Magnolia Blue: Celebrating the American Coastal South

Between the tall tales, long drawls, sweet tea, porch breezes, sandy beaches, sunshine, tall grasses and sea turtles, well - what else is there?

Magnolia Blue is an homage to life in the American coastal south.

And don't think for a minute that "coastal" exclusively means "ocean." Lakes, rivers, creeks, and ponds from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast fill our days with fishing, crabbing, sailing, camping, water skiing - well, you get it! Magnolia Blue is a window on southern life – its most cherished traditions and pastimes, but also a look toward its organic evolution of new cuisines, diverse influences, classic taste and modern trends all throughout the south.

For me, "southern" is embodied in creaky porch swings, water beads on a glass of sweet tea or lemonade, lightning bugs and bike rides. It's the slap of a screen door, thunder rolling in before a heavy storm, the sound of an outboard motor or the low hum of a busy bumble bee. 

Our tagline “Southern Skies and Rising Tides” exemplifies my commitment that "kindness matters." I'm completely dedicated to resonating positive messages, elevating southern (and maybe some not-so-southern) entrepreneurs, artists, products and places along the way. 

Magnolia Blue is flip-flops and cowboy boots, great BBQ, crab feasts and low country boils. It's sail boats and deep sea fishing and lazy days at the end of a pier; it's the mountain lakes and the eastern shores, the cabin Christmas trees and scents of pine in the winter and jasmine in the spring.

Driving between Maryland and Florida, I’ve seen the seemingly endless expanse of salt marshes, gleaming gold and green in the light, and the stillness of the water just as a heron lifts off out of its hiding place. I’ve shopped at country stores for local jams and never miss my favorite BBQ spot. I’ve watched the sun leave wild slashes of tangerine and hot pink across the sky as it sets; I’ve seen the moon rise up so bright, I wanted to stop the car just to gaze at its incandescent grandeur away from city lights.

These drives are what inspired me to create Magnolia Blue. 

I hope y'all enjoy being on the front porch with me - I want to hear about all your favorite things about the south, too. Please tag your posts #MaggieBlue #MagnoliaBlue and/or #mysouthernmoment - and let's get the party started!

Oh! And, this is a pet-friendly porch – as a former dog blogger, you’ll meet Dugan and Barclay, the best four-leggeds I’ve ever known and we will dig up some of the best pet-friendly places and advice we can find south of the Mason-Dixon (and elsewhere)!

Whether it’s the aroma of Old Bay on blue crabs or to café au lait and beignets, I hope you’ll sit a spell, share some stories and join me on this new southern coastal adventure.