The Good ole South

I haven't posted in a while because, quite honestly, I haven't had the TIME! In the past month, we found out that we would be moving from Austin to Dallas (insert a BIG frown here, loved Austin), my husband graduated from the McCombs school of business, we had four family members in town, I was wrapping up two projects, and then we took a mini-trip to Alabama and New Orleans after we moved to Dallas on a 96 degree day. Here, a little tribute to the city we totally fell in love with...

We will miss our lake-side spot for margaritas...Abel's on the Lake...

The UT Tower...

And our dear friends - Beezie, Abby, and Kirk - all spouses of b-schoolers who I LOVE!! ..and my friend Laura. (author of Red Stapler Project)....

So we drove away with a few tears and lots of happy memories, and for the record, I am not giving up on the possibility of residing there again. I'm really not! :) We set off for Fairhope, Alabama, truly one of the most beautiful, quaint towns in all of the US, which just happens to be the hometown of my husband.

The Fairhope Yacht Club...

One afternoon we parked at the Grand Hotel and walked along the bay for about a mile to see the BEAUTIFUL bay homes. It is literally like a scene from a movie...The homes face the water, and there is a narrow beach between their lawns and the water where children were playing, and the Mom's were watching from a swing with a cold drink. (that will be me!) We even saw a circle of little girls having a TEA PARTY - I am not kidding - ask my husband! Tan little toe-headed munchkins were riding bikes and chasing their dogs all in a setting that is absolutely wonderful. It's enough to make anyone homesick for the south!

During our time at home, my brother's baseball team made it to the Regionals so we went to Auburn to watch him play. Here, my brother Steven. I am so very proud of him!!
My sister Emily, Lee, and Lee's brother Colin here to cheer on JSU..

Dad turned 60 and we had a mini party in the hotel room. :) He did NOT like wearing the ribbon.

We ended our trip with a stop in one of our favvvvvvvvvvvorite cities, New Orleans. Here I am outside of Cafe Amelie in the quarter.

We've stayed in several different spots during our stays in NOLA, but this time was one of my favorites! We stayed at the CornStalk Hotel on Royal Street in the French Quarter. It is a beautiful home built in the 1800's that is now a quaint hotel RIGHT in the middle of it all!

A room at the Cornstalk..

We had a delicious dinner, thanks to a recommendation from Artist Amanda Talley who we stopped in to visit. We are considering one of her pieces for our NEW HOUSE in DALLAS! (more posts to come on that later), and she recommended that we dine at Irene's. A-MAZING-NESS!

This guy looks so familiar to me - I swear he's a designer and I've seen him in House Beautiful! Anyone recognize??

And alas, I never go to New Orleans without spending an entire day shopping on Magazine Street. I wish I had taken more photos but I think I was too hot to think about it!

Have a wonderful weekend! Love, HHS.