I grew up going to Holden Beach on the southern North Carolina coast. My grandpa had a house there for a long time; that’s where my dad always went as a kid. We vacationed at Holden until 2002, when my grandpa sold his house. Since then, we’ve been back to Holden once, and we’ve stayed at Hilton Head, North Myrtle Beach and St. Simon’s Island. My family loves our Southern beaches.

My boyfriend Kevin, who I met at Virginia Tech, grew up in northwest New Jersey. His family’s favorite beach spot is Cape May, on the southern-most tip of the state. When he invited me to spend a weekend with him at Cape May, my mind raced with rumors and stories I heard about New Jersey beaches from kids at my high school. In my eight years (ugh) living above the Mason-Dixon Line, I had never ventured to any of the popular shore spots (they call it “the shore” up here), like Cape May, Wildwood, Ocean City or Stone Harbor. Delaware and Maryland beaches didn’t catch my attention, either. I told Kevin I’d never been to a beach farther north than North Carolina.   (more…)

Pretty Southern is privileged to be part of the Historic Oakland Cemetery Ambassadors program. We recently toured this Atlanta landmark visiting graves of thousands of Southerners including two of our favorites: Bobby Jones and Margaret Mitchell Marsh. You can scroll down below for photos, but first we wanted to let y’all know about a cool event happening this Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12.

Oakland Cemetery is now offering a guided walking tour – Malts & Vaults of Oakland: Where Beer Meets History. The tour adds to Oakland’s existing repertoire of 14 specialty tours and the additional “Sights, Symbols and Stories” tour. Authors Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle of “Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Hub of the South” will be onsite during the tours. Be sure to purchase a copy in our museum shop then have then sign it for you! At the end – your tour receipt is redeemable for $5 off at Six Feet Under in Grant Park. No beer will be served during the tour, but that receipt will get you a brew or appetizer. Get your tickets at OaklandCemetery.com. It’s $10 for adults, and $5 for students & seniors. Ya hear that college kids? For those of y’all above 21, that’s a free tour of Oakland Cemetery and a beer!

Now here are a few of our favorite photos of Atlanta’s Historic Oakland Cemetery

The beginning of our tour at Oakland Cemetery

Margaret Mitchell Marsh’s Grave in Historic Oakland Cemetery

The Grave of Bobby Jones – legendary golfer. Leave a golf ball for a blessing.

The Jewish family graves in Oakland Cemetery.

Ollivette Eugenia Smith Allison – a true lady

 
Of all the magnificent headstones and mausoleums we saw that day, there was a simple one that left me in awe. The prayer on the grave of Ollivette Eugenia Smith Allison. She was called the “Great Mother” for her work at the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home – and she loved elephants. Her grave is a mother elephant, with her trunk draped across a young elephant.

The prayer from Miss Ollivette is one that might be the ultimate prayer of thankfulness and gratitude…even from beyond the grave.

O God, I thank Thee for food, clothing, shelter, love, and understanding. For friends who are necessary for me to grow, to be a strong and respectable person. Grant me self-control, self-respect, and peace within. Amen.

“The two most important things that anyone can give a child are time and love. I’m never too busy to talk with a child. If I see a child who’s stressed, someone who’s having a bad day, I’ll go and spend time with them right away. If a child comes into my office while I am on the phone, I’ll hold her hand until I am finished talking and then I’ll give her a hug and ask her how she is.”

Amen indeed. For the living, keep up with Oakland on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Soon, I will be leaving and heading onward to my next adventure. It’s bittersweet, as I’m sure you understand. But I would be remiss if I did not properly thank you for the experiences we shared over the last four years, the lessons you taught me about school, work and life itself. Believe me, there’s a lot. Don’t let me get too misty-eyed.

It was here where I discovered what I want to do with my life. Well, I knew what field I wanted to pursue, but I wasn’t positive about exactly what I wanted to do. It didn’t take long for me to change my focus from journalism to public relations, and to add my second major in creative writing. Send your press release and public relations campaign assignments my way; I’ve got you covered.

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On one of the coldest days of the year, Atlantans lined up outside Sublime Donuts for a chance to get served by Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. To promote their new movie, Ride Along, which was filmed in Atlanta, the superstars hit the streets to promote their new film. Check out this hilarious clip of the dynamic duo proffering donuts.

Ride Along hits theaters on Jan. 17. For more information, follow them on Twitter and keep up with the conversation using #RideAlong. Here’s the official trailer, and note the beautiful shots of the Atlanta from the air, Phillips Arena, Mitdown, and beyond!

I come from a traditional Southern family. Both of my parents were born and raised in small North Carolina towns. I was born near my dad’s hometown and raised in Atlanta. In 2006, my dad’s job moved us above the Mason-Dixon Line to the Philadelphia suburbs. It’s a different world up there, but my family keeps our Southern traditions alive year-round.

My favorite of these traditions come at Christmas time. (more…)