christmas lights.

Regardless of how late we arrive at the beach house, the first thing we do is hang Christmas lights. It's just one of those little things that makes us all really happy.

thanksgiving.

We did Thanksgiving as low-key as possible this year; one trip to the grocery store, one dessert made the day before, and a couple hours of preparation the day of. There were only six of us, and we vowed to keep it as simple as possible.





My family has never done traditional Thanksgiving food; there aren't any casseroles and this year, not even a pie. We try to use the same vegetables and colors, but do it our own way.






A few of my favorites were the sage dressing, garlic and rosemary mashed potatoes (the way I learned at The Mill), and spaghetti squash gratin. The tart cranberry sauce goes without saying - I make it consistently throughout cranberry season.

Though I honestly think with the background of the water and the gentle sea breeze blowing in the screened door, anything would taste good.

weekend at the beach.

My family started spending Thanksgiving at our beach house a few years ago, and it has quickly become one of our most coveted traditions.

The beach house is always special, but even more so this time of year. The light seems to be extra golden and the frequent downpours feel even more dramatic. With the absence of tourists, it feels completely isolated on our little Pond Island, and it's glorious.

thankful.

This year, feeling especially thankful for skies like this.






(And of course, all the wonderful, beautiful, brilliant people in my life.)

holiday baking.

I wanted to share a few last-minute baking ideas for Thanksgiving. If you're anything like me, you will spend the day annoying your family by popping in the kitchen at random, unannounced times to bake unplanned sweets. Spontaneity is more fun and they always thank me later.



White chocolate spice cupcakes are always a showstopper, and if you eat them without icing you can pretend like its an appropriate breakfast.



These peppermint patties make me feel like a little kid while simultaneously reminding me of how little self control I have.



Isabel's spice cookies are chewy, moist, and everything a cookie should be. She's a baking goddess. (She even makes video tutorials.)



Homemade almond joys are perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July, my birthday, or any of the other 361 days of the year.



This peach and blackberry crisp is seriously my favorite dessert of all time, but to make it fall-ish I swap the peaches and blackberries for apples and cranberries. Dare I say I like it better?



And maybe it's premature, but has peppermint bark in mason jars ever received a less-than-ecstatic response? The answer is no.

butcher & bee.

Butcher & Bee is Charleston's cute new kid on the block, and everybody wants to be his friend (including me).






Their "honest to goodness" sandwiches are so much more than just sandwiches; the pulled squash "bbq" satisfied my long-time craving and their innovative side dishes would turn any veggie-hater into a brussel sprout lover.







From the community table to the mismatched chairs to the fresh flowers on every surface, every detail is perfectly executed. We tasted arugula from the garden out back and saw just how fresh their fish really is.

They serve food at lunch every day, late night on the weekends (till 3am!), and brunch on Saturday and Sunday (cream puffs, french toast, poached eggs, Turkish coffee, etc.). Their menu changes daily, so it never gets boring. I'm pretty excited about it.

dessert at husk.

Brunch, lunch, or dinner, it is impossible to eat at Husk without ordering every dessert on the menu. This time, it was sweet potato pie with gingersnap crust and toasted farro ice cream, maple panna cotta with salted caramel, and oatmeal pie with chocolate caramel ice cream.




Fall flavors really get me.

home.

Feeling quiet lately, as I try to get my bearings and find some kind of routine and normalcy. (Whatever that means.) For now though, I'm appreciating the quiet, familiar moments one can only find at home.