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I was saddened to learn of the passing of my longtime friend Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump, who died at his home in Point Clear, Alabama. I first met Winston in 1962 at the University of Alabama where we studied creative writing under Professor Hudson Strode. At the time we were self-conscious about reading our first, raw attempts at fiction to the class. Neither of us had any idea we’d give in to a literary calling....

Garage walls—they’re kind of outside, kind of inside. Some are temperature controlled, others aren’t. They can double as laundry rooms, storage rooms, man caves, and more. It’s a lot to take in and can pose quite the conundrum when trying to determine which variety of paint is best for brushing on the walls, but we did the legwork, and it all comes down to ventilation. While a couple of other factors do weigh in, it’s the fumes in an enclosed space that rule out exterior paint....

Go check your peanut butter cache, because Jif is recalling some of its products over salmonella concerns. The J.M. Smucker Co., which owns Jif, has voluntarily recalled multiple peanut butter products, sold under the Jif brand, that were distributed in the U.S. and Canada in retail stores and other outlets. The incident was isolated to Smucker Co.’s Lexington, Kentucky, manufacturing facility and does not impact any other peanut-butter-producing facilities, per the FDA....

When you can’t jet off to the lavender fields of the English countryside, you can still perfume yourself in their fragrance. How? With the Jo Malone Lavenderland Collection, a selection of limited-edition colognes that pair lavender with other lovely notes to create dreamy fragrances that, as they say, write “a new lavender story.” Southern women have always been inspired by the fragrances found in our gardens. Many of our most-loved perfumes include blooming notes—blushing rose, blossoming peony, fresh lily—and now we can add serene lavender to that list....

Fluffy isn’t a word often used to describe a classic pumpkin pie. Spicy? Sure. Dense? Probably. But fluffy? Well, that’s a new one. So how does Julia Child’s Aunt Helen’s Fluffy Pumpkin Pie recipe manage to associate itself with such a lofty adjective? What is her trick? And, more importantly, does it taste good? Child’s pumpkin pie recipe was first published in Parade in November 1982, back when she was writing a recipe column for the magazine....

Many families have recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. For Ikeda Feingold, that recipe is a cocktail first made by her Japanese grandmother in the summer of 1970. It was a celebratory drink to toast Ikeda’s birth, crafted with shochu (a Japanese liquor similar to vodka) and infused with fruits and botanicals plucked from the garden. Nearly 50 years later, Ikeda introduced her take on the cocktail to Savannah with The 1970, a 19-ingredient, 70-proof liqueur that can be served on its own or stirred into a drink....

For born-and-bred Californian Patrick Hayes, the love-at-first-sight moment when he moved to the South started with the architecture. “Coming from Orange County, where everything was pretty new, I was fascinated by the beautiful hundred-year-old Craftsman-style homes I’d find around Nashville,” he recalls. But Hayes’ awe quickly turned to disenchantment after learning a hard truth. With Nashville in a real estate boom, developers were plucking up the architectural gems with one intent: to build anew....

Galveston has long been a favorite destination for Texans seeking a laid-back experience on the Gulf Coast, but several recent updates and renovations in the area mean that it’s the perfect time to reintroduce yourself to this fun coastal city. Head to Galveston Island for the beaches and stay for the surprises—there are more to find now than ever before thanks to a big roster of revitalized beaches and rejuvenated hotels....

It’s quite an honor to have a plant named after you. It’s an even bigger honor when that plant sports a flower with the most intoxicating fragrance in the world.Dr. Alexander Garden, a Scottish physician and naturalist, moved to Charleston in 1752. He corresponded with English merchant John Ellis, who just happened to be a good friend of Carolus Linnaeus, the famous Swedish botanist. Linnaeus had developed the genus-and-species system for scientifically naming and classifying plants....

Now you can send the Sweet Magnolias fans in your life a special holiday message from JoAnna Garcia Swisher while raising money for a good cause. The ebullient actress, who stars as Maddie in the Netflix hit series, has teamed up with Cameo and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to raise funds and awareness of childhood cancers and other life-threatening diseases. Cameo, a video-sharing service that allows stars to send personalized video messages to fans, has partnered more than 700 celebrities who have pledged to donate a percentage of their Cameo proceeds to benefit St....

Southern women are all about sticking to a beauty routine. Mama has been wearing Shalimar since you could register smells, and you’d be daring to suggest she swap out her signature red lip. But every now and then, an incredible foundation or fancy new skincare tool comes along that she can’t ignore. If you’ve been considering swapping out that tube of mascara in your makeup bag, it’s time to try Tarte’s Maneater Mascara....

Considering a major home renovation or planning to sell your digs? Simply looking to upgrade the living room wall paint? The Property Brothers have some thoughts for you when choosing paint colors. On an episode of HGTV’s Property Brothers: Buying and Selling, dubbed “Condo Dreams,” Drew and Jonathan Scott are not pleased when they see these two colors gracing the walls in the client Roseanne’s home, as Realtor.com originally reported: Red and yellow....

You can’t have a covered dish luncheon, a church potluck, or an Easter brunch without them. Deviled eggs are the ever-humble staple of the Southern dinner table: They’re always dependable, always delicious, and (no matter how many you started with) always gone by the end of the meal. The ideal deviled egg in my book – and I’m well acquainted with the slippery snack – is piled high with a light, whipped mixture of hard-boiled egg yolk (duh), mayonnaise (Duke’s, please), a little mustard, and a sprinkling of paprika....

The first time you see it, at a young and naïve age of five or ten, you’re utterly repulsed. Five years later, at an awkward age of 15, you’d rather take a nosedive in the high school bleachers than give it a whiff. Then just like that, you get it. Tomato pudding is the bomb. This is a tale as old as time in my family. You want to hate it, and you hold on as long as you can, not understanding why all of the adults can’t get enough—fight over it, even, throwing elbows in the sideboard line on Thanksgiving Day!...

Duke’s Mayonnaise and Champion Brewing Company have teamed up to create the ultimate accompaniment for the South’s favorite sandwich. The beloved mayo company has partnered with the Charlottesville-based brewery to produce a beer crafted specifically for drinking with a mouthwatering, Duke’s-slathered BLT. It’s the beverage we never knew we needed! The Vienna-style lager, aptly named Family Recipe, is available now at Champion’s breweries, restaurants, and retailers across Virginia and North Carolina....

With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the season’s greetings you’ll be mailing out to friends and family. The content of holiday cards generally changes year to year to reflect growing families, children, and pets, but for many people, the list of folks who receive them often does not. “Most people, out of habit, stick to the same ‘holiday card list’ they have used for years and sometimes decades, which is often outdated for one reason or another,” says Diane Gottsman, international etiquette expert, author, and founder of the Protocol School of Texas....

With the old-timey appeal of Mayberry, the quirky characters of Stars Hollow, and a laid-back attitude that’s all its own, Dahlonega, Georgia, strikes small-town gold. Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this easygoing community offers sweeping views and plenty to do, with hiking trails for the adventurous, an impressive collection of North Georgia wineries for weekend tours and tastings, and a historic town square with worn brick facades centered around a courthouse, which dates back to the state’s early 19th-century gold rush....

Labor Day represents a moment of transition—the final turn from summer to fall, the start of school and full return to the working world. Labor Day is also a holiday meant to celebrate the hard work, grit, and dedication of generations of American workers. The summer provides a nice break from the stress of school and work, allowing us to relax and refresh with a carefree attitude. But Labor Day offers a chance to celebrate the signature American work ethic and the value of workers’ persistence and dedication....

Attention romcom fans! This holiday season you can stay in the adorable British cottage from The Holiday—no passport required. That’s because Lucy Small of State and Season is bringing an exact replica of the house from cult classic to the Atlanta area. The Blue Ridge-based designer says she got the idea online. “I’m part of a lot of groups that just enjoy cozy things, no drama, a good book and cup of tea next to a nice smelling candle....

An 82-million-year-old dinosaur egg is currently on display at Auburn University. According to Auburn University Museum of Natural History (AUMNH), the fossilized dinosaur egg includes an intact embryo, and is the “most complete” dinosaur specimen in the eastern United States. The two-inch egg was washed out to sea millions of years ago. It was protected by the layers of sediment that formed around it until the 1970s, when it was discovered by a group of teens near Selma, Alabama....