Yes, I am in India right now. But I must finish my US posts for some peace of mind!
I visited Austin last March for the first time for Josh’s bachelor party and loved it, so I was happy to return for Jenni’s inaugural appearance. This time was a tad tamer.
We drove straight from New Orleans, and you know Texas is big when the first exit you see on the 10 Freeway is # 878. Despite the welcome sign suggesting that driving friendly is the Texas way, I would say the drivers on this leg were undoubtedly the most aggressive and consistent left-lane-for-no-reason offenders of our entire road trip.
Our first night we sought a quick bite after a long day and ended up at Surf N’ Turf Po Boy. It is more of a bar with lots of TVs and Skee-Ball and a lively atmosphere for the Texans MNF game. They were out of fried oyster and the buffalo shrimp was good but paled in comparison to the firecracker shrimp po boy we had at Parasol’s in New Orleans.
Sideways street lights
Cool signs SoCo
More cool vintage signs
Monday was one of the very few rainy days of our trip so we erased any thoughts of renting bikes. We crossed under I-35 to the grittier part of town for an excellent, cheap, authentic Mexican breakfast at Juan in a Million. I got the machacado and the migas breakfast tacos and they were so good. Chips and salsa at 10 am is a nice touch.
Austin has several pockets of hip and/or fun areas, including dirty 6th, west 6th, east of I-35, 4th street, Rainey, Red River around 7th and South of Congress. We hit this last one first, parking by Elizabeth to walk around. It is a great stretch of several blocks with restaurants, bars, funky shops and vintage looking signs. More in “Practical Info” below.
This is also one of the many Austin neighborhoods with several food trucks. These are very popular here, and is with Portland they are slightly more permanent vs. those in Los Angeles that actually drive around each day.
Food trucks
Allens Boots
From here we passed Hula Hut on the lake, a fun place for beverages on a sunny day, and took Scenic Road near the water through nice neighborhoods. We parked on Mt. Bonnell Road and ascended the ~100 steps of Covert Park to the highest point in Austin at 775’ elevation. This spot has nice views of downtown and the river with some spectacular homes.
Covert Park
We continued through the University of Texas campus which is nice if a little more urban than I realized. Oh, on my last visit I had breakfast at the Torchy’s Tacos by campus and it was awesome. Though Franklin was on tomorrow’s agenda, I figured why not double up on BBQ so we lunched at Iron Works, which I wrote about here. On my last visit I ate at the Salt Lick in Round Rock, which was a fun outdoor place that I’d locate behind Franklin and ahead of Iron Works on the spectrum.
Dinner at Chuy’s was better than Hangover 3 on Jenni’s computer. It has some bright moments but the trilogy’s temporal order certainly matches quality. At Chuy’s I tried the Texas Martini which is a margarita in a martini glass rimmed with salt and jalapeño stuffed olives. The meal was solid overall, and when they bring chips to your table be sure to ask for the creamy jalapeño sauce.
After dinner we met Sam’s friend Jamin on Rainey Street, which stands out in a city that oozes cool. Within a couple blocks are perhaps 10 houses that were converted into bars/restaurants. Most have substantial outdoor space and there is also a food truck square. I would be sure to check this out.
Our final day in Austin lasted much longer than expected due to the crazy line at Franklin BBQ, but as I explained in detail in my BBQ Post it was worth it, and then some.
Capitol dome
Practical Info
Accommodation: We stayed at the Extended Stay Hotel at 6th and Guadalupe because it was reasonably priced and well-located. The Driskill is a classic property with a fantastic location, and there is also a W. There are a couple spots on South Congress and I’m not certain which looked interesting, but I think it’s Hotel San Jose.
Areas:
South of Congress…some food spots that caught our eye include Amy’s Ice Cream and Hopdoddy. Uncommon Objects has tons of antiques. The Big Top Candy Shop had a most impressive selection, including things like pimento olive chocolate almonds and gummy fried eggs. Allens Boots has an astounding selection of cowboy boots and attire. Nearby is Barton Springs Pool, a very popular natural springs swimming area which wevwould have visited were it not cool and raining.
Rainey…we had drinks at Bar 96. Kaitlyn had recommend G’raj Mahal food truck, which is so popular that it has now taken over one of the old houses.
Dirty 6th: refers to 6th street east of Congress which is packed with bars and at times nears a Bourbon Street feel. Though technically east of Congress, the Driskill is a classy hotel with a bar and restaurant.
West 6th: refers to 6th street west of Congress which also has several bars and restaurants but a slightly older and more mellow crowd. I enjoyed the Rattle Inn on my last visit.
4th Street: also calmer than dirty 6th, on my last visit I liked dinner at Peché and drinks at Hangar Lounge.
Now I know y’all didn’t think I’d venture through the South without trying a little BBQ?! While I did not indulge my gluttonous desires for smoked meat as fully as I expected, I did try a few “legit” spots and had something approximating the concept at least a couple other times. To get straight to the point, Franklin BBQ in Austin slaughtered the competition. It was like me fighting Mike Tyson, and I’m talking back in my prime and when he was already over the hill.
I am certainly not a BBQ expert, but it strikes me that more than most cuisine types BBQ is judged on factors beyond how good it tastes. This may seem odd to the casual observer, and it merits philosophical debate beyond the scope of this post. By way of example, Houston’s ribs might not earn high praise at a BBQ competition, despite that many find them delicious!
Let’s start with just a few words about the BBQ-resembling meals I had in the South. There was the pulled pork sandwich at Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill. It consists of slow roasted pork, house-made beer cheese sauce, garlic sauteed spinach and frizzled red onions. Hard to judge the quality of the meat with those accoutrements, but beer cheese sauce was interesting. I enjoyed it, despite that I felt my arteries hardening with each bite. Then there was the pulled pork po’boy at Parasol’s in New Orleans. Parasol’s is phenomenal, and this sandwich was delicious. But again, we are not talking pure BBQ. On to that…
The Brick Pit is in a small house-like structure in a fairly nice part of Mobile, Alabama. Like most places outside Texas, the emphasis is on hog. The walls inside are covered with writing from patrons. They had TV screens on CSS Encore showing an old college football game with Auburn dominating. One orders inside at a pass-through counter, I got the combo plate with ribs and pulled pork, and it comes with coleslaw, BBQ beans and a piece of Texas toast (basically extra thick white bread). The pit master uses 75% pecan (which is all over the Southeast) and 25% hickory for smoke. He goes 3.5 and below, meaning the rack should weigh less than 3.5 pounds.
The ribs were smoky and fairly good, as was the pulled pork. But this was perhaps the clearest illustration to me of the “good BBQ” vs. “tastes great” issue above. My meal did not taste great. It may be good, true BBQ, but it just was not supremely enjoyable. Perhaps my biggest beef (haha) is they do not season the meat, instead choosing to let the smoke impart all the flavor. The result is meat that is just not THAT tasty. I think I prefer the Memphis style with a nice dry rub, where sauce is pretty much optional. They also did not remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs. This is a controversial subject, but I think I prefer it removed. The beans here were smoky and excellent, definitely the best of the beans I had. The cole slaw was pretty heavy on the mayo and also quite good. Jenni went with the sourdough brick bites which is a $4 slider that was actually a decent-sized sandwich. Unsweetenened iced tea is available here, and pretty much everywhere in the South.
Next up was Iron Works BBQ in Austin, Texas. I think it is widely believed at this point that Franklin is superior, but Iron Works gets mad respect. There are framed pictures of George Bush and of Barack Obama eating there. Parking is ample and the inside is old-looking and charming. I got the combo plate with beef brisket, a beef rib and sausage. It also came with potato salad and beans. Here again, the distinction arose. This brisket was sliced thin, and while enjoyable to be sure, I have enjoyed more a brisket I cooked in my oven from a Jewish recipe book. The sausage was quite tasty, and the beef rib was delicious. I did not realize until I was in Austin in March 2013 for Josh’s bachelor party how much I like good BBQ beef ribs. That time I visited Salt Lick at its Round Rock location, and I would say that was the second best BBQ after Franklin.
The slicer at Iron Works
Mmm…beef rib
And now for the champion. Franklin BBQ is not merely a meal, it is an experience. It opens at 11 am and I am told it has sold out every day since it opened in 2009. Having been told by a local that we could safely arrive at 10:30 am, we showed up at 10:10 am for extra caution. We were met by a line halfway through the parking lot. I parked the car and returned to find Jenni standing directly BEHIND a group holding the “Last Man Standing” piece of cardboard. OH, THE HORROR! The woman working the line informed us there was no guarantee we would get any food, and the kicker was that we probably would not know until after 1 pm. The likelihood of getting ribs was almost non-existent. It seems there is a concept of pre-ordering, but I do not know how this works.
Franklin line
Franklin line the other direction
Franklin sign
We thus faced one of the hardest decisions of our lives. Cut our losses and move on, or tough it out and go for the glory? To my everlasting relief, while we debated she informed us that the owner had decided to push back the line and we were now safe. Hallelujah!!
We broke out the boat chairs for the first time in ages and read and made some phone calls. At 11 am the doors opened and the first large group entered the restaurant. But things move very slowly from there. So at several minute intervals the line would move up a handful of feet, meaning you have to pick up your chairs etc. and relocate. There was a guy across the street actually renting folding chairs for $5. Supply and demand at its finest. There was another Franklin employee walking the line and selling beer and soft drinks so Jenni got a blonde ale and I a lemonade. Some groups also brought their own beer for the wait.
Ah, getting better
Some motivation for the wait
We entered the structure at about 1:10 pm and got served at 1:30 pm. So here is the secret: show up early! Like 8 am. If you show up at that time, your overall commitment is actually equal if not less and you are guaranteed a selection of anything on the menu. Plus, you would never have to move your waiting position as long as you are far enough up in the line to enter with the first group. So show up at 8 am and order at 11 am from the full menu, or show up at 10:10 am and order at 1:30 pm with NO RIBS available. By the way, Franklin serves pork ribs even though this is Texas.
Upon reaching the counter, your order is taken and filled (i.e. sliced, cut, etc.) by the owner and legend himself, Aaron Franklin. Despite the immense popularity and praise (Bon Appetit declared it the best in the country), Aaron could not be nicer. He does not subscribe to the theory of “my food is amazing, therefore I can be a dick.” He asked whether we wanted fatty or lean brisket, and before we even answered he confirmed our suspicion by murmuring his own response of “fatty.” Obviously. He hooked us up with a couple large bites laid on the counter, which reminded me of Katz’s Deli in New York. It was at this very moment we knew the nearly 3.5 hour wait was worth every minute.
Inside at Franklin
Aaron Franklin (right)
There were three guys sequentially working the counter, and we had pleasant exchanges with each. First with Aaron himself who asked where we were from etc. The next guy on the line overheard us mention we had been to a Packers game and then said the prior night’s game was his favorite because he is a Bears fan. The third guy told us a story about how he ordered a salad at a Whataburger in Oklahoma and the woman asked if he was from Los Angeles.
Back to the food…Jenni and I each got a two meat plate which comes with two sides. One plate was brisket and turkey with cole slaw and potato salad. The other was brisket and pulled pork with beans and potato salad. The beans were good, the cole slaw was very good and the potato salad was OK. The turkey was sliced white meat and very good, considering the materials. The pulled pork was delicious, nice and moist and peppery. I found it far better than the Brick Pit, which is known more for pork vs. beef. The brisket, though, was fall out of your chair good. I mean just ridiculously scrumptious. It was cut very thick and was incredibly moist and flavorful. They have three BBQ sauce options: a Carolina style vinegary sauce, an espresso flavored sauce, and a Texas style sauce that was a little tangier and spicier. Sometimes with BBQ I want almost all my bites with sauce but make sure to try some naked bites to savor the pure dead animal. At Franklin, this was reversed. We also ate a banana bourbon pie that was yummy.
Happy camper
Meat plates at Franklin
Have you seen greater elation?
I would note that we did not order one, but the Tipsy Texan sandwich looked great. It is chopped brisket and sliced sausage on a white roll with cole slaw and pickles. There are several tables inside and a handful of picnic tables on a deck outside, which is where we sat. Folks, when you are next in Austin, do yourself a favor and get to Franklin early (and often).
Because I am trying to get fully caught up and there is just so much to say about New Orleans, I’m going to do another bullet-point short-form post. Hopefully Sam and Kaitlyn, our extraordinarily generous hosts for four nights, will take no offense. If I did a full write-up here, it would be so long as to bore my dear readers. Even more.
But first, let me remind you that Louisiana is my home state. I really wanted to see if I could gain access to Barksdale Air Force base and see my Shreveport birth place, but it was far out of the way and time did not permit.
Lake Pontchartrain
Sam and Kaitlyn’s place
Crossing Lake Pontchartrain and seeing the city appear is cool; it is also interesting to watch the hood end and the uber-wealthy Garden District begin so abruptly after crossing St. Charles
Parasol’s on Constance was perhaps our favorite meal in a city known for its food; this po’boy place is Sam’s joint. I covered the pulled pork briefly in my BBQ post I think, the gumbo was delicious and the firecracker shrimp was outstanding. It’s a fun place with a bar on one side and food ordering on the other, lots of beer options. Oh, of course there is no open container prohibition here (and that is truly a game changer), but I had not considered that you can still smoke cigarettes in bars. Wow.
Parasol’s
New Orleans is kind of an “anything goes” town. It just seems so different from the rest of the country. So much flavor. So much good food and music and vivacity. So many cats and flags and wrought iron and shotgun style homes. There are not many places you will see a multi-million dollar mansion with a Go [Saints] flag hanging off a balcony. In the first hour here we saw two cars driving the wrong way down one-way streets.
Magazine Street is awesome. Sam and Kaitlyn live just off this in the Irish Channel and it is a really fun area. Magazine here has tons of shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. Sucre has gelato and pastries. The Bulldog bar was packed. As were Salu and Rum House. Magazine also looked nice further uptown, where we got food at Boulangerie to go
Jackson Square
Armstrong Park
Bourbon, dirty day and night
The homes in the Garden District are stunning. I think Sandra Bullock and John Goodman have pads here, and probably many other famous peeps.
Bourbon Street is a must-see. During the night it can be fun and in the day too, but it is best for when you are wasted. For when you are sober during the day, the smell of piss and vomit can be overwhelming. But the live music compensates a lot.
Lunch at Cochon Butcher was great. The line appeared really long but moved pretty quickly and was well worth the wait. I got a pork belly on white with cucumbers, mint and chili aïoli. Jenni got a pizzetta with mortadella, mustard greens and Parmesan. Both were excellent. The mac and cheese looked gut-busting. That day we took the trolley home on St. Charles
Cochon Butcher
St. Charles trolley
Halloween on Frenchman Street was a highlight of the trip. What a party. I grabbed some sort of repairmen costume at the store. Jenni could not decide so she bought a Justin Bieber wig. This somehow turned into her being Tami-Lynn, one of the real housewives of Boston. She got into character and stayed there the rest of the night. It was epic. And Frenchman was just silly. The streets were not closed de jure, but they were de facto. Dudes would just roll out like six foot long bars and start making cocktails in the middle of the street.
On Friday we did a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters in Slidell. We were so hurt from Halloween that we could not even call and instead just skipped our 12 pm reservation. Then we felt a touch better and they let us switch to the 2:45 pm with no questions asked. Captain Bishop was an able guide. We were disappointed we did not get to hold a baby alligator as we had heard happens. Captain said a bunch of stuff, again no fact checking…he said alligators hibernate 4-6 months, I had no idea this happened; they can go two years without eating; bananas on a boat are bad luck; the number of inches from a gator’s eyes to nose roughly equals its length in feet; wild rice grows in the swamp, and it is not technically rice but it grows freely and that is why it’s so popular in Cajun food; we saw wild boars with a raccoon right next to them and saw lots of turtles and some blue herons. Unless you want a lot of sun, consider requesting a covered coat. Check out the “Cajun Hottub”, and someone had a sign advising that trespassers will be violated
Water, not grass
Trespassers will be violated
On the drive there we saw next door signs, one said “Hit and Run Liquor” and the other “Chicken and Watermelon”…straight up
We hit a newish spot called District twice…once for a Vietnamese coffee donut with tapioca balls and then for dinner where we had great sliders…fried chicken, pork belly, etc. And I got a croquenut, which was a croque monsieur with donuts as the bread, except they were not sweet so the concept was better than the execution, but it was still just a delicious croque monsieur. And we got waffle fries with cheese and jalapenos, and a great brown butter and pistachio donut
I liked the Saint Arnold Elissa IPA, and that the store where I bought it (after Sam intro’d) is called Breaux Mart
Sam told us about bounce music and Big Freedia, and also that Treme is a pretty hot area now, a lot of black activists and artists etc.
Saturday was an epic day…
we had brunch at Atchafalaya around the corner from home, with a killer Bloody Mary bar (I vaguely recall there was a green tomatillo juice option and I think Jenni said they should call that the Gangrene Mary) and live music…the bloody bar had a few juice options and I went with the house blend plus a touch of tomatillo juice plus pepper, horse radish, Louisiana hot sauce, mustard, pickled celery and olives and cauliflower and brussels sprouts, and a bunch of bacon bits…boudin cakes are a New Orleans staple and the cream cheese grits were terrific
then walked the loop at Audubon Park where we tossed the disc, saw another public piano and visited the waterfront area (which does not feature as prominently in the public space as it should, and I think they may be trying to change this)…the piano man told us it is being used to help treat PTSD, and the piano had been submerged in Katrina but was restored and painted by YAYA (Young Aspirations / Young Artists)…there are some nice homes right on the park, like directly on it without any separation which I thought uncommon
then to Luke for the first of our John Besch happy hours with oysters and cocktails
then walked through the French Quarter (better than our unguided attempt a couple days earlier where we seemed only to hit the dirty and hoody parts and Louis Armstrong park, though Crazy Corner’s funk/zydeco was nice) where we saw Tanya and Dorise on Royal Street. They are a pretty famous street-performing duo playing violin and guitar. They played Out Walking After Midnight, For Once in My Life and You’ve Got a Friend. Some guy standing next to me was priceless, telling me about how this singer comes by sometimes and sings with the ladies and they tell her to take money from the bucket but she takes just a few bucks for cold beverage (which means soda). And he said the ladies are so good even the bums give em money
then to Domenica for yummy pizzas and wine inside the Roosevelt Hotel which has an opulent art deco lobby
then into Saint hotel which is like Miami meets red
then to Tonique for fancy cocktails and hipsters. I asked the bartender for some recs on our trip as I guessed correctly she was from Sri Lanka. She went nuts that I knew this, gave me a free shot and then never any recs.
then to the Byway area for Bachanal with even more hipsters and wine/food…really cool spot, too bad no jazz when we were there but…hosts ran into lots of people they knew…it is a wine shop where you can buy a bottle and drink out back and there is a window where can order food like chicken liver pate and bacon-wrapped dates. I would be really stoked if Los Angeles had a spot like this. Maybe I should open one.
then to Frenchman where we entered Cafe Negril for good music…some places have instituted covers and we were being cheap so passed on Spotted Cat even though that music sounded fantastic…oh, at most bars they pass a tip bucket around for the musicians…before leaving we went into Vaso for a proper big brass band, that music style is so fun
Little market on Frenchman
then to Bourbon Street and Pat O’Briens on the piano bar side…the guy sucked but the woman was great and such a fun atmosphere…range from Sweet Caroline to Blurred Lines
then on the way to Cafe du Monde we passed Camelia Grill so popped in for bacon cheeseburgers and they also gave us free fries…I thought the burger was really solid, it had medium girth with great bacon and abundant butter flavor
Contemplating something at 2 am
then to Cafe du Monde where sit outside for beignets dipped in decaf cafe au lait…I thought these were more like donuts but they are more like mini fried dough…Kaitlyn was such a trooper and drove the whole night
Cafe du Monde
On the 10 West heading out of New Orleans you drive through some swamp and it is pretty cool
One night as I tried to fall asleep I heard someone playing the saxophone outside, and this felt like the perfect New Orleans moment.
We arrived at Sam and Kaitlyn’s for a solid several days of eating, drinking, and cousin time. They live in a a super trendy area, less than a block off of Magazine Street, in a traditional shotgun style apartment, which means that there are no hallways, and all the rooms are connected straight through from the front to back (e.g. you walk through the living room to get to the bedroom, to get to the kitchen, to get to the bathroom). The idea is (at least back in the day) you could shoot a shotgun straight through the house with the front and back doors open and the bullet wouldn’t hit anything. This style is also supposed to help keep the place cool by helping with airflow, and the ceilings tend to be really high because heat rises and the hot air gets trapped in the upper parts of the rooms while the people stay cool down below.
Our first night in town they took us to one of their favorite po’ boy spots – Parasol’s. Though upon arriving in NOLA I had always thought a po’ boy was an oyster based sandwich, I quickly learned that all po’ boy really means is a sandwich on a crusty French bread type roll. The classic does have shrimp or oysters, but there are also roast beef po’ boys and other varieties. At Parasol’s we ordered a spicy shrimp and a pulled pork po’boy. The shrimp one was AMAZE. Probably my favorite eat while in New Orleans, and we ate a lot of good food down here. We also tried the gumbo and fried oysters which were tasty, but if you go, you simply must order the shrimp po’ boy. I’m telling you. We walked off a little bit of these calories after dinner wandering through the stunning homes in the Garden District, just across on the other side of Magazine.
::parasol’s::
Our initial observations on New Orleans: there are stray cats everywhere, so cute – I love this! The people at least in our neighborhood seemed to ignore the “one way” streets as we saw no fewer than five people drive the wrong way down their one way street in the few days we were there. People are really into decorating their homes for Halloween, especially in the Garden District. Flags for your door are very popular (not just state/country flags but decorative flags to celebrate holidays). You can smoke in bars here. And of course – the game changer: no open container laws. It’s really crazy how that impacts a party scene. Kaitlyn told me how after she finished her exams once she just stopped in a bar on the way home for a “pina colada to go.” I mean, is there any better way to order a pina colada? There’s no waiting at the bar for the last person to finish their drink (they can just stick it in a cup and walk with it!), and boy oh boy did it change the dynamic of Frenchman Street for Halloween (which I’ll get to later).
Our next day we got some work done in the morning, before heading out for a long walking tour of town. We stopped at District – a spot that sells only donuts, sliders and coffee – on Magazine for a Vietnamese coffee donut that had tapioca balls in the cream filling (woah). Donuts are so trending right now. Then we walked all the way down Magazine to Cochon Butcher, which was super crowded on a Thursday late lunchtime. Alan loved the pork belly sandwich with cucumbers, mint and chili aioli. I got the pizzetta with mortadella, mustard greens and parm, which was also divine. One thing I’m realizing on this trip, I keep ordering “snack” sized “bites” or appetizers to try to not gain 8,000 pounds, and it’s more than enough food. Not that its news to me how oversized portions are at American restaurants, but when not traveling full time and eating out on fewer occasions, I guess you feel justified in splurging more whereas now as a full time homeless eater outer I’m realizing the gluttony of it all. We kept walking after lunch down to Jackson Park, through the French Quarter (my first time seeing Bourbon Street – not recommended at day time – attracts a pretty trashy crowd and smells like stale booze and vomit), and over to Armstrong Park. We took the trolley back on St. Charles to Sam and Kaitlyn’s neighborhood.
A few hours before going out we began the process of fighting the last minute Halloween-ers in the search for a costume. Alan found a workman’s jumpsuit with the name Jerry on it. I found a Justin Bieber wig for $4 and thought I’d try to pull that off with jeans and a white tank top. No such luck, I looked like me with a bad haircut, so this quickly turned into my alter ego, Tammy Lynn, a trashy, heavily-Boston accented woman, her good-fer-nothin’ husband Jerry and our son Mario (Sam) who still lived at home. I got really into the role play here. Anyway, before heading out in costume we went out to a nice dinner at a restaurant called Coquette, as this was Sam and Kaitlyn’s anniversary and the day after the five year anniversary of when Alan and I met (who could forget that fated night that Alan met Sarah Palin at One Sunset in Hollywood? ;). Then we hopped in the car (with an open bottle of wine, because we can!) and headed over to Frenchman Street. (Thanks Sam for driving!). This is where the game changing effect of no open container laws takes effect. Frenchmen Street is lined with bars (including many great live music spots) , yet the party was largely in the street. The street was not technically closed off, but no cars could drive through (though some did try, futilely). The street was FILLED with people in costume, all carrying drinks in hand, and then there were even people pushing around drink carts made on wheels, selling cocktails on the street. There were also people with grills set up on the street selling food. Alan ordered a chicken and mushy ramen type concoction from a guy on the corner that I don’t imagine he would have eaten quite so voraciously had he been sober. It was definitely an experience. I’m so glad we changed out plans to be in NOLA on Halloween. The city knows how to party.
::tammy lynn and jerry::
::our son mario::
::he’s dressed up as a noodler!::
The next day it took us a little bit longer to wake up, but luckily we still got up in time to make a swamp tour. We grabbed coffee and sandwiches from Boulangerie (the brie sandwich is SO good, but how could it not be right? Brie and butter. Mmm). We drove over to Slidell (passing some interesting stores on the way, including one called Hit and Run Liquor, and a store simply called Chicken and Watermelon) to get on our boat and see some gators with Cajun Encounters. I was very disappointed we did not get to hold a baby alligator. We did see some gators though, big and small, and learned a thing or two about them. First of all, I had no idea they hibernate?? They fed one of them some marshmallows and he came over and ate them off a stick. We also saw some wild boar and a raccoon, which fought over the marshmallows our guide threw at them. Though this was nothing compared to what had happened on one of his tours previously. If you want to see some wildlife action, check out this youtube video (WARNING, not for the faint of heart, or for boar lovers… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2BmY_XYqas). I was most surprised to hear that bananas are bad luck on boats. There were several homes on the banks of the waters we boated by, though many spaces were empty and some still filled with remnants of old homes that were destroyed by Katrina. This area got hit very hard.
::see that cajun hot tub?::
Back in New Orleans, the four of us walked back to the District, this time to try their sliders. I had the fried chicken and it was fabulous. Alan got a pork belly and the “Croquenot,” which is ham, gruyere and béchamel on a griddled donut. He was disappointed by the latter. We split a brown butter and pistachio donut that was fantastic. We had planned on going out again later in the night, but made the rookie mistake of coming home and laying down for a minute first. To be fair, before I went lights out I reminded Alan that I don’t do naps… I go to bed. And that we did.
It’s a good thing we got our rest in, because the next day was a big one. We started with brunch at Atchafalaya, which boasted live jazz flute, an impressive build your own bloody mary bar, and a menu full of New Orleans classics. Alan and Sam split the duck hash and eggs treme with boudin cakes (a New Orleans classic which is kind of like a sausage patty). I had a savory bread pudding and we all split the cream cheese grits and jalapeño corn bread on the side. All delicious.
Sam, Alan and I then drove to Audubon park for a walk and a frisbee session for the boys. Later in the day we went down to the central business district and hit up Luke for happy hour – 50 cent oysters and half price drinks. I also tried the crab bisque. While not discounted for happy hour it was worth full price – definitely order that! We walked around the French Quarter while we waited for a table at Domenica, and got to see Sam’s friend, Tanya, playing violin with her musical partner, Dorice, on the guitar. They are phenomenally talented. Check their music out here: http://tanyandorise.com. And if you are ever in New Orleans, do go see them perform. It’s absolutely beautiful. One of the other men listening told us a story about how they’re so good, even the bums give them money. I bought a CD of theirs and we listened to a few songs before rushing back to Domenica for our table.
::tanya and dorise::
Domenica had some great pizzas, my favorite being the gorgonzola. And the happy hour deals there were fantastic as well. We went next to Tonique for a few cocktails. Alan correctly guessed that the bartender was from Sri Lanka and her reaction was hilarious. Alan got a free shot. Next we hit up Bachanal, which is a super chill venue where you sit outside at tables set up in a backyard, order food up at a window which is then brought out to you, and wine from a little wine shop inside. We had a bottle of Pinot, but sadly had missed much of the jazz. Still, it was fun hanging out there and we bumped into a handful of Sam and Kaitlyn’s friends. We also tried a dessert they offer when is basically just dark chocolate drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. So simple and so divine.
Next up (and yes, this is still the same day, so many bars, so many restaurants, an epic day of food and drink and it’s practicually just getting started), we went back to Frenchman Street and popped in a number of bars to listen to music. Spotted Cat sounded like the best music, though we just stood and listened from the street for a minute rather than pay cover. There was a little outdoor market by the Spotted Cat, which was kind of like a farmer’s market but all art and goods.
We checked out the legendary Pat O’s on Bourbon Street, and went into the Piano Bar for a hurricane and some piano dueling. The woman was awesome, the man not so much. The song choices ranged from Sweet Caroline (go Sox!) to Blurred Lines.
On our walk to Café du Monde, we were enticed by the smell of the burgers at Camellia Grill and so grabbed a cheeseburger and were treated to free fries. I thought it was hilarious they have maple syrup containers full of a melted butter concoction. Our waiter was even more entertaining.
FINALLY, we made it to Café du Monde where we tried our New Orleans beignets. They were a steal at $2.50 for 3 big ole hunks of what is very similar to fried dough, LOADED with powdered sugar. I’d always assumed they were more donut-y than fried dough-y, but they were definitely delicious. [Big thank you and propers to Kaitlyn for driving and hanging out in the midst of a seriously busy week working on her PhD]
The next morning Sam and Kaitlyn picked up bagels for us from Stein’s (where they apparently yell at you, and that’s part of the “charm”) while we packed up the car to get on the road again.
Whirlwind stay in New Orleans, thanks for being our fabulous hosts and tour guides Sam and Kaitlyn!
Florida and Miss were mainly drive-throughs, but Alabama was an eye-opener.
Leaving Georgia we saw lots of snowbirds with New York and New England plates taking I-95 to Florida. Then we hit the 10 West, and my appreciation for the interstate highway system grew markedly. I had never taken serious road trips before, and I was mesmerized by the fact that I was now on the same road that is part of daily life in Los Angeles.
Jenni got excited when we crossed the Suwannee River and put that song on. I still stayed awake and guided us safely to lunch in Tallahassee at Kool Beanz Cafe on the main drag Monroe. Breeze and a covered patio felt nice in the 80 and sunny weather.
The Florida State campus looks pretty nice. It is not as charming as many I have seen, but there are plenty of live oaks with Spanish moss.
We crossed into Alabama and it felt more like Alabama with lots of Baptist churches, pickup trucks, signs for cheap tobacco, cotton fields and a Crimson Tide helmet mailbox. I think we fit right in blasting Sweet Home Alabama with Sven’s top down.
Figuring we will likely settle back in California and it will be harder to visit this part of the country, we had decided to spend a night by Mobile Bay on the way to New Orleans. Some towns were mentioned in our 1,000 Places to See book, and I asked Leura for some recs. She was super helpful and we ended up staying in her hometown. And this day/night was probably the biggest surprise of the whole road trip. In a good way.
One of the charming towns is Magnolia Springs, though our first experience here was probably the scariest moment of the trip. We pulled into Jesse’s Restaurant parking lot and it is hard to explain what happened. Basically we were parked in a gravel lot next to the street and next to an opening leading to more parking lot. A car sped in, turned and skidded, then backed up kicking up gravel. We saw another guy sort of chasing it, and then the driver floored it and started skidding on the gravel towards us. I sensed the driver was terrified or enraged, or perhaps a combo, and figured it was mainly down to luck whether he hit us or not. I was not so scared of injury as getting stuck in a repair shop for a few days in Alabama for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a most narrow escape.
We drove down to the both brackish and spring-fed river and talked to this guy fishing who had a heavy Southern accent. He was entertaining, talking about fighting a red fish that was 3.5 feet long. But better tasting are trout or the smaller red fish, about 18-23 inches in length.
Magnolia Springs
Earlier today I teased Jenni for playing Mozart in the Redneck Riviera, then ate my words when we saw a Values.com billboard promoting him. We took Scenic 98 to Point Clear and the bay-side homes were gorgeous with deep properties and big oaks. The Grand Hotel (a Marriott) is gated but I asked if we could take a look and they were most welcoming. Not that this was special treatment at all, but I think in the South if you are white and appear to have some money then you can probably do anything you want. The property was impressive and we caught a phenomenal sunset over the bay. This place has swinging wooden chairs, hammocks, a nice little beach area, a golf course, etc. It would make a fine vacation destination.
Mobile Bay sunset
Grand Resort, Grand Tree
Lots of people were out walking or jogging and we made a quick stop at the Fairhope pier before parking in town for dinner. I was rendered speechless by the contrast between my pre-judgments and reality. I expected Alabama to feel impoverished and unsophisticated, and perhaps a lot of it is. But you could drop Fairhope in the Hamptons and it would not seem out of place. There were Range Rovers and Beemers all over the place, and high end shops and nice restaurants. Camellia Cafe could have been in Carmel. We had sushi (yup, sushi in Alabama) at Master Joe’s which was great, and we were the worst-dressed patrons. One of the rolls we got was baked with cheddar. Cringe ye purists, rejoice ye lovers of isht that tastes good. I heard this area is increasingly popular with snowbirds.
During breakfast at our hotel. Pause. If you are thinking of a proper dining room with an omelet station and ample bacon, think again. I mean the kind where the check-in area is about 150 square feet and has a few tables, some crappy coffee and a little cereal. Play. There was an older couple wearing t-shirts from Newport, Rhode Island and Whitefish, Montana, so it was fun to say we had visited both those spots already on this drive.
Mobile
We passed through downtown Mobile on the way to the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion. There were no other patrons so $7.50 (each with AAA) bought us a private tour. This woman was hilarious. There might have been 40 seconds during the 40 minutes when she was not talking. I am not fact-checking any of this so I apologize for errors, but here are some things she said that I found interesting: the pineapple is a sign of hospitality and when soldiers came home from war they would put it out front stuck on a post, so it is a symbol of welcoming guests; there are curved walls near doors so ladies could pass with big dresses; something about newel post at the staircase base where they would put wedding rings and a penny on top because they spent their last cent on the house (??); the columns out front are 26’ high and made of Cypress; this was Judge Bragg’s home just for the social season, which of course is Thanksgiving through Mardi Gras; and Mardi Gras really began in Mobile and not New Orleans; there are beds with posts that rise up from the frame for draping mosquito nets; many weddings are held at the mansion; most houses back in the day did not have closets because these counted as rooms for taxes; Mobile is the city of six flags, starting with the French in 1702. We did see a police car displaying these, and it was a trip to see a black officer driving a cop car with a confederate flag on it.
After the mansion we went to the Brick Pit, which I covered in my BBQ post. A couple other things we considered doing in the area were the Oakleigh house, the USS Alabama and Bellingrath Gardens. We also skipped the multiple bars with signs out front advertising cold beer and free advice, though I confess that is a strong offering.
In Mississippi we made a brief detour to see the alleged world’s largest rocking chair. Jenni loves this stuff and her fear of heights was drowned by excitement.
To break up the long drive from Georgia to New Orleans and check out some of Alabama and Mississippi, we did a little bit of research and decided on Fairhope, AL, which turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the trip. It’s Beverly Hills, Alabama! I had no idea this upscale town in the Mobile bay even existed, let alone that we would be so impressed by its beauty and its sushi restaurant.
We spent a few minutes checking out the town of Magnolia Springs, having heard great things about Jesse’s restaurant. However, after pulling into the parking lot to check out the menu another car came flying into the parking lot, threw the car in reverse, started skidding and then started towards us at full speed and barely in control. It was one of those terrifying hopeless moments when you don’t know if you are going to get hurt (the car was coming towards the passenger side, where I was sitting), and the driver was clearly enraged, or else three sheets to the wind. They missed the car by a few inches thankfully, and it was then that we noticed a person kind of chasing the car from the parking lot. He turned around almost immediately and started using his phone, we assumed to call the cops. Weirdest situation, very confusing, very unnerving. We’ve no idea if this guy was pushed out of the car, or trying to meet the car. Was it a lover’s quarrel gone wrong? A drug deal? We’ll never know, but we got the hell out of there as soon as possible as we had no desire to wait and see if he/she came back. Aside from this freakish situation, Magnolia Springs was a charming town, filled with the eponymous trees, as well as more live oak. And again aside from this random scenario we found the people in Alabama to be super friendly, in fact several bars around Mobile boasted cold beer and free advice.
From there we headed to the Grand Hotel to check out the views, and we were treated to another stunning sunset (so many good ones on this trip). We checked out the pier, smartly passing up the Yardarm Restaurant there for Master Joe’s sushi downtown. The downtown area was like the downtown of a really high end suburban town, not at all what we had expected to see on our one night in Alabama, we expected deep south ish, not Range Rovers and Bimmers!
We passed a sign in Alabama promoting Mozart and keeping classical music in general alive. It was ironic given that I had played some Mozart while driving through the Florida Panhandle and Alan teased me for doing so in the Redneck Riviera. Turns out they keep it very classy down here in Roll Tide country.
On the way out of town we stopped for a tour of the Bragg-Mitchell mansion. It was a beautiful house, but the tour was made very special by the fact that we got a private tour (by virtue of being the only guests there our entire time on the property) as well as our guide with the hilarious stories. She had the most epic delivery, never stopping to take a breath until she had to sit down, winded. We learned a couple of things about Southern culture and architecture which we enjoyed: pineapples are used in decoration as a sign of hospitality because the men used to bring them home from war and stick them on the gate posts to let people know they were back and ready for visitors; the walls in corner spaces are rounded so that ladies can fit through with their big dresses; the first banister on the main staircase are called Newell posts and were hollowed out to hold important things like wedding rings and deeds, and they were typically the last piece made in the home so a penny would be inserted in the top to signify the last cent spent; the bed posts had stakes that would raise up to hold mosquito nets; most rooms did not have closets back in the day because they were counted as bedrooms for purposes of calculating taxes. Our guide also claimed that Mardi Gras began in Mobile, AL.
Our last stop in Alabama was the Brick Pit, so that Alan could try some proper southern BBQ. He started telling me about how this is “really good” BBQ even if it doesn’t taste that good, because BBQ is judged on lots of factors other than taste. Um, I’ll stick to the bad BBQ that tastes good, thanks. (Not that this was bad, just not that impressive, though I’m really the wrong person to go to for BBQ reviews. See Alan’s blog for the in depth BBQ post. What Alan doesn’t tell you in his post however, is that Justin Bieber’s name appears no less than four times on the walls of this place.)
We looked for something interesting enough to do in Southern Mississippi and I was ecstatic to see that the World’s Largest Rocking Chair was on our route. I’m big on roadside attractions, something we did far too few of on this trip. I’d like to use this opportunity to state for the record that I’m very disappointed we could do Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas (it would have been hours and hours out of the way, but I’m still very upset we didn’t plan around this).
Down in Florida we got on the 10 freeway – the same one that ends at the beach in Santa Monica and the one that took us through most of the Southern end of the country back to LA! This is when we began marveling at the impressiveness of the interstate highway system, something that we had really only taken for granted before.
We also enjoyed passing cars with Northern state license plates and looking in them to confirm that they were snowbirds heading south for winter.
I got irrationally excited as we crossed the Suwanee River. The sign for the river even had the musical notes on it! I had to youtube the song and play it. “Way down upon the Suwanee River, far far away. That’s where my heart is turning ever, that’s where the old folks stay…” I can’t put my finger on why I associate this song so strongly with my childhood. Did I learn to play this on my old keyboard?? Anyway, it stirred up some nostalgia, and that triggered us to start recounting what we’d done on the whole trip so far, both to pass the time as we drove but also to enjoy and enhance our memories of all the amazing things we’d already done on the journey.
We stopped in Tallahassee for lunch at Kool Beanz Cafe, and then drove around town quickly, seeing the state capitol and Florida State’s campus. Again, beautiful and tons of live oak and Spanish moss. I took great pleasure in doing so with the top down and blasting a couple great convertible songs: Dolly Parton’s “More Where That Came From” and Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecilia.”
Also, Florida was a big state for us, because it marked the start of us heading back west!
Next up: Georgia. The welcome sign read “Welcome – we’re glad Georgia’s on your mind!” Stop it. You’re too cute, Georgia. Before checking into our hotel we drove out to Tybee Island, arriving just in time to watch a beautiful sunset on the beach. They had swinging love seats at many of the beach entrances, which was again sickeningly adorable. The beaches here are beautiful, with long wooden decks that lead over the dunes to the sandy waterfronts home to nesting loggerhead turtles.
While we’d heard great things from my parents and their friends Gail and Frank about Sundae Café on Tybee, they are closed on Sundays, so we opted instead for the Crab Shack. While a little kitschy, it was a fun experience. It was here we saw our first alligators of the trip, and tried crawfish for the first time. (My take: taste OK but a lot of work for a tiny bit of meat). We ordered a mixed shellfish platter for two that had enough food for probably four or five (corn, potato sausage, shrimp, crawfish, snow and Jonah crab, clams, mussels). We sat at a table outside, along an inland salt marsh waterway. The tables are cheap and utilitarian, with holes in the middle that allow you to throw shells directly into the trashcan underneath. I also enjoyed the cats, including one very fat cat, that wander around hoping for scraps while you eat.
::poor little guy, didn’t stand a chance::
I felt weirdly sick the next morning (tempting to blame the shellfish though Alan was fine and it definitely wasn’t food poisoning), so I slept off my weird little illness and sent Alan out to discover what’s cool in Savannah. Luckily I was feeling well enough to meet him around lunchtime and we grabbed a bite at Gryphon, which is a beautifully decorated restaurant situated in an old pharmacy. We continued walking around the beautiful old town that is covered with squares on practically every block, each one with statutes and a stunning collection of live oaks and Spanish moss.
We walked by the Mercer Williams House, which is seen in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. There are tons of touristy things to do centering around this book and movie. Then we headed down to River Street, a charming cobble stone road with shops and restaurants that I imagine very much cater to the tourist crowd. Praline is a big thing here and we walked into a most delicious smelling candy store that offered free samples.
We grabbed slices of pizza to go from Vinnie VanGoGo’s at city market for dinner. They were delicious and a good deal and we enjoyed them in our hotel room as we booked most of the rest of our road trip.
We were disappointed to miss eating at the Olde Pink House which came highly recommended and had a great looking menu, but the only resi available was super late and I was still feeling iffy. I was also bummed to eat zero peaches while in Georgia!
We drove right past our hotel in Savannah and continued to Tybee Island where we enjoyed sunset on the beach. This loggerhead turtle nesting haven was most mellow, though I assume the population swells in summer.
After, we had a fun dinner at the kitschy Crab Shack on an inland waterway. Our $40 shared platter was enormous. My crawfish skills are adequate at best.
The (Days) Inn at Ellis Square is in a nice location but I would probably prefer to stay some blocks south, say at or near the Ballastone Inn. Jenni was sick so I walked on my own through City Market, east to Johnson Square with City Hall in the background and then I headed south on Bull Street which bisects several impossibly charming squares.
By City Market
Johnson Square and City Hall
Each is filled with live oaks and a statue or memorial, and each time I think I have reached the prettiest I am soon proved wrong. I saw another dog stalking a squirrel in the park, but unlike in Chicago this one’s owner was a hero and not an accomplice.
There are many impressive old buildings, churches and homes with wrought iron work. On the south side of Madison Square is shopSCAD (as in Savannah College of Art & Design), well worth a visit for its creative art and home decor. Forsyth Park is much bigger than the various squares, and not nearly as quaint.
I sought out Angel’s BBQ and Wall’s BBQ but they were closed, and Wiley’s BBQ was not walking distance. No matter, I met Jenni for a very good lunch at Gryphon (across from SCAD) housed in an ornate old pharmacy. It was not quite as tasty as it sounds, so one of these days I will attempt a better version of the sandwich with peanut butter, honey, home-made granola and banana.
Gryphon
Gryphon
After lunch we meandered up Abercorn Street, which like Bull Street bisects a number of squares and also a cemetery. At the northern end we descended a steep staircase to cobblestone River Street lined with shops and bars plus a World War II Memorial. Savannah Candy Kitchen has a huge selection of fudge, caramel apples, etc., and my free sample of praline was scrumptious.
WWII Memorial
River Street
The Olde Pink House comes highly recommended but no reasonable dinner reservation was on offer, so instead we got a couple slices at Vinnie Van Go Go’s in City Market. This is a solid, hole in the wall type pizza joint with a counter, some outdoor seats and a little beer on tap. The area was buzzing on a Monday night. We laid low, did some work, watched a Red Sox victory and rested up for another long day on the road.
Having left the fair rather late we didn’t get into Charleston until after midnight. Feeling overconfident or overly lazy (slash completely unaware that Charleston is the “top destination in the world” per Condé Nast and hence impossible to get a decent priced hotel reservation in) we made zero reservations in advance. While at the fair we had called the Not So Hostel and booked a room for that night, though they were full over the weekend. No sweat, we figured we’d find another spot no problem.
Well, we’re getting into town around midnight and take a wrong turn, which got us a bit lost, and in an area that’s looking a little on the shady side, and not in the shade of the live oaks kinda way. One more turn and the blue lights start flashing in our rear view. The officer asked what we were doing, and Alan replied that we were looking for our hotel. His response, “well you lost son. You in the hood!” Welcome to Charleston! Ha. He gave us directions and told us not to come back. Pretty crazy that only a few blocks away from a really nice part of town cops pull over nicer looking cars just for being in the area. In fact, they came over to both windows and shone their flashlight in to see what we were doing. I wondered if they thought we were trying to buy drugs. So that was our first observation of Charleston – super nice areas are right next to the hood areas. It seems there is no in-between.
We had a private room at the Not So Hostel Annex that night, which was a steal in Charleston at $70 a night, but definitely not impressive. The bed squeaked every time you took a deep breath in, Alan had to fix the broken toilet while I made the bed, and the door to the (communal) bathroom basically didn’t shut. Oh, and I almost threw up from the smell when we opened the fridge in the kitchen that claimed to have free breakfast. No thanks. (That sounds really whiny when I type it. It was perfectly fine for a hostel, but definitely not one of those awesome, charming kind of hostels that make you glad you’re choosing to stay in a hostel).
Unfortunately this left us in Charleston on a Friday and Saturday night with nowhere to stay. Opting in light of our first night’s experience to choose location over a further away and moderately less expensive spot we picked the Days Inn in Downtown Charleston. The location was phenomenal. The hotel was gnarly. It was the worst hotel we stayed at on the entire trip. At $250 a night it was by far the most expensive place we stayed on the trip (except for weddings when we stayed at fancy places, and our anniversary splurge at the Statler). I’m no priss, we stayed at a lot of grungy hotels/motels/etc. on this trip and I can totally hang, but this place was gross. The carpet smelled like vomit, the shower was covered in dirt, and there was an open box of condoms in the bedside table, right next to the Bible. That said, we could walk to everything, which was great, and everything else we could find online was $450/night or more. So, here’s what you can learn based on our mistake: book in advance for Charleston.
Our first day in town we spent the entire day at a coffee shop and a Fedex copy store. Nine plus hours completing our visas for China and India. It’s kind of ridiculous the hoops they make you jump through. Not to mention all the weird issues we had in answering certain questions because we are homeless, unemployed, had basically no plans of which port of entry we’d be coming in, where we’d be staying, which cities we’d be visiting, which port of entry we’d be exiting through, when we’d even be there, so and so on. I’m trying to not bore y’all with the details, but I guess my point is to offer some advice for anyone who might do something like we are: plan way more in advance when you have the comforts and advantages of a home and access to a printer and so on.
We rewarded a hard day of work with dinner at Slightly North of Broad. Took me a while to realize it stood for SNOB. We were starving by the time we arrived, so shared a charcuterie plate that had some great rabbit pate (sorry to all the cute bunnies at the fair, but you are so delicious). I ordered the calamari salad and Alan the stuffed quail, and we also split a cup of butternut squash bisque. We were both surprised at how crowded the streets and restaurants were. The city is filled to the brim with college students, tourists, and of course lots of Citadel uniform clad young men. We were also a touch surprised by how dressy the people were there, lots of pearls and Vera Bradley. The city is beautiful, filled with bright colored old homes with the most incredible porches and palmettos and live oaks dotting the streets everywhere.
Saturday morning we checked out the Farmer’s Market, which had a lot of Southern staples such as chow chow, grits, boiled peanuts, pickled okra, pimento cheese, and chicken n waffles. There were an unusually large number of puppies (literal baby dogs, I know I call most dogs puppies) out. Obviously I enjoyed this. There was also an awesome large lady singing “Don’t Think Twice” and “Lime in the Coconut” on the square. After that we did a bit of a walking tour around town, passing the Nathaniel Russell house on Meeting St., the White Point Garden, Waterfront park and Rainbow Row on Bay Street. We were unenthused by the City Market which was a tourist trap filled with junky knick-knacks. Horse drawn carriage tours pass by constantly, and you can practically get the info for free just by overhearing the tour guides as they pass.
We stopped at Bull Street Gourmet and Market for lunch and I had an incredible shrimp and oyster salad, Alan a smoked duck club sandwich. Afterwards we went back up to Marion Square where the Farmer’s Market was held to fit in some exercise.
Before dinner we grabbed a quick drink at Closed for Business and then headed over to dinner at Macintosh. We split the burrata and gnudi with BBQ rabbit. I ordered the scallops appetizer and Alan the duck leg. The food was great and Alan also enjoyed a martini with pimiento bacon olives.
We were off our game again in Charleston. By this time we were insanely behind on blog posts, and realizing how many things we had to do to get ready for our six month trip to Asia. These things impede your ability to focus on and enjoy the current places. But we slapped ourselves on our faces, and got back in the groove. We packed up the car with effort again so we could put the top down finally (Sven hadn’t gone topless in quite a few states).
Leaving Charleston we stopped on Shem Creek for a little brunch, sitting on the deck where we could watch the boats and kayaks. We took a quick walk on the boardwalk through the salt marshes where we learned that “cooter” is Gullah for turtle, and saw a woman catch a really cool puffer fish.
From there we headed over to the Boone Hall Plantation, which I chose among others for it’s stunning long driveway lined with 100 year old live oaks dripping in the most romantic Spanish moss. Especially with the top down you feel like a princess driving in there. If it looks familiar, it’s because you’ve probably seen the house in The Notebook, one of a handful of movies filmed on the property.
We took a tour of the mansion, which is still privately owned and inhabited, so you can only see the first floor. We also took a tour of the plantation where you’re driven around on a tractor type bus to see the areas where cotton was grown, bricks made, and pecan trees. It was all set up for Halloween haunted hay rides and a corn maze, and over by the main house for a wedding later that day. The slave quarters are filled with exhibits about various aspects of slave life. It was my first time on a plantation, and fascinating to learn all about it.
champagne&backpacks 