I looked down. My ankles were crossed; my gloved hands rested lightly in my lap; I hadn’t spilled a drop of our 10-minute-break Sprite on my tea-length dress. Why, then, was my instructor gliding briskly towards me, her perfectly lipstick-ed lips pursed grimly in my direction? She fanned the trifold cotillion pamphlet under my nose, the glossy forest green type leaping off the cream cardstock. “No. Black. Tights,” she declared....
Looking to sell your home right now? Many turn to a realtor to help them get through the often headache-inducing process. Though, as Andy Taylor, GM of Credit Karma Home, puts it, “[while]there is no rule that says you have to work with an agent, a real estate professional can help guide you through what is nearly always a stressful and complicated process, and ensure you get the most traffic through the door and close a deal at a great price....
Atlanta’s High Museum of Art is a destination for art lovers from around the South and around the world. In addition to the museum’s impressive collection of more than 18,000 works of art—which includes 19th- and 20th-century American fine and decorative arts, folk art, and photography, among other growing collections—the High has an exciting schedule of special exhibitions planned for 2021. Among the upcoming programs are collections of photography, paintings, and found-object art....
Tuscan kale has lots of names. It’s also called dinosaur kale, black palm, Italian kale, and Tuscan cabbage. With that many titles, it has to be loved—and for good reason. Growing kale is easy in the garden and is delicious as well as versatile in the kitchen. Its textured, blue-green leaves are great in salads, stews, pastas, and casseroles. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, it is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat....
During these trying days amidst the coronavirus pandemic, music has been a powerful source of comfort and hope for so many of us amidst the chaos of the daily news reports. One such beacon of light? Country music star Keith Urban. Though Urban was initially slated to host the Academy of Country Music Awards on April 5th, the annual awards show was postponed to September 16th due to the coronavirus outbreak....
Matthew McConaughey is working to provide relief to his fellow Texans in the aftermath of last week’s devastating winter storm. “As most of you know, my home state of Texas was just hit with the worst winter storm it’s had in the last 70 years. It left a whole lot of people without power, without water, and without a whole lot of basic necessities,” McConaughey said in a video posted to Instagram Sunday evening....
Sandra Bullock reportedly donated $250,000 to Central Texas Food Bank to help in the aftermath of last week’s historic winter storm. The Austin-based nonprofit, the largest hunger-relief charity in Central Texas, shared the news of the donation on social media Wednesday. Bullock, who lived in Austin for a number of years, made the generous gift on behalf of her Ocean’s 8 castmates. According to the foodbank, it will help provide a staggering one million meals....
Out of all the fashion trends that have come in and out of favor in the past decade, athleisure has become the long-standing favorite. It allows comfort to be key without forcing style to go out the window. What we’re seeing now isn’t just breaking out your favorite old pair of sweatpants. (Though there is always a time and place for those.) It’s all about flattering, stretchy, functional athleisure that also can double as a put-together look for running errands or meeting friends for coffee....
Summer unofficially kicks off over Memorial Day weekend, and there are plenty of reasons to celebrate. For shoppers, the holiday is all about the thrill of discovering the best sales, with product mark-downs and specials running through the weekend at top retailers across the country. Walmart, for one, has incredible deals on hundreds of products, including everyday necessities and summer must-haves like grilling, cleaning, and backyard gadgets. The best part? Prices start at just $8, with specials for every style of shopper—from home chefs and beach lovers to outdoor enthusiasts....
Back in 2011, we interviewed author and designer, James T. Farmer III, (who is now Editor-at-Large for Southern Living) on his secret to drying hydrangeas. If these gorgeous buds are still blooming in your yard, you may want to check out this foolproof guide. THE OBJECTIVE: Successfully drying these iconic Southern plants to use in arrangements. THE SECRET: Use water! “I probably get more questions about drying hydrangeas than anything else,” says designer James T....
The SEC “just means more”—more winning that is. Our beloved conference boasts more than 200 national championships across two dozen sports. We’re not just good at football in the South; we’re also good at basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, track and field, cross-country, swimming, boxing…you get the idea. And the fans are as passionate as the athletes. From our cars to our customs, everything is bigger in the South and that includes college sports fandom....
In the South, thank you notes are taken quite seriously. They’re considered an art, in fact. The highest form of manners. There are many moments that call for the honor of a hand-written note, from expressing gratitude to someone who hosted you or included you in a group occasion to reiterating appreciation after a job interview or when someone does you a favor. You can write a thank you note just because you feel that a friend deserves it, on a random Wednesday to your sister, or when you have a new set of stationery you want to use....
Visit Davidson, North Carolina, and you might wonder if you’ve stepped onto the set of a Hallmark movie. You’ll find easy access to Lake Norman and its 520 miles of shoreline, and downtown Davidson nearby, which is made up of beautifully restored historic buildings that feel decidedly postcard-worthy. It’s a beautiful place to eat, shop, and unwind for boaters and non-boaters alike. Where to Eat & Drink If you go to just one restaurant in Davidson, make it Kindred, located in the heart of historic downtown....
Living in your barn has been a practical choice for farmers for centuries. After all, barns tend to be giant open spaces with more than enough room for a small apartment for the busy folks working on the farm. In recent years, though, turning a barn into a “barndominium” has become a trendy choice, rather than a practical one. What Is A Barndominium? A barndominium is a condominium within a barn, which had a portion of its space converted to meet the needs of residential living or, in some cases, was built to that purpose....
Amidst quarantine life, we’ve all been leaning on our streaming platforms for entertainment more than we’d like to admit. Maybe we splurged and are now enjoying British mysteries galore on Acorn. Maybe we finally caved and got that Hulu account. Maybe we’re still debating whether or not we should add Hallmark Movies Now, Hallmark Channel’s on-demand streaming video platform, to our collection of digital channels. (Our answer: Yes, yes you should!...
Looking for your next inspirational read? Look no further than Hope Has a Cold Nose by Christine Hassing — which came out this September — about the special bond between military veterans and their service dogs. The author and inspirational speaker was moved to work on the project after learning the grim statistic that 22 U.S. military veterans die from suicide each day. While earning her master’s degree, Hassing met a veteran and his service dog, and after hearing about the tremendous impact the dog had on his owner’s life, she knew she wanted to do something to bring this story to the wider public....
The time for setting our minds toward a fresh start are upon us. Talk of words of the year, what will be given up, and what will be gained are circling about like the constant hum of a swarm of honey bees. There are, of course, still some of us who prefer to sit back and let the others do all the self-improving whether out of a belief that we’re darn near perfect already (we respect it), a concession that resolutions rarely pan out, sheer laziness, or maybe a mixture of all three....
Bourbon, barbeque, and hot browns—Louisville, Kentucky, has more than horse racing to celebrate, as its food scene has some of the best Southern staples in the region. This city has something for everyone between old-fashion, historical sites featuring local produce and unique culinary creations highlighting international foods. Home of the Hot Brown, a Lousiville sandwich must-try is roasted turkey, crispy bacon, and tomatoes, all piled on Texas Toast. You can expect to find some excellent dishes with delicious inventions such as this....
Rejoice, barbecue lovers: brisket is good for you. A team of clever researchers at Texas A&M set out to prove that barbecue is not just a good taste, but good for you, too. They found that beef brisket contains high levels of oleic acid. Why do you want high levels of oleic acid in your brisket? For two reasons: Oleic acid produces high levels of HDLs, or what your doctor will tell you is the “good” kind of cholesterol that helps lower your risk of heart disease, and it lowers LDLs, or the “bad” type of cholesterol, which increases your risk of cardiac issues....
Dreams come true, y’all! In a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Dolly Parton revealed that after decades of sharing the spotlight, she and Reba McEntire have finally joined forces on a song. Parton shared that she and her longtime friend “just” cut a new version of “Does He Love You,” McEntire’s Grammy-winning ballad featuring Linda Davis that topped the country charts in 1993. “It turned out really good....
