Tuscany or Traveler's Rest?
Three years of married life in the blink of an eye. Drew and I looked at each so many times over this weekend and said things like, "has it really been three?" It has, and each year has somehow topped the one before in every way. Marriage is such a unique, intricate gift that we are still unwrapping, and I never want to stop. I'll try to refrain from all the emotions I'm still high on, but Drew has every inch of my heart--and I feel like the luckiest girl that he pursued me, and hasn't stopped. And before you think everything is perfect, it's not and isn't going to be--but we both seek reconciliation quickly when there is conflict because there is no guarantee that tomorrow is promised and we've resolved to not waste the time we have being upset. (We also both have very poor memory and won't remember details unless they are documented, so this post is to help us with our premature Alzheimer's.)
The idea for this beautiful place all started a week ago at my dear friend, Emily's bachelorette dinner at Hotel Domestique in Traveler's Rest, SC. The bridal party had an incredible dinner overlooking the vineyards and NC mountains and I raved to Drew when I got home about the food, the views, and the ambiance. It felt like we had taken a plane to quaint bed and breakfast in Tuscany, instead of the twenty-five minute drive right outside Greenville.
As he usually does, Drew listened, planned and surprised me with a night at this new-found gem for our anniversary and I couldn't have been more excited to show him what I was swooning over for the past week. The hotel is very intimate and small with only ten available rooms. From the time we arrived, it felt like we were the only people the staff were attending . The decor is modern and rustic, with lots of exposed beams and metal details with odes to the sport of cycling. The owner, George Hincapie, was part of Lance Armstrong's Tour de France team and has done a great job of putting his personal touch and affinity for health in each detail.
We ate dinner at Restaurant 17 and enjoyed every bite! I ordered a strawberry salad that was almost too pretty to eat with a small plate of duck confit Asian steam buns (basically Asian tacos, but forgot to get a picture). Drew had an aged steak on top of pesto tossed potatoes and my bite was delicious :)
strawberry shortcake bites on the nightstand when we arrived
I had already planned dessert (portable cooler and ice pack included), so we passed on their menu and Drew had a pint of Halo Top Chocolate ice cream and I had my favorite flavor (Arctic Zero Brownie Blast) in our swanky robes while we looked through all of our wedding pictures. It brought back so many memories and was a special way to describe how we were feeling during different parts of the day leading up to the ceremony. Drew reminded me that the only sour moment he had the whole day was how I handled the "cake feeding" part since I was pretty aggressive and it ended up in both his nostrils :/
Each year, we take a few minutes to share something that the other person brings to our relationship that we particularly appreciate and enjoy; and then also something we would like to see the other improve on in the future. It's a really special conversation and I would encourage everyone to take time to praise their spouse for their strengths, because marriage allows two people to be so much stronger when they are united than the would be as individuals.
Friday morning, we ate, explored, lounged by the pool and I went for a short run up and down the long driveway of the estate. Hotel Domestique doesn't have it's own gym, but guests can use the Cliffs facilities down the road for a $10 fee. We decided it wasn't worth it, and I ended up going to the gym later in the day (my monthly Planet Fitness membership is $10, so I just couldn't justify it). The sweeping views and sunshine were enough to make me never want to leave!
We will definitely be back in the future--it's a relaxing, intimate escape that I can't wait to make again. The athletic and natural, yet luxurious vibes were perfect for us instead of stuffy as some more expensive hotels can feel. I loved how it felt like we had traveled far away, but in reality I was able to meet friends for lunch the same afternoon we left. But far more than any one-night getaway, I'm thankful for a generous, thoughtful, incredibly patient, chiseled-jawed husband that I will love forever!
