Northbound to Nashtown

Friday 6/12/2009 at 4:02 p.m. - I get an email from my best friend, an intern at Birmingham's stunning Museum of Art. What on earth were we going to do over the weekend? The following is our conversation:

Ashlyn: Cabin fever. BAD. i'm about to say lets jet off to ATL or nashville

Sloan: really?? can we please? i just said those exact same words to my mother i am DYING to get outta this town. (I should add at this point that, despite a Braves game, we have been kicking it in the fabulous 'Ham for approximately 5 consecutive months.)

Ashlyn: you think we could swing it? you know i'm in if you are.

Sloan: well. we'd have to decide where first.

Ashlyn: ha. okay, hm. can we go to n'ville?

Bingo. 1.5 hours later, with Vera Bradley bags packed and Dave's new album blaring, my counterpart and I hit the road

I-65: Northbound to Nashville.

Continue reading my article on SouthernLiving.com

If I came back as a magazine...

Garden & Gun mag:

thick cultural chronicler

of my sweet Southern world.

G&G, you read my mind--just last week I despairingly cursed Facebook's finicky search engine. Little did I know, you did not have a fan page. Become a fan of G&G on Facebook.

p.s. My apologies, Facebook.

And you know G&G has weekly email newsletters, right?

Photo courtesy of Garden & Gun

As Long as I Get Patterson

Photo courtesy of Sweets by Zoe

You know it's true when you and your darling sister have uttered something like the following:

K: Okay, well you can have Elliott as long as I get Patterson.

A: Fine, but who gets Stallings?

K: I guess whoever has babies first. That means you have to actually get a boyfriend, Ashlyn.

Ah, family keeps us grounded. Here's to being Southern and using family names as first names. Read this article published on Like the Dew by Noel Holston. And then call your sister and stake your claim. If you haven't already done so, of course.

I Love My Internship Reason #986

For no reason at all, today I acquired two beautiful bottles of D&G perfume. (Okay so I lied, one of the editors is on some glorious mailing list and as a motorcycle-driving man, wasn't really feeling the Gabanna love.) The Anthology Collection by D&G will launch in September 2009. The five bottles bear monickers from tarot cards.

Though I love L'Imperatrice 3, I'm absolutely sold on L'Amoureux 6--I have a penchant for musky scents. It's just enough to make me set down my Tom Ford Black Orchid.

What's the most fabulous thing you've inherited from an internship or job?

Photo courtesy of Dolce and Gabanna

Husband hunting 101

You know you want it. Precious Muffy is calling us all to enter her fabulous give away.

Dearest Muffy,
Though I gracefully toss my grosgrain-trimmed hat into the ring, I shall also include my reasoning for doing so. I am in dire need of summer reading--the nerd in me craves the days of my Trinity School summer book list. Colleges apparently don't do this. Further, I get some of my best reading done on planes and poolside--two places I find myself lately. Thirdly, quintessential independent girls enjoy this type literature.

xoxo,
eSa

Tales from the Road (or my cubicle, take your pick)

I miss my "spolatian" days, but thanks to blogging for Southern Living's Tales from the Road travel blog, I can relive the days when the little jewel box of a city was mine to explore. I didn't know a soul, and so leaning on God as my only friend was awesome (don't worry I made friends as the jasmine-scented days tolled along).

And I'm not sure I can express how thrilled I am to be posted on one of my favorite magazine's websites, so ask me about in person. Squealing will be involved.

"You know those little triggers that cue the voice in your head to say, “This time last year?” Lately for me, memories ensue with the thick scent of confederate jasmine or the lowcountry cookbooks lying around my apartment—it’s safe to say I miss Charleston these days. This time last year, I was interning at the fabulous Spoleto Festival USA in the Holy City..."

Jump to read more.