Taste of Charleston with Southern Living and Delta Faucet

Taste of Charleston 2013 was a wonderful success.  "Do what you love, love what you do!"  This weekend at Southern Living Taste of Charleston, I was reminded of loving what I do.  It was such an honor to team up with Taste of Charleston again.  My family and I were so delighted to join the festivities together and really capture the essence of the Taste of Charleston Weekend.

Carolina Mama and Family at Taste of Charleston Southern Living

Thank you Southern Living for hosting me as a blogger for the event.  And Thank you Delta Faucet for inviting me to join the event as a Delta Blogger for Taste of Charleston.  I love sharing the Delta Faucet Touch 2O Technology.

Delta Faucet Touch 2O Technology

Delta Faucet was one of the first brands that I worked with as a Blogger years ago.  I was hired to post about Delta Faucet products for a corporation.  I was so thrilled for the work and fell further in love with the products.  So I felt pretty full circle getting to work together this weekend with two of my favorite brands, Delta Faucet and Southern Living in Charleston, a city we love with my family.


So Friday evening, we spent the evening at the Taste: Sweet and Southern Shem Creek Event.  This night was spectacular.  We were overlooking historic Shem Creek on a perfect evening.  We rode a boat to look at the Islands at Sunset.  It was a magical evening.

"Delta Touch2O® Technology makes everyday kitchen tasks easier and keeps your faucet cleaner. Turn the water on or off with a simple touch anywhere on the spout or handle. It's available in a wide range of styles and finishes for your kitchen, including bar and prep faucets."

Stay tuned for a Delta Faucet Touch 2O Technology Faucet GIVEAWAY soon!! 

Our boys LOVED the ease and variety of the Touch 2O Technology. 

Delta Faucet Touch 2O Technology at Taste of Charleston

We had a spectacular weekend for the festivities.  We arrived in Charleston to a beautiful sunshiny day with a little Fall breeze in the air.  After lunch on the water, we check into the Fulton Lane Inn on King Street, Charleston.  We loved staying downtown and enjoyed this Charming Inn.   They served us Breakfast each morning, room service.  This Mom was smitten.

Shem Creek Cottages by the Creek

Fulton Lane Inn, Charleston, SC

We met Southern Living's Team, Chef Norman King and the Delta Bloggers at
Circa 1886 for an elegant dinner and planning for the Taste of Charleston Event on Sunday.
Heidi and I loved the locale, the cuisine and the ambiance.

We had so much fun at the Shem Creek Sweet and Southern Tasting.  The Sunset and the
boat rides were our favorites.

 We captured this Roof Top photo at the Sweet and Southern Tasting Friday night at the Cottages by the Creek on Historic Shem Creek.  Such a fun and tasty party.  

Cottages at the Creek - Shem Creek - Sweet and Southern

Taste of Charleston, Delta Blogger Dinner @ Circa 1886, Charleston

Circa 1886, Shrimp and Grits Soup

Organic Chicken with Asparagus and Heart of Palm
Chef Norman King

Southern Living Test Kitchen Chef Norman King & Chogie

Southern Living, Chef Norman King

Chef and Author Norman King, RD
signing Carolina Mama's Book

The Way to Fry by Chef Norman King, RD

Circa 1886 Delta Bloggers, Carolina Mama and Associate, Heidi

Circa 1886, Pecan Blue Cheese Salad with Corn Roll

Warm Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Circa 1886

It was a treasure to hear Carmen share so freely and openly about the best blossoms for the Carolinas.

Carmen Johnston, Southern Living Plant Collection

 It was wonderful to meet, Southern Living Garden and Plant Collection Expert, Carmen Johnston.  She has such an easy way of sharing all of the seasonal Plants for our read.  

Carmen Johnston of Southern Living and Carolina Mama of CarolinaMamaBlog.com

Amy with  Southern Living Plants

 The Southern Living Test Kitchen Chef Norman King is a fabulous Chef!  I loved hearing his various recipe collections he shared with us. 

Taste of Charleston 2013 Chef Norman King

Our boys LOVED the sessions and here, they were intrigued with Norman's Cooking.  Too fun! 

 The Kids Zone is so fun at the Taste of Charleston.  We loved all of the fun.  They had LOTS of activities and crafts for children.  And there were Kid Friendly Snacks! :) 

Southern Living, Taste of Charleston

Fleets Landing Won an Award for their Shrimp and Grits!  One of my all time favorites!
I loved hearing this great news. This was my final meal in Charleston! 

Taste of Charleston Winner, Fleet Landing, Charleston, SC Shrimp n' Grits

As always, it was hard to say good bye to the Taste of Charleston and the Holy City itself.  We have so many fabulous memories there.  We'll be back before we know it.  Thanks Charleston for your hospitality.

Taste of Charleston 2013, Boone Hall Plantation, Farewell

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by Southern Living and Delta Faucet who sponsored me to be a Delta Blogger for the Taste of Charleston.  All opinions are my own. 

Giveaway and Review: Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Restaurant Open in Morrisville, NC

Firebirds Grill opened its newest restaurant in Morrisville, North Carolina. It is located in the Research Triangle Park area of Raleigh-Durham.  We had the opportunity to visit and want to share our Review here.  Firebirds has offered an awesome Giveaway.  One Winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate to Firebirds so you can visit soon.  Read through for details. 

We are longtime fans of Firebirds.   So we were so eager to check out the newest locale in North Carolina.  It was a perfect evening.  Many enjoyed the outdoors.  Typically, we love being outside any chance we can get.  

Tonight, we wanted to see the new restaurant and feel the ambiance.  The stone and mountain 

decor give a warm and comfortable atmosphere. 

We loved our booth.  Fall is in the air. 

Before ordering, we checked out the Firebirds Wood Fired Grill.  The boys loved seeing the 

grilling going on.  Firebirds is known for their amazing Steaks.  Sirlon, Filet Mignon, New

York Strip and more.  We had a hard time deciding on what to order. 

Then we just relaxed like we owned the place. :)  Our boys love to draw or sketch so 

they brought along their fun.  I couldn't resist. 

Salads are a favorite of mine so I was planning to order the Grilled Shrimp 

and Strawberry Salad.  Look how delicious....

Firebirds Grill Grilled Shrimp and Strawberry Salad

Then the Aged Ribeye caught my eye with this potato with all the fixings....  Firebirds is known 

for their varieties of Steaks. 

Firebirds Grill Aged Ribeye

We LOVE the Firebirds Desserts so I was figuring on how to order with room 

for dessert.  The Key Lime Pie is my favorite.  Our whole family 

can eat the Big Daddy Chocolate Cake and still not finish it.  We love the 

rich chocolates of the cake. 

Firebirds Grill Big Daddy Chocolate Cake

Between Appetizer and Entree:  See the fun atmosphere of the Park West Shopping Center.  

My sweet husband and I loved getting a little moment together before dinner.  We 

just celebrated 15 wonderful years together so I love this picture extra special.  

Our boys LOVED ordering the specialty Burgers with Steak Fries. 

My husband and I couldn't resist the Wood Grilled Salmon with Garlic 

Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Vegetables.  This meal was perfection. 

We loved the healthy and hearty entree.  This is a Gluten Free option.  They 

have a separate menu of great Gluten Free choices. 

The portions were very generous.  Everything was seasoned so wonderfully. 

Nothing overly strong.  

This sums up our boys' thoughts on the Burgers.  Bliss! 

Someone loved the Onion Rings and is being his love of Ranch Dressing. :) 

Thank you Firebirds for hosting our family.  We love your food, customer service and 

the warm and friendly atmosphere!  We will see you soon! 

Enter to Win Gift Certificate:  Enter with the steps below for a chance to win a Firebirds Grill $50 Gift Certificate.  Winner must live in the US and leave valid email address for contact.  Contest closes at 8pm EST Monday, October 7th, 2013. 

1)  Leave a comment, tell us if you have ever visited a Firebirds Grill. 

2) Join the Firebirds Facebook Page here; and 

3) Join the Carolina Mama Facebook page for more Giveaways and News on Fashion, Family, Faith, Food and Fun! 

4) Bonus: Visit the Firebirds Menu page and come back here to leave a comment telling us what you would order!  

All the best and here's to one lucky winner!  Stay tuned! 

Are you a Firebirds Grill fan?  What Firebirds have you tried?

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by Firebirds Grill.  All opinions are my own. 

Minted Christmas and Holiday Card Review

Happy Fall Y'all!   It's Holiday time!  I LOVE this time of year.  The fresh Fall mornings, the crisp cool air, the bright vibrant colors and the amazing recipe index for this time of year.  Also, did someone just say it is 93 days until Christmas!  Seriously, we love Christmastime.

One of our favorite things at Christmastime is our Family Christmas Card.  My mother made this such a fun and lively tradition.  I so remember her making matching dresses and ties for her clan of seven.  Us four girls had matching dresses with my Mother's and my brother had a tie to match my Dad's.  We had fun nights of Christmas Carols and Hot Chocolate to address Christmas Cards.

Naturally, we love this tradition and have carried it on in our family.  Like many, this is a wonderful family tradition.  And the cards get cuter thanks to companies like Minted.  I fell in love with them the first card I saw.  So I was thrilled when we could collaborate on a little blogging Christmas card project.

So I get to share the fun.

This is pure joy!  I LOVE the Minted card stock.  The quality is to be cherished.  I chose a 5 x 5 card.  For years now, we have shared several photos to give a visual of our growing family and share the fun.

The inside was a little bit of a story to share.  I was able to add the dates and titles on the photo.  I love all of the options that Minted offers.  You can chose the size photos and how many you want added to a page.  This was ideal for us to share more of our fabulous Family Photo Shoot with Internationally Acclaimed Photographer, Abbie Carter of CARTERElite.  Abbie made us look great and she is a mighty talented and patient photographer.  Abbie has a world of personality and style which adds to well to her profession. 

As for Minted, their website is so user friendly.   I was impressed with how quickly the photos uploaded to their site onto my account.  And they have so many fun options to choose from, I want to send out cards every month. LOL 

Look at these pretty and diverse choices.  

They have whimsical cards.  

Traditional cards with a little spirit added.  You can follow Minted on Facebook for 

deals.  Right now, they are offering recipient addresses printed FREE. 

Minted has a very prompt production team.  The cards took no time to deliver and I really appreciated working with their team.  They actually send you a PROOF before you officially order your card.  This was helpful as I had an edit that needed to be made.  So I LOVED the entire project.  

The cards are such a high quality and beautiful product.  I would definitely use Minted again and again. 

Where do you order Christmas cards?  Birthday Party?  Graduation?  Weddings?  Check out Minted, you will be so happy.  

Have a fabulous week. 

Warmly, 

Carolina Mama 

FTC Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by Minted.  All opinions are my own. 

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday!  This week, the theme is Looking Back! Look at our "Babies!"  They were 3 1/2 years old! And we were at the Virginia Horse Races.  So fun!  So precious! 

#blessed #1000Gifts

Warmly,

Carolina Mama

Southern Living Taste of Charleston 2013 Delta Blogger Correspondent

Southern Living and The Taste of Charleston are two of my favorite things in 

once place.  I am so excited this year to attend The Taste of Charleston as a Delta Blogger Correspondent. 

The Southern Living Taste of Charleston 
     - Still A Local Favorite

THE TASTE OF CHARLESTON, SEE MORE CLICK HERE.

Charleston, SC --- The Southern Living Taste of Charleston dates are set. September 27-29, 2013 will mark the 33rd annual Taste of Charleston event. The three-day culinary celebration of Lowcountry cuisine is being hosted once again by the Charleston Restaurant Association partnered with Southern Living Magazine. For more than 20 years, this charity fund-raising event has been named one of the “Top 20 events in the Southeast” by Southeastern Tourism Society. More than 10,000 guests are expected and there will be something for all ages to enjoy.

Taste of Charleston (Main Event) will be held on Sunday, September 29 at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, S.C.

The event will showcase a sampling of local cuisine from more than 50 of Charleston’s finest restaurants as well as live music, waiter’s wine race, children’s area and Southern Living exhibition area. Event sponsors include: Town of Mount Pleasant, Limehouse Produce, Blue Moon and Biltmore Wines.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Kathy Britzius, Executive Director of the Charleston Restaurant Association, at kathy@charlestonrestaurantassociation.com or Monique Semper Flynn, Special Events Manager of the Charleston Restaurant Association at moniquesemperflynn.gcra@gmail.com.

The Charleston Restaurant Association (CRA) represents the largest private sector employer in the tri-county area. The association serves as the voice of the Charleston-area food service industry on government and public relations issues. Annual fund-raising events like Taste of Charleston and Lowcountry Oyster Festival, both sponsored by the CRA, enable them to give back to the community. To date, the association has donated more than $1 million to local charities.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the following charities:  The Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center, Hospitality Heroes, Shriners Hospitals for Children and Charleston County Schools Science Materials Resource Center. For more information about the CRA, visitwww.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Southern Living, Delta Faucet and Taste of Charleston. All opinions are my own. 

Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries and Exclusive OFFER

You've heard all about Rayovac and their Lasts Longer Batteries and Mobile Device Accessories.  They even take it a step further into wellness for Children's Hearing.  And they provide the products you need.

Rayovac knows it is important to get children's hearing tested at a young age because it allows you the time to start treatment. Early intervention.   And it is imperative to let our youth know what an acceptable decible use would be for their stereos, iPods, MP3s, etc.  We talk with our boys about this regularly.  Actually, we limit their use of headphones.  And when they use them, see the photo below of my son working on school work, we reiterate the use of caution and a lower volume for better long-term hearing.

For Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries Post

• The later hearing loss is identified the more likely the child is to develop impairment of speech, language and learning (http://www.medicinenet.com/detecting_hearing_loss_in_children/article.htm)

• Common indications for hearing evaluation include:

• Frequent or recurrent ear infections
• Poor School performance
• Child doesn’t respond to his or her name consistently
• Child ask for words, phrases, or sentences to be repeated.

http://www.medicinenet.com/detecting_hearing_loss_in_children/page2.htm

• Monitor the volumes of children’s portable music players.  New warnings have been issued that state these music players may be damaging in your hearing if they are not used properly.  Listening at too high volumes for too long of periods, could lead to noise-induced hearing loss that occurs over time.

http://www.asha.org/About/news/atitbtot/Unsafe-Usage-of-Portable-Music-Players-May-Damage-Your-Hearing/

Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries Details:

Find more information on Rayovac hearing aid batteries and purchase them online here.  

You Can Follow  Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries Facebook here. 

Exclusive Power Blogger Offer: 

Rayovac is extending an amazing offer to Readers and Followers of the Rayovac Power Bloggers:

A special offer on Rayovac Hearing Aid Batteries: Buy One, Get One FREE (8/26-9/23)  

Use promo code: POWERHAB PLUS receive free shipping on orders over $25!

Hope you have some great ideas and products from this to help you and your loved ones navigate great hearing. 

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: I am a Rayovac Power Blogger.  This post is sponsored by Rayovac.  Opinions are all my own. 

Shaklee180 Final Vlog This Is Not Good-Bye

You know I LOVE writing about Family, Fitness, Fashion, Travel and Fun.   Shaklee180 has been a wonderful fit for my blog and lift.  And my Shaklee180 Blogger Journey has been a complete blessing and delight.  I am so thrilled to have finished this Six Month Program.  

However, this is not good-bye.  I am thrilled to say this is a lifestyle that I am so happy to have incorporated.  The program works so well and is pretty simple to add to your life.





Thank you for joining my journey and following along on my fitness and wellness journey.


Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure:  I am a Shaklee180 Blogger.  This post is sponsored by Shaklee.  Opinions are all my own.