Y'all, I'm very excited about today's "Meet Me Monday". I could toss my hat in the air it's just that exciting!
This entire week we're going to explore an event that is a gem in the South~a real crown jewel. Of course, I'm talking about the the Kentucky Derby. As such, I had to get the inside information from a friend of mine, Hunter Oldham Weinberg. Not only did Hunter's family found Louisville along with George Rogers Clark, but she celebrates each occasion with sass & style, wearing her heritage like a badge of honor.
She loves living in Louisville, even moreso now that she is continuing many a tradition with her own family. As a mother of two (and soon-to-be three), Hunter is one busy lady. But being ever gracious she agreed to share her tales, insight, and heartfelt musings about the magic of the Kentucky Derby. She's included some amazing links in her piece~and I suggest you check each one out! Now without further ado, take it away, Hunter! And thank you so much!
The Kentucky Derby has been called the most exciting two minutes in
sports, and it is. But it is so much more than that.
To Louisvillians, Derby isn't just a two-minute horse race, and it's
more than just the two-week season of parties and events leading up to
the big day. It's a cultural mindset and a deep pride in something
that belongs to Kentucky alone. It's the knowledge that every Derby
experience is different, that some years we may have great adventures
without ever seeing a horse, and other years we may begin our day on a
city bus and end up with the champion horse in the winners circle,
because we never know where Derby will take us. But every year,
whether we are cheering with our friends at Churchill Downs or planting
tomatoes in the garden, we all dream of choosing the winning
horse--even if all we get for it is bragging rights.
This is a place where horses themselves are more than just animals. At
their humblest they are old friends, their names bringing memories of
childhood derbies or legends from before we were born. At their
greatest, they reach a certain mythology, and even children here know
to treat the memories of the great thoroughbreds with awe. "You be
Secreteriat, I'll be Man o' War, and he can be Seattle Slew." Is there
anywhere else on earth where children on a playground can not only
quote the names of history's greatest racehorses, but actually pretend
to be those horses? Only in Kentucky, my friends.
Derby is more than just fashion, but Louisville girls learn early what
makes a good Derby hat: a cluster of flowers that look just natural
enough and not too gaudy, maybe a tailored bow, and definitely a wide
brim that swoops over one eye and is perfect for flirting. I like to
take my children to Dee's
Crafts, which has all manner of hats and accoutrements, and is
girl-central in the weeks leading up to Derby. It's just fun being
there, surrounded by all that Derby cheer. Customers can smell the
heady aroma of glue guns before they reach the front door, and once
they're inside they discover a secret local girl world of ribbons,
feathers, nets, and flowers that can be endlessly combined and edited
to make the perfect hat. The experts at Dee's will even put it all
together for you, and they do a remarkable job.
My first Derby hat was from Dee's: a black straw hat with a huge brim,
topped with a subtle black bow and three graceful white calla lilies,
which I wore with a black linen rolled-neck Jackie Kennedy dress. That
hat has been worn by every one of my friends to one Derby or Oaks race
or another. That's another beautiful thing about Derby hats: no one
would ever wear the same one twice, but it's perfectly acceptable to
pass them around among friends. And once enough friends have been to
enough Derbies, the hat supply becomes endless.
As for men's Derby fashion, seersucker and khaki poplin suits are
always in style, as are over-the-top Lilly Pulitzer jackets with linen
pants. But the piece de resistance that no Kentucky girl worth
her salt can resist is a well-tied bow tie, preferably in an
equestrian print. Throw in a cigar and a flask full of Pappy
Van Winkle, and the ensemble is complete. Well-bred Southern men
know this instinctively, and can pull off the look naturally, in a way
that the boys from Cleveland and Chicago who show up by the busload in
their seersucker never quite can. As with the horses themselves, some
things take generations of breeding and a lifetime of training.
Derby is more than just parties and festival events, although there
are many. On the party circuit, there's the Fillies
Ball, where the Derby princesses are crowned. Famous Derby Eve
parties are the Julep Ball, Oaks and Smokes, and the Barnstable-Brown
Party, but most locals prefer a certain post-racetrack house party
in Mockingbird Valley. It's not fancy, bit it's interesting, and you
might not see any celebrities, but you could see a local politician, a
random Junior Leaguer, a dreadlocked hippie, or a man who's completely
naked except for a seersucker jacket and a Turf Club pin. (I'd
personally rather be at that party than the one where Ashton Kutcher
is partitioned off behind a velvet rope in another section of the
party--I don't even know him!) Derby Festival events include the Great Steamboat
Race, the Pegasus
Parade, and the Chow
Wagon, featuring various fair foods and live music on the
waterfront. (I have to love the Chow Wagon for its kitschy name
alone). In my family, we put on our Pegasus Pins and go to every last
bit of it.
Derby is more than just tradition, although tradition is at the heart
of what makes Derby great. My two little girls are small, but I sing
My Old
Kentucky Home to them with their earliest lullabies. I know
they have plenty of time, but one day it will be their turn to put on
sundresses and Scarlett O'Hara hats, and stand up with their friends
as the horses are led to the gate, juleps in their hands and tears in
their eyes, singing a song about home. I want them to be prepared when
that moment comes, and I hope I'll be there too...in a tasteful suit
and hat befitting a woman of my age, and sitting in much better seats.
And that's what Derby is. It's pride of place--not just of Louisville
or Kentucky, but each person's place in the unique and quirky culture
here. I've been a little girl watching the Derby coverage on a tv in
someone's back yard, wishing I were there and longing for one of those
hats. I've been a teenager scoping out boys at Thunder Over Louisville.
One thing I haven't been is a college student in the infield,
but mud, beer, and nudity were never my scene. I've had my turn as a
Derby belle, and now my turn as a mother, watching the Pegasus Parade
with my children.
There is a place for everyone in the grand spectacle that is Derby,
and the roles may change from year to year, but generation to
generation they stay the same. That's what Derby is--it's Louisville
culture plain and simple, distilled like bourbon into two glorious
weeks or two exhilarating minutes. As my children go through each role
as Derby spectators and participants, I hope it's the culture of this
place--and their place in this culture--that they'll ultimately learn to love.
We're getting ready for Eldest's party tomorrow and things are coming together! From the frestive gold balloons,
to the straws and candles courtesy of Shop Sweet Lulu, Eldest is getting excited!
We have volleyball tomorrow, but afterwards it'll be time for Eldest and a few of her closest girlfriends to bowl the night away! Enjoy your weekend all~I know one 12 year old who is going to thoroughly enjoy hers.
This guy is brimming with it!
I can only imagine where he gets it from.
A Happy Thursday from my favorite fellas to you!
In keeping with Eldest's Golden Birthday theme, we worked together on something she would pass out to her friends at school and in the neighborhood. It took some time as it was not easy to find a someone who works with the color gold. Fortunately, we discovered a wonderful solution on Etsy.
Angela Williams runs Mielle Design Studio. Named in honor of her daughter, Zoe Mielle, it seems that her family is never far from her thoughts when she creates! Even in her biography Angela credits her silly and hip children~as well as her husband~with insipring her to live each day with grace, humility, creativity, & purpose.
Clearly she has found each! It almost felt meant to be when I learned she had created a golden birthday party invitation before. We made a few of adjustments, worded it to make Eldest happy, then sent it off to Angela. Within 24 hours I had the proof in my inbox, and once it was approved, the file for printing was back in my hands less than 24 hours afterwards.
We were thrilled with how quickly our template came together~not to mention how gorgeous it was once printed. Take a look!
Eldest was so happy!
Her mommy was happy, too. After all, I'd never done this before and Angela gave very clear, specific instructions as how to best print the invitations. She was always quick to respond to my questions; always gracious. Best of all? Her services were very affordable. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Mielle Design Studio, and hope that if you need any chic and fun invitations or stationary created, you'll give Angela a try! Just follow this link.
Take care all and have a golden day!
Welcome to the Santa Barbara Zoo!
Located 45 minutes north of our current location, it's also a good 30 degrees cooler on certain days. Without a doubt this is something you should be aware of before heading out there for the first time. The scallywag and I would have dressed quite differently had we known. Seersucker and shorts were not the way to go. Brrr!
This icy fog surrounded us during our entire visit, but was at its most eerie while on a train ride around the park. It was funny how at home it was approaching the 90's, yet in Santa Barbara it barely broke above 60 that particular day.
The Santa Barbara Zoo is on the small side, only 30 acres in size, but it's really pretty and easy to navigate. This is wonderful to know~especially if you have young children. It's possible to see all 500 of the animals within a 2 hour period. Not only that, but each display allows you and your child to get very close to the animals. And I do mean close.
We had the opportunity to touch this sweet girl and feed her. The children thought her blue tongue was the coolest thing ever!
Only five pictures taken that day were from a distance, and that was because those animals were of the dangerous or endangered variety. You know, lions, condors, snakes. We were all okay with being kept at a safe distance! The rest, however, were pretty much face to face.
This silverback gorilla was a real cheeky monkey! He would face forward, coming up to the glass for people to see, but if anyone tried to take a picture he'd immediately turn and show his bottom. I can only wonder where he picked up this little trick. Perhaps he thought it was his best side?
This past Friday we made our inaugural trip with friends from down the street. They may be a year apart in age, but Aaron and the scallywag get along very well. They had a blast together!
As most friendhips do, there is one large common interest that the boy share: trains. We took a nice ride around the perimeter of the park in a red one, waving to visitors as we passed. The boys were in heaven and we adults enjoyed a behind the scenes look at the zoo.
We stopped for a small (and chilly) lunch afterwards, walking by an interesting sight~something of an accidental playground. It seems when the zoo was under construction, one area continued to rise and rise, forming itself into the shape of a hill. Unsure of what to do, they decided to take off the rough edges and put grass on top. It became a place where children would bring pieces of cardboard and slide down the hill for hours upon hours of play.
I've never seen anything like it! Coming from New Orleans I know all about the draw of playgrounds in a zoo. I have many memories of climbing Monkey Hill and swaying in the giant spider web. This one was completely unintentional, though, and is simple, time-consuming entertainment. We didn't spend much time on the hill since there was a bit of a time crunch, but it is at the top of our list for next time!
We left once the boys grew tired, knowing it was sure sign they'd thoroughly enjoyed running around. There were some things I would have changed about our visit~in some instances I felt unprepared for the day. But overall it was a wonderful place to take my son and spend time with friends. There weren't any lines, it was easy to get up close to see the animals, and the size of the zoo made it ideal for an outing with little ones.
I cannot wait to go back with my entire family!
A lovely day to you all and take care. I'll be back soon with more birthday plans for Eldest and a few other treats. Cheers!
One of the biggest changes middle school has brought have been the dances. There was one in Fall, a dance in conjunction with the Halloween carnival, and this past Friday, the Spring Luau.
It's been a very fun, and very sweet time, bringing to mind my own middle school dances.
In New Orleans, the private schools had social groups they could join during the middle school years. We had Miggy's, Ice Breakers, and 8 O'Clocks. Friday & Saturday evenings were spent with our girlfriends, getting dressed and ready to hang out with one another. It wasn't so much about the boys then. Not completely. It was more about being out at night with the girls. It made us feel cool and independent, and our parents, safe in the knowledge that we were in a secure location being watched by other adults, were content to let us feel that way.
It's not too different from how things are for eldest and her friends, as well as for Husband and myself.
These little tastes of social independence are good for our children. Letting them have these opportunities is good for us as parents.
Eldest has fun getting gussied up before each event, relishing the after school time she gets to spend with her friends. They are only middles schoolers, though, so the school is mindful not to make these gatherings exclusive to dancing. There are plenty of other activities for the students to participate in: games, sometimes rides. But the dance is there for them should they want to get their groove on.
Eldest has fun when she goes, and always comes home tired & happy. It's before the dance, however, that I want to share with you.
This is only the beginning of such events, so we always take pictures before each one. Most are sweet, but eventually the humor creeps in.
And so does the scallywag. He is not a child that likes being ignored.
Together Eldest and her little brother ham it up, feeding off of one another's giddiness.
These are very special times, with important memories being made. It's an honor to be a part of them, and feel the excitement of the "before" as well as the "after".
I know as parents we reach moments when we want to freeze our children in time, but to be honest, we're having too much fun to want to stop. We're drinking in these times together, thankful that we have them.
And if that's not reason enough to dance, I don't know what is.
A happy Monday to you all!
Today my firstborn, my sensitive, smart, gentle-hearted, lovely daughter, is celebrating her twelfth birthday.
That she's celebrating her 12th birthday on the 12th makes today golden . But regardless of it being a golden birthday or not, my daughter has always shone brightly. Until I held her in my arms for the very first time, the true depth of what it meant to love unconditionally and without question was more of a concept; something I could only pray to experience one day. She made it concrete.
It's never ceased to amaze me that for 12 years someone so young and small could make such an enormous impact in my life. She isn't quite that small anymore, but still leaves her mark each day with little touches on my heart and in my mind. Though my husband and I know we are her life teachers, her guides, Madeline is the one who constantly helps us to learn new things.
It was a delight to raise her through her infant and toddler years, a happy challenge to watch her grow into early adolescence, and though frustrating at times, a privilege watching the young lady she has been blossoming into. Now as her 12th year begins, the teenage years are beckoning. Thankfully, my girl isn't in any hurry to get there. She's taking her time to navigate the waters in her life, content in the now, but hopeful for the tomorrows. For who knows what joys they will bring?
I simply pray that there are many, and she drinks each one in with the same exuberance she shows every day.
A very Happy Birthday to my sweet, grace-filled, warm-hearted girl. May your heart always be light, your smile ever bright, and your life filled with faith, success, joy, and people who love and appreciate you.
All my love always,
Mom
If there's one thing we Southern girls love, it's good stationery. Actually, I'm pretty sure most of us love good stationery. Monogrammed, personalized, stamped~chances are you have some tucked away in a desk drawer. And if you were brought up like I was, you'll always have some on hand.
My mother was, and still is, a consumate letter writer. Our tastes in stationery always differed, but we always agreed that a good letter could always improve a person's day. There was something very comforting about the scratch of her pen against paper. As she was in all things, my mother was diligent about teaching me the different ways to show others how important they were to you. Taking the time to compose a letter was just one way to do so.
Though I'll readily admit to dropping the ball now & again, I grew to love writing letters, and once becoming a parent, tried to impart the same with my daughter. Sometimes she needed a little prodding, but as she got older she found that the prettier the paper, the more inclined she was to sit down and put pen to paper.
Much like my mother and I, Eldest enjoys beautiful stationery. It makes me very happy to be able to gift her with these sweet thank you cards for her birthday this year. I know she'll have many reasons to put them to good use!
The note cards fit Eldest's requirements for most things she loves: not too girly, simple, and fun. The touches of gold make them seem almost meant to be. I know she'll love them!
Come back for more Golden Birthday surprises~those still to come, and those already given. Happy Friday all!
An addendum: Thank you to everyone who took a moment yesterday to offer prayer for my cousin and her family. They are so blessed to have your extra prayers lifting them up!
If you all would, please keep my cousin, her family, & her children in your prayers today. Yesterday we all learned that she died, and her family is having a very tough time with the circumstances. Though we hadn't been in touch since I was very young, I have nothing but wonderful memories of her from my childhood. That is how I choose to remember her & honor her memory. God bless them all.
Eldest has been asked to refrain from reading the blog until her birthday passes~otherwise she'll know about a few of her golden surprises!
One such surprise is a piece of art. It's a print, and one she's wanted for a while. Over the headboard of her canopy bed there's a large space that has been crying out for something. To fit her room we agreed whatever it would be, she should be the one to choose it. Choose it & love it. If it happened to be young and chic, as opposed to a "Hunger Games" poster, even better.
This was no small task. We looked for quite a while, when in a moment of serendipity we discovered a wonderful artist through Megan of Honey We're Home.
Nancy Ramirez aka Cozamia has a fabulous website filled with her designs. If you wish to purchase one (and chances are you will once looking at her work), simply go to the Imagekind website and search under Cozamia. There you're able to customize the size, paper type, and wether you want it placed on canvas or framed.
It took us only a few moments of browsing before Eldest found a piece that had her jumping up and down. I'll be honest, it had me jumping up and down, too. Between the colors and the stylish herringbone pattern, we both knew this was the piece.
Fittingly enough the name of this print is "Wild Herringbone". And if Eldest knew it was on its way to our doorstep she'd be so excited~so SHHH! Please don't say a word.
I ordered the print to fit perfectly over her headboard, and once it arrives we'll have it framed much as it is in this picture: with a simple gold frame. Perfect for a golden birthday, don't you think?
It's simple, feminine, chic, and very youthful. That it's also a herringbone design also makes it timeless. The colors and design keeps it from being stodgy, making it a fresh and vibrant piece for any room.
Once the entire piece is installed and unveiled, I'll be sure to capture Eldest's reaction! I know it's going to be priceless~much like her.
Happy Tuesday all and stay tuned for more Golden Birthday Gifts!
I've had such enthusiastic responses to my "Meet Me Monday" series I decided that besides restaurants & L.A. locales, I should show you some places that are a little closer to home as well. Literally.
We've lived in our new home for almost 7 months, but have only scratched the surface in terms of unpacking our boxes from Charlotte. It's okay~Eldest and I have a plan. Every week we sort through five to six boxes and divide things into "keep", "sell", or "donate" piles. It's not unlike preparing to move and so far, has been very effective.
But enough of our plan. I'm about to show you the state of our garage (and it's a pretty humbling moment). Come with me into the shadowy recesses and see just why I had to share it with you!
It may sound like denial, but our garage isn't quite as bad as it looks. We have roughly 20 boxes to sort through still~not a great number. What makes the task look daunting are all the pieces of large furniture peppered throughout. You may be able to see some of them in the above picture. We have buffets, side tables, extra mattresses, chairs, dressers, an armoire, beds...Is anyone interested in making a purchase? We will have a big sale this summer!
It's a little crazy. What makes our garage so fun, though, and why I had to bring you along, is that each time a box is opened it's like discovering treasures long forgotten. In some cases they truly were. Here are a few of the lovely jewels we've recently rediscovered during our most recent unpacking.
Hotel Silver from the Savoy. I don't have many pieces since I only started collecting a few years ago, but it has become a real passion. Not only are some of the pieces from places long since closed, but it's impossible to not romantacise over the history of each. Who, I wonder, poured themselves a cup of tea while visiting the Savoy? What conversations were held in its presence? One can only imagine! Eldest and I used to spend time making up stories about the people who used our pieces. We Southerners do love a good yarn~and good silver~so combining the two makes it all the more special. After a good cleaning, I bet the imagining will begin all over again.
Our Mackenzie-Childs enamelware. I love this New York based company and thank my Mother for introducing it to me. The pieces we own are quirky, quality, and best yet, touched by wonderful memories. Many a pot of tea were enjoyed with both my mother & Eldest while using our over-sized Courtly Check mugs. Our plates are still in a box in the garage, but most of our serving pieces are out and ready to be used!
My lovely friend, Ruth, sent us a tureen and bowl set several years ago. The crab & shrimp theme made me think of the crab boils at home, giving the entire collection great sentimental value. As long as we've had the bowls, we used them each Fall and Winter for our hearty soups and chili's. It's so good to have them back on hand!
The silk drape panels happen to have the accent colors in our guest room! Let's cross our fingers that they work (I know that would make Husband very happy).
And finally...books. Oodles and oodles of books in one of my favorite colors: kelly green. It took a good bit of careful wiping down, but they're right as rain now and in our book cases.
So, yes, while our garage looks a bit like Sanford & Sons, there are treasures to be found. Some to keep and some to sell, but all with heartfelt memories attached. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to wash, rinse, and polish!
