Sometimes I forget that paradise can be found in your own backdoor. Especially when you call home Kiawah Island.
While back home for Thanksgiving, dad and I went to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants on Johns Island, Wild Olive Cucina. We first dined at Wild Olive three summers ago and I’ve been in love with the menu ever since. The cuisine is simple and seasonal, while staying true to its Italian roots. Wild Olive is also a ‘Certified Green Restaurant’ (the first of which in South Carolina!), and not only do they buy the majority of their produce and meats locally but they also compost 85% of their compost. So awesome!! So not only is the food heavenly but also environmentally friendly, every Environmental Studies minor’s dream restaurant.
Our second day in Edinburgh was much more relaxed than our first. And by that, I mean that we hung out at The Elephant House for about three hours journaling and reading for our Literature classes. Does anyone know which author first began to write her magical book series in The Elephant House?? [Hint: the main character’s name rhymes with Larry Hotter!]
Our first stop after leaving our hostel that morning was the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland (aka Queen Elizabeth I, who I saw earlier this summer!). The palace is located at the end of the Royal Mile opposite Edinburgh Castle and is situated right next to Arthur’s Seat.
While studying abroad in London last year, a few friends and I made a trip up to Edinburgh, Scotland for the weekend. We hadn’t done much research about what to do ahead of time (which is totally uncharacteristic for me since I’m usually very on top of things while traveling), so we didn’t really have any idea what was in store for us that lovely weekend. One thing that I really enjoyed was that although Edinburgh is a big city, it had a much more laid-back feeling which was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of three months in London.
On my last day in Pittsburgh, my dad and I headed over to the University of Pittsburgh’s campus to take in the fall leaves and the sunshine. I was also looking for any excuse to break out my brand new parka from Banana Republic, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
While we were up in Pittsburgh this past weekend, I decided to check one of my mom’s old haunts for myself–Walnut Street. Located in the Shadyside neighborhood, Walnut Street actually reminds me a lot of King Street in Charleston what with the abundant number of stores and restaurants lining the road.
