Our November issue goes off to press this week, and we think it will be one of your favorites–it’s full of beautiful Southern homes and entertaining ideas. Here’s a sneak peek to start your week.
At Home Friday Favorites 10.30.09
An Ode to Southern Women
Our Best of the South issue is out, and we’ve been getting great reviews, including one reader who topped our Southern style with her favorite email “ode” to Southern gals. We thought all y’all would enjoy the read, shugahs, and hope y’all are fixin’ to have a good weekend. If you get timed of football, there’s always the DVD of Steel Magnolias (or your latest issue of At Home to read!).
Southern women know
everybody’s first name:
Honey
Darlin’
Shugah
Southern
women know their summer weather report: Humidity
Humidity
Humidity
Southern women know
their vacation spots: The
beach
The rivuh
The crick
Southern women know the
movies that speak to their hearts:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Driving Miss Daisy
Steel Magnolias
Gone With The Wind
Southern women know
their religions: Baptist
Methodist
Football
Southern women know
their cities dripping with Southern charm:
Chawl’stn S’vanah
Foat Wuth
N’awlins
Addlanna
Southern women know
their elegant gentlemen: Men in uniform
Men in tuxedos
Rhett Butler
Southern girls know
their prime real estate:
The Mall
The Country Club
The Beauty Salon
Southern girls know the
3 deadly sins:
Having bad hair and nails
Having bad manners
Cooking bad food
More
Suthen-ism’s: Only a
Southerner knows the difference between
a hissie
fit and
a conniption
fit, and
that you don’t “HAVE” them, you
“PITCH” them.
_____
Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens,
turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up “a
mess.” _____
Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general
direction of “yonder.” _____
Only a Southerner knows exactly how long”directly” is,
as in: “Going to town, be back directly.”
_____
Even Southern babies know that “Gimme some
sugar” is not a request for the white,
granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl
in the middle of the table. _____
All Southerners know exactly when “by
and by” is.
They might not use the term, but they know the concept
well.
_____
Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture
of solace for a neighbor who’s got trouble is a plate of
hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If
the neighbor’s trouble is a real crisis, they also know
to add a large banana puddin! _____
Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference
between “right
near” and “a
right far piece.” They
also know that “just
down the road” can
be 1 mile or 20
_____
Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the
difference between a redneck, a good ol’ boy, and
po’ white trash. _____
No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the
flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.
_____
A Southerner knows that “fixin” can be
used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.
_____
Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, …
and when we’re “in line,”… we talk to
everybody! _____
Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will
discover they’re related, even if only by marriage.
_____
In the South, y’all is
singular, all
y’all is plural.
_____
Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.
_____
Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits,
and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is
also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not
a breakfast food. _____
When you hear someone say, “Well, I caught myself
lookin’,” you know you are in the presence of a
genuine Southerner!
_____
Only true Southerners say “sweet
tea” and”sweet
milk.” Sweet
tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it — we do not
like our tea unsweetened. “Sweet milk” means you
don’t want buttermilk. _____
And a true Southerner knows you don’t scream
obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the
freeway. You just say,”Bless her
heart” … and go your own way.
_____
To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your
Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage
gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart!
_____
And to those of you who are still having a hard time
understanding all this Southern stuff, … bless your
hearts, I hear they are fixin’ to have classes on
Southernness as a second language! _____
And for those that are not from the South but have lived
here for a long time, all y’all need a sign to hang on
y’alls front porch that reads “I ain’t from the
South, but I got here as fast as I could.”
Southern girls know men
may come and go, but
friends are fahevah !
Now……
Shugah, send this to someone who was raised in the South or
wish they had been! If you’re a Northern transplant,
bless your little heart, fake it. We know you got here as
fast as you
could
At Home Room of the Week 11.17.09
Looking for some fresh ideas for your Thanksgiving table? (it’s just a little over a week away!) We’re thinking this crisply-white tablesetting in the Harrison home of designer Carolyn Grisham, owner of the Winterberry Home boutique in Interiors Galleria in Rogers, looks invitingly fresh.
We love the armloads of branches, gathered from her garden, the mixture of textural materials, and the fresh white slipcovers–handmade by the multi-talented Carolyn. We’ve got her full range of entertaining ideas available online.
Welcome Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita!
Hello there, At Home readers! What a treat we have for you today, because the gorgeous Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita is kicking off our Spring Guest Blogger Series! On her wildly popular and oh-so-chic blog, Paloma covers interior design, fashion, travel, great food, and inspiring people and places. Paloma stopped by our blog today to reveal a list of things that are making her happiest this spring. So keep reading, follow the links (by clicking on the images or highlighted words), and then open your eyes to a new appreciation for all of the beautiful things around you, no matter how small.
Thanks for stopping by, Paloma!
Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a season of renewal and promise. This lovely season evokes images of blossoming azaleas, the rebirth of flowers and our warm-weather wardrobes. I love the weather where I live in Houston during the spring. It is warm, but the outrageously hot months of summer are still an arm’s length away. On my blog, La Dolce Vita, I write about the elements that make up the good life: interior design, fashion, travel, food, art, and interesting people and places. Spring means so many wonderful things to so many people and it is one of the most beautiful times of the year. I’ve put together a list of my favorite items to help you celebrate the spring season.
1. Invitations by iomoi: I adore this stationery company. Their designs are so whimsical and chic. The three designs I have chosen are emblematic of spring. From the cheery combination of yellow, orange and pink to the classic pairing of turquoise and coral, or the whimsy of pink banana leaves, these fabulous invitations are sure to set the perfect tone for your spring soireé.
2. Peonies: My favorite way to bring the season into my home is by keeping fresh blooms. I love lush flowers like hydrangeas, roses and ranunculus, but my absolute favorite blooms are peonies. These voluminous blooms look fantastic in large bunches, like this arrangement in a room by Suzanne Kasler, but you can certainly put a single bloom in a bud vase and add an instant touch of beauty to any room.
3. Turquoise: This classic color has been deemed Color of the Year for 2010 by Pantone and it is all the rage in interior design at the moment. It works beautifully in so many combinations. Bold tones work in modern settings, like the room by Melissa Warner of Massucco Warner Miller on the left. Muted tones work beautifully in more traditional settings like the bedroom by Tobi Fairley on the right.
4. Giada at Home: Giada De Laurentiis is one of my favorite food personalities. I adore her casual, elegant approach to food and love her newest cookbook, Giada at Home. It is inspired by her Italian heritage and her life in California and is filled with delicious, healthy recipes. The recipe for Pea Pesto Crostini is very simple, but so delicious. It would make an excellent appetizer at your next dinner party!
5. Caldrea Essential Collection for Target: I have long been a fan of both Caldrea and Target, so I was thrilled to find out that Caldrea recently created a more affordable line for one of my favorite retailers. The scents and packaging are absolutely delightful. I have tried several of the products and have been thoroughly impressed by the fact that they are earth-friendly, highly effective and smell amazing. My favorite scents are Olive Oil and Herbes de Provence. Prices range from $5.99 to $19.99.
6. Signature Spring Cocktails: I usually only drink in social settings, a glass of wine at dinner or a glass of champagne at a party, but I do love a good warm-weather cocktail. The next time you are entertaining at home, choose a signature cocktail. Not only is it a way to simplify things, but it is also quite chic. Some of my springtime favorites are Mint Juleps, Champagne or White Wine Sangria, and classic Mojitos.
7. Natural Elements: Spring is the perfect time to incorporate both color and natural elements into your home. You can fill a bowl with starfish or seashells, display a beautiful piece of coral, or arrange some flowering branches to bring the feeling of spring into your home. My friend, Katie Denham, did a lovely job of “dressing†the table in her foyer for the summer months.
8. Dining Al Fresco: Spring is the ideal time to enjoy dining outdoors, especially here in the South. There is something quite romantic and elegant about dining al fresco. It is easy to make an outdoor meal feel special while keeping it casual. Be sure to keep the menu simple and light, especially in the warmer months. Start with one of the cocktails I mentioned before, serve something simple like a gazpacho as your starter, then pair a grilled dish with a refreshing salad, and you can have something as simple and delicious as pecan praline sundaes for dessert. Remember, candlelight can do wonders for the ambience at any dinner party, whether indoors or outdoors.
Room of the Week 6.15.10
Whether you gravitate to symmetry or not, there is something to the organized aspect of it all that does create a sense of comfort.
When designer Scott Paterek of Massimo in Little Rock showed me this dining room, I immediately fell in love. For one, it’s unexpected–it’s in a lake house that Pine Bluff residents Junie and Becky Simpson recently built in Hot Springs. Because they use it year-round, it’s not just your typical, seasonal getaway.
The contrasts are what caught my eye: a rough hewn floor, an elegant rug; a sleek marble table, rough seashells; formal symmetry, with a view of the rippling waters of the lake out the window.
(photos by Nancy Nolan)
Looking for a little more lakefront inspiration?
You can see the rest of the Simpson’s home here: Â Villa with a View
A few other favorites with water-side style:
