Posts

Mid-century glamour. All the drama and flair. Enter Fairlane 54, the Fairlane Hotel’s summer penthouse pop-up bar inspired by the legendary Studio 54. 1970s Manhattan was rollicking and alive at the Studio 54 nightclub, with likes of Michael Jackson, Elton John, Cher, Barbara Streisand, and Andy Warhol passing through the doors. It was a place to party in your most outrageous, sequined, sparkly zoot suit or anything else you wanted to wear and, of course, dance your heart out....

Fresh, crisp, and clean. These words are the essence of March, be it the early-spring weather or the glorious things happening in the garden. It’s time to plant some of the season’s tastiest items and then take them to the table for everyday enjoyment. Gourmet lettuce mixes are common in the produce section of the grocery store but often have steep prices. This spring, give your food budget a break, and plant your own blends of burgundy and chartreuse greens....

Saying that Southerners have a bit of a sweet tooth is like saying Bear Bryant coached a little football. Our sugar love is epic. And we’re conflicted about it—not because we feel bad about how many things we sweeten, but because we don’t feel bad at all—and we know we probably should. It’s our lack of guilt that we feel so guilty about. That’s why you’ll hear us use so many descriptors that telegraph “diminutive” when we tell you how much sugar we add: a tiny bit, the teensiest bit, a scant spoonful, etc....

We Southerners share certain memories—the smell of a freshly mowed lawn, the high-pitched cry of cicadas on sweltering days, the juicy taste of sweet watermelon, and the vision of huge crepe myrtles bent low by the weight of their blooms. Although native to China, crepe myrtles have set deep roots in our Southern soil, becoming a part of both our landscape and our traditions. The vaunted crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) arrived in England from its native China in 1759....

Skip the pricey, store-bought superhero costumes. Whether it’s for a Halloween costume or just general heroics around the house, treat your small superheroes to the most Marvel-ous (see what we did there?) accessories in the neighborhood. What you’ll need to make a homemade superhero cuff: Toilet paper roll (paper towel rolls also work well) Non-toxic paint Paintbrushes Scissors Glue Construction paper, foam shapes, glitter, self-adhesive gemstones, or stickers How to make the superhero cuff:...

If other plants haven’t been able to adapt to the low light in your home, you’ll be in the market for a pot of something that can stand up to the dark. Try nerve plant, a compact, low-maintenance houseplant with distinctive foliage and minimal light requirements. Nerve Plant Characteristics Nerve plants, members of the Fittonia genus, get their name from their appearance. It has dramatically contrasting foliage: The deep green leaves are veined with pink, white, or red, the look of which recalls the many-veined nervous system....

Brave Brits have been participating in the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake for six centuries. The bizarre and decidedly dangerous event takes place each spring on Cooper’s Hill in near Gloucester. It’s a race where hundreds of people risk life and limb to chase a wheel of cheese down a very, very steep hill. After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the silly event returned to the hill over the weekend....

People usually cruise down Route 66 in their cars, but this holiday season, a segment of the highway is seeing visitors walking down it—all thanks to thousands of brightly hued Christmas decorations. The Route 66 Christmas Chute in downtown Sapulpa, Oklahoma, features more than 20,000 square feet of decorations and more than 35,000 feet of Christmas lights. The display is broken down into 10 different chutes with different themes: everything from Candy Land to Santa Claus to a patriotic theme, said Will Berry, one of the organizers of the holiday themed display....

Scientists are on the hunt for monarch butterflies hunkering down for the winter in the South, and they need help. Monarchs typically migrate to Mexico for the winter months, but, according to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as their populations have declined over the last two decades, more have been observed wintering and even breeding in the Southern U.S. DNR wildlife biologist Anna Yellin told WABE that because monarch butterflies are currently being considered for listing under the endangered species act, it’s essential for the scientists and officials making that decision to understand their population and changing behavior....

The Kemp’s Ridley is the most critically endangered sea turtle in the world. Commonly found in Texas and Mexico, Kemp’s Ridleys are the smallest of the sea turtles, reaching only about two feet in shell length and weighing up to 100 pounds. According to National Geographic, Kemp’s Ridley populations have been unable to rebound after over-harvesting of their eggs during the last century. Commercial fishing and pollution certainly haven’t made things easier for the peaceful reptiles....

Over the past year, I’ve all but declared war on athleisure, opting for easy house dresses and breezy caftans in place of the leggings that once ruled my sartorial roost. I’ve found that dresses are genuinely more comfortable for me in the warm weather months, and unlike my once-loved athletic shorts, I never feel too casual running around town in a cotton midi. In my pursuit of the perfect dress, I’ve come back to one brand’s website to window-shop time and time again....

From wicker and chintz, to delicate embroidered florals, décor choices that were once considered old and outdated are now the look du jour amongst the mid-20s to late-30s set. Go figure, right? And thanks to House Beautiful, the nostalgic, grandma-inspired design trend that’s taken over Pinterest and Instagram even has a name. Behold: “Grandmillennial” style, a clever mashup of “grandma” and “millennial.” “Grandmillennial style is an Insta-meets-grandmother look,” Anna Shiwlall, owner of the interior design firm 27 Diamonds, explained to Realtor....

There’s nothing better than a fresh new pair of white sneakers. Now if only they could stay that way for more than a few days. If, like millions of Americans, you’re faced with the prospect of throwing away a perfectly good pair of shoes after a single season, we have good news for you. In a now-viral tweet, one Texas woman shared her brilliant way of restoring dingy white sneakers to their original glory....

Remember when you were a little kid and one of the best gifts you could give your mom was a handmade coupon book, redeemable for sweet and obviously free gifts like a massage, breakfast in bed, or one week of doing the dishes? You can understand now that it wasn’t the actual act that was so special, but the thoughtfulness behind each one and the fact that they typically brought you together....

You’re probably familiar with the saying, “Let sleeping dogs lie.” When it comes to your pet, there’s a reason you should follow this piece of advice literally. One study explains that dogs have been observed to sleep around 10 hours a day, but it can vary based on your pet’s age. There’s nothing cuter than dogs snoozing peacefully after a full day of play. Like humans, dogs can have dreams during REM sleep cycles....

It’s almost as certain as death and taxes. Unseasonably mild weather in late winter convinces your spring-flowering magnolia to open its blossoms too early. You get one day of glorious color before an arctic blast of cold air turns the flowers ugly brown overnight. Oh, well, there’s always next year, right? But what would you say if I told you that you could plant later-blooming magnolias that escape such carnage? What if I also told you these same plants bloom sporadically through summer too?...

As much as we deem ourselves generally good-humored and unflappable, boy does a chipped nail on a just-done mani really grind our gears. If we did it at home, that hour of painstaking prep, paint, and dry time goes down the drain. If we went to the salon, throw in a quickly scarfed-down salad during lunch hour and, oh, the money spent getting said manicure. deep breaths We’ve tried to learn the little things sabotaging us, the sneaky mistakes we’re making that cut the lifespan of a freshly painted (or dipped!...

Catmint, Nepeta x faassenii, is an aromatic member of the mint family. It’s a popular addition to gardens because of its fragrant foliage and pretty flowers. We like it for lots of reasons, including its array of blooming hues. Popular selections of catmint to plant include ‘Limelight,’ which has lime-green foliage and blue flowers; ‘Kit Cat,’ which has gray-green foliage and purplish flowers; ‘Select Blue,’ which has darker blue blooms; ‘Snowflake,’ which has white flowers; and ‘Cats Meow,’ which has flowers in shades of light blue....

The Easter bunny isn’t the only one delivering giant pink surprises this year—Mother Nature has a special delivery, too. On Tuesday, April 7, the night sky will play host to the Super Pink Moon—the biggest and brightest moon of the year. While the name “Super Pink Moon” seems to imply that we will be seeing a giant Easter egg hanging in the sky, sadly, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the name has nothing to do with its color....

When it comes to storing home goods and canning vegetables, Mason jars are the first piece of glassware Southerners grab. Not only do the jars have a farmhouse charm, but they’re also extremely versatile, too. And now, the glass jars can be used in more ways than ever before thanks to the Aieve Mason Jar Lids that make drinking and pouring liquids easy as pie. You can say these lids give Grandma’s favorite jar an upgrade!...