April 17, 2018November 28, 2019 by Kelly Mattei

School Trip

family, school, trip, Uncategorized
family, friends, good times, home alone, junk food, memories, school trip, teens, travel
2 Comments

This week, my 14-yr-old daughter and the rest of the eighth graders from her school are going on a trip for two nights. They go to a conference center a few hours away.

In fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, they visited camps. Well, most of them did. In fifth grade, my daughter went with them to a camp, but I think it was one night. It wasn’t her favorite night, and frankly, it wasn’t mine either. I was one of the overnight chaperones, along with another mom.

The kids weren’t allowed to take snacks, which can make for unhappy little girls. I will admit it: I took a few “not messy” snacks for them. I knew those girls weren’t going to eat the dinner they were served. Shhhh!

The cabin was fine. It was a cabin. The bathroom was even fine. The mattresses, however, were those thin mattresses covered in plastic. They make noise every time someone rolls over.

I woke up every single time someone rolled over that night. I could hear them every time. And every time, I thought someone was falling out of a bunk. So not only did I wake up, I woke up in a panic, thinking I needed to buffer someone’s fall. It made for a terrible night’s sleep. I was happy to leave the next morning before they started activities, and my daughter wanted to leave with me. I told her she had to stay for the day.

In sixth grade, they went to another camp for two nights. Of course, the night before, my daughter fell at soccer practice and injured her thumb. My husband brought her home around 9pm. Urgent Care was closed, and I needed to get her to a doctor before the field trip the next day, so we went to the emergency room. She got x-rays, but a radiologist wouldn’t see the x-ray till the next day. (The X-ray below is not her hand.)

I did a stupid thing. I sent her on the trip with the thumb in the splint from the ER. While she was gone, I got the call from radiology that it was not broken, but I should have kept her home. She was miserable the whole time. I shouldn’t have made her go. I will always feel guilty about that.

When the seventh grade trip came around, she had a horrible looking spot on her knee. I took her to the doctor the day before the trip and found out it was a staph infection for which she needed to be taking antibiotics. This time, I made the right decision: I kept her home.

Now, it’s time for the eighth grade trip, and this is supposed to be the fun one. They can take snacks. They can take their phones. They can take stuff. They aren’t required to stay with their advisory group. Fingers crossed she stays healthy enough to go, because she is actually looking forward to it.

A friend said yesterday that she is going to miss her daughter while they’re gone. While I always enjoy time with my daughter, I am going to welcome the opportunity to be lazy. No school pickup. No practice pickup. No driving all over town.

It is good for my daughter to have to fend for herself sometimes. This trip is a taste of that. Yes, she will be with friends and teachers, but they will be staying on their own. It’s good for them.

This summer, my daughter is going on a two-week trip to Iceland with a group of teenagers. I’m excited for her, and I’m a little jealous at the same time. Iceland looks beautiful in photos. My friends who have been there tell me it’s incredible and unlike anywhere else they’ve ever been. She will have the time of her life, I’m sure. She will be making memories that will last a lifetime.

I was the same age when I went on my first big trip out of the country with other teenagers. She will be 3 1/2 months shy of her 15th birthday, and that’s almost exactly how old I was when we flew to Mexico City, then traveled on to Cuernavaca, Taxco, and Acapulco…back when you could go to Acapulco. I know we returned on March 6, 1982, the day after John Belushi died. Everyone was talking about it on the flight home.

Taken right after we arrived in Mexico City, at the National Cathedral

That trip was an incredible learning experience for me and for my friends. I’m sure we came back with a mutual respect for each other and a respect for other cultures. We were exposed to more than we would have been exposed to as regular tourists. We learned a lot. We even learned how to haggle with vendors in the market in Mexico City…our first experience with that. That’s where we bought the sombreros pictured below. That haggling experience came in handy last summer when my friend, Jennifer, was purchasing something from a street vendor in Puerto Rico. He told her a price, and she was ready to pay when I stopped her and “haggled” with the vendor as best I could in Spanish. I’m sure he spoke English, but it was fun to try my hand at Spanish.

This photo is from our hotel room in at the Hotel Reforma in Mexico City…wearing our new purchases

In addition to learning about each other and a different culture, we learned a lot about ourselves. We learned how to handle homesickness…cry it out, and then the tears turn into laughter. We learned about sharing a bathroom and mirror space with four other teenage girls. And we looked out for each other. I was actually physically ill for a good part of the trip…Montezuma’s Revenge and a terrible upper respiratory illness…coughing the whole time. My friends helped me. Among other things, they supplied the Pepto Bismol I had for breakfast the day I woke up with Montezuma’s Revenge.

The pictures below are also from our Mexico trip in 1982. The one on the left is our waiter at a pizza parlor in Acapulco. Note he is posing next to the beer menu…there was no drinking age in Mexico in 1982. We might have taken advantage of that. The photo on the right is the cute waiter at our hotel in Mexico City, Manuel. I thought he was adorable.

Our waiter at a pizza place in Acapulco. He posed next to the beer menu. Back then, there was no drinking age in Mexico.

Our cute waiter at the hotel in Mexico City. His name was Manuel.

The coughing was terrible and constant. The Montezuma’s Revenge was short-lived, thank goodness. But the memories are forever.

Anytime teens are away from their parents for more than a few hours, they learn something. Hopefully, while she is on her school trip this week, mine will learn something about keeping her own belongings separate from everyone else’s. This summer, in Iceland, I hope she learns something about getting those belongings together and being ready to move on at a moment’s notice. I hope she learns more about how strong she is…mentally and physically.

This week, while she is gone, I hope I take some time to be selfish…just for Wednesday. Just one day of total selfishness…doing what I want when I want. Thursday morning, I will be excited to host some friends at my home, and that afternoon, my “baby” will come home.

While I’m looking forward to a couple days to myself, I’m already looking forward to her return, and I hope to hear all about the fun school trip.

I guess I need to make a Target run to get some snacks for her to take!

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April 16, 2018April 16, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

Don’t Know What to Send? Tasty Ideas…

Last year, for my 50th birthday, my friend, Amy, sent me some Baked By Melissa mini cupcakes. It was quite an assortment of flavors, and I loved every single one. In fact, now that I’ve had them, just looking at the photos on their Instagram page makes my mouth water.

Because I love them so much, I now send Baked by Melissa treats to friends and family too. In fact, I’ve been known to send them to myself. These mini cupcakes are tiny but packed with flavor.

When ordering for my household, I love the “Pick your Flavors” pack, but I also love “The O.G.” (the original greats). When ordering for friends, I usually go with The O.G. or The O.G. Plus Seasonal. My very favorite cupcake offered is the Tie-Dye Cupcake, but there are still flavors I have yet to try.

Baked By Melissa cupcakes

Two Baked By Melissa PBJ cupcakes making a PBJ cupcake sandwich. This gives a good idea of the size of these minis.

To see the Baked by Melissa website, click here. Prices start at $25. And while I said the Tie-Dye is my favorite, looking at the PBJ makes me think it might be my favorite!

While this is my current favorite treat to send, I have others in my repertoire. There are so many opportunities to send special treats…birthdays, pick-me-up, graduation, retirement…or even no reason at all. Here are some treats I’ve sent in the past and will be sending again. Any of these would be perfect for Mother’s Day, which is coming up in May:

CHERYL’S Years ago, I started ordering cookies and cakes from Mrs. Beasley’s online. The company eventually became a part of Cheryl’s Cookies, but the quality stayed the same through the merger. Over the years, I’ve ordered lots of gifts from Cheryl’s, and I’ve enjoyed a lot of their treats myself. My personal favorite is their powder sugar dusted chocolate truffle cookies…they are incredible. I’ve also enjoyed their frosted sugar cookies and various brownies…all delicious. Each cookie or brownie comes individually wrapped, so it’s easy to eat some now and save some for later. I highly recommend any of the Mrs. Beasley’s baskets. You can see their website here. Prices for sale items start at $9.99, but plan to spend at least $30-$40. They used to have their own website, but now it appears to be through the 1-800-FLOWERS link.

Mother’s Day Ceramic Basket of cookies offered by Cheryl’s

SOUTH GEORGIA PECAN I was introduced to this company by my friend, Linda. Before she lived in Charlotte, she lived in Valdosta, Georgia, and I think she learned about this company then. One Christmas, she gifted me with some of their Chocolate Amaretto Pecans, a special treat indeed. Not only did she give them to me, but Linda also told me the best way to keep them fresh: in the freezer. And they are fantastic…very representative of southern flavors! I have since sent them to friends who live in other parts of the country, so they can get a taste of the south. That’s not all they offer at South Georgia Pecan, though. They offer candied nuts, plain nuts, praline pecans, pecan cheese straws, pecan pies…all kinds of goodies. You can order for your friends who love sweets and your friends who love salty…or both! See their website here. Prices start under $2 for single items, but plan to spend $30-$40 for a gift tin. As luck would have it, April is National Pecan Month, and you can register to win free pecans for a year.

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Assorted Pecan tin from South Georgia Pecans

COOKIES BY DESIGN Recently, some sweet family members sent us an adorable cookie bouquet from this company. Cookies on sticks and arranged beautifully! Not only did they look pretty coming out of the box, but the cookies were buttery and delicious! They’re colorful and cheerful, and each cookie is individually wrapped, so you don’t have to eat them all at once, even though you’ll want to do just that! A couple of days, I stuck one in my daughter’s school lunch, and she was thrilled. To see their website, click here. Their bestselling cookie bouquets are priced around $70 to $80. Here is a picture of the bouquet we received earlier this year:

Cookies by Design cookie bouquet

BERTIE COUNTY PEANUTS Sometimes, you just want to send a taste of your home state. My home for the last 17 years has been North Carolina, and one North Carolina product is Bertie County Peanuts. Interestingly, my ancestors owned a large farm in Bertie County in the 1800s. I think it was a cotton farm, but knowing I had family there makes me feel connected to the county and the peanuts. Bertie County Peanuts are known and loved far and wide. Bertie County Peanuts Brand offers lots of different flavors, from sweet to spicy, and even fried. And peanut brittle…can’t forget the peanut brittle. You can order nuts in tins, bags, jars, and even gift baskets. These would be a welcome gift at my house anytime! You can check out their selection at their website here. Prices start under $10 for a 2-lb bag of peanuts.

Sensational Sampler from Bertie County Peanuts

CAROLINE’S CAKES You’ve seen Caroline’s Cakes on Oprah’s Favorite Things. My friend sent us one for Christmas a couple years ago. It didn’t last long in our house. It was as delicious as it was beautiful. The first one we had was a Christmas-decorated caramel cake, and it was incredible. In fact, they call themselves “the home of the world’s best seven-layer caramel cake,” and they might just be right! Since then, I’ve also had their strawberry cake, and next, I plan to try the lemon-raspberry. Order this for a friend or family member, or order it for your own family. Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to try one, and that’s coming up in May. All their cakes have at least four layers, and some have lots more. You can check out their website here. You can get a great cake shipped for $70 plus the cost of shipping. Order early for Mother’s Day!

Christmas Caramel Cake from Caroline’s Cakes

NEIMAN MARCUS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES These things are legendary. In fact, there’s an urban legend about a woman asking for the recipe after having them with her lunch at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. As the story has it, she asked for the recipe, and the waiter told her he couldn’t give it to her, so she asked if she could buy it. He said “yes,” and when she asked how much it was, he said “two fifty.” According to the legend, when she got her Visa bill, she was shocked to see she had been charged $250 for it. She was so angry, she got revenge by sharing the recipe. The story, of course, is false. But the cookies are truly that good! Priced at $28, they’re worth every penny. You can get the recipe on their website here, or avoid the work and order the real thing here.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

Any one of these treats would be great for Mother’s Day, birthdays, get well gifts, or just to brighten someone’s day.

If you need my address for shipping, let me know…

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XOXO,

Kelly

April 14, 2018April 15, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

Shaking The Blues

Most of the time, I’m pretty happy-go-lucky, easy-going, laid-back and carefree. I tend to live life flying by the seat of my pants, and I enjoy that. If life is too planned out, it gets boring for me. I like to have a general plan, but room to veer off the path if I want to or need to.

Most of the time, I’m glass half full. I’m optimistic. I’m happy to be alive. Truly, it is very rare for me to have “the blues.”

But every now and then…I fall into a dark abyss. It’s not clinical depression. It’s the blues. And almost always, I don’t know what triggers it.

Lately, I’ve had the blues. As always, I don’t really know the trigger. I’m sure it’s a culmination of things: a delayed reaction to my mother’s death at the end of December, my friend’s illness, the school year coming to a close, and being worn out after spring break vacation.

Today, my friend, Maureen, suggested all the pollen in air could be to blame. I usually have a headache every few weeks, but lately, I’ve had more, and yes, the pollen could be part of the problem. I can take meds to help with the headaches, but there’s nothing I can take to improve my temporarily sad mood.

I know it’s temporary. I’ve been here before. It makes me want to crawl into bed for a weekend and watch movies in a dark room.

Most of the time, I know some solutions for “the blues.” One thing is to get out and do something nice for someone else. It almost always lifts my mood. Not this time. I’ve tried. I’ve done favors for people. I’ve performed random acts of kindness. No mood lift.

Another solution is my tried and true method of “fake it till you make it.” It’s actually my solution for almost everything in life. With my two life mottos, “I’ll make it happen,” and “We’ve got this,” “Fake it till you make it” usually gets me through anything. For sadness, I find pretending I’m happy usually makes me start to feel happy. It almost always works.

I learned “fake it till you make it” in my 20s. I’m not a morning person, but when I was working, I had to adjust to the rest of the world. I actually had to show up at work in the morning…imagine that! It wasn’t easy for me. By the time Thursday rolled around, I was dragging. It could do a number on my psyche.

One Friday morning, as I was walking into the office, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the window as I was walking in, and I looked sad. I straightened my shoulders, put some pep in my step and a smile on my face, and I actually FELT better. It became my answer to weariness: fake it till you make it.

A couple years later, after a breakup with a boyfriend (I dodged a bullet there!), the same thing happened. I was walking into the office and saw my reflection…looking all sad. I thought, “If he sees me looking like this in this parking lot right now, he will be so flattered.” I straightened up, pepped up the step, and put on a big smile. It totally changed my mood and my outlook.

I learned from those experiences, and like I said, it almost always works.

Maybe this week was just a tough week, though I can’t point to any one thing that has happened. Maybe it’s the pollen. Maybe I’m missing my mother and worrying about my friend, and it’s all catching up with me, so I’ve been looking at other ways to lift my spirits.

Sunshine is often the answer, and I’m afraid I missed my opportunity to sit in the sun today. Sunday and Monday look rainy and cloudy, so come on, Tuesday!

We all know exercise can improve mood, but when I’m down, I’m down. I just want to be alone and watch stupid movies. The last thing I want to do is exercise. Maybe tonight after dinner, I’ll go out for a walk.

And speaking of dinner, I’ve been reading a lot about mood-boosting foods. I’ve learned some mood-boosters are chocolate, carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Maybe I’ll base my dinner menu on that tonight. Maybe some macaroni and cheese for dinner with a strawberry salad, followed by a big chocolate dessert. If it doesn’t boost my mood, I’ll at least be happy that I’ve eaten some of my favorite things!

As we were leaving her lacrosse game earlier today, my sweet 14-yr-old daughter asked me what was wrong. When I told her I’m just having a tough week, she said, “Mom! Take some time for yourself! You never do that!” That, actually, made me smile.

I guess I’m raising a pretty good girl…plenty of reason to smile right there.

So I’ll just keep thinking of my daughter and smiling about what she said. Maybe that will improve my mood. I’ll add the mac and cheese, strawberry salad, and chocolate tonight, and then go for a walk.

If that doesn’t work, I’ll “fake it till I make it.” After all, my mottos are “I’ll make it happen” and “We’ve got this”! One way or another, I plan to shake the blues soon.

How do YOU shake the blues?

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XOXO,

Kelly

April 9, 2018April 10, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

Quick and Easy Brunch

brunch, host, hostess, recipes, spring, Uncategorized
breakfast, brunch, favors, flowers, host, hostess, muffins, party, party favors, recipes, spring
7 Comments

Anyone who knows me will quickly tell you I am no Martha Stewart. I like to cook, but I’m no chef. I don’t have the attention span for recipes with too many ingredients, and I tend to be a “squirrel chaser,” i.e. I’m easily distracted.

Every now and then, though, I like to invite some friends over for a brunch. Sure, I could get it catered, but it’s a great opportunity for me to try my hand at some recipes.

As always, the key for me is the KISS method: Keep It Simple, Stupid. When I start trying to get too extravagant, I lose control of the situation. I learned a long time ago that it’s best for me not to make it too elaborate.

I plan to host a brunch in my home later this month…a lovely, spring brunch. In the past, I’ve used plain glass or even clear plastic plates, but this year, I’m doing something different.

In the early 1940s, my maternal grandmother got her first set of Franciscan Desert Rose dinnerware. If you’re not familiar with it, the first Desert Rose dinnerware was produced in California in 1941, and it became the largest selling and longest running dinnerware pattern ever. Jacqueline Kennedy purchased some for use in the White House. In 1979, the company was sold to Wedgewood in England, and all production was moved to England in 1984. According to cedarhillfarmhouse.com, production was moved to other countries in 2000, but the entire pattern was discontinued in 2013.

It’s not a “fancy” pattern, and it was never expensive, but it’s pretty.

Over the years, my grandmother grew her collection and eventually gave it to my mother. I added to my mother’s collection over the years. When my mother died in December, I brought the Desert Rose to my house. My husband took one look at the boxes and wondered aloud what I was going to do with them. I still haven’t figured out where to keep them, but I plan to use them this spring for a brunch.

vintage-Franciscan-pottery-Desert-Rose-china-set-of-4-dinner-plates-USA-mark-Laurel-Leaf-Farm-item-no-m31320-2

There are lots of things to consider when planning a brunch at home, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here is what I make notes on:

*Dinnerware (Desert Rose), where to place food, what to serve, when to prepare food, what beverages to serve, music, seating arrangements, flower arrangements, and party favors.*

The brunch I will be hosting is for a school committee, and the date and time have already been decided, so that decision is off my plate.

The dinnerware/flatware/linens question is the first one you should decide, simply because you can build around that. I have some light green cloth napkins I plan to use, because they will coordinate nicely with the Desert Rose dinnerware. I plan to have all the food served buffet-style from my dining room table, so I’ve selected a table pad and a tablecloth that will work with the dinnerware.

As for flatware, I have collected several sets of stainless flatware from eBay for great prices, so I have place settings for 40 and serving pieces too. eBay is a great resource for collecting.

Music is easy too…we have DirecTV, which offers a myriad of music channels. Usually, for brunch functions, I find a jazz station to provide a light musical background.

For me, deciding on a menu for a brunch is far easier than picking a menu for lunch or dinner. I love the Hungry Girl cookbooks, because she offers low-calorie, healthy recipes for just about anything, and she has some awesome breakfast/brunch options.

For this particular spring brunch, I plan to have this menu:

FRESH FRUIT BOWL: (cut up strawberries and stir in blueberries the night before)

HUNGRY GIRL CRAMMED WITH CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS from page 38 of Hungry Girl Clean and Obsessed (baked the night before and warmed before the brunch)

HUNGRY GIRL BANANA BREAD BONANZA MUFFINS from page 41 of Hungry Girl Clean and Obsessed (baked the night before and warmed before the brunch)

HUNGRY GIRL VEGGIE-LICIOUS BREAKFAST BAKE (recipe can be found here), assembled ahead of time and bake the day of the brunch

Veggie-licious Breakfast Bake photo from http://www.hungry-girl.com

MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER’S SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE I could give you the recipe, but I’d have to kill you. That will have to remain within the family.

For beverages, I will serve coffee, water, and orange juice…easy enough. If it weren’t for a school committee, I’d also offer Prosecco.

It’s an easy-to-assemble menu. I will display the muffins on a Desert Rose platter. The Breakfast Bake will be in a Pyrex dish, and the fruit will be in a large bowl. All those foods will be on the dining room table, and I will arrange beverages on the kitchen island. I will grab coffee the morning of the brunch at Panera, and they will provide all the cream and sugar/sweetener. I will have water and juice in two pitchers.

If possible, I always recommend fresh flowers. I love having fresh flowers in the house all the time, but I get an extra arrangement when entertaining…one for the dining room table with the food, and one for the kitchen counter.

As for seating, the group will be small enough for me to have everyone in the kitchen and keeping room off the kitchen. There is a loveseat and a chair-and-a-half, so that is seating for four people. There are four chairs at my kitchen table, and two taller chairs at the kitchen island bar, for a total of ten. We have eight dining room chairs we can bring in as needed.

The kitchen/keeping room combo is a perfect place for everyone to congregate, visit with each other, and discuss any committee business.

When the fun is over, it’s always nice to send something home with your guests…a small token that shows you were happy to have them in your home…a party favor. In a previous post, I sang the praises of Miss Shelley’s Southern Jams and Jellies. For this particular event, I plan to have 2-oz jars of Fire Island Peach Jam and/or Apple Pecan Pie Preserves with blue ribbons around the top, because the school colors are blue and white. Everyone will love these! To see what Miss Shelley’s Southern Jams and Jellies has to offer, click here.

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Photo courtesy of Miss Shelley’s Southern Jams and Jellies Facebook page

So, if you are planning a small brunch at home that you don’t plan to have catered, this is the easy way to do it…keep it simple!

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Happy Hosting!

Kelly

***All Hungry Girl photos courtesy of hungry-girl.com or her books.***

April 7, 2018February 3, 2021 by Kelly Mattei

South of the Border

friends, travel, Uncategorized
Charlotte, family, friends, fun, kitsch, North Carolina, roadtrips, south carolina, south of the border, souvenirs, travel, vacation, weekend
5 Comments

Anyone who has never traveled I-95 near the North Carolina/South Carolina border probably thinks I’m going to write about Mexico. They might think I’m going to write about immigration. Or maybe food…which is not a bad idea…but not what I’m writing about today.

In North Carolina, and I presume South Carolina too, South of the Border has nothing to do with the great country of Mexico…well, a little, but not really.

If you’ve ever traveled I-95, especially at night, near the NC/SC border, you have seen the oasis that is South of the Border. Check out their website here. Starting as a roadside beer stand built by Mr. Alan Schafer in 1949, it is now much larger and a roadside attraction in itself…a brief respite from the boredom of interstate travels. Or if you’re traveling to the Carolina beaches, it’s a good place to stock up on some of the things you’ll need…especially Blenheim Ginger Ale…more on that later. It has a Mexican theme.

South of the Border. The first time I saw South of the Border, I was probably about 10 years old. I was traveling with my family up I-95. I think we were going to Wilmington, but not sure. It was nighttime, and as we traveled north, we started seeing signs that said, “Pedro says…” And those signs went on for miles and miles. They were advertisements for South of the Border. According to the website, those billboards were all designed by Mr. Schafer himself. They are iconic. There are about 175 billboards advertising South of the Border. The old billboards of the 70s used a sort of “Spanglish,” which many people found offensive, so they were changed. Even the Mexican Embassy got involved, according to Roadside America, asking Mr. Schafer to remove the offensive signage along I-95, to which he responded by suggesting the Mexican Embassy consider the $1.5 million in souvenirs he imports from Mexico each year. Nevertheless, the billboards were gradually changed to less broken English, but the advertisements are still plentiful.

So, let’s say I was 10 years old. That means the year would have been 1977, so South of the Border was still in its heyday. In fact, according to people who work there (and have been there since 1965), people used to come in by the busloads to visit! It was a destination. There is a motor lodge that appears to have been kept in its original decor.

In 1977, as my family came upon the great neon oasis that is South of the Border, my daddy refused to stop. No amount of begging worked. Usually, he was pretty good about stopping at any roadside attraction, but apparently, it was late, and we needed to get to our hotel in Wilmington that night.

I resolved, on that day, that I would one day visit South of the Border. And I never forgot.

When I first moved to Charlotte and would ask people about South of the Border (SOB), they would laugh and say they knew what I was talking about. Some had funny stories about a visit during college days, and some still had souvenirs they had purchased there when they were kids. Most of them had stopped there on the way to the beach once or twice when they were kids, but none had been in recent years. And they certainly didn’t travel with SOB as their destination.

I spoke with my friend, Sara, who is from Pennsylvania, one day and learned she had never been either. We made a plan to visit.

On October 30, 2014, we loaded up in our Ford Expedition with my daughter, Sara’s two daughters, and a friend of her older daughter, and we set out for SOB.

I had plugged the address into the navigation in the truck. We were getting a late afternoon start, but we enjoyed the drive across North Carolina. We were traveling from Charlotte, so none of the drive was on the interstate highway, but it was mostly four-lane highway, with some two-lane travel here and there.

We drove through small towns and took detours.

We had been driving for a while, and the GPS said we had ten more miles to go, when we rounded a corner and saw the great neon oasis ahead! Somehow, our GPS wasn’t correct, but it didn’t matter at that point. Sara and I audibly gasped at the neon when we rounded the curve. We then laughed at ourselves.

We arrived, and much like the Griswold’s arrival at Wally World, almost everything was closed. We didn’t care. There are all sorts of giant animal figurines around SOB, and we took advantage of the photo ops. A 97-feet-tall Pedro? Photo op! A giant sombrero tower? Photo op. We took lots of photos in the neon lights.

The only thing open was a small cafe called The Hot Tamale. It was late, and most of the place was deserted. It seemed a little sketchy with no one around, so I became the designated person to go in and ask what time all the other attractions would open the next day. The very nice lady inside told me everything would open at 10am, so we drove to our hotel in Florence, South Carolina, for the night. (Interestingly, Bill Cosby was slated to perform at the Convention Center near our hotel on November 4, but I think the sexual assault scandal probably caused the cancellation of the appearance.)

Next morning, we ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and arrived at South of the Border at 10am. We were all excited to see what it would look like in the daytime, and of course, we took more photos.

Apparently, fall is not a busy time at SOB (South of the Border), because it seemed we were the only visitors that day. We actually visited the shops on Halloween, and Sara and I later joked that they would see a sharp increase in revenue for that day, since we bought so many souvenirs! The employees at one of the many souvenir shops told us summer is still busy with beach traffic and people traveling between the northeast and Florida.

There are souvenir shops aplenty…you could stay all day and still not see every single souvenir in the place. We stocked up on lots of SOB merchandise that day. I had to buy things, simply because I knew my 10-yr-old self would have loved to visit! In fact, I’m drinking my coffee from a SOB mug as I type.

We also visited the Reptile Lagoon, which was actually quite intriguing. We saw rattlesnakes (every Alabama girl’s fear), alligators, other snakes, crocodiles, and turtles, up close and personal. It’s worth a visit.

We didn’t stay at the South of the Border Motor Inn, but we did check out one of the rooms. While it had the feel of the 1960s or 1970s, it was clean. Since it is a motor inn, guests can drive right up to the front door and park right outside their suite! We were surprised to find the room had a bidet, and we had to explain that to the kids. They’ve seen (and used) modern Japanese toilets, but they’d never seen a separate bidet. The motor inn also features a “pleasure dome” which houses an indoor pool.

While we didn’t dine at any of the restaurants on site, I am told The Peddler Steakhouse, in a sombrero-shaped building, is very good. Maybe we’ll dine there next time.

And when you visit, don’t forget to purchase some Blenheim Ginger Ale. You can purchase it by the case in some of the souvenir shops or by the bottle (and cold!) in the convenience store near the front of South of the Border. According to their website, Blenheim’s dates back to the 1800s. The original bottling plant opened in 1903, and the Schafer family that also owns SOB purchased it in 1993. It has a spicy ginger taste and is made with mineral water and fresh ginger. Lots of people believe it helps with stomach ailments. I highly recommend you try it! You can see their website here.

We have returned for another visit since that original visit, in February 2016, and again, we had a great time. I’d say we are due for another weekend getaway.

It took me more than 35 years to get to visit South of the Border, but I’m telling you it is definitely worth a road trip if you have an open weekend. It’s not luxurious. It’s kitschy. It’s fun. It’s cheesy. But you can make some fun memories and possibly pick up some fun souvenirs. It’s also worth a stop if you’re driving to Myrtle Beach or anywhere on I-95. Hopefully, the sombrero tower will be open when you visit! Take lots of photos! I hope it will be open for a long time, but you never know when something will disappear. Better make crazy memories while you can!

***If you enjoy reading Kelly Mattei’s Favorite Things, please invite your friends to like/follow the page!***

XOXO,

Kelly

April 1, 2018April 2, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

My New Favorite App

technology, Uncategorized
app, documentary, friends, home movies, old school, sharing, smartphone, super 8, technology, vacation, vlog
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There are lots of good apps out there…apps that keep you organized, apps that keep you on time, apps that help you find your way…so many apps. Lots of good ones, and lots of bad ones.

Recently, I saw something on MSN about some people who had body shamed Selena Gomez after seeing her in a swimsuit. The article I read said her response was a homemade video set to one of her songs. I loved it. The video looked like an old home movie.

Anyone who follows my personal Facebook page knows I was on vacation last week. They also know I made my own little “documentary” of the trip. My little family (plus two of my daughter’s friends) vacationed with my brother, his wife, and two of her sons. (FYI: I’m not one of those people who refers to my sis-in-law’s children as my brother’s too, because they have a daddy…I don’t want to step on toes. I know some people are cool with it, but I don’t want to overstep.) The two boys are delightful and as different as night and day, and we love them as if they are our own.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch….so we went on vacation together, and I had just read about the Selena Gomez video. I knew she had to have used an app, so I set out on a quest to find the perfect app for making simulated Super 8/8mm videos…just like the home movies we used to make and play on the projector.

I’m not much of a “techie.” You can teach an old dog new tricks, but this old dog doesn’t have the attention span for learning too much new techie stuff.

I did my research. I read articles online, and I read reviews of different apps. From what I could tell, there was one app that would be perfect for my use. There were some that were more complicated, but that scared me. There are some that offer more bells and whistles, but that scared me. This one is simple and very user friendly. It is called simply “8mm Vintage Camera.” I needed an easy app that would produce the 8mm effect without much thinking or work on my part, and that’s exactly what it is. There is a free version and a paid version…I think the paid version offers a few more options without requiring a lot of knowledge.

I decided to download the app before our vacation in the Bahamas, and I am so glad I did.

I documented our trip as well as I could. I also annoyed my brother with this app as much as I could, but he’s accustomed to that. I will add a snippet that shows the look on his face as I take yet another video of him (no sound on this one).

The app offers lot of options. You can record with sound or without. I prefer to record without sound, simply because it seems more authentic to me. I’m sure younger people will want to record with sound.

It also offers different filters for recording. I have only used two of the filters: one called “60s” and one called “Pela.” The “60s” filter produced a slightly gray hue, while the “Pela” filter seems to film with amber undertones.

This video has no sound:

Another great thing about the app is that you can add music from your iTunes library to your own videos. Apple Music songs won’t add, so you must purchase them in order to add them to your videos. I’ve added songs to all my videos, and I’ve noticed a good song can make a not-so-good video look better!

Since we returned home from vacation, I’ve had even more opportunity to use it. My friend, Wendy, came into town for Easter weekend and brought her two children. As you may have read before, back in the day, we had the best playgroup ever when our kids were young. As time has gone by, people have moved away, but we have all managed to stay in touch.

Some of you know Wendy is sick with leukemia. After arriving in town and spending some time with friends and family, she had to go into the hospital here. Because of that, the playgroup moms all rallied and had an old-school Easter Egg Hunt for all the playgroup kids…they’re almost all teenagers now, but they were up for a bit of nostalgia. Not one of them sulked through the egg hunt, and I’m sure it was because they were just so happy to be together.

Because Wendy couldn’t be there for the egg hunt, we all took photos to send her, and I made some videos with my new app. It was super easy, and I think they turned out great, if I do say so myself. I’m only including clips here, because I don’t want to share everything with the whole world, but you get the idea. The video below is brief but includes the song Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver.

And another brief video without music:

So, here’s the skinny: if I can operate 8mm Vintage Camera, anyone can. I am completely and utterly obsessed with it, so if you see me out and about, don’t be surprised if I ask you to wave while I point my smartphone at you.

You could be a star of a minor motion picture!

XOXO,

Kelly

March 29, 2018March 25, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

Epic Road Trip, Part 2

You’ve read about our Epic Road Trip in 2015 and our stay in Wigwam Village #2 in Cave City, Kentucky. It was an eye-opening experience, taking us back to a simpler time with good people.

After leaving the wigwams, we visited some local attractions in Cave City (Mammoth Cave National Park, Dinosaur World, and some souvenir shops) before setting out for Louisville. We left in the middle of a thunderstorm, but the skies cleared on the way.

We arrived after dark and checked into our hotel before going to dinner and finding Barnes and Noble

From Charlotte to Louisville, Mary Ann and I had looked for Road Atlases every time we stopped at a gas station or convenience store. Most of the clerks with whom we spoke didn’t even know what an atlas is! Barnes and Noble came through. We wanted to plot our trip on paper, and we found them there. If you would plan to take a road trip, an Atlas can be helpful when looking for different places to visit. I highly recommend taking one with you.

The next day, we spent the day in Louisville, visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and Churchill Downs/Kentucky Derby Museum. The Louisville Slugger Museum is located downtown, so we were able to see other sights downtown as well.

The Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville is “the” place to stay. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is a Louisville legend. With Georgia-revival style architecture, it is beautiful and comfortable and recently underwent a massive renovation. To see more about the hotel or make reservations, click here.

In my opinion, the Louisville Slugger Museum and Tour is a MUST for first-time visitors to Louisville. The giant baseball bat outside is a great photo op, as it is taller than most of the buildings around it! Once inside, we were all fascinated by the memorabilia collection, and the tour was fascinating. We never knew so much work went into manufacturing baseball bats, and the process is fun to watch. At the end of the tour, we all received mini baseball bats as a “takeaway.” The kids loved it (and so did the moms). You can purchase tickets in advance here.

On the way to the car, we walked past another giant bat on the side of a building, but this one is the winged kind…photo op! It’s on the side of a novelty store, Caufield’s, a couple blocks from Louisville Slugger.

Our next Louisville stop was Churchill Downs, also home to the Kentucky Derby Museum. We had scheduled our tour in advance. If you plan to go, you need to schedule in advance; you can do that here. This is also a must for first-time visitors to Louisville. Our tour took us into the grandstands, and our tour guide gave us interesting historical information and tidbits about the race and the venue. Our kids were all 12 and under, and they were as fascinated as we were! It’s a beautiful place!

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The story of our visit to Louisville would not be complete without telling how determined I was to visit the Evan Williams Experience in downtown. We had run out of time earlier in the day, because we needed to get to Churchill Downs, so I made the whole crew go with me, simply because I wasn’t going to leave Kentucky without having at least one bourbon tasting.

The kids loved the giant lowball glass in the lobby.

Surprisingly, they allowed the kids to take the elevator up with us for the tasting. (I know…not my best judgment, but we only had a few minutes before they closed.) I was the only participant. I tasted a few and ended up asking to purchase a bottle of their Reserve. First, let me say I rarely drink bourbon anymore (headaches), and I MIGHT have two glasses of prosecco in a week, but somewhere, my 12-yr-old had heard the term “alcoholic.” She was standing there when I started to purchase the bottle and started asking me if I’m an alcoholic. I tried to define the term for her, to no avail. To shut her up, I walked over to Mary Ann and handed her the money, asking her to buy it for me. She walked to the sales clerk, and her son followed her. When she started to hand over the money, he said, “Mom! You’re not going to spend $100 on that, are you?” Thinking fast, she said, “No! Missy (a friend at home) asked me to buy this for her. She gave me the money.” Problem solved with a little white lie.

We drove across the famous bridges downtown before going back to the hotel for the night.

After an early start the next morning, we set out across the great state of Indiana. We had been in Indiana for less than an hour when I turned to Mary Ann and asked, “Isn’t John Mellencamp from Indiana?” She looked it up and discovered he grew up in Seymour, and we were only ten minutes away! Detour!

We arrived in Seymour at about 1pm and started our visit with a stop in the local Visitor Center. We didn’t really care about anything else in Seymour except Mellencamp history. Surprisingly, there was very little information about him there, so I finally asked the attendant. He pointed us in the direction of a parking meter and sidewalk star in downtown.

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Mary Ann and I were excited, but the kids had no idea who Mellencamp is. They went along with us, though, posing for photos with the parking meter.

But that wasn’t enough for me and Mary Ann. We wanted some real info on the man. We wanted to see the little house where he grew up and more! She found some information online that said he had lived in a certain area, so we drove there…cute little houses. We stopped and asked an elderly gentleman if he knew which house had been John Mellencamp’s. He had no idea who we were talking about.

She then read about an ice cream shop…not a true Tastee Freeze (like in the song, Jack and Diane), but it was an ice cream shop Mellencamp had visited. We saw photographic evidence. We all had ice cream at the picnic tables outside, and Mary Ann and I discussed our next plan.

We finally decided we should go ahead and leave town. We started driving back toward the interstate and saw a fireman standing outside a fire station, so we stopped. He was younger than the other man, so surely he would know about Mellencamp. And he did! He pointed us in the direction of Mellencamp’s childhood home…on Hwy 11 on the way out of town…the plantation-style, white house on the right. We went, expecting a little house, because we’d always been under the impression that he grew up poor. Nope. The house wasn’t small at all, and after reading, we discovered his dad was an electronics executive. We laughed and left town.

Next stop, the World’s Largest Rocking Chair. It warranted a brief stop in Franklin for some photos, and we moved on, through Indianapolis, and past miles of wind turbines that made us feel like we were in a science fiction movie.

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We finally reached the Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge at 7pm and downtown Chicago at 7:30pm…more rain.

One would think the arrival into a city would be rather uneventful, but once we got into downtown, were were sitting at a traffic light behind one other truck. The light changed, and the truck started moving. We did, as well, and out of nowhere, a man in a purple wind suit came running into the front right quarter panel of our truck! On foot! He ran into the truck! At first, he acted like we had hit him, but after I yelled at him, he moved on. I kept driving, but we all still talk about the man in the purple wind suit.

We moved slowly in traffic down Michigan Avenue to the Magnificent Mile and our hotel. Our stay in Chicago was memorable, but that’s for another post.

We had made it to Chicago! Lots more fun in store!

I’ll write more about our time in Chicago in another post…and then the rest of the trip! We were proud of ourselves for making it to the city and to our hotel, which turned out to be right next to the John Hancock Center…lucky us! We could see it straight out the window of our suite!

Windy City info in the next installment…

XOXO,

Kelly

March 26, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

UPDATE: Maine Attractions list

Many of you who read about my trips to Maine with Wendy have asked about some of the places listed that we used to visit (and plan to visit again). Here is some info:

BOSTON’S NORTH END: The North End is Boston’s own Little Italy. You can find info here. While you’re there, get a sandwich at Pauli’s (click here for info). Follow it up with a cannoli like no other from Mike’s Pastry (click here for info). ***Little story about Pauli’s: I was at a soccer tournament in Raleigh a few years ago and heard a man asked where he could find a Dunkin Donuts. Recognizing his Boston brogue, I offered directions and began chatting with him. Turns out he was Pauli from Pauli’s Sandwiches. He won’t remember me, but stop in anyway.***

NUBBLE LIGHTHOUSE, MAINE: Located in York, Maine, this beautiful lighthouse is a great photo op from the rocks. You’ve likely seen pictures of it lots of times but didn’t know what it was called. Get more info here.

The Desert of Maine

DESERT OF MAINE: Wendy thought I was utterly nuts when I suggested we visit The Desert of Maine, but we all learned a lot and had a lot of fun! It’s worth a visit. Get info here.

YORK’S WILD KINGDOM: If you like old school theme parks like I do, this is a great place to visit. With lots of rides you’ll remember from childhood and a large petting zoo (including elephant rides!), this is a fun stop. Get info here.

LUCKY CATCH PORTLAND: Lucky Catch lobstering cruises are offered from Portland, Maine, and last a couple hours. It’s a great way to learn how lobsters are caught and banded. You can even do it yourself! More info here.

BIG DADDY’S ICE CREAM: Located in Wells, Maine, this ice cream shop is old school. It’s a great place to stop, night or day, and they offer generous servings. *We once ran into someone we knew from Charlotte there!* More info here.

THE BIG INDIAN: In Freeport, Maine, this Big Indian stands 30 feet tall and is a fun photo op. I forced the kids to wake up from a nap one afternoon just to get a photo. Good times! More info here.

RENY’S: Reny’s (A Maine Adventure) is a discount store chain headquartered in Maine. Personally, it’s one of my very favorite plundering places. One year, when we were flying home from Maine, I was waiting for our flight in the Boston airport and I saw Mr. Reny’s obituary. I called Wendy to tell her he had died, and she said, “He probably had a heart attack when he heard his best customer was leaving the state.” All joking aside, it’s a fun place to find some good deals! More info here.

***Thank you all for reading about and praying for my Wendy. And thanks for your interest in some of our favorite spots in Maine. If you like Kelly Mattei’s Favorite Things, please invite your friends to like the page.***

March 23, 2018March 21, 2018 by Kelly Mattei

My Favorite Baby Gifts

My daughter is 14 years old. In the years she has been alive, I’ve seen baby gear and gift options change tremendously. When my daughter was born, baby swings were one size fits all, but now, companies offer swings for newborn and then, larger swings for when they get a little bigger. Frankly, I was thankful for the swing(s) I had, but we would have loved to have had a smaller one when she was a newborn.

There are lots more gift options out there too. I never think of giving equipment/gear as baby gifts, but the older I get, the more I’ve had to take my time looking at options for gifts. When I was younger, I had more friends having babies, so I knew what was out there and where to get it. I had some definite go-to gifts that I loved to give, but times have changed.

In hopes of saving you the time it takes to track down the perfect gift, I’m offering a few suggestions of my favorite baby gifts of 2018, which are a lot different than what I would have found in 2003. The gifts I’m recommending are for guests who are not related to the new mother. Sometimes, relatives like to give the big equipment-type gifts (strollers/bouncers/swings).

Here are my favorite baby gifts of 2018 (for now!). You could give one of these individually, or you might choose to group some of them.

MILLYMOOK and DOZER SUNHATS: When my daughter was an infant, options were limited on sunhats, and we needed them! We love to spend time outdoors, and while I was able to find them for her, I never had one as great as the Millymook Sunhat. These sunhats are available for girls 0 to 5 years and offer UPF50+ sun protection. If I’d had a Millymook Sunhat for my daughter, I would have always known she was protected from the sun. They are made of cotton and most come with a removable chin strap. Some are even reversible, like getting two hats in one! The boys equivalent is the Dozer Sunhat…same manufacturer, same premise. They offer adorable prints. You can purchase them at Amazon here. Prices start at $12.95.

BABY BLANKETS: I’m a sucker for a quality baby blanket…always have been. In fact, I feel pretty sure I still have all my daughter’s baby blankets in a trunk in the attic. First, they’re always useful when you have an infant. Plus, baby blankets are cute! I’ve seen this Royal Hippo Baby Blanket for girls at several different retailers, most recently at Crate and Barrel. Who knew? This particular blanket is a pink/cream crochet blanket and is super soft with a little weight. It’s 100 percent cotton, making it perfect for baby. Priced at $59, it would make a lovely shower gift on its own. You can purchase them here. For boys, I love the Little Giraffe Powder Plush Baby Blanket, which is priced at $46. It’s made of dual sided faux fur with a satin border that will last forever. You can purchase here.

Little Giraffe Powder Plush

Royal Hippo Baby Blanket

MIRACLE BLANKET SWADDLE: If they made swaddle blankets when my daughter was born, no one told me. I had to do it the old-fashioned way, and I was not always successful, which is why my baby spent a lot of time sleeping in a swing. I could put her in that swing and swaddle the blankets around her. Clearly, I was challenged. If I’d had these Miracle Blanket Swaddles, my life would have been so much easier! I’ve spokenwith friends who’ve had babies more recently, and they all agree this is a great brand. Priced at $29.95, they will be greatly appreciated as shower gifts. You can purchase them at Amazon here.

MOMMY SNACK BASKET: This is one of those things I discovered after having a baby. I never would have thought to do this until someone did it for me. We came home from the hospital with our beautiful baby girl, and soon thereafter, a friend stopped by with a basket full of snacks for me. At first, it seemed odd, but then I understood! I found myself grabbing snacks out of that gigantic basket for weeks, simply because I was so tired I needed snacks to keep me going. Ever since, I’ve given Mommy Snack Baskets when friends have had babies. You don’t have to use a basket; you can use a tote bag or cute bucket and fill it with nonperishable items. Here are some of the things I’ve put in them: snack crackers, bagged popcorn, granola bars, pistachios, trail mix, potato chips, pretzels, small boxes of cereal, dried fruit (blueberries, bananas, etc) and yes, I always add some real junk like candy bars and other sweets. A tired new mommy needs all the fuel she can get. If you don’t have time to put together your own or don’t live near the recipient, you can “build your own” at giftbasket.com here.

TRUMPETTE BABY SOCKS: These have been around for a while, but they just keep getting better! I think they started with socks that looked like Mary Jane shoes, but now the line has expanded. These were a great baby gift for me. Since I had a girl, someone gave me the Mary Jane style, but they now have so many more styles, including ballerina socks, hero socks, dock shoe socks, and much more. With prices starting at $15, these make a great gift. My daughter wore the Mary Jane style socks with lots of outfits as an infant, and since there were lots of colors, we could match them to whatever she was wearing. To purchase, click here.

Trumpette Varsity

Trumpette Mary Jane

Trumpette Ballerina

Trumpette Mason

Trumpette Mary Jane

NOODLE AND BOO STARTER KIT: According to their website, Noodle and Boo was started by a new mother when she wanted products for babies with sensitive skin. “Working with professionals who specialize in natural, holistic skin care each exclusive formula is developed to nourish, replenish and protect especially delicate and sensitive skin.” The result is exceptional products, including baby wash, baby hair care products, laundry products, and gift sets. They offer a wide selection of gift sets. Prices start at $9.50 for sensitive skin baby wipes, and gift bundle sets start at $24. To purchase, click here.

Noodle & Boo Starter Set $38

DIAPERS: Diapers always make a great baby gift. In fact, moms appreciate it any time someone drops off diapers. And that includes cloth diapers, even if the family uses disposable diapers. Our daughter wore disposable diapers, but we used cloth diapers for so many other things…wiping up messes, burping, and great to keep in diaper bags for any use. If a family is using disposable diapers, they can never have too many. They may not realize it before baby is born, but they will go through LOTS of diapers before potty training happens. The Honest Company makes a great Diaper Cake that makes a great gift for anyone. It includes 92 diapers, shampoo and body wash, lotion, all-purpose balm, bubble bath, 50 laundry packs, 1 pack 72-count wipes, and 2 packs 10-count wipes. The price, at $124, is a little steep, but this could be a joint gift from several people. Their mini diaper cake, priced at $39, includes 35 diapers and travel-size baby care products. To check out their offerings, click here.

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The Honest Company Diaper Cake

BABY MONTH MILESTONE BLANKET: I’ve found a seller on Etsy that offers the Baby Month Milestone Blanket, and I think it’s a great gift idea. Priced at $36, this item can be personalized, and it is a great way to chart baby’s growth in the first year. It is offered in different fabrics and designs. They are made of fleece and made-to-order. There are lots of different options for the same type blanket on Amazon, but this one is personalized and well-made. You can contact the seller by clicking here.

Baby Month Milestone Blanket

SARA KETY BODYSUITS: I found these little cuties in Nordstrom, and they are adorable. These cotton snapsuits have cute catchphrases for boys and girls, and priced at $20, they are priced right. I would give one of these with a cute set of matching socks or a small plush toy. Some of the different designs are pictured below, featuring various designs and catchphrases. You can see the various designs and purchase online from Nordstrom here

TIFFANY BABY

Personally, I never get tired of looking at baby gifts at Tiffany.com. You can see the assortment here. Their baby gifts start at $125 for various piggy banks, which make lovely baby gifts. My daughter still has several in her room that we were given at her baby shower. For $135, they also offer three-piece baby sets…plate, cup, bowl. Right now, I see two in the catalog I love…pictured below. And for the extravagant baby gift, they have a lovely baby blanket, which is priced at $450. If I purchased that, though, I’d have trouble parting with it…wool and cashmere…it’s beautiful.

Tiffany Baby Blanket $450

From all these suggestions, it should be easy to find the perfect gift for the new mother and baby in your life. I’ve included gifts ranging in price from $9.50 to $450. I have always loved shopping for baby gifts…they are ever-changing, and they just keep getting better! Frankly, when I was expecting, I would have loved to receive a giant basket full of all these gifts!

Happy shopping!

Kelly

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March 20, 2018February 1, 2019 by Kelly Mattei

Bloom Where You’re Planted

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career, Fairhope, hobby, Uncategorized
boutique, business, career, choice, dreams, Fairhope, family, friends, future, gardening, passion, plans, retail, shop
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We always hear people say, “Follow your passion,” or “Follow your dreams.” I saw a video by Mike Rowe recently in which he questioned that, and I totally get it. See the video here.

If you watched the video, you heard him say lots of people have “passion” about something, but no talent for it. There are lots of people whose pursuit of their passion or dream failed, because they had not talent (or skills or knowledge).

My favorite part of the video is when he says, “Your happiness on the job has very little to do with the work itself.” And he’s correct. I really believe we can find happiness in places we never believed we could. I’m a big fan of “Love the one you’re with,” which I interpret as “find the good where you are.” I have a friend I’ve heard say, “Bloom where you’re planted,” which basically means the same thing to me.

Happiness is not always where we expect it. Haven’t we all firmly believed we wanted something, and when we got it, we realized it was all wrong? (“Be careful what you wish for.”) On the other hand, sometimes, we find ourselves somewhere we think isn’t a good fit…maybe a college or a position on a team…in reality, we often find it’s the best thing for us. Maybe we should, as Mike Rowe says, “Follow the opportunity.”

There are some people who possess passion, talent, knowledge, drive, plans, and more passion for what they want to do, and some of them can turn that into income.

As a child, in Spanish Fort, Alabama, I had a sweet, smart, adorable friend named Michelle Prouty. (She is now Michelle Prouty Johns.)

Unbeknownst to me at the time, she was immensely talented.

Michelle’s mother is a prolific gardener, and Michelle shares the same love of plants and gardening.

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MICHELLE PROUTY JOHNS

Michelle tells me she doesn’t remember a time that she wasn’t interested in gardening, “so it must have started at a very early age.”

Her dad owned a manufacturers’ rep agency in Mobile but decided, when Michelle was five, that he also wanted to be a part-time farmer. Purchasing ten acres, he moved the family, and started his vegetable farm. Her mother had flower beds and containers on the back deck, and Michelle helped with all of it. Michelle says they never had trouble getting her to help. Her exact words: “It wasn’t a chore to me.”

And there you have it. A passion was born.

Her mother taught her to plant seeds and propagate plants, and when the family left the farm and moved to my neighborhood, Spanish Fort Estates, her dad built a greenhouse, which she considered her “own private play house.” She says she loved going in there during the winter. “There was nothing better than being in there in the winter when it was full of my Mom’s plants, many of which bloomed through the winter.”

I remember going back to a community festival at Spanish Fort School in spring of 1978. There was Michelle, a fifth grader, with her own booth at the festival, selling her plants. It made quite an impression on me. She was tending that booth all day while other kids were doing whatever they wanted. But she was doing what she wanted…taking care of her plants, talking with folks about gardening, and selling the fruits of her labor.

Looking at all that hands-on gardening experience she had, one might think she would have pursued a Horticulture degree when she attended Auburn University, but she didn’t. She says, “I questioned my father many years ago on why they did not push me to look at horticulture as a career, and he said they didn’t know anyone who worked in the field, so it wasn’t really on their radar.” But…sometimes things work out the way they’re supposed to. She went on to get her Marketing and Statistics degrees, which have been helpful…as she pursues her dream.

And this is where it gets really good.

After working with her dad and working in outside sales for a company in Tampa, one year ago, Michelle opened her own retail garden center in Fairhope, Alabama. The perfect piece of land came available, and she seized the opportunity. She is the proud owner of Corner Copia Gardens Nursery and Garden Shoppe. You can see the Corner Copia Gardens Facebook page here and their Instagram page here. She opened the gardens in 2015 and opened the retail garden center in March 2017. Corner Copia Gardens Nursery and Garden Shoppe just celebrated its first anniversary.

Michelle says her business goal is to carry a “unique variety” of plants that are difficult to find in “big box stores” and will do well in the area. She also wants to offer advice to local gardeners and is offering educational classes. Follow the Facebook page for Corner Copia Gardens to see which classes are being offered and when. (Again, the facebook page can be found here.)

Michelle named her business after some gift shops her mother had called The Corner Copia. According to Michelle, “While she did not sell plants, she carried many garden-themed gifts in her shops.” Michelle got her mother’s permission to use the name, adding “Gardens” and slightly modifying the logo.

Corner Copia Gardens is the realization of a dream.

Michelle says it has been her dream for at least 25 years…since soon after college.

It has not been without challenges. A particularly cold winter in Fairhope has been tougher than expected, but she says she has learned what it takes “to keep them (two 24′ x 100′ greenhouses) heated with 20 nights below freezing and down into the teens.”

Another challenge has been the fact that business is seasonal, but Michelle made adjustments. Because business is seasonal, she needed to find a way to keep income flowing so her employees could work all year, so she added a small gift shop and is growing her live plant floral business, with hopes to begin making deliveries this spring. I’ve seen pictures on the facebook page of some of the gift shop offerings, and it’s exciting!

Easter Decor is arriving!

In the garden shop: airplant jellies!

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The greatest thing about this, to me, is that Michelle found a way to channel all her life experiences into pursuing her dream. She knew it was something she wanted to do, but she did other things that gave her the ability and lots of valuable knowledge when the opportunity came along. She takes everything she has learned along the way from her parents, her career in business, her education, and her life as a mom (she and her husband have five children between them)…channeling it into her business, sharing her knowledge and passion along the way.

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Succulent head planters. I love these! I also think they would make lovely Easter gifts.

So, while Mike Rowe questions whether folks should follow their dreams, I know some should do just that…even if they have to get there by following opportunity first. Maybe I should say, “Follow opportunity to get to your dreams/passion.” That’s what Michelle did, and it’s working. She has always had a kind, engaging way about her, so I’m sure people love visiting her gardens and shop, and they love attending her classes. I can hardly wait to visit when I’m in Baldwin County!

If you are in Baldwin County, Alabama, stop in at Corner Copia Gardens. If you live in the area, stop in and see her…maybe take one of her classes. You’ll be glad you did. She would enjoy seeing you. She says her greatest joy is when customers come in and tell her how well their plants are doing or when someone sends her photos of arrangements they have made. As she says, “For me, it really isn’t work at all!”