Be sure to bring your kids to the flower show on Saturday, Jan. 31.  If you’ve been reading, you already know that storyteller Joyce Revoir will be here at 12 noon, and author Grady Thrasher will spin more tales for the little ones at 5:30 P.M.

Saturday is also the day you can meet the Imaginators. They’re a group of entertainers from the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, and they’ll perform a 20-minute “mini-musical” for students and kids at 2:30 P.M.  The musical, “Georgia Grown,” is all about the plants that provide healthy food for us to eat, and the trees that give us fresh, clean air to breathe.

Hey–you can come even if you’re not a kid!

See you there.

Lynn

author, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds and your “Master Blogger” for the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show

Twilight - time for a discounted ticket, Wed. through Fri., at the flower show.

No, no, no….don’t let this title mislead you. We’re not talking those best-selling vampire books right now.

But we do want you to think about that special time of day known as twilight. Here in Atlanta, it’s good for one thing: getting stuck in traffic.

So why not plan a twilight trip to the flower show on your way home instead?  Join us Wed. through Friday nights (that’s Jan. 28 through Jan. 30) for a special $10 discounted Twilight Ticket. You’ll still find all the wonderful attractions that you’d see during the day, PLUS you’ll enjoy nightly entertainment, speakers, demonstrations, and a cash bar.

So skip the traffic for once, and come relax in our gardens instead.  We promise:  you won’t need to bring any garlic!

Cheers,
Lynn
Your “Master Blogger” for the SE Flower Show

Emily G's jams - try them for a taste of love!

Tired of the same old strawberry jam on your muffins?  The jam-makers at Emily G’s have a treat in store for you:  how about some rhubarb marmalade or chocolate cherry jam?

Emily G’s is a Dunwoody, GA-based company run by two outstanding caterers:  Emily Myers and Gina Bodell (also known as “G”).  They’ll be at the flower show on Sunday, Feb. 1, to tell you all about their delicious “Jams of Love” just in time for Valentine’s Day.

They’ll also be sharing recipes for their unique creations.  For example, try this dish, made with their rhubarb marmalade jam.  You can find this recipe and more by visiting their website, Emily G’s.

Sweet and Spicy Noodle Bowl – recipe by Emily G’s
Makes 2 bowls

1 T. butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
½ onion minced
2 garlic cloves minced
½ c. white wine
1 ½ t. ginger
¾ t. red curry paste
1 ¼ c. reduced fat coconut milk
½ c. chicken stock
½ c. Rhubarb Marmalade Jam
¾lb. pork tenderloin, sliced into thin pieces
¼ c. chopped cilantro
1/3 lb. spaghetti

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to directions. Add onion and garlic to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until softened. Add wine, ginger, and curry paste and reduce for 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, stock, and jam. Simmer for 5 minutes whisking to combine. Add pork, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes. Add cilantro, season with salt and pepper.

Using two soup bowls, place ½ the cooked spaghetti on the bottom of each bowl. Fill each bowl with pork and broth. Serve immediately.

Yum!

I’ll see you at the show!

Lynn

your “Master Blogger” for the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show

www.LynnCoulter.com

Quick: see if you know your hot stuff.  Which of these images represents authentic salsa?

The answer, of course, is that all 3 pictures represent salsa.  Salsa is a spicy mix of tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers from Mexcio that makes a delicious addtion to the table.  But it’s also an informal dance style with its roots in the Caribbean. And it even descirbes a kind of Latin music that incorporates jazz, Cuban  big band sounds, and Afro-Carribean rhythms.

At the flower show, salsa means all these things and more. It means a great line-up of entertainment, foods, and floral displays that we’ll have for you on Sat., Jan. 31.

Be sure to catch Chef Alex Palacios, owner of Salsa Havana, when he takes the Home Depot stage that afternoon at 5 P.M. to talk about cooking salsa-style.  At 4:15 P.M., try your fancy footwork to the Latin/jazz  melodies of Cliff and Sei deMarks.

Don’t worry if the weather is cold on Saturday. We’ll be nice and warm in the flower show as we ignite our gardening passions with a little salsa on the side!

cheers,

Lynn

everyone gets lost now and then

My family likes to say that I could get lost inside a paper bag.  That’s their (sort of) nice way of telling me that I’m directionally challenged, and it’s true.  I always need a map to my destination, even when I’ve been there before.

Just in case there are a few more paper bag wanderers out there, I wanted to post the show’s location.  You shouldn’t miss the gorgeous gardens, fabulous floral displays, and exciting speakers just because you don’t take the right turn.

And this is the show’s first year in its new venue, the Cobb Galleria, which is located off I-75 and I-285.  Since the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre has opened in this area, the Galleria is becoming a cultural focus point for NW Atlanta.

Look for the 2009 SE flower show in the Cobb Galler

If you need more information, or want to know about buying tickets ahead of time (and hurry: the last day for a $4 adult discount is Tuesday, Jan. 27), just click here: Southeastern Flower Show At A Glance.

I’ll see you there (because my family bought me a GPS this year.  Thanks, dear ones. )

cheers,

Lynn

“Master Blogger’ for the 22nd SE Flower Show

Lynn Coulter, author of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds

Cakes & Ale, in Decatur, is owned by Chef Billy Allin. Come meet him at the show!

“The Good Things in Life” —that’s what Cakes & Ale means to chef/owner Billy Allin.  And yum, yum, yum…. the food at Cakes & Ale is good indeed.

This wonderful Decatur restaurant whips up its meals from scratch everyday, using the best and freshest vegetables in season from local stores.  Their freshly-milled grains are artisan-produced; the meats and non-endangered fish species are humanely raised.  In short, dining at Cakes & Ale means better taste and more nourishment for you and your family.

What’s cooking right now, in the winter of 2009?  Chef Billy shops at this time of year for lettuces, trout, and radishes.

Today’s menu—just to give you an example, as the delicious offerings change frequently–includes entrees like these:

• trout stuffed with bay, lemon, garlic and croutons;
• roasted pork loin with rye bread stuffing, creamed Brussels sprouts, and apples;
• spicy Italian sausage and slow-cooked cabbage on polenta;
• and more.  Are you hungry yet?

I am!  Join me to hear Chef Billy talk about “Cooking from the Garden” on Sun., Feb. 1, at 12 noon on the Home Depot Stage.   Bring your appetite!

cheers,

Lynn

P.S.–don’t forget to look for me at the show.  I’ll be blogging live each day inside the Galleria.  On Wed., Jan. 28, I’ll be there around 5 P.M.

Lynn Coulter, "Master Blogger" for the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show

Chef John Wilson, I am soooo ready to meet you!  You’ll want to meet John, too–and you can, on Sat., Jan. 31, at the Southeastern Flower Show.

John, you see, is an extraordinary chef and the owner of Culinary Vacations, a company that specializes in fabulous, food-filled getaways.  When you book a trip with John, you experience the best cooking a region has to offer, whether it’s in the U.S. or Europe.   Each of his delightfully planned outings includes cooking classes and lodging at a wonderful inn or hotel.  His classes are followed by a complete meal served with wine, and he presents you with printed recipes to take home, so you can recreate each delicious dish from the comfort of your own kitchen.

On Saturday, look for Chef John at 12 P.M. on the Home Depot Stage.  He’ll tell you about “Cooking from the Garden.”

I’ll be honest:  I’m sure the chef can teach me a lot about cooking.  But I’d rather just get out of the kitchen and take one of his relaxing vacation packages.  Rescue me, John, from slaving over my hot stove!

cheers,

Lynn

Okay, you don’t really need music to watch flowers.  Orchids, tulips, roses, and cherry blossoms are entertainment enough by themselves.

But why settle for just a visual feast when you can have it all at the flower show?  We want your ears to be as excited as your eyes.

We’ve already told you about our stellar musical line-up for opening day, and now we want to let you know about the artists for Thursday, Jan. 29.

Starting at 10:15 A.M., you’ll stroll through the gardens and exhibits as Charlotte Dewberry plays piano, followed by Ezekiel Kennedy.  At 12:15, the Inman Middle School Jazz Band will knock your socks off with their lively performance.  By that afternoon, you’ll be listening to Linda Fraser on the piano and singer Cliff deMarks on jazz keyboard.

George Skaroulis closes out the day on the piano from 6:15 to 8 P.M.   (You can hear a preview of performances by George Skaroulis and Cliff deMarks by clicking on the red text, above.)

Don’t miss these wonderful artists!

Cheers,

Lynn

George Skaroulis, pianist

Have you bought your tickets yet for the flower show? Hurry–there’s still time to get a discount if you purchase by Tues., Jan. 27. Just visit the flower show home page (you’ll find a link on the blog), or drop by a conveniently located ticket outlet. You can find tickets at:

• Andy’s Nursery
  • Ashe-Simpson Garden Center
  • Bates Ace Hardware
  • Boxwoods Garden & Gifts
  • Eagle Eye Bookstore
  • Foxgloves & Ivy
  • Habersham Gardens
  • Hastings Garden Center
  • Jocks and Jills, in the Cobb Galleria
  • Stoney River
  • Or the Lush Life Garden Center

Advance purchase tickets are just $12/adult. After Jan. 27, adult prices are $16. Seniors age 65 and over get in for $12 at the door only.

Plan to visit the show after work? Save by coming between 4 and 8 P.M. on Wed. through Friday only, for a $10 Twilight ticket.

Kids save even more. Grades 1 – 8 get in for $6 per child, while grades 9 though graduate school are just $8 with ID. Kindergarteners and younger are free!

And don’t forget–if you’re a PTA member, you can get $2 off your ticket–and children 8th grade and under get in free–all day on Sunday, Feb. 1.

Get those tickets soon, and I’ll see you at the show!
Lynn

Gardening appeals to so many different senses, doesn’t it?  There’s the visual beauty, of course, and the fragrance of a citrus tree in bloom or vanilla-scented heliotrope.   Fuzzy plants like Lamb’s Ear invite touch, and there are countless fruits and vegetables to savor.

But at this year’s flower show, we want to give your ears a special treat, too.  We’re proud to present acclaimed pianist Takana Miyamoto on opening day, Jan. 28. Takana will perform as you stroll the show from 10 A.M. to 2:15 P.M.

Pianist Takana Miyamoto opens the show.

From 2:15 to 4 P.M., listen for the “jazz soirees” of Mary Jo Strickland, and from 4:15 to 5 P.M., the music of Michael Fauss.

Starting at 5:45, the Atlanta Opera takes center stage with “Passionate for Puccini.”

Passionate for the opera? We're passionate about gardening, too!

Remember, this year’s show is all about passion:  for exquisite flowers and floral arrangements, delicious foods, exciting speakers, popular authors, and, to top it all off, great music.

I hope to see you there!

cheers,

Lynn

author, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds

P.S.—I’ll be blogging LIVE from the show every day.  Join me on Wed., Jan. 28 at 5 P.M.