Photos from vacations!
Oh, the places you’ll go, the places you’ll see, the places you’ll eat ….put Nashville on your bucket list of cities to visit! To add to my previous visit to Nashville!
SOME MIGHTY FINE BRISKET AT MARTINS in 12 South
Yes, Dorothy, there is ramen in Nashville. Otaku in The Gulch, close to Biscuit Love, another favorite!
Another view from the bridge.
I can’t wait to go back…
Our trip to Vanderbilt for Family Weekend 2016 was more about hanging out with the kid and his classmates. We made it to campus only once (family weekend is really for the freshman parents, lol) and that was for Vanderbilt’s program Strong Inside: Storytelling, Music and Performance. Last year we did not attend the student show which included the Meladores (Vandy’s acapella group). So this year we assumed they would be performing at the show..wrong. I need to read the fine print more carefully next time. This year’s show featured Vandy alum and author Andrew Maraniss and his book, Strong Inside . The story of Perry Wallace, the first African American basketball player in the SEC and Vanderbilt student. His courage, resiliency and character are tested as he faced racism both individual and institutional. Like Jackie Robinson, Perry was a reluctant pioneer of the civil rights movement. Far too often non-fiction books turn into a boring litany of facts and dates, Maraniss’s writing style and Wallace’s life story runs counter to this notion. Strong Inside is a very compelling read. (Addendum: Coming Fall 2017 Documentary on Perry Wallace)
Though the Meladores did not perform, I really enjoyed the show. Student performances of dance, poetry were bookended by Mr. Maraniss reading an excerpt from Strong Inside and Vandy alum country rocker, Marshall Chapman. Ms. Chapman read from her book, Goodbye, Little Rock and Roller and sang. I am a convert to her soulful music and her life story. Growing up in the South, she tells of the first time she saw Elvis. Seven years old and sitting in the town theatre smitten by the King. Touring with icons such as Jimmy Buffet, playing in honkey tonks, Marshall’s story is brought to life in her music and words. A wonderful storyteller and an amazing musician.
Being a Californian, I never thought my kids would end up in the South for school but life is full of surprises and it has given them and me the opportunity to experience a part of America that I would never have dreamed of.
Blaze of Glory Marshall Chapman
As you all know Jamie goes to Rice University in Houston. I remember when she first told me she was applying there. What? Where? TEXAS? NOOOO. My diabolical plan to dissuade her involved visiting the campus in the middle of July. It didn’t work. She loved the campus and the vibe despite the heat and humidity. It turned out to be the perfect choice. Over the last 3 years we have visited her on numerous occasions and have come to appreciate not just Rice University but the city of Houston. Gone are the pre-conceived notions I had of Houston-it is a vibrant, culturally diverse, rich, welcoming metropolis.
I watch with a sense of profound sadness and helplessness as Houston and the surrounding areas are being pummeled by Harvey. I thank my lucky stars that Jamie is safe and one of the fortunate ones. Her area has seen plenty of rain but has not flooded. I see the photos and videos of places I now know (I drive the 610 all the time when I am there) and cannot imagine the trauma Houstonians are going through.
I asked Jamie to write a post for the 3Jamigos blog. It is filled with that carefree spirit one has when they are young and views life through an optimistic lens. Confined to her apartment she has watched the devastation in other areas of Houston much like I have, on TV. When Harvey has passed and she begins to venture out and see first hand Houston in the aftermath, I know she will jump into action to help her adopted city. I will too. She asked me to include this link Relief Efforts-How to Help Houston with her post. Any donation would be greatly appreciated.
Jamie-August 28, 2017
Hurricane Harvey has hit Houston hard. (cool alliteration I know). Luckily, my roommates and I have prepared well for it–we have tons of food to last us for weeks and enough bottled water to last us a month. We are even more lucky because of our location. We are living in West U, which has gotten over 20 inches of rain, but it has not flooded yet. *Knock on wood.* The street next to us is flooded, but our small street has been doing ok. There has been a couple of leaks in the windows of our house, but we are dealing with it. All this time stuck at home has made us a little stir crazy–we alternate between crafting and, you guessed it, baking. My schedule these past couple days have been: get up, eat, run, eat, watch tv and craft, eat, watch tv and craft, bake, sleep, repeat. So far, we’ve made banana bread, crepes, and pumpkin bread. And yes, we’ve eaten almost all of it. This is not to mention the blondies that Claire’s (my roommate) mom made, ice cream, and super delicious quiche. Luckily, Claire’s parents also have a treadmill that I’ve been using to work off all the food. School has been closed until Wednesday night, but I’m hoping it will just get cancelled for the entire week. I don’t want to deal with getting to and from school in the rain and water. Unfortunately, that means a lot more TV movie marathons which have gotten pretty boring. I’m lucky to just be bored, there are a lot of people all over Texas who’ve been forced to evacuate their homes. Will keep you posted! Stay dry!
I wasn’t going to include a recipe in this post but Jamie said the “pie” (ok, quiche) Claire’s Mom made was from the Friend’s Cookbook (love it) and it was delicious and made them all feel so much better. In times like this we turn to comfort food to share with friends and family.
Hi Claire Hi Mui Hi Georgia
Despite what it may look like, we did more than eat our way through Atlanta. Not to say we didn’t try but Atlanta has much more to offer than just good eats. Like many of the cities in the South, Atlanta played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s and continues to influence the psyche of our nation-who we are as a country. In all honesty if not for my kids going to college in the South I’m not sure I would ever have travelled and explored this part of our country. For my own selfish reasons I am glad they did.
First stop the Jimmy Carter Library. Amazingly, this is the first Presidential Library we have ever visited. The grounds are peaceful and of course the center itself is a highlight reel for President Carter, yes, a one term president, but there is no denying he tried to govern with compassion, humility and thoughtfulness. He continues to this day to champion human rights and peace.
Our history lesson continued with visits to The Martin Luther King Museum and The 16th Ebenezer Baptist Church. I was too young to understand what was going on. Living in California, we were removed from the epicenter of the movement. Buffered by distance.
Next stop Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia Aquarium (#1 aquarium in the US, according to them), World of Coca Cola and The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. All within walking distance.
Where else can you revel in Olympic history
try EVERY FLAVOR OF COKE in the world
and imagine what it was like to sit at a diner counter 60 years ago as a black man-traumatizing and so powerful.
Visit Atlanta…OMG this is going to be a three parter..more on this amazing city to come.
Jamie is working in Atlanta for the summer so we packed our bags and headed out to see her and visit yet another great city in the South. We booked an AirBnB in downtown Atlanta, 6 eagerly anticipated vacation days…that is until we glanced at Weather.com, 90 degree heat and 90 percent humidity. Ugh. When we arrived, we walked out of the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport and BAM! my glasses fogged up immediately and I almost walked into a pole. Saved only by Wes.
We rented a car and headed into downtown. Sitting in traffic it feels like I never left California. We get to town and realize it’s almost time to meet Jamie for dinner. She has picked an Italian restaurant BoccaLupo. Wes looks at a map and says words he will later regret, “It doesn’t look very far, we could probably walk there.”
Forty five minutes later, dripping with sweat and my hundredth time whining “Are we there yet?” we see Jamie standing in front of the restaurant, for a minute I think its a mirage. The food was innovative, pretty and delicious as were the cocktails. Despite my complaining, the walk down Edgewood Ave was worth it. Restaurants, quirky shops, bars are adding color and life to this street. Chainstores are nowhere to be found…for now. We ended up spending quite a bit of time cruising up and down Edgewood during our stay.
My pick for the Edgewood Ave. experience was a hip joint called the Staplehouse. Definitely the hot ticket. Profits from Staplehouse go to the Giving Kitchen a charity organization started by Ryan and Jen, creators of Staplehouse, after Ryan was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The restaurant community rallied around them and now the Giving Kitchen supports restaurant workers in need. Staplehouse is his legacy. Farm to table experience highlighting local growers. Delicious, beautifully presented food in a hip, modern comfortable space.
We decided we needed to de-hipster ourselves so we took a trip to the donut shop! Sublime Donuts
Don’t let them tell you Atlanta is a sleepy southern town..it’s quite the place to visit and I would love to go back with the intention of also going to Selma, Birmingham, Huntsville..so much history.
More deliciousness….
Cacao Cafe ABSOLUTELY THE CUTEST CHOCOLATE SHOP EVER
While Wes was checking out a very cool woodworking store across the street I enjoyed some chocolates at Cacao Cafe
We celebrated Father’s Day with Sunday Supper at JCT. Kitchen and Bar. Some mighty fine biscuits and eats.
I’m not done…Atlanta Part 2 more food but also what to do besides eat!
The ferry to Martha’s Vineyard is a quick jaunt to the island, just thirty minutes to the official start of the road trip portion of our R&R adventure.
After checking into our island digs, the Vineyard Mansion, (highly recommend) we headed out to explore the island. We studied the freebie map of the island (you know the one with cartoon drawings to highlight tourist destinations, where everything looks SO close to wherever you are at) we decided to take a walk to one of three lighthouses on the island. Did I ever mention I like sports that involve a machine or something to that effect. Before I discovered rowing I biked. Loved getting on my metal horse and taking off. Boat, bike..yep, right up my alley. Not a big fan of running, hiking, swimming, walking…no machine. So after walking for FORTY FIVE MINUTES and 3 chimes of “How much further” from whiny me, the lighthouse finally came into view. Yes, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Never trust those silly maps you find in hotel lobbies.
We couldn’t even get close to the lighthouse. It was on private property shared with the US Coast Guard. But it was pretty and we were able to walk out on the beach. As Snook took pictures, I spent my time Googling UBER, alas no UBER on the island. I needed a good dinner for walking to the lighthouse and back. My compadres deserved a great dinner for putting up with my whining.
Dinner found us in Oak Bluff, a neighboring town to Vineyard Haven, at the Offshore Ale Company. Casual fare in a comfortable, rustic brew pub. I finally got my lobster roll.
In our day and half excursion to Martha’s Vineyard we hit not only the 3 major spots-Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluff and Edgartown but also the west side of the island. Each area has something different to offer definitely worth a visit if you are close by. Summer is probably a madhouse here so book early, but if you go in the fall as we did, you will be treated to a tranquil beautiful respite. Each district has a nice Main St. where yes, you can shop, eat and drink. I love indie bookstores and there are two to stop and browse, Edgartown Books and Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven. I loved visiting the lighthouses and taking in the beautiful coastal scenery despite the gusts of wind that threatened to upend us at times. Much of the island harkens to a time gone by with its New England architecture and feel. Don’t pass up ambling around the gingerbread houses in Oaks Bluff.
As they say a picture is worth thousand words, a whirlwind glimpse of Martha’s Vineyard
Next post: Let’s talk food on the island!
This year’s Head of the Charles Regatta was bittersweet. We rowed not just for us but for our coxswain Mary, our crew mate Linda and last but not least Little Snook, taken from us way too soon. We rowed for friends, family members and crew mates who have battled cancer, are cancer survivors and in memory of those we have lost to the disease.
Flash flood warnings, thunder and lightning the evening before the race found us huddled in our b&b wondering if we were going to be able to row. We could hear the rain pouring down throughout the night. But amazingly by morning the rain and wind had stopped and the skies were clear.
It was a good day to row.
In the past we have traveled to Boston just for the Head of the Charles. We fly in, row, watch the collegiate and high school teams row and fly out. Last year we decided we should take a road trip after the regatta. But where to?
After much debate:
Me: How about Vermont, hear there’s good pie.
Mary: Pie? Sounds good!
Jane: Drive for pie?
Me & Mary: Yeah, duh.
That Sunday morning we found ourselves headed to Underhill, Vermont. Four hours later we were standing inside a tiny metal toolshed that had been repurposed into the cute little pie bungalow (too small to be called a shop) Poorhouse Pies. We picked our pies and dropped our money into the little box on the counter. Shivering from the cold, our noses running, we sat on the tiny bench next to the shed enjoying the best damn Key Lime Pie ever. Then and there the annual post regatta road trip was born.
This year’s trip found us on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard in search of lighthouses, lobster rolls and of course pie. Yee-ha!
STOP. If you ever decide to take the the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard I suggest you take it from Woods Hole. Why? Well, the ferry runs year around from there, important if you are going in the off season. Ferry service includes transport of cars from there (but you will pay a premium), remember to book in advance. But the main reason is to stop at Pie In the Sky Bakery and Cafe . Your trip on the ferry will be ever so much more pleasant with a steaming hot cup of coffee and a scrumptious popover, buttery croissant or muffin from this rustic, cute hole in the wall. It’s literally a stone’s throw away from the Steamship Authority. The vibe is friendly and the joint is filled with locals and ferry passengers.
Martha’s Vineyard here we come.
After returning from Houston we were home just long enough to reassure Sammy we hadn’t abandoned him, water the plants, do some laundry, repack our suitcase and head out to Nashville to see Jordan. Family Weekend has become an excuse to spend time with Jordan’s classmates’ families. Jordan has made some great friends at school and it’s always a good time when we get together. We all roll into town and follow Henry, dad to Jordan’s classmate and bestie, Danielle. He is our guide to Nashville’s food and fun scene. This trip found us trying some of the stalwarts in Nashville including Arnold’s Country Kitchen, the Pancake Pantry and Prince’s Hot Chicken.
I have a couple of quirks I should tell you about, well I call them quirks..you be the judge. During crunch time games, like yesterday’s Giants versus the Mets wild card game, you will not find me comfortably planted on my couch with the TV on (that’s Wes). You will not find me at a sports bar or at an “I just jumped on the bandwagon” viewing party, sipping wine, and eating finger food. Nope. I will be sitting in my car, possibly parked on the side of the road or more than likely in my driveway, listening to the radio broadcast of the game. I will be nervously hanging on every pitch or play called by Flem, Miller, Krup, and Kuipe. Too nervous to watch, too interested to not know what is happening, that is my compromise. Back in the day, I pulled over to listen to Dave Dravecky’s comeback game. I ran out and sat in my car in the driveway to listen to Will the Thrill lead the Giants over the Cubbies in the NLCS. Yep just me and the radio, that’s all I need.
I also have a routine for flying, especially long flights. Travel mug for coffee, yes the blue one only. For regattas, my pink water bottle (it’s so beat up it doesn’t even stand anymore) is always in my suitcase. A downloaded audiobook on my phone and a magazine to look at because I can’t possibly do NOTHING for the 2 minutes we can’t use electronics on board.
So there you have it. On our flight to Nashville, my magazine of choice was Sift, and as luck would have it, it featured an article on bakeries in Nashville. Hum-baby!
First stop when we arrived:
Just a few minutes from Vanderbilt in an industrial-looking area…we stopped for coffee, scrumptious cookies, a yummy blueberry muffin, chocolate croissants and a Kouign Amann (meh, I think I come from the mecca for great Kouign Amann at Manresa Bakery or B. Patisserie in SF). Dozen Bakery is definitely worth the stop when in Nashville. Next time I’m trying their breads and sandwiches!
The next morning, with my partner in food crime, Debbie (Jordan’s roommate’s mom) we headed to the iconic Pancake Pantry in Hillsborough Village near campus. Would love to have been there before the lines but a nearly impossible task with college kids that start their morning at about 11 AM. So we stood in line and waited for the best damn sweet potato pancakes I have had.
Now don’t get me wrong if you are looking for cutting-edge, hipster trendy food that will make your tastebuds stand up and do the hula…this ain’t it. This is just down home solid simple cooking that’s been around for decades, nothing wrong with that. Plus, part of the fun is being there.
Next stop…..lunch (happy dance although the bounce in my dance step was a little less springy after a plate of pancakes)
Yep, time for a Meat and three. Arnold’s Country Kitchen, cafeteria style, stand in line, order your meat (fried catfish or roast beef was the special of the day), and three sides. I went healthy for the sides, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and fried green tomatoes, lol. Had to save room for banana pudding for dessert of course.
…and for the trifecta of iconic places to eat in Nashville we went to Prince’s for Hot Chicken.
Fried Chicken, super crispy and crunchy, moist and doused in their secret sauce to the hotness of your desire (I am a wimp as evident by the lack of red on my chicken, I opted for mild). Drop the mic, done. Whoops, don’t leave without getting their banana pudding, the bomb.
Yep, all in a day’s work.
