Top 30

Earlier this year, Paul and I were at our friends' house making dinner together. The meal included avocados, which I loooove. I scooped up a big mouthful of guacamole with a chip and exclaimed, "Mmmm, avocados! Definitely one of my top 30 things in the world." Everyone kind of stared, wide-mouthed, with responses ranging from, "What?! In the WORLD? to "Where in the top 30?" to "You have a top 30?" 


This is something I've always kind of thought about, but it definitely sparked a conversation that night and made us all seriously think about what our Top 30 would be.... to the point that some of us actually got out a pen and paper. I don't think anyone has finished their list yet, and I think it probably should be something that's in constant revision. But I think making a Top 30 is a wonderful exercise in gratitude; to recognize how much something means to you helps you to continually acknowledge it in your everyday life. You know that you're doing/eating/seeing something truly special and worth savoring when it's on your Top 30, and it makes you appreciate it a little bit more. So what's on your Top 30? Here's what I have on mine so far, in no particular order... avocados no longer included... Ha! (Click to enlarge.)

P.S. We have decided since then that anything that can reciprocate love doesn't count, so that means no friends or family or pets. That would just be way to easy...

Introducing... Allman, a men's line

My great-grandfather on my mom's side,

William Lewis Allman.

I always called him "Papa."

(Pictured below: Papa with my mom, Janet)

"Allman" is a project that I've been working on for a long time. I've dabbled here and there in menswear, making a few things that I'd take to craft shows to sell. But finally, I've sat down long enough to put together a one-of-a-kind collection just for men, all inspired by my great grandfather, William Lewis Allman.

I was lucky enough to grow up with two generations of grandparents on both sides of my family, but I spent the most time with my mom's side who lived just a few minutes down the road from us. After my grandfather died when my mom was just 15, her mother's parents moved in with her. The three of them lived together - Aileen, Granny, and Papa - forever after.

Many of my summers and afternoons after school were spent at their house, playing in the yard, watching TV, and helping out in the kitchen. Papa would always be waiting on the porch for me when I got off the school bus, and most days, we'd walk to the post office together to check the mail and to Moose Drug for a cone of ice cream. We'd pick up pecans in the back yard and on the weekends, walk to the auction house with Granny.

My mama has always told me that Papa loved me more than anybody, though I have a strong feeling he really loved her the most. She got to know Papa in a way that I never did. Papa lived just until I graduated from high school, so I was lucky to have him for quite awhile, but Mama got to know the much younger version of our grandfather. She knew the man who was a machinist at the cotton mill and fixed radios and TVs in his backyard shop in his spare time... the man who raised roosters and hunting dogs and kept bees.. the man who helped build the Baptist church.

When I look back at old black-and-white photos of Papa, I see a young man that exuded such a masculine confidence, an ease of being, and downright coolness. I love imagining what he must have been like back then, back when my mom was growing up. And I love that I can create something that brings this mood and that era of his existence back to life. Recreating this vintage clothing helps me to recreate him, and I am so happy to share that with the people who will end up wearing it.

Below is a preview of the collection, which features men's button-ups, sweaters, jackets, neckties, and hats. You can expect to see much more in the coming months as I continue to photograph the line. And each piece comes with a handmade tag featuring a reproduction of one of those old black-and-whites. My great-grandfather is the one pictured on the far left.

Family Recipe: Brunswick Stew

This time every year, it's a common practice in the South to make Brunswick Stew. From weekend-long church fundraisers to giant iron pots of back-yard, home-cooked stew, it's a Southern staple that signals the advent of fall. 


I vividly remember the time when my best friend's family was cooking a batch over an outdoor fire, and their pet goat jumped into the pot and singed his poor little legs! And no, we didn't dump the whole pot out. Everyone figured that slow-cooking and high heat killed any germs that could have gotten in. (But that has since been referred to as the year of goat stew.)


A few weeks ago, my mom picked up her annual few quarts of stew for eating and freezing from one of the local churches. I happened to be home visiting as they were about to have lunch and it was a reminder of a tradition long-forgotten. 

For those too far from the Southern states to find their own church fundraiser to attend, I thought I'd share a family recipe for Brunswick Stew, in case you want to try to make your own. Here is the recipe exactly as it appears in my Granny's notebook of recipes. You'll have to do a little interpreting in places, as there are details left to tradition and never jotted down on paper.


Brunswick Stew

3 lb. hen

2 lb. chicken breast

1 lb. pork

2 lrg. onions

6 med. potatoes

2 lrg. cans tomato

2 cans corn

2 cans baby lima beans

Salt & pepper, to taste

½ lb. butter

Cook meat until tender. Cool and reserve broth. Cook onions, potatoes, and tomatoes on low; add meat and broth. Add corn, beans, salt & pepper, and butter, and cook a while more.


Photo: The house where my mom spent the earliest part of her childhood, living close to her other relatives on "Mill Hill" in Mt. Pleasant, NC.

Urban Adventure: Thrifting, BBQ & Line Dancing

When possible, I think it's best to turn errands into an adventure, tacking on stops for fun. Especially when you're already traveling to a different neighborhood, why not use that gallon of gas and make your time more worthwhile?

Here's my itinerary for a thrifty trip to West Charlotte, made for a Wednesday evening that includes dinner and dancing!

The perfect outfit for your outing...

Dance Hall Dress by Verabelle

Pony Necklace by Archives Chicago

Cowgirl Cuff made from a vintage belt by Lucky Junk 

Boots from Goodwill, photo by macdon512, 

from the Goodwill Hunting Flickr pool

STOP 1: Thrift Store Corner

Goodwill Outlet        Value Village        Community Thrift

2901a Freedom Dr.      2917 Freedom Dr.     3016 Freedom Dr.

                       Charlotte, NC 28208          

There's a certain area on Freedom Drive that I like to call "Thrift Store Corner," where you can hit a string of secondhand shops all at once. Goodwill Outlet and Value Village sit right next to one another, and Community Thrift is directly across the street. And the best part: you know that each store is going to have something completely different!

Start your excursion at Goodwill's outlet store, where clothes are sold by the pound. This is the ultimate stop for the thrifty scavenger; you'll get to dig through heaping bins for vintage and designer treasures, all at a low cost of $1.39 per pound. This shop also offers housewares and furniture, where most are priced at 50% off. 

Next door is Value Village, a grocery-store-sized thrift shop and one of my favorite of the thrifting chains. Scan the endless shelves of shoes and pick through the racks to see if you can uncover a Western shirt or a old cowboy hat to wear later for dancing. I've picked up many a vintage treasure at this spot!

Across the street at Community Thrift, you'll find a thrift store as organized as a department store. With sections for sports equipment, hand-picked vintage finds, and even a craft section, I never walk away from here empty-handed. My favorite finds from this store: a pair of vintage sunglasses and a brand new Bodin french press.

STOP 2: Barbeque King

2900 Wilkinson Boulevard Charlotte, NC 28208

After thrifting, make a dinner stop at Babeque King, a drive-in barbeque joint that has been serving Charlotte since 1959. This second-generation family establishment smokes their pulled and sliced pork in-house and smothers it with their homemade secret barbeque sauce. They're also known for their barbeque chicken, which Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives describes as a cross between fried and barbeque chicken and buffalo wings. If you need to, stop by the ATM, because this stop is cash only.

STOP 3: Coyote Joe's

4621 Wilkinson Blvd. Charlotte NC 28208

Gear up in any Western wear you uncovered on your thrifting marathon to get ready for a night of line-dancing at Coyote Joe's. Plan to arrive on Wednesday by 7:00 pm for the free line dancing lessons. Instructors will give you the moves to strut along the giant dance floor so that you'll be ready for the live band at 9:00 pm. On Wednesdays, ladies get in free and guys pay $3, with half-price drinks.


This entry has been adapted from my past post for the Wow! Goodwill blog... Be sure to read my other posts for Goodwill!

Favored Fall Accessories

Here's a round-up of my some favorite accessories for this fall, all found on Etsy. Based on a recent poll on my Facebook fan page, the scarf takes number one as the favored accessory of most. But thanks to all the creative crafters out there, there are many more options to add some interest to your wardrobe for the season. Take a look at what I found!

Spats by Merry Be

Fabric Necklace by Vadjutka

Turban by Leilanni Land

Chevron Necklace by Amira Jewelry

DIY Necklace by Snug Studio

Rose Ring by From Paris

Belt Buckle by Flight Path Designs

Chanel at the Mint

My best friend and I recently visited Charlotte's Mint Museum to view a bit of fashion history. The museum on Randolph Road currently has a exhibit featuring the iconic haute couture designs of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Her design sensibilities are so interwoven into our present-day fashion culture, that as a redesigner of vintage clothing, for me, this exhibit was a must.

Coco Chanel was a pioneer of women's fashion in the early 1900's, leaving behind the corset for designs that were more comfortable and casual, yet still elegant. She is known to have popularized many modern staples, including women's trousers, suits, and the little black dress. Taking notes from menswear beyond just the pant, she was also the first to design using knit jersey, at the time used only for men's underwear. 

The exhibit highlights designs dating from the 1920s to the present-day house of Chanel and includes clothing by the designer, as well as costume jewelry and her signature perfume. My favorite piece was a black and white dress suit made between 1925-1929 and constructed by Coco Chanel, herself. I love the a-symmetry of the button placement, the geometric print of the fabric, and the drop waist. It has such a simple elegance and, in my opinion, looks modern, even for today.

Chanel: Designs for the Modern Woman will be on view through December 31 2011.

My favorite design of the exhibit(jacket not pictured).

Other selections in the Mint Museum's 

fashion collection not to be missed!