Tybee Island Tour of Homes Photos

Last week I had the pleasure of being a Docent for the Tybee Home Tour.  This  was the 17th year for the tour, all  for charity.  This year the money raised went to the Tybee Island Maritime Academy, the food pantry the Rising TYde, and the summer sleep-away camp for children, the Fresh Air Home.  I was excited to greet the visitors to The Oyster Gardens, home of Diane Kaufman.

"HERE'S WHAT I WORE"  The Bermuda shorts are by Lilly Pulitzer in the 'Cabana Pink Sunnyside Chipper' pattern, with a Lilly P polo, Augusta National pony cap, Lilly P bow belt, and Lilly P pink mules.

Diane has a fabulous home {it's really a compound with a main house, guest house, dock house, and double garage} on Tybee Island...where the Atlantic ocean meets the back river.  The property was originally an old oyster house {used for receiving, shucking, processing, and packing oysters}. In 1895 the Goette family of Savannah bought the property for $7.50 on the courthouse steps. Mr. Goette signed the property over to his wife.  After Mr. Goette died, the mother raised their four children--the two sons lived in the main house and the two spinster daughters lived in the guest house. Mrs. Goette left the property to her spinster daughters. The spinsters then left the property to their nieces. The nieces left the property to their children and those children sold the property to Diane Kaufman.

This is a photo of the main house, which has a kitchen, den, bar service area, 2 bedrooms, full bath, and laundry area.  The main house has a screened-in porch and overlooks the water.

This is the guest house.  Of course, guests are welcome here but Diane also uses this home as her winter home, because it's all warm and cozy!  The guest house is two levels--the first level has a screened-in porch, a kitchen, laundry area, and a den/dining area. The second level has a bedroom and bath. 

I could go on and on with tons of photos of Diane's home...it is all perfectly restored and decorated in a classic vintage, coastal style.  I'll just feature a few...

The first two photos are of the kitchen in the main house at Oyster Gardens.  This is where Diane prepares the meals for her fabulous soirees!

Diane's den overlooks the back river through a screened-in back porch.

This is one of  the bedrooms in the main house.

After working at Diane's, it was time to visit the other 8 homes on the tour.    My friend Joy drove her golf cart on the tour for easy parking options...

Porch living on Tybee is a full-time activity.  We saw so many fabulous porches, but these were my favorites:

This homeowner has a fabulous ocean view and their back porch is the perfect spot for porch entertaining and  porch sitting.

Of course, all the beds were fluffed up for the tour and here's a few cute ones:

A Bed and Breakfast was on the tour and I snapped photos of their fabulous kitchen, parlor, and dining room.

After a long day of looking at fabulous homes, Oyster Cottage friends were treated to a fabulous dinner at Diane's.  Roe shrimp, fresh off the boat was the main course.  Oh my goodness y'all, these were the best shrimp ever.  Diane and friends are all relaxing at sunset on the porch of Diane's dock house.

I hope y'all have enjoyed the tour.  If you didn't make the tour this year, I hope to see you there next year.

Peach Juleps

It's happy hour and I decided to prepare refreshing Peach Julep cocktails using some of the ripe peaches I got in Georgia.  Okay, honestly, I used the peaches as a garnish for Martha Stewart's recipe.

Martha Stewart's Peach Juleps:
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cups store-bought peach juice
1 can (12 ounces) club soda
1/2 cup bourbon
Crushed ice, for serving
Georgia peaches

In a medium bowl or pitcher, combine mint and sugar.  With a wooden spoon, mash leaves until bruised. Stir in peach juice, club soda, and bourbon.  Serve over crushed ice, garnish with mint, and add a mint julep straw/spoon.  Of course, I added a Georgia peach wedge.  Serves 6

If you have never used a mint julep straw/spoon, there is etiquette to be followed:
It is considered proper to drink mint juleps with a sterling mint julep straw/spoon.  Simply use the spoon to stir the julep and sip your beverage through the tiny hole at the end.  This is one of the very few times a lady should use a straw to drink a beverage.  It is also acceptable to use a straw when you are drinking a coke out of a can or when you've "taken ill and are in the bed."

A sterling mint julep straw/spoon...stir with one end and sip from the other...Could you possibly get more Southern?

Paula Deen is Back Y'all!

Y'all know I love Paula Deen, so I was excited when she announced the news about her own network...The Paula Deen Network!  I have already signed up and you can too.  It's a paid subscription-based online offering and you can read more about it at her website.

I recently was invited to attend a private taping of her upcoming show...at the kitchen inside her home!  It was beautiful and Paula was her same down-to-earth Southern self!  I enjoyed watching her prepare her trademark comfort food, assisted in the kitchen by her son Bobby and his wife Claudia.   I love that Bobby and Claudia bring lighter-side options to Paula's recipes...so that you can choose--traditional comfort food or the lighter options.  Paula has such a bubbly personality and the news of her upcoming show gives me a renewed interest in her Southern recipes.


 

I was on stage with Paula and Bobby and came away with a gift of these chopping knives.  Of course I am happy to add these to my collection of Paula Deen kitchen cute loot! 

"HERE'S WHAT I WORE"  The shift is the Lilly P 'Ten Ton Bouquet' pattern, with pearls and a J Crew Jackie cardigan, Kate Spade summer purse, and Tory Burch summer Revas.

Paula is also on tour with her live shows...check out the schedule here.

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.  

Who Will Be Crowned Miss USA 2014?

I can't wait for the Miss USA pageant this Sunday night!  Last year I attended the pageant in Las Vegas and had so much fun.  Giuliani Rancic and Thomas Roberts will host and Georgia Florida Line will perform.  I love Georgia Florida Line!

Erin Brady was one of my favorites last year and I was happy when she won.

Donald Trump with Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady after her big win.  Mr. Trump always surrounds himself with beautiful ladies!

The winner of Miss USA receives a beautiful crown, sash, flowers, a modeling contract and all kinds of cute loot! Sunday evening Erin Brady will be placing a blinged-out big ole crown on the coiffed head of one of these 51 girls as the new Miss USA 2014!

How beautiful is Erin Brady?!

Erin Brady photographed wearing her gorgeous crown!

The state of Texas titleholders have won Miss USA NINE TIMES y'all.  Girls from the Southern states usually do well in pageants, but there has not been a Miss USA from the South since Kristin Dalton, from North Carolina won the title in 2009.  I will be cheering for my Southern Belle favorites...Miss Georgia, Miss South Carolina, and my favorite to take home the crown is Miss Alabama!  I also like Miss North Dakota, Miss Maryland, Miss California, Miss Oklahoma, Miss Nevada, Miss Utah, and Miss Iowa.

If you are on Twitter, you will have the opportunity to save your favorite during the evening gown competition.  Just tweet #savethequeen along with a keyword that will be provided onscreen during the telecast.  I'll be tweeting during the telecast, as usual.

Tybee Island, Georgia Tour of Homes

I'm so excited to be a docent at this year's Tybee Island Tour of Homes.  It will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2014, from 10 am - 4 pm.  This tour will feature nine properties...all decorated with a coastal/island theme.  There are quirky, funky cottages, condos, and stylish homes.  Each property will have docents on hand to tell the history of the property.  These are a few of the homes that will be on the tour:

 You can purchase advance tickets online for $40 or $45 the day of the event and the price includes lunch.  This year's tour will benefit the Tybee Island Maritime Academy, The Rising TYdes Community Food Pantry, and the Fresh Air Home.

Hope to see y'all there!