Category Archives: family

Election Night Food

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election-night-food-003My husband and I are enjoying election night with some fun party food inspired by a story on NPR. Here’s the menu: Deep-dish Chicago pizza with pineapple for Obama, New England crab cakes for Biden, tortilla chips with salsa and jalapeno cheese dip for McCain and wild salmon salad for Palin. To demonstrate party partisanship, I added blue cheese and red wine. Dessert is all-American apple pie, although the NPR story suggested Baked Alaska, of course. We’re settled in for the night, munching away with both laptops going plus CNN on two TVs and NPR on the kitchen radio. Almost everybody I talked to today said their polling places were the most crowded they’d ever seen and more new voters than ever had turned out. I had a half-hour wait at 8 a.m. where I vote, but at 6:15 p.m. my husband walked in and out in five minutes. I didn’t mind waiting though — it was like a neighborhood gathering where I saw folks I hadn’t seen for months and caught up on some good gossip. What a great day when you can combine patriotism, food, family and friends.

Tupelo Party

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tupelo-party-002When my husband and I went to a party some friends of his tupelo-party-0033hosted in Tupelo, Mississippi, this past weekend, I was blown away by this gorgeous space. It’s the Dance Studio in downtown Tupelo and it is really a dance studio as well as perfect party room. The gleaming wood floors and exposed brick walls were the background for soft fall colors of golds, browns and oranges. There was dancing, wine, good company and good food: Vegetable soup, fried chicken, a mashed potato tupelo-party-006bar — and cake. (Hmm … cake.) Every time we’re somewhere that has a mashed potato bar, my husband and I remember our wedding in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, four years ago. Our caterer recently had returned from a caterers’ gathering in California and was enthusiastic about the latest trend: Mashed potatoes in champagne glasses with a variety of toppings you add yourself. John and I looked at each other and agreed that while it sounded like a fun idea and we would certainly like to go to that party, the folks at our wedding might think it was a little weird. What did we know? Now a mashed-potato bar is everybody’s favorite party food. Check out The Dance Studio at http://www.thedancestudiotupelo.com/. And go vote today! You do not want to miss out.

Baby Holiday Fashion

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Seven-months-old grandson Nolan Thomas Behel was a Pirate Baby for Halloween — that’s his mom, my older daughter, Liz, demonstrating a pirate hook. Nolan seems to love dressing up (read “not mind”), so I think we’ve got some fun times ahead of us. And now that Halloween’s over and we’re into November already and we’re speeding into the holiday season, we (read “Grandma”) can legitimately start thinking about Christmas wear. (Sorry, Thanksgiving, for shortchanging you this year.) And of course, as a new grandma, I’m thinking ahead. I snagged this adorable Christmas onesie at Baby Gap earlier this fall as soon as I saw it. I love the cap. Who could resist? Definitely not me.

Bicycle Earrings

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I love these earrings! A friend of my college-age daughter gave them to her for her birthday and they are so incredibly cute. My daughter rides her bicycle everywhere she can, so these earrings were the perfect gift. They came from Sojourns in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Check out the Web site at http://www.shop.adventureartpeace.com. Sojourns is a Fair Trade retailer and gallery that offers handmade clothing, gifts, housewares and food from around the world. I’d like to adopt Soujourns’ theme: “Adventure – Art – Peace.”  But of course I’d add “Coffee and Chocolate” to the list. I’ve got my priorities, after all.

Alabama Renaissance Faire

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Come to the Alabama Renaissance Faire in Florence this weekend. You’ll love it! I promise there’s more than bellydancing there, but I can’t help bragging on my older daughter, who performs at the faire with her dance group from Huntsville. The Alabama Ren Faire is meant for families. It’s in the small downtown Wilson Park, renamed Fountain on the Green for the faire, and is very easy to get around. There’s no alcohol allowed, and everyone is friendly and helpful. And it’s free! You can come in costume or not. Everything has a Renaissance flair. Vendors selling jewelry, art work and crafts are in costume and all entertainment is Renaissance-style, with juggling, magic, singing and other music as well as bellydancing. The faire is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Check out http://www.alarenfaire.org/ and http://www.myspace.com/alrenfaire for details and other photos.

Food and Drink

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Is the glass half empty or half full … or broken? My mom gave me four of these wine glasses for Christmas after I admired them at Henhouse Antiques in Birmingham, Alabama (http://www.shophenhouseantiques.com/). I loved their style and also the fact that I couldn’t knock them over and break them, the way I do with stemmed wineglasses. But, of course, in the 10 months I’ve had them, I’ve broken every single one of them. The fourth and last one  developed a crack on Wednesday night, probably in sympathy with its lost three companions, and so I put it out of its misery.

And in other random thoughts, friends and family always are tickled at my love for Fresh Market and Whole Foods and places like Tria Market in Birmingham — since they all know that I don’t actually cook. Much, that is. My husband’s sports-editor schedule means that we eat out a lot. And when I’m on my own, I’m a low-maintenance grazer. But I love good food, so you gotta go to the source. Besides, it’s the promise of possibilities that I love in good grocery stores. With all that inspiration, it’s possible that I might get motivated to grill some cedar-plank salmon or whip up a fresh risotto. It’s possible!

Tupelo Travels

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If you’re hungry for pizza and you’re in Mississippi, look for an Old Venice Pizza Co. (There’s also one in Memphis, Tennessee, but we all know that Memphis is really north Mississippi.) My husband and I eat at the one in Tupelo, and it’s on our ever-lengthening list of favorite places. This is pizza with style. Old Venice began in Oxford, Mississippi, about 10 years ago. It combines Southern hospitality with Old World ingredients for an upscale yet friendly experience. One of the best things about Old Venice is its imaginative pizza menu. There are all sorts of specialties: Daddy Crawdaddy, with sweet red peppers and crawfish tails; the Mardi Gras, with andouille sausage; and a couple starring Memphis-style pulled pork. Or create your own from a list of almost 50 ingredients. You can order the lunch special of two slices from the four daily featured pizzas plus a salad. It’s a lot of food, but that’s a good thing, because my husband says Old Venice pizza is the best he’s ever had … cold — an important consideration for pizza lovers who look forward to leftovers! There are also pasta and sandwiches and a nice wine and beer selection (any place that has Blue Moon is a winner for me). Old Venice believes in wine with pizza and offers recommendations for your meal as well as wine tastings and other fun evenings in its sleek and stylish bar. And that’s the other attraction: Old Venice’s ambiance. The interior of the Tupelo restaurant is sleek and calming, with muted grays and purples — perfect for a peaceful mid-day break in the restaurant or a fun night out in the bar. Old Venice’s bars are called Burgundy Rooms. The Tupelo bar includes a high-tech-looking wine-dispenser that lets you sample 1-ounce pours of various wines for a sort of do-it-yourself wine-tasting. Now why did somebody wait so long to come up with that super idea? I love it! Visit the Web site at http://www.oldvenice.com to learn more.

Alabama Renaissance Faire

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October is Renaissance month in Florence, Alabama, and the highlight of the month is the Alabama Renaissance Faire, Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 25-26, in downtown Florence’s Wilson Park — a can’t-miss family-friendly adventure. A prelude to the faire is the Renaissance Feast, held the weekend before. It’s a chance to dress up and pretend it’s 500 years ago, from eating authentic feast-type food to bowing before royalty as they enter the banquet hall. The best part for me is the entertainment, because for the past couple years my daughter’s bellydance troupe from Nomadic Tapestry Movement and Music Studio, in Huntsville, Alabama, has performed there. And once again this year they did a fantastic job. They always look as if they’re having so much fun dancing and sharing their love of dancing with audiences. I had a great time hanging out with my daughter (she’s the one in the middle of the photo) and the other dancers and musicians at the feast. Check out the studio at www.nomadictapestry.com — there’s a full schedule of classes and other events all year long. The dancers and musicians will perform again this coming weekend at the Renaissance Faire. But that’s not the only reason to come to the faire! It truly is a family event. It’s small and easy to get around, no alcohol is allowed, admission is free and education is a key element. You’ll find exhibits, art, crafts, your favorite festival food (deep-fried Snickers for me), period enterainment plus incredibly costumed characters roaming around. You’ll meet a troll, fairies, wizards, princes and princesses, monks, knights — all sorts of folks. Visit the Web site at http://www.alarenfaire.org/ to learn more and youtube.com (search “Alabama Renaissance Faire”) to see more.

Orange Rolls and Hay Bales

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Yum — what about some orange rolls for Sunday brunch? The best ones, of course, come from All Steak Restaurant in Cullman, Alabama. These delicious creations literally melt in your mouth when they’re warm and gooey in the restaurant– and they’re sensational even a couple hours later when you dig into your to-go dozen on the way home. You go to All Steak for the rolls but you’re rewarded with a full menu of fresh and homemade food served with a smile. All Steak has been a Cullman tradition for years, and with reason: It’s good food at a good price made and served by some of the friendliest folks around. And while you’re in Cullman, wander around downtown for some fun shopping. Younger daughter Carolyn and I recently did that. After lunch (with orange rolls, of course), we paid a visit to Biggest Hay-Bale People Ever Made, who were hanging out on a Cullman sidewalk. You just never know what you’ll find! Check out All Steak at www.theallsteak.com

Shopping the Gap

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The other day I was in our Gap store in Regency Square Mall in Florence, Alabama — I usually cruise by every week or so to check out what’s new. And as a new grandma, I usually wander over to the Baby Gap side. Who can resist? Anyway, I found a couple pairs of knit pants for sale and this adorable little outfit and figured I’d better call my daughter Liz to check on sizes for grandson Nolan. “Hey, sweetie,” I said on the cell. “I’m here at our Gap …” She laughed. “Oh my gosh,” she said. “I’m at our Gap, too.” She’s in nearby Huntsville, Alabama, which has a Gap (after closing stores in the two malls) at the newly opened Bridge Street Town Centre. “That’s so funny,” I agreed and continued, “but listen, I’m looking at something cute for Nolan.” She laughed even harder. “Let me guess,” she said. “Is it a blue patchwork vest with pinstriped pants? I”ve got them in my hand right now!” Great shopping minds think alike. I’ve trained my children well.