There are places like Washington, DC, where I live, that are fast, packed, and full of things to do, new places to see. It’s an exciting place to be, especially to live.

Then there are spots like Charleston, where the moment you step off your docked cruise ship, sundress flowing in the warm breeze, mimosa in hand, a wide-brimmed hat shielding your face (if only…), drinking it in makes you sigh with pleasure. Charleston has an unmatched charm to it.

…which might be why it’s been ranked #1 for The South’s Best City by Southern Living, outranking contenders like New Orleans, Austin, Nashville, Asheville, and Savannah. Anywhere where pirates once traipsed en route to carrying out their dastardly deeds immediately has a seizing history. But its arrival in 2020 appears not only unscathed but thriving nonetheless. Not even a pandemic can tarnish its flawless sheen and poise.

A lovely interlude from daily life for the Columbus Day weekend, I came to visit friends, and left entirely unprepared to come home. I left at 5 AM on Tuesday to hop on a 6:22 flight, landed 90 minutes later, and walked straight to work across the street (lol. #CityLife). A weekend away had me wondering about my future - in DC, with my life here, what’s changed in the two years I’ve lived here, and what changes I want to make moving forward.

I reveled in a wonderful, too-short, but adequate Thursday-to-Tuesday weekend. For your reference when (not if) you visit Charleston, here is our highlight reel…

Hotel Bennett

La Pat is, to me, quintessential perfect space: white, clean, crisp, sharp contrast, navy blue walls and metallic accents, marble tables, pops of vibrant candies on the counter, gorgeous ceiling molding. Palm trees flanking their massive windows. Script font. Great coffee.

Franklin Street

Night life, shopping, architecture. What’s not to love, when you can kill several days’ worth of retail therapy alone?

City by Bike

Charleston, like most other cities, offers a bike rental system, featuring sturdy, mint green bicycles perfect for traipsing through the city. We started at College of Charleston’s campus, passed by Colonial Park, rounded along the Ashley River waterfront, and up Queen Street, back toward their pad near MUSC’s campus.

Art

Residential

Oh 👏🏻 My 👏🏻 Lanta 👏🏻

Pastel, brick, gas-lanterned, wrought-iron gated, and stucco rows of homes pop to life in the light, as Charleston’s Rainbow Row puts its palm-tree flanked American Southeast spin of London’s Notting Hill.

For a bit of an off-beaten-path, quieter route with the same hint of cultural and architectural exposure, take a break from King Street and take a stroll down Queen Street.

What about you? Where have you visited that felt restful to you?

Describe your ideal haven(s) of choice in a comment below.

xoxo,

Taylor