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Published: January 31st 2018
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Dinner
Me at dinner enjoying the appetizer salad. Every year for the past 10 years, my husband and I have traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to celebrate Valentine's Day. What began as a random, unplanned trip as newlyweds has become one of our most endearing and anticipated traditions. From shaved ice and "crazy fries" on the boardwalk (think melted cheddar, jalapenos, and pulled pork atop hot and crispy fries!) to catching back-to-back movies at the island cinema, we have our little routine down of things to do, and for a decade, we've marked the same items off our list. We know where we love to eat seafood, where all the good discount shopping is, and of course, where to grab a coffee before walking on the beach at sunrise.
As a planner, I look forward to that trip every year. It's the off-season, so there aren't nearly as many tourists on the Myrtle shore, and everything, including lodging, is available at a steep discount. There are also tons of major attractions and tourist spots
still open, so we're still able to see some of our favorites, like the Ripley's Believe It or Not museum. There's just a significantly shorter line, now! We always stay at the same place, a little Hawaiian-themed throwback motel right on the south side. It's very old and no-frills, but it holds some of my most special and beloved memories ever.
This year, my husband and I were geared up to go back to Myrtle sans kids, as last year we tried to bring everyone and go as a family and it turned out to be an earache-fueled, meltdown-heavy disaster. We ended up coming home three days early, losing an Airbnb deposit, and seriously double-thinking taking an extended family vacation for a while, at least until the babies are a little older and can appreciate the time and work that goes into creating those types of memories!
However, a recent job change for him and another work conference for me meant that our time off around this part of the year was going to be scarce. He's slated to begin at his new position on Monday, and my work conference lasts only until this Friday, so he decided to come with me! Not one for too much networking or schmoozing, I welcomed the addition and backup, and we've both never been to New Jersey before (where the conference was held) so it's been such a fun experience to share together.
A Jersey Date Night to Remember While I'm tied up in technical writing conference sessions the majority of the day, he's been able to get out and explore the local shops and restaurants by foot. While that's been enjoyable, if this were going to be our replacement for that very special (and very traditional) Myrtle trip, we thought it best to make it a bit more romantic if at all possible. So last night, after my last session was done, we had a little night on the town!
As we didn't have a car and had taken a taxi to the hotel, we didn't have any transportation. This could have easily been a minor setback, but we used it to our advantage! We researched
limousine rentals in the area and found a great company at an even better price. We dressed up in our finest date night garb and let the driver take us to a fabulous little Italian restaurant in the city over. We'd found it online and it definitely didn't disappoint! I had the lobster ravioli while he enjoyed his favorite dish, chicken parmigiana.
We ended the evening at a little spot called
McDonagh’s Pub, where we enjoyed some live music by two local rock bands. Before we had kids, my husband and I used to love to take in concerts and spent tons of time traveling to see our favorite artists, so to stumble upon this hidden gem was such a fantastic surprise! We stayed up way past our bedtime, then hopped back in the limo and headed back to the hotel.
The rest of this week looks like keynote speakers and notepads and tons of coffee and stale pastries for me, but I'm so grateful for that one night that my husband and I got to sneak away together. It might not be Myrtle Beach, and there might not be waves, fresh catches, and coastal vibes, but there is plenty to see, celebrate, and appreciate right here. It's true, you know, wherever we are is where home is. This week, I'm glad to be at home with my husband in a state that's new to us, but quickly becoming one of our favorites.
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