listening to old alabama

{Enter here to win $50 from Shabby Apple vintage boutique}

I have lived in the Washington, D.C.,  area for nearly 12 years, but at my core I was Born Country. Naturally, when the 1980s country band Alabama announced its reunion tour I would be going. I reached out to friends whom I knew would be as In A Hurry to buy tickets as I. I hopped a plane to Take Me Down to Atlanta for the show at the Fox Theater with my friends Cassie, Whitney, Monty, and Shannon. 

With Monty and her hat

As Cas + I were checking in to the Georgian Terrace , I looked left to see Randy Owen, Alabama's lead singer. I should have asked for a picture. I should have told him how his simple, southern lyrics have played like a Jukebox in My Mind since I was a child. I feel like he might have been amused to hear how in college we'd always turn up Tennessee River at tailgates, how once at a Capitol Hill house party an Old Flame was so impressed at my stellar clogging moves to Mountain Music he invited me home to meet his family, or that my match.com headline read Dixieland Delight, probably my most favorite song of all time.  I didn't, though. I was too cool.

The view from the Cheap Seats  

Later that night, long after he'd opened up his case, we did see band member Jeff Cook at the hotel, and he couldn't have been nicer to all us silly fangirls (and one guy: Whitney's husband, Jason, likes Alabama so much he asked to join our girls' group and well, You Can't Keep a Good Man Down).

Jeff and The Fans

The concert was a great excuse to build a girls' trip down in Dixie, and while I was there I got to see friends and family for whom Georgia is Down Home. I stole a night in the 'burbs with my cousin, Kim.  My high school friend, Melanie, met us for dinner before the show.  

We get together anytime we can. 

After our night in Atlanta, a few of us made plans to Roll On into a High Cotton resort and spa. All of it made for a getaway that was Close Enough to Perfect for Me. 

caught RED-handed

**enter here to win a signed copy of Secrets of the Mommyhood**

This is me trying to decrypt the liner notes from the new Taylor Swift album, RED. 

MAPLE LATTES. FOR ETHEL. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW.

I can't help it, I'm a TSwift apologist. I feel like I can very much own this because I didn't read any of those vampire books. I claim vampire immunity a lot when justifying very common practices (see above, I'd just finished rereading War and Peace). I can champion songs that are straight up US Weekly to music because I was never on any of the vampire teams. So I did this weekend, combing through the lyrics to unriddle Taylor's vague but oh-so telling messages. I can't tell you how much it intrigued me. And made me feel 13. I feel like in 2013 I'll be making heart hands at her concert. Dan says he'll take me. He's my Joe, Jake, John, Connor, Taylor (aka Jacob) Edward. 

For her part, Chloe says she'd rather hear a dog whistle, which totally shocked me. I figured she'd be all ears for songs about puppy love. 

my nashville dream

Did you watch the series debut of Nashville last night on ABC? I didn't...I'd long since watched it online because I am just not into delaying gratification. I have to tell you, I thought from the show previews (and see also the movie Country Strong) that it was going to be pretty cheesy.   It isn't entirely without cliche and the Southern accents could use a little work, but I love the music, I love seeing Tennessee in lots of beauty shots, and I LOVE Connie Britton. 

I think she's really good in this role if for nothing more than I never saw her as Tami Taylor, her character from Friday Night Lights. She's full-on channeling Faith Hill on the stage and I'm thinking Martina when she's being a mom. And her hair....

Here's my dream, though, and tell me if you're feeling it, too. Kyle Chandler (aka, Coach Taylor) makes a guest cameo as his character not-Dusty from Pure Country. 

photo credit here

Now that I'm certain I will never have perfect country music singer hair this is my new Nashville dream. 

Carrie Underwood's Country Cabin

You may have missed the sit-down interview Oprah did with Carrie Underwood that aired Sunday night.

Oprah didn't ask many fresh questions, so Carrie didn't reveal much about herself that we don't already know. She doesn't eat meat. She is shy. She loves dogs. What she did allow, for the first time ever, is a sneak peak at the weekend cabin outside Nashville where she goes to escape all the curious fans in her world....like, uh, me. In the video above, you can take a little tour. I, for one, am obsessed with the cabin, the grounds, the decor and would be fine living there maybe even Monday - Friday. 


When I win American Idol, I am going to replicate this rustic little charmer out in Virginia wine country. Oh, and Oprah...I like oranges, too. 

Southern Nights in DC

You can win a $50 gift card to shop Shabby Apple - enter HERE!

I grew up in Tennessee listening to country music and have remained a huge fan, especially of classic artists and songs. In fact, the older I get  the more classic I become, it's the old school stuff I love most. 

So, when I had the chance Wednesday to make a night in Washington a Southern Night by attending a special performance by Glen Campbell at the Library of Congress, I RSVPed yes in an instant. Then, I asked our new hire, a cute girl with college graduation just days behind her, if she knew who Glen Campbell is; she didn't. I felt old.  Patrick and Jocelyn do, however....

...and so they came, too!  Before the concert there was a reception, also at the Library. I had no idea there was this pretty garden nestled outside the Jefferson building....

That's where we spent most of our times stalking the catering staff for mini-bites of beef, lobster, shrimp and chicken salad... 

and also trying to casually find ourselves next to Jane Seymour, who was also there (obviously, with an open heart). She MC'ed the concert....

This night was hosted by the Alzheimer's Association....

You can find an open bar and free food around Capitol Hill on any night of the week, but it isn't always special, and this event was truly well done. 

Glen Campbell, who has been very public about his battle with Alzheimer's Disease, is on his final tour this year, playing hits old and new. I had tried to buy tickets for his concerts at The Birchmere, a cool dinner theater outside Washington, but all three shows were sold out! Last night's performance was so special, and I was just thrilled to get to see it. 

The Hard Habit of Soft Rock and Other Empty Thoughts

1.

I can't get enough of the Comcast cable Soft Rock station. I want it playing at dinner, when I cook, as background music for cleaning or if nothing else is worth watching on television. 

"You know how listens to Soft Rock?" Dan asked me, then followed before I could answer with, "Old people."

Please.

2.

Speaking of age...The former small town medal head that is now my husband would love to see Guns and (or is it -N-; I should know this) Roses when the band (save for Slash - tragic) plays near D.C. this month. So, I looked into it. The show is on a Thursday night and it starts at 10pm. TEN! I don't think either of us have the Patience to wait that late for a concert to start. Hee. Doesn't GNR know its core audience isn't Sweet Children anymore?

3.

Smash on NBC  - I am captivated!!! It debuts Monday, but the first two epidodes are available now On Demand for Comcast customers, and also on iTunes. I watched it this week. LOVE - and I'm not even a Gleek. Also, because we're cheesey, my friend Patrick and I now and will henceforth refer to Katharine McPhee as Introducting Katharine McPhee.

Mature.

4.

Last Spring, I raved about how much I loved face wipes for a quick make-up removal, since I'm terrible at washing off my make-up before bed. I still love them, but I feel like I should offer this disclaimer now: they aren't so great for your skin. My friend's dermatoligist said wipes are terrible for drying out one's face (especially around the eyes - do not use to remove eye make-up!) and should be used ONLY as a last resort (ie, when you're camping). Sadly, I've retired the wipes, and brought back old fashion face-washing.  

5.

In advance of boot camp, I spent last weekend on a bit of a cooking bender. I made a pasta dish so good I ate it the next day for breakfast,  shirmp and grits (that weren't my best work), and the apple cobbler in this month's Southern Living. I didn't have cherries, but used peaches instead, and also cheated with Trader Joe's canned biscuits instead of rolling my own dough. Still, it was SO delish, and very easy. Here is the recipe if you want to make it.

6.

That's a Thin Mint cupcake. So that bootcamp won't prove to be entirely for naught, I only had one bite of it yesterday when the Girl Scouts celebrated its 100th birthday on Capitol Hill! I'll be writing more about that next week for DC Ladies because the Girl Scouts began down South! What I won't mention there (but I will tell you!) is that Hill staffers LOSE their mind over free things and there was a silly little showdown when someone refused to follow the take-just-one rule for lifting a box of cookies. Obviously, that person was never a Scout...

7.

Rotten.

Like Learning the Truth About Santa...

My friend Fran hosted her annual ornament exhange this weekend (more on that tomorrow!) and Dan + I were guests. Nosing around in Fran's husband's office I saw this:

I'm no English major, but I did earn A's in all my college Lit classes. Still, I had no idea that to some Islands in the Stream is more Hemingway than Parton. Before it was a hit country song, it was a serious book title.

Fran's powder room, with its chalkboard painted walls, is the cutest - and so fun at parties. I turned my grief into graffati: 

I'll never hear Dolly + Kenny the same again.

Love Me Like My Dog Does

If you need a break from Jingle Bells, you have to hear this song.



If Dan was the kind of man who called up radio stations or wrote to Delilah (there are two camps here, people who LOVE or people who HATE Delilah - I'm firmly in the former! You?) to make dedications, I'm certain this is the song that would have him begging, So Casey...could you please play, for me!

This weekend will you be at a Christmas party? Tree trimming? Couched with egg nog and gloriously bad cable holiday films? All the fun is about to start in the 'burbs and beyond, which means...much less blogging about my dog.

Happy Friday!

Tunes For Travel: Collge Girls Reunion Road Trip

It's true what Ms Yearwood they say....The song remembers when.

 1997 (aka, When College Co-Eds Didn't Dress Like Floozies Were Covered From Neck to Knee)

You hear a tune from yesteryear and suddenly you're there, in your college dorm room wearing the black pants/saphire blue button down/silver monogrammed jewelry/black boots uniform like the rest of your sorority sisters, sipping pink wine from a red cup while waiting for it to be late enough to hit the band parties. CDs will spin as songs are sung, into hairbrushes. There will be choreagraphy that some twelve years later you'll still bust out at weddings.

This afternoon I'm flying down to Nashville where I'll meet up with my friends Elizabeth and Sarah for a Mississippi road trip to see our friend Jenny say I Do. 

I haven't seen these girls since my wedding, and it's been many, many years since we've had this much time together. I'm certain we'll pick up just like we left things in 1999, but if not, I've put together a little Tunes for Travel: College Girls Reunion edition to expedite nostalgia (on compact disc, in the spirit of the '90's, not an iPod). Here's a sample of the playlist:

Rocky Top - Obviously.

Making Love Out of Nothing At All - For our dance routine.

Strawberry Wine - When we thought 30 was old...

Say Good-bye -  Does Dave not say college to everyone?

Burning Down the House - There was this minor dorm fire.

This Kiss - That video. Those haircuts it inspired.

Wide Open Spaces - Cause we had to graduate...

If you had a college play list, what songs would you put on it?

Hello, Dolly!

People from Tennessee love Dolly, our most famous native. Little blond-headed girls from Tennessee who grew up with an affinity for gold lame and got their boobs at an unnatural age, well...they adore her.

As a one-time season pass holder to Dollywood and devoted Dolly fan, I offer you this How To on making the most of your Dolly Parton concert experience...

Because Dolly is, quite simply, a national treasure people, even those not from Tennessee, will line up hours before her show....

Patrick lives Two Doors Down from Beth

 even in the sweltering Virignia sun. 

I work 9 to 5 with these guys

With coolers and blankets in tow, you must be in line very early to ensure a prime viewing spot...

Steven used the down time to whip up a centerpiece for our spread from flowers growing in the Wolf Trap garden...

...because if ever there is a show for which you illegally pull flowers from a national park should go big or go home, it is Dolly!

Kenny Rogers for Islands in the Stream? Clearly!

Kenny Rogers Roasters for your concert picnic?  Please. Only a giant ham will do for Dolly.

You will, obviously, also need biscuits. Dolly's Dixie Fixins, y'all.

So as to ensure that no one picks up someone else's Dolly Partini, drink labels inspired by Dolly song and film characters are also recommend.

While Dolly sings everthing from Jolene to the Hannah Montanna theme song, one must sing along...and maybe even clog a little during Rocky Top. You singing with Dolly while Dolly sings Miley? Truly, the best of both worlds.

Even if you have to be at work very early the next morning...

you must stay til you see Dolly's bus pull away immediately following her encore. Her band will still be on stage playing, but with a police escort, she'll travel into the night. She's just that DHollywood.


Despite the heat and the hard ground, you will have an absolute blast!

And when you read your local paper's review the next day, and they describe Dolly and her performance as "real and gorgeous"...well, you will agree.

Your next move, after making an appointment with your hair dresser to go a bit blonder, will be to plan a trip to, where else......Dollywood.

Miranda Lambert Concert

County Road 233 ran through the 'burbs this weekend, and Dan and I took a spin on it.

Miranda Lambert played a shower at Merriweather, the hands-down best attraction of the 'burb town where we live. It's a great venue for seeing a concert!

I've been a Miranda fan since she was on Nashville Star, and I introduced Dan to her music when we first stated dating. Since then, she's become his official celebrity girlfriend, and his crush on her is pretty intense.

There's no crazy theatrics at Lambert's shows - just a small video screen. Like old school country greats (Dolly, Willie to name a few I've seen live) Miranda just starts her show by walking on the stage with her guitar and singing.

She did bring out the girls from her new band, Pistol Annies. They played a few songs that are really fun, and I enjoyed this part of the show the most, actually...

Up next for summer concerts - DOLLY.  That's next weekend, and I can't wait!

Miranda Lambert + Blake Shelton Wedding Video

They've been hitched for a while now, but People magazine just posted a video on its website of Miranda Lambert + Blake Shelton's wedding weekend.  Since I love country music and weddings, I watched. Three times.

The Sheltons got married on a Texas ranch. Celebrations surrounding my wedding were held on a ranch, too, so obviously I'm a tad partial to a rustic, downhome affair.

Table from Dan's and my BBQ Rehearsal Dinner - denim + burlap

You'll see in this video, so worth the 8 minutes of your day, these gorg vintage cowboy boots that Miranda gifted all her bridesmaids.  At my own rehearsal dinner, I changed into cowboy boots...

making Miranda + I, like, practically sisters, true? 

These girls, pictured here at our rehearsal dinner, are some of my oldest friends, and are like sisters to me.

I think if I could have attended any celeb wedding this year (save for the Cambridges, of course) I would have loved an invite to Blake + Miranda's wedding because it just looked like a crazy party! Not that some of my own guests didn't end the night napkin atop head......

 No matter how formal or casual wedding celebrations are, I think it's the personal touches that set another cake, another dress, another buffet line apart from the next ceremony or reception, and from this video, you'll see see the Sheltons' weekend was one-of-a-kind! You'll also see lots of their famous friends!

Tables at our rehearsal dinner were named after country songs. My friends sat here.

Withouth really* knowing Miranda and Blake, this wedding seems SOO very "them"!  What celebrity wedding would you have liked to attend this year?

*Back when "Austin" was just hitting radio, I interviewed Blake Shelton when he was rolling through Knoxville for some radio station gig. His manager said it was his first-ever interview. How, then, could  I have been left off the guest list?