Come Away With Me! (Charleston, SC Edition)

                                                                              

Want a vacation that appeals to all of the senses?  Charleston, SC is just the place!  I recently went on an extended weekend vacation to one of my favorite locations, and wanted to share with you the gem that is Charleston.  I have been all over the world and seen lots of places, but Charleston speaks to me.  I don't know if it's the southern charm, the rich history or the cuisine.  Whatever the allure, Charleston is almost always an annual stop for me.

These are some of my recommendations for a fabulous stay in charming Charleston:

I highly recommend Magnolia's for fabulous fine dining.  The Fried Green Tomatoes are wonderful and I don't even care for tomatoes like that!  Take the Sights and Insights Bus Tour with Mr. Al Miller who gives a most educational and animated oral history of downtown Charleston and Gullah culture.  His rendition of Gershwin's, "Summertime" is the best!  Be sure to make reservations for the tour because his tour is VERY popular and fills up fast.  The contact number for his tour is 843-552-9995.

For a slamming DJ, go to NV or the Wild Wing Cafe on Market Street to get your dance on.  I know, an unlikely site for night life, but we had a great time dancing to both old and new school jams.  For a great souvenir, purchase a handmade sweetgrass basket made by local Charlestonians at the market on Market Street.  The baskets are a little on the pricey side, but they ARE handmade, great quality and keep money in the community.

                           
For you hopeless romantics take a carriage ride through downtown Charleston and be transported back in time as you travel over cobblestone streets, lit by gas lamplights, surrounded by 18th-century Georgian architecture.  You can also take a dinner cruise on the Spirit of Charleston as you cruise the Charleston Harbor eating a multi-course meal, while enjoying the live band and fantastic views of the harbor aboard a deluxe yacht.

                                  

For my history buffs, visit Drayton Hall in South Carolina's low-country to view beautiful palladian architecture or Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island to tour one of the sites involved in the American Revolution.  A tour on Sullivan's Island would not be complete without visiting the Toni Morrison Society's "Bench by the Road" behind the Fort Moultrie Visitor's Center.  The "Bench by the Road" is a tribute to Africans who traveled the Middle Passage and arrived on the "Ellis Island" for Blacks, Sullivan's Island.  Sullivan's Island was the disembarkation port for over 40% of African slaves traded to American colonies, making it the largest slave port in North America.  Nearly half of present-day African Americans had ancestors who passed through Sullivan's Island.

There is so much to do in Charleston and what I suggest is just the tip of the iceberg of what is available in this great city.  Are you ready to taste great low-country cuisine, see historical sites, touch the texture of sweetgrass, smell the ocean breeze and hear the sound of hooves on cobblestone yet?  Visit Charleston "where history lives"!

What's in the Box?: Birchbox (August 2011)

After receiving such nice treats in my very first Birchbox subscription, I was excited to get my next box that boasted "taking a page from the Jetsons and introducing subscribers to Birchbox's favorite gee-whiz products".   This month's box was definitely a snooze and showed not one nod to anything innovative or routine-changing!  First fail for Birchbox!

The thing about Birchbox is that what you get in your box is directly related to the beauty profile you complete on their site.  I saw on YouTube that some subscribers received Carol's Daughter hair products, but because I chose frizzy hair in my profile I received Ouidad hair gel for frizzy hair, which makes sense.  However, I really wanted to try Carol's Daughter's "Monoi Collection"!   Maybe I need to change my profile, huh!

What I did like in the box was the June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque; and the least liked product was the stretchy hair tie (Epic Fail!!!).  The hair tie seemed like such an afterthought thrown into the box as a filler.  The worse!


Shaveworks™ The Cool Fix™ Targeted Gel Lotion (5.3 fl oz)
Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer
June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque
Ouidad Climate Control® Heat & Humidity Gel

Let's see what September's Birchbox will bring.  They haven't lost me yet!

Product Review: Emjoi Emagine Epilator

I can admit that I am a bit of a hairy beast, so I was in the market for a more efficient and economical hair removal process besides shaving or waxing.  After seeing a YouTube review of the Emjoi Emagine Epilator, I decided to purchase the gadget for myself.  I am a self-admited frugalista, but I decided to bite the bullet and make the purchase, resolving in my mind that it would be worth the savings of not having to buy disposable razors; which are ridiculously priced I might add, at least for the good quality ones!

My Favorite Things (August 2011): TOMS Natural Burlap Classics

I love to purchase with a purpose, and I'm not just talking the purpose of self-gratification!  This month my favorite things are my new TOMS natural burlap classics.  I had always looked at TOMS and kinda snickered to myself at its crunchy granola, martial art flare, and now I have a pair!  Never say never!  For a girl who wears a heel everyday, these shoes have been a welcomed change for my, once thought to be permanently arched foot.  Very comfy!

Not only does TOMS  make a ridiculously comfortable shoe, it is a fabulous organization who uses their profits to give back through an initiative called One For One Movement.  Through this movement, for every pair of TOMS shoe purchased, the organization donates a pair of shoes to deserving children in developing countries.  Now that is purchasing with a purpose!

Click here to check out the TOMS website.