#9 Trip Planning, Best Travel Apps, Charleston Travel Guide

Plus a Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 16, 2022

Hello Friends,

The latest edition of the newsletter includes a few of my favorite things, a detailed guide for planning your next vacation, plus a Charleston travel guide.

Please feel free to comment if you have any questions, responses, brilliant ideas, or you feel like sharing a favorite recipe, restaurant, or anything else. You can also email me: askmarla@marlayoung.com.

I have linked many resources for you. When you see a word in green, it is an embedded link. Click on it, and it will take you to the post.

Thanks for reading!

Find me on Instagram | Pinterest

TO DO LIST

READ

Unmissing by Minka Kent: Merritt Coletto and her husband, Luca, have the life they dreamed of: a coastal home, a promising future, and a growing family. That dream comes to an end with a late-night knock on the door. The story is so intriguing and full of suspense. It's currently free on Kindle Unlimited.

Trauma the Invisible Epidemic by Dr. Paul Conti: How trauma works and how we can heal from it. Every single one of us is affected by trauma, though some carry a heavier burden than others. Understanding its insidious effects and far-reaching complications is vital to charting the path to healing. Listen to an interview with Dr. Conti on the Lewis Howes Podcast Ep. 1237.

WATCH

The Dropout (Hulu): Amanda Seyfried nails Elizabeth Holmes's weird, deep voice and affect in this excellent new series about Holmes and her startup, Theranos.

John Adams (Amazon Prime): John Adams chronicles the life of this remarkable historical figure, a man whose fiercely independent spirit, reverence for the rule of law, and commitment to personal liberty profoundly influenced the values on which our country was founded. The miniseries also explores the extraordinary relationship between Adams and Abigail, his wife of 54 years, a partnership regarded as one of the most moving love stories in American history.

Turn Washington's Spies (Amazon Prime): Washington's Spies is the untold story of America's first spy ring. An unlikely team of secret agents forms The Culper Ring to help George Washington turn the tide of the Revolutionary War.

Pasta Grannies (YouTube): This show features Nonne (Italian grandmothers) sharing pasta-making secrets from their cozy kitchens all over Bella Italia.

COOK

Food IQ is a book that tackles all those culinary questions that accumulate in your head over time. When is it okay to cook with frozen vegetables? How do you build the perfect sandwich? The book dives into all of it. You can also sign up for a Food IQ newsletter for free tips.

LISTEN

“Seven” (Spotify) is the new worship album from Hillsong’s Brooke Ligertwood.

Heal Your Chronic Pain & Disease Now with Dr. John Dr. Lieurance Luke Storey Podcast Ep. 397: Dr. John Lieurance is a chiropractic neurologist and naturopath who practices at Advanced Rejuvenation in Sarasota, Florida: a multi-disciplinary clinic focused on alternative and regenerative, naturopathic, and alternative medicine. He has successfully treated himself for chronic Lyme disease & CIRS, and treats his patients using the most cutting-edge treatments such as CVAC, 10 pass hyperbaric ozone, silver IV, IV laser (LumoStem), and hyperbaric oxygen. Dr. Lieurance believes that toxins and infections are at the root of many ailments, including autoimmune, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, inner ear problems, and most degenerative neurologic conditions.

DOWNLOAD

Substack App (iOS): The app brings all your Substack subscriptions together in one venue. With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscribe to. New posts will never get lost in your email filters, or stuck in spam. Longer posts will never cut-off by your email app. Comments and rich media will all work seamlessly. Overall, it’s a big upgrade to the reading experience and I think you will love it. I sure do!

Available for iOS and Android

Here’s a few of my favorite Substack Newsletters:
Style Sweet Bake Club (baking)
Alison Roman (cooking)
David Lebovitz (baking)
Rick’s Tech Tips (tech)

HOT LIST

Philadelphia

K Far Cafe and Bakery is a great lunch spot. The menu features Israeli pastries, coffee, salads, grain bowls, and Jerusalem bagels. *GF

Bloom Southern Kitchen is a farm to table restaurant located near Philadelphia. *GF

Morrisville, NC (near RDU)

Fount Coffee and Cafe is my favorite coffee shop. The cafe menu is gluten-free.

Baltimore

Baltimore’s Ekiben is a famous Asian fusion restaurant known for their legendary steamed buns. Try the broccoli tempura, tofu nuggets with spicy peanut sauce, and the Taiwanese curry fried chicken with spicy mayo on a steamed bun. The house-made Thai iced tea is delicious. *GF

Miami

Smorgasburg is a weekly outdoor food festival in Miami. Held each Saturday in Wynwood, Smorgasburg offers food by 60 different vendors.

Buffalo

Tourant offers contemporary country cuisine and libations, served in a comfortable, casual setting. Focusing on high-quality, seasonal ingredients, Roberts’ Southern Louisiana roots and dedication to New York’s farming community provides Buffalo diners with access to modern, fresh cuisine influenced by the American South. *GF

How I Plan for Trips

Here are some travel tips, tricks, & tools I use.

Google Sheets: I use Google Sheets to create a spreadsheet with all my travel information. This is best done through your desktop/browser. If I end up without WiFi or data, I can still access any vital information or make updates on my trip.

I use the Google Sheets app on my phone to access the spreadsheets.

If you are traveling in a group, everyone can edit the Google Sheet once they have access to it.

Here's a copy of my Ashville Google spreadsheet.

U.S. Department of State Website: This website is another excellent resource for planning your travel. They give you an indication of the level of safety in each country based on the local political and health situations, including COVID-19, laws, general country information, current COVID-19 restrictions, border closures, and more. It'sIt's also a good idea to enroll in their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) when you travel, which will notify you of any dangers or exceptional circumstances.

Pinterest is great to find travel tips.

BLOGS & WEBSITES

I'll do an internet search for my travel destination and add the word “blog.” I think blogs offer the best itineraries and travel recommendations.

I save articles using the Pocket App and Pinterest.

Some of my favorite websites for specific travel destinations include:
Patricia Wells: Patricia chronicles her food adventures in Paris.

My Little Paris: Find out what's new and happening in Paris: boutiques, restaurants, hidden treasures, and the latest trends.

The Hip Paris Blog: Insider tips and insights on dining, shopping, culture, renting, and living in Paris and Italy.

David Lebovitz: Acclaimed pastry chef and food writer David Lebovitz, who learned the ropes at Berkeley's Chez Panisse, has been Parisian since 2002. His memoir, A Sweet Life in Paris, is one of my book recommendations. Lebovitz records witty and mouth-watering musings on everything from his favorite Paris baguettes to where to hang with the kids in Paris.

Girls Guide to Paris: The site is curated by Paris insiders and experts to make your trip a dream vacation.

Italy: Katie Perla / Girl in Florence / Elizabeth Minchilli.
Goop Guides: Another favorite for popular destinations.

Suitcase / Boat / Cereal / Petite Passport all feature online travel guides.

My favorite miles and points blogs are Frequent Miler / Miles to Memories / Doctor of Credit / Travelbloggerbuzz / Mileonomics.

*The Points Guy is owned by the banks.

GUIDE BOOKS

A few of my favorite guide books include: Paris By Design / Parisian Chic City Guide / Hello Sandwich Tokyo Guide / Petite Passport / Herb Lester / Cereal Guides / Drift / Paris in Stride: An Insider’s Walking Guide.

MAPS

I like to create a custom Google Map to easily keep track of my hotel, attractions, photo ops, restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and anything else I want to see. This is best done through your desktop/browser, where you can load tons of maps open various tabs during the planning phase and not while you're out and about on the street.

Here’s how to get started setting up a custom Google map:

Open Google Maps, search for something (usually your hotel or lodging is an excellent place to start), click on the pin, then “Save to map,” and click on the drop-down and select “Create a new map” and “Save.”
Now that you've got at least one pin on your new map, I love clicking on it and selecting "Search nearby" to find all the essentials – coffee, of course, is the first thing I look for near my hotel. Most hotels have coffee in the room or the hotel lobby, but I like going to a local coffee shop.

As you continue to use Google Maps moving forward, don't forget you can click on any landmark in your search results, then "Save to Map." I usually find some grocery stores and pharmacies if I need to stock up on something or have an emergency. Then I start adding restaurants and shops that I discover or have recommended to me. I love going through bloggers' recommended lists and then throwing everything into my map! I also like to click on the pin and add a link.

This Portland Maine Food Map is an excellent example of organizing your map with links.

Here's a detailed guide for using Google Maps.

In addition to custom Google Maps, I always travel with a printed map when visiting international destinations and large U.S. cities like New York City and Chicago. Internet access and cell phone service can be an issue when traveling, so it’s helpful to have a printed map.

My favorite maps are the Streetwise Maps. These maps are easy to read and unfold for effortless use. The detailed travel maps are pocket-sized for discretion, so you don't stick out like a tourist. Check out the Artwise New York City, Paris, or London editions if you enjoy visiting museums.

PODCASTS

I like to search in the podcast app for a specific destination like Japan that requires a lot of planning.

A few favorite podcasts include:
Milenomics / Miles to Memories / Observation Deck / Extra Pack of Peanuts

Instagram: By clicking the location tag, you can see the location on a map and photos taken. It's also helpful to discover fantastic photo locations.

Some of my favorite travel accounts: lucylaucht / local_milk / laurenswells / jessomewhere / parisinfourmonths / ananewyork / annstreetstudio.

FOOD

Find My Gluten-Free App: I use this app to find gluten-free restaurants.

Eater: Travel guides, tips, and advice on the best restaurants and dining for eating like a local everywhere.

Resy: A great website to find restaurants in the city you are visiting.

Gluten-Free Ireland Guide: This is the best website for eating gluten-free in Ireland.

MAGAZINES

Drift: Each issue highlights a different city and where to drink the best coffee.

A few more of my favorite print and digital travel magazines: Suitcase / Boat / Cereal / Petite Passport.

NEWSLETTERS

Travel Zoo’s Top 20 Deals is a weekly newsletter of the best deals in travel.

Scott's Cheap Flights is a daily deal newsletter for international and domestic destinations. It has free and paid options.

Thrifty Traveler is a daily email of the best flight deals of the day.

FLIGHTS

Frequent Flyer Miles

Create loyalty accounts with every airline you fly with, over time they add up. When redeeming miles, international flights often offer much better bang for your buck than domestic. Use airline reward calendars to find the best deals on mileage rewards. The strongest loyalty programs of major US airlines are Delta SkyMiles / Southwest RapidRewards / American Airlines AAdvantage / United Mileage Plus.

Google Flights is one of the best sites to search for flights and compare prices.

Staff Traveler is the site I use to check non-rev loads.

Skiplagged finds cheap flights where you want to go is a layover along the way.

AirfareWatchdog is another site for tracking cheap flights.

Momondo is an aggregator that searches for the best airfare across the web.

Award Wallet is a one-of-a-kind service that helps you track all of your loyalty points including, frequent flier miles, hotel points, dining rewards, and shopping rewards.

Before getting started with any flight search tool, be sure to use an incognito window for searching or clear your browser’s cache after searching to avoid price increases.

HOTELS

I use my Hilton Honors American Express card to redeem points for hotel stays. I think it's the best card to earn hotel stays.

Two critical benefits on the card include no foreign transaction fees and complimentary Hilton Silver status. No foreign transaction fees come in handy if you travel internationally.

Here's a link to sign up and receive a free night plus 130,000 points.

Trip Advisor is my go-to for hotel reviews. I think it’s the most popular hotel review site, so new postings are uploaded almost daily, and people are brutally honest.

BiddingForTravel is the leading resource for informed Priceline bidding.

Priceline / Hotwire / HotelsTonight are sites for booking discounted lodging.

If you prefer to rent a room, apartment, or house for your trip, Airbnb.com/ HomeAway / VRBO / HostelWorld are popular.

House-sitting provides free accommodations on platforms like House Sitters America ($49 membership for one year) / Trusted House Sitters ($129 annual membership) / and Mind My House ($20 a year).

Before getting started with any hotel search tool, be sure to use an incognito window for searching or clear your browser’s cache after searching to avoid price increases.

CRUISES

Cruise Sheet is my favorite cruise site to find all the deals and makes finding a cheap cruise easy.

CruiseCompete and CruiseCritic are also great sites for researching and finding affordable cruises.

SAILING

Serendipity Travel is perfect for small group sailing. Edward's sailing trips are the best! Upcoming trips include Croatia, The Amalfi Coast of Italy, and Patagonia/Southern Chile.

CAR RENTALS

AutoSlash and CarRentals.com track the lowest car rental prices.

Turo is the Airbnb of rental cars.

Costco Membership ($60 to $120 per year) for access to its travel department’s rental car deals.

TRAINS

Amtrak is a great option for travel between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and New York City. Check the Amtrak deals page.

Virgin Trains is a great site for booking trains in the UK.

The Man in Seat 61 is the ultimate resource for train and overland travel worldwide. Want to know how to get around a certain country? The Man in Seat 61 will tell you.

Rome2Rio will help you find the most affordable way to get from point A to B.

INSURANCE

SquareMouth & InsureMyTrip are both excellent companies to consider if you’re looking to insure your trip.

RVShare.com is the best site to rent an RV from private owners and dealers.

APPS

Here are a few of my favorite travel apps to help with the travel experience.

PLAN

Google Sheets App is helpful on the go as you’re able to access your documents wherever you are in the world, even if you have no WiFi. Free iOS, Android

Pack Point generates a customized list of items you should pack. Free iOS, Android

Wikipedia Around You allows you to search your location for articles about places, events, and points of interest in your surrounding area. Free iOS

World Mate helps you plan your trip. Free iOS, Android

TripIt syncs your flight confirmations, hotel reservations and more in your calendar. Simply send your travel confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and TripIt automatically creates a detailed daily itinerary for every trip. Free iOS, Android

Drop Box saves files from your computer in an online account for later access anywhere in the world. Free iOS, Android

Been tracks which countries you've traveled. Free iOS, Android

MAP IT

Google Maps is my go-to map companion. I like the alternate routes for walking, biking, and public transportation. Free iOS, Android

Google Travel Mapper makes it easy to set up a map and plan an itinerary. Free iOS, Android

Maps With Me is a popular app for navigation. One key feature is the ability to download maps for offline viewing. Free iOS, Android

City Mapper is the ultimate transit app for travel to London, New York, Paris, Berlin, Washington DC, Madrid, Boston, Barcelona, SF Bay Area, Chicago, Milan, Rome. It is an amazing app due to the extensive information the app shares with you. Free iOS, Android

City Maps 2Go helps you plan the perfect trip with detailed offline maps, in-depth travel content, popular places, and insider tips. $2.99 iOS, Android

Around Me answers one of the most common questions any traveler has: What's nearby? The app identifies your position through GPS and allows you to choose from a list of places, including banks, gas stations, hotels or supermarkets. Free iOS, Android

RIDE

Uber is a ride share app.

Lyft is a ride share app.

Curb operates like Uber except a taxi company sends a driver. If Uber is not available, Curb is the next best option. Free iOS, Android

Waze will alert traffic incidents in real-time. Free iOS, Android

Best Parking helps you find the cheapest and most convenient parking facilities in cities and airports throughout North America. Free iOS, Android

Bikemap can help you to discover new routes to plan your next mountain bike or cycling trip. Free iOS, Android

CarRental is the app I use to compare car rental prices. I think it is the best site for comparison shopping. Free iOS

Zipcar is ideal for short rentals. Check to see if your company has a corporate account with Zipcar for discounts. Free iOS, Android

FLY

Flight View allows you to track the real-time flight status and tracking map of any commercial flight worldwide. You can opt for push notifications for flight departure and arrival information as well as cancellations, gate changes, delays, and diversions. 99 cents iOS

Lounge Buddy tells you which lounges you can access at any given airport. Free iOS

Skyscanner flight search will help you find cheap flights and airline tickets to your favorite travel destinations. Free iOS, Android

Seat Guru is the ultimate source for airplane seating advice, in-flight amenity information, and airline recommendations by passengers. Free iOS, Android

Mobile Passport gives you the opportunity to deliver your passport information and customs declaration before being inspected by an officer to speed up processing at customs. Free iOS

SLEEP

Airbnb is a popular online community marketplace that connects people looking to rent their homes with people who are looking for accommodations. Free iOS, Android

Hostelworld brings you online bookings at thousands of hostels worldwide. Free iOS, Android

Hotel Tonight is a last-minute hotel deal app. It is available in select cities. Free iOS, Android

Trip Advisor is a travel website providing reviews of travel-related content. I use Trip Advisor to compare hotels. I also like the city guides. Free iOS, Android

White Noise works like a charm when I’m traveling and have to get to sleep in a noisy location. Free iOS, Android

EAT

Find Me Gluten Free is great for finding restaurants that offer gluten-free food. Free iOS, Android

Happy Cow is a useful app for locating vegetarian dining options. I think it is the best one available for vegan dining recommendations. Free iOS, Android

Resy is an app for people who love eating at great restaurants but hate hassling for reservations.

The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris is a food lover’s guide to Paris. Discover Patricia’s top picks of restaurants, cafes, wine bars, bakeries, pastry, chocolate and cheese shops, markets, wine shops, specialty food shops and kitchen and tableware shops. $4.99 iOS

GUIDES

EveryTrail enables travelers to track, share and search for nearby walking, running, biking trails. Free iOS, Android

Findery lets you take photos and notes from specific locations and tag them on a map anywhere in the world for other people to see and discover. Free iOS, Android

History Here is an interactive guide to thousands of historic locations across the United States. Free iOS, Android

GuidePal is a curated guide by locals featuring tourist information for worldwide destinations in a beautiful and interactive user interface. Free iOS, Android

Heritage maps over 1800 heritage locations across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. 99 cents iOS.

Triposo allows you to download country or city guides to your device for use offline. Free iOS, Android

Rick Steves Audio Europe is a collection of Rick Steve’s radio interviews, audio tours, self-guided walking tours of Europe. Free iOS, Android

CHAT

Skype allows you to make free voice and video calls to other people who also use Skype. Free iOS, Android

Wi-Fi Finder is simply the best app for finding free or paid public Wi-Fi hotspots online or offline. Free iOS, Android

Onavo helps you control the amount of data you consume on your device by shrinking it. It is primarily used to save data when you surf the Web, read emails, and use a map. Free iOS, Android

Viber lets you send free messages as well as make free calls to other Viber users, on any device and network, in any country! Free iOS, Android

WhatsApp Messenger is a mobile messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. Free iOS, Android

WEATHER

Yahoo Weather features stunning photography provided by Flickr. Free iOS, Android

Dark Sky predicts, down to the minute, when it will rain or snow at your exact location. Free iOS

Ski and Snow Report brings you current snow condition reports at more than 2,000 ski resorts around the globe. The app also features first-hand ski reports from users. Free iOS, Android

KIDS

Stack the States is an awarding win app. Kids will learn state capitals, shapes, geographic locations, flags and more. $1.99 iOS, Android

Stack the Countries is a game focuses on basic country information such as capitals, landmarks, major cities, continents, border countries, languages, flags and more. $1.99 iOS, Android

HELP

Travel Safe helps you make emergency calls and texts anywhere in the world. 99 cents iOS, Android

Flush Finder helps you quickly find nearby restrooms. Free iOS

World Clock is known for its accuracy to show current local times for cities around the world. I use this app on my trips. Free iOS, Android

Commander Compass Lite is a handy device to save where you parked your car. Free iOS

Survival Guide uses the US Military Survival Manual. Survival Guide’s 19 chapters of tips and techniques teach basic fire principles, how to deal with dangerous animals, how to survive all kinds of harsh environments, and much more. Free iOS, Android

SAS Survival Guide is the definitive guide to surviving any situation, anywhere in the world. iOS, Android

m Passport provides access to the best local doctors, hospitals, and resources anywhere in the world. Free iOS, Android

Smart Traveler provides official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.
Free iOS, Android

!Emergency! will dial the emergency services of your travel location. 99 cents iOS

Prey lets users track and locate a lost or stolen device. Free iOS, Android

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Metro is a comprehensive guide to worldwide public transportation. Free iOS, Android

Rail Europe is a handy tool for navigating Rail Europe. Free iOS, Android

Rail Planner is a great app I could not do without when traveling in Europe. Free iOS, Android

HerdTracker is an online site for a safari adventure. Free

XE Currency shows live exchange rates and allows users to calculate prices. Free iOS, Android

LANGUAGE

Word Lens will translate printed words using the built-in video camera on your device. Free iOS, Android

iTranslate Voice 2 is the best translation app. Using iTranslate Voice couldn’t be easier: Select the desired languages, tap the accompanying flag icon, speak into the microphone, and within seconds the translated text appears on-screen as well as spoken aloud. It is important to note you’ll still need an active Wi-Fi or cellular connection for the translation process. $4.99 iOS

Duolingo is my favorite language learning app. Free iOS, Android

Trip Lingo is handy app for travelers visiting foreign countries to help them learn useful words and phrases. Free iOS, Android

World Nomads is a helpful free app that contain a conversational language lesson with a local, plus over 230 basic phrases to help keep you traveling safely. Free iOS

Google Translate instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.

If you have any recommendations, leave them below! Word of mouth is definitely the best way to hear about new resources like this, and I’m sure many of us are always looking for new travel resources.

Leave a comment

A few of my favorite things:

LeBon Socks: These are my favorite socks. I like the Boyfriend Socks Vintage Pink and Blue Grey; Girlfriend Socks Bellini and the trouser sock style, Her Socks.
Eastfork Pottery: East Fork combines rustic, handmade beauty with dishwasher-safe, microwave-friendly ease. The Everyday Bowl is the one I use the most. The perfect size for pretty much anything! The 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set makes a great wedding gift. Some of their colors sell out, so if you see something you love, snag it. East Fork has stores in Asheville and Atlanta.
Dilo Candles: Dilo candles are good quality, the fragrances are well-curated, and the price is very reasonable. The monthly candle subscription is only $10.00. Many retailers stock the candles. You can visit the flagship store in Philadelphia or order online.
Nati Ribbed Tank Tops: The perfect accessory to pair with a blazer. Tank Tops are a must-own layering staple. The Olivia Ribbed Tank from Nati comes in several colors. The tank is a fitted ribbed finished with a high crew neckline for a clean look. It’s a timeless style that works with just about everything in your wardrobe.
Spicewalla Spices: My favorite ground spices created by Chef Meherwan Irani in Ashville, North Carolina. The 10 Pack Spice Essentials Collection makes a great gift!
A few of my favorites include Sicilian Sea Salt / Cyprus Flake Salt / Himalayan Pink Salt, Extra Small Grain / Kashmiri Chilli Powder / Za'atar / Herbs De Provence / Amore Pizza Seasoning.
Living Libations Essential Oils: My preferred choice for essential oils is Living Libations. The oils do not contain fillers, diluters, artificial colors, or petrochemicals. My favorite essential oils from Living Libations include:
Frankincense First Friend / Illume Hotberry / llume Classic / Zest the Best. Here's a link to an article about how to know if your essential oils are top quality.
FinaMill Spice Grinder: The FinaMill Spice Grinder means one grinder for all of your spices. It comes with reusable pods that you can fill with the spices and herbs of your choosing.
Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler 40 OZ: I've purchased many water bottles over the years. This one is my favorite. This design is trendy and sells out fast. Check the website for a restock. Amazon has a limited stock.
Taika Latte: Taika is an adaptogen-infused coffee that's designed to provide a boost of energy without making you feel wired. Taika offers four drinks: black coffee, oat milk latte, macadamia latte, and matcha latte. The oat and macadamia lattes are sweetened with allulose and monk fruit.
Breville Bambino Plus or Bambino Regular Espresso Machine: The Breville Bambino Plus or Breville Bambino Regular Espresso Machine is the best espresso machine for beginners. You can explore three heat and milk texture settings without a device taking up half of your kitchen counter. It's ideal for apartments, offices, and small kitchens. I like the Baratza Encore grinder. As an added bonus, it’s a popular machine so there are tons of tutorials online around it. Some great tutorials include Whole Latte Love’s machine-specific tutorials, Seattle Coffee Gear’s videos on making specific drinks, and European Coffee Trip’s how-to on making latte art. Check with your local coffee shop about classes for the at-home barista.
Cast Iron Conditioner and Chain Mail Scrubber: I use Field Company Cast Iron Skillets. It's essential to care for cast iron properly. I use this cast iron conditioner and chain mail scrubber. If you are looking to invest in quality cast iron, I recommend Field Company.
Bulletproof Creamer: Bulletproof Original Creamer is a keto coffee creamer made with grass-fed butter and MCT oil. When you combine these quality fats with coffee, you get Bulletproof Coffee: a rich, satisfying drink that kick-starts your day and keeps you going strong. I like the vanilla and hazelnut flavors. I also use the Bulletproof Vanilla Collagen Protein Powder. I like the vanilla flavor. The creamer tastes better in coffee. I like the powder if I make a protein shake.
READ MORE

LINK LOVE

What is the best way to wash greens and dry lettuce?
A very good guide to getting rid of almost everything.
How to stay safer on mass transit.
Password mistakes that hackers hope you'll make.
A new interview with Anna Delvey Sorokin.
The rise of non-alcoholic shops and bars.
Inside the NSA's secret tool for mapping your social media.
The seven habits that lead to happiness in retirement.
There's no such thing as family secrets in the age of 23andme.
The true story of the heartthrob prince of Qatar and his time at USC.
Storage hacks for a tiny apartment.
Tips for editing Instagram photos.
How to write almost anything.
If you have a new address, ensure your essential correspondence and eagerly anticipated packages can find you.
TJ and Lauren Oshie's McLean mansion is stunning. The NHL star and his family turned to designer Marie Flanigan to help realize a romantic, French-inspired refuge.
A guide for dating and how to not ghost other people.
How to measure air quality where you live and where you're going.
It's time for a Texas road trip to Fredericksburg. So many hidden gems in this cute town.
Throwing a St. Patty's dinner party? I love this artificial grass table runner topped with votive candles and chocolate gold coins.
24 hours in Dublin.
Movies that will transport you to Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

1. Green Velvet Cake

2. No bake desserts

3. Homemade Irish Cream

4. Chocolate Stout Cake

5. Guinness Beef Pot Pies

6. 20 Minute Mashed Potatoes

7. Chocolate Guinneess Cake

8. Creamy Avocado Pasta

9. Vanilla Bean Shamrock Cookies

10. Pistachio Cream Cake With Chocolate Ganache

11. Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

12. Lucky Charm Marshmallow Treats

13. St. Patrick’s Day Ombre Cake

14. Pioneer Woman’s Collection of St. Patty’s Day Recipes

15. Shamrock Shake

17. Healthy green recipes

18. Matcha Coconut Ice Cream

19. Guiness Chocolate Brownies

20. Healthy Green Foods to Eat

Charleston Travel Guide

Charleston is one of the prettiest cities, a top culinary destination, a history buff’s dream, an architectural paradise, and a gorgeous seaside beach town. The Holy City is named for all the churches that dot the skyline. It's the perfect weekend getaway.

If you have one day in Charleston, start with coffee at Second State, then go for a walk or run in the historic district. For breakfast, swing by Callie’s Hot Biscuit or Little Line Kitchen. After breakfast, take a carriage ride and a historical walking tour. For a afternoon snack, visit Sugar Bakeshop for a cupcake or Harken cafe for a pastry. The Belmont Hotel is the best place for a cocktail. For lunch or dinner, I like Basic Kitchen and Slightly North of Broad. Fleet’s Landing is on the waterfront in historic downtown Charleston, and it has the best views of Charleston Harbor.

EAT
Basic Kitchen is my favorite place to eat in town. *GF menu

Little Line Kitchen and Provisions (Breakfast or Lunch)

SNOB *GF menu (Live Music Nightly)
Harbinger Cafe (Breakfast/Lunch)

Fleet’s Landing (shrimp and grits, she crab soup, hush puppies, fried green tomatoes)

Church and Union *GF menu

Chubby Fish (Seafood)

R Kitchen (Reservations)

Leon’s (Oysters)

Franny & the Fox (Pizza)

Melfi’s (Pizza)

167 Raw on King (Oyster)

Butcher + Bee (Burgers, Salads)

Chez Nous (French)

The Ordinary (Oysters)

Xiao Bao Biscuit (Asian comfort food)

Lewis BBQ

Chez Nous Cru Cafe (Lunch or dinner)

Fig (Fancy Dinner)

Goat Sheep Cow (Cheese & wine bar)

Halls Chophouse (Steak)

Hot Little Biscuit (Biscuits)

Indaco (Italian)

Little Jacks (Burgers)

Le Farfalle (Italian)

Park Cafe (Great breakfast & lunch)

Rarebit (Lunch/Late night)

The Darling (Brunch)

The Ordinary (Seafood)

Tu (Indian)

Five Loaves (Sandwiches)

Hometeam BBQ (Sullivan’s Island)

Obstinate Daughter (Sullivan’s Island)

Obstinate Daughter (Sullivan’s Island)

The Post House (Mount Pleasant)

Bowen’s Island (Folley Beach)

SWEETS
Sugar Bake Shop (cupcakes) *GF

Harken Cafe *GF

Harbinger Cafe *GF

Wildflower Pastry

Babas on Cannon

SHOP
Charleston has most major retailers (particularly along King Street), but also the cutest little boutiques.

Charleston City Market is four city blocks long. Most of it is open air.

Hampden Clothing (King Street)

Lake Pajamas (King Street)

Roller Rabbit (King Street)

Madison Mathews (King Street)

Billy Reid (Clothing boutique)

Celadon (Home)

Croghan’s (Jewelry)

Ibu Movement (Home)

Indigo & Cotton (Men)

James (Shoes & Accessories)

Mac & Murphy (Stationary)

Pink Chicken (Kids & Women’s)

Roberta Roller Rabbit (Clothing & Home)

South of Market (Interiors)

Goldbug Jewelry

Sugar Snap Pea (Children’s Shop)

The Commons (Home)

Worthwhile

Blue Bicycle Books

Buxton Books

Pitt Street Kids (Mount Pleasant)

Out of Hand (Mount Pleasant)

Bennie + Coco (Sullivan’s Island)

Goldbug (Sullivan’s Island)

Out of Hand (Mt Pleasant)

Monkees of Mount Pleasant

DRINK

Second State Coffee is my favorite coffee shop in Charleston.

Harken Cafe

Orange Spot Coffee on East Montague in North Charleston. Their syrups are house made.

The Belmond

Baba’s on Cannon

The Daily

Caroline’s Aloha Burger Bar

Cutty’s Dive Bar

Camillas is a pink Champagne bar located inside the Hotel Bennett, which is nicknamed the “Queen of King Street.”

Palmetto Brewing Company was Charleston’s first brewery and tasting room and they have the most diverse selection of beer to choose from.

Revelry Brewing has a great view of the city with a rooftop patio option.

The Hold by Revelry Brewing

Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co.

Brewlab

Fatty’s Beer Works

Munkle Brewing

Cooper River Brewing

Tradesman Brewing

Lo-Fi Brewing

CHS Fermentory

Gene’s Beer

PAMPER

Varnish Lane (Organic nail salon)

Complete Beauty Wellness Spa (Holistic spa)

Maven (Hair salon owned by Southern Charm’s Madison LeCroy)

Carriage Ride

Bulldog Tours

Charleston Aquarium

Charleston Academy (Cooking classes)

Gibbes Museum

Historic Charleston (tour the homes)

Redux Studios (view artist studios & take classes)

Walking Tour

Children’s Museum

South of Broad (bike or stroll through the neighborhood)

Folly Beach

Ghost Tour

CandleFish (candle making)

SEE

Rainbow Row is Charleston’s most iconic street with its 13 colorful Georgian Townhomes.

Pineapple Fountain is a symbol of hospitalit of the hospitality of this city.

Angel Oak Tree (St. John’s Island) is around 400 to 500 years old, and the branches span 28 feet in circumference.

Arthur Ravenel Bridge connects Charleston to Mount Pleasant. It is the third longest cable suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

Morris Island Lighthouse is located at Folley Beach. Drive to the very end of Ashley Avenue and park. Its about a ¼ mile walk to view the lighthouse and you have to climb over a little sandy ridge. Driftwood lines the shore. Rocky outcrops reach out into the water. Starfish are often in little tide pools. Almost guaranteed to see dolphins.

Calhoun Mansion

Nathaniel Russell House

STAY

GETTING AROUND

Express Bus runs from the airport and Tanger Outlet Mall to downtown Charleston.