I’ve always loved fashion, and my purse collection occupies several shelves in my home. While I enjoy collecting handbags, the truth is that I rarely use them. That’s because I’m more of a backpack person.
When people hear the word “aging,” they often think of retirement homes, health concerns, or the inevitable passage of time. Before becoming a Journalists in Aging Fellow with the Gerontological Society of America, I might have thought of some of those things, too.
If you’ve ever wondered what it might feel like to spend the night somewhere between the golden glow of Old Hollywood and the laid-back, sun-drenched cool of modern California, allow me to introduce you to The Hoxton hotel in Downtown LA — a hotel that feels less like a place to crash and more like a glamorous friend’s impeccably designed pied-à-terre.
There’s something hauntingly interesting about old places — stories frozen in time. That’s exactly the feeling I had standing on the front lawn of Longwood, the grandest and most mysterious of Natchez’s antebellum homes.
You may recognize Longwood even if you’ve never set foot in Mississippi. The exterior was featured in HBO’s “True Blood” as the home of the Vampire King of Mississippi. And it makes perfect sense — Longwood has that Southern Gothic aura. With its octagonal design and eerie stillness, the mansion practically begs for stories to be written — or filmed — within its walls.
A video of my first trip to Natchez.
There’s something deeply comforting about dining in a place that feels like it belongs to another time — where the walls tell stories and the food tastes like it came straight out of Grandma’s kitchen. I’ve always been drawn to restaurants with a little character, charm, and history, and two of my favorites are Taylor Grocery and Gibbes Old Country Store in Learned, Mississippi.
If you’ve never been to Gibbes, it’s the kind of place that reminds you why people fall in love with the South. Think old hardwood floors, mismatched tables and chairs, antique signs on the walls, and the kind of genuine Southern hospitality that makes you feel like family the moment you walk in.
A new cookbook featuring Mississippi restaurants is now on the shelves. “Southern Living Off the Eaten Path: Second Helpings” is a travel guide/cookbook that takes you on a journey to eateries in 16 Southern states.
Written by former Southern Living travel editor Morgan Murphy, the 272-page book published by Oxmoor House and sold for $22.95 features 150 of Morgan’s favorite recipes.
Last week, I stumbled upon a one-of-a-kind Mississippi dining experience, and it inspired me to start something new: a video blog series called “Mississippi Style On the Road.” Whenever I’m out exploring the state and come across something special — whether it’s food, culture, or just good old-fashioned charm — I’ll try to capture it and share it with you. (Check out the first video above!)
Now, let me confess something. At least once a week, I find myself at Cracker Barrel. Like most Southerners, I’ve grown fond of the familiar old-country-store aesthetic, complete with rocking chairs, checkerboards, and shelves of candy sticks and vintage signs.
When Sara Zittlow returned from an inspirational trip to Israel, she decided to begin spending more time with her growing family away from life’s distractions.
So she devised a plan, talked it over with her husband and set out on a nine-month journey from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
When Sharon McConnell-Dickerson began to lose her vision in 1995, she faced a difficult truth: her life would never be the same. But in the darkness, she discovered something unexpected — art.
That discovery eventually led her from New England to the Mississippi Delta, where she would spend more than a decade capturing the soul of the blues, not through sound, but through sculpture.
It’s hard to imagine childhood without the Muppets, and since “Sesame Street” debuted in 1969, generations have grown up with Jim Henson’s unforgettable creations. Now, Jim Henson’s Fantastic World — a traveling Smithsonian exhibit — brings his incredible legacy to the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Hailing from the Mississippi Delta, Henson transformed his early love for puppetry into iconic shows like “The Muppet Show” and “Sesame Street,” captivating audiences worldwide. This exhibit offers a rare glimpse into his creative process with 100 original pieces, including puppets, sketches, storyboards, and videos.
I recently had the unique opportunity to interview the legendary Kermit the Frog for “The Clarion-Ledger.” Known worldwide and deeply connected to Mississippi through his creator Jim Henson — born in Greenville — Kermit shared insights into his roots, career, and views on fame.
Kermit was delighted to learn his swamp home was identified as Deer Creek in Leland, Mississippi, describing his upbringing fondly despite his small size. He humbly compared himself to other Mississippi icons like Elvis and Oprah, crediting their “regular folks” charm to growing up in the state. When asked about current projects, Kermit highlighted holiday specials, a viral Queen cover, and a potential movie.
Did you know that HBO’s hit series “True Blood” has deep ties to Mississippi? The show is based on “The Southern Vampire Mysteries” novels by Mississippi native Charlaine Harris.
Born in Tunica in 1951, Harris grew up in the South, the daughter of a farmer-turned-school principal and a librarian. After graduating from Rhodes College in Memphis, she worked as a journalist in Clarksdale and Greenville before publishing her first novel, “Sweet and Deadly,” in 1981.
Intrigued by the notion that someone had created a horror film based on the Southern ghost story of the Bell Witch — a tale I’ve heard whispers of growing up near Tennessee — I recently rented “An American Haunting” hoping to uncover more about this mysterious legend. To my surprise, the film is one of the few horror movies I’ve seen that explores supernatural torment and possession through the lens of psychological trauma.
Set in early 1800s Tennessee, the movie tells the haunting story of young Betsy Bell, a once-lively, flirtatious teenager who abruptly transforms into a withdrawn, exhausted version of herself. She confesses to her teacher that she’s unable to sleep, haunted by a terrifying presence that visits her at night. Her sudden decline sets off a series of terrifying events.
Anyone who’s ever taken a long road trip knows the moment: You pull into a random gas station or rest stop — tired, hungry, desperate for a bathroom — and what greets you is a scene straight out of your worst nightmares. Filthy floors, broken faucets, the unmistakable stench of neglect. But what if that unsettling experience was just the beginning of something far more sinister?
That’s the premise behind the aptly titled horror flick “Rest Stop,” a gritty B-grade film that turns the familiar discomfort of roadside travel into a full-blown horror show. When two rebellious teens run away to Los Angeles, they make the fatal mistake of pulling into a rest stop that’s become the stalking ground of a deranged killer — a death trap decades in the making.
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