The James Beard Foundation recently announced the Semifinalists for the annual James Beard Awards, the Oscars of the food world. And not one, but three Charleston chefs got the nod.

Pictured from left: Chef Aaron Deal of Tristan (nominated for Rising Star Chef of the Year), Chef Sean Brock of McCrady's (Rising Star Chef of the Year and Best Chef: Southeast), and Chef Mike Lata of FIG (Best Chef: Southeast)

Now, Momma taught me it's rude to say, "I told you so." No one likes a know-it-all. But in the February issue of Southern Living,

Yesterday I read something very, very Southern in the New York Times. For months now the newspaper fairy has been delivering to my doorstep a free copy of the Sunday Times. I used to "borrow" the local public library's copy early sabbath AM --- returning it before the den of books opened on Monday --- until, lucky for me, the daily gods saw fit to save me the two-mile drive. Now, it's waiting thickly folded and wrapped in thin blue plastic when the sun comes up, minus that obscene $5 price tag Starbucks requires. But, back to the gorgeously written piece...it was about a frozen deer carcass in southeast Tennessee.

“He is not my friend.” That’s what my 3-year-old daughter, Campbell, said when she first laid her eyes on a clown at Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey circus. We went an hour before the show to the All Access Pre-Show. All ticket-holders can go early to take pictures with the clowns, get performers’ autographs, meet the performers, and even see an elephant paint. I found it a good way to introduce my first-timer to the circus.

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Hey, just a quick post from the Romance-Isn’t-Dead department. As we barrel into Valentine’s weekend, I was reminded recently how simple displays of love can mean so much.

A friend told me about when, this past Saturday night, she and her husband were driving home from a dinner out. “He kept driving around in circles, and I’d ask him what he was doing. He’d say ‘I’m not going to tell you.’ He was playing ‘Moonlight Serenade’ by Frank Sinatra on the stereo over and over.’

For me, it was love at first sight.

Growing up, we never went on snow-filled vacations, but opted for with sandy beaches instead. I never got "snow days" from school, but instead watched Dallas shut down due to ice. Snow was something I had only seen on the big screen. So when I saw all that snow in Taos, New Mexico last year, well, I was smitten.

From watching skiers at the Bavarian Lodge and Restaurant to driving to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire, a visit to Taos is all about relaxation and exploration. Taos Ski Valley right now has 84 inches of snow and primo conditions for skiing. Or, if you're like me, making snowballs and simply gazing at the beautiful white stuff.

Check it http://www.skitaos.org for more information.

Downtown Roswell, Georgia, a suburb about 14 miles north of Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, feels much like a little English village. Clockmakers, painters, tidy and cute cottages, the whole bowl of cheerios. Now, as restaurant men with an affinity for country pubs opened Salt Factory, Roswell really feels like Sussex.

As news of the ice storm and its drastic effects on Kentucky and parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee, spread in our offices, the common question was "How can we help?" Over the next days and weeks as a staff and magazine, we'll do everything we can to keep readers and travelers updated on progress in those areas touched by the storms.

In this effort, we ask for your help as well.

As news comes to you, please let us know by posting comments at the bottom of this blog post. What restaurants and grocery stores are open? What community projects are starting up? Where can families find aid and relief? Any pertinent information that people in these areas would benefit by knowing, post it. Also, if you read of any info relevant to your family and friends in these towns, consider calling them and letting them know. With such a storm, internet service is likely down. Sources tells us cell phones are your best bet.

Last week's ice storm left considerable destruction in several states, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois. Some communities may not have electricity or municipally supplied water for weeks. Stay tuned to this site for information concerning how you can help residents rebuild infrastructure and get their lives back on track.

If you're planning a trip to the area or just want to know how family and friends who live in these states are faring, see www.wpsdtv.com for information on utility outages in Kentucky. The list includes county-by-county information concerning electrical outages, what businesses are open, road conditions, locations of warming centers, and water boil orders. The site also includes information on Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee counties affected by the storm.

(Photo: Wendy Davis, Cunnigham, KY)