Carolina: There's More Than Miles In My Rearview

I can honestly say that I just experienced one of the best weeks of my life.  The last seven days have been filled with weddings, friends, babies, love, reminiscing, business talk, and an ungodly amount of food and booze.  If you want to get all technical, the scale tells me it's exactly eight pounds of pork dinners and adult sodas.  Ooops!    Sorry kids, but the 80/20 rule went out the window the second I hit the West Virginia border (Biscuit World, anyone?).  Let me assure you, my spinach smoothie regimen resumed this morning.   

I packed up my bags last Wednesday for a trip to the Carolinas.  The first stop was to Enterprise to get my rental.  I had reserved a full-size car as usual.  When I arrived, their only options were a 15 passenger van, a little Chevy with roll-up windows, and a BRAND NEW Ford F-150.  The branch manager apologized and offered me the truck for the same rate.  Ha! If they only knew.  I accepted the truck while creepily laughing to myself as he was checking the miles and gas level.  The rental Gods must have been watching over me because I've been looking into buying this beaut for about a year now.  Needless to say, the trip got off to an amazeballs start.




So Hot.

 On Thursday, my sister and I had a business meeting over wine and ahi tuna on the patio at The Wine Shop.  I had an amazing pork filled dinner the night before, so we thought we would go light for lunch.  Well...two hours and three glasses of vino later, we were buzzed, burnt, and binging on cannoli's.  Let me tell you, tipsy brainstorming can be highly effective!  We gathered ideas, set goals, and then went home and passed the eff out.  Sounds like a successful meeting in my book!




Drinking and Desserts at 2pm? Completely Acceptable.

 When Lauren's man got home from work we packed up Dyl and headed to Harry's for some more grub.  I decided on a spinach salad topped with grilled salmon.  Then Lauren and Shawn both ordered burgers and I immediately had red meat envy, so I switched my order to a burger topped with avocado and a side of sweet potato fries.  Shawn had the black and bleu burger and Lauren had the black label burger, which she actually had a hand in designing when the restaurant was just opening and expanding their burger menu.

After dinner, we convinced Shawn to take some pictures of us for the blog.  They turned out surprisingly well considering we had spent the day drinking, frying our skin, and eating every meat product under the sun. 



Yah....about that salad....





We clearly cropped off our food babies.

 Friday, I headed down to Charleston, South Carolina to begin the wedding festivities of my very best friend Lori.  Lori and I have been friends for fifteen years and we were celebrating the upcoming marriage of her and her high school sweetheart.  It's a bittersweet moment watching a lifelong friend get married.  Lori and I had our 13th birthday party together, our high school graduation party together, and lived together after college.  We've fought together, cried together, and even lived on separate coasts.  She's talked me off the ledge more times then I can count, and I've been her voice of reason when emotions trumped gut instincts.  I am forever grateful to have her and was truly honored to stand beside her on the most important day of her life.  With that being said...she looked hot as balls!!  I hope I can muster up looking half as good as her if I ever tie the knot.    She got married at the historic and breathtaking Boone Hall Plantation.




The Stunning Bride





The Crew!  Best Friends for 15 Years





Rehearsal Dinner





The Happy Couple

            
Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty.  I could explain to you how I gained over one pound per day, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.




Breakfast at Acme Low country Kitchen Charleston, SC





Wedding Reception Dinner...umm whattttt?!





High Class Shrimp and Grits at Social Charleston, SC





Lamb Burger with Gorg Cheese and Caramelized Onions at Mezza Charleston, SC





Breakfast BLT at Acme Low Country Kitchen Charleston, SC





More Shrimp and Grits at Mezza Charleston, SC

 'Nuf said.

I've been traveling back and forth to the Carolinas for the last eight years, and although it is always hard to pack up and go home, yesterday's drive up north was the most difficult yet.  Dylan is crawling, I watched my best friend get married, and Lauren and I talked major biz.  Heading south every other month or so just doesn't seem enough to me.  I got to spend time with my parents, the old crew was back together again, and I was off work for a week.  I really can't complain.  I just wanted to stay so badly.  They say home is where the heart is.  Maybe it's time to relocate. 

Until then...eat well and travel often, friends.


Cheers.