travel diary: bluffton, south carolina

Bluffton, South Carolina is a fun little stopover for anyone visiting Savannah or Hilton Head. My husband and I spent a few hours there while we were vacationing in HH this summer and we were pleasantly surprised at how fun and hip Bluffton’s become.

The charm is off the charts and there are several great restaurants and art galleries located within the square mile area known as Old-Town. The stately old Southern homes that line the narrow streets in downtown Bluffton recall another far-off era.  

Seven Oaks is one of the most prominent homes in town. The first owner was Colonel Middleton Stuart, who lived here prior to the Civil War, and then during the 1920's, Mrs. Elizabeth Sanders operated Seven Oaks as a popular and successful boarding house for salesmen and summer visitors.

It’s still a gorgeous and well maintained home today. Oh, how I’d love to have a peek inside!

This charming front-porched beauty is in need of a little TLC.

Bluffton was officially incorporated in 1852 and covered about a square mile of land that’s now known as Old Town. 

More and more homes were built at that time and fortunately for us, many of those homes are still as fabulous as ever!

I couldn’t get enough of the pretty homes on every street.  

Here’s a colorful one with plenty of Victorian details.

Someone’s not afraid of color!

A steamboat landing was built on the banks of the May River and allowed Bluffton to become a convenient destination for travelers between Savannah and Charleston.

Have you ever seen a more precious street sign?

It’s perfect for this area surrounding the playground.

As a stop on the ferry route between Savannah and Beaufort, services began on “The Bluff” of the May River in the early 1830’s when the young town of Bluffton was a summer resort for area planters. 

A Farmhouse Gothic style church was later built at that location in 1870, and lucky for us, it remains today, now known as The Church of the Cross.

Word is that the builders of this church sent to England for the rose-colored glass in the windows and inside, soft-pink scored plaster enhances the warm light which is a great contrast to the exposed pine timbers on the walls and ceilings.

This little church is a breathtaking sight to behold, especially tits perfect setting with it nestled under the Spanish moss lined trees and its location right next to the May River.

This little pink accented place is one of the charming art galleries on the main drag of town.

The Store seems like it’s been around forever and was even damaged by the fires set by federal troops on 1863 during the Civil War, but thank goodness, it wasn’t totally destroyed. It’s now being run as an antique store. 

This sign reminds me of the Starbuck’s logo.

The Corner Perk serves super-yummy breakfasts and lunch and their own specialized drip coffee, served tableside!

The morning we visited was a little rainy, but there was plenty of seating under the porch and inside.

Here’s a little peek inside the Perk.

Eat, Drink & Be Merry! 

Sounds Like a great plan!! 

ciao! fabiana

a pumpkin or two at the door

Our neighborhood is suddenly blooming

with Fall colors and décor!

I couldn’t resist snapping a few fun

and inspirational photos this morning

of some of my favorite front porches

here in Newport.

They all have one thing in common…

J Pumpkins!

There's something so charming about those
orange little guys!

   

So many of my favorite homes

are all dolled up for the season… 

All it takes is a festive pumpkin,

or a few, to create an inviting entry

for all the neighbors to enjoy!

In addition to our favorite chubby gourd,

a cheerful wreath or banner also

helps to usher in the spooky holiday.

This white and gray home is one of my favorites! 

Do you recognize this home from the

the Real Housewives of Orange County?

It was the home of Meghan King Edmonds until

they sold it a few months ago.

I’m glad to see the new owners get in on the Halloween décor as 

one lone pumpkin stand guard at the front door.

Cute Chinese paper Jack o’Lanterns add

 loads of charm to this home.  

And those of you who were on this year’s

Newport Harbor Home Tour

may recognize this home.

One of our faves!

How do you decorate your front porch for Halloween?

ciao! fabiana

adorable fall appetizers

How do you feel about “cute” food?

I’m all over it… the cuter the better!

So today, I have a couple of really fun fall

appetizer recipes to share with you.

My friends Amy, Caran and I are hosting

a birthday party on Saturday night for our friend Heather,

so I’ll be making both of these adorable 

and easy to prepare savory treats. 

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

16 ounces room-temperature cream cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

3 tablespoons minced white onion

2 tablespoons salsa

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno

1 cup crushed Cheezits or Goldfish Crackers

1 Bell Pepper Stem for garnish

With a mixer, blend all the ingredients. Place mixture onto plastic wrap and use the wrap to form the mixture into a 5-inch pumpkin-shaped ball including vertical ridges; chill at least 2 hours.

To serve, unwrap, roll in crushed cheese flavored crackers like Cheezits or Goldfish and press a bell pepper stem into the top. I like to seve this with a variety of crackers.

I plan on making the cheese ball a few days before,

so I have less to do closer to party day.

Then, on the day of the party, 
all I have to do is unwrap the cheese ball, 
roll it in the crushed crackers and 
add the stem as a garnish.

This second appetizer is really easy to make.

Just fill a hollowed-out orange bell pepper

with your favorite hummus and add pita chips.

🎃 So easy and quick! 🎃

When hollowing out the pepper, 
make sure to remove all the seeds and white ribs from

 the inside of the pepper and remember you reserve the stem

to use as a garnish for the Pumpkin Cheese Ball.

The spooky Jack-o-Lantern eyes, nose and mouth 
are easily made with a sharp paring knife.
Do this before you fill the pepper.

Isn't it great how

these two recipes work perfectly together?

ciao! fabiana

photo credit:

Food Network

Endlessly Inspired

a new book by molly sims

Oh, how I love to see inspiring

Halloween décor done right!

Isn’t this entry cute?

It’s the home of Molly Sims and right now,

I’m swooning over Molly’s overall style

and her new book entitled

“Everyday Chic”.

In it, she shares details of her own design style

and how she creates a healthy home environment for her family.

She also offers fun and helpful tips on how she manages

motherhood and keeping her family organized.

I first spotted this article in Good Housekeeping,

and I made a mental note to pick up her new book

the next time I was out.

“Everyday Chic” is just that...
inspiring ways to stay organized
with great style!

Molly's kitchen is stunning.
I love this counter to ceiling gray subway tile in her kitchen.

It's such a dramatic backdrop with all the white accessories!

I love the organic shape of the round table

and the natural woven light fixture in the dining area.

The light reminds me of an umbrella… so fun J

The tile continues all the way over into the

dining area covering it wall-to-wall

around the all white French-style doors.

But, what I really love about this book are her yummy recipes.

I'm trying this One-Pot Moroccan Chicken recipe tonight! 

(above)

Here’s a little tour of some other

favorite spots in her home…

Fabulous coffee table styling…

I’ll let you know how the

Moroccan Chicken recipe turns out.

Oh, my goodness, I just realized,

we’re halfway through this month already!

Wishing you a great start to the week…

ciao! fabiana

photo credit:

Good Housekeeping

Architectural Digest

Molly Sims on Instagram
MollySims. com 

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