Southerner’s Guide to the Good Life

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This week I found myself in a state of Southern bliss at Billy Reid‘s hip Soho clothing store hanging with friends, eating fried chicken and deviled eggs and drinking Kentucky bourbon.  Not exactly a typical night in Gotham, but then again it is not every night Garden and Gun magazine has a launch party in Manhattan for their recently published  The Southerner’s Handbook.

Photo courtesy of Billy Reid

Photo courtesy of Billy Reid

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The rustic setting adorned with Billy Reid’s fabulous clothing line and leather creations set the scene perfectly for the southern bites provided by Seersucker, the Brooklyn-based restaurant which has been satisfying southerly cravings for years.

The featured book, a tutorial on Southern culture starts by discussing why our culinary heritage matters and ends with what lies beneath the Great Southern Novel.

So whether you were are born and bred below the Mason-Dixon Line or just somewhat intrigued by your friends who were, this guidebook is a must.

Evening at Jean-Georges

Chalk it up to the old saying that it never hurts to ask. That was the case this past weekend when my friend, Kristine, and I visited Jean-Georges on Central Park West and asked to meet the legendary chef after our fabulous meal. Chef Jean-Georges was gracious enough to come out and patiently listen to our rave reviews.

He also came bearing great news for foodies everywhere. He shared he is planning to open a new Latin-Mexican restaurant in Manhattan. I’ll be counting the days until the city is graced with another Jean-Georges creation, but until then I’ll keep returning to the chic Columbus Circle restaurant that serves as the “jewel of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s empire” and continue to be smitten with innovative dishes like scallop sashimi, egg caviar, sea urchin and sweet potato soup with Parmesan foam.

Thanks to Chef Jean-Georges and his entire staff for making our night extraordinary!

(In Manhattan now? Make reservations!)

Photography from Jean-Georges. Scallop Sashimi image from Foodish Fetish.