roots view
arched tree and sea oats
Cold sunset on the bay
Tree on the edge
Suspended tree
Birds in a row.
KG
Friday, February 12, 2010
Rt 98-Panacea, Carabelle, Apalachicola
roots view
arched tree and sea oats
Cold sunset on the bay
Tree on the edge
Suspended tree
Bon Temps Roulez in Apilachicola Bay
Yesterday we went to Apalachicola via SR98. It is a lovely scenic drive. The day was cold-in the 40's and overcast.
We are in Marcia's Florida. It is the one part of Florida with which I have little to no familiarity.
In many ways it is the forgotten Florida. There are more "For Sale" signs than anything else. Stores are closed and have been for some time. Roofs are falling in on quite a few old buildings.
The shoreline is clearly eroded-from the last series of storms-Katrina year. The trees tell the tale. they are dead and dying. Their roots say that the shore was once further out.
Apalachicola is truly a town that time forgot and some people are trying to keep current. You can walk around the whole town-thorough walk- in 3-4 hours. Marcia spent some time at the Rainey House Museum. She found her Uncle Amos Sharit's photo displayed, but the docent was from Indiana and she knew more than he did about the area and the history of Apalachicola in it's heyday.
Apalachicola is an ante bellum town. Cotton ruled. It was a major port for cotton export. Even though the bay is shallow, cotton could be tendered to ships in the Gulf and shipped to England. Parts of North Florida and Alabama depended on this port to get their crop out and bring in big money. With the fertility of soils diminished in South Carolina, plantation owners were moving south and ports like Apalachicola were part of the lifeblood of the plantation system.
Even before the war the price of cotton had been dropping. After the war-forget about it! Apalachicola has survived on tourism and fishing. These days, even tourism and fishing are challenged.
We enjoyed a day around the town, and particularly enjoyed our early dinner at Boss Oyster. Boss is on the river/bay so you can watch the boats come in. As we waited for our meal to arrive, the oyster boat came in-really fresh. Since it is a month with an "R", I enjoyed 1/2 dozen raw oysters shucked and on the half shell. Boss offers great big squeeze bottles of ketchup and tartar sauce and cocktail sauce with plenty of horseradish. Just because they know whats right, they also bring a bit more horseradish with the oysters-and a slice of lemon. There are, count them, three Louisiana hot pepper sauces to choose from. The Boss clearly knows how give people what they need.
Marcia enjoyed her oyster stew, and it was good. She was a bit awed by her sandwich. Cibata with a pile of fried shrimp, scallops and oysters. All were fresh. My faves were the scallops which were quite sweet. I got he grouper sandwich, then promptly ignored the anemic tomatoes and lettuce and bun and got right to the fresh grouper. I was not disappointed.
What I didn't realize till I was in the checkout at Publix in Tally today was that I had dropped my credit card at Boss's. I had about an hour of some anxiety, but when I called Boss to ask about it, they assured me that my credit card was in their cash register and I could come claim it tomorrow. Gosh darn-might have to have another fresh seafood delight.
As for today, it was 40F or less today and raining all day. What better day to spend in the archives?!. I managed a large stack of books for the staff to re shelve and left with a hand full of papers. It was fun to read about my grandparents in the early 18th century in North Carolina.
We have buttoned up the RV and ourselves and jacked up the heat tonight. I'm sitting at my usual computer desk at the front of the RV. I had the curtains open for awhile, but when the sun went down the temps did too. I have a thick lap robe over my legs making a nice tent for Stella. She likes snuggling under the tent and it keeps me warm as well. I suspect dogs have been accommodating humans and themselves like this for milenia. We have all adjusted well to having her in the bed. She knows to go to the foot, and we don't bother her too much.
So, the archives will have to wait till our return trip. We will focus on visiting cemeteries and will pull out on Monday for Marianna.
KG
We are in Marcia's Florida. It is the one part of Florida with which I have little to no familiarity.
In many ways it is the forgotten Florida. There are more "For Sale" signs than anything else. Stores are closed and have been for some time. Roofs are falling in on quite a few old buildings.
The shoreline is clearly eroded-from the last series of storms-Katrina year. The trees tell the tale. they are dead and dying. Their roots say that the shore was once further out.
Apalachicola is truly a town that time forgot and some people are trying to keep current. You can walk around the whole town-thorough walk- in 3-4 hours. Marcia spent some time at the Rainey House Museum. She found her Uncle Amos Sharit's photo displayed, but the docent was from Indiana and she knew more than he did about the area and the history of Apalachicola in it's heyday.
Apalachicola is an ante bellum town. Cotton ruled. It was a major port for cotton export. Even though the bay is shallow, cotton could be tendered to ships in the Gulf and shipped to England. Parts of North Florida and Alabama depended on this port to get their crop out and bring in big money. With the fertility of soils diminished in South Carolina, plantation owners were moving south and ports like Apalachicola were part of the lifeblood of the plantation system.
Even before the war the price of cotton had been dropping. After the war-forget about it! Apalachicola has survived on tourism and fishing. These days, even tourism and fishing are challenged.
We enjoyed a day around the town, and particularly enjoyed our early dinner at Boss Oyster. Boss is on the river/bay so you can watch the boats come in. As we waited for our meal to arrive, the oyster boat came in-really fresh. Since it is a month with an "R", I enjoyed 1/2 dozen raw oysters shucked and on the half shell. Boss offers great big squeeze bottles of ketchup and tartar sauce and cocktail sauce with plenty of horseradish. Just because they know whats right, they also bring a bit more horseradish with the oysters-and a slice of lemon. There are, count them, three Louisiana hot pepper sauces to choose from. The Boss clearly knows how give people what they need.
Marcia enjoyed her oyster stew, and it was good. She was a bit awed by her sandwich. Cibata with a pile of fried shrimp, scallops and oysters. All were fresh. My faves were the scallops which were quite sweet. I got he grouper sandwich, then promptly ignored the anemic tomatoes and lettuce and bun and got right to the fresh grouper. I was not disappointed.
What I didn't realize till I was in the checkout at Publix in Tally today was that I had dropped my credit card at Boss's. I had about an hour of some anxiety, but when I called Boss to ask about it, they assured me that my credit card was in their cash register and I could come claim it tomorrow. Gosh darn-might have to have another fresh seafood delight.
As for today, it was 40F or less today and raining all day. What better day to spend in the archives?!. I managed a large stack of books for the staff to re shelve and left with a hand full of papers. It was fun to read about my grandparents in the early 18th century in North Carolina.
We have buttoned up the RV and ourselves and jacked up the heat tonight. I'm sitting at my usual computer desk at the front of the RV. I had the curtains open for awhile, but when the sun went down the temps did too. I have a thick lap robe over my legs making a nice tent for Stella. She likes snuggling under the tent and it keeps me warm as well. I suspect dogs have been accommodating humans and themselves like this for milenia. We have all adjusted well to having her in the bed. She knows to go to the foot, and we don't bother her too much.
So, the archives will have to wait till our return trip. We will focus on visiting cemeteries and will pull out on Monday for Marianna.
KG
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Redd Rides
At last I have chased down some of the Redd relatives Holly and I have been interested in. It's been hard finding information about these cousins in Leon and Wakulla Co but the grave photos I took today will give us some dates. Woodville was first on my list as it was just a few miles south of Tallahassee. It's a small town and the McDaniel (Now called Woodville) Cemetery was clearly marked on none other than Cemetery Rd. Many of the names were familiar to me- Burns, McDaniels, Whitherspoon and more were spread all over the large community cemetery. Many of the older head stones were very worn down and were accompanied by newer large marble headstones and framed family plots. Searching was not easy in this blended area. Plus, it was quite cold today with blustery winds. The headstone I wanted was not to be found and the Wakulla cemetery was blocked by high water. I went on down to St Marks looking for church cemeteries on the way that might contain surprises. The only surprise was St Marks itself-- now very run down and surrounded by empty golf condo-communities and town centers. I remember a better area by the river with several great seafood places-- mostly shuttered up today. It was a quiet and maybe broken place much different from my 1980s memory.
It was time to head back to Tallahassee for the rest of my cemetery list. Turning down Geddie Road, I found the Geddie Cemetery that Holly told me about right in the middle of a US Forestry Unit. The chain link fence seemed really out of place but the old headstones looked right at home. Then I was off to Oakland Cemetery in downtown T' hassee. Now Oakland is a large place spread over rolling grounds and somewhat steep areas that are tightly filled with headstones. Again, there are lots of familiar names and finding the Redds was going to be difficult at best. There is no one to ask and the groundskeepers didn't know anything or any one to call. So, it was going to be driving up and down the roads and pathways and then walking around looking for these lost cousins. I spied two headstones as I was walking and watching one of the caretakers weed-whack grass nearby. Three Redds I have never seen before... and not the ones I was looking for. A few more laps around and down the hill on the other side there was the Redd family plot I was looking for. Success!!!! It's off to pick up Kay from the archives and back to the RV park and a warm happy dog.mdt
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
So Many Ancestors-So Little Time
When we were in Dunnellon thinking about this trip, a week in Tallahassee sounded like quite a long time. Now that I have had two days at the archives, two months seems like too little time. I am reminded of Griff's saying, "Ah feel lik a blind dog in a meathouse." Everywhere I turn there are resources for finding a will or a deed or a marriage of an ancestor.
There are also cemeteries nearby. Today Marcia did some cemetery tours while I continued my pursuit of documents. We were both happy campers at the end of the day.
Plannon has sent me downloads for drivers for my docupen. If they work, I will really be zooming along.
Microfilm is the medium of Madison County records, so I have to print them out. Sometimes it takes 4 printouts to get a whole page of the deed book. I'll have lots of work to do transcribing them-sometime.
While much of the nation piles up with snow, we are sunny but cold. Marcia took in the hoses tonight. We have plenty of heat and plenty of covers and a tank full of water that will remain heated. Our Daba jackets are perfect for keeping us warm, and Stella doesn't complain about sleeping with us. We have had a bit of consideration about our plans to go to Apalachicola tomorrow-mostly because of the wind with the cold. However, our plans are for several indoor activities like eating oysters, so no one need have sympathy for us. There is always a day in the archives as a fall back plan.
KG
There are also cemeteries nearby. Today Marcia did some cemetery tours while I continued my pursuit of documents. We were both happy campers at the end of the day.
Plannon has sent me downloads for drivers for my docupen. If they work, I will really be zooming along.
Microfilm is the medium of Madison County records, so I have to print them out. Sometimes it takes 4 printouts to get a whole page of the deed book. I'll have lots of work to do transcribing them-sometime.
While much of the nation piles up with snow, we are sunny but cold. Marcia took in the hoses tonight. We have plenty of heat and plenty of covers and a tank full of water that will remain heated. Our Daba jackets are perfect for keeping us warm, and Stella doesn't complain about sleeping with us. We have had a bit of consideration about our plans to go to Apalachicola tomorrow-mostly because of the wind with the cold. However, our plans are for several indoor activities like eating oysters, so no one need have sympathy for us. There is always a day in the archives as a fall back plan.
KG
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
The Archives
I met my goals for the first day at the archives, so I am a happy camper. We got there about 11, and by about 12:30 I had, in my hand, copies of Larry Eugene Rivers article about slavery in Madison County and not only Grandma Nancy's will, but Uncle Amon's will as well.
There were several "finds" in Grandma Nancy's will (1864). She didn't want her estate divided up till there was peace between the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. She wanted her personal property divided amongst her children and her real estate sold and divided equally.
She made her youngest son the executor of her estate. She was very specific about leaving their father's portion of the estate for the children of her son Jasper who predeceased her-he died at Sharpsburg. She definitely did not want the wife of her son Amon to in any way inherit anything-because of the way his wife treated Amon. All the other children could have lived in the house till it was sold, but not Amon and his family. I wonder if this tells us more about Nancy or Amon's wife, Annie.
Uncle Amon's will was very straightforward. He was an old man when he died, and his wife had predeceased him. He left his estate to his son and two daughters. Had I not recently found the married names of his daughters I would have been very excited to find them in his will.
Tomorrow I will try to connect more of the dots by looking at Madison County deeds. I have several copies of deeds involving the younger son, James Pickins DeLaughter, but I did not know that he was the executor of the estate. They might make more sense now. I imagine that selling the land after the war might have been a bit tricky. I'll be anxious to find new finds tomorrow.
The archives are such a treasure. I hardly know where to begin as there are so many choices. I found a booklet of records validating land claims of families in Northeast Florida in the 1820's. Some land had been granted by the English and some by the Spanish. When Florida became a US territory efforts were made to establish valid ownership by collecting testimony and by whether the claimants were actually living on and farming the land. Some heirs of Z. Haddock (grandaddy) were denied claims of tracts of 400 or more acres because they neither lived on it nor farmed it.
So, I have a fistfull of papers, and I would have a computer full of scanned documents if I could get my clever little Docupen scanner to work. I have a feeling it could have to do with the docupen communicating with Windows 7.
You have to leave the archives when they close at 4:30. Otherwise I might still be there. At least they are open on Saturday. I'll surely be there tomorrow.
KG
There were several "finds" in Grandma Nancy's will (1864). She didn't want her estate divided up till there was peace between the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. She wanted her personal property divided amongst her children and her real estate sold and divided equally.
She made her youngest son the executor of her estate. She was very specific about leaving their father's portion of the estate for the children of her son Jasper who predeceased her-he died at Sharpsburg. She definitely did not want the wife of her son Amon to in any way inherit anything-because of the way his wife treated Amon. All the other children could have lived in the house till it was sold, but not Amon and his family. I wonder if this tells us more about Nancy or Amon's wife, Annie.
Uncle Amon's will was very straightforward. He was an old man when he died, and his wife had predeceased him. He left his estate to his son and two daughters. Had I not recently found the married names of his daughters I would have been very excited to find them in his will.
Tomorrow I will try to connect more of the dots by looking at Madison County deeds. I have several copies of deeds involving the younger son, James Pickins DeLaughter, but I did not know that he was the executor of the estate. They might make more sense now. I imagine that selling the land after the war might have been a bit tricky. I'll be anxious to find new finds tomorrow.
The archives are such a treasure. I hardly know where to begin as there are so many choices. I found a booklet of records validating land claims of families in Northeast Florida in the 1820's. Some land had been granted by the English and some by the Spanish. When Florida became a US territory efforts were made to establish valid ownership by collecting testimony and by whether the claimants were actually living on and farming the land. Some heirs of Z. Haddock (grandaddy) were denied claims of tracts of 400 or more acres because they neither lived on it nor farmed it.
So, I have a fistfull of papers, and I would have a computer full of scanned documents if I could get my clever little Docupen scanner to work. I have a feeling it could have to do with the docupen communicating with Windows 7.
You have to leave the archives when they close at 4:30. Otherwise I might still be there. At least they are open on Saturday. I'll surely be there tomorrow.
KG
Monday, February 08, 2010
The Wild Tchoupitoulas Done Stomped Some Romp
and they were on their way home via I-10 today. Even for a non-football fan, this game was exciting. What makes it really fun for me is watching it with friends who are enthusiastic about football and really enjoy the game. This year we were pretty much in agreement that it needed to be the Saints, but after the first quarter we were a bit concerned. Second half caught our attention.
Marcia and I didn't see many other vehicles on the road from Dunnellon via Rt 19 north to I-10. However, once we merged, the flapping fleur flags were whizzing by. They may have been tired, but they were some happy people.
We are setteled in for a week at the Big Oak RV Park just north of Tallahassee. Since most of our time in Tally is just passing through, it seems strange to plan for a week here, but that is our plan. Tomorrow there is rain expected, but it won't bother us as we will head to the State Archives downtown and find out what's what with the archives and ideally our ancestors.
KG
Marcia and I didn't see many other vehicles on the road from Dunnellon via Rt 19 north to I-10. However, once we merged, the flapping fleur flags were whizzing by. They may have been tired, but they were some happy people.
We are setteled in for a week at the Big Oak RV Park just north of Tallahassee. Since most of our time in Tally is just passing through, it seems strange to plan for a week here, but that is our plan. Tomorrow there is rain expected, but it won't bother us as we will head to the State Archives downtown and find out what's what with the archives and ideally our ancestors.
KG
Friday, January 15, 2010
On the Road South
On the Road South
I am so pleased to report that I found the switch on the side of my new computer that allows internet access. We could find no explanation for the lack of connection as it connected immediately at home. I'm sure this machine has many more surprises for me, but at least I am typing now.
Yesterday I managed to get myself going and find our way (with only a few detours) to Tampa/Brandon, to the Petville Kennel for a day stay for Stella, to the Florida State Fairgrounds for the RV mega show, and to the Best Western for the night. I considered this a major accomplishment as my head was full of head cold. Sometime during the night it traveled across the king size bed at the Best Western to Marcia's head. The further south we traveled today the better I felt and the worse Marcia felt. Nevertheless, we have made it to the Ramada in Florida City where the night is cool in short sleeves and the sunset lingers in purple and pink in the Western sky.
Florida City is the last Wal-Mart in the eastern continental United States. Tonight it provided us with Theraflu and ideally tomorrow it will provide us with poop bags for Stella-well, actually she could care less. Starbucks is across the street-US 1/Dixie Highway. I see that there is a Starbucks in Key Largo and another on Duval Street in Key West-the southernmost Starbucks I guess. Anyway, tomorrow we leave the land of consumer convenience, for the most part, and enter Conch Nation. In the 60's there was talk of succession, but since they are in many ways already a separate entity unto themselves, and since it can be a pretty laid back culture-often necessitated by the climate-there was little enthusiasm for succession other than the printing of bumper stickers and T-shirts.
Of course, I remember the Keys of the 1950's. There wasn't even a grocery store in Marathon. I remember driving with my mother and her friend from Marathon to Key West to buy groceries once a month. The Keys were the destination for commercial fishermen (probably not women at the time), sports fisherpersons (maybe some women), some vacationers, and people headed to Havana for sin. We were there for infrastructure-my Dad managed the power generation plant.
So, this drive brings back so many memories. I celebrated 6 birthdays in my first decade here, and so it seems appropriate to begin my 6th decade here.
To backtrack, the RV show is always a trip (so to speak). We are scouting a downsize-something I am comfortable driving so we can share the driving. There were quite a few possibilities and one we really like-the Reyo. However, the downsizing options are expensive and the trade ins are quite low. Not so promising. Further investigation needed.
Marcia and I had a discussion about which is the best route to take to Florida City, but in the end, the potholes that opened on I-4 decided for us. Personally, I like the drive through Fakahatchee Strand and Big Cypress. The traffic is not so bad, and the bird life is abundant and great. Today I saw more wood storks than I believe I have ever seen. There seemed to be little rookeries of them with quite a few snowy egret standing around as well. There were plenty of osprey and osprey nests and several hawks. There were the usual gators sunning themselves-probably as relieved as we are that the cold seems to have receeded and the sun is out. This weekend promises to be rainy, so it was wise of them to sunbathe as much as possible.
I began the day in a long sleeve shirt and cold weather vest and a pair of jeans. I had set out some lightweight travel pants and a short sleeve shirt the night before, but it seemed like folly to put them on. By 10:30 I had shed the vest and was pushing the sleeves up, and by noon I had to change to the short sleeve shirt. Temps on the car thermometer got to 75F. When we got to the hotel room, I changed to my sandals.
A word here about rest areas south of Sarasota in I-75. A sensible rest area provides easy access off and on the interstate and plenty of clean rest rooms and a picnic area and dog walk. The rest areas south of Sarasota require one to use the regular exit off the interstate and join in the sea of cars and trucks on the overcrowded highways of South Florida hunting for the rest area. Marcia never found it, and I nearly required a change of clothes. After a few U turns and several phone calls we finally found each other at the BP next to the CVS (of course the CVS was brand new and not open yet so the cold remedies had to wait till Florida City). Marcia thinks it was a capitalist conspiracy but I can only say, "What were they thinking?".
Like the rest of the world, we are listening to and watching broadcasts about Haiti. Though we complain and make our trials larger than they are, they are so trivial in comparison.
KG
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Just a FYI, in case you haven’t been watching the national weather
We have been living with cold temps for over a week now and yesterday brought areas of Florida a surprise. It’s a rare occurrence, maybe every 10-15 years, but it does happen sometimes. It doesn’t last very long either.
Down in our place by the river we had no snow but our friends that live nearer downtown Dunnellon reported that there was enough to make snowballs. The bird waterers were frozen over and maintained a thin sheet of ice most of the day. Even with some late sun arriving in the afternoon the temps never broke 40 degrees.
In my memory has been colder than in the past but never so cold that snow fell in so many places south of us--Orlando, and Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake counties in central Florida (around Walt Disney World) all had reports of snow.
Today the temperature was 20 degrees at 8 AM- new lows are expected tomorrow morning. The good part of it all is that these low temps will really have an impact on the mosquito population come the spring and summer. Thankfully, all should improve by Wednesday, we will return to our normal 60 -70 degree high temps and we can really assess the damage to plants and crops in the area.
M
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Empty Cage Visitors Blog
We have created an Empty Cage Visitor's Blog for our exchange families. On this blog I have just posted links to videos made by our last guests, a Swiss family-Rene, Birgit, and Nina. Feel free to visit the blog and check out the videos if you like.
http://ecvisitors.blogspot.com/
KG
http://ecvisitors.blogspot.com/
KG
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
On the Road Again-all day
We are back in Jax. Luckily our favorite Jax RV park had a space available for us. I am thinking that they might be paying off the road department in South Georgia to not finish construction on I-95. We remember the same construction from 2006.
You know from a previous blog that we knew there would be delays on I-95 south from Savannah. We have the photos to prove it. However, we did not expect an average speed of 5mph from mile marker 67-62 (it took one hour-do the math), from mm 67 the speed picked up to about 8mph. We observed two construction men in reflector vests and one dump truck. We have to assume that one of the men in reflector vests was a supervisor. All in all, it took us from 12:30, when we got on I-95 to 5pm to get to the RV park in Jax. Average: 30mph.
The other news is that there is no one left in Ontario, but we know where to find them. Honestly, you could invade the Province and no one would be there to report it.
One of the reasons the RV park is full to capacity tonight is the Gator Bowl this weekend. There are groups of Seminoles all over the RV park-interspersed between the Ontarians and Vermonters.
Still, today was light years better for me than yesterday. From 4 am to about 4 pm my best friends were the bed and the toilet. I suspect it was something I ate as Marcia doesn't seem to be the least bit effected. It seems to be all gone now, and stone ground wheat crackers and gatorade have restored my appetite. I was able to enjoy the buffet at Cross Creek tonight.
So, we are back on the road tomorrow morning (knock wood). We are back in the Sunshine State where fleece garments are outdoor-not indoor wear. Tomorrow we pick up the black eyed peas and otherwise prepare for the new year.
Hoping your new year is the best ever!
Kay
You know from a previous blog that we knew there would be delays on I-95 south from Savannah. We have the photos to prove it. However, we did not expect an average speed of 5mph from mile marker 67-62 (it took one hour-do the math), from mm 67 the speed picked up to about 8mph. We observed two construction men in reflector vests and one dump truck. We have to assume that one of the men in reflector vests was a supervisor. All in all, it took us from 12:30, when we got on I-95 to 5pm to get to the RV park in Jax. Average: 30mph.
The other news is that there is no one left in Ontario, but we know where to find them. Honestly, you could invade the Province and no one would be there to report it.
One of the reasons the RV park is full to capacity tonight is the Gator Bowl this weekend. There are groups of Seminoles all over the RV park-interspersed between the Ontarians and Vermonters.
Still, today was light years better for me than yesterday. From 4 am to about 4 pm my best friends were the bed and the toilet. I suspect it was something I ate as Marcia doesn't seem to be the least bit effected. It seems to be all gone now, and stone ground wheat crackers and gatorade have restored my appetite. I was able to enjoy the buffet at Cross Creek tonight.
So, we are back on the road tomorrow morning (knock wood). We are back in the Sunshine State where fleece garments are outdoor-not indoor wear. Tomorrow we pick up the black eyed peas and otherwise prepare for the new year.
Hoping your new year is the best ever!
Kay
Monday, December 28, 2009
Carriage Ride in Savannah
Dinnah at the Lady and Sons was not to be. Gotta get into town early to get a reservation. No exactly my style. We'll catch them later.
We dined at the City Market Cafe where we also dined several years ago. I had the signature dish, blackened creole shrimp and grits with a side of greens. Marcia got the gumbo and a sandwich. We both declared the gumbo to be Campbell's finest.
Next was our carriage ride with Carol and Sonny and Cher. Actually, there was a carriage load of people and it took awhile to load us up as everybody had definite ideas about where to sit. We opted for the front row with the driver and were not disappointed-like having a private carriage for considerably less price. Carol was quite good-not too much schmaltz and plenty of information.
I remembered from our last ride that Ogelthorpe, founder of the colony in 1733, had three rules. No hard liquor (beer and wine were fine), no Catholics (things were not going well in Europe when Protestants and Catholics were mixed), and no attorneys (Ogelthorpe's own personal experience). He also outlawed slavery, so the colony was slave free till Ogelthorpe went back to England and got himself a romantic interest.
Our driver also pointed out a little shop with the best cupcakes in Savannah, so we found our way there after the carriage ride and scooped up 4 cupcakes just before they sold out. They were out of milk, so we had to settle for the Starbucks for our coffee. Great treat!
It was a cold day in Savannah and tomorrow promises to be colder. We fortified ourselves with a little mall shopping this afternoon. Malls have never been our favorite places and after Christmas not our favorite times for malls. Still, it was a bit shocking to see so few people and stores in the malls. We managed to find what we needed to keep us warm, but these are not the malls that we remember.
It was too risky to take Stella to the beach this morning, so she had an explore of the road by the marsh. She was quite animated about it, so I didn't feel too bad. I anticipate a brisk walk tomorrow wearing several layers of clothes. Luckily the isotoner gloves were on sale for 1/2 price in the mall.
Check the photo blog for some scenes of Savannah.
KG
We dined at the City Market Cafe where we also dined several years ago. I had the signature dish, blackened creole shrimp and grits with a side of greens. Marcia got the gumbo and a sandwich. We both declared the gumbo to be Campbell's finest.
Next was our carriage ride with Carol and Sonny and Cher. Actually, there was a carriage load of people and it took awhile to load us up as everybody had definite ideas about where to sit. We opted for the front row with the driver and were not disappointed-like having a private carriage for considerably less price. Carol was quite good-not too much schmaltz and plenty of information.
I remembered from our last ride that Ogelthorpe, founder of the colony in 1733, had three rules. No hard liquor (beer and wine were fine), no Catholics (things were not going well in Europe when Protestants and Catholics were mixed), and no attorneys (Ogelthorpe's own personal experience). He also outlawed slavery, so the colony was slave free till Ogelthorpe went back to England and got himself a romantic interest.
Our driver also pointed out a little shop with the best cupcakes in Savannah, so we found our way there after the carriage ride and scooped up 4 cupcakes just before they sold out. They were out of milk, so we had to settle for the Starbucks for our coffee. Great treat!
It was a cold day in Savannah and tomorrow promises to be colder. We fortified ourselves with a little mall shopping this afternoon. Malls have never been our favorite places and after Christmas not our favorite times for malls. Still, it was a bit shocking to see so few people and stores in the malls. We managed to find what we needed to keep us warm, but these are not the malls that we remember.
It was too risky to take Stella to the beach this morning, so she had an explore of the road by the marsh. She was quite animated about it, so I didn't feel too bad. I anticipate a brisk walk tomorrow wearing several layers of clothes. Luckily the isotoner gloves were on sale for 1/2 price in the mall.
Check the photo blog for some scenes of Savannah.
KG
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Uncle Bubba's and Ft Pulaski
It was Uncle Bubba's for dinnah today. Those familiar with Paula Deen may also know that her little brother has a restaurant of his own-Uncle Bubba's. We had a taste for seafood today, and it was satisfied at Uncle Bubba's. It is technically called Uncle Bubba's Oyster House, so I had the small raw appetiser. They were quite large so that Marcia suggested that they were the frying kind. However, I found that I could center them on a saltine and garnish with goodies and get them all in my mouth at once-and it was good!
There were little corn muffins which were great all by themselves-not too sweet and little kernels of corn in them. You can have the honey butter which Marcia suggests might just be honey margarine. My shrimp were quite fresh and tasty-great breading. The cole slaw was not made my favorite way, but it was fresh and crunchy cabbage and I managed to eat it all. I just would have left out the bell pepper bits. Marcia's crab cakes were quite good-more crab less bread crumbs. We were brought a sample of the house specialty, charred oysters in half shell with cheese and garlic. I wouldn't order them over the raw, but Marcia might.
We decided to do Ft Pulaski with the remainder of the afternoon. The visitors center provided an excellent historical overview in film and several interesting displays. Basically, the story is this: After the British bout took the young US back in 1812, there were a series of forts built along the southern coast line. Ft Pulaski was one of them-named after the Revolutionary War hero, Count Pulaski who fell in the battle for Savannah. Another fort of this era is Ft Jefferson (named for then President Jefferson) in the Dry Tortugas. With any luck you will get a blog on this fort sometime in January.
So, when the Civil War broke out, the Confederate soldiers of Savannah, 150 of them, sailed to the fort and took it from Union troops without a shot fired. However, shortly thereafter President Lincoln gave orders to secure the coast, so, Union ships headed to the mouth of the Savannah River to get the fort back.
The big problem with these Jeffersonian forts were that they were built before rifled cannons, so it was fairly easy to blast them away. Union soldiers pulled massive rifled cannons through the swampy ground on Tybee Island and aimed them at the fort. I suspect someone had consulted the plans of the fort as they aimed for the magazine. By the second day of shelling they had easy access directly to the powder magazine, so by the afternoon of 11 April 1862 General Olmstead of the Confederate Army surrendered. The fort was used as a prison for the remainder of the war.
You can see photos of the fort on the photo blog.
As for the rest of our day, Stella and I had a lovely sunset walk on the beach. We were warned by a local that the beach is regularly patrolled by the island police and they liberally give $200 tickets for dogs on the beach. We were advised to duck behind a dune if we heard their beach vehicles approaching. Stella and I are not good duckers, so we stayed near the beach path home. We met a night photographer and I got a few tips.
We have two more days here. Gotta get in that carriage ride soon.
KG
There were little corn muffins which were great all by themselves-not too sweet and little kernels of corn in them. You can have the honey butter which Marcia suggests might just be honey margarine. My shrimp were quite fresh and tasty-great breading. The cole slaw was not made my favorite way, but it was fresh and crunchy cabbage and I managed to eat it all. I just would have left out the bell pepper bits. Marcia's crab cakes were quite good-more crab less bread crumbs. We were brought a sample of the house specialty, charred oysters in half shell with cheese and garlic. I wouldn't order them over the raw, but Marcia might.
We decided to do Ft Pulaski with the remainder of the afternoon. The visitors center provided an excellent historical overview in film and several interesting displays. Basically, the story is this: After the British bout took the young US back in 1812, there were a series of forts built along the southern coast line. Ft Pulaski was one of them-named after the Revolutionary War hero, Count Pulaski who fell in the battle for Savannah. Another fort of this era is Ft Jefferson (named for then President Jefferson) in the Dry Tortugas. With any luck you will get a blog on this fort sometime in January.
So, when the Civil War broke out, the Confederate soldiers of Savannah, 150 of them, sailed to the fort and took it from Union troops without a shot fired. However, shortly thereafter President Lincoln gave orders to secure the coast, so, Union ships headed to the mouth of the Savannah River to get the fort back.
The big problem with these Jeffersonian forts were that they were built before rifled cannons, so it was fairly easy to blast them away. Union soldiers pulled massive rifled cannons through the swampy ground on Tybee Island and aimed them at the fort. I suspect someone had consulted the plans of the fort as they aimed for the magazine. By the second day of shelling they had easy access directly to the powder magazine, so by the afternoon of 11 April 1862 General Olmstead of the Confederate Army surrendered. The fort was used as a prison for the remainder of the war.
You can see photos of the fort on the photo blog.
As for the rest of our day, Stella and I had a lovely sunset walk on the beach. We were warned by a local that the beach is regularly patrolled by the island police and they liberally give $200 tickets for dogs on the beach. We were advised to duck behind a dune if we heard their beach vehicles approaching. Stella and I are not good duckers, so we stayed near the beach path home. We met a night photographer and I got a few tips.
We have two more days here. Gotta get in that carriage ride soon.
KG
Aye Matey-The Pirate's House
We stayed home on Christmas. The smells of roast pork permeated the Cronemobile and we had an easy day. I did get a long walk on the beach-no sunshine and occasionally misty rain, and Stella had several walks around the RV park. There were too many people on the beach to risk a walk with her on Christmas Day.
Yesterday we ventured out to Savannah for dinnah. We opted for the Pirate House because it was recommended by the Callahan Cousins and because it was open. We were not disappointed. We were seated next to a window which our server said was one of the most haunted places and featured on YouTube. I have not gone to YouTube to see it. It was a bit more lighted than other tables but a bit more drafty as well. The buffet was quite wonderful for those who love Southern cooking. Vegetarians need not even darken the door of this restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the food. Chicken fried right, fish fried in a thin and crispy corn meal batter, yellow squash casserole, corn casserole, broad green beans, baby Lima's and greens all swimming in their pot liquor with little bites of fatty pork. Potatoes mashed and sweet. Biscuits and corn bread muffins not too sweet. For desert we had the little square of pecan pie warmed and drizzled with caramel-quite tasty.
The restaurant has been there since 1733, so it made me wonder if my/our ancestor, David Cutler Braddock might have dined on the same spot. Grandpa David was called upon by Oglethorpe to keep the colony safe by keeping the Spanish ships to a minimum and looting their cargo. He was a government employee working on commission rather than a free lancer. Still, he might have raised a tankard or two with the indys.
One of the restaurant employees has the job of circulating with the customers and speaking to them in pirate talk. It is not necessary to respond to her, and indeed she probably appreciates not being spoken to. There are many losthsome jobs I would rather have than this one. Even the children do not seem interested. She did make me think of Ed's yearly reminder for "Talk like a pirate day". Maybe an annual convention could be held here-people who would appreciate her talent.
Next we were off to the movies. I have been wanting to see the new Hugh Grant movie with Sarah Jessica Parker. It was a dud. I probably laughed once. It was quite predictable and Hugh Grant couldn't even do himself very well. So, we decided to try again and made a double feature with "It's Complicated". This was better, but I have to say that I prefer Meryl Streep in roles with more substance. Sometime this week we will give "Nine" a try.
I am thinking of a trip to Fort Pulaski and Marcia has a carriage ride in downtown Savannah in mind. The temps are moderate-highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's and 40's. It continues to be overcast, but we are promised to be rain free till the day we leave-Wednesday. The big rigs all around us are moving out. We might just have the park to ourselves for awhile.
We will also make it to Ms Paula's for dinnah some day. Time for a beach walk now.
KG
Yesterday we ventured out to Savannah for dinnah. We opted for the Pirate House because it was recommended by the Callahan Cousins and because it was open. We were not disappointed. We were seated next to a window which our server said was one of the most haunted places and featured on YouTube. I have not gone to YouTube to see it. It was a bit more lighted than other tables but a bit more drafty as well. The buffet was quite wonderful for those who love Southern cooking. Vegetarians need not even darken the door of this restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the food. Chicken fried right, fish fried in a thin and crispy corn meal batter, yellow squash casserole, corn casserole, broad green beans, baby Lima's and greens all swimming in their pot liquor with little bites of fatty pork. Potatoes mashed and sweet. Biscuits and corn bread muffins not too sweet. For desert we had the little square of pecan pie warmed and drizzled with caramel-quite tasty.
The restaurant has been there since 1733, so it made me wonder if my/our ancestor, David Cutler Braddock might have dined on the same spot. Grandpa David was called upon by Oglethorpe to keep the colony safe by keeping the Spanish ships to a minimum and looting their cargo. He was a government employee working on commission rather than a free lancer. Still, he might have raised a tankard or two with the indys.
One of the restaurant employees has the job of circulating with the customers and speaking to them in pirate talk. It is not necessary to respond to her, and indeed she probably appreciates not being spoken to. There are many losthsome jobs I would rather have than this one. Even the children do not seem interested. She did make me think of Ed's yearly reminder for "Talk like a pirate day". Maybe an annual convention could be held here-people who would appreciate her talent.
Next we were off to the movies. I have been wanting to see the new Hugh Grant movie with Sarah Jessica Parker. It was a dud. I probably laughed once. It was quite predictable and Hugh Grant couldn't even do himself very well. So, we decided to try again and made a double feature with "It's Complicated". This was better, but I have to say that I prefer Meryl Streep in roles with more substance. Sometime this week we will give "Nine" a try.
I am thinking of a trip to Fort Pulaski and Marcia has a carriage ride in downtown Savannah in mind. The temps are moderate-highs in the 50's and lows in the 30's and 40's. It continues to be overcast, but we are promised to be rain free till the day we leave-Wednesday. The big rigs all around us are moving out. We might just have the park to ourselves for awhile.
We will also make it to Ms Paula's for dinnah some day. Time for a beach walk now.
KG
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Jax/Nassau to Savannah/Tybee Island
Georgia gas prices.
FHP is working.
Southeast meets Northwest.
St Mary's River-where the ancestors lived. At one time it was the southeastern border of the US.
The good news is that we didn't have rain or sleet or snow to drive through. We do marvel at the fact that there seems to be the same construction on I-95 that we remember driving through Christmas 2005.
However, the trip was smooth considering the construction, and it must be said that I was not driving. Marcia's hands and shoulders and neck and nerves might tell another story.
The RV park on Tybee is about the same-some construction going on. We have a good site-a big site very near the office, so the wi-fi is great. Though we will eventually get rain, it is sunny now. We have all we need-food, wine, wi-fi, books and full hook up.
Stella and I got a nice walk on the beach while chatting with my brother, Danny. Technically there are no dogs allowed, or at least that is how I remember it. I was sooooooooo busy on the phone that I didn't get to read the sign. I did notice that there were other paw prints on the beach and nobody seemed to care. A walk on the beach is what Stella wanted for Christmas. It's what Stella wants every day as well. A full bowl of kibble with gravy, morning shredded wheat and a beach walk-it doesn't get much better.
We have made a plan for eating in today as most of the restaurants we want to go to are closed at 3pm today. They will be ready to go next week, so we will eat our seafood dinners and Paula Dean dinnah then.
My big plan for Christmas Eve-get the laundry done.
Hope your Christmas Eve is as serene.
KG
Monday, December 21, 2009
Short Day-Full Heart
Hello Empty Cage Blogophiles. We are on the road again! Wa-hoo!
Our day began with a bit of running around in circles. We have been orienting our Swiss exchange guests to our house and community and have been bunking in the Cronemobile since Saturday night. So, somehow after giving my house and KIA keys to Birgit, I misplaced my Honda key. The first run around was looking for these keys and giving instruction in all the things I had forgotten to instruct about the day before. Most of you know that morning is not my time, and this kind of morning in particular was not my idea of a good time.
Eventually the keys were found and we got the Cronemobile together. Rene had a good time photographing our departure for his Facebook page, so we are Andy Warhol famous in Switzerland. We got as far as Hawthorne on Rt 301 when the noises from the front wheels and the shaking of the steering wheel and when we got out, the smell from the wheels made us turn around and head to the dealer in Ocala-luckily, in North Ocala. We were able to have a nice lunch while we waited. As Marcia drove the repair man around so that he could listen for the noise, Stella and I went for a walk around the parking lot. I found a $100 bill lying on the ground. I have never found this much money. With visions of little children going without their Christmas, I asked the owner if anybody has reported loosing money. So far, no reports. Now I am imagining a careless someone with a pocket full of $100 bills flying about.
When we got to the Flamingo RV Park in Jax and got all set up, I got a call from Stas on his new cell phone. He continues to do well. He has a cell phone and a laptop and an address. His employer plans to go to India in January and leave Stas in charge of the store. With the money he makes, Stas plans to pay off his court costs and probation fees-one more step towards emancipation from the State of Oregon. He will also move into a newly refurbished apartment above the store where he will have low rent-the same as he pays now for a multi-person apartment share, and a very short commute to work. I'm sure his employers will get the benefit of eyes and ears above the store as well, so it will probably work well for all of them. He sounds good.
Marcia and I had dinner with my Callahan Cousins, and a fine dinner it was. They are all quite dear to me, so seeing them and their families and hearing our family stories is a great gift. Also, Linda's daughter, Amber is expecting a baby in July. More cousins!!!
When I got home and checked my email, there was an offer for a house exchange from a French family. They live fairly close to our Swiss friends, so it would make a convenient addition to our summer exchange plans. It is way too early to tell if this will actually happen, but it was icing on the cake for my already very rich day.
Happy Solstice to all, and I hope your very short day had as much heart as mine.
KG
Our day began with a bit of running around in circles. We have been orienting our Swiss exchange guests to our house and community and have been bunking in the Cronemobile since Saturday night. So, somehow after giving my house and KIA keys to Birgit, I misplaced my Honda key. The first run around was looking for these keys and giving instruction in all the things I had forgotten to instruct about the day before. Most of you know that morning is not my time, and this kind of morning in particular was not my idea of a good time.
Eventually the keys were found and we got the Cronemobile together. Rene had a good time photographing our departure for his Facebook page, so we are Andy Warhol famous in Switzerland. We got as far as Hawthorne on Rt 301 when the noises from the front wheels and the shaking of the steering wheel and when we got out, the smell from the wheels made us turn around and head to the dealer in Ocala-luckily, in North Ocala. We were able to have a nice lunch while we waited. As Marcia drove the repair man around so that he could listen for the noise, Stella and I went for a walk around the parking lot. I found a $100 bill lying on the ground. I have never found this much money. With visions of little children going without their Christmas, I asked the owner if anybody has reported loosing money. So far, no reports. Now I am imagining a careless someone with a pocket full of $100 bills flying about.
When we got to the Flamingo RV Park in Jax and got all set up, I got a call from Stas on his new cell phone. He continues to do well. He has a cell phone and a laptop and an address. His employer plans to go to India in January and leave Stas in charge of the store. With the money he makes, Stas plans to pay off his court costs and probation fees-one more step towards emancipation from the State of Oregon. He will also move into a newly refurbished apartment above the store where he will have low rent-the same as he pays now for a multi-person apartment share, and a very short commute to work. I'm sure his employers will get the benefit of eyes and ears above the store as well, so it will probably work well for all of them. He sounds good.
Marcia and I had dinner with my Callahan Cousins, and a fine dinner it was. They are all quite dear to me, so seeing them and their families and hearing our family stories is a great gift. Also, Linda's daughter, Amber is expecting a baby in July. More cousins!!!
When I got home and checked my email, there was an offer for a house exchange from a French family. They live fairly close to our Swiss friends, so it would make a convenient addition to our summer exchange plans. It is way too early to tell if this will actually happen, but it was icing on the cake for my already very rich day.
Happy Solstice to all, and I hope your very short day had as much heart as mine.
KG
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Atlanta Again:Weekend Perfection
We had almost forgotten how we love Atlanta. In spite of threats of flooding we braved the elements and headed north. Hotel rooms are relatively cheap these days, so we left the Cronemobile at home along with Stella and the housesitters.
Atlanta is about many things for us, but eating is a big draw. On the way up I-75 we figured we had better stop to eat before we got to the city, as we would be getting in fairly late. I was ready for home cookin and fired catfish was foremost in my mind. Our new Blackberries are amazing at finding lots of things, but home cookin and catfish dinner might not be totally Blackberry accessable. Marcia suggested rather standard fare at a Red Lobster. She "navigated" us in with the Blackberry, and right next to Red Lobster was "Folks" featuring their Friday special of fried catfish. You can bet that we pulled in and logged it in the Blackberry memory. The greens had a smokey pork taste that made us want a bucket of them had the consequences not been such a bad outcome. The banana puddin and cobbler were out of the question after our meal, so we headed north on I-75.
We always stay in Buckhead when we are not Cronemobiling, and our fave is the Fairmont Inn right across from the Buckhead Diner. We have come to know the neighborhood well; some of our favorite places are here; it works well for us. The Fairmont did right for us last night as we slept off the catfish and greens.
We got a late start this morning and had a leisurley coffee at Starbucks. Then off to my favorite silk fabric store in the world, next to Shanghai. I would love to bring Honey (Marcia's mother) here, and I am willing to schedule the entire day here because I know that is what it would take. We would be happily browsing and dreaming and indulging in a tactile feast fit for an empress. Brocaide, charmeuse, duiponi, satin, name it, it's here and in abundance, though you may have to dig but that is part of the fun. My purchase was rather spartian compared to my dreams. I don't have occasion to wear the fabulous prints that I saw, so a simple pair of black silk pants and a couple of tops for travel will do me.
Next was the Container Store-always a fun shop. We managed to find several things for the fly tyer and several things for travel. Orvis had moved, so we almost missed it. Flash for fly tyer!
Next, lunch at the Corner Cafe and Buckhead Bread Company. This is an Atlanta hot spot for weekend brunch. Marcia had the chicken salad with applewood smoked bacon, avacado, tomato and red onion on fresh bread. I watched with wonder as she managed a bite, as it was real big. The cucumber salad was good too. I know because I tried some. I got the corned beef hash browns combo with poached eggs and holandaise. Fabulous! The holandaise was creamier than it was lemony, and I think that worked well with the corned beef.
We walked off our lunch at the Mandarin Antiques on Miami Circle. This is where we got the big table in the bedroom and the Empress of China chairs for the bay window. We were glad to see that they are still well stocked with lots of Asian antiques that hold our interest, but best of all was a nice visit with Peter. He is a delightful gay guy who is all aglow with new love and he loves to chat with us. He is 35 now and beginning to look for more mature love.
After a little rest, we headed out in the rain, the pouring rain, for a few errands. On the way we saw Trader Joe's which we had forgotten was here, so we had to have a little shop. Two bags of groceries and a little bag of Honey Crisp apples later we again slogged through the rain to one of our favorite restaurants in the world, the Buckhead Diner.
The Buckhead Diner is the kind of restaurant that is not embarassed to list potato chips and hamburger on their menu. That's because the potato chips are handmade from fresh potatoes and fried and slathered in fresh blue cheese dressing. Atlantans always start with this appetizer, and we follow suit. We passed on the veal meatloaf and the hamburger dinner that I saw a family enjoying across the diner. When I say, Diner, think great big chrome and neon building on the outside and mahogony and art deco and chrome on the inside. The waitpersons are all in black and white and it is definitely upscale. The wine list is unpretentious but excellent. What makes it really special is the food. Simple local ingredients cooked with a flair for the fine. Marcia had a pork chop with potato rounds cooked to a crisp with Asiago cheese lightly sprinkled on top. As far as we both were concerned, the garlic spinach stole the show. I know that we will be seeing that spinach on our kitchen island some time soon.
I got the macadamia encrusted black grouper with mashed potatoes and baby fordhook limas. Chef did fine by the grouper, the mashed potatoes were basic and simple, but enhanced by a gravy that was more like a very lemony holindaise-just a hint of the richness. The baby limas were lightyears away from anything from the plastic bag in the frozen food or, Goddess forbid, a can. These baby limas had clearly been lovingly cared for from the seed to my plate, and they tasted so. They had body. They played quite nicely with the potaotes and the grouper and the lemony gravy.
Tomorrow we will plan a stop by the DeKalb Farmer's Market on the way home.
Here are my suggestions. Check Orbitz for cheap flights to Atlanta. Then cheap hotels and be sure to check out the Fairfield. If shopping isn't your thing, maybe the new Atlanta Aquarium or the Fernbank Museum would be. They are on our list for next time, and I think next time will be sooner than last time was.
KG
Atlanta is about many things for us, but eating is a big draw. On the way up I-75 we figured we had better stop to eat before we got to the city, as we would be getting in fairly late. I was ready for home cookin and fired catfish was foremost in my mind. Our new Blackberries are amazing at finding lots of things, but home cookin and catfish dinner might not be totally Blackberry accessable. Marcia suggested rather standard fare at a Red Lobster. She "navigated" us in with the Blackberry, and right next to Red Lobster was "Folks" featuring their Friday special of fried catfish. You can bet that we pulled in and logged it in the Blackberry memory. The greens had a smokey pork taste that made us want a bucket of them had the consequences not been such a bad outcome. The banana puddin and cobbler were out of the question after our meal, so we headed north on I-75.
We always stay in Buckhead when we are not Cronemobiling, and our fave is the Fairmont Inn right across from the Buckhead Diner. We have come to know the neighborhood well; some of our favorite places are here; it works well for us. The Fairmont did right for us last night as we slept off the catfish and greens.
We got a late start this morning and had a leisurley coffee at Starbucks. Then off to my favorite silk fabric store in the world, next to Shanghai. I would love to bring Honey (Marcia's mother) here, and I am willing to schedule the entire day here because I know that is what it would take. We would be happily browsing and dreaming and indulging in a tactile feast fit for an empress. Brocaide, charmeuse, duiponi, satin, name it, it's here and in abundance, though you may have to dig but that is part of the fun. My purchase was rather spartian compared to my dreams. I don't have occasion to wear the fabulous prints that I saw, so a simple pair of black silk pants and a couple of tops for travel will do me.
Next was the Container Store-always a fun shop. We managed to find several things for the fly tyer and several things for travel. Orvis had moved, so we almost missed it. Flash for fly tyer!
Next, lunch at the Corner Cafe and Buckhead Bread Company. This is an Atlanta hot spot for weekend brunch. Marcia had the chicken salad with applewood smoked bacon, avacado, tomato and red onion on fresh bread. I watched with wonder as she managed a bite, as it was real big. The cucumber salad was good too. I know because I tried some. I got the corned beef hash browns combo with poached eggs and holandaise. Fabulous! The holandaise was creamier than it was lemony, and I think that worked well with the corned beef.
We walked off our lunch at the Mandarin Antiques on Miami Circle. This is where we got the big table in the bedroom and the Empress of China chairs for the bay window. We were glad to see that they are still well stocked with lots of Asian antiques that hold our interest, but best of all was a nice visit with Peter. He is a delightful gay guy who is all aglow with new love and he loves to chat with us. He is 35 now and beginning to look for more mature love.
After a little rest, we headed out in the rain, the pouring rain, for a few errands. On the way we saw Trader Joe's which we had forgotten was here, so we had to have a little shop. Two bags of groceries and a little bag of Honey Crisp apples later we again slogged through the rain to one of our favorite restaurants in the world, the Buckhead Diner.
The Buckhead Diner is the kind of restaurant that is not embarassed to list potato chips and hamburger on their menu. That's because the potato chips are handmade from fresh potatoes and fried and slathered in fresh blue cheese dressing. Atlantans always start with this appetizer, and we follow suit. We passed on the veal meatloaf and the hamburger dinner that I saw a family enjoying across the diner. When I say, Diner, think great big chrome and neon building on the outside and mahogony and art deco and chrome on the inside. The waitpersons are all in black and white and it is definitely upscale. The wine list is unpretentious but excellent. What makes it really special is the food. Simple local ingredients cooked with a flair for the fine. Marcia had a pork chop with potato rounds cooked to a crisp with Asiago cheese lightly sprinkled on top. As far as we both were concerned, the garlic spinach stole the show. I know that we will be seeing that spinach on our kitchen island some time soon.
I got the macadamia encrusted black grouper with mashed potatoes and baby fordhook limas. Chef did fine by the grouper, the mashed potatoes were basic and simple, but enhanced by a gravy that was more like a very lemony holindaise-just a hint of the richness. The baby limas were lightyears away from anything from the plastic bag in the frozen food or, Goddess forbid, a can. These baby limas had clearly been lovingly cared for from the seed to my plate, and they tasted so. They had body. They played quite nicely with the potaotes and the grouper and the lemony gravy.
Tomorrow we will plan a stop by the DeKalb Farmer's Market on the way home.
Here are my suggestions. Check Orbitz for cheap flights to Atlanta. Then cheap hotels and be sure to check out the Fairfield. If shopping isn't your thing, maybe the new Atlanta Aquarium or the Fernbank Museum would be. They are on our list for next time, and I think next time will be sooner than last time was.
KG
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
