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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Travel - The Whistle Stop Cafe in Juliette, GA (from Fried Green Tomatoes movie!)



Yesterday David and I took a fun road trip with our friend Crystal and her adorable son.  She wanted to visit the tiny middle-Georgia town of Juliette.  Now, if you don't know about Juliette, you may find that you actually do recognize it from Hollywood and the silver screen.  Back in the 1990's, a little movie was filmed there called Fried Green Tomatoes.  If you haven't seen it, you should find a copy to watch! The movie is based on the book by Fannie Flagg, called Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.  I need to finally watch the movie, and read the book again - it's been too long!

This tiny town got a makeover for the movie, and thus the Whistle Stop Cafe was born.  Located about 10 minutes off I-75, it's very easy to find if you are traveling to or from Florida or South Georgia.  Turn right on McCrackin Street and the cafe will be past the stores and on your left.  It's a small cafe, but you can make reservations online.  If you go during the week, like we did, it's not likely to be packed.  We left Crystal's house (near Cumming) around 9:30, made two fast stops along the way and still got to the Cafe about 12:10.  We did have to deal with some construction delays on Hwy 400 and again on I-75.

Entering the cafe is like going back in time!! First, the front porch is rustic and so cute.  Pull the old-fashioned handle on the door and you're inside the sweetest cafe ever!  The time-worn, wooden floors and white-washed planks on the walls and ceiling, old signs and pictures on the walls, and the safe built into the bar next to the cash register are a few details that make this place seem like a refuge from the busy world outside.  Ceiling fans lazily spin, and the lights are a little dim. It's just perfect!
There are booths along both walls, and a few tables for larger groups. There are also stools at the bar for additional seating.







The waitresses here are precious!! Never saw one of them without a big smile.  They greeted us and invited us to sit anywhere.  We chose a booth towards the back where we could see the railroad tracks. Not two minutes into our visit a train flew by our window!

You know we like our iced tea here in the South.  I am a huge fan of unsweet tea, so that was my choice, and D & Crystal ordered sweet tea.  Our drinks arrived in icy cold mason jars - wide mouth for unsweet, regular for sweet.  The girls kept our glasses full throughout the meal, which is always a plus when you are dining out.   There was no charge for refills or our to-go cups of tea, but sodas only come by the can, so if you want refills, you will pay for each. Remember you can click on the pictures to see a bigger version!  You can purchase the cute t-shirts the waitresses wear at the brick depot gift shop just down the street. (forgot to take a picture!)





The menu was two-sided and simple.  I ordered a basket of Fried Green Tomatoes to bring home to my husband.  He loves them, and no way would I let him miss the ones from this Cafe! Crystal tried one and said they were delicious.  D and I think tomatoes are disgusting, so we took her word for it!!




For lunch I ordered the Sampler - I thought we could share it.  It had two massive chicken tenderloins, a pile of onion rings, a pile of sweet potato stix and several more fried green tomatoes.  It also came with cups of honey mustard, ranch, a tangy horseradish sauce for the FGT, and the most amazing BBQ sauce EVER!! The chicken was seriously the best chicken I've ever eaten. Tender, moist and so flavorful.  I brought home so much leftover food though - that platter is massive!

David chose a grilled cheese - it looked so good - cheese melting over the edges and some kettle-style chips, plus a pickle on the side.

Crystal ordered the pulled BBQ pork.  She declared it delicious, as well as the slaw and the garlic mashed potatoes she chose for her sides.  Little Parker (he's under two) shared sweet potato stix and the bun from her sandwich.  Everyone was full and happy.



Of course we decided to share dessert! They had some delicious-sounding choices - pecan cobbler, peach cobbler, apple dumplings, and a hot fudge cake.  But we chose the lemon cheesecake and it was perfect. Light, sweet, and chilled from the fridge.  It was the perfect ending to our meal at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

We didn't have time to explore after lunch, since we wanted to get back to the North side of Atlanta before rush hour.   We left there at 1:30, dropped Crystal off before 4 pm, and were back home before 5.

However, if you'd like to explore the area, Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site is only a few minutes away and offers a museum, plus the chance to explore an 1800's cotton plantation. There are also some darling stores and such right there on McCrackin Street in Juliette. There is even an Opry House and Opry Land across the street from it.  Such a cute little town and well worth the drive!



The Whistle Stop Cafe is located at 443 McCrackin Street, Juliette, GA 31046. They are open 11 am to 4 pm daily. 



Sunday, June 19, 2016

Review: My Mother's Quilts by Ramona Richards #MyMothersQuilts #FlyBy


I have a gorgeous book to share with y'all today.  It features photos of beautiful family quilts and devotions for each.  The devotions in My Mother’s Quilts are inspired by these family heirloom quilts, some more than 100 years old. 

With humor and sincerity, Ramona Richards shares her memories and lessons learned from the quilters whose legacies live on in their work. Rich, personal, sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, each reading provides a lesson and encouragement from the faithful women who crafted the quilts. Together, these devotions depict the enduring legacy of faith, family, and beloved traditions. Book includes full color photographs of each of the 30 quilts!

About the Author:
Ramona Richards is an award-winning editor, speaker, author of nine books, and a frequent contributor to devotional collections. An avid live music fan, Ramona loves Nashville, which she’s called home since she was ten. Sensing her mother was near the end of her life, Ramona documented her mother’s stories and lessons behind each family quilt. These stories form the devotions in My Mother’s Quilts. Find out more about Ramona and her books by visiting her online at www.ramonarichards.com.

Order your own copy of this beautiful book of devotions here.  (They have the best price online) Wouldn't this book make a wonderful Christmas present for a special Mom, Grandmother or friend in your life?


CONTEST OFFER:
Win one of the quilts featured in #MyMothersQuilts by Ramona Richards. Also up for grabs: loads of other prizes including quilting hand warmers, coloring books, and 25 signed copies of Ramona’s book. Winners will be emailed after the contest ends on June 30, 2016.

I would love for my readers to win some of these prizes, so make sure you take a minute to enter! Just click the link above and visit the official site to enter. Good luck!


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Chick-fil-A's new ONE app is here! #ChickfilAMoms #CFAOne

I am so happy to share the new Chick-fil-A CFA One app with y'all!! We've been getting little hints about it for a while, but today's the big day, it's finally here!




So what is CFA One? Well, for starters, you can order on your phone and skip the lines inside and at the drive thru.  That is a huge plus! Our local CFA's ALWAYS have lines around the building - it doesn't matter when you go. So using this app will make it fast and easy to run inside and grab your order, without the wait! 

You have the option to customize your items and the app will remember the customizations for your next visit.  You can use the app to pay for your purchases, and each purchase will get you closer to receiving free Chick-fil-A food rewards!



There is even a free sandwich reward just for downloading the app and signing up!  

Let me know if you've tried the app, and what your experience has been.  We are at Chick-fil-A all the time, so this app will be a big timesaver for our family. I'm excited to give it a try - hope you will too!