When You Wish Upon The South

image courtesy of Sweet Iced Tea Pictures

I had the wonderful priviledge of a weeklong vacation at Disney World in Orlando, Florida last week (thanks for being such a good sport, husband, when I acted like a child in awe of all the magic and for riding “It’s a Small World” ride, even though the song is still stuck in your head), and while I truly believe it’s the most magical place on earth, as its name suggests, I spent my week on the lookout for tastes of our beloved Southern states.

image of Sweet Iced Tea pictures

Even though Walt was a Californian, he and his Imagineers clearly have a love for the South. Once I started looking, the South was everywhere. From a sip at the New Orleans booth at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, to the Liberty Belle Riverboat taking us to Tom Sawyer Island to explore, to the Song of the South prominently featured on Splash Mountain. Not to mention the beautiful Port Orleans Resort.

at Disney with our beloved in-laws

beautiful palms in Orlando, Florida - image of Sweet Iced Tea photos

But the part I’m most excited about is the new movie (plenty promoted in and around the park, of course) The Princess and the Frog. It takes place in our beloved South! In the Bayous of Louisiana and is based on the classic fairy tale of the princess and the frog prince. Randy Newman and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band are on the soundtrack. Look for it next month!

Anyone want to go see it with me?

OnWater Journal

Where do you find happiness? It is in the written word, or song? In a moment of inspiration or peace? Perhaps you find it is simply doing what you love most, which could be anything really.  I am always so impressed when I cross paths with individuals who are doing what they love, and who are brave enough to know that “if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly” (T. Roosevelt, 1910). 

My uncle Dave, launched a new magazine last Friday, OnWater Journal, and I couldn’t be more excited for him as he lives out his life’s passion.  Uncle Dave has a strong affinity for the water.  Growing up as a beach boy aided him on this track, but he found his way to fishing, to be specific, fly fishing.  We live in a great area for fishing, and he has travelled near and far to share in his gifts and talents and now extends himself further with OnWater Journal.  While Uncle Dave is a great fisherman, the magazine nods to all things outdoors.  This maiden voyage for the magazine has interesting articles, great pictures, and you will even find a recipe from my dear old dad. 

I hope you will enjoy, and subscribe for all future publications. 

Congrats Uncle Dave, OnWater Journal is sure to be a hit!

Road Trip: Oxford, The Grove

So the first stop on our main event (well, after we finally got off the exit and found a parking space–all part of the experience!) trip to Oxford, Mississippi was The Grove.

A  picturesque park in the middle of campus, this heart of Ole Miss is tailgating headquarters during football season.

Thousands of tailgaters bring their tents, “refreshments,” and friends out rain or shine and party until the game starts. And plenty of others keep on going through the game, bringing elaborate televison and sound systems to make sure to watch the game.

If you’re going to spend time in Oxford, the Grove is an absolute must. You’ll never see anything like it. Make sure you wear your Sunday best. You’ll see many more prim dresses and gentlemen in ties than you will t-shirts and hoodies. All part of the Southern charm!

 

Road Trip: Oxford, University of Mississippi

Of all of the exciting places we visited on our fall 2009 road trip, I was most excited about a day trip to Oxford, Mississippi.  Boasting the University of Mississippi, Oxford, is an hour and half away from Memphis and is literally in the middle of nowhere.  On our drive to Oxford, I could not help but be reminded of the movie “Big Fish,” and as Edward Bloom happened upon the town of Spectre, it was almost as we were on his path, a destination in mind, but no real plans. 

As it turned out, our traveling trip to Oxford happened to be a game weekend, a big game weekend.  While Traffic from the Alabama and Ole’ Miss game thwarted our time of arrival in Oxford, we were able to enjoy lots of the sights, meet a few great people (who we will introduce next week) and also experience college football tailgating at its finest. 

Overall, Oxford was a successful and beautiful part of our trip, and I was happy to venture out to the middle of nowhere and find such a great city! Oxford is a college town full of life, restaurants, and tons of great old homes.   I am hoping to get back soon! Maybe we will see you there.

The Four Coursemen

The ever creative city of Athens, Georgia has yet another feather in its cap with the world unveiling of the Four Coursemen.  Food and Wine Magazine featured this “underground,” Athens supper club in their November issue.  Now, I must admit I am very excited about the future of this group, but I am also a bit anxious. Will I ever find an open weekend, with an open seat?  Here is what happens with the Four Coursemen, they send out an email letting everyone know when their website will accept reservations for the next dinner.  From here you must go to the website at the specified date and time, and sign up via the “eat with us” link on the website.  It is basically a first come, first serve approach. Seats fill up almost instantaneously.  Sounds thrilling, doesn’t it?

I first heard of these private dining events from an article in Garden and Gun magazine (the south’s best publication, aside from SweetIcedTea.net), and have craved one of their dining experiences ever since. 

Make sure to check out the Garden and Gun article, pick up Food and Wine magazine and read our post about supper clubs. 

Perhaps one day we will be lucky enough to enjoy a seat at their table. Can anyone put in a good word for me? Happy Dining!

All pictures from Foodandwine.com photographer Rinne Allen.

Happy November!

This weekend I witnessed the joy of birds migrate south.  The experience was short, but nonetheless beautiful.  The first flock was extremely high in the air and from my vantage point, I could not differentiate their species, however, the second group was a flock of geese. It was beautiful.  Both flocks flew in the V formation and it reminded me that while south may be warmer, the rest of the world is quickly cooling.  Everyone seems to head south (latitudinally speaking), where things are just, well, better. 

Happy November!

Picture from www.kaichang.net/photos/page/2/. 

 

NaNoWriMo

No, I’m not speaking in tongues. And no, it’s not a new technology that you have to keep up with. (Though I wouldn’t blame you if you thought that. I did too the first time I heard of such a thing.) Quite the opposite. NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth is a month long writing “contest” focused on getting us all to do that thing we all always mean to get around to, you know, someday, when we have the time, when we’re not so busy, or when we go on vacation, or when the mood or the story or the words strike us just right. You know? Get around to writing that Great American (Southern) Novel. But they rarely do, do they?

I first heard of NaNoWriMo in 2007. Newly married, living in a new city, knowing no one, and a little overwhelmed, to be honest, this mission was just what I needed. I heard of the project, beginning November 1st, in late October, so with not much time to worry, or anticipate just how difficult this might be, I embarked. Armed with only an 8-year old laptop (perfect, by the way… as there was zero temptation to browse the internet when I was supposed to be writing my 2,000 words a day), I began the project with a goal of writing a 50,000 word novel in the span of only 30 days.

Remember that part where we were talking about how we’ll all get around to writing that novel, someday? Well, see, as we all know, even as Southerners who take it slow, that someday rarely comes. And even if it does, we stress ourselves out to much about quality to get out more than the first few pages.

So NaNoWriMo’s mission is simple. Just do it. And do it fast. Quick. Jump right in like that freezing cold lake the first of spring and just swim. For 30 days. Sure, when you get out, your numb, can barely think straight. And hey, yes, your fingers can barely move (wow, didn’t realize how well that metaphor was gonna work out), but you have something. And no, that thing is not usually the Great American Novel (though if you’re lucky, you’ve got the makings of the beginnings of a thought of one). No, you’ve got… the perfect cocktail party anecdote. Just try not impressing your friends when you casually mention, “In my first novel, I explored the character named Joy.”

And even if you’re too shy to tell anyone, you have written a novel. How many people can say that? Well, I’ll tell you how many more people can say that as of November 30th. About 15,000 of them. And you can be one of them.

So, I tell you all this to say, that this year, I’ll embark again. To be honest, the first year, I bored even myself by about the third chapter. Last year, I actually really related to my characters. And this year, I hope to be the next Dostoevsky (albeit, a Southern Mr. Fyodor).

So, in these high hopes, I’m giving fair warning to you, all our dear SIT readers (and to you, my dear friend, Becky, to whom I shall be indebted through all of Christmas season), that I will be a slacker this month when it comes to cooking, cleaning, sleeping — anything but writing will take a hit. Waking up early, staying up late, all but ignoring my dear in-laws as they travel far to risk their lives as I prepare Thanksgiving dinner while distracted on the final twist of the deeply dimensional, yet not overly contrived characters. Yes, dear friends, while someday I hope to share with you, and the world (excuse me, Random House, are you listening??) my Great American Novel, for this month, I pray you’ll forgive me while I ignore you, dear cyber friends, in pursuit of this goal. And in exchange, you can berate me, mock me, chastise me for the rest of time if I don’t finish (how’s that for motivation come November 27th when I’m certain I can’t write another word?). That is, unless you’d like to join me?

P.S. – For those of you who are not crazy, I’ve “banked” a few articles to automatically post thanks to our beloved WordPress publishing feature, so you won’t be totally left devoid of all Ginger POV (that’s point of view, for those of you non-writers — look at me being all cocky so far) this month. You can look forward to some savory doughnuts, a little Athens love (of course), a tribute to one of my inspirations, Flannery O’Connor, and of course, a few Tuesday Tips. Cheers!

Happy Halloween!

 

Happy Halloween! Don’t you just love this old building? We found it along our fall Road Trip in Chattanooga. It even had broken windows to add to the effect.

Road Trip: Memories of the Chattanooga Choo-Choo

You know how sometimes when you look back on something you did as a kid, it’s always warmer, more colorful, exciting, and spectacular than the real thing?

If you get the fortune to go back and experience a beloved memory as an adult, it often isn’t as fun as your memory pedestal has made it. This was the worry I had when pulling up to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo on the first night of my second annual road trip with Becky. Here I had dragged her all this way out of the way to head to Tennessee, feeling responsible for the state, as I spent a good part of my teen years growing up in good ol’ TN. So I felt obligated to give disclaimers all along the way. “I hope it’s what I remember. You never know how something might change in 10 years…”

You see, I remembered the Chattanooga Choo-Choo as this bright, colorful place, full of action and laughter. But then again, I hadn’t been there since a silly 8th grader, fresh off a musty bus full of other junior highers, bursting with energy from a long ride. Bright-eyed, young, surely crushing on some boy, with my best girlfriends around me, we had tumbled out, and been let free to roam around, chaperone-free until the technical guys had set up our equipment and stage and the time had come for us to give our show.

So this is what the experience had to live up to.

And it did.

Ah, sigh of relief and delight to my dear Chattanooga. We arrived after dark, so while the bright memories of my trip looked instead warm and dark, and just straight like something from a 1940’s, it was still, just as I had remembered it. Maybe better.

The gardens were still just as immaculately kept, fountains sprinkling. The shops just as quaint and charming. The trains just as brightly painted.

We had a grand old time just walking among the trains and exploring the train station (now a gorgeous hotel). So grand, in fact, that we had to go back early the next morning before we snuck out of town for one last look.

So now I know. The memory is just as good as the reality. That’s the South for you. Always surprising, never disappointing. I should have known.

What childhood places would you like to go revisit?

A Little Housekeeping

Hi, Friends!

We try and keep this blog solely about the South that we all know and love. But what’s more Southern than Sweet Iced Tea?? So from time to time, we’ll have to let you in on a couple of “housekeeping” memos, just between us friends. Then we’ll get right back to the good stuff.

I’m sure most of you have noticed our “Pages” over there to the right. We’ve got a little About Us, our page of “Southern Sayin’s,” and a whole lot more coming.

So you might have noticed our “What in Tarnation?” page has changed to “Odds ‘n’ Ends.” This is just a little about technology. We’re no spring chickens, but we try to stay up on all the latest technologies you readers might be using. That way, we can all stay in touch! And, let’s just face it… nothing is more fun than to glance at your cellular and realize you’ve got a Twitter (especially if it’s from SIT)!

One of our favorite recommendations we’ve added for you “readers” out there is Google Reader. If you already use a Goggle account for anything – email, news, maps, and other applications – you should really check out the Google Reader feature. For instance, instead of typing in www.sweeticedtea.wordpress.com everyday into your web browser’s address space, you can just go and check Google Reader, and this uploads any new content we’ve posted since the last time you checked. The genius of this feature is that it keeps you from typing in all those fun sites you check most often. As you know, we’re big fans of other blogs and shops and such too, so instead bookmarking and directing your browser to each individual site every day, it’s all in one place.

Go ahead, give it a try. We won’t mind! Just make sure you “subscribe” to Sweet Iced Tea. Now, we can talk every day! (Psst, just a hint for the rest of you just figuring out this newfangled technology stuff… you might of heard of an RSS feed (that pesky orange box with the three arches popping up everywhere)… turns out that’s what this is. See, you learned something new!)

While I’m at it, just a reminder that if y’all ever have any questions, suggestions, hopes, complaints (oops!), or just thoughts you might like to share, feel free to email us at beckyandginger@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!