Summer Highlights

We are so thrilled to be back with you all after a summer break. And boy do we have some catching up to do. So we'll meet you at the table

I'm Lainie. And I'm Laura Beth. And we are Steel Magnolias, the strength of steel. With the grace of a magnolia. We are here to have uplifting conversations about life in the south. And we've got plenty of room at our table. So pull up a chair

Welcome back. Before we jump into our topic today, y'all know how important the metaphorical table and the literal kitchen table is to us. It's into we hope to you all. It's where we gather, it's where we eat meals. It's where we do homework and play games. And for us, it's where we record this podcast. That's right. So enter our sponsor for this episode, Tennessee Woodworks. They are craftsmen for custom farmhouse style furniture. And y'all they offer a very, very wide selection of furniture for every room of your home. So true. Well, let's focus in on dining room since that's where the table Yes, that's what I was thinking, well, for your dining room, they have pretty much everything. You could need solid oak benches and buffets and servers, dining chairs, dining tables, they do oval tables, rectangular tables, they even have extension leaves. For those large gatherings with your friends and your family. They even have 12 colors of stain. So, that’s a big deal. Yeah, so it's oak, which I always think of is going to be light, but they can stain it any shade. Make it what you want. They have a server that has a wine rack in it that I love. Oh, that's the canyon server. Okay. So pretty, but a variety of architectural styles if you like mission style, or you like you know, there's just such variety of that ladder, back chairs and all different kinds of things. So, go take a look for yourself, see what you need, see what they can do for you at Tennessee woodworks.com. Or if you're in the Nashville area, and you would like to schedule a free in home consultation, you can contact them through the website. We'll also link to them in the show notes as well. So cool. Tennessee Woodworks. We thank you. 

All right, we have some summer highlights to share with you all we thought this might be a good on ramp back into the rest of this year's episodes because we've gone places. But we've also stayed home and just kind of had some regular old summer days and traveled together. We've traveled apart and we haven't. Yeah, we navigated the heat of the South. Enough. Sometimes I just stay in. That's going to be part of the things that we found that a real simple to do was what can we do inside? So first, we thought it would be fun to tell y'all about a rooftop that we just loved. And one of our favorite moments together this summer. Oh yeah. Yeah, so fun of highlight for us together and a highlight rooftop bar moment. So, the Memphian Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, it's in the Midtown area has a rooftop bar called Tiger and Peacock. And it is extremely posh. And just imagine velvets and Tiger prints and go trimmed you know, just frames and just I mean, every little nook and cranny in there is just got so much personality. Yeah, not even like a big like, selfie or yeah photo of me in a picture. But all the chairs were so cool. I was like, I almost want my picture sitting in each of these. Exactly. Yeah. And I did see lots of groups doing photos, you know, because it was just super cool. It was we got tucked away in a little spot and we ordered small plates. That was fun. We just had a few things that we just shared, including one of the yummiest grilled cheese sandwiches we've ever had because it was special. It was very special. It's like my two favorite things clashing together mean not clashing, but machine meshing together. Southern pimento cheese, yes. And Asian Kimchi. I mean, who would have thought I got those pair delicious together. It's yummy y'all so replicate it on your own at home or if you're in the Memphis area, go for it really try that. And then we had a lovely flatbread. Basically a pizza, you know flatbread that had pesto and peaches, peaches in the summer, goat cheese and steak. Yeah, it was even really interesting. It was very good. Yeah, together those flavors were wonderful.

But I would say where they really shined where their craft cocktails lowered. I mean, they really shined with their decor too. So I started out with a sparkling rose a French 75. One of your favorite drinks is a French 75. Oh, have you started out with ginger rosemary, Bourbon smash yum. And it was perfection. It was so good that I had to order one. And I also tried the cucumber elderflower gimlet. I like cucumber II things in the summer. And elderflower is good in everything. I'm drawn to that. And any listing of cocktails for sure. That was just a fun spot. You know, we weren't staying at the hotel. But if you're staying at the hotel, that would be really cool to have a you know, like cool rooftop to go to. It would be so perfect for if you were going to a show or something and you just wanted a little food and drink and photo moment. Yes. Perfect for that. It was fun. Rooftop bars are a thing, like for sure. Really popular, cities often will have lists for tourists of best rooftop bar in the city or something like that. So we give that to the Memphian in Memphis. Big thumbs up. 

Okay, you had a great moment with our mom this summer. So I want you to tell about that. I sure did. Well, we went to the Missouri Botanical Garden. So okay, it's it is listed as one of the best botanical gardens in the country. That's awesome. So that was one of the reasons I thought okay, we'll definitely make time for that on this jaunt. And so, I did not realize just how massive it was so that it covers 79 acres. Whoa. And it has, you know, like most Botanical Gardens, different sections. So the Rose Garden, the Chinese Garden, the Japanese garden, Woodland garden, the English like more formal English garden, like just so many different areas. Yeah. And then it also had a climatron, which is a like enclosed conservatory. Oh, okay. tropical rainforest kind of plants. So I would say and they told me this in the beginning, the climatron and the Japanese garden are not to be missed. Okay, that their Japanese garden alone is 14 acres. Oh my gosh. Oh, how are people walking this? So you did see lots of walkers. Okay. But they also do have I mean, you're gonna have to walk in this experience. But they do have a like trolley that you can pay $5 a person to ride. Okay. And it takes you from like section to section. Okay. Does that make sense? So you're going to have to walk once you get to that section. Yeah, but you can write it multiple times. But you can write it all day for alcohol or per person worth it. So that I felt like was really worth it. Yeah. Yeah. And there's food on the property. We actually didn't eat on there on our trip. We had other plans, but they do have food options, but it is stunning. Okay, I love it. What was the plant or the something that stood out the most to you? Oh, that's a fun question. I took some I probably took the most photos inside the climatron just seen rainforest things I had never seen before. You know what I mean? That's cool. Yeah, God's creativity just blows me away when I'm looking at things like that, where there's just colors and directions of, you know, flowers and spiky things and different textures. I love it. So that was a good mom moment for sure. We both really enjoyed it. 

I had a good family moment that I wanted to talk about. We went to the world's first Peppa Pig theme park. Oh, that's Jacob's thing. The Peppa Pig theme park is located just steps away from LEGOLAND Florida Resort. In the city of Winter Haven, which is 45 minutes from Orlando and Tampa.  So it's considered a mid Park, meaning they intend for you to spend half a day there, like the park is set up, you know, for more than an hour, you know, it's not like and for the cost, you're gonna want to be there more than an hour. Yeah, but it's not a full day experience. So they called a mid Park. It's only been open six months. Okay. But I thought it was so cool, because I got to actually sit down with one of the directors there. And he was telling me, you know, they chose Florida, because there's visitors coming from all over the world already for the theme parks in the area. And you know, there's just so many experts from entertainers to like ride safety experts, engineers, like landscape artists are already there. So it you know, they it was a new concept. It's it really is the world's first Peppa Pig Park. You know, she's British. Okay. Yeah, that's sort of us. So cute. You know, she's got this cute little British accent. And if you don't know her, it's just very simple drawings. You know? It's very preschool. Her little family are the characters. Yeah, yeah. It's very preschool focused. And I just thought it was the cutest little part. Because everything there was also very simple, like, just translated directly from the show, but geared for his age, which so many parks, it's like, you can't do that. You're not tall enough for that. Exactly. But this is like geared for that age. Yeah. So go just have at it. Yes. If you've been to a theme park that has like a kitty section or kitty land, you don't have to, like have your preschool age child, see the big rides and kind of wish they were bigger? Yeah, this is all that they're focused on. So swayed from that perspective. It was awesome. And they're really pleased. They said, the it's a concept that's really working. So even in just the little six months that they've been open, that it's going well, and I thought this was cool. They partnered with the International Board of credentialing and continuing education standards to open as a certified Autism Center. In order for them to earn this accredit accreditation, accreditation, thank you. They had to the park has conducted staff wide autism sensitivity and awareness training. They did a sensory guide that features a review of every attraction, providing insight on how a child with sensory processing issues may be affected by each of the five senses. Like it's, it's a real rigid process. And so I just congratulate them on, you know, opening themselves to even just the inclusion of those sorts of children's special needs, but, you know, they're excited to welcome preschool age families and Lego Land. Like I said, it's just steps away. So you could it's the age group for that. Do you know, I mean, I feel like kindergarten and apparently a lot of eight year olds, I feel like that's kind of a sweet spot. But yeah, even 10-12 even into Yeah, even into the tween age. I think a lot of kids are boys especially I think love that building. Yeah. So anyway, it was super fun. And then I got to we also had a very big treat we got to take our son to Disney for the first time to the Magic Kingdom. Yes. So we walked you know 15,000 steps or something crazy like that. And he did so good. His little legs just went everywhere with this really didn't crash until the very end of the day when we were getting back on the tram or whatever the thing is God that takes you all around and back to your parking space. They have 50,000 parking spaces. You all wanted to crash just you're not allowed to raise the adult. But you all wanted to crash by that point. I can assure you we're still stuffing ourselves with cotton candy and they do have this Dole whip ice cream treat there. It's like a pineapple oily kind of citrusy, ice cream that was just so refreshing. So we were still eating like sugar like 11pm just to like get ourselves home. But it was I mean, how can you not have a fun highlight at Magic Kingdom? That's right. So I love that he got to see Peppa Pig though. Yeah, that's his that's his character he loves right now and he did get to meet Woody at the Magic Kingdom. Oh yeah, he got a high five from Woody at one of the pop up parades that they do there at the Magic Kingdom. So that was special.

It helps that Our friend could tell that that was about to happen a pop up parade, she's been enough to know that yeah, if you have a friend or a loved one that is familiar with Disney tap into their resources there because there is so much to be thinking about. I'm just overwhelmed by it all. So, yeah, so there's a lot of pre planning to do and then even in real time, things to know. So if you've got, you know, the Insight advantage of knowing anyone that is close to those sorts of Intel tap into it. 

All right, so that was some big moments. What else sometimes those are the highlights, but sometimes little simple things are too Right. Yeah. Well, I one of my simple pleasures this summer. I know I'm showing my age when I keep always talking about feeding my birds. And all of that all that goes with that but it really just brings me so much joy to see that in my yard. So I have a new plant that my friend Leslie gave me it's called Bergamot.  I’m not sure how you say it. Okay, anyway. Oh, like the t might be silent. Yeah, okay. I'm not sure if it's Bergamot or bergamot. Okay, it looks like it's in the mint family from the leaves and everything. It has blooms. The when I have the blooms are kind of a purpley kind of color. I think that's been attracting some butterflies and bees and things like that. But I love to touch it when I walk by, it just smells so good. You have it in a pot, or is it laying in the ground, okay. And it's doing pretty good. And I have another new plant that was a bulb. I planted several and only three of them popped up. So I don't know what makes but also hard to interesting. But anyway, it's called liatris I think okay. Anyway, I put that over near the hummingbird feeder because I wanted to kind of attract some hummingbirds. And I've been trying to be faithful when it's this hot. You're supposed to change the Syrup about every couple of days. Oh, wow. Okay. And so I've been trying to what I did was just make a big thing of simple syrup. Okay, stick it in the fridge and then every few days I just put some not changing the whole thing in there. Okay. And they've been come in and that's joyful for me of just watching those little hummingbirds. So wonder, is it the same one coming? Or like how, how much are they moving around that? I don't know. I have seen too close together where I knew there was two. Yeah, okay. Okay, but I don't know is there just two and they're coming frequently? Right. Is there I don't know. Are they moving on? And how much of us space of span of like land and would they come and then in five minutes come again? Maybe? Yeah, you know, it's not like they're they're very long like yeah, begin that much. Yeah. Anyway, I love one of my simple that is simple. And those that's that can be a summer highlight too. I have a very simple set. I can watch them from the air conditioning if I want to. Because of my kitchen window. And y'all it's hot.

We bowled!  Bowling is just like I feel like a go to summer activity. Had Jacob ever done that? No, I didn't think so.  He did so good. So in our bowling alley, they have the main lanes. But they have an arcade. It has. I think it's four shorter lanes that also have those bumpers up. Yes. But they have small balls. So, imagine maybe like the size of what I'm showing you with my hands. Lainie bigger than a softball bigger than a Yeah, yeah, like couple inches wider in diameter than a softball. Well, it's a little heavier than a softball two, but manageable for sure. for preschoolers. And he picked one of them up because somebody had walked away from their game and like, was not playing it anymore. So it was still set up. He throws it throws a strike. Oh my gosh, do you love bowling and he was like, that was cool. You know, like he was kind of embarrassed like he didn't really know. And so I was like, Yes, I really want him to love bowling because I love bowling. And so we did you know we went to the big lanes because we had the older nephews with us but with the bumpers up and have those like a trainer kinda what do you call that? Feeds it in the middle or where you want it to be a big Walker that you kind of move over that's got this. Kids do that before. So between the bumpers in that, I mean, he broke 100 I think he did like 116 or something use like second or third place. So in our in our family that was bowling but that was so wonderful and nice and cool. Yeah, of course it's you know, we're like racking up quite a bill between the arcade and bowling and shoes for everybody. And anyway, so yeah, that was fun. 

And then we, we had this moment where I was like, um, I need to figure out something for Jacob to do with our dad, you know, he's not like going to combat the heat for a ride. He's not going to do a lot of walking. But the city was doing a fishing day over at the public, one of the public parks that has a pond, yes, catch and release. And so they provided these really simple poles, okay, and they had worms, so cute. And so like, the basics.  It was just come for like an hour, you know, 90 minutes or so we're going to be set up have worms for the kids. And so, I mean, it was the most simple fun, but it was priceless. Really. It really is an our dad loves to be on water of any sort. Yeah. So that's so fun. Yeah, got to do that. And I as I got to say a couple of the pictures that you put up. I know, priceless, priceless. And again, kind of like throwing a strike when he first bowled like he within seconds caught. I was like, Now wait a minute. I want you to know that like one of the main sort of character building traits that fishing teaches you is patience. That's right. I didn't have to wait. You got lucky because you get what you want so often, so it's hard to teach you life lessons, because that's hilarious. Such favor in every where you go. So, but yeah, it was really sweet and just reminded me that we live in such a unique special place that our city would even offer such a thing for that. Yeah, no, that is so special. 

Oh, I was gonna say I had a fun moment with dad this summer, too. I had a client that told me about a very unique dining experience that intrigued me. And that was at this place in Leiper’s Fork in Franklin. Okay. There's a guy there that cures country hams. Oh, yeah. Cures hams and smokes meat make sausage and all of that. So I had seen his place before Ernie Greer’s hams. Okay. Where the I had seen the sign for Yeah. And it's like, sign like maybe like a banner, like a little, very small sign in his front yard of his house. I had never really stopped because that wasn’t anything I needed. And so when this person was telling me about the dining experience, I was like, now I've seen this country ham place is that and he said, Yes. On the weekends, you have to make a reservation, but they do a dining experience there. And you he said it's one of the best steaks you'll have in your life. Now see, that's a moment where you're like, if this was a stranger telling me this, I would probably write this off. Right. But, I trust this guy. I didn't know it was a restaurant. He's like, Well, it's kind of one of those like, word of mouth things.  I love it, kind of underground. Secret kept. Yeah. So we went we took your whole family. And then me and Dad. Yeah. For father's father's day. Yeah. So I thought that was fun even to celebrate both Philip and dad. And you can bring your own wine or alcohol with you because they don't have any kind of liquor license.  Now that's really nice. If you're eating a steak. Yeah, there are a lot of people that like to pair a nice wine with their steak. And if you're at a steak house, well, if you're anywhere wine is so marked up, right. That intrigued me too because I thought oh, okay, so what's so unique about this? Okay, so first, let's just talk about Ernie Greer, who's the cook and the owner. Wears overalls,Tennessee t shirt. Tennessee hat is kind of what he's known for. Just a country boy where Yep. And walks around checks on you, like in his little overalls before he's taken the steaks back in the back to, to cook. Just very down home for waitstaff. Yeah. But the thing that I think is the most funny is you're having this delicious steak, and it's served on a paper plate. And the tables are like pop up chairs, like, like you'd see it the fellowship hall of the church. So just a very unique dining experience. But we had a good time. It was a good quality steak. It was it was really good food. And then how funny they we didn't know we'd be sitting at the table that was right next to the toys, or they even had toys for kids that kept Jacob entertained. There are grandparents in the house. That's right. They know hey, we're there. Yeah, right. Like lots of gray hairs. This kind of the crowd wasn't it? And I loved that. Our dad was like, almost shoulder to shoulder with other men his age and they all had like a nice dress shirt, dress shirt, button up dress shirt. Yeah. khakis. Nice dress shoes, so they just know how to dress. Yes. That was really fast fun. So Ernie Greer's. That was a good, good call. And a good special treat for Father's Day. Yeah. 

Well, those were some good highlights. We just wanted to sort of throw out here's what we've been doing while we haven't been sitting with you. We've been up to a lot more but what you'll just hear more as the day and we can't wait to spend more time with you. We do have lots of upcoming episodes that are going to include more great southern culture, food, history, the people of the South, the things that we love about living here, and even when we travel, we just love coming back home. We do so with that being said, Lainie, Peace be with you. And also with y’all.