Liz Moore Mcdermott owns any room. Whether she’s in Atlanta, Tuscaloosa, New York City, Austin, Palm Beach or Nantucket. She holds court. She is joy personified.
Liz Moore Mcdermott is a talented interior designer and entertainer, and she frankly (my dear), doesn’t care if you like her or not. She’s going to have a good time no matter what. And isn’t that part of her incredible Southern charm?
The first time I attended a dinner party at her home with some of the who’s who of Atlanta she served lovely high-end dishes and appetizers and then tater tots… in a bowl. She said it was her signature. Later, she invited me to a Cher arena concert. When I arrived she had the society ladies of Atlanta wearing quintessential Cher costumes she brought along. She has an unending appetite for adventure and excitement, seemingly doesn’t age, knows what high-end drinks go with every occasion and is the epitome of Southern hospitality. I got to ask her a few questions about where that all comes from. Meet Liz Moore Mcdermott.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up military in Hawaii with southern parents (they were from Albany and Gainesville, Ga.) and moved to Atlanta when I was 12. I went to The Lovett School and then ran hurdles for The University of Georgia.
Where do you live now?
Since I live all over the place. Home is where my clothes are!
What do you do for a living?
I have an interior design firm with offices in NYC, Nantucket, Austin and Palm Beach. Our work spans the globe with an emphasis on a timeless approach to design. Effortless, classic and most importantly comfortable. Therefore, I am a firm believer in helping a client create not just a home but a lifestyle.
Do you have to use your Southern charm at work?
Oh lord yes, especially in New York. Getting anything done on a job site can be especially tedious. Pouring on an overly drippy drawl works wonders! On the flip side, in a high-level business meeting I will often do everything I can to tone down the Southern. Often (especially men) equate it with not being especially erudite.
When you were younger, what did you want to be?
In the old days, I wanted to be a sportscaster. I really missed my calling.
What makes you Two-Sided Southern?
In New York City, I can rock the all-black clothes thing like a champ. But then there is a side to me that loves to wear all white—beige and soft. As my friend Ramona Singer once famously dissed me on Real Housewives of New York: “At least I don’t dress like I’m from Atlanta and Nantucket.” I kinda took it as a complement.
Same goes for my design aesthetic. I will take a space and throw the most incredible modern pieces in it only to add a few antiques, a family piece, and something monogrammed, of course.
Something only Southerners do:
We ask, “Where did you go to high school?” It’s always a dead giveaway.
Do you monogram things?
Do I monogram things?! How about everything? Towels, trays, silver, coasters, bed linens, barware, tote bags, stationary, and my dog Mamie’s leash. Bowl. Bag. Bed. Our house name in Nantucket is Adjourned. That’s a whole other set of monograms. My cars. Who also all have a sticker of Queen Elizabeth on the back window!
Favorite high-brow restaurant:
La Grenouille in New York City
Favorite low-brow restaurant:
The Varsity in Atlanta
Favorite high-end, hoity toity dish:
I love Dover sole prepared table side with a bottle or two of Puligny Montrachet.
Favorite southern dish:
That’s not a fair question. I could go on for days. Tuna casserole with Ritz crackers on top made with cream of mushroom soup and served with tater tots. All served with iced tea. My next favorite is fried catfish with hush puppies and green beans that have cooked for hours.
Favorite high-end, hoity toity dessert/sweet:
Grand Marnier soufflé
Favorite low-brow dessert/sweet:
Mallomars microwaved with Breyers vanilla bean ice cream on top
Southern dish you always serve at dinner parties:
King ranch chicken. Tater tots. Cheese straws. Coconut cake. Billionaire’s bacon. It’s always something a little unexpected.
High-brown dish you always serve at dinner parties:
Halibut in green curry. Beef tenderloin with fresh rosemary. Did I mention, tater tots!
Do you believe in thank you notes as a rule?
Absolutely. It defines if you were raised properly or not. If it’s not a true note then flowers are always sent. It’s the very least you can do to show your gratitude if someone goes out of their way to be kind to you. When my boys—who are 31 and 29 now were five years old—they were expected to write notes. They still do! To this day. Did I mention monogrammed stationary in every color?
If you bring someone a casserole who is sick, just had a baby, family member died, what is your tried-and-true casserole:
Tuna noodle casserole. That’s for babies and sickness. King ranch chicken if there is a death. More people are going to judge your cooking at a wake.
Favorite sports teams:
The University of Alabama. Both my boys went there so I have eight years of tailgates and games. While in New York City, my BFF Missy Pool and I would find the ‘Bama bar on game day, which was the Ainsworth (downtown not uptown). From there, we’d don our Bama gear and join in the expat Alabama fun. Roll tide.
Favorite drink at a tailgate:
Bulleit Bourbon and diet ginger ale. A girl has to watch her calories! Then, whatever I can sneak into the stadium in the minis.
Favorite high-brow entertainment:
Of course, going to the theatre, opera or symphony in NYC. Although not lately with COVID-19.
Favorite low-brow entertainment:
Happy hour at a beach bar or watching SEC football
Most eccentric southern person you know:
For that, I would have to say Jimmy Adams. He’s now deceased but that man had style. He always had a crazy colored croc belt and shoes and wallet. He was impeccably dressed at all times. The man was such a dandy and I loved it! He had a biting wit and the funniest stories I have ever heard. Steer clear if it was ever directed at you. I would marvel at the comments always said with a straight face. Then the most delightful laugh. His collections of antiquities were unrivaled. We would go antiquing and would just have the most fun picking up the most random things. Napoleonic hats. Body armor. Silver birds. I still think about that albino taxidermied peacock he had. I wanted that!
What are some misconceptions you’ve encountered about people from the South?
The biggest one is because southerners tend to talk slower must mean they are dumb. But people don’t understand southern mean girl. Nice to your face and will cut you to pieces verbally in a second without you realizing what happened until later. A simple, “That’s so you.” “Only you could pull that off,” or “I’ve never seen anything quite like that” are my personal favorites. They get used frequently.
