We Love Billy - Make No Bones About It

We love Billy. Ever since the first time we visited Muscle Shoals with our friends from the Southern Foodways Alliance, we have sported the fine handiwork of Billy Reid. Billy and his lovely wife Jeanne are to fashion what Frank and Pardis Stitt are to Southern cuisine.

We love giving the gift of Billy Reid -- and receiving Billy Reid gifts (hint hint) -- Chef Sean Brock gifted a cool t-shirt to Jeff last year, I gave Kempten an amazing purple silk top in honor of her bridesmaid dresses a while back, Jeff's Mom gave him a brand spanking new cord jacket and shirts last fall, Jeff gave me an amazing leather jacket and a few shirts and a skirt, Green Olive gave Alvin a new pair of shoes so he could go on to find his way properly in this world -- and recently Meggan received a gift certificate for her birthday. Now Billy Reid has introduced shoes for women -- save me now. The new website launched this week as well -- check it out.

Here is a fun piece posted in GQ Magazine this month -- 10 Essentials By Billy Reid:

1. AARON CORD JEAN, $195, SIMILAR STYLES AVAILABLE AT BILLYREID.COM

2. SOUTHERN FOODWAYS ALLIANCE T-SHIRT, $44, AVAILABLE AT BILLYREID.COM

3. PAUL SMITH SPECTACLES, $300, AVAILABLE AT PAULSMITH.OLIVERPEOPLES.COM

4. KENTWOOD ROPER BOOT, $450, AVAILABLE AT BILLYREID.COM

5. PENTEL QE517, $8.49 FOR TWO, AVAILABLE AT STAPLES.COM

6. PAPPY VAN WINKLE FAMILY RESERVE BOURBON, $100, OLDRIPVANWINKLE.COM

7. A CAR, JEEP, TRUCK YOU CAN CALL YOUR OWN

8. A VINTAGE OLD HARMONY GUITAR

9. AN LSU SWEATSHIRT (OKAY SO HE HAS A FAULT)

10. A VINTAGE CASE POCKETKNIFE

Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Bar - Big Apple BBQ Fest

We were happy that The Crooners made a repeat appearance this year at the Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Bar outside Eleven Madison Park...see the photos - how often do you see a high-energy string band playing in front of a Relais & Chateaux plaque?

Big Apple BBQ Fest

Several of us took in the Big Apple BBQ Fest this weekend, and it was better than ever, much hotter than ever, and seemingly not quite as crowded as before. Highlights included:
Ed Mitchell's whole hog sandwiches
The Salt Lick's sausage
Hill Country's beef ribs
The Blue Smoke hospitality tent, hospitably manned by Kenny Callaghan
Joe York's film about mutton
The exhaust fan that we discovered on 25th Street blowing ice-cold air onto the sidewalk all weekend
Pappy Van Winkle's Bourbon Bar