A New Southern Blog About NYC

By Jessica Mischner | August 31, 2010 | NYC

Jessica Mischner in NYC for the G&G April/May issue launch party at Billy Reid.
 
Earlier this year Garden & Gun ran a cover story I wrote about the “Southern Invasion of NYC” (April/May), a look at the explosion of Southern chefs, musicians, designers, and entrepreneurs in the Big Apple. The response was overwhelmingly positive, so we’re going to continue the coverage on my new blog, “Southern in the City.” I’ll be doing twice-weekly updates on all things Dixie in NYC, from Brooklyn’s best fried-chicken joints to hidden bluegrass bars to the rising influence of Southern designers.

Southern culture isn’t just present in New York City. It’s thriving like never before. The best new bars, shops, and restaurants all seem to have Southern roots. A majority of the tastemakers and trendsetters are Southern, too. Everywhere you go, someone’s pickling something or preserving something or handcrafting something or distilling something. Even the city’s social life has taken on a twang. This summer alone was filled with Southern happenings and events, many of which I had the pleasure of attending (our Southern community may be expanding, but we’re still a pretty tight knit circle). The Big Apple BBQ Block Party united barbecue lovers of all states and stripes, with everyone from Charleston’s Jimmy Hagood to Louisville’s Julian Van Winkle joining in. Bespoke suitmaker Alton Lane celebrated its launch with a Southerner-studded party at the Yale Club (which offers reciprocity to University of Virginia alums), and Mississippians converged on Central Park for their annual Mississippi in the Park picnic. At the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic on Governor’s Island, even those of us in the cheap seats got an up-close-and-personal glimpse of Prince Harry when he fell off his horse (much to his extreme embarrassment). And that’s not including all the crawfish boils, state society happy hours, and other get-togethers that dominate social life up here in Gotham—especially now that football season has arrived.

Mischner and Hagood at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party

In the weeks and months ahead, I’ll cover the people, places, and experiences that bring Southern culture to life in the Big Apple. I’ve got a front row seat to the excitement unfolding, and now, thanks to Garden & Gun, you do, too. Welcome to the party and welcome to my blog.

Party Pics from G&G's NYC Bash

By Haskell Harris | April 29, 2010 | Design

Last week, G&G celebrated our "The South Invades NYC" cover story in the April/May 2010 issue with a very Southern soiree in the big city. The whole gang (and friends) gathered there for boiled peanuts, bourbon, and good old-fashioned gab at the Billy Reid shop on Bond Street.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the pics snapped by photographer Sean Sime at the event (that's G&G Editor-in-Chief Sid Evans with former House & Garden Editor-in-Chief Dominique Browning). To scroll through the whole gallery, click here.

The Bookish Type

By Haskell Harris | March 25, 2009 | Design

***Before I begin: Please excuse the long delay between posts. I'm back up and running after a little Spring Break. Thank you for your patience!

Now, on to the post:

If I could live in a library, I would. Preferably an old one with mile-high ceilings and marble floors, but I digress.

Books are, by far, my favorite thing to collect and are, by definition, art. Every detail—from the style of the binding to the fonts used to, most importantly, the words held between the covers—is fascinating to me.

And I'm not alone.

Interior designers have been onto the allure of books since the dawn of decorating. From antique European leather designs, to collections bound in a single color (British designer David Hicks was famous for stocking a library with bold, all-red volumes) to the ever-humble DIY trick of covering a collection in decorative paper, I thought I'd seen, and read, about it all.

Until now.

Months ago, when I was in New York for the gift show, I was mesmerized by the display for a company called Middleton's Library.

Originally, the owner, Brian Wynn, started by selling antique books and binding leather ones for custom interior design projects (both of which they still sell).

But that's not what got me. Mixed in with the traditional examples, I saw books bound in all-white parchment, emblazoned with fabulous old-world type (see image below):

books bound in metallic leathers:

and even books done in bright violet:

The contrast of their designs mixed in together on one huge bookshelf was absolutely stunning.

I stood there looking at it for a very long time, thinking about how genius the idea really is.

Basically, whether you are a private consumer or an interior designer, you can commission a collection of books from them in any leather or any color.

Just picture a striking all-violet library (how cool!) or a demure all-white one (how classic!). The combinations are just endless.

As for me? I won't be able to take things that far, but I would settle for sending my hardback copy of Anna Karenina up there for the silver leather treatment and be a very happy girl.

For more information, please visit middletonslibrary.com.