Join us for Literary Friday! Today, we've got a recap of last week's Twitter chat, news from New Orleans literary landmark Hotel Monteleone and a lunch fit for Tennessee Williams, National Poetry Month coming up and literary events for April.
"The Hunger Games" movie opened over the weekend, earning $153 million at the box office and setting an opening record for Lions Gate. Movie goers, and especially those who read Suzanne Collins' 2008 novel, thought they were watching the fictional world of Panem, but what they were really seeing was scenery from the western part of North Carolina.
Merriam-Webster defines bromance as “a close, nonsexual friendship between men.” Hunter Murphy has compiled a list of the best male relationships in Southern literature, some with tragic ends and others exhibiting downright heroic bromantic behavior. Join us on Twitter from 1-2 CST today for Literary Friday, where we'll be discussing these legendary literary relationships and more.
A native of New Orleans, Bryan Batt landed the role of Art Director Salvatore Romano on AMC’s "Mad Men" in 2007. He moved from New Orleans to New York right out of college to be an actor and starred on Broadway and off, more recently guest starring on "Law and Order" and "Ugly Betty." Batt made it through three seasons of "Mad Men" before his character was fired for rejecting the sexual advances of Lee Garner Jr., son of a Lucky Strike exec, a huge client for the agency. Now, Batt spends his days traveling between New York, New Orleans and Los Angeles. While in New Orleans, he can usually be found at his Magazine Street home décor shop, Hazelnut. Batt recently talked to us about "Mad Men," his favorite cocktail and why he loves living in the South.
Last night, Lafayette celebrated its Southern Living "Tastiest Town" win with a party at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Highlights included music by the Bayou Boys, cracklin cupcakes from Sophi P. Cakes (pictured below) and Lafayette Mayor Joey Durel making Southern Living Publisher Greg Schumann and Senior Editor Paula Disbrowe honorary Cajuns.
"Diary Of A Mad Fat Girl" winners, a Tennessee Williams Giveaway, announcing the first Literary Friday Twitter Chat, two literary movie trailers and more.
Gardenia sat in the hollowed out old cypress tree and rolled her tiny white paws together in her lap. Her hind foot patted the cool soil with anxiety as her crystalline blue eyes blinked out at the dawn's pink light. “Oh, if only today could be the day. It's not like I don't deserve it,” she whispered to the rising sun. “I'll bet my britches that today will be the day, alright. Today's a good day. Good things are bound to happen for me today.”
Selma, Alabama, lays claim to the largest historic district in the state with more than 1,200 historic structures. The town's tree-lined streets hold Antebellum and Victorian homes, century-old buildings that once housed King Cotton and Civil War munitions, along with Greek Revival mansion Sturdivant Hall. The best time to take in Selma's history and architecture is during the Historic Selma Pilgrimage, happening this weekend.
A pioneer of the Beat Generation and best known for his novel, "On the Road," Jack Kerouac would have been 90 years old today. He was born in Massachusetts but died in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1969. Most people don't know this, but Florida was also where Kerouac was living when "On the Road" was published.
What did y'all think of Kristen Wiig's impression of Paula Deen on Saturday Night Live this past weekend? She may have overdone it a bit on the Southern accent, but we loved her butter in one hand, turkey leg in the other, reference to diabetes as "the sugars" and "nutrition" as the bad, n-word.
