Posts

If you and your girlfriends are sparring over where to head for your annual group vacation, allow us to settle the debate. This year, head to Cleveland, Mississippi, a delightful town in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. A great road trip for many reaches in the South, Cleveland is situated halfway between Memphis and Vicksburg on historic Highway 61 with something that appeals to every kind of traveler. Below, five fun things to do while journeying around this happening burgh....

Love eggs? Love bacon? Whether you’re simply looking for a fun party trick over your backyard firepit or actually going camping, making bacon-and-eggs in a paper bag is bound to be a tasty hit. The easy method only requires the two breakfast staples and a standard paper lunch bag. For the cooking method, you’ll want to make sure you use thick-cut bacon (you’ll be using the porky slices to grease up the paper bag interior), and if you’re on an overnight camping trip, you can store cracked-open raw eggs in a water bottle....

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Chef Chris Shepherd’s Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation has been a lifeline to the restaurant industry, distributing more than $3,361,762 to restaurant and bar workers in need right now. Though Shepherd originally co-founded the nonprofit in 2015 to help a friend and former sommelier who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, in 2017, Southern Smoke forged a new path and began providing aid to those in the food and beverage industry in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey....

Standing in the paint aisle at your local hardware store can be overwhelming. There are so many options whether you’re looking at store display or a paint deck. It is never as easy as picking out a color you like. You need to consider the color palette of your room, the natural and artificial light variation throughout the day, and the type of finish you need. Here are some key things to keep in mind to become a pro for your next paint project....

Coastal living is just a dream for some, but coastal decor is for everybody. A conch here and a whelk there can add subtle style to any home, no matter the location. From the shores of the Atlantic to the South’s landlocked states, using seashells as home furnishings is a trend riding the high wave that we can get behind. “I don’t think it needs to be just for coastal homes....

Whether preparing it on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove-top, salmon is an easy, quick-cooking protein that is also delicious. The only trick is cooking it correctly. Salmon Internal Temperatures Like a piece of steak, you can cook salmon to varying degrees of doneness—whether you have fillets, steaks, or a whole side of salmon. Also, like a steak, salmon can go from raw to well-done or overcooked in minutes, especially if you are using high heat....

Dolly Parton will be making an appearance in the seventh and final season of Grace and Frankie! Parton will reportedly join her friends and collaborators, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, in the last episode of the popular Netflix series. Fonda teased the legend’s long-rumored cameo in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “It’s not just the fact that Dolly shows up. It’s how she shows up. What the story is that brings her on....

During these difficult times amidst the coronavirus pandemic we’ve looked to some of our favorite celebrity chefs for a bit of comfort. From Ina Garten sharing her tips for freezer storage to Ree Drummond teaching us how to make chocolate mug cake we’re grateful for the distraction and practical advice for these long days at home. Now, as part of her new social media video series, lifestyle guru Joanna Gaines has been kind enough to reveal the recipe for a Gaines family classic: French silk pie....

With more to be thankful for than ever, Krispy Kreme is celebrating Thanksgiving with a new collection of four festive doughnuts available in custom “gratitude boxes.” According to the Charlotte-based doughnut giant, 80% of Americans agree that celebrating Thanksgiving is more important this year, with nearly half of survey respondents planning to attend more Thanksgiving celebrations than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. And what better way to celebrate our return to near normalcy than with doughnuts?...

When Southerners close their eyes and imagine paradise, it often looks a little (OK, a lot) like a Florida beach. Sugar-white sand, sparkling turquoise waters, sea oats swaying in the wind, and there you have it: picture-perfect Florida. One of the downsides to our obsession with Florida’s coastline is that it can blind us to interior destinations that are just as worthy of a visit as their seaside counterparts. Case in point: Ocala, Florida....

Rumor has it that the world is about to get a little more Reba, which is always a good thing. The country legend announced that she has joined the cast of the ABC thriller Big Sky, which was just renewed last week for a third season. Reba McEntire will join the show when next season premieres, playing Sunny Brick, the matriarch of the Brick family. According to The Hollywood Reporter, her character is “a successful backcountry outfitter with a secret history of missing customers....

When she recently found herself alone in an airport with her two young boys in full meltdown mode, one Texas mama was greeted by an overwhelming amount of support by not one, not two, but three female strangers. In a now-viral Facebook post, Becca Kinsey recounts traveling home from Disney World with sons Wyatt, 2, and James, 5. The drama started while they were waiting in line for security with a screaming Wyatt, an exhausted James, and mama on the verge of tears after running around the airport to locate her lost ID....

Ever heard of a catbrier? What about a deer thorns? According to Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center, there are quite a few monikers for the greenbrier vine, a shiny-leaved, bright green trailer that would be pretty—if it was not so invasive. The problem is that greenbrier vines don’t ask for a lot at first. But they are not to be underestimated, and can take over your cool and shady beds faster than greased lightning....

Being a parent of a school-aged kid means birthday parties. Lots of ‘em. And birthday parties mean gifts, especially in the South. Even when parents specify “no presents, please” on the invitation, guests will inevitably leave a tower of brightly colored bags and boxes for the birthday girl or boy. In most cases, you, the parent, are stuck with the impossible task of choosing a gift for someone from a completely different generation, whom you may not have even met....

BUY IT: $22.99 (orig. $29.99); amazon.com “This exceeded my expectations,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “It is generously sized, washes easily, dries quickly, and is very absorbent.” Another shopper who traveled with their towels said, “Best item we took on our trip to Hawaii.” They also said they loved that they could use their towels as blankets and coverups when the sun became too strong or when the temperatures dropped. The Wetcat Turkish Towels are available in 33 colorways, all made from natural dyed yarn....

When it comes to design, there’s no denying that Southerners love a classic. And haint blue? Well, it’s definitely one of many Southern classics. The tradition of painting your porch ceiling this cool, green-tinted shade of blue can be traced back to the enslaved African people of the coastal South, who used the color on windows, shutters, and porches to keep away “haints” or spirits. They believed these evil spirits were able to shed their human forms in order to terrorize innocent victims at night, injuring or even killing them....

Business owner Nachand Trabue grew up in Smoketown, the oldest historically Black neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. She wanted to help her community, so when she left her job at the local utility company to open an events facility, Manhattan on Broadway, she knew it had to be there. “Growing up in such a rich community, even though we were underserved and under, [we] didn’t have the access to things that we needed around health and wealth, we still had a rich community,” says Trabue....

In case you haven’t heard, hot honey is having a moment. Whether it’s drizzled on top of a flatbread, displayed on a charcuterie board, or even given as a cute hostess gift, we’re seeing hot honey in homes all over the South. It’s even popping up at national establishments like Trader Joe’s and Hardee’s. What is the draw of this sticky hot elixir? It’s got to be the hot-sweet balance that lures us in, delighting the palate and packing an ordinary dish with just a bit more punch....

As we’ve all learned during the coronavirus crisis, all you need is an internet connection and some curiosity and the globe is at your fingertips—or the eWorld at least. This spring, we’ve enjoyed no shortage of virtual tours whether it’s a virtual hike with park rangers or an online spin around some of our favorite Southern botanical gardens. Now Austin-based travel points and frequent fliers website Upgraded Points is offering an incentive of $1,000 to one lucky person to kick back, zen out, and tune in for some incredible virtual tour experiences....

Ready to take a deep breath, crank the volume up, and escape for a lovely few minutes to a calmer, nostalgic state of mind? We know we certainly are. What’s that we hear? The echo of your hearty “yes, please?” Well then, join us an the late, great John Prine, as the celebrated singer and songwriter leads us on a journey with his final recorded song, “I Remember Everything.” Though we tragically lost the artist this spring due to complications from the coronavirus, “I Remember Everything” is a haunting, beautiful tribute to his cutting power as a songwriter—the lyrics both morose and uplifting, timeworn and delivered with breath anew....