A Long Weekend Archives - Page 11 of 12

Mother/Daughter Birthday Weekend in Georgia (Guest Post by Julie Pearson Rodgers, part 2)

01/06/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

(Today we conclude Julie’s description of the fun weekend she had with Allie in the Atlanta area. More great places are described with tempting details).

At breakfast the owners of our B & B Stanley House Inn asked what our plans were for the day. We mentioned that our only plans set in stone were for tea time at Dr. Bombay’s at 3 p.m., so they had lots of recommendations and helped us map out our day. Saturdays in the fall there is a market day/open house in downtown Marietta, so we started by heading back into the square for that. We ventured into Marietta Spice Mill and tasted some very unique spices, oils, and vinegars. I bought a Chocolate Infused Balsamic Vinegar at a very reasonable price. We didn’t spend a lot of time in Marietta, as Allie was excited to get to Atlanta and show me some of her favorite spots.

We took the owner’s recommendation of Mary Mac Tea Room in Atlanta for lunch. Oh my goodness. I wish I had been hungrier! I would most deﬁnitely recommend Mary Mac for any visit to Atlanta, but go when you are hungry for some amazing southern soul food. Mary Mac has been around for over 70 years, and the walls are covered with photos and signatures of famous politicians, musicians, actors, etc that have eaten there since. In 2011, Mary Mac was declared “Atlanta’s Dining Room” by the Georgia House of Representatives. It’s a pretty special place. We were able to be seated right away without reservations. Our server was kind, helpful, and prompt. Apparently there is always a basket of bread brought out in the beginning of your meal that features hot sourdough rolls, cornbread, and cinnamon rolls, but since it was our ﬁrst time visiting Mary Mac, our server also brought out a Mary Mac specialty of greens and cornbread. It was melt-in-your-mouth, delectable comfort food. By that time I was already full, but I had to try the food, so I ordered Chicken and Dumplins, with a side of fried green tomatoes and squash casserole. Seriously the best I’ve had of all three of those dishes. They have perfected southern comfort food.

After lunch, we headed over to the Little Five Points area near Candler Park to explore some of the places Allie likes to go when she is in Atlanta. We shopped at Rag-O-Rama, a hip little thrift store she likes to visit. I think it is like “the place to go” for young people right now, but the prices weren’t all that thrifty. We walked for awhile and just enjoyed the beautiful weather and unique homes and yards in the area, before we arrived at Dr. Bombay’s for our high tea reservations. Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Room is very cool and eccentric and uniquely decorated. It’s another “hot spot” for young people in the area. It’s funky and fun. But our service left a lot to be desired. I had made reservations online over a week ago, and had received email conﬁrmation so I know it was done, but the staff didn’t seem to have any record of it. The place is small but it was full of people, so there was hardly room to move. Allie and I stood against the wall and waited for over 20 minutes between the time we alerted the staff that we were there for our high tea reservations, and the time we were seated. Since our reservations had apparently been forgotten, we were seated at the end of a long table with another party, in a tight little corner by the bathrooms. Our server brought us our tea, then brought us our sandwiches and cookies, and we didn’t see her again until we were done an hour later. The tea was average. The food was delicious. The decor and dining were funky and fun. The service was pretty bad. I think if I went again, I would just go to grab a cup of tea and look around for a few minutes, with no expectation of good service. But, Allie and I had a good time and great conversation in spite of it.

By this time it was starting to be late afternoon, and I really wanted to get out of Atlanta before dark. Allie showed me a bridal shop just down from Dr. Bombay’s, then we headed over to Cafe Intermezzo before getting back to the Stanley House. Cafe Intermezzo was busy, so we had to just sit at the bar, but our server was good and the appetizer we shared of Naam and Lox was good, too. I think Cafe Intermezzo would be great if you could plan to go there for lunch and sit by the window, watching people buzz by in the heart of downtown Atlanta.

We spent another very comfortable night in the Stanley House and woke up to bacon, eggs, and biscuits for breakfast. I was very pleased with the accommodations and hospitality at the Stanley House. I dropped Allie off at her church and headed home. It was a relaxing weekend of quality time and enjoyment for both of us.

(To recap, Julie gave 2 thumbs up to Stanley House Inn, Taqueria Tsunami, Mary Mac Tea Room, and Espresso Theory. She had reviews “with suggestions/cautions” for Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Room and Cafe Intermezzo. She mentioned Crave Pie but didn’t actually get to try it. She has definitely put some places on my must-try list. )

THANK YOU, JULIE!

Mother/Daughter Birthday Weekend in Georgia (Guest Post from Julie Pearson Rodgers – Part 1)

01/04/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

(Today on conniewasthere.com we have a guest post from my daughter Julie about a wonderful weekend she recently spent with her oldest daughter Allie).

I recently had the occasion to spend a delightful November weekend with my daughter in the Atlanta area for her ﬁfteenth birthday. Allow me to share some of the highlights from our trip in case you ﬁnd yourself with a similar opportunity in the future. Allie lives in Duluth,GA, so I picked her up after school, and we spent a few hours in the quaint downtown area around Main Street on the bright, fall Friday afternoon. There is a large, meticulously manicured city green with a fountain and attractive sidewalks and park benches, leading to the newly constructed city hall that features a magniﬁcent clock tower and three ﬂoors. The city park has a constant calendar of events year round for young families. The city maintenance department does a fantastic job of keeping the grounds neat and attractive, especially with all the continuous activity. It doesn’t have the historic charm that you ﬁnd in older city squares, but there is a fresh, modernistic air of a city moving forward.

colorful fall leaves in Duluth, GA

A block over from the park is Main Street, which features a sort of “think tank” area for new business, unique decor, fashion and art shops, a few locally owned restaurants, a bakery, and a coffee shop. Allie and I enjoyed browsing through some of the shops, especially “Peace, Love, and Decorating”, and stopping for some cake and coffee at Espresso Theory. Several of the local business owners raved over a pie shop called Crave Pie, but we didn’t have room for pie after the chocolate cake. 🙂
Next we traveled to the town of Marietta, about a thirty minute drive away, for our bed and breakfast destination. We had a room reserved at the Stanley House Inn for the weekend. The Stanley House is a Queen Ann mansion built around 1895 and preserved by a lovely couple with a flair for genuine hospitality. We arrived at the Stanley House just a little before dark, and there was a note on the backdoor from the owner letting us know she had walked to the city square for dinner, but to let ourselves in and make ourselves comfortable. We walked in through the huge, creaky old doors and into a large, beautifully decorated dining space with large ﬁreplaces, shiny hardwoods, elegant ﬂowers, and soft music playing. Upstairs there were four large bedrooms. When we opened the door to ours, we found chocolates and cupcakes waiting on the bedside table to help us begin the birthday celebration.

Our room at the B and B

We decided to walk a few blocks over to the city square for dinner. A friend had recommended the Taqueria Tsunami, a sort of Mexican/Asian mix of fresh food. She told me it had been featured in food magazines and that when she lived there, she saw Alton Brown frequenting it as one of his acclaimed favorite diners. We were early enough (around 5:30 p.m.) to be seated right away, but I noticed by the time we left an hour later, there were lots of people waiting to get in. It’s not a very big place, so try to go early if possible. They don’t take reservations. The food really is so delicious! We began with the Avocado Cilantro Egg Rolls, which were a perfect blend of spicy and sweet. For my meal, I had the Thai Chicken Taco, and it was really yummy. Allie had the Chipotle Lime Chicken. She liked it, but I think mine was better. I really wanted to experience the Mexican/Asian mix. They really go well together! After dinner we walked a little downtown, but Marietta has more of the old charm than Duluth, so many of the shops were already closed for the evening. We looked in the windows and decided to come back in the morning to step inside. We went back to the Stanley House and had a deliciously uninterrupted night of sleep. 🙂 The rooms all have the sound machines by the beds, so we listened to waterfalls as we drifted off to sleep. The Stanley House owner called me while we were having dinner to make sure we arrived safely and to ask what time I would like to have breakfast, so we slept in and enjoyed our breakfast of Bananas Foster hotcakes and bacon at 9 a.m. The hotcakes were perfect, and the Bananas Foster sauce was so rich and sweet and creamy, that neither of us could completely ﬁnish our meal!

(Come back to the blog on Wednesday for Part 2 of this fun mother/daughter weekend review. I’m beginning to think it would work for a grandmother/granddaughter event, or a Girls Weeekend Getaway, don’t you?)

Photos by Julie Rodgers.

Eating Our Way Down Broad Street (Rome, GA)

12/09/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

Our fun Black Friday on Broad Street began and ended in the Honeymoon Bakery with this rationale: Fortification for the project ahead and then a reward for a job well-done. Spoken like a true grandmother/travel writer with grandchildren for company, right?

There were dozens of choices in this yummy place, but we opted to try mini-cupcakes, a canoli, and several varieties of cookies during our two visits. All received 2-thumbs-up ratings from our little group.

decorating cookies at Honeymoon Bakery

After several hours, we were practically “faint with hunger” (a true hyperbole right there), so we started looking for kid-friendly options that were NOT chains. If you prefer tried and true places (a.k.a. chain restaurants), then you’ll find Jefferson’s and Mellow Mushroom within a few steps of each. Other highly-recommended options were La Scala Mediterranean Bistro, Harvest Moon Cafe, Partridge Restaurant, Curlee’s Fish House, and Crawdaddy’s.

Considering our budget AND the preferences of a 9-year-old and a 7-year-old, we chose Schroeder’s New Deli and were not disappointed.

Schroeder’s is very family-friendly with good prices. It has concrete floors, TVs for watching sports, a lively atmosphere, and classic rock playing. For example, we all sang along (softly) with “Gimme, Gimme Some Lovin.” Our group sampled the roast beef wrap, the tuna melt, a pizza slice a la Shazam, a personal pan cheese pizza, and a veggie pita with a basket of okra to share. Smiles all around.

veggie pita

pizza slice a la Shazam

tuna melt

roast beef wrap

Stay tuned for another blog in a few weeks about a delightful Bed & Breakfast in Rome, plus some of the historical significance of this lovely city. It is SO MUCH MORE than just a place Sherman did NOT burn down on his way to Atlanta.

Historic Broad Street in Rome, GA – Through the Eyes of Grandchildren

12/07/2015 By: CCPearson1 Comment

If there’s anything better than exploring a new shopping area, it has to be exploring that area with a couple of grandkids and their pretty Momma. This year instead of hitting the malls or Big Box retail establishments on Black Friday, we found the attractive and unique stores located primarily in the 200 block of Broad Street in downtown Rome, GA — the current home of our daughter Laura, her husband, and their children Nathan and Megan. With a similar plan to what I implemented with the grands who live in Franklin, TN in this post from July 1, 2015, Nathan and Megan were asked to visit 10 stores with me by going in, taking a good look around, and then choosing one or more of their favorite items in that place.

We started with a sweet treat for fortification and a lunch was promised to happy campers, but the eating places will be covered later. 🙂

Store #1 — Whistle Britches. This one is fairly new to downtown and has a jazzy, trendy vibe.

Whistle Britches fun for Megan

Whistle Britches – Nathan is very consistent with his orange and blue choices

Store #2 — Paula’s Boutique on Broad. Paula had a huge sale event going on, so people were lined up by the dozens when the doors opened.

Paula’s Boutique, my Silver Fox with Nathan

Paula’s Boutique with Megan

Store #3 — Elysium, Inc. What unique merchandise! According to one of the owners, everything sold in Elysium is handmade. Very special items.

Store #4 — Dogwood Books and Antiques. They advertise having more than 20,000 new, used and rare books. I could have spent hours there. Who knew there were so many authors from the state of Georgia? Here is a list of popular Georgia-born authors.

Dogwood Books, display of Georgia authors

Dogwood Books, another display of Georgia authors

Dogwood Books, mural

Dogwood Books, Megan’s choice

Dogwood Books, Nathan’s choice

Stores #5 and #6 — Riverside Gourmet and Bussey’s Flowers, Gifts, and Decor. These two are side by side and share display space.

Nathan headed straight to the candy display. He’s got quite a sweet tooth.

Bussey’s Flowers, Gifts and Decor

Riverside Gourmet

Store #7 — Pineapple Place. It is located about a block off of Broad St. on 3rd Avenue but definitely worth the slight detour. Their Christmas decorations were my favorites in the area.

Store #8 — Ginger’s Dollings and Cattywags. What a fun name for a store! Lots of toys, games, and, of course, dolls. It is on the opposite side of the street from stores 1-6.

Ginger’s Dollings and Carrywags

Store #9 — Campus Station Athletic Apparel. We decided to let Nathan and Granddaddy peruse all of the “guy stuff” in this one while the ladies went to the girlie store next door.

Campus Station Athletic Apparel

Store #10 — Abral’s Classy and Sassy. In addition to a wide selection of formal/party dresses, this store has fun accessories and a great place perfect for little girls to experiment with make-up and nail polish. Megan had a ball there.

Abral’s – Megan dreaming of the future

Abral’s Classy and Sassy

Stay tuned for some food pictures and suggestions in my next blog. Hmm. Hmm. Good.

A Piano Begging to be Played

12/02/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

What kind of city places painted pianos along the promenade of a downtown pedestrian mall? Progressive, health-conscious Denver does, and the musicians and passerby are richer for it.

I flew to Denver for a conference and stayed in one of the downtown, high-rise hotels. That placed me within an easy walk of a couple of blocks to the 16th Street Mall. As expected, retail stores and sidewalk cafes filled this one-mile path. Unexpected, though, was the presence of musicians of all skill levels, practicing their instruments and hoping to find tip-worthy favor from the casual listeners.

I was first drawn to an accomplished pianist practicing a complicated Chopin etude. A block further down, by ears commiserated with a young man trying to conquer all of the sharps of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. His tip jar was empty. Bless him.

A young veteran with a compelling tone in his trumpet asked, “What would you like to hear? Something happy? Slow? Jazzy? Gospel?” I said, “Gospel.” He closed his eyes and played Amazing Grace with feeling and fervor. A few minutes later, a fiddler captured my ears with an Appalachian mountain tune, and dueling banjos plucked on the opposite corner.

A piano sat vacant for a few minutes, and it tempted me to add to the cacophony with my own Fur Elise and become a part of this vibrant culture.

I went in search of a salad. I left with ALL of my senses satisfied.

Bravo, Denver.

ARROWHEAD INN — Perfect Blend of History, Luxury and Cuisine in Durham, NC

11/30/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

Step inside the front parlor of Arrowhead Inn in Durham, North Carolina, and you start to relax, knowing you have made an amazing discovery and are in for a splendid stay. The main part of the Manor House was built in 1775. The property’s history records no mention of entertaining George Washington, but the idea that he and other founding fathers could have been there, stirs your imagination. Innkeeper Phil Teber and his gracious wife Gloria immediately demonstrate the personalities and hospitality gifts that confirm their belief that people who own B & B’s “are called to this.” They truly enjoy having guests in their immaculate home.

Being a guest in one of the finely-appointed rooms also entitles you to roam freely about the 6 manicured acres and sit for a spell under a 250-year-old magnolia tree or the largest basswood tree in North America. The backyard gives you the feeling of walking into a secret garden. It is easy to see why the setting is perfect for small weddings. You won’t find any unruly weeds. You will find fragrant, seasonal blossoms in profusions of color.

Most of the people who stay at Arrowhead Inn have come to the Durham area to visit family members. One third are repeat customers. When asked to describe the hardest part about owning a B & B, Phil Teber answered, after thinking for a few minutes, “Guests who don’t want to be there – typically husbands muttering that this was their wife’s idea. They come in grumbling on Friday, but by Sunday check-out, they are making reservations for the future.” Phil grins widely when he talks about pleasing his visitors.

Phil is both a Master Carpenter AND a Master Chef. The gourmet, three-course breakfasts he serves are works of art. Almost all begin with a variety of juices, hot chocolate and coffee served with homemade scones or turnovers. That is followed by fresh fruit, then on to hot entrees which are likely to be his unique variations on eggs, crepes, French toast or waffles. Phil will also prepare personal chef dinners, especially popular with honeymooners, which are elegantly served in the privacy of your own room – for an additional charge, of course. Entree choices could be filet mignon, salmon or rack of lamb — definitely a splurge reserved for a special occasion. Complimentary afternoon refreshments include fresh fruit, assortment of cheeses, and more of Phil’s wonderful sweets.

There are 9 guest rooms in all, 7 in the main Manor House, a garden cottage, and a Carolina Log Cabin built with remarkable craftsmanship by Phil. They laughingly refer to the Brittain Room as “a young room” because it was added to the main house ONLY about 100 years ago. Each room contains fresh flowers, a private bathroom, a gas fireplace, a flat screen television, free wireless internet, satin terry robes, and luxurious bedding. Most of the rooms also have whirlpool tubs and steam showers.

Arrowhead Inn has several prestigious ratings. It has earned a 4-Diamond status from AAA, and according to their definition, that means “refined, stylish with upscale physical attributes, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail.” The Independent Innkeepers Association has its own Select Registry. An Inn deserving of this elite category “has passed an unannounced, comprehensive, rigorous, 200-point quality assurance inspection to earn and maintain its Select Registry membership, and to ensure it provides travelers with guaranteed quality, exceptional service, and an unforgettable lodging experience.”

Phil and Gloria, originally from New Jersey, decided about 35 years ago to pursue their dream of owning a Bed and Breakfast. When they finally got the right opportunity 17 years ago and purchased the property in Durham, they made a commitment to fulfilling their dream with excellence. They are succeeding with hard work, dedication and joy.

Denver — Some Recommendations for Your Trip

10/12/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

After last week’s post involving a rant and a rave, I think I should follow up with 4 places I would definitely recommend if you’re planning a trip to Denver.

HOTEL — Denver’s Grand Hyatt was great. It is located only 2 blocks from 16th Street Mall, making shopping and restaurants within easy reach. The rooms are quiet and comfortable, and the Green Tea and Cucumber toiletries were delightful. Buffalo art inside the room let me know I wasn’t in Alabama anymore.

I did not have a room high enough to provide a view of the Colorado Rockies, but you might wish to request one. I enjoyed the fact that Denver is actually a city that DOES sleep. Things get very quiet, even downtown, at night, and then they wake back up in the morning. Just as it should be.

My very favorite part though? The wake-up calls. There was “an actual voice” when I requested one at night and another friendly voice telling me “Good Morning” the next day. Nothing automated. Ahhhh.

RESTAURANTS

Rock Bottom Brewery. Just walk 2 blocks and take the free trolley right to it. As I’ve told you before, I don’t drink alcohol, but I went with some new friends from my conference to this place. Besides all of the craft beers offered, they are also famous for their burgers. I chose a grilled chicken dish with roasted broccoli — trying to be good. This has a sports bar atmosphere. The Broncos were playing on several of the TVs and rowdy fans cheered when they could. It was a Thursday night, and there was an SEC game on within my sight, but no one else seemed to notice. No surprise there.
Rialto Cafe. I enjoyed a weekend brunch by myself, and it was delicious. The wait staff was attentive, and no one made me feel weird about eating alone. It, too, is within the mile-long 16th Street Mall and can be reached by walking or taking the trolley.

There are many chain restaurants in the area, but whenever possible, I always like to try a local place and “eat like the natives.”

SIGHTSEEING

During the conference, we were given a 3 1/2 hour time period and told to “explore Denver and come back with a story.” I decided to take a taxi to the Molly Brown House Museum. I figured that anyone who had survived the sinking of the Titanic AND who had a hit musical written about them — The Unsinkable Molly Brown — would be worth a few hours of my time. I learned that she was so much more than just a shipwreck survivor. She was a champion for the rights of the underdog and a generous philanthropist. She got bonus points from me for being able to play the piano and for choosing green as her favorite color. A fun morning.

Although Colorado is synonymous with legalized marijuana these days, it remains a very health-conscious place. It times I almost felt like I “couldn’t even BUY a calorie.” Ha! There was lots of jogging and running, plus many stores catering to skiers, bikers and climbers. The higher altitude didn’t bother me very much (I drank a lot of water). I did enjoy my visit to the city, and I believe you would, too.

Visiting Denver — A RANT and a RAVE

09/28/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

This is fresh on my mind because I returned from Denver just a week ago. The Travel Writers Conference that I attended was incredible. I’m SO GLAD I went. But in the interest of informing and helping those of you who might plan to travel to Denver in the future, I’d like to share a couple of thoughts.

First, let’s talk about FRONTIER AIRLINES. To be perfectly fair, the flights from Nashville to Denver and back were smooth, they left on time, and both of them even landed EARLY. Big pluses. However, from a booking and price perspective, I felt like I’d been “baited and switched.” The night before my flight out of Nashville, I received a confirmation e-mail from Frontier asking that I choose my seat. That was okay until I realized that the available seats had various price tags attached to them. What??? The fare that I had already paid didn’t include a SEAT??? First Class doesn’t appear to be a part of the Frontier experience (not that I’d ever be able to fly First Class anyway), but the seats offered ranged from $13 to $35 based on their degree of deluxeness, i.e. legroom. That was bad enough, but then it got worse. I was asked whether I’d be checking a bag or bringing a carry-on. As I’ve stated in a previous post here, I’m a big fan of traveling with only a carry-on. Frontier charges $25 for a checked bag and $30 for a carry-on. You have GOT to be kidding me!!! So, here I was adding an additional $43 to what I had already paid before I ever reached the airport. And, on my flight back from Denver, the seat was $20, and the carry-on was FORTY BUCKS. I kid you not. So, instead of getting a really good price for my ticket, I paid an additional $103 for my seats and my carry-on bag. Sheesh! And during the flight, the only thing free is WATER. No pretzels. Nothing. Anything else comes with a hefty fee.

I checked when I got home, and the available fares for identical flights were listed as Frontier $258, U.S. Airways $269.10, and American $270.60. That, of course, makes it APPEAR that Frontier is the best deal. Now you know the truth. I do not plan to travel on Frontier Airlines again.

On the other hand, I had a very positive experience getting from the airport to my hotel and back with a service called SuperShuttle. What a well-organized, cost-effective, and efficient organization!! As I was powering up my phone once we landed, a message was in my inbox telling me to “click here” when I had my luggage and was ready to leave. At that time, a van number and a passenger number came up, along with precise instructions on how to find my ride. The driver knew who his passengers were, where they were to be delivered, and the most efficient route at his fingertips. And everything, including the tip, could be reserved and paid for in advance. The drivers opened and closed the doors and quickly handled all the luggage. Very courteous and helpful.

My return trip required a 4:30 a.m. wake-up call. !!!! When I reached the hotel lobby at 5:30 a.m., I got a cellphone message saying that my shuttle would arrive within 5 minutes. And it did. Again, the driver knew who to pick up and where, and she knew exactly the order for delivering us to our various departure gates. Impressive. Extremely impressive. Being a 65-year-old woman traveling alone, I especially appreciated the SuperShuttle service. It was a much cheaper and, in my mind, a safer choice. Thank you, SuperShuttle!!

There are MANY great reasons to go to Denver. Here are just two bits of information that might help you in planning your trip.

October 2-3, 2015 – FIDDLERS” in Athens, AL — 10 Restaurant Suggestions AFTER You’ve Tried All the Vendors

08/17/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

The biggest weekend on the calendar for folks in and around Athens, AL is coming up very soon. October 2-3, 2015 – the campus of Athens State University will play host to The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention. It is an event with music, crafts, competitions, and plenty of food vendors. (One quick note. The Athens Grease Festival previously scheduled for September 26, 2015 has been postponed to June of 2016 because of construction projects going on in downtown Athens).

Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure the food vendors at Fiddlers will have some delicious items for sale. But, let’s say that you and your family decide to come to town a day early or spend the night afterwards before driving home. Athens has its share of chain restaurants, to be sure, but what if you’d like to “eat where the locals eat.” Maybe you want to try restaurants and eateries that are uniquely Athenian. If so, here are some recommendations (in no particular order):

1) LuVici’s at 105 N. Jefferson St. very near the square and adjacent to U.G.White’s General Mercantile (a very interesting place to browse). No, it is not pronounced “loo-vee-chee’s.” This is not an Italian restaurant. This is “loo-vy-see’s,” and it’s all about Southern cooking.

2) Casa Blanca*. If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, Casa Blanca has two locations – on the square and on Highway 72.

3) Village Pizza*. On the square. Delicious.

4) Wildwood Deli. A few steps off the square on Market St. Small place. Good food. I hear they even serve Gigi’s Cupcakes. Yum!!!

5) Drucilla’s — 2 blocks from the college or 2 blocks from the square on North Marion St. An easy walk. Beautiful vintage charm mixed with tantalizing smells and tastes.

6) Dub’s Burgers on S. Jefferson St. A long-time Athens tradition. You can’t really say you have visited Athens until you’ve tried a Dub’s Burger.

7) Catfish Cabin*, right where S. Clinton St. runs into Highway 72. Unlimited hushpuppies. Oh my!

8) Hickory Barn Bar-B-Que* — on Hwy. 72 W a few miles out of town. Some of the best smoked chicken you will ever eat.

9) 306 Barbecue* — on Hwy. 72 E, also a few miles out of town going toward Madison. Very popular with the locals. A surprisingly wide menu.

10) Clark’s Restaurant* — located right behind Cracker Barrel, within sight of Hwy. 72 E. Great catfish and comfort foods.

Is your mouth watering? Have you marked your calendars for October 2-3? I’m sure I’ve left out some good places. Athens folks, be sure to chime in with additional suggestions. Let’s put it this way. If you leave Athens hungry, it will be YOUR OWN FAULT. 🙂

Get your hotel booked NOW. Google “hotels in Athens, AL” and you’ll find quite a few choices, most are located near Exit 351, off of I-65. Better yet, look up a long-lost relative or friend and hint politely for the use of their guest room. Athens folks can be mighty friendly when you give them a chance.

Oh, and one more thing. If you’re going to be in town on a Sunday morning, I’d love to invite you to my church, First Baptist. It is located right beside the Athens State University campus, at the corner of Hobbs and Clinton Streets. We have a new pastor, Dr. Joel Carwile. I believe you’ll enjoy him and the music (consider this a blatant commercial for the choir, of which I am a proud member). The service begins at 10:30 a.m. We’ll get you out in time to head to one of these nice restaurants. The ones marked with an asterisk are open on Sundays.

See you soon in my hometown.

Pasadena Takeaways

08/03/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

(Written immediately after returning from the BCS Championship Football game — January 2014. Why not? The 2015 season kicks off exactly 31 days from today! Here’s a little nostalgia to get us fired up.)

It felt right to touch down yesterday afternoon in the Land of Cotton, the Land of Sweet Tea, the land of the familiar, but it was also enriching to have once-again added layers of never-befores and fresh vistas to my life.

When our beloved Auburn football team accomplished the unbelievable feat of going from a 3-9 season in 2012 to beating Georgia, Alabama, Missouri and being chosen to play for the National BCS Championship in 2013, we decided to go with them to Pasadena and cheer them on in person. I’m so glad we did. Florida State IS the #1 team for this year, but Auburn was a very close #2. Our boys played hard and “did us proud.” The Auburn fans clad in orange and blue outnumbered the garnet and gold crowd by at least 60% to 40%. Our band looked great. Aubie was fun. Our game stats were admirable. We ALMOST won. And, so far, no embarrassing YouTube videos have surfaced portraying our fans in a bad light. Whew. Big relief.

Since I continue to think like a teacher, I think in terms of lessons — the ones learned, the ones to be taught, and the ones to be reviewed and confirmed. Here are my lessons/take-aways from the trip to Pasadena:

1) Weather conditions anywhere in the US can and will impact a LOT of airports. You are unlikely to make it through an entire travel itinerary without at least one glitch, delay or hassle of some kind. SAFETY, however, is something you don’t ever want to be compromised in any way. Amen? Leaving Huntsville last Saturday, we had to have something akin to a jumper cable to jump-start one of our engines. What in the world??? Then, we arrived in Denver amid a LOT of snow and had to walk several yards through said snow, slipping and sliding in shoes that had not planned to be in such conditions. There was a long delay at our next departure gate, so we were transferred to another gate where we waited another hour. We arrived in Los Angeles a couple of hours after our scheduled time. Oh well. Nothing urgent was missed, besides dinner. 🙁

Our return flights on Wednesday were on-time. However, the first leg required a wake-up call at 3:30 a.m. in order to make the 6 a.m. flight. And, when we got to Denver, we knew we had a tight connection. Where were our seats? On the back row of the plane. Do you know how long it takes to get from the 40th row to the cockpit? When we finally made it to Gate 22, our connecting flight to Huntsville was already boarding at Gate 79. Silver Fox and his fluffy bride were bookin’ it down Terminal B! We were the last ones to board before the door was closed. Whew! So, no breakfast. No lunch. Not even any pretzels. Cracker Barrel tasted mighty good when we finally got home.

2) Amazingly, planes can now have DirecTV, but still don’t have food or leg-room. Go figure. One of these days, I’m going to have enough air miles built up to fly First Class, and boy, am I going to enjoy it!

3) Airport hotels are convenient to . . . . the AIRPORT — but not much else. It WAS nice to arrive late at night and have a free shuttle to the Marriott LAX in just a few minutes. And, it was VERY convenient to have shuttles running 24 hours a day so that someone friendly and helpful was available at 4:15 a.m. I’m sure that shuttle alone saved us a bundle of cash. The next morning, AFTER paying 50 bucks for the breakfast buffet at the hotel, we discovered that a Denny’s and a Burger King were only a couple of blocks away. Guess what we did the other mornings?

We had already booked a city bus tour (downtown LA, Hollywood, Olveda Dr., etc.) and a bus to and from the Rose Bowl, but otherwise, we were looking at expensive taxis or car rentals to go anywhere or do anything.

4) Don’t be afraid to use public transportation. Large cities generally have good, logical, workable, reasonably-priced systems in place and fully-functioning. On the morning after the big game, we were considering 1) renting a car, which would have been at least $100, or 2) taking taxis,which might have run as much as $200. With the help of the Guest Services desk and a handy-dandy map, we opted for the city buses and spent a whopping $3. Yes. We did shell out some dollars for our tickets to the BCS Championship Game, and we did blow our 2014 travel budget on the airline tickets to California, but, hey, we’re not known for wasting money needlessly. Am I hearing rousing “Amens!” from those who know my husband well??

Just as a side note, if anyone should ask me whether I prefer Los Angeles or New York City, hands down I’d say NYC!! Even though “the weather outside is frightful” there this time of year, NYC has an energy and a vibe that I absolutely love. The sunny skies and warm temperatures in LA, and most definitely as we approached game time, were blissful for January, though, I’ll have to admit. There’s no perfect place to live, however. Alabama has to contend with extreme temperatures and tornadoes, but Southern California is experiencing a drought right now (3 inches of rain in the past YEAR), they have lots of forest fires, and earthquakes are a constant possibility. I’ll take Alabama.

5) Attending a major sporting event is NOT for the weak, the frugal, or the faint-hearted. Mercy! We enjoyed the Rose Bowl setting a lot and had great seats, BUT there was a LOT of walking, the concession stand prices were HIGH, and we STOOD for every play, only sitting during time-outs and for half-time. This stadium was built a LONG time ago, thus there were few restrooms. We’d been warned in advance to be sure to “use it before you go in.” It was good advice. 🙂

6) Great fans and proud traditions are a part of other football programs BESIDES Auburn. Those Florida State folks had a fantastic- looking horse (where WAS our eagle, anyway?), a fun (intimidating) ritual with their spear, their chant drove us slightly crazy (MUCH worse than Mississippi State’s cowbells), and they have the world’s largest marching band. But, don’t ever doubt it. Auburn fans were loud and proud. We were all just so glad to be there. We made quick friends with perfect strangers wearing the right colors. And, by George, we are LOYAL!!! We left the stadium yelling “It’s great to be an Auburn Tiger” and meant it to the depths of our hearts.

7) The tiniest increment of time can make a HUGE difference. It was a case of ONE SECOND in the Iron Bowl (sorry, Bama friends). Then, last Monday night Steve looked at me after Auburn’s last score and said, “79 seconds. We’ve got to hold them for 79 seconds.” Before the game, my prediction had been that whoever had the ball last would win, and I was almost right. Think about how short 1 minute and 19 seconds is when you’re going about your daily routine. It seems so insignificant. But, also think about how much damage or good can be done with that much time. Words. A person’s reputation or a relationship can be destroyed in less than 79 seconds. On the other hand, a person’s future can be changed forever and for good in a short period, too. How about “I love you. Will you marry me?” or “I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.” A few seconds. All the difference. A lesson from the 2013 Auburn football season? Every play, every second matters, and never give up! I suspect our grandchildren will hear those words from us for years to come.

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