On December 5th, I’ll be loading up the car (Addison included), and heading five hours East.  The destination: Charleston for Garden & Gun’s Second Annual Jubilee.  Jubilee is a “Made in the South” weekend full of sporting, shopping, food, music, and art, as well as special dinners and live entertainment on the grounds of the historic state park Charles Towne Landing.   Attracting from all over the country, the three-day festival is a continuation of Garden & Gun’s commitment to celebrating the best of Southern culture.  It’s G&G’s largest signature event  and I couldn’t be more excited to be attending for my very first time.

I’ll be starting my Jubilee experience Thursday night with the Oyster Roast and spending all day Friday and Saturday perusing the Jubilee marketplace, pantry, tents and grounds.  While I’m looking forward to meeting and spending time with all of the talent I must say there’s a few specific people I’ll be making a beeline for….

–Mark Sage, co-owner of Bobo Intriguing Objects.  Bobo is always a stop for me during Atlanta Market and quite a few pieces found in my Shop and home have come from Bobo.  Mark is an interior design guru and will be bringing a vast array of his original antiques and curios  for all to peruse. Sage will set the stage in a 4,000 square foot tent filled to the brim and styled to inspire.  4,000 square feet!?  I might need to bring a U-Haul with me on this little adventure.

–Three Brothers Boards.  2013 Made in the South Award runners-up Three Brothers will introduce a limited edition Jubille paddleboard along with their other designs.  I’ve been wanting to get a paddleboard for over a year now so this may be the weekend I make it happen!  The brothers, R.J. and Justin Murray will also share their tools, sketches, and stories inspiring their throwback designs.

–Hobnob Entertaining and Leontine Linens.  Hobnob is a one-stop shop curating all things entertaining while founder Jane Scott Hodges of Leontine Linens will be showcasing all of her to-die-for linens.  of New Orleans offers a couture service and product based on the belief that one’s linens should be a reflection and extension of the person’s personal taste and lifestyle. Founder Jane Scott Hodges will be showcasing her fine linens at JUBILEE as part of the Meet the Makers Trunk Shows, giving consultations and taking custom order.

–The Commons.  Longtime friends, Erin Connelly and Kerry Clark Speake work together to curate a collection of American made goods for the home. Selecting hand made goods that are beautifully designed and thoughtfully made, bringing a soulful approach to home decorating and will be showcasing their collection in the Jubilee Pantry.

Also did I mention this will be my first ever trip to Charleston?!  I’m taking my friend-ographer Kathryn McCrary to document our entire crazy journey and we’ll be staying at The Belmond Charleston Place in the heart of historic Charleston.  If you’ve got any must see, must do, must eat Charleston suggestions bring em’ on.  And please let me know if you’re planning on attending Jubilee so we can meet up for a toast.  TGIF Loves!  Truly, MKR

*This story is a collaboration with Garden & Gun Magazine, a magazine I adore and read every month.  Thank you for supporting stories that allow WOM to keep chuggin’ along.  Photos courtesy of Garden & Gun.

If you’ve been following along for awhile then you may remember that my word of 2014 was “GO,” and go my friends I have.  Over the past year I feel like I’ve been away more than I’ve been home and with only one planned trip left in 2014 I’ve begun to look back on my year of adventures.  And while each journey has served a very different purpose with surprising lessons at every turn (that’s a different post for a different day), the one thing I’ve gotten so much better at is packing.  While I’ll never be a “light traveler” (never, ever) I have picked up a few tricks, or rather necessities to make the actual process of traveling easier.  “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all,” Helen Keller.  Truly, MKR

No. 01 – Group items.  I’ve found that organization in all aspects of life makes everything easier, so when I fly I group everything together.  In flight essentials in an easy to see clear pouch, necessary id’s and documents in a travel wallet, all technology in a large portfolio, and chargers wound up and stored together.  Plus keep your laptop and anything else that has to be pulled out for the security line in the outside zip of your carry on, and please people grab your items as they come through the security line and then step out of the way to re-assemble it all so the people behind you don’t have to wait barefoot on the gross airport floor and watch while you put on your belt, hat, shoes., etc., etc.

No. 02 – Invest in jewelry cases.  I used to throw my jewelry in one big makeup bag which resulted in tangled necklaces and sometimes broken pieces.  I’ve finally invested in actual jewelry cases which keep all of my baubles straight plus protects them in transit.  

No. 03. – A travel steamer will change your life.  Not only is a travel steamer a low cost investment but you’ll never have to worry about damaging certain materials with a steamer, perfect for those of us with a lot of silk pieces that wrinkle the second you put them on.

No. 04 – Layer up.  I always get cold on the plane so regardless of the temperature outside I wear a cozy sweater or sweatshirt and bring a travel blanket on longer flights because lets be honest the blankets they give you aren’t keeping anyone warm.

No. 05 – Shoes matter.  Because I never know how far I’ll have to walk or what to really expect when I step off the plane I always bring a pair of foldable travel flats in my purse.  They’re light, take up very little room, plus they’ve saved my feet more times than I can count.  And since we’re talking shoes I always try to wear my heaviest pair or the ones that take up the most room in my suitcase (like boots) on the plane and protect the others with shoe bags, another key investment.

*Photography, Luke Schneider  ||  Location, Soho House Chicago

If you follow along on Instagram you may have recently seen that I checked off a major, major bucket list item.  I became a vintner (wine maker).   I packed my bags and flew to La Crema Winery in Sonoma California and worked harvest for four glorious days.  And I’m talking I WORKED harvest.  

My days looked a little something like this; 6:00 am handpicking grapes in the vineyard.  This was what I called the magic hour.  The vineyard is covered in that Russian River fog, a chill is in the air, and there’s a quiet over everything.  Watching the fog break and the sun rise over a sea of vines is nothing short of spectacular.  Let’s just say it was a view I don’t think I would ever tire of.  After my time in the vineyard I’d move to the sorting area where I’d remove all of the stems, leaves, and other debris by hand.  I couldn’t stay here too long as the bees are attracted to the grape sugars and I’m deathly allergic to bees.  1:00 pm quick lunch break then into the cellars where sampling, fermentation, punch downs (the floating cap of skins and seeds are “punched down” into the juice three times daily to extract color and tannins), and barreling happens.  Elizabeth (head wine maker) and her team sample the juice numerous times throughout the day (little glass sample bottles pictured above) to check how the wines are coming along.  I can’t clearly explain all of the how’s as this is where science takes center stage and I’ve never been known for my strength in science.  But basically the wine makers are testing and tasting to find the perfect blend of acidity and sweetness and also measuring the brix (sugar) levels.  7:00 pm clean, clean, and more cleaning because a safe and clean workplace is a happy workplace.  8:00 pm eat something, enjoy a glass of wine and fall into bed.  

Wine making is no joke, at the heart of it all wine making is farming and it takes a village.  From the harvest workers to the wine makers and everything in between having experienced it all first hand I enjoy every glass I pour even more so now having been on the other side of things.  While not everyone can experience being a vintner first hand La Crema has created a Virtual Vintner program which you’ve heard me talk about  HERE.  Essentially Virtual Vintner allows everyone an intimate, hands on look to wine making.  Readers get to follow Elizabeth and her dream team during harvest and consumers even had the opportunity to vote and create a Fall 2015 released wine.  And while voting is closed on that part of the journey they have just launched a Sensory Contest to see how closely you’ve been following along. 

Again thank you to La Crema for allowing me to be part of your team and family for a few days.  It was an experience I will never forget and I can’t wait till the newest vintage is released and I can say, “I helped make that.” Truly, MKR

*All images original to Waiting On Martha  ||  This experience was sponsored by La Crema, a wine I love, love, love and have been drinking for almost a decade now.  All opinions are 100% my own