We visited Charleston last month, and this time, with my parents.   For our second visit (see more about our first visit here),  we stayed in the same hotel as the first,  the Vendue Inn.  The Vendue has two buildings across the street from each other.  While we stayed in the main reception building last time, this time we were across the street and actually had two different rooms during the visit.

The first room, on the first floor, featured an exposed brick exterior wall (so it had windows) and a large bathroom.

The bathroom was my favorite part because of the great arched window.   The sheer curtains add a soft, relaxing touch.

Our second room was an interior room on the second floor and it did not have windows.  It did have a skylight in the ceiling that provided natural light.  This room had an Asian flair with one bright, red accent wall.

The room also didn’t have a closet.  An armoire served the role of a closet with two doors and space to hang clothing and store shoes.   This is a good idea to remember for dorms or any space lacking storage.

The Library Restaurant is also part of the Vendue Inn.   On my first visit I proclaimed it to be my favorite Charleston restaurant,  so we had to go back for my parents to try it.  Once again, dinner was delicious.  And check out this fabulous chandelier. The restaurant has two of these hanging in the main dining room.

We all agreed that our favorite dessert of the trip was the buttermilk pie at Hominy Grill.   Notice that sign on the side of the restaurant: “Grits are good for you”.

 Since we took a city bus tour last time, this time around, we took a harbor tour. The boat tour gives you close up views of Fort Sumter and the Cooper River bridges.  You also get to see lovely views of the beautiful homes on the Battery and even dolphins in the water.   During our cruise we encountered a morning regatta and saw these cute little sailboats.

We enjoyed seeing the city in spring with all the new blooms (versus the fall-winter version of the city).  It seems like there are beautiful gardens around every corner in the historic district.

Have you been traveling lately?  Or are you getting your own gardens ready for spring?
-J

Last month, we went on a short getaway to Charleston, SC.   I’d never been before so I was super excited to experience the food, architecture, and design.  We stayed in the French Quarter district at the Vendue Inn.  It’s a small, boutique hotel and while our room was small, it was decked out in Charleston style.

Here’s the reading room on the hotel main floor.

I immediately noticed, just from walking around the historic district, that many of the narrow homes had ‘front doors’ that really weren’t front doors to the home at all.  The door opened to a side porch that runs the length of the home and then the real entrance to the house was a door off of that porch.

We ended up taking a city tour and learned a lot about the history and architecture.  In Charleston, those porches are called piazzas. The piazza provided a shaded place to sit and enjoy the nearby garden and catch a breeze in the sweltering heat.  This type of house was basically built in response to the weather of the region.  Single Houses are only one room wide to allow for ventilation from the piazza.

The city tour ended with a viewing of an old Charleston home in the battery area, the Palmer House.  The original owner was a dentist and painted the exterior pink for the color of healthy gums!

The style is definitely antique and ornate but I thought the use of mirrors was fab.   I especially love the huge mirror in the second picture below.

Aside from house touring, we walked a lot, ate, and visited the city market.   It was a quick trip and we totally enjoyed it.
Have you been to Charleston? Have you toured any unique homes lately?  Are you also a fan of huge mirrors?
-J

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