Real Housewives (visit Charleston)

My girlfriends and I joke about being the real housewives of Atlanta.  I have no idea where Bravo found their Atlanta cast but it's not true. I promise.  Anyhow....

We were able to pack a lot in during our short weekend trip but without overwhelming you with photos, here's a small peak into our trip. 

Lots of shopping....

We all loved this bright pink accessories shop called, So Good Jewelry, on King Street.  I had a hard time narrowing down my choice but in the end,  I couldn't go home without this pretty little fascinator.

The other spot we spent some time (and money) in was Willy Jay's.   They had so many adorable dresses that were sorted by color.  We had fun picking out dresses for each other  and trying them on for a little impromptu fashion show. 

We also had a lot of really good food.  Our weekend started with dinner at The Library at The Vendue Inn.  I got my shrimp and grits fix and later we enjoyed cocktails and stunning views on the rooftop bar.

The next night we enjoyed more southern fare at Hyman's Seafood which was a great casual place to kick back and relax a bit.

But I think my favorite spot was Husk, which we were lucky enough to squeeze in for brunch right before heading back to Atlanta.  Bon Appetit voted them best new restaurant for 2011 and their menu really shows!  I highly recommend it.

I couldn't resist a few food shots since we were dining al fresco.

Shrimp and Grits

Biscuits and Gravy

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll with Maple Frosting

And finally, we spent most of Saturday afternoon admiring the gorgeous architecture and hidden gardens of Charleston.  I couldn't get enough of it.

I couldn't resist this photo op.  They're everywhere in Charleston!!  As if you needed another reason to visit this sweet, southern city.

Girl's Night Out Gifts

 Don't you love making a new friend when you least expect it?

When my son started preschool a few years ago, I had no idea I would met so many amazing women who were smart, funny, thoughtful, gorgeous, ambitious, successful.....I could go on and on.   These few women have become a source of daily motivation and encouragement for me and I have grown to absolutely adore them!  

A small group of us managed to clear our hectic schedules and sneak away to Charleston this past weekend.  Among the seven ladies who went, we have sixteen children so trust me when I say this took a lot of effort and coordinating and of course some very brave and amazing husbands.  (Next time around I hope more moms can join us!)

This week I'll be sharing some details from our trip including our favorite shopping spots and where we dined but today I want to show you an easy DIY gift bag you can put together for your next girls night out.  I did have to do some searching and advanced planning to color coordinate the items but you can find all the "pink" links below.

A few of my favorite things I tucked into the weekend swag bags:

Little i Personality Mints with Mirrored Tin
Emergen-C Health and Energy Booster Pink Lemonade
KIND Almond and Apricot Bars
Ghirardelli Chocolate Raspberry Squares
Essence Long Lasting Lip Gloss
Ms. Manicure File and Clipper Set

I found the Martha Stewart pink scalloped treat boxes at Michael's which made packaging these sweet treats a cinch!

I hope ya'll enjoyed the weekend and thanks so much for stopping by today.  Looking forward to catching up with all of you on Twitter, Facebook and your own blogs!