Now that the weather is cooling off we love to drive up to McIntosh County just to get away for a couple of hours.

Our favorite place to eat when we go there is Mudcat Charlie’s Fish Camp.

Whether you’re in the mood for fresh grouper

Or a Shrimp Po’Boy….or any of the many delicious dishes on their menu it’s well worth the trip!

Sometimes we take our boat and dock it behind the restaurant.  The ride up the river is beautiful and relaxing.

If you haven’t been to Mudcat Charlie’s put it on your list of great short trips for a fall weekend!  You won’t be disappointed.

Melissa | food & entertaining | 09 30th, 2013 | 2 Comments »

I’m focusing on complete and total relaxation and healing on this Sunday morning.  Join me, sit back in your favorite chair, close your eyes and take a deep cleansing breath.  Enjoy this meditative music and begin a day in which you will find time to play, to love, to find joy and to simply be…..in the moment.

Melissa | Simple Sundays | 09 29th, 2013 | No Comments »

Rain has been falling on our little island for four days now.

The lagoon on our property is full to overflowing.

Everything is greener than green.

My garden is drinking in the moisture and feeling replenished after a long, hot summer.

Fall is in the air, pumpkins are beginning to show up in local markets.

Chrysanthemums are abundant in all their beautiful colors.

Soon, the smell of fires burning will waft through the air as we settle into our cozy living rooms.

Peace, the rain brings a feeling of peace and abundance.  It’s a beautiful time of year in Coastal Georgia.

Melissa | Out&About | 09 26th, 2013 | No Comments »

The votes have been cast and the decision made.  Halyard’s is the winner of the eighth annual BEST Shrimp & Grits!  Hats off to Chef Dave and his wonderful crew who created this culinary magic for all of us to enjoy!

Second place went to none other than our own Southern Soul Barbeque!  Congrats to all of you as well.

Third place, Tasteful Temptations Catering, whose delicious fried shrimp we sampled while attending the festival last weekend.

These events bring so many together to enjoy a great time.

Great music!

And delicious sweet, wild Georgia shrimp!

The fall season has officially begun!

Melissa | Out&About | 09 25th, 2013 | No Comments »

My favorite time of year is easing its way into the Golden Isles.  Acorns are falling onto the street and pine trees are shedding their cones.  I can hear them dropping onto our deck with a light “plunk” as we sit out and enjoy the cooler evenings.

I’ve been encouraging my daughter, Skylar, to hone her photographic skills and help me with pictures for my posts.  In an effort to continue her journey we visited Epworth by the Sea to watch the sunset.

I think you can easily see why we love St. Simons Island and Coastal Georgia!

What a lovely way to end the day.

We are blessed to live in a beautiful, magical place that I have the honor of sharing with readers far and wide.

My latest news for all of you is my recent agreement with The Island’s Easy WWEZ radio station.  The Permanent Tourist radio talk show will debut on Sunday, October 6th.  I’m scheduling guests and putting the format together for what will be a very exciting twenty-five minutes every weekend!  I’ve always believed that if you do what you love the rest will take shape.  This is such an exciting journey for me….tune in to local 94.7 or 97.5, Sunday morning’s at 8:05 a.m.  I’ll also be streaming the shows through my Blog Talk Radio account so more can listen and enjoy!

Life is good and I love sharing it with you!

Melissa | Out&About | 09 24th, 2013 | 4 Comments »

Smokin’ & Spinnin’?  It’s the title of a new book just published by Andrea B. Miller.  I love supporting new authors, being a writer myself, anything I can do to help a fellow wordsmith, I will.  I met Andrea through a mutual friend and we spent time discussing life, writing, survival and success.

Andrea put her story into book form after it haunted her, literally, for eight years.  Her heroine, Whitney Parker, would not leave her alone!  She wanted her story to be told, a story of tough determination and survival,  with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.  Smokin’ & Spinnin’ is available locally at Hattie’s Bookstore in Brunswick, GA as well as through Amazon.com.

Whitney Parker is described, by Andrea, as sassy and tenacious.  I have a feeling a bit of the author herself is embedded in her character’s spirit.  Andrea has two more books taking shape in her vivid imagination.  As she described their story lines to me I saw a thread of similarity in her heroine’s.  They are tough survivors who seek a better life, against all odds.  Smokin’ & Spinnin’ takes place against a backdrop of the high energy NASCAR industry. Not necessarily a female oriented business, but one that certainly provides an adrenaline rush and plenty of action.  Andrea tells the story in “first person” as each new adventure unfolds in the life of her heroine.

Andrea’s style of writing is funny, edgy and entertaining.   She is actively promoting Smokin’ & Spinnin’ as a public speaker, sharing her personal story and enthusiasm for writing.  This lady is definitely a self motivated “go-getter” that you’ll want to keep an eye on.  I have a feeling she’s going to soar!  Mother of two, partner to her husband in their business “Coastal Landscaping & Design”, Andrea keeps her own life spinning, much like Whitney.  Here’s to you Andrea!

Melissa | people | 09 23rd, 2013 | 3 Comments »

And so begins a new week.  I never think of Sunday as the first day of the week, but it really is.  This past week has been packed with busy schedules, new faces and small miracles.  I am thankful for each and everything that has blessed and enriched our lives.  Because of that I am featuring Aaron Copeland’s wonderful orchestral work, “Simple Gifts”.  Please enjoy the beautiful music and remember to say “Thank You” for even the smallest goodness that has graced your life recently.  Gratitude…..it’s so very important!

Melissa | Simple Sundays | 09 22nd, 2013 | 2 Comments »

Continuing my posts about what makes the McGladrey Classic come together, I am featuring two great guys who work tirelessly to make that happen.  They are part of the team of experts in the Davis Love Foundation who orchestrate and oversee every detail to insure that the tournament runs smoothly.

Scott Reid, Tournament Director, has the responsibility for everything from sales to overseeing the entire organization of the tournament from start to finish.  He put his role very succinctly by saying he takes care of all of the details from a 30,000 foot level, carefully making sure that everything is in order.  Scott works with each of the team members to support them and provide anything they need to succeed.   His fine eye for detail sees to it that nothing is left undone, every aspect of the tournament runs like a fine machine.

From travelling to Atlanta, Savannah, Jacksonville and parts beyond to bring sponsors together to support the McGladrey,  to overseeing the local media events, you’ll find Scott at the helm.  I believe “impeccable” must be a word that holds a high position in Scott’s vocabulary.  And he balances all of this with the birth of twins who have blessed the lives of he and his wife over the past several months.

Of special note is Media Day which will take place on September 30th.  Scott refers to this event as the “State of the McGladrey”.  A media round table will be set up this year at which members of the press will have assigned seating  and be able to interview all of the key people involved in the tournament from Davis Love III to PGA members and players.  It’s an exciting concept that will enable a relaxed atmosphere in which press members can ask pertinent questions and get a feeling for the groundwork of this year’s event.

John McKenzie holds the position of Director of Sales.  He works closely with Scott Reid to insure that key corporate sponsors are brought in to support the tournament.  Compared to many PGA tour events, the McGladrey is small.    With a daily attendance of around 6-7,000 as opposed to 25, 000 in a larger metropolitan area, the McGladrey offers a more “intimate” atmosphere in which attendees and players are in much closer proximity to each other than they might otherwise be.  There will be various hospitality venues set up throughout the property offering wonderful networking opportunities between sponsors and guests.

Anyone attending the tournament will be in for some wonderful Southern hospitality served up with a warm, genuine smile.  John’s years of working with Davis Love and his group give him a special perspective into their desire to make this event something people want to return to year after year.  Sponsors and their guests can fish in the morning or play their own game of golf, attend the tournament in the afternoons and mingle with the golfers and other visitors for dinner out at one of the many fine restaurants on St. Simons.

John mentioned that although VIP tickets are sold out for the Toby Keith concert there are still lawn seat tickets available here:  http://www.mcgladreyclassic.com/.  You’ll find all of the information about special events that will take place during the week of the tournament on the website as well.  This is one golf tournament where attendees have the ability to be up close to the players, actually hear the ball as it is hit and even hear the conversation between the player and his caddy.  It just doesn’t get any better.

Both Scott and John stress the fact that this is a non-profit event.  The success of the event insures that local charities will receive sizeable donations.  That is what it’s all about!  Providing a major sports event that is growing each year that not only brings people to the area but allows for investment back into local groups who depend on the support of the Davis Love Foundation to meet their goals in service to the community.

I’ll be featuring more team players in my next post about the McGladrey Classic, October 3rd.

Melissa | people | 09 19th, 2013 | 1 Comment »

I will never forget the first time I saw a dinnerware collection in a Neiman Marcus catalog that bore the name of designer, Tracy Porter.  Colorful, whimsical and so inspired.  I ordered dessert plates and fanciful bowls to complete the rather eclectic collection of dinnerware I already owned.  I’m venturing out of the Coastal Georgia area today to introduce my friend, and let you know that you can find her line locally….yes!

I have been enchanted by Tracy’s designs ever since.  Searching for out of stock pieces on e-Bay and waiting on pins and needles for her new collection of dinnerware to debut in stores across the country this coming October, I am a Tracy fan, through and through.  I am also honored to call Tracy my friend, albeit a long distance friend, we share the same birthday, love of design, color, cooking and the good life…just to mention a few things we see eye to eye on.

Tracy is a lady who lives her life with a sense of poetic wanderlust.  In fact, her new line of bedding bearing that name is now available at Macy’s, Belk and Bed, Bath & Beyond, to name only a few of the national chains now selling this talented designer’s wares.

Color, color everywhere.  Tracy surrounds herself with bohemian beauty wherever she goes!  She considers everything to be an inspiration, layering fabrics, textures, patterns and bits of nature in her designs.  When I spoke with her she was busily working on a fabric design with fleur de lis, flowers and asian patterns all pulled together in her magical way to create sheer beauty.

Tracy makes her home in the California wine country.  Her husband, John, helps her with the business as well as the raising of four energetic boys aged thirteen and under.  Adding to the mix are a variety of chickens, an alpaca named Einstein and two pigmy goats and their fabulous dog, Big Ted, who recently lost his beloved partner.  You never know what may be next, but you can be sure it will be fun and lively, just like the rest of the family.

She lives her life with gratitude, thankful for the opportunities she has to create and share with others.  This is a lady, a free spirit, who constantly reinvents herself, openly living a purpose driven life.  Her path has not always been easy, but like the phoenix she represents in one of her new collections, Tracy rises out of a difficult situation and moves forward with joy and childlike expectation.

Tracy has a wonderful website that will give you a visual treat as you experience her day to day world:  http://www.poeticwanderlust.com.  We have plans to toast the setting sun from a winery near her home in the not too distant future.  I feel like I have known this wonderful creature forever and cannot wait to meet her in person.  I know you’ll love her designs.  Stay tuned for more information about her dinnerware line that Vivian of AccentsMarketplace here on St. Simons will be carrying.  Outstanding design, colorfully woven and inspired, just the right addition to any home….Tracy Porter’s housewares are sure to delight!

Melissa | people | 09 18th, 2013 | 7 Comments »

It’s that time of year again.  The weather is cooling down a bit and the fall festival season will kick off this weekend with the 2013 Shrimp & Grits Festival on Jekyll Island.  September 20 – 22nd are the official dates for this event that is entering into its eighth year.

For those of you who read my blog from other parts of the country, Shrimp & Grits is practically the official dish of the Golden Isles.  Full of succulent, sweet, wild Georgia Shrimp, cooked in a spicy gravy.  You may find your shrimp served on a pool of creamy grits.

Or you may find it artfully served with a “cake” of grits, which is my personal favorite.

No matter how you like it, this weekend’s festival is sure to be great fun.  Craft vendors, a cook off, live music and lots of people watching will be on the menu as you venture over to the Jekyll Club Hotel to attend the event held under the canopy of graceful live oaks that cover the property.  This year a new event is featured.  The Southern Living: Concert in the Round event on the pier and you can treat yourself to a beer tasting at the 2nd annual Craft Beer Fest.

While you’re there, take a walk on the beautiful Jekyll beach.  Sink your toes into the sand and relax….you’re on island time!

Melissa | food & entertaining | 09 17th, 2013 | 2 Comments »