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When we were in Palmetto Bluff over the weekend two events were happening. Garden and Gun magazine was holding its annual Made in the South awards. As a magazine editor/fan girl, I was stalking keeping a close eye on that activity/those attendees.

Meanwhile, the rest of the resort seemed to be there to celebrate a wedding between two very stylish New Yorkers—and at least one style blogger guest. Katie was much more focused on that activity. (Seriously. It’s been three days since we returned and she’s still sending me screenshots of Instagram pics from the wedding.)

Both events looked beautiful. The magazine’s party was held under string lights next to the water with oyster shells underfoot and live oaks overhead. The wedding was held under a huge tent in the main square. This photo above is of a section of the backdrop for the band. (Hello, seriously detailed decor.)

I’m not super into weddings, but I love this look. I want it as a running centerpiece on a long table top. Or as a backdrop for a photoshoot. Or just to put in my living room and stare at because it’s so gorgeous. So, I’m posting it here mostly to remember for when I throw my fantasy dinner party. And, of course, just in case you too wanted to just stare at it.

Weekend in Palmetto Bluff/Heaven

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I traveled to Palmetto Bluff this weekend. And it was glorious. This was my second time at this charming resort, which is set on 20,000 acres in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and I’m a little in love with it. Every part of the setting is perfect—from the hundreds of live oaks dripping with Spanish moss to the bright white egrets that perch along the shores of its waterways.

And the resort only enhances the setting. White cottages, tin roofs, and gas-lit paths make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time—but into an incredibly luxurious version of history, complete with endless recreational options, inventive cocktails, and high thread count sheets. Oh, and in case this didn’t already sound like heaven, there are extra-extravagant touches like puppies running around as “canine ambassadors” and a “S’mores Cart” that pulls in so you can roast your own variation of the gooey treat in the riverside firepit every evening (you can’t make this stuff up).

I went with my friend Katie and we had the best time. Highlights included an afternoon kayaking trip, a long morning bike ride, a PB&J cocktail made with peanut-infused bourbon, a fireside pizza-and-wine dinner, and those aforementioned s’mores. Returning to the real world wasn’t easy. Here’s a peek from our trip:

 

 

Three Happy Things

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I’ve yelled once and cried twice this morning. I haven’t been this emotional since I heard the news of the national avocado shortage last month.* So, because there aren’t enough anxiety meds in the world for me to continue in this state for the next four years, I’m working on positive thinking. Here are three things making me feel happy—and cozy—right now. Maybe they’ll do the same for you.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

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These chilly nights are turning me into a soup addict and I’m currently obsessed with this one. It’s a perfect mix of creamy fall with hints of Asian flavors. I prefer to sub in chili oil instead of sesame oil to give it some extra heat.

Holiday-Scented Bubble Bath

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I was on a warm sugar vanilla kick for awhile. It smelled faintly of holiday cookies. But then I just decided to really embrace the dessert-scented bath products. So, now my bathtub smells like high caloric breakfast food and I love it.

Apple-Brandy Hot Toddies

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This made-in-NC brandy has the perfect amount of sweet apple flavor. The best way to drink it is by mixing a little bit of water and honey in a saucepan. Heat that up, and then stir in the brandy and some fresh lemon juice to taste. Pour it in a glass mug and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Repeat as necessary to stay warm.

*To be clear, I’m not actually taking these election results lightly. Because I’m a woman, an American, and, you know, a human, I’m deeply disappointed and sad.

 

Amusement Park Ruins

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I spent the weekend exploring. I’ve been working on a book (my publisher would want me to insert here that it’s called “Secret Charlotte” and it’ll be out in Spring 2017), and it’s taken me to the most unexpected places.

The book features 95 different “secret” things about Charlotte from alleged ghosts to unusual foods. And while they’ve all been fun to research, I’ve definitely had my favorites. One of those is Lakewood Park.

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This was an amusement park similar to something like a Coney Island that was on Charlotte’s west side from 1910 to 1930. It had a lake with row boats, a pool, a zoo, a roller coaster, a carousel, and, most famously, a pavilion known for its dances. During WWI there was a large Army camp in Charlotte and Lakewood was a favorite spot for soldiers.Then, the Depression hit and the park’s popularity quickly faded. Shortly after that, a storm caused the lake’s dam to break and lake disappeared.
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Yesterday, I drove to the area where there hasn’t been a park in almost a century. The streets are still named things like Parkview and Lakewood, but where there was once a lake is now a power station. And where there was once a bandstand and a carousel and a bathhouse, now there are warehouses. But the old trolley tracks that brought families from uptown Charlotte to the park are still there. They’re long since grown over and seem to lead to nowhere, but they’re there.
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I’m dying to explore to see if there are any remnants of the past, but this didn’t feel like a particularly safe choice. (There used to be a tunnel from the lake to the amusement park that went beneath the tracks. Surely, there’s still some sign of it?) So, I went home and played on Google Earth. No luck. So, I came in to work this morning and begged my team to accompany me (as bodyguards) to the tracks. They’ve agreed.
So, stay tuned. (For either news that I’ve been murdered or photos of our finds.)

Donuts and Democrats

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It’s the last day for early voting here in NC! So, I’m waiting in a chilly line about 300 people deep to cast my vote. About half an hour ago I decided I’d reward myself after with a hot donut for standing in the cold to do my civic duty. 

I’m pretty sure this is exactly the process the forefathers intended.

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Last night I went to Verse & Vino, the annual fundraising dinner for Charlotte’s library system. I go to a lot of these kinds of things with my job, but this one is definitely one of my favorites. Its highlights are buying books, meeting their authors, and drinking wine. If they could somehow throw puppies into this mix, this would actually my fantasy party.

Last year’s event convinced me to read ALL of Karin Slaughter’s books, two excellent novels by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Balm and Wench), and a disturbing book by Chris Bohjalian called The Guest Room.

Last night, Rumaan Alam spoke briefly about his debut novel, Rich and Pretty, but the real power of his speech was in telling the crowd to get it together with this HB2 stuff in North Carolina. Meanwhile, Tom Rinaldi made me literally cry in his description of personally reading his book, The Red Bandanna, to the parents of its subject, Welles Crowther, who died after saving lives on 9/11.

My favorite part of last night though was hearing these authors describe their own experiences with the library. Do you remember going to the library as a child? I do. I can vividly remember being a small child and carrying large stacks of books up to a counter as high as I was to check out. I remember the thrill of getting my first library card.

These days I download most of my books from an app that never requires me to leave my bed, much less step inside a library. But I love that they exist. And last night convinced me that it might be time to go spend an afternoon in one.

 

 

Star Struck

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I had a cool day yesterday. In the morning I gathered around a table in a sunny room filled with fashion writers to speak with famed designer Lela Rose (above). She was open and down-to-earth and charming. She’s also gorgeous and effortlessly stylish. So, totally intimidating.

Then, later in the day, part of the team I work with was sponsoring a political forum for the upcoming election so I got to spend some time backstage pre-talk. Lara Trump was there to represent her father-in-law and it was fascinating to see her and the GOP machine in action. But way more fun was having the chance to meet Melissa Joan Hart (as in Sabrina and Clarissa), who was there to speak for the Libertarian party.

She introduced herself to me by saying “Did I just see you at Panera?” I said no, wishing it had been true so MJ and I could bond over our shared love of soups in sourdough bread bowls. She was incredibly nice. Later, I literally interrupted her from studying the crisis in Syria to take a photo with me and she agreed.

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Some day, these will be fun stories to tell the grandkids. But the truth is, these weren’t my favorite parts of the day. The best parts of my day were when I got to go watch a talented friend teach a SkillPop class. Or when I got to Facetime with a close friend who lives too far away in Texas and can inevitably make me laugh. Or when I got to call my little brother to wish him a happy birthday.

This probably sounds trite. But it’s true. And I forget it a lot, so I’m writing it to remind myself too. The other stuff is fun to post on social media and it’s a great perk of a job I love. But that’s not the stuff that ultimately makes anyone happy. It did make for a pretty cool Wednesday though.

Sweet Potato Simple Syrup

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Last night I had this aptly named “Dirt Candy” cocktail at Charlotte’s The Asbury restaurant. It was made with Cardinal Barrel Rested Gin, orange and cardamom, and sweet potato simple syrup. And was just as amazing as all that sounds.

After drinking it, I had a brilliant idea (as is usually the post-cocktail case): Why not use this magical sweet potato simple syrup in place of regular simple syrup in my favorite drink, an Old Fashioned? This version would have the extra-autumnal flavors of sweet potato with all my favorite things (bourbon and cherries).

So, now I have big plans. Sound good to you too? Here’s the recipe for sweet potato simple syrup*:

Roast a medium-sized sweet potato in the over until soft. Place 1/2 cup of it in a saucepan with one cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring as sugar dissolves. Let the syrup cool before pureeing it and straining through fine mesh. Refrigerate and then drink up.

*Alternate, easier plan: Go to The Asbury and order this drink.