I had heard Birmingham, Alabama, had a strong, up-and-coming makers scene. And knowing the Time Inc. studios are also there—that just solidified it; we couldn’t wrap up our Southern road trip without hitting up Birmingham. After a quick stop at Time Inc. for a tour and Facebook Live chat with Coastal Living, Ellen and I…

We live in a great time, when hometowns, not just the big coastal cities, are truly starting to shine. The people who live in these great cities are creating their own identity and unique community. Atlanta, the second to last stop on our ice cream and apron adventure, is proof. Grant Park Farmers Market The…

Nashville is like my second home. With four scoop shops, I am here a lot. The theme of this leg of the trip: Nashville hospitality. A pure, authentic, open-armed welcome is what we got at every stop along the way. Husk We started with a surprise ice cream social for the staff at Husk—paying forward…

Yesterday, Ellen and I were like two giddy kids before an adventure. We spruced up the RV, grabbing random pillows and rugs (and even a tea kettle!) from around my house, and we pointed the steering wheel south toward Louisville—a city with its own culture and identity. 610 Magnolia + Ed Lee Stop 1: Surprising…

We’re off and running! Ellen the amazing apron lady and I are trekking through 5 cities in 9 days to spread goodwill, meet current and future makers, and inspire creativity. We kicked off the fun on my home turf. For two days I checked out of my regular life and saw Columbus from the eyes of…

On Monday, I’m heading out on an epic road trip with Ellen Bennett, the brilliant spitfire behind LA-based apron company Hedley & Bennett. I met Ellen three or four years ago when I showed up at her first apron factory and basically decided that we should be friends for life. And since then we’ve been…