Little Book of Etiquette

This book, by etiquette and protocol maven Dorothea Johnson, is a handy reference for those who need to brush up on their dining etiquette.  The pocket-size book will show you how to "Eat at ease as a guest or as a host in business and social arenas worldwide."

There is a lot of information packed into this tiny book (it's 3" x 3"), covering:

Dining Dos and Don'ts

Table Talk

American and Continental Styles of Eating

The Dining Tutorial

Eating Various Foods

Finessing the Business Meal

Forms of Service

This book is available on Amazon and would make a great gift for new college students, those entering the business world, or a gift to young people.

Good table manners are the ultimate symbol of who you are and how you were raised.

After Christmas

Well, all my Christmas decor is down and the house looks so bare and empty.  


I decided to keep my cotton boll wreath up...for now.  I rehung it in a new spot over the sideboard.  My house has been decorated with lots of holiday decor since right after we moved in...first Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  So now, without the extra fanciness to fill in empty spots, I'm really going to have to focus in January to pull things together.  I can't wait to find some more cute loot to help make it warm and cozy.  There are so many places in Georgia to shop for french country goodies and the hunt is the best part!

Today I browsed through this book by Carolyn Westbrook, The French Inspired Home.   My Georgia home is ever-so humble (and that's just fine with me), but I still love to look at pretty pictures and somehow bring in little bits of french style to "The Roost." Ms. Westbrook is the author of several home decor books:  Carolyn Westbrook Home, Through the French Door, and a Romance with French Living.

If you like French decor, you will love all her books because they are all full of pretty pictures!  Thank you for visiting with me today.

Dinner on the Grounds

James Farmer is a Southern gentleman who looks way too cute in his signature gingham shirts...he's a gardening expert, floral genius, interior designer, and a gourmet chef.

I just got my hands on his latest book...Dinner on the Grounds.

The book is full of his much loved Southern recipes; clockwise...

When James and his sisters were little, their grandmother would make these adorable "ants on a log" for treats.  How cute are they?  There are celery stalks with cream cheese and chopped green olives and some with peanut butter with apples and raisins.  Then there's my favorite...Devilish Deviled Eggs.  These sound perfect with the Wickles Pickles Relish!  I'm a fan of okra prepared any ole' way, but his Roasted Okra recipe is must-try for me.  Lord have mercy, he includes loads of topping ideas for grits...and I'm liking the idea of adding crumbled sausage, sliced mushrooms, baby shrimp, crumbled bacon, and chopped green pepper.

I must admit that I've never heard of an Olive Oil Cake.  This recipe intrigues me because it doesn't call for any sugar at all...just honey.  The name is "Honey Lemon Olive Oil Cake."  In the bottom photo, it is served with and Amaretto Peach Bake.  Be still my Southern peach heart!  Peaches and amaretto liqueur...I'd love this tonight!

I first fell in love with James' tablescapes in Southern Living magazine.  Dinner on the Grounds includes more beautiful settings...love this blue and white tablescape under the tent.

Buffalo check tablecloths--always a winner!  Love the tablecloth, the chairs, the flowers, and the centerpiece!

I'm off to drool over the beautiful pictures and great looking food in this book!

Porch Living

This afternoon I'm enjoying every moment on my wrap around porch with some sweet iced tea...porch sitting and leafing through another James T. Farmer book, "Porch Living."  This one is full of pretty porches and porch vignettes.

The book totally had me with this cutie on the porch!

This porch caught my eye...love the curtains, furniture, and fabric.

LOVE this porch swing looking over all the lush garden plants.

Of course, James Farmer's beautiful tablescapes are included in this book!

You can purchase a copy of "Porch Living" at Mr. Farmer's website.  

When Did White Trash Become the New Norm?

Lord have mercy, Charlotte Hays has a new book out "When Did White Trash Become The New Normal?"  It was only a matter of time before someone addressed this subject.

The New York Post recently featured this article regarding the subject, submitted by Ms. Hays.

Charlotte is also the co-author of one of my all-time favorite books..."Being Dead Is No Excuse," which I wrote about in this post.

"Rampant irresponsibility, shameless greed, and bumptious disregard for other people have broken out of the trailer park and into the country club; you now encounter White Trash Normal at high-end grocery stores and posh garden parties." ~Charlotte Hays

From the behavior of those on the Jerry Springer show to the Kardashian clan, nothing is sacred anymore.  Tackiness is all around us today.  Per Ms. Hays, "You no longer have to be White Trash to do White Trash things.  Even highly educated, well-to-do people are behaving like White Trash!  Tramp stamps and skank stamps are all the rage now and even mosquito-infested swimming pools in the back yards of foreclosed McMansions are no longer a sign of embrarrassment to some."

The book includes recipes for White Trash cocktails, appetizers, sandwiches, entrees, side dishes, and desserts.  I must admit that I turned down the page for the Redneck Riviera Iced Tea and the Spiked Church Punch...gonna put those in my recipe file.

The author also includes a White Trash Timeline--Some milestones on the road to White Trash Normal.  Starting in 1936 with the first Tampax ad {don't even get me started on these advertisements for unmentionables} and bringing us up to present day 2013--a CBS production of the Two and a Half Men musical "Who Needs Charlie Sheen?  You're a Douche!"

Anything goes now.  What used to be shameful is now put out on parade for everyone to see.

The term "White trash" has been used in the South for a long, long time.  In the movie "The Help," Jessica Chastain played the part of 'Celia Foot' and Octavia Spencer played her maid 'Minny.'  When Celia asked Minny why none of the other ladies in town liked her, Minny answered her in a blunt yet somehow comforting tone "They don't like you 'cause they think you white trash, Miss Celia."

Hattie McDaniel, who played 'Mammy' in "Gone With The Wind" used the term "White trash" several times during the movie...referring to field hands and such--all the time telling the O'Hara girls not to act like "White trash."

My friend Miss Joy gave me this cookbook many years ago...it contains recipes for all my favorite Southern comfort food--White Trash Cooking!

While I do not have this book, I definitely have attended a couple of "White Trash Gatherings!"

So what are your thoughts?  Discuss. 

Forever Chic

Ooh la la...another darling book about those stylish Frenchwomen to add to my ever-growing stack of French chic literature!  I love this new little book by Tish Jett--Forever Chic.  The subtitle is:  Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style, and Substance. 

Forever Chic, by Tish Jett.  I love the tres chic cover!

The author, Tish Jett is also the author of the blog A Femme d'un Certain Age...written for us grown-up girls over 40!  Ms. Jett was a longtime American fashion journalist and moved to Paris to become the style editor of the International Herald Tribune and eventually the editor of American Elle.  She married a Frenchman and continues her writing today through freelance articles and her blog.

We Francophiles can never get enough of Frenchwomen and I certainly am captivated with the style of those French ladies over 40!  The book covers secrets of the Frenchwomen's allure, diet, skincare, exercise habits, and of course--the wardrobe.  Love it.

Forever Chic...a cute gift for your BFF for Christmas!

Betty Halbreich, Personal Shopper

After seeing the film, "Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's" this summer, I had to read the book about the famous Bergdorf's Personal Shopper Betty Halbreich.  The film is all about the iconic department store and Betty plays herself as a supporting character...

Betty Halbreich wearing Chanel.

Ms. Halbreich has been choosing the right clothes for actresses, socialites, and young ladies for 36 years.  She is the head of the "Solutions" department at Bergdorf's and now has authored the book "Secrets of a Fashion Therapist."  This book reminded me of shopping in posh department stores as a young girl with my Mama.  Back then Sales Assistants actually knew their inventory and tried to help you find the outfit that was the best look and fit for the occasion...instead of just trying to make a sale.

Ms. Halbreich in the "Solutions" office at Bergdorf's in New York City.


Even though Ms. Halbreich believes it's okay to wear black to a wedding, I still like the advice she dispenses in this book.  

She starts with helping you to clean out your closet...suggesting what to keep and what to get rid of.  From there the book is about how to build your wardrobe...not a trendy wardrobe, but one that will last for many years--whether you are a college student just entering the business world or returning to the workplace after staying at home.

I love this piece of advice..."Don't look to the fashion magazines as a Bible on how to dress; look to them merely to glean ideas of what you might like to wear."

A lot of stores offer Personal Shoppers today.  To be honest, I have only taken advantage of this type of service on two occasions...both with Saks Fifth Avenue and the purchase of my St. John Knits suits.  I really think if you are shopping for a special occasion a Personal Shopper is a valuable ally.  I don't know about y'all, but I really appreciate it when I can get an objective opinion about the color, fit, and style of clothes.

Ms. Halbreich photographed in her Park Avenue apartment.

"Shopping and dressing is about much more than clothes.  It's about something you do to make yourself feel good."  

~Betty Halbreich

God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea

Of course I was attracted to the title of this book God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea and the pretty book cover definitely got my attention!  It's a devotional book written by a Southern lady Rose Chandler Johnson, who lives in a small Georgia town near my hometown.  Rose has been a teacher of English and French for 20 years and is the mother of six.

I have several devotional books...some that are meant to be read daily and some like this one, which you can read all in one setting or pick it up and read one devotion at a time.  Today I sat down with some iced tea and decided to read the entire book.  The author is not preachy at all...she writes from the heart.  Rose brings her personal life experiences and what God has taught her and ties them in with the scripture.

The format for each devotion is short, easy to read, and based on God's word:

Starting with a Bible verse, then a short devotion, suggested readings from the Bible, a place for journaling your thoughts, a closing prayer, the author's own "Sweet Tea Moment," and a suggested prayer focus.

Rose is also the author of a devotional blog Write Moments With God.  I recommend this devotional book for those who want to promote their own spiritual growth and develop a closer relationship with God.  It would be a sweet gift for yourself or others.  God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea is available for purchase at Amazon.

Hillbilly Debutante Cafe

Do you know the Hillbilly Debutante?  She is Kathie Truitt, the author of the blog by the same name!  Kathie grew up on El Dorado Springs, Missouri and married her high school sweetheart.  They travelled the world and lived in Mississippi and England and then returned back to El Dorado Springs.

Kathie spent over 20 years as a radio personality and in 1996 she was crowned Mrs. Missouri.  In 2001, her husband moved her and her children to Washington, DC, and I can identify with this...she moved kicking and screaming!

Upon arrival in the East coast city, Kathie became a victim of a crazy neighbor lady that stalked her for 5 years.  The family was forced to move to another county for their safety.  This was the basis for Kathie's first novel "False Victim."

I recently finished reading Kathie's second book, "The Hillbilly Debutante Cafe."  It's a much lighter, more fun novel!  The setting is in El Dorado Springs, Missouri.  Since Kathie can't up and move from Washington, DC back El Dorado Springs, she thought she'd just write about it.

In the book, Molly McCarty moves back to her hometown after deciding she's had enough of the big-city life as a politician's wife in Washington.  Some of the characters are based on real people in the town, which is struggling financially.  Molly tries to help the newly-formed downtown revitalization committee.  However, the whole town is in an uproar over Roy Bob Benson, who is trying to buy the old Hacker's Jewelry building and turn it into a "girly" bar.

"The Hillbilly Debutante Cafe" is available on Amazon

You can shop at Kathie's Hillbilly Debutante Boutique for these and other cute "Hillbilly Deb" pretties...

A cute throw pillow

Show your pride with a cute little tee

Love this tee and the whole outfit...maybe with some boots, also available on the site!

Get the book, you'll love it for your summer reading!  You visit Kathie's blog HERE and she's also on Facebook.