Monkee's for Summer!

I am so excited the unofficial start of the summer season begins this weekend!  I love summer shoes and clothes!  One of my very favorite spots for summer shopping is Monkee's in Chapel Hill in Meadowmont Village!  Lunch at Cafe Carolina and Monkee's for dessert!  What could be better?  I love the outfits Monkee's posted on Pinterest this morning!  My SIL would love the colorful dress and the J. Brand white jeans for sure!  So many beautiful things for summer fun!  Oh how I love ALL Tory Burch accessories!  I need the bag in the second pic!

My love of the Chapel Hill Monkee's started when I was making frequent trips to UNC for treatment! I still stop today when I am in Chapel Hill for check ups!   Some ladies get push presents, I got chemo presents that are now Cancer FREE presents to myself!   I purchased the Tory Burch sandals below on my last day of Chemo in 2008!  Still love them so much and especially what they represent! 

Now this is a very true statement for anyone with a "Style" Board on Pinterest!  It is so fun to shop, plan AND dream BIG in the very FABULOUS Pinterest closets!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

"Pepsi Please"!

If there is anything in this world I wish was full of antioxidants, it would be Pepsi!  I believe Pepsi and Texas Pete are my two favorite NC inventions!  But who can handle Pete without Pep?!  I love a fully loaded Pepsi better than any other taste bud pleaser in the South!  I decided to share a few vintage coastal adds with the unofficial start of summer next week!  This one is the best, "The Sociables prefer Pepsi"!  Sociable, why yes Mam, that's me! 
North Carolina Boat and Beach time is here!

1954 vintage ad!

 American Art Archives, unsigned 1958

Bernard D'Andrea (1953) American Art Archives

I have my Daddy to blame for my love of Pepsi!  I remember crates and crates of bottled Pepsi stacked high at our house.  He recycled the bottles of course!  Although my friends and I also remember a time when the mud room refrigerator was full of only Pepsi and it had a dead bolt lock on it!  No kidding!  There was no lock on the bar but who wanted anything in there?!  Of course we all wanted what was behind the big bad lock!

American Art Archives unsigned 1958

You have to love a company that uses good manners in their ad!  "Say Pepsi Please"! 

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Summer Shopping!

I am loving all the new "Beachy" items at Mears! From jewelry to scarves to beach signs and boat totes!  Mears has it all!  These are a few of my faves!  Also a few other purchases from favorite North Carolina stores like Atlantic Beach Surf Shop and Main and Taylor Shoe Salon!  These items are a great start to getting us ready for the hottest North Carolina season for fun in the Sun!

I love the Ray Ban Jackie OHH's from

 Atlantic Beach Surf Shop!

I have also enjoyed wearing these Sam Edelman flats from Main and Taylor!  They are so comfortable for work and play!  If you are not quite ready for sandal season, this is a great shoe for a sunset cocktail cruise to Beaufort for dinner!  My MOST favorite part of life on The Crystal Coast!

Although this week the Hunter Boot is in demand!  Also a Main and Taylor purchase!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all the Moms out there had the most Fabulous Mother's Day!  In your honor, I thought I would send out a toast with a fun drink called the "Momtail"!  Hopefully your day was filled with whatever you need and want!  I know you deserve it!  I am so thankful my Mother has never resembled Joan Crawford!  Mommy Dearest terrifies me to this very day!  So scary!

If I were a Mom, I would NEED a "Momtail" or something from Mrs. Lilien's cocktail Swatchbook!  I would WANT this for Mother's Day!  A trip to the Almalfi Coast, Italy!  Sweet Dreams to all!  It is obviously time for me to wake up from my dreams, do laundry, feed my husband and our dog!

To my amazing, generous, kind, and fun Mother!

I love you!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Redneck Smores!

Recently a friend who is the Mother of many, shared her recipe for "Redneck Smores"!  Perfect for a little something sweet and salty!  The chocolate Toll House chunks top the saltines with half of a marshmallow, broil in the oven like over an open fire!  Your kiddos will love these!  They are so easy for a fun snack!  I like to top the chocolate with a fresh NC strawberry!  Yummy!

Items often in the pantry!

 

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Carolina Style Hot Browns!

Since yesterdays Derby post, I received numerous requests for the Kentucky Hot Brown recipe!  I am happy to share!  I used a base recipe from Plain Chicken for Hot Brown Bites before altering the recipe, Carolina Style!  Of course they turned out more like large muffins than bites but everyone thought they were perfectly delicious going back for seconds and thirds!  I recommend hiding these from the men in your life if you are planning to serve as part of a party menu!  Especially a Derby Party!

Carolina Style Hot Browns!

1 box puff pastry

3 cups chopped turkey

3 cup mornay sauce

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 large tomato, sliced

Grated Parmesan cheese

Mornay Sauce:

Melt butter in your grandmothers seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Saute vidalia onion Stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly until smooth. Whisk in milk. Bring to a slow boil, and cook no more than five minutes. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Texas Pete. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese.  Sauce will thicken!

3 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup vidalia onion

3 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

Black pepper and Nutmeg to taste

1/4 cup of Texas Pete

2 cups choppped Swiss Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl combine finely chopped turkey and mornay sauce.  Press dough into one large rectangle. Press dough squares into muffin cups, use fork to poke a few holes in the pastry. Fill the pastry cup with some of the turkey mornay mixture. Top with a slice of tomato,bacon and cover with a fine Parmesan cheese! 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly like the photo below!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Baby Blue and the Derby Too!

Celebrating the things boys do and the Derby too made for a very festive May 5th!  The Run for the Roses was the perfect baby boy couples shower!  We did the best we could to bring Kentucky to the party, Carolina Style!  The next best thing to actually being at Churchill Downs!

With the Mint Juleps being the main event to a Derby party, I am starting this post with the Bar!  Stocked with both Makers Mark and Woodford Reserve the juleps were perfect! We even had "Mock" mint juleps for the "Mom to be" made with ginger ale!  

Many guests enjoyed a Mason Dixon, made with sweet tea vodka and lemonade instead of the traditional Derby Julep I love the most!

In the dining room the hand carved horse, silver rattles and baby cups full of white baby roses made the perfect center surrounding the Derby worthy menu!  Some ate dessert first with Kentucky Derby pecan pie bars, NC strawberries, caramel cake, pecan brownie bites and my Mother's Carolina Style mini pecan pie's!  My Mother's pies are much better than the Kentucky pie in my opinion!  She should package these creations made without Karo syrup!

Everyone seemed to enjoy the tenderloin sliders, NC shrimp, smoked salmon, my homemade pimento cheese and my mother's chicken salad rounded out the items on the main table!  I must say the Kentucky hot browns were voted the best new dish by me!  My husband ate four after a horseshoe battle with my Dad!  The hot browns did not even make it to the dining room! 

Everyone dressed the part in Derby attire! We awarded a prize for the most decorated hat!  My brothers wife is so creative, she made hats for the ladies in our family and the guest of honor!  John Short worked his magic with all the gorgeous roses!  They were worth running for! 

My hat was crazy but definitely a fun and festive time with a lifelong friend I love dearly!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Sugarland!

I love the band Sugarland, but this time I am talking about the new dream land in Cameron Village for those with a sweet tooth!  I loved going with friend's children just after Sugarland-Raleigh opened and it is pretty amazing with lots of choices!  The adults resisted the temptation but the cupcakes and gelato made for a couple of very happy kids!  It is a really good thing Jack did not see the Sugarland cake!  They also have Coffee and Cocktails!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

AMF!

I was so excited to attend the National Students of Ailing Mothers and Fathers Spring Soiree last weekend!  Thanks to Wolf Camera in Cameron Village, some of my images were saved so I can share with you as well as the party entrance pics at the event!  It was a fun night at Flanders Art Gallery downtown Raleigh with friends and all the Fajgenbaum Family!  I know they were thrilled with the support and what a special time to celebrate both David Fajgenbaum and the organization he created in memory of their mother!  It is a special night raising money to create more AMF chapters!

David Fajgenbaum and Gena Fajgenbaum Combs

Dear friends Jami, Jason, Chrissy, Cathe Dixon and her daughter, Ali!!  Jason is our favorite Mears Rep with Appelman Schauben!  Chrissy is an AMF benefit committee volunteer.  She is a designer with sponsor, DJF Builders!  Cathe is a Realtor with PruYSU!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Poppy Party!

This years Poppy Party at Strawberry Hill was especially fun for me!  I had a great time helping my dear friend "Maatha", prepare!  From the flowers in the mason jars to taste testing her desserts we were all set for a beautiful night!  Strawberry Hill is such a gorgeous setting anytime of year but when the poppies are blooming it is truly amazing!  What more can you ask for in the South than a perfect Spring garden party on Wednesday night!  Bless us for we love any reason for a party anytime of year!

 One of my favorite trees! 

I also love the English garden!

The pecan trees are plentiful around here and the pecan turtles and pecan pie bars were a big hit!  There were too many desserts to list including Rhonda Holmes amazing caramel cake!

NC Strawberries dipped in chocolate were divine!

The hanging lanterns were my favorite part! I love all the color Martha added to the tables and the trees!  Perfect night out with hometown friends and family! 

I cannot wait to help again next year!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen