Occasionally, I will enter a space and know immediately that what is in store will be extraordinary. That was the case when I first entered the exhibition, “Samurai”, which is currently at the High. With the exhibition being displayed in several adjoining galleries, each room …
Unlike any other concert that I’ve attended, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour Concert seemed to be as much about her fans and those who attended, as it was about her. Perhaps, it’s like the song goes, “We Are One”. Her fans identify with her. As we entered …
This statue, which has adorned our deck for over a decade now, has brought me joy season after season. I call her… My Lady. I remember the day that we bought her at an estate sale and us hauling her up the steps to our deck. I thought that she was beautiful and couldn’t imagine her being mine. Every season, as the leaves fall or when they reappear and when the annuals previously placed around fade, she gets a makeover and becomes so fresh and so new.
My Lady Over the Years
With Greece having been in the news lately due to all of the fires and evacuations, I’ve reminisced about our time there a few years ago. We traveled throughout the country and found it to be simply beautiful. At this time, I’m hoping that Greece …
Recently, I had the opportunity to meet the 2023 James Beard Award Best Chef Southeast winner, Terry Koval.
Just a few days before connecting with him at his Decatur, Georgia restaurant, The Deer and the Dove, I had been sitting in the Lyric Opera of Chicago as his name was announced as the winner. Up until that time, I had never been to his restaurant, but I sat there in the audience with so much joy that a restauranteur from metro Atlanta had been recognized and honored.
In meeting Chef Koval, it was like reuniting with a familiar friend. He was kind, warm, humorous and easy to talk to. With a full house expected on a Saturday evening (especially after winning the award), the chef treated us with his full attention much longer than I could have imagined. He told us his story, one which begins with his early years. He told us of his influences and the events that led him. His guiding philosophy that he spreads with others is to treat people with kindness and respect. As we sat with Chef Koval in the restaurant booth, I thought that the award could not have gone to a kinder and more respectful person.
Congratulations, Chef Koval! We absolutely loved dining at your place!
Don’t miss The Deer and The Dove.
I’m often amazed at the wondrous things one can discover without having to travel halfway around the world. That was the case this weekend when we found ourselves in Eatonton, GA . The town is located about 75 miles east of Atlanta via I-20. Looking …
This past weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of attending the 149th Kentucky Derby in Louisville. This was my first time going to Churchill Downs, so I really didn’t know what to expect. What I observed, (ten times over what I had anticipated) was a …
For a getaway, we once again visited Charleston, South Carolina and the surrounding areas. Charleston carries so much charm, but it also has a haunting past. When I look at many of the photos below, they seem to reflect the duality of the city. The azaleas in full bloom color the gardens with promise and beauty. The lush green grass covers the ground like carpet, welcoming for all to see and enjoy. And then, there’s the Spanish moss which hangs from the trees hauntingly, and reminds me of its conflicting past. The beginning of the Civil War began when Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor. South Carolina was also a slave society, with enslaved Africans who made up the majority of its population during the early 1700s. At this point, however, I tend to focus on the present with hope for the future like that of the azalea blooms.
In describing the cuisine of Charleston, I would say that it deliciously Southern! There’s lots of seafood, BBQ, fried food and other good dishes. Coincidentally, while we were there, they were having the Charleston Food and Wine Festival. Next year, we will plan to attend.
Below are photos taken at Bowens Island Restaurant, a seafood shack which sits on one of the waterways, where the food is scrumptious. While eating on the deck, relaxing, and looking at the water and the setting sun, we were surprised and delighted to see dolphins.
Speaking of dolphins, there were lots of other animals keeping us company. While looking out of our hotel room window, I spotted what appeared to be 3 alligators! Thinking that I was mistaken, I dismissed the thought until I saw the “beware of alligator” sign. I was most careful from then on.
Here are some local books displayed at a Charleston book store.
One of my favorite things to do while traveling anywhere is to watch the early morning sunrise and the evening sunset. My spirit is always touched.
