Traveling to Tybee

We will be celebrating our anniversary (August 7th) by taking the entire week before on a trip down to Tybee Island, (near Savannah) Georgia. We are taking Matt's parent's Airstream to a campsite on the beach!! I am pretty excited to have the us time we so desperately need!!
And I can't wait to post about our exciting adventure!!
I know you're jealous about the vintage Airstream!! ;)

But, before we leave, we are moving! Yikes! 

So, right now I am busy packing and getting things together for us to head out tomorrow!! 

EA love {#3}

[Considering that my last post was forever ago....(whoops!) it's now or never!]

Food in East Asia is not quite (ok not really) like food at home. It's 100x better!!!!!!! I can't even begin to really explain how it tastes to you because it makes me want to go back and get some! Although, you have to know what to order!! (you don't want something like fat or turtles-haha)

Dishes:
Possibly my favorite! So many choices!! There is usually a lazy susan in the middle of the table where all the dishes you order are placed. It's very "family style" and everyone shares. Once everyone has a bowl of rice, take your chopsticks and grab whatever you want, put it in your bowl, and stuff your face :) My favorites are eggplant, pork, potatoes, fried kidney beans, and sugar snap peas.

potato balls

mmm! look at those peas!

Chicken with apples & potatoes

Peking duck

Hot Pot:
Definitely not my favorite choice....Boiling pot of flavored water in which you cook different types of meat and vegetables. After getting the food out, I like to dip it in a little bit of the local hot spice before eating it with the rice.

lao jao

Breakfast:
Vendors cook food all day long, but there are foods similar to something you would have early in the morning. You can get a type of flatbread taco filled with yummy veggies, fried doughnuts, noodles, or Bao Zi (steamed dumplings). Yum!! Definitely one of the best places to go!

Drinks:
I really enjoyed getting a latte or mochaccino in the coffee shops. A lot of people enjoy getting a milk tea (I never did). But everyone drinks bottled water (like Mexico, you do NOT drink the tap water)! and I enjoyed getting Minute Maid juice drinks (with flavors not found in the US).

Snack Street:
Usually set up like a large food court, there are different areas to sit and walk-up places to eat several varieties of food. My favorites are "barbeque" shao kao, shish kabobs that you pick, which are cooked on a grill right in front of you, GuoTie (fried dumplings), and fruit smoothies!

before being cooked

Enjoying some sausage

Haley & I having some fried dumplings

this is what it looks like

Produce & Meat Market:
A wonderful place to buy fresh vegetables & fruit, spices, eggs, seafood, live animals, or any cut of meat.

lao jao

rice cookies

bread store

huge veggies

Make sure you check out:

#1

#2

and definitely a more thorough story of my visit with snapshots:

My people come to the Orient

i HEART Charleston

I would really LOVE to live here.

Palm trees are everywhere.

The beach is close by.

Fun colorful houses.

Huge wrap around porches.

Summer 2007

Matt and I share a love for this city.

After meeting in Dec 2006, Matt went to study abroad in Paris. When he came back and I came home after the Spring semester ended, we spent our first day date -ever- in Charleston. We went to Folly Beach, walked around downtown, went to the Battery, and had lunch at Hyman's Seafood Restaurant. 

A few weekends ago, we went down to Charleston. We stayed at Matt's older brother & his wife's home. Everyone was in town for the Cooper River Bridge Run.

About 25,000 - 40,000 people (yes you read that right) run and walk in this race every year.

The race day was beautiful. Sunshine (low 70's) with a strong breeze.

There was a costume contest 

The entire gang that ran in the race

Matt's younger brother & his Girlfriend

taken from the CRBR website: previous Biggest Loser contestants ran in the race this year

Charleston truly is so beautiful with real Southern character.

There is an open market.

Awesome restaurants.

Architecture.

Shopping. and so much more.

We went to church at Redeemer Presbyterian on Sunday morning

Then, had lunch afterwards @ Hyman's Seafood

Maybe someday we will call this home- Lord willing.

For now, I can dream :)