Saturday States: Tennessee

Tennessee

State Nickname: The Volunteer State

Years of Family Trip: 1995 and 2004

Cities Visited: Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Gatlinburg

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Opryland (Hotel) in Nashville, Graceland and The Civil Rights Museum in Memphis

Walls of Wonder 

Graceland is just one of those places.  Even if you don't particularly like Elvis, you just have to check it out.  It's legendary.  One of a kind.  Little did I know how completely true those statements would ring after I laid eyes on the place myself.  The exterior isn't anything out of this world.  It's fairly simple as far as mansions go.  There is an elaborate gate providing an entrance to the place, but the house itself is pretty standard.  At least on the outside.  Inside is a different story.  The carpet is the shaggy variety and finds its way pretty much everywhere - including the walls!  Yes, the walls are carpeted.  I can't really imagine how that conversation went, but I'm sure there were a slew of questions involved!

YOU can't sit here!!

My family has been to our fair share of museums, but without a doubt the most powerful one I have ever stepped foot it is the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.  Not only are you able to roam the grounds of the Lorraine Motel and see a replica room where Dr. King was assassinated, but the actual museum is outstanding.  We experienced several interactive elements including a bus and a lunch counter where passengers and waiters/customers yell angry words to give you the feeling that so many felt in those tragic times.  It was unreal to walk in those shoes for that brief time.  Over a decade later, I still clearly remember my raw emotions as I made my way through the exhibit.  If you do nothing else in all of Tennessee, don't miss this museum!

Have you ever been to Tennessee?

Andrea :)

An Old Hollywood Wedding...in Albany!

After planning a wedding last year, I find that I enjoy checking out all the nuances and details of the weddings we attend so much more than I did before we got married.  It takes a lot of time and effort to put together a wedding with a well thought out theme and decor.

I loved the old Hollywood theme at Ryan and Zamira's reception this past weekend.  Every detail was perfect.  Not only did the theme match their personality, but it was also so fun!

My favorite element was their guest book.  They had each person sign a champagne glass on the painting that will eventually adorn a wall of their home.  So neat!

And, of course, the photo booth is always fun.  They modernized it by including selfie sticks and props.  We managed to get a great shot with the fun backdrop!

Chris and I had a wonderful time celebrating the lovely couple.  The night was full of delicious food and fun times with friends.  A great way to end the busy month of August!

Andrea :)

#collaboreads: Set in Summertime

I found my book for this month's category via random google search, and I couldn't have been happier to have stumbled upon it!  I didn't have anything on my to-read list set in summertime so after a quick search I found a few options.  Cancel the Wedding is the debut novel for Carolyn T. Dingman.  The story follows Olivia's journey to discover her mother's past via a strange scattering of ashes request upon her premature death from cancer.  A summer road trip to the quaint Southern town where her mother was born and raised yet never visited as an adult allows Olivia to learn more than she ever dreamed.

RIVETING.

What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?

I absolutely did not want to put this book down.  The mix of mystery and romance woven throughout really had a tight grip on me.  The most intriguing part of the book dealt with the mystery surrounding why Olivia's mother, Jane, wanted her ashes scattered in two quite specific areas of Huntley.  On the surface, the novel appears to revolve around Olivia and her cold feet issues, but truly SO much more is going on here.  I was fully invested in uncovering the mystery of her mother's young life.  As the daughter of a lifelong genealogist, this story was right up my alley.

ELEMENTS.

How did you relate to/care for the characters?
What's your thought on the plot line and twists and turns?

As I mentioned, every aspect of the book that revolved around the life of Jane was fascinating to me.  The book begins with a prelude snapshot of a few hours of young Jane's life so the reader begins the novel at a bit of an advantage since Olivia knows absolutely nothing about her mother's past.  I really liked this element of the book because it allowed the reader to anticipate and make educated guesses about the way the story might go.  I did make a couple of correct guesses, but there were also several twists and turns that really kept me intrigued.  I deeply cared about the story line surrounding Jane and really liked the fact that two characters - Florence and Buddy - provided information, but also respected her privacy (even in death) to only answer direct questions.  This particular twist was both frustrating (as the reader just wanting to know everything right away) and brilliant (as the author allowing an opportunity to provide snapshots, but not give everything away all at once). 

ASSOCIATE.
What other books are like this one?
If none, did it remind you of a particular TV or movie with it's themes and characters?
Does it serendipitous-ly line-up with things going on in your life or the news right now? 

This novel was a story within a story where both stories were equally interesting and life changing for the main character.  On Goodreads, the book is compared to "Emily Giffin’s Southern charm and Jennifer Weiner’s compelling, emotionally resonant novels about the frustrations of blood ties".  I've never read Griffin, but I can see why she is compared to Weiner.  

As far as lining up serendipitous-ly with other things going on in my life, we do have seven wedding to attend this year so I guess you could say this is our year for all things wedding.  Thankfully, after this weekend, we only have two left in October!  And I thought the year we got married (last year!) would be our busiest! Ha! 

DESIGN.
You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? 
How did it relate to the contents of the novel? And the font and layout of the pages? 

I liked the design of the book.  It is simple, but really invokes the idea of journey.  The book begins with a summer road trip to Huntley, Georgia, so the cover is certainly fitting.  I like that the hood of the car is down and the sun is shining!  The other unique aspect of the novel was the opening prelude with a snippet of Jane's early life that I referenced earlier - great feature! 

STARS.  
How many out of five do you give this book?
Would you recommend this book to a friend? 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.  I would recommend it to anyone.  Well written story with an array of intriguing characters on a mission to discover the truth!  Can't beat that!

Andrea :)