...and because of Winn-Dixie...

I'm loving the new Winn-Dixie that opened in suburban Lake Worth, Florida on Hypoluxo Road.  The store has a gourmet deli section with hot and cold cuisines along with an in-house chef.  This new Winn-Dixie is also a winner with its cheese and olives section that is staffed with a cheese and olives expert. 

Today, I attended the Taste of Winn-Dixie that featured a cooking demonstration by Chef Alexis; and wine tastings, desserts and jazz music.  I tasted the Beef Mongolian and ate a freshly prepared Shepard's Pie.

The Preppy American at Taste of Winn-Dixie in Suburban Lake Worth, Florida

 

Freshly prepared Shepherd's Pie at Winn-Dixie in Suburban Lake Worth, Florida

I have fond memories of Winn-Dixie from my childhood back when it was known as "The Beef People's" store because they have the best selection of meats.  The grocery chain has southern roots and was started in 1925 by the Davis family.  In 1960, the founders son, Mr. J.E. Davis, read Booker T. Washington's "Up from Slavery" and was inspired to make a profound commitment to support Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) that includes Tuskegee Institute, Bethune-Cookman College, Florida Memorial College and Rust College.

The Winn-Dixie name gained new fame with the popular children's book and movie "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo.

Here are more photos from my Winn-Dixie field trip today:

Shepherd's Pie at Winn-Dixie is going...

and going....

...and still going...

and gone!

Cooking demos were conducted at the new Winn-Dixie in Suburban Lake Worth, Florida for their tastings event

Beef Mongolian at the Taste of Winn-Dixie

Selection of wines at Taste of Winn-Dixie

The gourmet cheese section at Winn-Dixie in Suburban Lake Worth, Florida

Goya drink tastings at the Taste of Winn-Dixie in Suburban Lake Worth, FL

Winni-Dixie makes cookies in-house

 

Kentucky, A State of Friendliness ( Part 1)

A history research trip led The Preppy American to Shaker Village in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.  The Shaker Village thrived for more than 100 years. It was established in 1805 on 3,000 acres which the Shaker's named Pleasant Hill.  It's now a National Historic Site. 

Have you heard of Murray, Kentucky? I've never been there but it recently won the Rand McNally USA Today "Most Friendliest" town designation. I'm not surprised by the recognition because I had previously traveled to the State of Kentucky (Lexington & Harrodsburg area) where I experienced a heaping dose of friendliness. Prior to my arrival to Kentucky for a history research project I really did not know much about the other side of Kentucky therefore I had absolutely no expectation of anything except my anticipation was that I would be greeted by a Confederate Flag at the Bluegrass airport. However, there wasn't a flag. Instead, strangers greeted me with smiles and friendliness. Kentucky bowled me over with their friendliness.  I had to re-orient my thinking. 

People in Kentucky (at least the areas that I visited) were so welcoming that I thought that I had entered into the Twilight Zone and at any moment Rod Sterling was going to appear in Black & White TV holding his signature cigarette. People in Kentucky are SUPER-friendly. It was a huge cultural shock and it blindsided me. Kentucky's friendliness did not feel manufactured but it's just the way many Kentuckians are naturally wired. Their affability touched me emotionally and it reminded me about the value of just being friendly! Kentucky's friendliness left an impression upon me that will last my lifetime. Prior to my work trip to Kentucky I had never experienced a geographic location within the USA with quite that level on kindliness. Ever since my visit I've been proselytizing about Kentucky's friendliness.

As an ode to Kentucky-friendliness, take a look at my photo album on Facebook from my history research trip to Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

And, check out Murray, Kentucky's Facebook page here.

The Preppy American at the Shaker Village in Harrodsburg, Kentucky

Click here for more photos of The Preppy American journey Kentucky.
Go here to learn more about the Shaker history.
Visit here for more information about traveling to Lexington, Kentucky

Book-signing Party for Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style hosted at Brooks Brothers in Palm Beach, FL

Welcome to the premiere of The Preppy American™  Blog.  Please join me on this Preppy-journey about preppy lifestyle, preppy people, preppy history, preppy design and just about anything Preppy!

My first Preppy Blog is being Christened with this post about the new book, entitled, of course, Preppy!

On the evening of Thursday, December 15th, I attended the book-signing for the publication Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style.    Brooks Brothers in Palm Beach, Florida served as host for the gathering of preppies to meet the book's co-author, fashion designer Jeffrey Banks.   Preppy was written by both Banks and Doria de la Chapelle. Banks autographed my copy of the Rizzoli published coffee table book.




Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style by Jeffrey Banks and Doria de la Chapelle

The book's foreword is by Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau who was absent at the book party but it was fun meeting Colleen Orrico of the C.Orrico boutique chain of stores that specialize in Lilly Pulitzer clothes and other preppy styles too.  I thanked Colleen immensley for the gift bags and Lilly fashion apparel that was modeled at the Preppy American Birthday Brunch hosted for Lilly's 80th birthday at the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion in Boynton Beach, FL.  Mrs. Mary Lane served as Chairperson for the sold-out fete back in November.



Here I am with Colleen Orrico of the Lilly Pulitzer/C. Orrico Stores (left) at the Preppy book-signing
at Brooks Brothers in Palm Beach, Florida

According to what's printed in the pictorial, Preppy is a 21st century look at the roots, growth and offshoots of the quintessentially classic and quirkily-collegiate way of dressing...from its pragmatic WASP origins and its presence on East Coast (Ivy League) campuses to its ultimate evolution as a global ambassador of clean-cut American style. The new generation of preppy-designers mentioned in the book include Kiel James Patrick, and the Band of Outsiders.

Preppy's co-author Jeffrey Banks is a native of Washington, D.C.  Eventually making his way to New York City to pursue a fashion design career, he studied at Pratt Institute and graduated from Parsons School of Design. One of his first jobs in New York City was as the part-time assistant to Mr. Ralph Lauren.  So the story goes, as a teenager, when Banks was working as a salesman at the menswear store Britches in Georgetown, Mr. Lauren was to visit D.C., therefore Banks was given the duty of providing transportation to Ralph Lauren when he arrived at the airport.  Impressed with Bank's style, Lauren invited him to apply for a job once Banks made it to New York for school. In 1977 and 1982, Jeffrey Banks won the coveted Coty American Fashion Critics Award.  He co-authored his first book for Rizzoli in 2007, Tartan: Romancing the Plaid.   The Business ventures of Banks included Jeffrey Banks Ltd. and Jeffrey Banks International which became exceedingly successful multimillion-dollar fashion empires.

 



I'm wearing head-to-toe Lilly Pulitzer pink-and-green standing with fashion designer and Preppy book co-author Jeffrey Banks at Brooks Brothers in Palm Beach, Florida