Amelia Clifford & James Ostenson are the sweetest Southern couple. These newlyweds are some of the finest folks in Georgia and PrettySouthern is delighted to share a few of their wedding pictures, courtesy of Kate Danielle Photography.
The bride’s Something Blue for her big day were these gorgeous shoes by Caparros. The shoe name is Caparros Ethel Pump if you’d like to recommend these heels to another bride-to-be.
The wedding was at Perimeter Church ( 9500 Medlock Bridge Rd, Johns Creek, Ga 30097) and their reception was held just down the road at County Club of the South (4100 Alabama rd, Johns creek, GA 30097).
For their wedding, Amelia and James relied on the help of their family and friends, plus eight bridesmaids and groomsmen and two adorable flower girls. In true Southern fashion, it was essential to have their loved ones close on their wedding day.
If you’re a fan of the photos, then please check out one of our favorite Southern girls, Miss Kate Danielle, and her work on her fabulous new website. Kate is available to photograph your special Southern event. In the meantime, congratulations to Amelia & James!
This Fourth of July weekend, I had a lot of cheese. OK, not real cheese, because if you’ve ever been to South America, you’d know they haven’t mastered the art of cheese yet. I’m talking about sentimental cheese; standing in the middle of a crowded house party discussing how great America is kind-of-cheese.
As an English teacher, it’s been pretty easy to make other American, English-teacher friends. Isn’t it funny? I came here to submerge myself in a foreign culture, yet I yearn to speak my own language with other natives. This was one of those occasions. A friend of mine from Houston decided that since Chile wouldn’t be recognizing July 4, and we would all surely be homesick this weekend, he would throw a party at his tiny 15th floor apartment. Our job was to bring a “very American” dish to share.
As you can imagine, there was a lot of meat: homemade corn dogs, chicken wings, ribs and Carolina barbecue. I brought a cake in the shape of an American flag, with blueberries as the stars and strawberries as the stripes. When it was time for the cake, everyone hushed their chatter and wiped their meaty mouths. My Texan host made quite a scene of this cake. I was blushing. Hundreds of thousands of Chileans and tourists flocked to Santiago for Lollapalooza Chile to see such American acts as Kanye West, The Flaming Lips and The Killers. Also note the Coca-Cola sign in Spanish at the concert.
Next thing I know, I was standing in the middle of an apartment in Santiago, Chile, belting out the lyrics and high notes to the star-spangled banner with 40 other English teachers. It was loud, it was off-pitch, it was probably a little obnoxious for his neighbors, but it was the most American I’ve felt in awhile.
In all seriousness, one of the most important things I’ve gathered from this journey is a greater appreciation of home. Not just because it’s what I’m used to.
Yes, I miss the convenience of Target and Jewish bagel delis, but more than anything, I am so grateful that I get to call myself a citizen of a country that most other countries are striving to be. Although Chile stays true to its Latin American roots, the fashion, music, pop culture, and even architecture are all trying to be chameleons of American style.
A stark contrast between old Italian and new American-style architecture in historical Plaza de Armas.
Amidst the incredible amount of change Chile has experienced in the last 40 years, there are still many aspects of Chilean society that remind me how lucky I am to be a “gringo”. One of the issues that students are protesting now is their right to free education. Upward mobility is nearly impossible in Chile, because students who go to public schools and universities typically don’t get hired into high-paying positions. It’s a relentless cycle that, in the United States, would never be tolerated.
I saw no fireworks this weekend. They are illegal here. I wasn’t on a boat in a lake in North Georgia, and I didn’t get to eat a slice of watermelon. This is my first Fourth of July that I’ve spent away from home. But to my surprise, it was also my most meaningful.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://prettysouthern.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ChelseaCook.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Chelsea Cook is a journalist from Atlanta teaching English in Santiago, Chile. Check back each week to PrettySouthern for more of Chelsea’s adventures South of the Equator.[/author_info] [/author]
Fourth of July weekend is here! If you’re looking for some fun ideas to celebrate America’s Independence, we’ve got you covered. Atlanta’s got a bunch of fun cooking especially over at Rosebud. Come in for “Red, White & Blue” Brunch on Sunday , July 3 decked out in Red, White and Blue attire, and get yourself a free glass of Ellen’s July 4th Sangria. On Monday, July 4, their new enterprise The Family Dog will be hosting its first annual Whiffle Ball & Flip Cup Tournament. Please check out their website for details.
PrettySouthern has got y’all covered on ideas for the ultimate Fourth of July picnic courtesy of our contributor Kat. Her inspiration board shows the sweetest finds for hosting a perfect party.
1. A striped sailor top gets added flair an oversized red poppy pin by EmersonMade. This brand puts a fresh, modern spin on classic American style.
2. Whether in your backyard, at the pool, or at a local restaurant, any event you are hosting gets an instant face-lift with a printed menu. Create and print yours at home or use a local print shop and then place one at each seat for an elegant touch.
3. Paper lanterns and tons of outdoor string lights are a must for any outdoor summer party.
4. Simple and festive tomato-mozzarella mini sandwiches are easy to make and serve. Add a patriotic ribbon to dress up these simple bites.
At summer camp we were treated to a fantastic breakfast treat each session: waffles with a scoop of ice cream. Thanks to our friend Wes Jones at Honeysuckle Gelato, we were able to recreate the magic for grownups.
Honeysuckle Gelato has a fabulous new flavor called The Kang. A tribute to The King, Elvis Presley, this yummy flavor is a toasted banana base with ribbons of peanut butter caramel. They would have added bacon to their ice cream but the Feds would have to shut ’em down! We added the bacon into PrettySouthern’s recipe. This dish does take a while to prepare, so in true Southern fashion, we used ingredients we had to create a starter!
Sugar Glazed Bacon Twists
Sugar Glazed Bacon Twist top sweet ice cream The Kang by Honeysuckle Gelato
1 package of Bacon
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Scoop of The Kang
Preheat oven to 350. Mix Brown Sugar, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Ground Mustard in a shallow tray or bowl. Lay Bacon in dry rub then twist in the mix to form a Bacon Twist. Place Bacon Twists on a baking rack (with a foil lined tray underneath to catch the drippings). Bake for 25 minutes, remove and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving atop a scoop of The Kang.
This treat was a great way to prep our palettes for the delicious Bacon Waffle concoction. Either eat the Bacon Twist in between bites of The Kang or break it up and mix it into your ice cream…it’s all going to the same place. While munching on your sweet appetizer, start working on your main course.
Elvis Presley’s Breakfast for Dinner: Bacon Waffles topped with The Kang
Can of Non-Stick Cooking Spray
1 pound of Bacon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 TBSP Vanilla
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups Milk (do not use Skim or Soy!)
1/4 cup melted Butter (or use margarine)
Lots of Good Maple Syrup (your choice)
Buy 1 quart of The Kang from Honeysuckle Gelato (purchase remaining ingredients from grocery store).
Cook Bacon to a crisp, but not blackened. Place on paper towel and set aside. Select a few whole strips to use as garnish. Once cooled, chop the rest of your bacon into pieces (y’all want to have chunks of the bacon visible in the waffle). We used our Slap Chop to get perfect sizes of bacon. Separate your Eggs, Whites in one bowl and Yolks in another. Combine Yolks with Milk, Vanilla and Butter. Mix Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt together then mix with your wet ingredients. Beat the Egg Whites until frothy then mix with your batter. Add in Bacon. Start your Waffle Maker, spraying the iron down with a good helping of Non-Stick Cooking Spray. Bake your Bacon Waffles, then top with a scoop of The Kang and a slice of Bacon. Drizzle with Good Maple Syrup.
What’s so great about this dish is how well they salty & sweet flavors compliment each other: the savory bacon works with the peanuts in the ice cream and the rich sweetness of the banana-caramel-syrup combo is truly a delight.
Atlanta is the capital of the South. We’ve got a restaurant in the center of town called Empire State South for good reason. That Damn Yankee Sherman declared victory in the Civil War after he burned Atlanta. But our fair city rose from the ashes to host the Olympics only a hundred years later.
Here’s a brief history lesson on the Awesome ATL.
1822: the first English settlers arrived in what is now Metro-Atlanta.
1823: Decatur was he first town founded in our city limits.
1836: the Georgia General Assembly voted to build the Western and Atlantic Railroad in order to provide a link between the port of Savannah and the Midwest. An engineer surveyed possible routes and drove his stake, the “zero milepost” into what is now Five Points.
1837: Terminus springs up around this area. It was briefly named “Thrasherville” for John Thrasher who built homes and the general store.
1842: “Marthasville” as its now called has six buildings and 30 residents. It’s proposed to rename the area “Atlantica-Pacifica” in honor of the railroad but is shorted to Atlanta
1847: Atlanta is incorporated as a town! Another railroad is added connecting the city to LaGrange in south Georgia and the city starts to boom.
1860: Atlanta has almost 10,000 residents and becomes the hub for all commercial, economic and social activity in the South.
Atlanta's main enginehouse after it was torched by the Damn Yankee Sherman
1864: that Damn Yankee General Sherman marches on Atlanta and burns it to the ground. Georgia’s capital was less than 30 years old. Sherman continues his reign of terror burning everything on the way to Savannah, pilaging the South, and cripling a culture.
1865: the Civil War ends but Yankees and Carpet Baggers hold the city captive during Reconstruction. The Union Army remained in Atlanta at Fort McPherson until 1888. Also in 1865, the Ku Klux Klan was founded in Tennessee and their violence against the Union Army, Republican whites, and newly freed slaves spread throughout the South
1871: President Ulysses S. Grant’s Congress passes the Force Bill suspending the writ of habeus corpus. Klan activities withered but racial tensions still run high.
1888: with the “New South” focused on a modern economy, instead of plantation farming, Georgia Tech opens its doors for classes.
1906: 27 people died and 70 more are injured in the Atlanta Race Riot (a result of the media-fueled hysteria over alleged sexual assaults on white women by black men). Most of the claims turned out to be false.
1917: 50 years after Sherman had burnt everything, the Great Atlanta Fire destroyed the entire city. More than 10,000 people are homeless. Amazingly only one person died: a woman who had a fatal heart attack after seeing her home burnt to a crisp.
1936: Margaret Mitchell (a modest newspaper woman) publishes “Gone With the Wind” and wins a Pulitzer prize in 1937. The New York Post calls it “A Fine Panorama of the Civil War Period” and it becomes to quintessential work on the Southern Renaissance.
The Premiere of "Gone With the Wind"
1939: Atlanta hosts the premiere of “Gone With the Wind” at the Georgian Terrace hotel. It was a three-day party throughout the South. Governor Eurith D. Rivers declared premiere day, Dec. 15, 1939, a state holiday. The film received 10 Academy Awards and (based on inflation adjustments) Gone With the Wind is the highest grossing film of all time at $2.9 billion worldwide.
1941: World War II brings an industrial boom to Atlanta with airplane production, plus growth in railroad traffic shipping wartime commodities.
1942: The Center for Disease Control is founded in Atlanta. The 1940s and 50s saw the flight of citizens to surrounding metropolitan areas thanks to the construction of the highways.
1961: Atlanta becomes the epicenter of the Civil Rights movement thanks to the bravery of Dr. Martin Luther King, Ralph David Abernathy, and the heroic students of the historically black colleges. Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. supported the desegregation of Atlanta’s schools. Throughout the 60s and 70s businesses promote Atlanta as “the city too busy to hate”.
1990: Atlanta is selected as the host city for the 1996 Olympic Games and begins major projects on parks, transportation infrastructure, and the sports facility now home to the Atlanta Braves.
1996: the Olympic positivity was thwarted by the bombing in Centennial Olympic Park killing two people and injuring 111. This violence, on top of other inefficiencies, leads IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch to call our games “most exceptional” in his closing speech when at previous Olympics he closed in saying those games were “the best ever.” He resumed saying this at the closing of Sydney’s Olympic Games in 2000.
Present Day: Atlanta is a cultural epicenter of the South, drawing thousands of visitors each year and millions of travelers through the world’s largest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson. Restaurants, art galleries, and new neighborhoods pop up every day.
If you’ve got a great story idea about our fair Southern city, please comment below!
The best part about living in the South is our diverse culture. We’re a young region, like the rest of America, but we’ve had to rebuild after Civil War, Great Depression, multiple recessions and that darn Boll Wevil.
Why not promote the nice things about living in the South? That’s what PrettySouthern aims to do, and now we have a partner in pleasantry: Southern Nice.
Southern Nice is the brainchild of Jeff Burns: a native Southerner, graduate from Georgia Tech, and all-around gentleman. His company launched in March 2011 and has already received hundreds of orders for his products bearing the Southern Nice logo. They started out with two tee shirt designs and in their first week sold almost 100 shirts plus a bunch of koozies and croakies. To date, Southern Nice has sold several hundred shirts in just a few months.
“This was something I always wanted to do,” Jeff explained. “I grew up with Southern hospitality, that sort of kindness, for me the South is about the people. I wanted to have one brand for everyone who calls themselves a Southerner.”
Southern Nice proprietor Jeff Burns with Clark Howard
What’s better is Southern Nice donates 50 percent of their profits from sales of their “city” shirts. The company has tee shirts dedicated to two great Southern cities, Atlanta and Nashville, with the proceeds going to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta plus Hands on Nashville. Southern Nice plans to roll out designs for Charlotte, Charleston and New Orleans by then end of 2011 with proceeds from the sale of those shirts also going to charity.
“When we first started it was going to be for profit, a side business just for fun,” Jeff said. “It wasn’t until I started to realize how big the brand could be that we should collaborate with local charities.”
The products are fantastic. Comfy, soft shirts (produced in part by local Atlanta company IceBox), plus nothing says “I’m a Southerner” like a pair of croakies or a coozy with the Southern Nice logo.
“It doesn’t matter if your black, white, Asian, or Hispanic…it’s the way you smile we can tell you’re from the South. Our Southern history, our culture is enriched by diversity, and other regions can’t say that. Living in Atlanta especially, we want everyone to feel like they’re Southern.
Do you call yourself a Southerner? Are you nice? Then these shirts are for you! We’d like to present our first PrettySouthern Prize! The FIRST TWO people to comment on this post will get a FREE SOUTHERN NICE TEE! The NEXT 10 folks will get a FREE SOUTHERN NICE COOZIE! Good luck y’all!
