sweeteas magazine

Gitman brotherly love.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:33:00 -0500

"My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little..."

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:21:28 -0500

“My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whisky.”

- William Faulkner

The Old Try keeps coming up with new wins.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:13:00 -0500

The Old Try keeps coming up with new wins.

Sissy's is for sissies.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:00:00 -0500

I had been wanting to try the new Sissy’s Southern Kitchen on Henderson Avenue (formerly Hector’s locale) in Dallas since I heard their entire waitstaff would be donning Billy Reid bow ties. Last night I walked through the bright yellow door with a date impressed and warmed by the authentic Southern-nouveau atmosphere. True to my expectations, the hostess was wearing a bright red 60’s style print dress with a white apron. The waitstaff buzzed around the back of house in their collared shirts and bow ties.

The hostess led us to our table and we pass owner, Liza Garza (think Lisa Garza Taste Kitchen, wife of Dallas Chef-in-his-own-rite, Gilbert Garza, and co-owner of Suze) on our way to the cozy booth for two. The decor is minimal but warm. A regal wood bar brims with bottles and pre-homemade cocktail mixes. The rear wall is adorned with a tasteful (yet not so original) mix of antique plates and animal heads. The right-hand wall is purely windows, opened to an outdoor area. This touch of openness makes the restaurant and brings a literal air of Southern charm to the Big D.

As my date and I became ensconced in our cosy little booth seats, I was impressed with Sissy’s plays on traditional Southern cocktails and ordered a margarita-ish drink with muddled kumquat and 2 different kinds of tequila. Pretty tasty. Date ordered a play on a mint julep. Tasty as well, but as much as I yearned to see a traditional chilled silver julep cup arrive at our table, #fail…Sissy’s serves her juleps in champagne flutes.

Moving on to perusing appetizers, we spotted Purple Hull Pea Cakes, Chili Fried Oysters, and Low Country Gumbo - how could you resist?! The Purple Hull Pea Cakes killed me softly with salt and the Chili Fried Oysters echoed with sounds of flavoring silence.

We were told by our doe-eyed 20-something waitress that “they’re still working out their wine and stuff.” And surely they were. We found a satisfactory wine list, though certainly nothing to boast about and ordered a bottle of Riesling, only to be told/asked “I think we’re out of that?” In fact, they were not as halfway through our entrees she sauntered to the table with the requested bottle. I ordered the Roasted Red Fish with Hominy Maque Choux. Date ordered Pan Seared Striped Bass. Both were fine, nothing surpassing a dusting of Tony Chachere’s, a dollop of butter and a little overcooking (which is quite possibly the Southern-est of sins).

We finally corked our wine and asked for the check when the waitress informed us that they were out of the Buttermilk Pecan Pie that Date had been craving all day. All in all, we were there for 3 hours, and I came away with more glowing words about my date than the dining experience (it’s usually quite the opposite). Could be quite a civil war for Sissy’s to keep things up at this pace. I secede.

Thimblepress by Kristen Ley for Mississippi.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:03:30 -0500

Thimblepress by Kristen Ley for Mississippi.

Tie one on. Handmade bow ties from all 'round.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:05:00 -0500

Tie one on. Handmade bow ties from all 'round.:

More…

http://thecordialchurchman.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/xoelle

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thebelleandthebeau

Vintage Pop-Up Shops: Trailer Purveyors

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:42:00 -0500

social media + retro-fab RV’s = everyone wins

Down here…

Dallas, Texas http://www.thevintagemobile.com/

Baton Rouge, Louisiana http://rollienoelie.tumblr.com/

Up yonder…

Worcester, Massachusetts http://haberdashvintage.com/

Brooklyn, New York http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-mobile-vintage-shop-brooklyn

I and Love and This

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:27:00 -0500

The Avett Brothers will put on a big, humble show in the grand little Strand Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana on June 5, 2012. This one’s worth the drive folks.

You’re joshing me.

Nope, it’s true! Click here to see for yourself.

Anthropologie: for all your Wedding needs?

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:49:00 -0500

Anthropologie: for all your Wedding needs?:

Anthropologie brings their signature boho-chic, super-Southern style to all things weddings. Thank the Lord there’s one in Houston. Or just visit online from the comfort of your rocking chair.

Your iPad is cold.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:48:00 -0500

Your iPad is cold.

Soulful Spree

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:43:00 -0500

Does your Spring cleaning (thanks, Wiki) session require the accompaniment of a good playlist to truly accomplish an effective top-to-bottom, dust-bunny-chasing, bleach-slathering binge? Ditto. Here are some selections to kick your Risky-Business-like (don’t be shy, you know you’ve done it) cleaning spree into high gear. Be assured that each selection stays true to good ole fashioned Southern soul. Homework, done. Because Mumford is soooo last season.

Gillian Welch http://www.gillianwelch.com/

The Wheeler Brothers http://wheelerbrothersmusic.com/

Feufollet http://feufollet.net/

Michael Donner and the Southern Renaissance http://michaeldonner.bandcamp.com/

The Head and the Heart http://www.theheadandtheheart.com/

The Tallest Man on Earth http://www.myspace.com/thetallestmanonearth

Sons of Fathers http://sonsoffathers.net/

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros http://edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/

Ray Lamontagne http://www.raylamontagne.com/

Best Coast http://www.bestcoast.us/

The Local Natives http://www.thelocalnatives.com/

Alabama Shakes http://www.alabamashakes.com/

Young the Giant http://www.youngthegiant.com/

The Civil Wars http://thecivilwars.com/

Of Monsters and Men http://www.myspace.com/ofmonstersandmenmusic

Patterson Hood http://www.pattersonhood.com/

Uncle Lucius http://uncleluciusmusic.com/

The Dirty River Boys http://www.dirtyriverboys.com/

Futurebirds http://www.futurebirdsmusic.com/

Quiet Company http://quietcompanymusic.com/

Beach House http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic

Dexateens http://www.dexateens.net/

Andrew Bird http://breakityourself.andrewbird.net/

Good music. Just damn good music.

Walk softly and carry a big sticker. Payton Cosell Turner...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:43:00 -0500

Walk softly and carry a big sticker.

Payton Cosell Turner turns childhood craft time favorites into hand-detailed wall art. Stickers! make up her unconventional, yet glamorous wallpapers. Can you believe it?! She and beau, Brian Kaspr, also own Brooklyn-based Flat Vernacular that “specializes in original hand-drawn, hand-printed, and bespoke wallpapers.” You can even shop online for your very own room full of elegant adhesive goodness.

Hats ON to Dallas milliner, Cassie McGregor...

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:59:29 -0500

Hats ON to Dallas milliner, Cassie McGregor...

"Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not."

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:14:40 -0500

“Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.”

- Oscar Wilde

Thick-rimmed glasses are still in. “Still in” in the...

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:51:00 -0500

Thick-rimmed glasses are still in. “Still in” in the world of fashion means “a hop, skip and a season’s jump from being out”. What’s next on the list for men’s Southern-chic-slightly-casual-yet-semi-refined-style? Moscot Eyewear says it’s time to meet metal, so click to meet Mendel.

(Pictured left to right: Billy Reid, J.P. Williams, Bill Joyce)

It's Leather Weather, y'all

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:06:48 -0500

It's Leather Weather, y'all

"Hats: An Anthology"

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:52:27 -0500

"Hats: An Anthology":

At the Bard Graduate Center (NYC), milliner Stephen Jones plays curator with “Hats: An Anthology”. Exhibiting more than 250 of Jones’ hand-picked selections from Balenciaga to fellow milliner, Philip Treacy (whose fascinating fascinators topped Will and Kate’s head-turning wedding).

Put on your thinking...hat.

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:29:22 -0500

Put on your thinking...hat.:

LA-based milliner, Louise Green blends vintage inspired fashions with present-day trends.

"We must have the courage to reassert our traditional values and resolve to prevail against those who..."

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:09:37 -0500

“We must have the courage to reassert our traditional values and resolve to prevail against those who deny our ideals and threaten our way of life.”

- Margaret Thatcher

Charles and Ray Eames (1/2)

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:46:05 -0500

Charles and Ray Eames (1/2):

Part 1/2 of a little gem. An interview by Arlene Francis with both Charles and wife Ray Eames. Appeared in 1956 on NBC’s “Home” show.