Innehållsförteckning för July - August 2013 från Southern Lady

SUMMER IN THE SOUTH. Sure, it comes with its sig nature heat and humidity, but it also brings blue skies, cotton-puff clouds, and amazing sunsets that absolutely take your breath away. And to be honest, when you spend a lazy afternoon dawdling on a porch swing and inha ling the mingled scents of jasmine and magnolia, it’s easy to forget triple-digit temperatures. This issue of Southern Lady provides a little prompting to get out and enjoy summer, whether you plan to pack your bags or stay close to home. Come along as we visit the charming bayside burg of Fairhope, Alabama, in Two Days Away, then clear out your car trunk for a trek along the World’s Longest Yard Sale in this installment of our Southern Antiques Trail. Thinking of…

SOJOURN IN STYLE Jazz up basic outfits with a stack of bracelets and a sunshine pendant. Assorted Bangles, $34-$42, and Sun Medallion Necklace, $63; Spartina 449, spartina449.com. CASH & CARRY This tiny clutch has a spot for all your necessities. La Chance Passe and WM Smartphone Wallet, $49.95- $56.95; Mochi Things, mochithings.com. WALKING TOUR Style and comfort combine in these wedges that transition from day to night. Sache Pumpkin Leather, $99; Franco Sarto, francosarto.com. PACK & PLAY Pass the time on planes and trains with a purse-size book of puzzles. Pocket Posh, $7.99 each; Andrews McMeel Universal, amuniversal.com. METRO SPECS With a bit of retro flair, these tinted readers are chic and sophisticated. Morris Sun Antique Crystal, $112; SCOJO, scojo.com. CLASSIC STRUCTURE See the sights in style with a tailored…

For 20-somethings Jolie Bensen and Sarah Elizabeth Dewey, who met while working for fashion label BCBG in New York, a customary catch-up lunch of messy shrimp po’boys turned into a surprise planning session. Both exhausted by the trend-focused industry, the New Orleans natives found themselves envisioning a label of their own—one anchored in Southern values of inner strength and timeless appeal. “We wanted to show a different kind of beauty,” explains Jolie. So working out of her house on St. Charles, the pair began to shape their line with clean silhouettes and a wholehearted devotion to seersucker. They wanted their dresses to appeal to a range of ages and to suit all of life’s sweet moments, from bridal showers to church luncheons to picnics in the park. Feminine yet tasteful,…

WHETHER YOU FANCY the shining white sands of the Gulf or the lighthouse-dotted shore of the Carolina coast, bring a bit of the sea home, and use your beach finds to make charming buffet- or place-card holders. Thoroughly clean two cockleshell halves. Using hot glue, attach the bases of the shells to the middle of a wooden craft disk, bookend-style, leaving a small gap between the two halves. Wrap a short length of a natural-fiber twine around the wooden base, attaching with hot glue. Apply a coat of white spray paint to the entire assembly for a crisp, monochromatic look. Insert a card between the two shell halves.…

SEASIDE ESCAPE Not far from Charleston, the Isle of Palms became a home away from home for our staff while working on this issue. When vacationing, consider accommodations that offer living space inside and out. This deck, which opens to a fabulous master suite, became an extra "room" when we fluffed it with items brought from home, such as books and pillows, as well as other creature comforts like fruit and flowers from the local market. These little luxuries combined with the sound of rolling waves and the scent of the sea helped make this vacation home a personalized paradise. For information, see Resources for Readers on page 111.…

QUIET CORNER Gliding the day away in the comfort of a cozy wicker rocker is just the spot for summer daydreams. Make this escape even more magical with the addition of flirty flora. From potted plum-colored calla lilies to a hanging basket brimming with geraniums, these lively arrangements complement the rocker’s more traditional muted print. Sit back, relax, and soak up the sounds of silence. MADE IN THE SHADE Can you imagine a more easy, breezy scene? Two gentle ceiling fans help stir the summer air, while pretty shutters shade harsh rays without blocking the beauty of the neighboring trees. Another easy amenity flanks the love seat: here, a simple lamp allows evening entertaining long after the sun has set. Friends are the pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold…

SUNNY SANCTUARY Abundant windows give this space a light and airy feel, while curtains hung well above the window frame add to the lofty look of the room. A furniture arrangement, grounded by neutral upholstered chairs and a rug, gets a touch of texture from woven end tables. For decorator Sandra Eriksen, the road to interior design was a circuitous one. Previous careers included stints in advertising, insurance, and banking. “I learned from them all, but I loved none,” she says. Sandra first remembers expressing an interest in home décor as a child living in government- provided housing on military bases around the country. “If you lived in base housing, you could not paint the walls of the homes,” she says. But she adds, “Like most little girls, I envisioned…

Summertime is always the best of what might be. —Charles Bowden “ ” LADY’S CHOICE Innkeeper Karen Shaw and the staff at Two Meeting Street Inn have perfected the practice of Southern hospitality. Inspired by the gracious atmosphere, we put our spin on a few of the inn's traditional dishes and set a brunch table for two with hues that nod to the bright blooms found throughout the grounds. Anna Weatherley’s Butterfly Floral Buttercup china is the ideal choice for this summertime setting, and it looks especially pretty when paired with her Purple Orchid chargers. Let these savory recipes and artful accents inspire an alfresco meal at your own abode, and invite someone special to join you in the grand Southern tradition of gathering around the table. Menu Two Meeting…

Majestic oak trees more than a century old frame the view of Mobile Bay from the lawn of the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, just minutes from Fairhope, Alabama. Named to the National List of Historic Places in 2006, the town’s walkable downtown historic district celebrates the best of small-town life with an assortment of charming shops and restaurants tucked in a 10-block area. The town is a favorite wintering spot for a number of artists and writers. Spanish moss sways in the sultry summer breeze, dancing to a rhythm that belongs solely to the community of Fairhope, Alabama. Nestled on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, it’s a locale where life is savored at a slower pace, friendships are cemented over oyster dinners, and children feel the…

Take a Bow Some might say that Ellie Stager’s business, The Cordial Churchman, is the result of serendipitous accident, but it may be more appropriately described as divine design. Ellie set out to make an outfit for one of her sons and found herself with excess seersucker. “I was just learning how to sew, so to make room for error, I got way more fabric than I needed,” she says. At the request of her minister-husband, she made a bow tie from some of the leftovers. Ellie’s husband posted a picture of the bow tie on his Twitter account, and within 24 hours, Ellie had 15 orders from friends and family. Four years, countless bow ties, and yards upon yards of seersucker later, Ellie moved the cottage enterprise out of…

COVER See Set to Serve: Brunch by the Battery below. Special Thanks to Two Meeting Street Inn. SINCERELY PAGE 9: Stationery; Swoozie’s. EDITOR FAVORITES PAGE 11: The Tallulah Dress in Mint Seersucker; Jolie and Elizabeth. White Cardigan; Target. Yellow Bicycle and Basket; The Bicycle Shoppe. SEASONAL SETTINGS: SEA GLASS GLAMOUR PAGES 25-27: Dinner Plate, Cereal Bowl, Flatware, and Napkin; Canvas. Salad Plate, Triangle Plate, and Charger; Riverside Designs. Woven Napkin Rings; World Market. Aqua Glass; Impulse Enterprises. Glass Bottles and Votives; Michaels. Frost Spray; Home Depot. ENTERTAINING TOUCHES: BY THE SEA PAGE 29: Mara Mi Navy Cards; Target. Shells and Wood Discs; Michaels. GRACIOUS LIVING: VIEW FOR OUTDOOR LIVING PAGES 35-36: Preppy and Coral-Print Pillows; French Laundry Home. Sky Blue Vases, Ivory Blanket, and Lanterns; Target. Bowls; Anthropologie. Dash &…

THE FIRST TIME I SET foot in Charleston, I fell in love—culture, cuisine, history, architecture, and so many other Southern wonders. For this issue, we took a creative caravan on the road so we could share some of those treasures with you! Innkeeper Karen Shaw of Two Meeting Street welcomed us to her idyllic B&B near the Battery, and there, on one of the South’s most beautiful porches, we photographed my dreamcome- true cover, along with a beautiful brunch for two (page 75). Then, we went to the Isle of Palms where we parlayed even more of Carolina’s favorite foods and finds into entertaining ideas for the Lowcountry Cocktail Party (page 65). We started with custom navy-and-white-striped chairs from French Laundry Home, and from there, we developed an outdoor living…

OVER HILLS & DALES These easy-to-wear shoes were made for walking—and hiking and shopping and so much more! Women’s Karma, $90; Ahnu, ahnu.com. RAMBLE ON Meander from sunup to sundown in a lightweight jacket with feminine frills. Francine Jacket, $168; Wrap London, wraplondon.com. MEADOW MUSINGS Document adventures in the inspiring pages of these charming journals. Little Mountain Home and Ramble & Rove Travel Journals, $9.95-$19.95; Chronicle Books, chroniclebooks.com. TO MARKET Outfit your bike with a basket to hold your farmers’ market finds. Nantucket Bike Basket Co. Miacomet Bike Basket, $50; L.L. Bean, llbean.com. WELL WATER Whether reading by the stream or picking wildflowers, stay hydrated in style. Bloom of the Loom Travel Mug, $24.99; ModCloth, modcloth.com. SUN CATCHERS Eco-friendly shades with a wooden frame make countryside exploring oh-so chic. And…

THE INSPIRATION Luxe gold details balance the playful dot pattern, making it easy to dress this dinnerware up or down. Mod Dot Dinner Plate by Jonathan Adler, $65 for set of 4; Neiman Marcus, neimanmarcus.com. 1 ELEGANT OPTIONS The usual punch of orange takes on a more sophisticated air when set against a backdrop of crisp, cooling white. Look for organic shapes and repeated motifs in other table acccessories, and keep the overall setup clean like the color palette itself. Adelaide Side Plate by Astier de Villatte, $78, and Marguerite Bowl by Astier de Villatte, $75; Table Matters, table-matters.com. Washed-Linen Napkins in Lobster, $49.95 for set of 4; Williams-Sonoma, williams-sonoma.com. Cheers Selections Water Goblet, $39.99 for set of 4, and Cheers Selections Stemless Wine, $39.99 for set of 4; Mikasa, mikasa.com.…

NOTHING COMPARES WITH SUMMER for sheer exuberance. Stylist Tracey Runnion took advantage of the curb markets brimming over with fresh produce to create an arrangement combining fruit and flowers. Simply cut a watermelon to the desired height, and hollow out the center. (Hint: Use the fruit to make the yummy Frozen Watermelon Daiquiris from our Best Recipes issue, available at hoffmanmediastore.com.) Fill with soaked floral foam, and add fresh-cut blooms. We used Gerbera daisies and Nemesia, along with hydrangeas, red begonias, Queen Anne’s lace, creeping fig, and stock, to make this bright and beautiful masterpiece.…

FOURTH OF JULY BRATWURSTS Makes ? servings ? bratwursts, grilled according to package directions ? tablespoons olive oil ? large red bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch strips ? large yellow bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch strips ? large orange bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch strips ? large yellow onion, sliced into ¼-inch strips ¼ cup teriyaki sauce tablespoons Worcestershire sauce teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Bratwurst Sauce (recipe follows) (-inch) hoagie rolls, split ?. Preheat oven to ???°. ?. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place grilled bratwursts on prepared pan, and place in oven to keep warm. ?. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Cook for ?? minutes, stirring frequently. Add teriyaki…

COASTAL INFLUENCE It was in Charleston that Grace opened her first storefront enterprise, Aubergine Home Collection, where she puts her own subtle, sophisticated twist on the coastal aesthetic. “I like to call it classic with an up-to-date spin,” she says. Interior and textile designer Grace Cribbin developed an early interest in all things artistic. Intrigued by the idea of watching a drawing become a physical reality, she enrolled in an interior architecture program in her native Ireland. Upon completing her degree, Grace accepted a job at an architectural firm in Boston, the city she called home during an international work-study program in college. For the first few years of her career, Grace was unable to find the kinds of fabrics, bedding, and upholstered accessories she wanted to use. Undeterred, she…

LUMINOUS BEAUTY Recycled glass bottles and jars given a dusting of frosting spray mimic the translucent glow of sea glass, the table’s inspiration. Simple florals complement the sandy neutrals of the coastal setting, allowing the vibrant turquoise Seagate dinnerware to take center stage. OCEAN INSPIRED The refreshing blue tints and sandy tones of this tablescape instantly transport you to the seashore. The pattern of the Celebrity Swirl tumblers is reminiscent of the constant movement of the ocean, while the frosted finish of the Riverside Designs Seaglass plates is a perfect match for its beach-find namesake.…

DAZZLING DAMASK This ornate medallion rug gives a vintage-inspired pattern modern appeal. Margie Colorspree Rug, $60-$795; Company C, companyc.com. BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL A sunny rug with bright stripes will cheer up your patio or playroom. Happy Yellow Stripe, $38- $514; Dash & Albert Rug Company, dashandalbert.com. CALMING COLORS Drawing inspiration from the sea, the cool colors in this rug will get wave reviews from all of your guests. Sea Glass, $103-$519; FrontGate, frontgate.com. GRAPHIC APPEAL Transform your outdoor setting with this bordered trellis design in bold terra-cotta. Allover Trellis, $89-$429; Ballard Design, ballarddesign.com.…

North of I-40 sits the cozy community of Clarkrange, Tennessee. Here, the Cumberland Mountain General Store stocks all the treasures you’d hope to find: old-fashioned candies, homemade fudge, collectibles, and even a hoppin’ 1950s-inspired soda shop with decadent floats, shakes, and splits. Farther north in downtown Jamestown, just across the street from the Fentress County Chamber of Commerce sits The Boutique, a trendy shop showcasing affordable apparel for all styles and ages, funky jewelry, and colorful accessories. If you have time, enjoy lunch at the whimsical counter in the back.…

Warm ocean breezes dance through palm fronds as the sunset’s glorious color is doubled in the sea’s reflection. It’s the perfect time of year for an evening beach gathering by the boardwalk, complete with refreshing cocktails and seafood appetizers. Stretch the party scene from pool and patio to sand and shore. The classic flavors and preppy style of Charleston inspire a posh yet laidback cocktail fete. Firefly Mint Tea Makes about 1 gallon quarts cold water, divided family-size tea bags (-ounce) package fresh mint cup sugar ?½ cups Firefly sweet tea–flavored vodka ? cup Firefly mint tea–flavored vodka ? tablespoons fresh lemon juice Garnish: lemon slices, fresh mint sprigs ?. In a medium saucepan, bring ? quart water to a boil. Remove from heat, and add tea bags and mint;…