Carlsbad Caverns are most impressive with a many-football-fields size huge space loaded with eerie stalactites, stalagmites and other formations 750 feet below the earth’s surface. It is hard not to use the word “cavernous” when describing the features! Guadalupe Mountains National Park is beautiful and home to the highest point in Texas at…8,750’!! Had you asked me before this trip to guess Texas’ max elevation, I would have aimed far lower.
In da cave
Across the street from Rodeway Inn
On the drive from Austin we passed a handful of wineries before Fredericksburg and saw many signs for peaches. Fredericksburg itself had a nice-looking Main Street where I grabbed tasty iced coffee at Java Ranch. That was about as exciting as it got. There is hardly anything from here to Fort Stockton where we got gas, after which we passed Pecos which lays claim to the first rodeo. This is oil and gas territory and we saw countless rigs lit up at night.
Route 720 connecting over to the National Parks Highway was a little gnarly at night but we made it safely to our hotel located at the turnoff to Carlsbad Caverns, and picked up an hour on the time change.
The Abominable Snowman?
We awoke Wednesday to clear skies and crisp 40-something degree air. The Caverns visitor center is seven miles up a winding road. Various tours (in the main caverns and further afield) are offered but we decided to take the elevator 750 feet down for a self-guided walk around the Big Room.
The formations and general enormity are really something. The temperature down there is in the mid 50s all year long. I think the loop is about 1.25 miles which we leisurely completed in about an hour and quarter. To see more and sweat a bit we walked back up which took 35 minutes.
One of the special attractions are the Mexican free-tail bats that swarm out of the cave at sunset to hunt for insects etc. We heard they can consume half their body weight in a single night! Sadly we just missed them as they are usually present only from March to October. It might be worth scheduling your trip during these months to catch this spectacle.
Cave entrance/exit
Amphitheater for bats
While there are some other activities, it seems to me that one day at the Caverns would be sufficient. MAKE SURE you have enough gas and water because we passed a sign stating it would be 130 miles until the next available services.
We continued down the road to Guadalupe National Park. There are a few different entrances and areas with different features; we struggled between McKittrick or Dog Canyons. The canyons are known for foliage around this time. In the end, we kept it simple and went to the main entrance at Pine Springs. Were it earlier in the day we would have tried to hike to the top of Gaudalupe Peak, but it gets dark out pretty early so instead we took the trail part of the way to a lovely view point and then headed back.
Road in the distance
Great stopping point on peak trail
We passed a few people on the trail in the span of a couple hours…a delightful experience! Air pollution is often a problem in the summer but we had clear views with 60 degrees and a nice breeze. These mountains long ago were a marine reef when the area was an inland sea.
Our drive from here was beautiful and really felt like the middle of nowhere. Doing 85 with the top down through the high desert listening to Marriage Of Figaro was sublime.
We skirted El Paso as we were heading back north to stay in Alamogordo before visiting White Sands National Monument. I think we did not miss much and that El Paso is probably a moderately scary place. At the gas station I had to lift a plastic cover to access the credit card slot, presumably to keep out all the sand and dirt that blows around.
Seeing relatively remote places like Guadalupe and western Texas is one of my favorite things about a round-the-US drive. Tomorrow it got even better…
Practical Info
We stayed at the Rodeway Inn in Whites City, New Mexico, which seemed to be about the only place really close to the park entrance. It was adequate, with a large room but poor WiFi. There are far more options in the town of Carlsbad but that is about 20 miles further away. Bring supplies or buy them in Carlsbad as services are very sparse in this area.
If we had more time we would have liked to check out Marfa, Texas as well as Big Bend National Park.
Back on the 10 to Texas we went. The swamp areas we drove through were quite beautiful. Upon entering Texas our first impression was, “hot damn, is this a big state.” The last exit on the 10 (or the first if you’re coming from the East as we were) is 878. That’s a wide stretch of the 10! I laughed out loud at the billboard for a jewelry store that boasted merchandise that’s “Just a Little Bit Gawdy!” we quickly noticed that drivers in Texas – at least Eastern Texas – are very aggressive and abide by the “keep left pass right” mentality despite the signs advising the opposite and the Welcome to Texas signs that advise visitors to “Drive Friendly – the Texas Way.”
We checked into our hotel in Austin, conveniently located at 6th and Guadalupe (an Extended Stay – nothing to write home about other than cheap and well situated, don’t believe their lies about free wifi, you have to pay for wifi that actually works). We walked out to 6th street and Alan pointed out the places he’d partied at Josh’s bachelor party. There are tons of food trucks all over the city, but this being Sunday night we couldn’t find any open. We opted for Turf N’ Surf Po’ Boy to try and squeeze in an oyster po’ boy before we left the south. Unfortunately they were out of oysters and we got a buffalo shrimp with blue cheese to share. Much more up Alan’s alley than mine, but not horrible. The bar itself seemed like a pretty fun place to watch a game as well, and the people were very friendly.
We faced some threatening weather the next day (first time in a while on this trip – we were so lucky for pretty much all of the eastern seaboard and south). We drove over to Juan in a Million for breakfast tacos. SO good. I got a guacamole taco (literally just guac on a taco, so I’d probably skip that next time but the guac is fab) and a nopalitas and egg taco which was so freaking amazing. Nopalitas is prickly pear cactus. By the way, for breakfast you could definitely get away with one taco, I only ate half of each and took them to go. Kinda weird, but the nopalitas held up surprisingly well. Alan go the machacado and migas, also both fantastic.
After breakfast we drove across the lake, and over to South Congress. I loved with area. Tons of cute shops and coffee shops and food trucks and restaurants. The signage is probably my favorite thing about Austin. You’re nothin’ if you don’t have a hipster-cool neon light. I particularly enjoyed wandering around Uncommon Objects to check out the antiques, and we tried on some cowboy/girl boots at Allen’s. Big Top Candy Shop had a ridiculous selection of candies, including a number I’d never seen before. And I know my candy.
After South Congress we drove to Covert Park at Mount Bonnell and climbed the 100 or so steps to the top of Austin (775 feet) for some beautiful views of the river and downtown Austin. We admired the mcmansions on the waterfront, and afterwards we drove around Scenic Rd admiring more impressive Texas sized homes.
We checked out the University of Texas campus, which was nice and more urban that we’d expected. For lunch Alan got his second barbecue fill at Iron Works. Both Obama and Bush were pictured on the wall, so I was prepared for some legit BBQ. We shared a combo plate that had beef brisket, ribs, sausage, potato salad and beans. The ribs were best, the brisket OK. I didn’t bother with the sausage, and the beans here had nothing on Brick Pit’s.
For dinner we went to Chuy’s which came recommended by several friends. Alan ordered the Texas Martini, which is a margarita in a martini glass rimmed with salt, and with jalapeño stuffed olives. Be sure to ask for the creamy jalapeño sauce (free) for your chips and salsa. We split the enchiladas chicka chicka boom boom (fantastic) and the tortilla soup (OK). After Chuy’s we went to Rainey St. and met up with a friend of Sam and Kaitlyn’s for a drink. He was super friendly and had given us lots of tips on what to do in Austin, and Rainey St. is such a unique place. With Austin rapidly expanding, they turned this residential street into a row of really funky bars and restaurants all built in these former residential homes. They have backyards you can hang out in, play cornhole or watch live music. This is also where G’raj Majal is located (massively successful Indian food truck that is now expanding into one of the houses on Rainey St.). We were very impressed with the young working professionals’ scene in Austin, and I can imagine this is a really nice place to live for people in their 20s and 30s as there are several areas around town with great bars and restaurants.
On our way out of Austin we went to the barbecue mecca of Franklin. We’d been told you’re fine to get food if you arrive by 10:30am (they open at 11am and people line up in advance). Well, we arrived at 10:10am and Alan dropped me off to get in the LONG ASS line while he found a parking spot. He was devastated to return and see me standing right behind the guy with the “Last Man Standing” sign in hand, meaning he was the last person guaranteed food. We were told we could wait around and see if there was food left, but it would be close to 1pm by the time we knew if that was the case. We were so bummed, and talked with the woman managing the line about how we were on an epic road trip all the way from LA. Alan considered bailing (blaspheme) but luckily he is so slow at making decisions that before he could pull the trigger, she came back and pushed the last man standing card back based on a reevaluation of the availability of food. Still, we were told that it was a long shot that we’d get any ribs (and they wound up selling out a few people ahead of us). Settling in for the three and a half hour wait, the boat chairs came in clutch again. There was a girl walking around selling beer and cold drinks which we took advantage of for one round. Note that you can also BYO, which a number of the fellow waiting diners did. Finally at about 1:30 we ordered our food. Aaron Franklin himself cuts the meat for you, and he gave us a nice free sample of the brisket, which confirmed the three plus hour wait was worth it. I never thought I’d say that about meat, and especially barbecue, but mmmmm mmmmmmm mmmmm. Maybe you’re just so deliriously hungry by then? No, no. It was that good. The brisket at least. I personally wouldn’t wait for the turkey or pulled pork. On another recommendation we also got the banana crème pie, which was a crusted bowl of melt in your mouth happiness. So if I ever went again I would get only the brisket (maybe try the ribs if available) and a pie. Also, they had blueberry soda, which we mixed with regular soda and it was really tasty. I would also get there at 8am. You wait three hours no matter what, so may at least guarantee yourself a shady spot to sit and your choice of meat. All of the guys working the counter were friendly and struck up little conversations with us. I loved that the last guy heard us say we were from LA, and he told us about how he ordered a salad from a Whataburger in Oklahoma and the cash register attendant asked, “Are you from Los Angeles?”
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.
Hello y’all from Austin! Since some of you said you want to track our travels by this blog, and my infrequent posts have made that difficult, I figured I’d provide a very quick rundown of where we’ve been and where we’re headed…before I hopefully complete the rest of the US posts in the next couple weeks before we go to Chile.
Sven is now more than 10,200 miles older. My last post was on Yellowstone which we visited in early September. From there, we spent a few nights near Jackson, WY which is stunningly beautiful. Then we drove east to Devil’s Tower National Monument, followed by Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands. I probably wouldn’t go too far out of the way to visit Mt. Rushmore, but Devil’s Tower was great and the Badlands are awesome…so combining these three places in a long weekend would be worthwhile.
Minnesota near I-90 is nothing but corn and windmills (I’m sure much of the state is lovely). We whizzed through it and got to Madison, WI on a Thursday night for two nights. We had a wonderful airbnb stay there and absolutely loved the city. I had one of the best burgers of my life at Graze. Terrific Saturday morning farmer’s market, too. After an afternoon tour of Milwaukee courtesy of Emily’s mom, we headed to Evanston/Chicago for several nights with Kenny. I would say the highlight of this time was our Sunday trip up to Lambeau Field to watch the Packers destroy our rival Redskins.
On September 20 we crossed into the Eastern Time Zone and spent a couple nights in Ithaca at the Statler Hotel, where we partied at homecoming and the next day celebrated our one-year anniversary!! Then we were off to Burlington, VT for some QT with my Dad and Linda. September 27 we drove to Maine for some QT with Alper, Margaret, Devin, Beyaz (RIP), Louie and Ryder…and copious lobster. We next spent a couple nights at Devin’s in Westford, MA before Matt and Jaimie’s wedding in Newport, RI. This was tons of fun, followed by some recovery time in Longmeadow…where I had a great burger at Max in the center of town and then obviously hit White Hut.
The weekend of October 11-14 we stayed at the Mount Washington Inn in Bretton Woods…I think that is the right name, there seem to be several names for this property. Anyway, it is famous for the Bretton Woods conference in 1944 that established the IMF. More important, we celebrated my grandma Frieda’s 90th birthday and her and David’s 70th wedding anniversary. WOW. They are truly the bee’s knees and an inspiration to me on many levels. My grandpa was playing tennis and he is 91!!
New York, NY was next for some time with friends and family and Jack’s usual gracious hosting. The weekend of October 18-20 was Phil and Eileen’s wedding on Long Island. Amazing time, I am still recovering. On Sunday we drove down to Chevy Chase, MD and spent a couple nights with Seth and Jill…we got to reconnect with Chloe and Jumbo and meet Cooper and Winnie (sp??). Tucker drove down from Baltimore on Monday and we all enjoyed Georgetown, the D.C. Mall area, etc. On October 22 we headed to South Boston, VA for a couple nights with Jenni’s family. This was a highlight of the trip as the experience was so different from our typical lifestyle. I shot no fewer than four different guns in less than 24 hours.
October 24 we continued south, passing through Durham before lunch in Chapel Hill and several hours at the NC State Fair in Raleigh. We arrived in Charleston, SC after midnight and after I missed a turn, we found ourselves in what seemed a low-income neighborhood. Like a couple blocks from where we intended to be, not miles away. Our intuition was quickly confirmed when we got pulled over and explained we were trying to find our hotel. The officer said, “well you lost, son, you in the ‘hood! Don’t come back here.” Who knew that Charleston has a hood worthy of pulling over a couple in a Volvo. After that interesting start, I found the city excellent. We spent a few days and then continued to GA where we stopped for a walk on the beach and dinner on Tybee Island then checked in to Savannah for two nights. Another great southern city.
Between Savannah and New Orelans we decided to spend a night in Fairhope, AL, on the east side of Mobile Bay. This was one of the biggest surprises of the trip, and hat tip to Leura for helping us find it. It is beautiful here, and the town of Fairhope would not be too out of place in the Hamptons, for example. We had a delicious sushi dinner (yup, you read that correctly, sushi in Alabama) at a restaurant that could easily have been in Los Angeles. I got my first real barbecue of the trip at the Brick Pit in Mobile which was good but perhaps a touch disappointing. I will elaborate on all this in more detailed posts.
Having seen the world’s largest rocking chair in Gulfport, MS, we could move on to four nights in New Orleans. This is a special city and Sam and Kaitlyn were superb hosts. Halloween on Frenchman Street was some all-time kind of isht. Yesterday we drove to Austin, TX, another great town. I was here earlier this year for Josh’s bachelor party. This trip is slightly more mellow. We discovered Rainey Street which is near downtown and super cool. Tomorrow we will spend the night near Carlsbad Caverns, then we plan to explore that park before running through Guadalupe Mountains and staying in Alamogordo, NM on Wednesday night. On Thursday we will hit White Sands National Monument, drive to Phoenix for the night and then return “home” to Los Angeles on Friday. More to come, including pictures!!
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!
champagne&backpacks 