Happy Memorial Day!

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." ~Ronald Reagan

House of Fifty photo via

Photos from One Nation Under God!

"The True Soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him"  ~G.K. Chesterton

Carolina Farmin photo

Thank you to all the soldiers and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice as we spend this day in memory and honor of you!  We appreciate the brave battle by those who are fighting for us to keep our freedom!  We pray you come home safely to the USA you love! 

This post is in memory of my Dad's namesake, William Davis Locke.  An Air Force POW pilot, now buried in Arlington National Cemetery.   The view of the Lincoln Memorial is breathtaking surrounded by the memorial markers of our bravest citizens.  Uncle Bill's service with full military honors, led by the Air Force band is on my mind and in my heart today and everyday. To learn more, you can purchase the book, The Major on Amazon.

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

USA Inspired!

Red, White, and Blue at the Beach!

A North Carolina Beach that is!

 

I love my Mom's navy beach hat with her monogram in red from Mears Jewelry Etc Etc the BEST! You can purchase on Mears Jewelry Etc Etc Facebook page!

Love the USA inspired pops by Eclectic Recipes!  My niece and her friends loved making and decorating cake pops with sprinkles over the weekend!  We will do these again for July 4th!  Such a big hit with the kids and the adults!

We cannot forget a Red White and Blue drink!

by The Sisters Cafe!

I also love the cookies below in support of our military! Go Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines!! These are fun for the Holiday or a little boys birthday! Start your little ones love of our amazing country as early as possible!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Memorial Mania!

The traffic is a clear sign everyone is ready to enjoy the 75th summer on Atlantic Beach!  The town has lots planned for the summer celebration!  Memorial weekend is one of my favorite beach weekends!  The Circle is ready for all the kiddos with amusement rides and a big slide!  Fireworks are scheduled for Saturday night at 9pm!  It is so fun to see everyone enjoying the AB "Circle" like the good ole days!  Let the season begin with family and friends! 

Be prepared! 

Your children will spot this from the Causeway!

On the beach and the boardwalk!

Welcome!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

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