The Southern C Summit Giveaway

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Emily Hines

Here’s the skinny- The Southern C is The Social Network for the South. An online community where members chat about all aspects of the South: tradition, family, fashion, food… You get the idea. As a member of their C-Team, I’m giving away a free ticket to one of my lucky readers to the next summit event in the Music City- Nasvhville, Tennessee!

The first summit was in my hometown backyard of Jekyll Island; the second in the Classic City: Athens, Georgia where I lived for several years. Both were fantastic- a great blend of work and play with learning sessions, networking, cocktail parties, and even live music. Now that I’m living outside the South, I feel even more excited about #tscsummit Nashville because I get to return to the South and explore a new town!

So…if you have a blog, biz, or brand and want to learn from professionals like Amy Flurry of Recipe for Press, hob nob with Southern Living’s Editor in Chief Lindsay Bierman, eat some tasty Southern food from Callie’s Charleston Biscuits and Husk Restaurant, then enter this giveaway!

First: Join The Southern C!

Next: Leave a comment below telling me why you want to come to The Southern C Summit in Nashville! You can also leave a comment on my facebook page or tweet to me @emsontheroad with tag #tscsummit!

Contest ends September 27!

Need more reasons to come to The Southern C Summit? Here are 10!

Visit http://www.thesoutherncsummit.com for full schedule and presenter info!

This giveaway includes a ticket for admission to The Southern C Summit Nashville, October 17, 2013. It is not transferable to any future summit events and cannot be redeemed for cash.

TSC Summit Athens

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Emily Hines

It’s been a whirlwind of a summer. I’m finally getting situated at our new house in Bloomington, Indiana. Boxes and suitcases are still overflowing but had to take a brake and reflect on The Southern C Summit in Athens.

Kickoff Cocktail: Epting Events did a wonderful job hosting presenters and sponsors the night before. It was a fun way for everyone to meet and enjoy fabulous Southern food, cocktails, and splendid company.

While studying historic preservation at the University of Georgia, we often heard about Mr. Epting and his love affair with old buildings. It was so much fun to meet him in person finally and see some of the historic houses he has saved by moving them to The Hill.

It’s hard to go home early in Athens, but I knew my 6am wake up call the next day was not going to be easy…

Summit Day: It was an awesome day filled with inspiring sessions, thoughtful conversation, and tasty food from some of the best Athens restaurants. And yes lots and lots of tweeting.

Shameeka Ayers of The Broke Socialite started things off with a bang. I was so excited to see her speak and she did not disappoint. Her session explored ideas of branding through the infamous Kardashian family- so smart and entertaining. Can’t stop listening to that Robin Thicke song either.

All of the speakers had common threads speaking to authenticity, self confidence, and enjoying your work. My takeaways: Be yourself; be your brand. Be your own junkyard dog..or hire one. Love what you do and you won’t have to “work” a day in your life.

Like any good Southern event, fabulous food was a centerpiece. I ate myself silly. But really how could I not with Epting Events serving up yummy Goo Goo Cluster desserts and restaurants like 5&10, The National, The Branded Butcher, Paulie’s, Hip Pops there representing Athens, Georgia.

Goo Goo Bonanza

One of the highlights for me was seeing the ladies from Beauty Everyday in action. I’ve been a huge fan of Rebecca Wood for a while and a reader of their blog for about a year. Not a traditional learning session by any means, the three artists moved props, set a tablescape, and started shooting without really even speaking. Wood, Rhinne Allen, and Kristen Bach have been working together for years and it shows. They talked about their experiences living in Athens, their thought process behind photo shoots, and their gorgeous new book entitled Beauty Everyday. They invited everyone to walk around the set to see what they were working on; I immediately jumped up there.

That evening we headed over to one of my favorite spots downtown- The Georgia Theatre for Cocktails and Conversation. Southern Living‘s Hunter Lewis moderated our panel of experts including Peter Dale of The National, Whitney Otawka of Farm 255, and Greg Best of Holeman and Finch. The party was a great success with delicious appetizers, seasonal cocktails, and thorough discussion about Southern identity, food, and drink.

Loved seeing these friends from #tscsummit Jekyll! Big T’s Crab Dip, Holly Phillips, and Maison de Macrons

I had a blast hanging out with some of my old grad school friends, connections made at TSC Summit on Jekyll, and meeting online friends in person (I finally met Angie Tillman from Phickles Pickles)! My sweet husband hears about The Southern C all the time so I was so glad he could come to the event and see what its all about.

Caty, Hollis, and me

Angie T and me

Cheri and me

Can’t wait ’til Nashville! For TSC Summit Nashville schedule and ticket info click here.

Small Town Spotlight: Lexington, Georgia

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Emily Hines

Lexington, Georgia, the seat of Oglethorpe County in northeast Georgia, is eighty-five miles east of Atlanta and seventeen miles east of Athens. Like many small towns in Georgia, its economy was originally based on cotton and tobacco, and after the decline of these industries and The Great Depression, the town suffered from neglect over the years. The downtown district of Lexington has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977, and has been slowly but surely experiencing a revival. With a growing number of residents, local businesses, a farmers market, and monthly special events, Lexington is a fun place to spend the day and get away from the hustle and bustle of town for a bit.

While living in Athens, Lexington was one of my favorite day-trips. It’s great place to see beautiful examples of 19th century architecture like the Romanesque Revival style Oglethorpe County Courthouse; check out the latest finds at the area antique shops; you can even get some good BBQ on your way back to Athens.

via Oglethorpe Fresh

For more information on Lexington, Georgia history check out this article. For information on events in Lexington check out the Oglethorpe Fresh facebook page. Hours and location of Pig O’s BBQ Truck click here.

Pig O’s Bar-B-Que, Crawford, Georgia (marieletseat.com)

Love Letter

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Emily Hines

via pinterest

I’m currently en route to what will soon be the frozen tundra- otherwise known as Bloomington, Indiana. With nothing to do but write on this long trip, I thought I’d share my love letter to the South.

To the South:

Thank you for always having grits on the menu.

Thank you for beautiful architecture with years of stories built into the walls.

Thanks for always having actual pulled pork bbq at a Barbecue.

Thank you for rich Southern traditions, the normal and the not-so.

Thank you for sweet gardenias and camellias.

Thank you for big and LOUD families…like mine.

Thankful that cocktail time, is pretty much anytime (note the aforementioned).

Thank you for hot summer nights and homemade peach ice cream.

Thank you for backroads through pecan orchards.

Thank you for small towns full of big characters.

I can’t believe I’m leaving you but I know I will be back soon!

Sunday funday photo

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Emily Hines

My busy week of packing and The Southern C Summit Athens has come to a close. Time for a little of this…

via pinterest

Happy Sunday y’all!

Sunday Funday photo

Image

Last paddle down the Broad River

Sunday funday photo

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Emily Hines

“historic” gentleman’s club

I guess you can find history everywhere.

Friday Five #12

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Emily Hines

5 things I’m looking forward to at #tscsummit Athens!

5. I’ve gotten pretty attached to my home-base of Athens, Georgia these past three years. I’m so excited to share the Classic City with people from all over the South and beyond for this event!

via Athens I Love You

4. Southern SWAG!

3. Cocktails and Conversation at the Georgia Theatre

Can’t wait to hear from this panel of experts: Southern Living Executive Food Editor Hunter Lewis with Executive Chef of Farm 255 and season 9 Top Chef contestant, Whitney Otawka, Holeman and Finch Public House Partner and James Beard Foundation Awards “Outstanding Bar Program” semifinalist, Greg Best and Food and Wine’s Best New Chef: Southeast Peter Dale of The National. Not to mention delicious food and drink provided by the Southern Living Test Kitchen, Epting Events, Cathead Vodka, and Charred Oak Spirits!

2. New Speakers

I’m so excited to see Shakeeka Ayers speak this go ’round! I’ve enjoyed following her sweet and sassy posts for a while now and can’t wait to hear her story. Her session is entitled- Everything I Needed To Know About Building My Brand, I Learned From The Kardashians (Yes, Those Kardashians…). Love it.

1. Connecting

Catching up with old friends and meeting new ones- This is what it’s all about.

To learn more or register for The Southern C Summit Athens click here.

The Southern C Summit goes to Athens, GA (thedailysouth.southernliving.com)
Hot List: Tomato Fests, Cocktails & Athens Art (thedailysouth.southernliving.com)

Sweet Summer

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Emily Hines

Summer is the sweetest of seasons… growing up I longed for the summer months. No school, long days at the beach, movie matinees, summer vacations, and visits to the ice cream shop. A particularly favorite summer past time for me as a young child was going to the country with my grandparents and picking all the fruit we could possible carry. My siblings and I were quite young and often dragged our buckets along the way unable to carry our found treats. When we had buckets full of peaches, strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries, we would head back home to “put them up.” The majority would be made into preserves and some were used for a cobbler or two.

My grandfather, a surgeon by day, also enjoyed playing farmer and cook in his off time. My grandmother often referred to these hobbies as his golf game. When we were in the kitchen helping him prepare the rewards from his garden, he would move us about the room much like his nurses in the ER. “Hand me that jar!”… “Keep stirring!”… “No, not that pan, hand me that one!” He ran a tight ship in and out of the kitchen, and we were overjoyed to be his sous chefs. Many times, we diligently assisted him in creating some delicious delights for our family and countless friends to enjoy throughout the year.

This summer in particular, like those of my childhood, have been fruitful. Every chance I get, I head outside of town visiting the area’s U-Pick farms filling up as many buckets as I can carry. I love to eat the freshly picked fruit by the handful, and then I take the rest (if there is any left) and make a batch of preserves or bake a sweet summer fruit cobbler just like I had been taught as a child.

friend and berry enthusiast- Dorothy

found the tooth berry

Thomas Orchard Stand

I love all the summer fruits, but the star of the summer for me are blueberries- sweet, a little tart, and delicious. Here’s a simple recipe that has been passed down in our family that is perfect for summer blueberries and sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Hamrick Family Cobbler (does well with any fruit)

Fill a large pot on the stove with approximately 3 cups of washed blueberries. Add as much sugar as desired for sweetness. Cover the blueberries just slightly with water. Cook the blueberries on low heat until soft.

In a separate bowl, gradually mix all purpose flour into a half cup of water until smooth then add this to the berries on the stove. This will thicken, but the mixture still needs to be juicy. Reduce the heat and put to the side.

Grease the bottom of pyrex dish with butter.

Crust:

Use your favorite biscuit recipe. Roll the dough out to 1/4″ thickness and cut four 3 inch wide strips to line the sides of the pyrex dish.

Pour the berry mixture into the dish.

Cut the remaining dough into 3 inch wide strips and cover the top of the fruit mixture. Dot top of pie with butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees until brown. Top with vanilla bean ice cream to rock your world.