Back Down South

Drink This – Pliny the Elder

Pliny

The Drink: Pliny the Elder. This Double IPA has been on my To Drink list since I first heard about it. Beer Advocate gives it a perfect 100, so really, what else is there to say about it? It’s amazing…and you can’t get it down south, thus, why it took me so long to try it. Last week in San Diego I found it at a Whole Foods, bought a bottle, and flew it home to Georgia so I could split it with Mark (wife win). All we can say is, if you’re out West, find Pliny, drink Pliny.

The Attire: Mountain Khakis chambray shirt (c/o), Rugby shorts.

Want 20% off of Mountain Khakis goods? Good! From today to October 1st use promo code MK20DS to apply your discount. Happy Fall, world!

Paizlee

Paizlee-04Photographed in Boerne, TX

Raised in:
Emily: Born in New Braunfels, moved to Falls Church, Virginia, settled in Boerne at the age of 5.

Katie: Roswell, New Mexico

Lives in:
Emily: Boerne, Texas
Katie: Ft. Worth, Texas

Favorite southern based brand:
In our husband’s honor we’d have to say that Southern Tide is one of our favorite Southern brands. Their preppy shirts, classic plaids and patterns take us back to the good-ol days of college.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Emily (left) and Katie (right), the girls behind Paizlee. After working together throughout college as part-time baristas, they discovered there wasn’t anything better than spending countless hours with your best friend and calling it “work.” Emily’s intuitive idea to tap into the online clothing industry came to fruition in the form of Paizlee. “We then deemed it the job (and boutique) that we’d always searched for. What started as little more than a hobby, has since turned into a full time job for both of us. With over a year under our belts, we hope to continue – what still feels like a hobby – our pursuit of the American dream for many years to come!”

Andy Rawls

AndyRawlsPhotographed in Boerne, TX

Raised in:
Temple and Forth Worth, Texas

Lives in:
Boerne, Texas

How you got into building furniture:
I started building furniture with my dad as a teenager.  Our first project was a workbench, which I still use in my shop today.  Throughout college I built stuff, furniture for my room or a swing for the front porch. Towards the end of college, my dad and I took a brief furniture making course at Homestead Heritage School of Woodworking in Waco, which was a real eye opener for me.  There was an old Engilsh man named Paul Sellers teaching the class and I can still remember being blown away by his skills.  This experience pushed me in the direction for making traditional heirloom furniture.  I took several more classes at the school and picked up the basics of furniture construction and hand tool use.  Shortly after I graduated college I got accepted to be an apprentice under Brian Boggs in Kentucky.  After I left his shop, I moved back to Texas where I ended up in Boerne after I met my wife.  I worked for Brent Catterton for 3 years, mostly building custom front doors for some of the finer homes in the Hill Country.  Now, I’m closing in on my first year of business in my own shop building mostly commissioned furniture for clients in the Hill Country area.

How Texas inspires your craft:
Brian Boggs encouraged me to find design inspiration from where I grew up, in Texas.  It was several years later after I had left his shop that his advice really hit home.  I ran across a book by Lon Taylor that showcased early Texas furniture.  I never realized how much history there is with Texas furniture.  There’s a strong influence of German craftsman who settled in Texas in the mid 1800’s and their work is very unique to the Texas culture.  My ambitions are to re-create some of these older pieces that can really only be found in Texas Museums or as antiques hidden away somewhere.  Theres’s a chair I’m hoping to bring to market this fall called the hide bottom chair, which was commonly found on Texas ranches in the 1800’s.  The chairs construction comes from the common ladder back style of the east coast but uses cowhide for the seating.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Andy Rawls, Fine Texas Woodcrafter. Andy specilizaes in “simple, functional furnture, crafted to last generations.” I had the pleasure of visiting his shop a few weeks ago and seeing his work first hand. His work blew me away, particularly his recently completed Texas Pecan king sleigh bed. Don’t let his Hill Country location stop you from checking out his work or commissioning him for a piece – he has built for clients throughout Texas and even shipped a peice to Pennsylvania.

Mom

Mom-03Photographed in Boerne, TX

Raised in:
Boerne, Texas

Lives in:
Victor, Montana

Favorite Tex-Mex dishes:
Chili rellenos, cheese enchiladas, chicken mole enchiladas, boracho beans, Huevos a la Mexicana.

Now would ya look at that:
Caroline’s mom being awesome.

A La Mode

alamodeClutch courtesy of Allison Howington 

About a month ago, I got a call from my friend Matthew wanting to tell me about a company his friend Allison started. Take one look at his Instrgam, and you’ll know I can trust anything he says remotely related to fashion. He connected us via email, and Allison sent along her etsy store so I could browse her work. To say I was blown away would be a huge understatement. Handpainted clutches, bags, scaves, wallets? Yes, please, and thank you.

 

How My A La Mode got started:
I have always had a passion for unique one of a kind items that truly represent the person wearing them. I am a firm believer in being true to yourself and not conforming to the norm. I went to school for fashion design and after graduating I worked for a custom clothing company selling men and women’s suits. I learned a lot about sales and it really challenged me daily. At the end of the day – a free spirited, lover of travel/bohemian wasn’t meant to sell suits. So, I took the leap of faith to pursue my own business and voile My A La Mode was born!

When did you launch the company:
I officially launched in February 2013, but really wasn’t able to contribute and make it successful until I quit my other job, which I did July of 2013.

What is the biggest inspiration for your products:
I am constantly inspired! I’ll have dreams of new designs and immediately wake up to start the design process. I take a lot of inspiration from travel. Traveling and meeting new people from all walks of life is by far my number one passion. I rarely focus on current trends or am inspired by them, but sometimes I will see something “trendy” and it will inspire me to create something that ultimately looks completely different. I love using bright and vibrant colors! I hand paint all of my items because I love to create my own patterns and i’m not limited to any one design.

Anything else you want people to know:
I have huge plans for My A La Mode and I’m really passionate about making the world a better place. I’ve been very lucky to have traveled a lot and have done mission trips to some countries that really need help. My goal is to utilize My A La Mode to make life better for those that are less fortunate. As we grow I will expand production and hire artisans from countries with struggling economies. I will of course pay them for their work but additionally I want to give a portion of my proceeds back to the families of the people who support me there. This is something I’m really excited to do! Of course I want my business to be successful but if I can do that while also improving the life a person, a family or (hopefully) an entire community, it would complete my mission in business and life!

______

GO GET YOUR SHOP ON.

Most Imaginative Bartender

KellieThornPhotographed in Atlanta, GA

Raised in:
Born in Atlanta, and raised all over Southeasten Coastal towns.

Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia

Inspiration for winning cocktail:
I wanted to compliment and enhance the botanical profile of Bombay Sapphire. Carrot and juniper actually work together really well, so that was the inspiration for the foam. The juniper, coriander, and bay leaf spiced syrup compliment the citrus juice. It all comes together to make the cocktail really refreshing.

Behind the name, ‘Pickfair’s Garden’: 
Douglas Fairbanks gave Mary Pickford the 182-carat Star of Bombay sapphire. They were the ‘Brangelina’ of the ’20s, and their 56 acre esate was dubbed ‘Pickfair’ by the press. I picture this cocktail being passed around on trays at the Hollywood parties they threw. It’s a whimsical homage to them.

PickfairsGarden

The Recipe:
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 oz citrus juice (mix of lemon and grapefruit juice)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz spiced sugar syrup (juniper, coriander, bayleaf)
4 drops Scrappy’s Cardamon Bitters
Carrot Foam

Combine all ingredients, except for the bitters and foam, with ice and shake.
Fine strain into a coupe.
Add Cardamom bitters and carefully top with carrot foam.
Garnish with candied carrot “twist” and sprig of carrot top.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Kellie Thorn, Bar Manager at Empire State South. A few weeks ago, Kellie competed in the regional finals of the “Most Imaginative Bartender” competion, sponsored by Bombay Sapphire Gin. After a series of challenging timed sessions, surprise twists and blind tastings by a panel of esteemed judges including Bombay Sapphire Brand Ambassador, Scott Mayer, her innovative ‘Pickfair’s Garden’ was recognized as the most original mixology masterpiece in Atlanta. This creation advances her to the USGB Bartender Summit in Las Vegas in two days (Sunday, September 8th). She’ll share the stage with 51 of the country’s top mixologist for the chance at the title of “USBG Nation’s Most Imaginative Bartender.” If Kellie takes the title in Vegas, she’ll get a cover feature in the December 2013 GQ magazine “Men of The Year” issue (as one of the very few females) alongside her cocktail, and secure a spot in the 3rd annual global finals.

Go, Kellie, go!

Drink This – Bloody Mary

Bloodymary-01

We haven’t been Bloody Mary people whatsoever, but I (Caroline) have always wanted to like them. I’ve always loved the idea of them, and love all things tomato…except a Bloody Mary. Anytime I’d be at brunch with friends and someone would order one, I’d always try and it, and every time I’d say “I know I’ll like this one day.”

That day is finally here.

Over the past few months, I’ve tried some that I could handle more than just a sip of. In fact, I wanted another sip. And then, in some sort of cocktailian fate, Fat and Juicy reached out to me asking if I’d like to try their Bloody Mary mix. I obliged with the warning that they may be hearing back with an “It’s not you, it’s me,” email.

When it arrived, I thought it was necessary to try it alongside a Bloody Mary lover. I took it with me to Jess‘s house, a place that is no stranger to day drinking during our photo shoots. Together, with a few additional Southern brands, we whipped up a Bloody Mary that was dang good, y’all. Jess approved and erry’thang.

The Drink:

Stir it all together with ice.
We garnished with a pickled green tomato by Phickles Pickles and highly recommend that you do the same.

The Glass: Found at HomeGoods.

Mendoza

LaMatera-06Photographed in Talking Rock, GA

Raised in:
Spring, Texas

Lives in:
Jasper, Georgia

Favorite meal in August:
We visited No. 246 with our friends Allyson and Tig and had not only my favorite meal in August, but one of my favorites in Atlanta. We sat on their back porch for hours, killed two bottles of Italian reds, and shared everything we ordered. Toasts, salads, agnolotti, pizza…each bite we consumed was so delicious. I topped it all off with their Bottle Aged Boulevardier and declared it one of the best nights of our summer!

Now would ya look at that:
I tend to borrow from the boys section, and lust more over menswear than my side of the store. Shirts, bow ties, and now it appears, belts.

When La Matera introduced themselves to us, I quickly fell in love with their brand: incorporating Argentine style with American manufacturing to master the perfect belt. The men behind La Matera were inspired by the country’s “rustic lifestyle, rugged charm, and elegance of their traditional woven fabrics.” Spend some time looking over their products, or a lot of time, like I did, getting lost on their tumblr (packed full of all kinds of beauty).

So am I wearing a mens belt? Yes, yes I am. But sometimes boys can’t have all the fun…or all the awesome belts.

Tweeds

Photographed in Atlanta, GA

Raised in:
Habersham County, Georgia

Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia

Tell everyone about Tweeds:
At it’s core, Tweeds isn’t really about clothes, or accessories, or kick ass antiques… it’s about people. We wanted to create a place that provided an equal mix of curation and friendly council, and focused on each person’s individual needs – allowing clients to define themselves, learn, and stand apart.

I’m doing some limited edition Mast-McBride stuff during holiday, but we’ll designing new neckwear under “Tweeds” for the store, as well as a belt, shoe, and denim line available in early September.

Now would ya look at that:
Our friend Kirk, who you’ve seen before, sitting in his newest project, Tweeds (co-owner).

The shop officially opened on July 5th in Atlanta (1009 Marietta St. NW). If you live in the city, or ever swing through, you’ve got to stop and see all of it’s greatness.

Aidan

Aidan

Photographed in Athens, GA (Georgia Theatre)

Being raised in:
Atlanta and Savannah, but currently traveling the globe speaking and serving with dates coming up in London, Malaysia, Singapore and more! My heart’s desire is coming true. I want to do a speaking/serving tour of all 50 states. Then again on other continents. My goal is to teach people to live to give and to find ways to give from their passion. When we travel, I love to highlight ways to make a difference in the communities my mom and I visit.

How long have you been playing harmonica:
Since I was 7 in 2008. I found one in my big brother’s room and he told me if I would get out of there I could have it. It was portable and it was free.

Favorite musician from the south:
Muddy Waters from Mississippi. I play with his guitar player Bob Margolin when ever I get the chance. Bob is a great man that supports the legacy of the blues.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Aidan Hornaday, “a boy on a mission teaching a generation how to give.” At 12, Aidan is a self-taught blues harmonica player and the founder of Aidan Cares. His motto for givers of all ages is “Run to need, not away from it.” Read more about Aidan, one of the most impressive (and best dressed) kids I’ve ever been around.

 

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