A Little Lowcountry Mischief
We spent the weekend on Kiawah Island with my husband Dave’s lifelong friends and their spouses. It’s the kind of group that has known each other long enough that stories overlap and no one needs context. There is something deeply grounding about being around people who knew my husband long before the version of him I married.
There is a quiet gift in marrying later in life. Each day offers the opportunity to learn something new, and this weekend not only felt easy in the way long history allows, it felt like discovery. I heard stories I had not heard before and saw the dynamics that shaped him long before I entered the picture.
There is also something fascinating about being among a group of men who have known each other since youth. The maturity level drops almost instantly. Grown adults dissolve into teenage boys within seconds, resurrecting old jokes, old rivalries, and versions of themselves that never quite disappeared.
And watching it all, hearing it all, knowing it is part of him, I found myself loving him even more.
The weather lent itself to warm sweaters, roaring fires, bundled beach walks, and slow mornings spent storytelling over hot cups of coffee and tea. We gathered around a wooden farm table worn smooth by years of family meals, the kind of table that seems to hold wisdom in its grain, as though the conversations from decades past never fully left.
It was a well-rounded weekend of activity with golf, pickleball, meaningful meals, and exploration. One afternoon we drove into Charleston and wandered King Street without much of a plan, drifting in and out of boutique shops filled with treasures of every kind. One store held our attention longer than the rest and quickly became the capstone of the day.
Marsh & Magnolia deserves its own paragraph.
Bravo to the trio of best friends who own this prized jewel. It became the unexpected highlight of our excursion.
Tucked along the edge of Hotel Bennett in Charleston, Marsh & Magnolia offers far more than a typical souvenir shop. It reminded me of Corazon Playero, where you custom design a boho beach hat, but this carried a distinctly Lowcountry vibe. Similar in concept, entirely different in execution, and undeniably fun.
We stepped inside partly out of curiosity and partly to escape the gusts of wind whipping down King Street. It didn’t take long before we settled in. The men gravitated toward the in-store counter bar, beers in hand, while the women stood admiring rows of felt hats in varying tones lining the walls.
Having just written about refined decisions, this felt almost poetic. I built a prompt designed around making authentic and aligned choices, and Marsh & Magnolia offered me the opportunity to apply that method in the moment. I wasn’t reacting to trend or impulse. I was curating my design and my own look from the ground up.
The type-A in me fell completely in love with the process. First you determine your size. Then you choose the hat itself, selecting the crown shape, brim length, comfort, and fit. Once that foundation is set, the real fun begins.
Ribbons, leather bands, subtle branding irons. Small details that entirely transform the personality of a piece. There is something deeply satisfying about building something no one else will own, not because it is exclusive, but because it is specific.
With the help of Ellie, the most talented young designer, I took my time. I swapped out bands, created new combinations, checked in with Dave for his opinion, trimmed the brim to exactly the right width, and had the hat fitted and refitted until it sat the way it should, like a well-worn glove. The final version feels distinctly me, understated and intentional, grounded in a color palette that genuinely nurtures my soul. She branded it with a small shamrock as a nod to our wedding logo and stitched my new initials, “LL,” into the band.
It was slightly indulgent and entirely unnecessary, which is precisely why it felt so worth it. I also knew it would fold seamlessly into the aesthetic of our upcoming travels, more on that in the weeks to come.
As we head home from a short but fulfilling weekend away, I am sharing this simply in gratitude. My recent trip to Switzerland was structured, quiet, and deeply inward. Kiawah was social, unplanned, and full of laughter. Different energy, the same kind of reset.
Leaving home does not mean leaving behind what you know works. Switzerland was a cocoon. Home provides its own equally controlled environment. Travel, when done thoughtfully, can offer the same steadiness.
Even in the midst of it all, including the travel, I remain committed to making refined choices, the kind that leave me feeling physically well and mentally grounded.
Recalibration does not always come from silence. Sometimes it arrives through good friends, a cold coastal breeze, and a hat you designed yourself.
Always EDITing,
Leslie
Matcha To-Go
Everything to make a matcha latte. I’m not a coffee drinker, and I don’t leave it to chance. I’ve been traveling with these essentials for as long as I can recall.
Licorice Root Tea
Licorice root tea is my after-dinner drink of choice. Decaffeinated, flavorful, and a refined alternative to a strong digestif. You can always find a tea bag tucked into my travel pouch.
Palo Santo
Hotel rooms are unpredictable. Palo Santo isn’t. It’s a great way to clear the air. Just make sure to bring matches too.
Get Going
Travel disrupts my system. Get Going keeps it consistent. Recommended by my acupuncturist. I always keep back-stock on hand. Running out is not an option.
Theo of Golden
I am currently savoring every word of this beautiful book given to me by my wonderful neighbor. A few pages before the end of the night help to wind me down.
NuCalm
This app is my new obsession. It offers deep sleep melodies at specific frequencies to slow brain wave function to levels required for optimal relaxation and recovery. And it works, and Dave loves it too.