Blog has moved!

Please update your reader! After switching everything over (email, reader, etc.) to finally reflect my new last name, my blog has moved to:
http://mrsgrits.blogspot.com/

Come on over! (And become a follower, too!)

Midnight in the Garden

If you haven't read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, get yourself to the library or nearest bookstore and pick up a copy quick! It's one of my favorite books of all time and most definitely a great Southern book. I got totally sucked into the book while I was reading it. It really draws you in with all the great characters and interesting plot. And you know it's not a good story about the South without some crazies, right?

The movie version is another favorite of mine. I can't resist it anytime it's on tv. John Cusack is such a great actor that I'll watch him in just about anything! Clint Eastwood did a great job directing it. I like how everyone in the movie seems authentically southern, even if they aren't. Some of the accents are a little thick, but none of them seem put on, which usually bothers me about movies based in the south that don't feature southern actors.

Sassy Lady Chablis! I still haven't seen her show in Savannah, but I hear it is quite exciting!
One of my favorite quotes is by John Cusack's character, after he realizes that things are a little bit different down south:

'I've only been here three days and it's just a shooting, but give it time, okay. This place is fantastic. It's like Gone With the Wind on Mescalin. I know you're my agent. Listen to me, they walk imaginary pets here, Garland. On a f-ing leash. Alright? And they're all heavily armed and drunk. New York is boring!'

Mercer House is featured in the movie and one of the spots I'll have to put on my places to see and photograph on my next trip to Savannah.

Bliss!

I discovered this fantastic face wash while staying at the W Buckhead in Atlanta last month. I usually judge a hotel by it's bath products and the quality of the sheets and the W did not disappoint! The rooms were fabulously furnished and very modern. The bar with outdoor lounge/balcony was really fun. Now, I'm totally hooked on this Foaming Face Wash from Bliss. It leaves your skin feeling super fresh and has the best scent. I'm squeezing out every last drop of the tiny bottles I got from the hotel and I'll be sure to put this on my favorites list at Sephora.com If you haven't tried it yet, run out to your nearest Sephora and try it immediately! Your face will thank you!

Sad News...

I was so sad to hear this week that Gourmet magazine is going under! November will be their last issue. I really wish they'd at least have published the December issue so we could have one more set of fabulous holiday recipes! Wouldn't that be grand?The good news is their website will be up till the end of the year, so get to Gourmet.com and download a few fabulous recipes and classic cocktails before they're gone!
I'll have to decide what to subscribe to now. Got any suggestions? Food & Wine? Bon Apetit?I hear that Cook's Illustrated is really good, but I love a magazine with delicious food photos...

The Blind Side

Has any one else seen the trailer for this movie? I read about it filming in Atlanta this summer and totally forgot about it again. A friend of mine reminded me about it this past week and I absolutely can't wait to see it. The Blind Side is based on a true story, which is even more cool. I love a good sports movie, especially a good football movie. (Remember the Titans and Rudy get me every time!)
(Don't tell anyone, but the preview looks so good that I got a little misty! Lord knows what will happen when I see the entire thing...)

It's Fall Y'all!

Backroads in Statesboro

According to the calendar it is officially fall, but here in Georgia it's barely feeling like fall weather. Thankfully, the temperatures are finally starting to cool off! Pretty soon it will be great camping weather, which I am really looking forward to.

I've only had a chance to get to one football game so far (Georgia Southern vs. Albany), and I'm hoping there will be more tailgating soon! When I was in Statesboro a few weeks ago I got to catch up with some old friends. It's always fun down there and I still miss it a bit!

Me and Tubby during GSU tailgate

We also really enjoyed the Avett Brothers concert last week during Westobou. I'd never seen them live before but it was such a great show! My only complaint was that they didn't play 'Offering' (my favorite song) for me, but what can you do? Everything they played was a lot of fun, and the rain held off long enough for us to enjoy the breeze outside. Check out the video below!

Another Busy Week...

This past week has been busy, yet again! September is one of our craziest months at work, besides April (because of The Masters, of course!) and I'm very ready for a little break. Hopefully after the weekend I'll be able to catch up a little bit and post about the fun that we've had in the past week, too! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! I'll be working and resting in between!

Coupons are my friend!

I don't know how many of y'all use coupons, but they are my new best friends! My mom always clipped coupons when I was growing up and I remember following her around the grocery store with her little coupon file checking prices and whatnot. I didn't really start using them myself until I was in college and shopping for groceries on my own. I use them more and more lately, especially since I cook most of the time during the week. And also, since I'm married to an accountant and we both love saving money.
If you take just a little bit of time and planning you can save a ton of money! Here's a few tips:

• Traditional Coupons: Each Sunday I buy the paper. Sunday is the best day for coupons and it really doesn't take that much time to clip them out, 15-20 minutes tops. Plus you get the sale papers for all the grocery stores and Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc. so you can see who has the best deals each week.
• Online Coupons: I check online each week also for coupons. You simply check which ones you'd like and print them out for the store. My favorites are Coupons.com, CoolSavings.com, and CouponMom.com
• Store Savings Card: I don't leave home without my Kroger or BiLo card. You'll almost always save money even if you don't have your regular coupons. And if you do, you can save double with card savings stacked on top of your paper coupons.
• Online Coupons on your Store Savings Card: Sites like Shortcuts and Cellfire will send coupons directly to your store savings card once you register. You choose your coupons, they're sent to your card. You can even print out your shopping/coupon list to take to the store with you.

My best advice is to take a little time to plan. There are certain products I buy no matter what's on sale, but those are few and far between. I usually plan my meals and menus by coupons and what's on sale each week at the grocery. Where I live, Kroger has chicken breasts on sale every other week, so I buy enough for two weeks and plan ahead. That way I never have to pay full price. Kroger also doubles coupons up to $1.00! So if you have a coupon for .35 that's 70 cents off, and for .50 it's a DOLLAR off!
With a little work and planning you can save a ton of money and you might even find some fabulous new products that you love. Either way, it's a win-win!

Rain or Shine...

We're going to see one of our favorite bands tonight, The Avett Brothers! They're playing a show in Augusta tonight as part of the Westobou Festival and it is going to be fantastic. I started listening to the Avett Brothers after Matt introduced me to them and now they are one of my favorite bands. I haven't seen them live yet, but I hear they are a lot of fun and they sing a few of my favorite lyrics:

'Well you send my life a whirling
Darling when you're twirling
On the floor
Who cares about tomorrow?
What more is tomorrow?
Than another day.'

~from 'Swept Away'

'And I've known others
And I've loved others too
But I loved them cause they were stepping stones
On a staircase to you...
And I dream of children
We can call our own
Watch 'em run around in the front yard
From the front porch of our home'

~from 'Offering'

They have a great new song out now 'I and Love and You', which I hope they will play tonight. Go check out a few of their videos here and here!

And...if you're in Augusta during the next 10 days, definitely check out the Westobou Festival and Arts in the Heart of Augusta (we're going tomorrow!). Westobou will have events and concerts like Keb' Mo' and The Blind Boys of Alabama. Arts in the Heart has tons of arts and crafts vendors and a bunch of delicious international foods. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no rain and hoping I can start Christmas shopping tomorrow!

New Favorite

Mondays are Marvelous!
Thursday used to be my favorite night for tv. Now it's running a close second to Monday nights. We're considering getting tivo, just so I can keep up with all of my favorites. Here are a few:
The Big Bang Theory (Also referred to in our house as 'The Nerds')
You can't help but love the guys on this show. They're so nerdy and intelligent that they are socially awkward, but really heartwarming! I've liked Sheldon (Jim Parsons) since he was in Garden State with Zach Braff. A few of them also remind me of some guys I used to know in college.
How I Met Your Mother
I can't get enough of Barney/Doogie/Neil Patrick Harris or Jason Segel! They are hilarious! I also wish we had a neighborhood bar and that it was as cool and laidback as MacLaren's and that most of our friends lived close enough to hang out with us at said bar 24/7.
Intervention
An oldie but a goodie, I'm always curious about whether these folks really make it in the end. And, I feel terrible for their families, who are at their wits end, if this it what it takes to make the situation change.
Hoarders on A&E
I'm sad that the first season of Obsessed was kind of short, I really got into it. But, in its place is the new show Hoarders which shows compulsive hoarders trying to get out of the hole they have dug themselves into. I only wish they'd go more in-depth iwth the treatment. Can you imagine if you're house looked like this? And if it did, could you clean it in 2 days?!? (I was nice and spared you the photo of the food hoarders who don't throw anything out!) This show makes me want to obsessively clean my house, which is probably a good thing!
No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain
He's just so snarky and smart, and I can't get enough! Plus, who wouldn't want to travel the world with him, eating at greasy spoons and drinking in dive bars? Sign me up please!

I'm back!

I'm back! Things were a little slow towards the end of the summer without much to blog about, but thankfully fall is here. My favorite things about fall are College Football, cooler weather, camping, festivals & fairs, and all the great holidays.College football season might possibly be my favorite time of year. It used to be summer, but since I don't get a summer break anymore, that might have to change. Every Saturday I like to wake up and watch Gameday while I make breakfast. Of course, my favorite part is the end with the mascot heads. Lee Corso almost never picks my teams, but that's ok, I won't hold it against him! In our house we watch Georgia Southern (when they're on tv!), South Carolina, Florida and any SEC game. Being at the games in person and tailgating makes it even better!
Cooler weather makes it much more bearable to be outside. We love to go camping and I especially love fairs and festivals, where there is a good chance that you'll find some delicious fried food like funnel cakes or fried oreos...delish!
We also get to celebrate one of my favorite holidays during the fall-Fakesgiving! It's a tradition that started about 5 or 6 years ago at my best friend's house, when we all decided to have Thanksgiving dinner together before we went home to our families. It's the kind of event where you enjoy the food and drinks of Thanksgiving without any of the stress. It really is a ton of fun! I'm hoping to cook even more this year and include some of my new favorite recipes.
Let's hope that this fall is fabulous!

Hiatus

Temporarily on hiatus. Will return shortly.
Thanks!

New Southern Stationery

You must check out Coyne & Pickney Stationery! They are based in South Carolina (my favorite, of course!) and have a great selection of southern and low country designs. Just look at these cute Adirondack cards I won in their last giveaway. They are darlin', right?

4th of July Weekend in Photos

Bike Riding along the Canal Trail:

GreenJackets game with Twy, Brook and Matt

Fireworks on the River:

What's Been Going On...

We really haven't been up to much, but we've been keeping busy around the house and at work. Here's a quick look at the past week or so. Enjoy!

I cut my hair for Locks of Love:

My work girls and I headed down to Hilton Head Island to celebrate our coworker Michelle's 50th Birthday!

I'm so proud of my first garden! (This either makes me an old lady or a dork...)

The first ripe tomato of the season:

Can't wait for the 3 day weekend coming up and celebrating the 4th of July. Fireworks are my favorite!

Weekend Photos

Just a few quick shots from my point and shoot this weekend. Saturday was a great day spent getting ready for father's day and taking a nice ride down SC Hwy. 25 to Edgefield to pick up some treats.
My favorite farmstand in Edgefield, SCDelicious fruits!

Homemade Strawberry Cake (it ain't pretty, but it sure is good!):

Papa enjoys his cake at Father's Day Lunch:

Delicious Strawberry Cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream:
I hope everyone else had a fabulous Father's Day weekend!

Summer Lunch

Tomorrow's Father's Day so I am hosting my dad and grandad, along with the rest of the family for Father's Day lunch. I drove out to Edgefield, SC today to two of my favorite farm stands to pick up some treats for tomorrow including delicious peaches and tomatoes. I'll have photos soon, but until then, here's the menu:

Roasted Chicken with White Wine Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sauteed Summer Squash
Fresh Green Beans
Sliced Tomatoes
Rolls
Sweet Tea
Lemonade

Mama Jeannette's Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Icing

Fresh Peaches and/or Blackberries with Cream

I'm getting hungry already! If anyone wants recipes, please let me know. I'll be happy to share.

Tomato City

It's 'Tomato City' in my back yard these days! I started with a bunch of seeds that ended in only 1 seedling. So I started over with several more seedlings and tried out my luck with two Topsy Turvies and now my tomatoes are nearly ripe. I'm so excited! I'm also hoping that this summer I'll have enough of a harvest to try to make my own tomato and marinara sauce.Just another reason why summertime is the best!