the filet with demi-glace and pimento cheese. (and of course, more she crab!) It was to DIE for. Courtney ordered the pimento cheese as an appetizer, and right after my mom texted me saying she had just seen it featured on Food Network!

Hurricane Arthur hit that night. We only got a really bad storm (that I slept through... typical). The next day was overcast so we went shopping. Pretty sure the picture of Courtney and I flaunting our new hats is another one for the magazines. ;) I convinced Courtney's parents to take me to the Medical University! I got to see the first place my parents lived in together before they were married. It was the bottom floor of the white house! It was directly in front of the med school which is where my mom went for pharmacy school. It's on MY avenue... Even though my name is spelled different, the Ashley River in Charleston is still what I'm named after. 

The fourth of July was our last night. :( I have never really liked shrimp but I was really craving it and I loved it.. So I guess I like shrimp now? This week was truly amazing. I haven't mentioned it yet, but there were about forty 16 and 17 year olds that we would meet up with every night. I got to meet so many amazing people from all over the country that I miss so much. :( This week was really one of the best of my life. 

Sorry for the long, long post! If you're still reading.. thank you! Hehe.