Detour by Way of the Shindig

You know what I really love to do in the summer? Take an unexpected road trip with my honey! Inevitably fabulosity always ensues. For example, this weekend we decided to take a slight detour on our drive to the beach and stop off in Florence, Alabama for Billy Reid’s Shindig. Talk about Southern hospitality! Florence was one of the friendliest towns we’ve ever visited–from the waiters to the mayor. And, thanks to the Shindig, was also full of great music and fantastic food! Highlights included St. Paul and the Broken Bones, JD McPherson, and meeting Mr. Billy Reid himself. There was also a brunch by Chef John Currence that I will be dreaming about days from now and a fascinating panel on “Telling Stories in the Modern South” with John Paul White, Natalie Chanin, Billy Reid, Michael Sellers of Good People Brewing (which we are now in love with), and New Orleans’ chef Donald Link moderated by John T. Edge of the Southern Foodways Alliance. Here are a few pics from the weekend…

Alabama road trip | Secrets of a Belle

Hello there, California!

Exciting news: This week I am in California for the very first time visiting Maker Faire for DIY. Michele and I are having the best time exploring San Mateo and meeting thousands of other people that are just as passionate about the maker movement as we are. I’ve got some great content to post for you next week but, in the meantime, follow me on Twitter and Instagram for the latest!

Super Happy, Fun Times with the Slaughters

Do you ever have one of those weeks that makes you look back and say, “Wait… what just happened?” We’ve basically had that kind of week. So, just for fun, let’s play a little catch-up.

Last week, I got in a wreck. (I’m totally fine–no worries!)

The next day, Husband found me a new bike. It’s a Hollywood Cruiser that I have affectionately named Betsy Schwinn.

The day after that, we bought our very first new car: a Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI. I now have a car that is not only gorgeous and comfortable but will hold large canvases, groceries, and my dog all at the same time. I am in love!

On Friday, we drove to Nashville to see Tower of Power live at the War Memorial Auditorium. ToP is Husband’s favorite band, and he has been trying to see them in person for about 15 years. They did not disappoint. We danced our way, along with Bestie and lots of middle-agers with hair reaching to Jesus, through an incredible show! If you aren’t familiar with them, here’s a little taste…

On Saturday, we drove south to Chattanooga where we heard some gorgeous music performed by the best high schoolers in the state–the stop was a carry over from Husband’s band directing days. Then, we spent the rest of our day eating ourselves silly at St. John’s and the Stone Fort Inn’s Terra Mae. (We just love staying at the Stone Fort Inn. If you’re in the area, it is so charming!)

We wrapped up the weekend with a day of antiquing and (you guessed it) more eating with a show at the Tivoli. BILL COSBY! Can you believe it?! He was amazing. He was perfect. He was everything I wanted him to be, and I now find myself even more obsessed than I was before. I just adore him so much.

Finally, on Tuesday, we got invited to see a great show at The Bijou: Chris Thile with Brad Mehldau. It did not disappoint.

So that’s the gist. In between there were lots of other things but really, we are out of time and I could use a nap. So instead, please allow me to gift you the recipe for my latest drink of choice.

Pour yourself a glass of prosecco. (Cupcake is my personal favorite.)

Then, simply throw in a slice of lemon and a sprig of lavender from your garden. Trust me. It’s Springtime perfection!

Regular posting will commence again this weekend, with some BIG news coming next week. xoxo*

Debra Shriver: Take It With You

Let me start by telling you about an afternoon in late summer that I spent reading in Central Park. I sat down on a park bench next to The Met, the different languages of the passing park guests were like music, and 2 hours later I looked up and realized I was still sitting in the same spot in the middle of Manhattan. I had been lost in New Orleans–or, more accurately, in a love story to New Orleans. I was reading Debra Shriver’s first book: Stealing Magnolias.

Several days later, I found myself near the top of the Hearst building sitting in front of quite a spread: iced tea, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, & a few of the other Southern delicacies that are so hard to come by in the city. In a city of 8 million people, I’d found a corner of Southern hospitality that made this overwhelmed Southern girl feel right at home thanks to the *lovely* Debra Shriver.

When I asked her about how these Southern roots had influenced her life in New York, she said simply, “I take it with me.” That seems to be her way of saying that the people and places she’s come from–the traditions, the food, the language, the lifestyle–inform her everyday life.

Raised in Alabama, Debra comes from four generations of working Southern women who not only taught her to have a good work ethic, but also taught her to make a mean jambalaya. Whether it’s hosting a dinner party in New Orleans or Southern hors d’oeuvres in her New York office, you know immediately that this lady is the real deal. She’s the epitome of a belle: poised, driven, and the perfect hostess. “I can leave New York at 7am,” she said, “arrive in New Orleans by 9:30, and feed 40-60 friends a great Southern meal by 6.”

Today, Debra is self-proclaimed “New-New,” she and her husband divide their time between New Orleans and New York City. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans or New York, you know that they both seem to be on their own time table. New Orleans is the definition of laid-back. There you can take your time to enjoy the meal, enjoy the music, enjoy the drink… New York, on the other hand, seems to constantly be running at a quicker pace than the moment before. Why, you ask, would Debra choose to be a “New-New”? Because she has this “art of living a more beautiful life” down. It’s not about where she is, it’s about the lifestyle that she takes wherever she goes.

For example, recently the Shrivers down-sized their New York digs. Why, you ask? To move into a historic building where Debra can walk to work every morning instead of getting caught in traffic. (She had to sell several china patterns in the process from what I understand… tragic, I know, but que sera!) She takes the time to get to know her neighbors. She’s invested in the city. She values living and working in historic buildings–in places that have a history & a story of which she and Jerry, her husband, are now a part.

This is also true of her other home in New Orleans. After the devastation of Katrina, the Shrivers were among the first to buy and restore a home. They’d always loved the city: the people, the pace of life, the history, the food. So it seemed only logical that they would put down some roots there. In her first book, Stealing Magnolias, she writes a captivating story of restoration and a love letter of sorts to the city. Her new book, “In the Spirit of New Orleans,” she wrote for people who want to really experience the city.

“In the Spirit of New Orleans” will be released by Assouline next month. Whether you’ve been to New Orleans a million times or are just beginning to plan a trip, this is a book you’ll want on your shelf mainly due to the fact that it gives you a real feel for the city. Shriver’s writing is so vivid, so descriptive. You can almost hear a horn player wailing on the high notes in the corner of a smoky room. She paints a beautiful picture of the mysterious spiritual aspects of New Orleans. And, perhaps a favorite feature of mine, she has loaded the book with resources. Everything from what restaurants to eat at, how to mix a sazerac, and how to translate the language of Mardi Gras. (After all, your first New Orleans cotillion is not to be taken lightly, my dear.)

Where to Read It: on the front porch where you can watch the world walk by
Reading Cocktail of Choice: Sazerac

Get the book, read about the traditions and the history, and then “take something with you.” After all, that’s what the art of living a more beautiful life is really about. What choices do you make that allow you to live a beautiful life regardless of your location? Perhaps it’s walking to work in the city like Debra or turning on a little Louis Armstrong while you cook a big pot of gumbo for dinner (recipe on page 94). Read Debra’s books and then take something from her story of New Orleans. Me? Well, I’m probably going to spend the afternoon listening to a little Ella and learning to make a Ramos Gin Fizz (page 106).

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Notes:

You may have seen my live tweets from the book release party at Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant in Harlem. If not check them out.

You may also want to follow @DebraShriver on twitter… obviously, she’s fabulous!

Snapshots of NYC

So far this quick trip to NYC has included:

– A visit to The New York Public Library… of note: Lunch Hour NYC and seeing the original Winnie-the-Pooh (I always have to pay him a visit.)

– Martha Stewart’s American Made event in Grand Central Terminal

– Ari Meisel’s talk at Grind: The Art of Less Doing

– The Century of the Child at MOMA

– Lots of wandering around the city with my honey.

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One more day in the city, and I’m topping it off tonight with a book release party for Debra Shriver that is sure to be swoon-worthy. If you don’t already, follow me on Twitter and Instagram to see Live tweets from the event!

The Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston, SC

A few weeks ago, just as the leaves were starting to hint that Autumn was finally arriving, Husband and I drove down to one of our very favorite Southern destinations: Charleston, South Carolina. Usually we spend the bulk of our trip eating & drinking our way around the city, going in and out of shops in historic downtown, and laying out on Folly Beach. But this time, we decided to visit some of the old plantations, and one in particular had an inn that looked like it might be right up our alley… Boy, were we right!

Middleton Place is home to the oldest landscaped gardens in America. It was acquired by Henry Middleton in 1741 and restored by the family at the turn of the 20th century. As a designer, it was fascinating to actually see the historical progression of the design: first geometric (modeled after the gardens at Versailles) and the subtly transitioning into the Romantic period with more winding walkways and shorelines.

Here are a few snapshots from our wanderings…

We were both amazed at how much wildlife surrounded us as we made our way around the property. There were beautiful peacocks, cranes, & guinea hens, sheep, lizards & frogs, and, of course, beautiful butterflies darting in and out of the bushes near the butterfly lakes.

Above, you can see all that is left of the original home and below, you see the view from that house’s front steps. Many guests and businessmen would come by boat along the river and walk up the terraced lawn to that very path.

This last statue was particularly interesting to me. The “Wood Nymph” is something of an icon for the house. She’s one of the only statues and works of art that survived the American Revolution and Civil War. In fact, we heard that she was actually buried during the Civil War so that the Union troops, who looted the house, wouldn’t steal her away. She’s sort of magical, don’t you think?

Now let me tell you a little bit about the inn…

We arrived late Friday evening and were immediately enchanted. As you turn off the main road, the Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the lights guiding you into the plantation make you want to be as still and as quiet as possible. The design of the buildings has a bit of Asian influence; clean purposeful lines allow you to get as much out of the beautiful surroundings as possible without interfering too much with the natural world. In our room there was a wall of windows looking out on the Ashley river, a fireplace, and a great big tub complete with a Charleston soak… perfect for drinking champagne and reading the latest issue of Garden & Gun.

We were both amazed at the attention to detail; everything we needed was right at our fingertips. While we chose to spend a lazy Saturday morning reading the paper, sipping coffee, and watching the little lizards change colors as they darted from one thing to another, we could just as easily have taken out a kayak or gone for a swim. It was all right there. One small note: I would recommend going in to Charleston proper to for lunch and dinner… the food was the only thing that failed to blow us away on the property. Other than that, it was an absolutely dreamy weekend, and I can assure, we will be returning to The Inn at Middleton Place very soon! Might I suggest you do the same?

Sneak Peek

We had a pretty incredible weekend, and I can’t wait to share it with you! I’m off to edit some photos and write a few posts but, in the meantime, here’s a little sneak peek of what’s to come on the blog this week…

The Launch of Social Primer

Have you ever met someone via Twitterland and known immediately you would be friends? Well, that’s how I felt about Cooper Ray. I just couldn’t help it. When I first met Cooper in person, he was a month out from his now much-lauded premier presentation, and he was a true force of energy. Cooper is one of those rare people that can pour you a glass of scotch, invite you to sit down at his table, and immediately make you feel like you’re one of his oldest & dearest friends.

So when we got the invitation to his show, an invitation “from the men of Social Primer… to join the brotherhood,” it was not only an invite to a New York Fashion Week presentation, it was a chance to support Cooper. If you read his blog, Social Primer, you know Cooper as an etiquette expert, a successful businessman, and a designer that has recently partnered with Brooks Brothers to produce a line of reversible bow ties & the classic tailgating blazer. (Can you tell he was raised in the SEC?) You will also know him as a quintessential Southern gentleman, born and raised in Alabama, and now hailing from ‘the Holy City’ of Charleston, South Carolina. If you follow him or read him, you know him. So it should come as no surprise that when he put out the call to his band of faithful followers to invest in the future of Social Primer, they responded by the thousands. ($25,742 to be exact)

You see, there’s just something about that spirit… maybe it’s Southern, perhaps it’s preppy, maybe it’s ‘the brotherhood,’ but, whatever it is, Cooper has it. He didn’t just give a presentation, he gave a presentation in one of the most venerable settings in the city. As guests entered, we were handed a book of “Pledge Rites,” a special edition of his Bill of Rites for the American Man and a Scotch. (Note: I’m sure there were other drinks, but for the Southerners in the room, that was all that we needed.) And, as we walked over to view the collection, we were greeted by none other than his *lovely* mother, a sweet lady donning pearls and beaming with pride. The looks were fantastic as modeled by a ‘pledge class’ rotating intermittently on risers. I’m still swooning over one particular red sport coat. The contrast fabric ties that made him famous are really cranked up a notch. His details were spot on: notice the SP tshirts… his logo was even embroidered on the shorts. But, of course, you’d expect nothing less… That’s just how Cooper does things.

Please Note: Some images are mine. Some come courtesy of Mr. Ray.

Rocky Top in the Big Apple

I was born in Tennessee, but, for the first few years of my life, my family didn’t actually live here. Then, when I was 9, we moved to East Tennessee. I was less then thrilled at my new surroundings, and this was only exacerbated when, on the 1st day of school, I was shoved into a large group of singing 4th graders. They had just burst into a song about a girl that was ‘half bear the other half cat’ and something called ‘corn from a jar.’ I was appalled.

Husband and I in 2005. We actually used this picture for the ‘guest book’ at our wedding, and it now hangs in our bedroom.

Fast forward 18 years and my husband & I are both UT graduates, two of our best friends actually said their wedding vows on that ‘hallowed hill in Tennessee,’ I have been known to partake of ‘corn from a jar,’ and I have seen for myself the original written lyrics of “Rocky Top” hanging in the home of the esteemed former Pride of the Southland director WJ Julian. (For the record, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant literally crossed a few other animals off the list before deciding she would be ‘wild as a mink but sweet as a soda pop.’)

Now, I will be the first to tell you that football is not my thing. Sure, I love picking out a cute outfit and tailgating for a couple of hours up the hill from Neyland stadium. I appreciate the spirit & talent of the SEC, but the main reason I go to football games is to see the band form the Power T. I am known to leave football games after the halftime show because, by that time, I have usually lost interest whatever it is those boys are doing on the field.

However, today, football may have been just what I needed. Around 4, Husband and I made our way to a bar in Midtown Manhattan called Traffic and watched the game with a room full of other Big Orange fans dressed, of course, in orange and singing “Rocky Top” loud and proud. In a week full of high fashion, busy streets, and hot subway rides, it was exactly what I needed. New York City is fun, but it can get overwhelming and make a southern girl like me feel very alone. Isn’t it funny how a song that at one point in my life I found so alienating can now make me feel so at home.