Welcome to our blog. We document our adventures in travel, style, life and all things Southern with grace and a touch of humor. Hope you have a nice stay!
Historic Missionary Ridge sits high above and looks down on the sprawling City of Chattanooga. It played a very important part in the Civil War and homes were being developed here as early as 1880. At one time, it was a city unto itself, home to the wealthy industrialists of the time, with its own Mayor, schools, churches and transportation.
I'm officially snowed in today and this has me craving a big old pot of Southern goodness. In these gray and sunless cold winter days, nothing is more fulfilling to both body and soul than a bowl of hearty soup! I hope you enjoy this roundup of some of the best the South has to offer! Give the recipes a try and let me know how you and your family like them! Follow the links and give a big thanks to the wonderful chefs who created these fabulous recipes! Bon Appetite!
I must admit that I was a little surprised by this color selection from Sherwin Williams. Although it is a beautiful color and will work with everything, it is just a little warmer and strikingly similar to Revere Pewter, which has been a "neutral" staple in the decor world for several years.
While Champagne will always be the traditional drink of choice for New Year's Eve, it is always fun to have a selection of drinks and mixers available. Every year I have a signature cocktail for everyone to try as the celebration gets under way during the evening.
There is nothing better than ushering in 2017 with a glass of sparkling Bourbon Cherry Ginger Fizz. This by far is one of my favorite cocktails to make – fresh, festive, colorful and super easy to make.
Nothing can make a New Year's gathering more festive than a well-styled bar cart with all the accouterments your guest's might need to whip themselves up a cocktail or grab a little snack. Since I live in a smaller space, I used my tray table and two totally different pieces of art; one an oil painting, to create an Elegant Low Country feel and the other, a fun piece of Mad Men-esque Graphic Art.
I spent this past Friday evening with a great group of people celebrating the birthday of my beautiful friend Kim. This is her new house on Lake Chickamauga that she shares with her husband, daughter and two beautiful dogs, Jake and Zeus. It is a truly stunning masterpiece!
I hope you enjoy the tour, with the house all decked out in Christmas finery. She has a beautiful family and an equally beautiful home.
Our family has, what is perhaps a strange tradition for Christmas Eve Dinner in the South. Spaghetti! And to expound upon that concept, it is not just any Spaghetti, but the food that saved my life!
I know, you are probably thinking, what? How can spaghetti save someone's life? The story goes like this:
A Blog about The Art of Gracious Southern Living
Hello everyone!
Thank you for choosing to be a part of our journey! We want to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves and hopefully get to know you a little through your comments and suggestions!
We are born and raised proper Southern ladies, living in the beautiful Scenic City of the South, Chattanooga, Tennessee. We are true best friends, confidants, sisters from another mother and utter partners in crime!
From traditional decor, Southern living, musings and literature, we have something for everyone!
When you need a moment to relax, come enjoy the beauty that exists in our marvelous city! We have something for every member of the family! I hope you enjoy the holiday tour and we look forward to having everyone get to know the Scenic City during this wonderful time of the year!
There is something about tartan plaid that just speaks to me. It reminds me of my heritage and has a way of imparting a timeless feel to everything it touches, from cozy flannel bedding to Christmas stockings hanging gently from the mantle.
Cozy tartan plaid accents have a way of saying "Welcome": to winter, to the joys of the holiday season and it adds that special touch to festive times spent with family and friends.
For the fashionista, tartan plaid is a beautiful way to add that extra special punch to any winter outfit and it makes for a gorgeous holiday evening gown! You can't go wrong by choosing these special pieces to add to your winter wardrobe!
I set out on a quest this weekend to honor Small Shop Saturday and ended up at Hunt and Burrow Mercantile, a local Artisan Shopping Mall. It is a truly splendid place, filled with all things handmade, antique and fantastically original.
A quote from their Facebook page is a great summation of their quest: "We are committed to promoting our region's artisan ethos by providing workshop and studio space. Makers find the ideal showcase for their finely crafted goods here with us. Creators of rustic modern furniture, vendors of one-of-a-kind home goods, and hunters of antiques all find a place here. Our large building boasts room enough for a diverse collection of local craftsmanship."
Ten perfect holiday gifts with a touch of Southern flair. From a gorgeous monogrammed blanket scarf to the stunningly beautiful blue fountain pen, the gifts presented here will warm the hearts of the special ladies on your gift list!
Any meal in the South is not complete unless there is a pitcher of sweet tea at the table. And if the table is very big, there are usually several pitchers set about for easy reach. Generally, sweet tea can be served in just about any type of glass, from the humble Mason jar, to the finest footed crystal goblet.
For the holidays or any special occasion, it always makes for a stunning table to pull out the finest goblets that you have and set the table in all the festive finery you can find. Not only does it show your guests how happy you are to have them in your home, it denotes the importance of the celebration.
There is one certainty in my life, well actually two if you are counting, but firstly, Christmas is my favorite time of year and secondly, I am in love with way too many dinnerware patterns! Mix those together and I seriously need a storage unit just for my china, crystal, silver and all the matching goodies!
But as my Grandmother used to say, "Now Holley, a Southern lady can never have too many dishes or too many pearls." Such a lovely lady she was and a true Southern Belle! In fact, I'm sure that this strange obsession that I have was inherited directly from her. And if that is the case, I'll take it and wear it with pride.
There are many different styles and types represented here, from ultra formal to whimsical, very affordable to expensive and vintage to brand new, but I love them all and I hope you will too. Enjoy!
