wicked

Mom, C, and I went to Atlanta yesterday

to see the play Wicked.
It's been on my "must see"

list for ages. 

So when it came to Atlanta,

we decided to have a girls day

and finally see it.

Sunday was one of those
scorching HOTlanta fall days.

The sky was a vibrant blue

and steam was rising off the pavement

like it was July and not almost October.

I love Atlanta.

It is such a modern city.

Everything feels new and fresh,

and crisp and clean.

We parked and walked over to the 

Fabulous Fox Theater.

I had forgotten that the Fox is an

extraordinary theater.

C was enchanted

by the skyline

and the canopied ceiling.

She exclaimed,

"This is nicer than Broadway!"

The show exceeded our expectations.

Both storyline and talent

were fantastic.

Afterwards, we walked several blocks

 to Mary Mac's Tea Room for lunch.

Mary Mac's has been around since 1945,

and it's legendary for quintessential southern cuisine.

We loved looking at the wall

of celebrities that have visited Mary Mac's
over the years.

It seems everyone in the world has known about this place

- except me.

Our meal began with

collards and cracklin' corn bread.

I had never had either, 

but I can assure you I will again.

The fried chicken was heavenly,

the mac 'n cheese decadent,
the creamed corn, the whipped potatoes...
(Just thinking about it makes me hungry!)
C loved her entree of chicken and dumplings,

and they tasted just like the ones my granny used to make.
The food was accompanied by large glasses of refreshing sweet tea
~ essential to any true southern meal.

All in all,
it was a wonderful day
to share
with two very special people.

Happy Monday.

covered bridge

What a wonderful weekend!

A Friday night football game

in which our team Won.

Two sleepovers.

And a Saturday morning

cross country race

at the Covered Bridge

in Euharlee, Georgia.

I had never really been exposed to 

cross country before last year,

but it quickly became one of my favorite sports.

I love how each runner is encouraged. 

Every runner.

Even the Very Last Runner

receives cheers, claps, and whistles.

"You're almost there!"

"You've got it!"

"You made it!"

"You did it!"

I sometimes find myself so moved,
that I have a big lump in my throat
and can't cheer for fear of losing it.

On Saturday, we arrived to a crisp, cool, morning

that developed into a nice, breezy afternoon.
Everyone was thrilled to have a hint of fall in the air
- having become weary of 90 degree days.

The teams lined up to prepare for the start.
Lyons was in the group of JV boys.

At the sound of the gun,
they were off!

The competitors ran two miles on a path
that wound through the woods

and over this covered bridge,

 built in 1886.

We sat on a grassy knoll by Euharlee Creek

for the awards ceremony.
It couldn't have been more
idyllic.

All in all,
it was just an average fall day, 

but it seemed perfect.

The kind of perfection

that consists of

being acutely aware 

of these fleeting moments
of childhood
and savoring every second.

a star is born...

My week may have been nothing to blog about,

but CC's horse had a great week.

Jubilee was featured in a photo shoot

for a national department store.

Keep your eyes peeled for the ad and let me know if you see it!

Have a great weekend!

e

hampton classic - part 2

Have I ever mentioned 

how much I enjoy

the Hampton Classic?

 I have?

Well, it's true.

It is one of my favorite events 

of the summer.

I love everything about it.

I love the excitement

that's palpable in the VIP tent.

I love watching the skilled riders

on majestic horses.

I love the table decorations

and delicious food.

I love seeing the politicians and celebrities.

Mayor Bloomberg

The first time I attended 

was five years ago.

I knew no one.

Not a soul.

Over the years, 

it was comforting to get to know the people

John works with. 

Then, I began to identify some of the local community.

Now, it's most enjoyable

because when I attend the event

I recognize many familiar faces
along with some of my dearest friends.

This was my best year yet!

We enjoyed stopping by Wolffer's  private tasting room.

Wolffer's table was, as usual, perfection 

- thanks to Sue Calden.

The Stunning White Horse Label

Lunch was delightful

The beautiful lady behind the flowers is Tamara Mellon.

and the company even better.

Federico Sztyrle

John & Dennis Shaughnessy

We were invited to stop by 

the exclusive FTI "chalet."

They had Wolffer rose'

engraved with the FTI logo

as favors

along with

great gift bags.

It was exciting to visit

somewhere new

and to see the course from

a fresh perspective.

And at the end of the day,

we headed over to

the Gerstel-Ringelsteins

for an after party of

Champagne & Cake.

By the way...

have I ever told you how much I love the Classic?

tables

The Hampton Classic's

Grand Prix Sunday is known for it's 

Gorgeous

table decorations.

Last Sunday

was no exception.

I would have loved to be at the 

Nespresso table.

Everyone had their own

espresso makers!

Genie in a bottle?

Bloomberg's table was elegant.

This table won first prize.

Our good friends,

The Gaynors ,

did a great job.

I love the soothing neutrals 

with the ethereal hydrangeas.

There were so many more tables
and so many people to speak to;
I just didn't take enough pictures.

I'll follow up on Monday
with our experience
and our table.

Have a wonderful weekend!

hampton classic 2011

There are a few Hampton events that I absolutely will not miss -

even after returning to Georgia.  

One such event is the Hampton Classic Horse Show.

Before signing my teaching contract this year,

I read it thoroughly to be sure it included 

two personal days.

The horse show runs over the period of a week

with a culminating day known as

Grand Prix Sunday.

On Saturday,

we stopped by the Classic 

to see several of Wolffer's clients ride.

They all looked fantastic.

Then, we grabbed a funnel cake for lunch

(I'm healthy like that.)

and shopped around at the Classic.

I purchased a fab new pair of Ray Bans -

from Khanh's,

but it wasn't really exciting 

because they were just replacing the pair I 

dropped the day before at 

McDonald's in Manorville.

(I forgot my camera

so forgive the iphone pics.)

The Classic has an exquisite collection of

shops from all over.

You can find clothing,

jewelry, accessories, the coveted Dubarry of Ireland boots,

Hunter wellies, great photgraphy,

and artwork. 

After leaving there, we shopped around 

Bridgehampton and Southampton

in pursuit of a dress for me to wear

the next day.

(Nothing like a little pressure shopping!)

I love these small villages.

They make me happy.

I also love the sense of community

from having lived there for three years

and being a part-timer for over five.

For example, we ran into Alexis from Sag Harbor's Calypso

working in Southampton. 

Later, we saw Dara from Oasis

at Little Red.

I love it.

I love the friendly faces

and connections made over the years.

We ended our day

with a nice quiet dinner for two

in Southampton.

The food was excellent - 

especially the parmesan truffled frites

and the to-die-for

almond cheesecake.

We went home early

because we knew the next day 

was going to be busy, fun-filled,

and exceptional.

Grand Prix Sunday

always is.