Beach Day With Remy!

Last month we took a trip to the beach at Isle of Palms and decided to take Remy along with us!

I was nervous how it was going to go, especially since she has some excitement/submission issues and pees nearly every time she sees a new person, but that pup did so great! Not once did she have an accident, she barely let out a peep, and all of the people and the loud rush of the waves hardly phased her. Remy loved pattering along the beach and digging in the sand. She would also try to catch in her mouth the water that flung up from her floppy feet as she walked along the edge of the waves. 

We had lots of people talk to us about our little wiener dog---some people were so surprised to see a dachshund puppy strutting around the beach that they would take photos of her as we walked by!

Admittedly, sometimes the strong breeze was a little much for this pup and her ears!

And what's beach day without a dip in the ocean? Lucky for miss Remy there was a little depression in the beach that created a wading pool of sorts, and Remy got to take her maiden voyage and show off her doggy-paddle skills! As you can see below, I'm one proud mama. But please ignore my overly encouraging baby voice...

Power School Graduation

He Did It!

I'm clearly behind since he graduated on May 3rd, but here are a couple photos from Joey's graduation--its hard to believe that six months before this we were so anxious and nervous about Power School. Yes, sometimes it felt like the end was never coming, and yes the hours and stress were exhausting. But Joey (and can I say we too?) made it and I'm so proud of him. He worked so hard every day, and yet he still made sure we had time together and had a date night once a week. I think its safe to say, he's my hero.

We love Chelsea and Ryan, some fellow VMI Alums!

Side note: after looking at these pictures from my iPhone, I'm SO grateful for my new Canon Rebel---having it to capture our memories has already been so much more satisfying!

Charleston Strawberry Picking

In October we went pumpkin picking at Boone Hall Farms, and we loved it so much, we went back for strawberries in May! It was an unusually chilly morning for May in Charleston, but we had the fields all to ourselves and first pick of the best berries---and we got them all without breaking a sweat!

To be honest with you, its a little hard to look at these photos. We went strawberry picking on May 1st after a weekend of pure bliss, hope, and excitement for our little one to finally join our family. Just before going to Boone Hall Farms, I was at the fertility clinic doing a routine blood test to check my hcg levels. We had so much fun stomping through the mud and hunting for the best berry, unaware that later that afternoon we would get the first phone call explaining that things already weren't looking good for the pregnancy. The thought that something could be wrong was the farthest thing from our minds. And of course we all know how that turned out. Its strange to look at these photos and remember, 'Hey, I was pregnant then'. 

Even so, we had a fun morning together at Boone Hall. Going to U-Pick farms is one of our favorite things to do, and we can't wait to get back to Charleston to pick our own tomatoes, grapes, and blueberries too!

Charleston Farmers Market

Last summer one of my favorite things to do was stop by the Lexington Farmers Market on Wednesday mornings. Well, as much as I love and miss Virginia and the Lexington area, I'm sorry to say that the Charleston Farmers Market has them beat!

A couple weeks ago we thought we' head down to the peninsula to check out the market on the first day of the season--we had no idea what we were in for! There were fantastic vendors with great produce, a homemade soda stand (we tried the grapefruit + elderberry), lots of homemade pickles and salsas, musicians playing, bouncy castles and pony rides for the kids, and delish food stands for lunch. It was like a little mini festival!

That pink castle-esque building in the background used to be the old Citadel but is now an Embassy Suites!

 Gyros--be still, my heart!

 And a meal isn't complete without a Nutella and toasted coconut crepe for dessert!

 Oh, annnnd we also pigged out on some sweet and salty kettle corn

love that Charleston architecture

We walked away with full bellies and a full bag of tomatoes for homemade pasta sauce, corn, peppers,  a great cacao nib steak rub, and some beautiful beets (which neither of us had ever tried) which we used to make beet and goat cheese paninis later that week. A simple shopping trip for vegetables turned out to be one of the best dates Joey and I have had. I suppose this southern city is growing on me ;)

A Weekly Moment of Food Weakness

Joey and I are still sticking with our modified paleo diet (I call it "modified paleo" because that's much easier to get out than "no gluten, dairy, refined sugar, or processed foods") six days a week as best we can, but....

One night a week we just say "forget this!" and indulge in some of our old favorites. 

This time, it was wood-fired pizza at EVO.

And even though our bodies felt awful and our stomachs hurt terribly the next morning from the dairy and gluten, my pesto, mushroom and havarti pizza and Joey's Pork Trifecta were cheesy, crusty, bubbly moments of mouth-watering bliss.

And Saturday was Wonderful

I realized I didn't get a chance to write about our fabulous date on Saturday---

it was AMAZING.

See, there's this place here in Charleston called the Peninsula Grill that Joey and I have wanted to visit. We knew it would be pricey (and boy we were right!), so for the past two months we saved the majority of our budgeted date money so that we could treat ourselves to a fancy date at one of the hottest places in town.

I was so nervous as we got ready to go---did I look ok? what if I said the wrong thing? what if I dropped my fork? I was so concerned with whether or not I would belong there. I mean, I feel I have a decent measure of class and etiquette, but I'm definitely not fancy-schmancy, and most of the time I still feel like a gawky teenager in those kinds of situations. Luckily, we got the nicest host (you rock, Jonathan!) who made us feel totally welcome there. Annnnd! I didn't drop a single bite of food!

I wanted so badly to photograph our plates (I'm one of those people), but considering this was the kind of place that had a dress code, put napkins in your lap, called you mr. & mrs. Fleshman, and had a wine menu with bottles more expensive than our monthly grocery budget....I figured I'd better not. But because I just loved it so much, here are the highlights:

• It was our first time having an amuse-bouche to cleanse the palate---a little cup of poblano bisque with duck confit.
• Joey and I both got a lobster chowder with basil butter for our first course, and let me tell you what, I could've had a whole bowl of it and been perfectly content. We had to try so hard to resist the urge to use our yummy bread to wipe the bowl clean!
• My main course: grilled swordfish with a ginger-lime beurre blanc and a sherry tomato vinaigrette, with and asparagus in a truffle hollandaise and goat cheese potatoes. 
• Joey's main course: Sauteed duck with a winter vegetable hash, wilted arugula and a cherry-onion marmalade.

And not only is their food spectacular, they also have a reputation for their coconut cake. Ohhh, the cake.....well here, let me just show you----

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I know. Amazing. Twelve layers of creamy, coconut goodness.

This cake is so popular that when I told my coworkers we were going to Peninsula Grill for dinner and I was going to try "the cake", everyone knew exactly what I was talking about. It has even garnered praise from the likes of Food Network, Martha Stewart (for what that's worth), the New York Times, and Southern Living. On the restaurant's website, there's a whole page just for the cake---and what's so dangerous: how you can order a whole one.

Needless to say, Joey and I saved room for that cake (or as much room as we could) and loved every bite of it. We also got their chocolate creme brûlée to try, and between the two of those desserts, we were in delicious, sweet heaven.

Though this isn't the kind of date we can do all the time (or would want to--sometimes you just need a dang burger!), it was so fun to get dolled up (I even curled all of that hair and put on eye shadow for the first time since our wedding) and go out for the night with the best guy a girl could ask for. 

Date at Patriot's Point

Last Saturday we spent the morning at Patriot's Point to see the USS Yorktown, a carrier, and the USS Clamagore, a diesel submarine. It was a pretty neat experience to walk through the ships and see what it was like to serve on them!

Could you imagine making this many cookies?!

I was nervous that I would get anxious in the tiny submarine, but it actually wasn't too bad. I however definitely didn't like the beyond-narrow stairs on the carrier--most of the time I would sit and scootch down one step at a time for fear of falling forward on my face!

Also, I'd sure love one of those vintage submarine posters...

Loved being on the carrier deck!

Afterwards we had a lunch date at Brixx Pizza. Loved the artichokes and pesto! 

We also spent the afternoon revamping our pantry with Paleo-friendly foods from Whole Foods and yummy veggies from Boone Hall Farms (as well as our first bowl of the Charleston favorite, she-crab soup!). We started our modified Paleo diet last Monday and so far its going great!

Finger Lickin' Good

Well for date night last night, we finally got ourselves to Jim & Nick's Bar-B-Q! Most of the time, when we go downtown for a date, we take a walk along King Street after dinner, and we always comment on just how dang good it smells when we pass Jim & Nicks, and how we really should go there. So after weeks and weeks of "someday we should go to...", we finally had dinner there---and it was....incredible.

Is your mouth watering? 'Cause mine is...

Apparently, their pulled pork sandwich was rated number one by Southern Living--and we agree! By far the best we've ever had. We added some of their habanero BBQ sauce and that just put it over the top. I don't know if I can eat that sauce drenched, shredded pork mess from other places again!

We also got some french fries, their mac & cheese, baked beans, and brisket and dug in family style

Love their neon pink OINK! sign 

Also, see those Citadel cadets on the far right? It takes everything I have to to yell "Rah Virginia Mil!" every time I see some. What can I say? We're VMI through and through!

Another Jim & Nick's favorite: their cheese biscuits. They made leftovers at breakfast this morning!

We hope everyone's having a great weekend!

iPhonography: Weekends Lately

Dinner at Monza (we recommend the Volpini pizza, with arugula, prosciutto, and pecorino) || Birthday Date to Pan E Vino and yummy calamari (with cinnamon!) and Tiramisu || Ritzy Charleston || Apparently Joey's name is actually Jody? || Marley joins us for breakfast....and every other meal || Marscapone gelato from Paolo's || Christmas lights at Park Circle || Date at Sesame. we tried the burger with banana and peanut butter on it--strangely awesome! and another with fig and bacon jam with fontina--also good! || I'm in the market for some new glasses...