Charlie's L'etoile Verte



We went to Charlie's L'Etoile Verte Restaurant for the adults' night out, on Hilton Head Island. The kids stayed back at the condo and had the delicious take-out gourmet pizza. The evening was very special to us. I was with my dear friends. We caught up in life, shared storied of our kids who are best friends, had some good laughs, and enjoyed our wonderful dinner. Charlie's came highly recommended, and I thought it lived up to the hype.

 Very inviting entrance, and cute front porch.

 Cozy decor all around.

  The menu is handwritten every day. I think it's quite lovely. Their cuisine is very French.

 Ribeye Steak, grilled, cracked peppercorn sauce. One of the best steak I've had!

 Local Triggerfish, grilled, fresh tomato sauce. I had a tatse :) It was superb.

 Key Lime Pie and Creme Cramel to share.

A group of great people in my life. They are friends that are like family to me. I love them a whole bunch.

XOXO

Beaufort, South Carolina

During our stay on Hilton Head Island, we also visited Beaufort. While we were falling in love with the charming town, we learned that Southern Living name Beaufort, "Best Small Southern Town", Garden & Gun magazine called them a "Southern Dream Town", and, Money magazine counted Beaufort as one of "6 Terrific Towns on the Water."

The Lowcountry has such unique character and personality. I love those moss-draped oaks we saw everywhere we went. Gullah descendants carry on ancestral culture, weaving artwork from sweetgrass and cooking some of the tastiest cuisine.

We walked around Beaufort National Historic Landmark District most of our visit. The weather couldn't have been any better. Such a gorgeous day we had. Downtown and The Point were wonderful to visit. The Point neighborhood is home to some of Beaufort's largest, oldest, and most expensive homes. Homes in this area range from the impressive mansions that overlook the Beaufort river to Victorian and Queen Anne style homes.

We strolled to the beautiful Waterfront Park overlooking the Beaufort River, where we stopped to grab a bite at Q on Bay, a family-style restaurant featuring BBQ and southern cuisine. Everyone enjoyed their lunch there.

Enjoying some shopping and ice cream

I am glad we went to Beaufort! At every turn there's a reminder of Beaufort's remarkable past. If the kids had gone with us, I am sure they would have really enjoyed the exploration as much as we did.



Harbour Town, South Beach Marina Village, & The Salty Dog Cafe - Hilton Head Island

A beautiful day to visit Harbour Town and Hilton Head landmark, The Harbour Town Lighthouse! Harbour Town in the exclusive Sea Pines Resort offers a variety of excellent shopping, fine and casual dining, boutiques and specialty stores, sidewalk cafes and bars, live entertainment, and a great place for family fun. We walked around, did some shopping, and had a delicious lunch at the famous The Salty Dog Cafe later.

After spending our 2-hour wait for a table enjoying ourselves at the Harbour Town, we moved on to the must-have lunch at the boys' favorite place, The Salty Dog Cafe. Of course, it was still gorgeous there, and the food was as wonderful as we looked forward to. Another great experience there.

Gumbo, "served with a little rice and a whole lotta love"

Fish and Chips 

Southern Style Fried Flounder, served traditionally with fries, malt vinegar, lemon wedge, and a side of Captain John’s tartar sauce.

When our server brought the check, she also brought some Salty Dog Salt Water Taffy for us. It was so good!Love the wrapper as well :)

Happy Monday

I used to dislike Monday, but when you love what you do, and do what you love, you enjoy it no matter what day of the week. It was a busy Monday for me -  but at the end of the day, seeing a friend and sharing good eat made it's all better. I stopped by at Taste of Thai restaurant in East Lansing to say a quick "hello" to my friend who own this hot spot for picking up tasty Thai food - for MSU students and East Lansing residents. She introduced me to her new items on the restaurant menu - Thai Curry Puffs, and Shrimp Spring Rolls. They were so delicious! And they reminded me of home.

Taste of Thai Restaurant
1105 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 324-0225

First Visit to Red Haven

What a great weekend! We had a fun and exciting soccer game, which followed by a big celebration. Then, Lynne, Gary, and I had a fantastic evening dining at Red Haven restaurant and going to Jackson Browne concert!

Let me tell you about the newly opened Red Haven! This 2,284 square foot restaurant, located near the corner of Hagadorn and Mt. Hope in Okemos, MI, serves tapas-style menu, and Michigan-made alcoholic beverages. Everything we ordered to share was fabulous - well-thought, creative, and delicious!

 [POACH]
egg, chinook salmon, arugula, caper, lemon 

Red Haven is owned by Nina Santucci and Anthony Maiale. Yes, Nina and Tony, owners of the Purple Carrot food truck! They will still serve food made from seasonal, local ingredients, while presenting farm-to-table concept - at their new beautifully-decorated, non-mobile restaurant.

 Featuring Michigan beer, wine, and spirits

We had a great first visit, and cannot wait to go back to try more items on the menu!

[Then, we were off to the Mortor City
for a wonderful performance by Jackson Browne, at the Music Hall Center.]

 

A Mother's Day Brunch

My son and I celebrated a Mother's Day with a lovely brunch at The State Room, together with my very good friend and her family. The restaurant is located inside the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The offered entrees were in a nice variety, and complimented with buffet lines of appetizers, salad, and beautiful desserts. Food and services were great. We had a very nice time!

The State Room was remodeled last Fall -- adding a stylish bar, and transforming into an upscale casual atmosphere. I love the new decors and ambiance, and think this would be a great place to grab drinks with friends. After all, they have one of the best wine lists in town if you haven't heard.

Set up for brunch is very lovely and inviting. 

 What's a brunch without a mimosa?

 All of our entrees include appetizer and salad buffet to start off.

Prime Rib  Traditional Yorkshire pudding, roasted mushroom whipped potatoes, asparagus, rosemary demi-glace

Lobster Supreme Casserole  Maine lobster, cheddar cheese, fresh garlic, macaroni, herb-crusted bruschetta

Grilled Shrimp & White Cheddar Omelet  Thick smokehouse bacon, roasted redskin potatoes, asparagus tips

Bananas Pistachio French Toast  House-made caramel sauce, herbed chicken sausage, fresh fruits of the season

 

Roasted Vegetarian Strudel  Eggplant, zucchini, wild mushroom, summer squash, red & yellow peppers, with walnut citrus rice pilaf, red pepper coulis sauce

 

Dessert time 

I hope you had a nice Mother's Day as well!

xoxo