On that day, I especially heard the voice of my grandmother Dorothea.ĭorothea was smart, ambitious, and brave. (Men in that room told me they’d never heard anyone say them before, either!) But in my voice that day, I heard all the women I knew growing up in the South-women for whom being a southern lady was a source of confidence and strength in times of trial and a source of joy in good times.

I’d never said those words out loud before. Where did that voice come from? I wondered. I sat up straight, lifted my chin, and said, Well, I’m a lady, and I’m going to handle it like a lady. One of them said: How do you want to handle this? One particularly rough day, I found myself looking out at a room full of men who were asking me about a decision that needed to be made. I didn’t know where I was going to find the strength to pick a path. I’d enjoyed a great deal of success in movies, but personally, I was at a crossroads. In my late twenties, I found myself facing some hard choices. Thanks to you, I’m a good friend and a good cook, and I never wear sweatpants on airplanes. I hope they always think of me when they hear a Dolly Parton song.Īnd for my grandmother Dorothea and grandfather Jimmy. After all, there’s a southern side to every place in the world, right? Read moreĬover: Whiskey in a Teacup, by Reese WitherspoonĬLICK HERE TO SIGN UP Whiskey in a Teacup, by Reese Witherspoon, Atriaįor my children, Ava, Deacon, and Tennessee. It’s easy to bring a little bit of Reese’s world into your home, no matter where you live. Reese loves sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as her favorite southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks. It’s reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids-not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in these pages, you will learn Reese’s fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique).

She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. Reese’s southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of southern living with practically everyone she meets. Reese Witherspoon’s grandmother Dorothea always said that a combination of beauty and strength made southern women “whiskey in a teacup.” We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery. Academy Award–winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon invites you into her world, where she infuses the southern style, parties, and traditions she loves with contemporary flair and charm.

Whiskey in the teacup