THE MONIKER "hostess with the mostest" has been bestowed upon Southerners with a knack for creating memorable events, and Mary Hollis Huddleston is an ideal example. As the founder of the lifestyle site Mrs. Southern Social (mrssouthernsocial.com) and the elevated event-rental company Please Be Seated, the Nashville native (pictured at right) knows a thing or two about throwing a festive and stress-free party, thanks to her tasteful eye and tactful playbook. Her secret for breezy entertaining is making it simple, accessible, affordable, and most importantly-enjoyable. "Don't obsess over perfection; just have fun," Huddleston says. "The hosts set the tone, so if they aren't having a good time, no one will." Here, she serves up her foolproof recipe for a fall porch party with all the autumnal flair and none of the jitters. Showstopping heirlooms, golden-hued centerpieces, and order-ahead favorites make it an elegant and effortless celebration.
START WITH THE TABLE
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Southern Living.
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This story is from the October 2022 edition of Southern Living.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Forging a Legacy - A Fredericksburg, Texas, couple is creating a new class of heirloom cast-iron cookware
When Jay Mallinckrodt pitched the idea of crafting cast-iron cookware to his wife and business partner, Heather, in 2020, she was hesitant. I immediately said no, she recalls with a laugh. But I finally agreed as long as we made something that we would actually want to use ourselves. Like many others during the initial throes of the pandemic, their multigenerational family operation, Heartland Enterprises (which specializes in machining parts for jet engines and gas and oil equipment), was seeing a lull. “No one was flying; no one was drilling, says Jay. So we had time to try something different.
A Butterfly Haven - In the Texas Hill Country, a conservationist is helping monarchs adjust to the changing world
Twenty-four years ago, Monika Maeckle bought a small property on the Llano River in Central Texas as an escape from fast-paced San Antonio. A journalist and marketing professional by trade, she didn't at first realize the value of the location on which she and her husband would later build their ranch. She also had no idea how this decision would eventually transform her life.One October evening a few years later, a friend invited Maeckle to their nearby house, which sat on a watershed with several large cypresses. All these butterflies dropped from the sky and started to gravitate toward the trees, she recalls. Stronger people who could swing a big 12-foot-long pole began trying to capture them, and we waited. By the end of the evening, we'd tagged a couple hundred butterflies, and I left there enchanted.
Oktober Feast!
While I respect your right to serve spooky food in October, you won't find any gory grub at my house this month. Instead, I'm hosting a gathering that's inspired by biergartens across the pond. The focus of the menu is a fondue made with Gruyère cheese and crisp Riesling-like beer-cheese dip but more elevated. It's served with a smorgasbord of dippers such as smoked sausage, grapes, apples, and a few amped-up store-bought snacks, like Mustard-Glazed Pretzel Bites and Smoked Paprika Potato Chips. (Just one taste, and you'll want to add this spice to every bag you open.) Pour yourself a Cider Shandy, and get ready for a good time. Prost, y'all!
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VIRGINIA PASTORAL
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