Splendid, Spiffy Living...

Our class visited Southern Progress in Birmingham -- the company that owns Southern Living, Coastal Living and Light Cooking magazines -- today.

We met with our professor's wife, Jeanetta Keller, who is the executive editor of the company. Here they are:


The building (or should I say buildings -- there are three) is amazing! The buildings are nestled in a forest, surrounded by waterfalls and lakes. They have dozens of patios, 20,000 tons of Alabama stone, windows everywhere and 22 test kitchens where they make meals for the magazine.

The buildings are filled with cool art, all from Southern artists...


Here's the outside of one of the buildings. They really were magnificent.

We also met editors of all the magazines, who were very welcoming. Seriously, working at a magazine would be a dream!

Also, I picked up a cool recipe for pomegranate key lime vodka cocktails. They are delicious!


Check it out:

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup club soda
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/2 cup vodka
tablespoons fresh Key lime juice (about 3 limes)
Crushed ice
Key lime slices (optional)

Preparation

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool.

Combine sugar syrup, club soda, pomegranate juice, vodka, and lime juice. Place crushed ice in a martini shaker; add about 3/4 cup pomegranate mixture. Cover and shake. Strain into a glass. Garnish with lime slice, if desired. Repeat procedure with remaining pomegranate mixture.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)