Check it out…

Bottles is a newish (6 months old, maybe?), locally owned wine, beer, and liquor store in Mount Pleasant.  Read the hub’s Bottles review by clicking here.

ANYWAY…they put a full-page ad in last week’s Charleston City Paper, during Charleston’s Craft Beer Week.

Take a look →

Wait, a little closer! →

CLOSER even! →

“I instantly fell in love with the place…the store is huge and the selection is huge!  Cheers to that!”

- CHARLESTONCRAFTBEER.BLOGSPOT (they forgot the “dot com” – duh)

“What ‘beer expert’ said that?” you ask?  My handsome husband, of course!

A local beer expert.  Charleston is lucky to have him!

Congrats, babe – me and baby are proud!!!

Happy [expletive] Friday – I CANNOT wait to catch up on some sleep!!!

p.s. We went to Hank’s for appetizers and Hall’s for dinner last night (for Mom’s birthday).  No pics, but thoughts definitely to come!!!

Beach Count: 73   

Pool Count: 25 

High Temperature: 86° 

12 months is a long time.  As promised, with each year, those months feel shorter and quicker and, well, sneakier.  Here goes my first attempt at a year in review!  I suggest a beverage and  a snack break around June/July…it was a busy year!

Disclaimer: *Charm* wasn’t born until March of 2011, so (as you’ll see), January and February are pretty fuzzy.  This fact reminds me why I not only write this blog for YOU but as a documenting tool for ME.  =)  Also, I planned on highlighting each month with just ONE picture (“Highlights, Sarah, HIGHLIGHTS!”).  Fat chance…that lasted 1 month!

The Year 2011!

1 – JANUARY

We were fresh off our snow-filled trip to NY, SO happy to be home in 70° weather.  We took a trip to the beach, took some trips downtown, and celebrated Scott’s 32nd birthday.  (Apparently, by ourselves according to the picture above!) Hmph – I’ll document this January a little more seriously  ;)

2 – FEBRUARY

We visited the South Carolina Aquarium for the first time.  I swiftly blogged about it in June.  #oops  #FAIL

We went to a fun Super Bowl party with great friends where I won an award for my garbage bread – yay!

We had an awesome visit from our awesome Scottish friends, Jeremy and Carrianne.  Martelle even came down from Charlotte for a bit to visit (you remember him, right?).  We all fawned over Baileigh-boo and had a fabulous time!  If only we lived a little closer!!!  xoxo

All of us, minus gorgeous Carrianne (if only pictures could take themselves!).  

Lastly, we went to Brewvival and had a ball.  We need to get on the tickets for this year, STAT!  Chucktown peeps, if you like beer and good food – do it, do it, DO IT!

3 – MARCH

We had our second beer tasting at the house, celebrated St. Patty’s Day at Westbrook, and pimped out our patio.

And shall I not forget, I published my very first post on *Charm of Charleston* where I introduced Spikey to the world!

Dead already?  I think so  =(

4 – APRIL

April was bizzzz-eeeeee!  

We had our first Bridge Run experience (sans the actual running part).  What a fun time downtown.  Can you say MIMOSAS?!

Pool weather, it was!

The Brewers stopped by for a quick 5-hour visit on their drive down to Florida (I think this was April and not February??).

I went to my first ever tennis match at the Family Circle Cup and learned that this is a quiet event (who knew?!).

Scott’s brother, Johnny, came down for his first visit.  Scott’s parents’ also came down for their first visit, overlapping Johnny’s by a few days.  Good times!!!

I went to my first Southern wedding…Buffie and Jay’s!

Scott’s parents left and mine came in on the very same day (zZzZzZ)!  We celebrated Easter at Boone Hall Plantation, commemorated the Royal Wedding, and my parents picked out their future house!

AND THEN, we slept  =)

5 – MAY

We checked out downtown Charleston’s Farmer’s Market for the first time, I drooled over the best.burger.ever from Coleman Public House, we soaked up some 90° days, I confessed my ridiculous issues with blinking, and I met the lovely and talented Christina behind Hungry Meets Healthy!

6 – JUNE

We bought the iPad 2 and went to NY for 23 days.  We saw all of our favorite friends and family, went to our friend Katrina’s wedding, and spent as much time as possible at Scott’s parents’ lake house.  The biggest event?  Mom and Dad said goodbye to living in the Northeast and MOVED TO CHARLESTON!

::How ya holdin’ up?  Snacky time?  Hang in, we’re halfway there!::

7 – JULY

Well, I blogged once a day during July (er, 31 blogs in 31 days) and loved-every-second-of-it!

Big things happened this month.  BIG!  Christina and Mike visited from NY for the 4th (!!!), Scott and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Charleston AND our 3rd wedding anniversary, we bid farewell to Spikey while welcoming Spunky into the family, Mom and Dad closed on their house, and we found out that we were pregnant.

8 – AUGUST

We celebrated Shark Week by watching a screening of Jaws on the lawn at the Aquarium – FUN!  We checked out the ginormously spectacular tree that is Angel Oak and fell in love with Kiawah Island.  Mom, Dad, and I went to the 8th Annual Wine Stomping Festival at Irvin House Vineyards.  I did some cleaning that resulted in this flashback, this one, and this one.  Luckily, we dodged a large bullet that was Hurricane Irene.  And on a Debbie Downer note, we found out the worst news possible – that we lost our baby.

9 – SEPTEMBER

EXCLUSIVE: Scott was busted for being his bad@$$ self and experienced the rare comfort of the back of a cop-mobile.  A-gain.  Did I forget to share that in September?  (Jokes, it’s our neighbor’s “ride.”  Yes, we’re cool enough to stage fake arrests.  What?!)

Y’all helped me decide that I am a Carolina Gamecocks fan, I poured my heart out on 9/11, and we had our 3rd beer tasting party,

10 – OCTOBER

We celebrated our house anniversary, I shared my you-can-barely-see-me magazine debut, I was invited to and attended Southern Living’s Taste of Charleston event at Boone Hall Plantation, I had a week-long birthday celebration, we went to Charlotte Oktoberfest (where Scott’s homebrew was on tap!), and visited Asheville, NC!!!

11 – NOVEMBER

Scott received his ribbon for coming in first place for his saison in the Savannah Homebrew Contest, we experienced a gorgeous sunset on Sullivan’s, checked out Middleton Place (whoops, still need to blog about this!), and had a 36-hour Knupp marathon IN CHARLESTON.  We also hosted Thanksgiving for the 2nd time – this year with my parents, brother (for his first Chucktown visit), and brother in-law.  =)

 12 - DECEMBER

Scott and I went on our first annual trip (oh yes, it’ll be an annual thang) to Brookgreen Gardens for Nights of a Thousand Candles.  Ahhh – romance. ♥

My first guest blogger, the hilarious Brooke at Veggie Table, shared her great honeymoon in Charleston with us (yay – thanks again!!!)

ANDDDDD…I basically slacked for the rest of December!

And there was my year is a very large and wordy nutshell ← typical ME!

Seriously though, 2011 year was filled with MANY ups and some pretty down-in-the-dumps downs.  I blogged through it all and am very grateful for the opportunity to share my life with YOU.  Thanks for the memories 2011, but 2012 is going to be MY YEAR!!!

Happy New Year, loves! ♥

p.s. If you actually read through this entire post, we are officially best friends forever.  

Beach Count: 64  

High Temperature: 60°  

Oktoberfest in Charlotte was 18 weeks ago.  ::Okay – it was really 4 weeks ago, but it’s all the same in the blog world!::

Sorry for the delay!

If you don’t want to hear about beer OR my husband then visit Charm of Charleston again tomorrow.  I just can’t help myself!

Since Scott is a member of the Low Country Libations, he had the opportunity to donate a keg of his beer to the event in exchange for a free ticket.  Not just any ticket – a VIP ticket.  Fannnnncy.  We were cheap and bought me a general admission ticket ($35) so Scooter wasn’t able to drink it up one hour early with his VIP buds.  Fanciness foiled by cheapness…welcome to our world.  Needless to say…he was extra thirsty when we got there.

Scott kegged his Oaked Bourbon Stout.  Not normally my thang, but made by my hubs in a tasting size at a beer extravaganza with close to 6,000 people…YES PLEASE!

So proud!  Look…

The bathroom situation killed me.  Had to take pictures!

Boys have it so easy!

This event had great food and greater beer from over 70 different breweries, but we especially loved the Homebrew Tent!  200 different homebrews made with love by beer lovers like us.

The best part of the day?  Standing around listening to people RAVE about Scott’s beer…and later finding out that his keg was kicked…when most other kegs in the Homebrew Tent were not.  GOOD TIMES!

And oh yeah, we didn’t hate the ginormous “tasting glasses!”

CHEERS!

We’ll be back next year when Scott donates 2 KEGS of delicious brew equalling 2 VIP tickets!  

p.s. Totally random: the President of Scott’s beer club’s name is Brent Brewer.  Living up to his name, he is!

p.s.s. Our hotel was $85 and there was a shuttle provided – SCORE!

p.s.s.s. Anyone notice the typo (not mine)?  I bet this girl did!

Beach Count: 63  

High Temperature: 76° 

Congratbeerlations!

Cheers!

Many [beer] rounds of applause!

Hoppy Holidays to brew!

Okay, I’ll stop.

What am I talking about?

Scott has won his first beer-related award and this wifey is proud!

Scott’s Summer Saison got #1 in the saison category at the 2011 Savannah Craft Brew Fest’s homebrewer contest – Savannah Summer SUDS.  My Dad was Scott’s assistant brewer.  They make a great team!

See for yourself…

It sure was tasty!

Here’s the man behind the sudsy magic (with his ribbon of course!)…

You’ve gotta see that “FIRST PLACE” close up…

Who doesn’t love a ribbon saying first place?  I’d accept a 1st place ribbon for my stellar procrastination skills or my Charleston obsession or my laundry folding or anything really!  (In all honesty, I’m in need of a new t-shirt folding technique.)

Still thirsty?  Well, another one of Scott’s beer was kegged and available to just short of 6,000 people at a beer extravaganza.  A post on that experience later this week!

Congrats, love!  You and your beer ROCK! ♥

p.s. Do you like Charm of Charleston on Facebook?  If not, please do!!!  What are you waiting for?

p.s.s. Scott’s got 2 different pumpkin beers in process.  A mix of the 2 makes 3 different pumpkin beers being bottled as-I-type.  Taste testing at Thanksgiving – who’s coming?!

Beach Count: 63  ← the sunset at the beach was A-MAZ-ING last night  =)   

High Temperature: 67° 

Scott and I had our much anticipated Fall beer tasting beer on Saturday and it was our best yet!!!

Yes, we did some major damage (in the form of 16 different high gravity craft beers!) 

Each person was responsible for bringing at least 2 beers from one of the following categories – 1. Fruit, 2. Belgian/Blonde, 3. Fall/Harvest/Pumpkin. Our heaviest category was the third, which I think was fine by everyone!

This is how I assigned the beers to our go-with-the-beer-flow guests…

Confused?  Just pick one!

Hey – I never claimed it was EASY to be my friend!  Ha!

In the interest of keeping this post from being a 60-minute read, I will continue my story in fragments.

PEOPLE: Great friends and my parents = 12 fabulous (and thirsty!) folks

FOOD: A yummy dip from Cathy and Jeff, scrumptious white chili with cornbread a la Mom and Dad, homemade pumpkin beer bread by Julie and Paul, shrimp risotto (made with some beer, too, but of course!) whipped up by my fabulous husband, cheese and crackers, hot mulled cider, and Fall M&Ms

DECORATIONS: Some cheesy fake Fall leaves for the tables, coasters, a leaf placemat, Fall flowers in pilsner glasses as vases, heavy brown postal wrapping paper for tablecloths, a couple of pumpkins, and (my favs – homemade decorations by moi) a beer guide, bottle cap frame, and garland made of beer coasters

CRAFT PROJECT: Pretzel necklaces – duh!!!

CLASS WORK: Everyone was asked to rate each beer by appearance, aroma, mouthfeel (keep it clean, people!), flavor, and overall impression.  We Sober Cathy totaled all of our scores and we ranked our top 3.  Fun!

CONTEST: “The Most Dedicated Beer Taster” was crowned at the end of the night.  The prize?  A growler and gift certificate to Laura Alberts Tasteful Options on Daniel Island.  Congrats, Jeff!  Special runner-up recognition goes to Dan Martelle for coming all the way from Charlotte for our party!!! 

SO MAD I didn’t get better pics of our pretzel necklaces!

LOTsa pretzels!

Whoops – don’t be offended by the serious comments above!  

Beer winners?

1. Leffe Blonde

2. Scott’s Summer Saison – woot, woot!

3. I must’ve blacked out…I can’t remember.  Haha!  I think it was either Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin or Pursuit of Hoppiness Imperial Red

Other noteworthy beers?

p.s. Remember our first beer tasting?  For some reason I didn’t document the 2nd.  Hm – that was dumb.

p.s.s. Scott and I (and Sarah and Jackie) purchased our beers from the great selection at House of Brews in Mount Pleasant.  A post on this awesome place to come!

Beach Count: 61  

Pool Count: 18 

High Temperature: 89°

I hadn’t shopped in SO ungodly long.  A pathetic dry spell – no lie.  We’re talking, like forever.  Until yesterday!

Let’s be honest…my body ain’t where I’d like it to be.  I was pregnant and then wasn’t anymore (but didn’t know that I wasn’t).  THEN – since I’ve found out – I have treated myself to every food and drink item that I’ve felt like indulging in, whenever I’ve felt like it.  I think the clinical term may be “self-soothing” or “emotional eating” (or both), but I call it “oh, this feels good – get me more of that!”  My personal favorites?  Popcorn, nachos, wine, beer, and these…

Ugh – no good.

Back to shopping!  The fact that a new season already filling up some much anticipated super fun events has begun, I became encouraged to get back on the style wagon!  Okay, who am I kidding?  I’ve always been running along side that tricky thing! 

I finally got my [lil bigger] butt shopping.  Strapless bra in tow, just in case!

First I hit up Old Navy and Francesca’s in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre.  Liked some schtuff, but no style love happenin’.  Already tired and feeling like a fat heffer, I moved it on out to TJ Maxx and Marshalls at Wando Crossing in Mt. Pleasant on Highway 17.  JACKPOT!  

I bought 2 new shirts and 2 new dresses!  I’ll share pics of these new gems as I wear them.  Listen – I need to make an impression during these upcoming events! Just know that the hubby was speechless in a good way (the less than $70 spending total also helped this situation!).  ♥

Love this sign outside of TJ Maxx!

I hope you all made it through your Monday unscathed.  That’s always good, right?! 

p.s. Time to watch the Giants not lose as badly as last week.  Win, even!!!

Beach Count: 61  

Pool Count: 18 

High Temperature: 84°

Even in the toughest of times, the little things in life can turn my frown upside down.

Other than the obvious BIG happy makers (friends, family, Scott, beer), here’s my current Top 10 Happy List…

1. Receiving this book in the mail from one of my very best friends.  Being as thoughtful as she is, she remembered my mention of wanting to get my hands on this gem from this post.

I read it in less than 3 days.  LOVED IT!  Thanks, Christina – xoxo!

2. Upcoming fun Fall plans – Fall Beer Tasting Party a la The Trottiers, Oktoberfest in Charlotte (hopefully Martelle will make a cameo appearance), a weekend with great friends in Asheville, and a visit from my best friend, Lisa, and her husband Seth!  Yay!!!

3. Our Charleston forecast vs. our NY hometown’s.  30-40% rain chance will not ruin our weekend plans!  It’s still cooling down here, but not quite Fall-like yet. It’ll come – just not yet.  I am 100% good with this!  =)

4. The fact that ABC owns my Monday nights – year round.  The year started with The Bachelor, then The Bachelorette, then Bachelor Pad, now Dancing With The Stars, and who knows what Monday night show will suck me in through December before The Bachelor starts all over again.  Phew.  So much to watch, so little time!

5.  These umbrella hats sold on the side of Highway 17.  LOVE these 2 guys who bought them and then had their pictures taken wearing them.  Haha!

Click to see the photos larger…I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the fun!

6. My first “modeling gig” (warning: interpret “modeling” as loosely as possible!!!).  I wasn’t paid, if that gives you any indication.  More on this to come…ha!

7. The fact that my brother in-law booked his flight to Chucktown for Thanksgiving – woohoo!!!  Now fingers crossed that my brother can make it happen!  ;)

8. FOOTBALL SEASON!  Even though the Giants were painful to watch on Sunday, there’s still time to turn it around.  As for college football…THANK YOU for voting on Gamecocks vs. Tigers.  Carolina won by a landslide – 20 votes vs. Clemson’s 8.  The deal is done…GO COCKS!!!

9. The fact that the hubby will be brewing pumpkin beer verrrrry soon!

10. The fact that beer is a constant theme in my life and therefore on this list!

11. BONUS HAPPY MAKER – BLOGGING!

p.s. It’s Charleston Restaurant Week (and a half)…we’ll let you know how it goes!

p.s.s. Thanks AGAIN for all the love  ♥

Beach Count: 60

Pool Count: 18

High Temperature: 87°

Extra Virgin Oven (EVO) is yet ANOTHER local restaurant that has been gotten lots of press lately.  A major difference is that EVO is not located by a beach, creek, or in Downtown but in North Charleston’s Park Circle area.

North Charleston is huge with lots of different, how shall I say this?, s-e-c-t-i-o-n-s.  First, just know that this area is huge and spread out.  There are 7 North Charleston exits off of Interstate 526, if that at all helps to explain.

EVO’s location, Park Circle, appears adorable and homey (not “yo yo yo” homey, but “aw, so cozy” homey).  It doesn’t hurt that it’s right around the corner from Coast Brewing – one of our favorite breweries in the area.  Def the hippiest of ‘em all!  Coast is also the location for the most awesomest (yes, I’m deciding that’s a word today) beer festival – Brewvival.  Oh yes, we’ll see you again next year…pretzel necklace and all!

Brewvival fun – 2011

Nothing like beer to get me off track.

North Charleston is also home to the Charleston International Airport, Tanger Outlets, Stingrays Professional Hockey Team, the new (and often controversial) Boeing Aircraft, and North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center.  I haven’t seen a show at the Coliseum yet, but that tends to be where the biggest acts in Charleston play/perform.  I gotta say (from what I’ve gathered)…Charleston’s got nothing on Charlotte or Myrtle Beach when it comes to concerts/shows coming to town.  Kind of a bummer.

North Charleston has more shopping than just the Tanger Outlets.  It has just about every big name store (Target, Walmart, Michael’s, Pier 1, Best Buy, etc., etc., etc.), furniture store, car dealership, chain restaurant, gas station, you-get-the-point, that you can think of.  In addition – a traditional indoor, old and outdated Northwoods Mall (nothing like gorgeous Mount Pleasant Towne Centre!) and an ungodly amount of pawn shops.  Yeah – don’t ask!  Along with these unlimited money-sucking destinations come some serious traffic.  Patience is key, people…patience, coffee, and legal U-turns!

From what our Sheriff neighbor tells us, there are areas of North Charleston that not even police officers navigate alone.  There are some really rough and scary neighborhoods.  (I’m talking South Los Angeles kinda business.)  Yikes.  So bring your GPS friends, and know your destination!

My least favorite part of the city of North Charleston?  There is NOT a ban on smoking in public places.  Capital letters YUCK!  I have asthma and do not appreciate this situation whatsoever.  This for-sure keeps me from giving restaurants in North Charleston business.  I’m sure I’m not alone on this!

Smoking is gross…AND it kills.  Just sayin’. 

Excuse my current ADHD.  BACK TO EVO!

From their website (because I can’t say it any better!)..

EVO was featured in Food Network Magazine’s September 2011 issue, specifically in “50 States 50 Pizzas.”  EVO’s Pistachio Pesto was voted the best pizza in South Carolina!  That hasn’t been their first public praise.  Click here to see the list of local and national acclaim that EVO has earned.  Have I mentioned that EVO began on a rolling cart at the Charleston Farmer’s Market in 2005?  Yeah.  How cool!

Pistachio Pesto Pizza!

A few nights ago, EVO was featured on Cooking Channel’s “Pizza Outside the Box.”  We DVR’d it!

Onto our personal experience at EVO:

We didn’t get the Pistachio Pesto pizza.  I dunno why.  But it does give us an excuse to go back there!

Anyway, we busted open those doors at 5pm as true early bird specialists. Seriously – the waitresses still had their purses on!

Not sure my chin would reach over this high bar!

Yummy local beers on tap (Holy City and Coast)…

I’m a sucker for mason jars =)

Me praying to the pizza gods.  Yeah, not too sure what’s really going on here.

And behold – Margherita pizza and Pork Trifecta pizza. YUM-EEEEE!  So fresh with amazing crust!

SO GOOD – can’t wait to go back!!!

Warning: EVO is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

What’s your favorite kind of pizza?  I’m a sucker for white garlic pizza with broccoli, but Scooter sadly isn’t. 

p.s. Should I have broken up this post into 2 or 3 separate ones?  Probably! Sorry for my long-windedness.  I have a feeling, though, that you’re used to it!

p.s.s. Crossing our fingers that hurricane Irene skips right on past Charleston!

p.s.s.s. Who wants PIZZA now?!  ;)

Beach Count: 57

Pool Count: 18

High Temperature: 87º (we even opened our windows for some fresh air last night!)

Monday was the 1 year anniversary of one of our favorite restaurants in Charleston – Coleman Public House.  It’s actually located in the town of Mount Pleasant…just a bridge away from downtown.  It’s here…

(My OCD-ness wants this map centered, but it’s not working with me!)

We had planned on heading to Coleman Public House on their actual anniversary date (they were having some great food and drink specials along with live music), but it just didn’t happen.  SO, we made it there last night for our own little celebration.  It was the perfect way to kick off this well deserved 3-day weekend!!!

We’ve been to Coleman Public House probably 5 or 6 times.  That says a lot about the place right there!  There are so many awesome restaurants in the Charleston area that we’ve only been to once or twice and others that we haven’t gotten to at all yet.  We are creatures of habits, though, and know exactly where we are going to go when we’re jonesin’ for a solid burger and a good (and ever-changing) beer selection!

The outside on Coleman Boulevard

Look at this beer selection (just what’s on tap)!  The hubby always has a difficult time making choices here.

We got there at 5:00pm (yes it was a Friday night and yes we’re senior citizens, lol).  Getting there early is the only way to be sure that you’ll be able to sit by the bar at the hightop tables with the comfiest stools ever.  That’s definitely the best place to be, location-wise, in this restaurant.  By the time we left, all of these tables were taken (there are 4 or 5 of them) and so were the outside tables. Most of the bar stools had beer-loving butts in ‘em by then, too.

Truth be told, we’ve only had a couple of items off of the menu because we’re stuck on the burgers (super glue, style).  Everything always looks awesome, though.  I’ve heard great comments about their Mini Lamb Burgers and just LOVE how the Rosemary Popcorn is presented (both appetizers).  Their Mac & Cheese with gouda is quite amazing, but their burgers?  A-maz-ing!

Here’s my poison…The Barnyard Burger with Goat Cheese, Oven Roasted Tomato, Fresh Spinach, Caramelized Onions

Never have I had a burger that was so delicious that I didn’t douse it with ketchup.  I don’t use ANY on this burger.  I took half of it home.

Scott’s poison…The Southern Burger with Pepperjack, Fried Green Tomato, Spicy Remoulade

Those House Cut French Fries are so amazingly delicious…we prefer the Truffle & Parmesan kind, but the Garlic fries are yummy, too.

For beer, I had the Sweetgrass Pale Ale and the Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier (WHAT a mouthful, lol).  The Hefe always comes in a loud and look-at-me tall beer glass.  This is my signature drink at CPH.  Scott got the Stoudt’s Scarlet Lady and then a Great Divide Double IPA.  No disappointments to speak of here, either.

Round 1

Round 2

Yes, I’m a lush (and a midget – ha!)

Cheers to many more, Coleman Public House!

p.s.  Happy Memorial Day weekend,  y’all!

p.s.s.  This past week was Hurricane Preparedness Week – yikes.  Blog on this to come!

p.s.s.s.  I do realize that I say “amazing” a lot – Imma work on it!

Beach Count: 41

Pool Count: 10

High Temperature: 84°

*Dum dum de dum*

Round 2 (check out wedding round 1) – The big royal wedding of William and Catherine…sigh.

First of all, to get in the royal spirit, please call me Lady Evelyn Garfield-Woodland.  It was my royal guest name!  Figure out yours…

Ta-da!

Scott refused to use “Scooter Jr.” as his first pet’s name (“It was a hampster!”), but he’s only lying to himself.

Mom and Dad were still in town.  They woke up crazy early to watch Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding years ago, so we figured we’d do the same, 2011-style.  We DVR’d it and moseyed (yes, that’s how you spell that) out of bed around 8am for the nuptials.  We made mimosas with Prosecco [Italian champagne], put on our “jewels” and big [a la Targét] hats, and geared up for our cupcakes for breakfast.  Dad and Scott set up shop for brewing some beer, but they’d promised to check out the wedding during their downtime.

We went out to dinner downtown the night before and made sure to pick up cupcakes from Cupcake on King Street after for our royal breakfast.  Get ready to drooool people!

These cute flags were created by the creative minds at Cupcake!

Red Velvet

Death By Chocolate

And another (had to show the flag)

Vanilla with Chocolate

Blueberry Cobbler

Praline

Wish there were royal weddings more often – yum!  I had the blueberry cobbler.  C’mon, it was just like having a blueberry muffin (yeah right, tell that to my thighs)!  The boys definitely took a break for “breakfast” and watched some of the festivities with us.  Beer brewing looked a little like this…

There’s a lot more to it, but the “Ladies” were too busy inside oohing and ahhing to be outside documenting.  Another time, “Lords!”

Princess Catherine looked divine, I was more into the extravaganza than I thought I would be, and I still can’t get over the Lady Gaga hat that Princess Beatrice wore.  Really?  Some hats were completely ridic…I especially liked the ones that looked like paper plate creations that brides to-be wear at the end of their bridal shower (not mine, I stuck with the paper plate bouquet thankyouverymuch).  LOVED the hat that looked like a canoe, though.  Both fashionable and practical.  In severe weather, all she would have needed was a spatula as an oar and she would’ve been all set.

Good times had by all!

p.s. I am on severe detox.  My pants insisted.  Food, drink, jelly beans, cupcakes, nachos, everything.  I’m hungry just talking about it.

p.s.s. Back to work tomorrow…so sad.

Beach Count: 38 (about to make it 39)

Pool Count: 6

High Temperature: 83º