Not to be confused with Ham Fest 2006.
Clockwise from left:
Tim L.
Kevin N.
Craig V.
Me
Sarah B.
Dave H. took the picture.
Can you spot the lint brush? Somehow "lint brush" doesn't belong in the same post as "meat fest."
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Meat Fest 2006!
Not to be confused with Ham Fest 2006.
Clockwise from left:
Tim L.
Kevin N.
Craig V.
Me
Sarah B.
Dave H. took the picture.
Can you spot the lint brush? Somehow "lint brush" doesn't belong in the same post as "meat fest."
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Why I Stopped At Mountain Home
I woke up in Moab and headed home through landscape that looked not-of-this-world. I completed some kind of karmic circle by stopping for gasoline in Brigham City where I spent the first night of this trip. I continued driving until I could drive no more, but this time I stopped not because I was exhausted. I stopped because I could no longer see.
Throughout the trip I was concerned and alert about hitting an animal -- a deer, a squirrel, an armadillo, a rabbit -- all plausible hits. Unfortunately, I hit and killed no fewer than 2000 bugs.
Monday, July 10, 2006
I stopped counting...
...when I reached 100. And this was the 100th one. I continue to be stunned at the number of WalMart trucks and the number of really bad radio stations across this country.
Friday, July 07, 2006
A picture's worth...
Today I went on a stunningly gorgeous hike, and I purposefully didn't bring my camera. I didn't want to think about the scenery and views in terms of photographs. There's no way I could have captured the expanse, and some things are just better left to memory.
The wildflowers were in full bloom, and the views were breathtaking. And I made it back to the trailhead before it started raining too hard!
Tomorrow I'm leaving Durango, but I'm sure I'll be returning someday.
The wildflowers were in full bloom, and the views were breathtaking. And I made it back to the trailhead before it started raining too hard!
Tomorrow I'm leaving Durango, but I'm sure I'll be returning someday.
The best meal is made by a friend
I got in touch with my friend Keith who's lived in Durango for the past 30-years or so. I wasn't sure we'd be able to hook up, but he was exceptionally generous with his time. I suggested we meet for dinner, and he one-upped me and suggested we go to his house and throw some steaks on the grill. He understands how nice a home cooked meal is when you've been traveling for awhile.
Keith worked with JanSport as a sales rep, and his knowledge of the outdoor industry is formidable. He's been involved in the industry from all angles -- as a designer, as a manufacturer, as a retailer, as a sales rep, and probably in other capacities which I'm forgetting. He was involved in the creation/invention of the first dome tent; he was instrumental in the success of many outdoor companies you've all heard of.
I met him at the store he bought a few years ago:
And then I followed him up the hill to his house. It's a gorgeous, open house with spectacular views and full of amazing history.
He's a great storyteller, and he talked about his climbs up Everest, Kangchenjunga, Mt. Rainier, etc. He knew Tenzing Norgay, and he knows Sir Edmund Hillary. He has survived a helicopter crash, and he's an all-around fascinating (and lucky) man.
We ate salami, bread, and cheese (two kinds) to start. We shared red wine, a salad, and grilled jerk steak. He brought out some authentic Gruyere (who knew it wasn't supposed to be brick hard!?!) and pears for dessert.
The meal was just great, and -- even better -- it was nice to catch up with an old friend.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Home Truth
Two people have commented, "Your blog seems focused on food." Well, yes. But I've done quite a few things unrelated to food.
A couple days ago I visited the "Earthship Landing Zone" west of Taos. Earthships are (supposedly) completely sustainable structures entirely "off the grid." They're constructed primarily from materials which would otherwise go into a landfill. The ones I saw were constructed of tires, cans, bottles, and rammed earth.
They're heated and powered with solar and wind energy; water is collected from rain, and sewage is handled with "gray water," "black water," and a traditional septic system. Used water is first filtered through indoor gardens. I think they called them "jungles," and there were bananas growing in one of the ones I saw.
There's an entire development of these houses surrounding the Visitors' Center. Not all the houses look so "funky," but all of them look a little different from a "traditional" house. The rest of the subdivision is technically off limits to visitors, because they're private residences. I know I'd sure get tired of having tourists ogling my house all day.
You can read all about Earthships here:
Earthship Home Page
Yesterday I visited houses of a different sort. I spent about three hours at Taos Pueblo. The houses, for the most part, are remarkebly well-preserved considering they date back to at least the 1400's.
By taking the 30-minute guided tour I found out that doors and windows weren't part of the original structure. Access to the inside was through the roof.
The access point in the picture below, however, goes to an underground area off-limits to tourists (there were five such points throughout the structures).
These areas are where traditional ceremonies are often held. The Taos Pueblo religion, language, and much of the history is not spoken about to tourists. The language is not written.
There have been people continually inhabiting most of the structures since they were built. Not the same people, mind you. And even though visitors aren't allowed to wander around much of the reservation, the parts I could visit seemed very peaceful unlike the adjacent Taos community. The reservation extends to the top of Taos Mountain:
And finally, similar to a lot of reservations I've seen, there appear to be a fair number of stray dogs. This one looked different from all the others, and besides...I really like this shot:
I'm in Durango now. More about Durango later.
A couple days ago I visited the "Earthship Landing Zone" west of Taos. Earthships are (supposedly) completely sustainable structures entirely "off the grid." They're constructed primarily from materials which would otherwise go into a landfill. The ones I saw were constructed of tires, cans, bottles, and rammed earth.
They're heated and powered with solar and wind energy; water is collected from rain, and sewage is handled with "gray water," "black water," and a traditional septic system. Used water is first filtered through indoor gardens. I think they called them "jungles," and there were bananas growing in one of the ones I saw.
There's an entire development of these houses surrounding the Visitors' Center. Not all the houses look so "funky," but all of them look a little different from a "traditional" house. The rest of the subdivision is technically off limits to visitors, because they're private residences. I know I'd sure get tired of having tourists ogling my house all day.
You can read all about Earthships here:
Yesterday I visited houses of a different sort. I spent about three hours at Taos Pueblo. The houses, for the most part, are remarkebly well-preserved considering they date back to at least the 1400's.
By taking the 30-minute guided tour I found out that doors and windows weren't part of the original structure. Access to the inside was through the roof.
The access point in the picture below, however, goes to an underground area off-limits to tourists (there were five such points throughout the structures).
These areas are where traditional ceremonies are often held. The Taos Pueblo religion, language, and much of the history is not spoken about to tourists. The language is not written.
There have been people continually inhabiting most of the structures since they were built. Not the same people, mind you. And even though visitors aren't allowed to wander around much of the reservation, the parts I could visit seemed very peaceful unlike the adjacent Taos community. The reservation extends to the top of Taos Mountain:
And finally, similar to a lot of reservations I've seen, there appear to be a fair number of stray dogs. This one looked different from all the others, and besides...I really like this shot:
I'm in Durango now. More about Durango later.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Bumbershoot
I had my first not-so-great meal today, and I suppose that's pretty good considering the number of places I've eaten over the past almost two weeks.
I had dinner at El Pueblo (no relation to Taos Pueblo, and not on the reservation). I wanted some more good red chile, and El Pueblo looked to be just the place. I had also read two good reviews of the joint! Unfortunately, the food was closer to Mexican food versus New Mexican food. So perhaps El Pueblo was okay, but yesterday in Espanola I had about the best Mexican food ever.
Yesterday I had -- for all of $3.85 -- a pork tamale (there were actually two), a "pollo and avacado" taco (that's how it was listed on the menu board), and a large iced tea.
I sat at a picnic table under the shade of some cottonwood trees (off to the left of the picture below) and enjoyed every bite.
I had dinner at El Pueblo (no relation to Taos Pueblo, and not on the reservation). I wanted some more good red chile, and El Pueblo looked to be just the place. I had also read two good reviews of the joint! Unfortunately, the food was closer to Mexican food versus New Mexican food. So perhaps El Pueblo was okay, but yesterday in Espanola I had about the best Mexican food ever.
Yesterday I had -- for all of $3.85 -- a pork tamale (there were actually two), a "pollo and avacado" taco (that's how it was listed on the menu board), and a large iced tea.
I sat at a picnic table under the shade of some cottonwood trees (off to the left of the picture below) and enjoyed every bite.
Vote Early and Often!
I'm leaving Taos tomorrow AM. Where should I go?
A) Durango
B) Santa Fe
C) Monument Valley
D) Mexico
E) Other
A) Durango
B) Santa Fe
C) Monument Valley
D) Mexico
E) Other
Going Native
You're probably thinking the Farmers' Market in Espanola looks incredibly small. You'd be right. By spending some time with the Market Manager I found out why -- it's the very beginning of their season, and it's been a very tough one. Farmers usually start with fruit (cherries and apricots), but a freeze destroyed those crops. Since then there's been very little rain.
She talked a little bit about water rights which Puget Sound area farmers don't need to concern themselves with. I saw a book about irrigation in New Mexico, and I think I'll return to the bookstore to buy it.
By September there will be 30-regular farmers selling here. Early October sounds particularly joyous, because everyone puts up (and sells) strands of chiles.
I wasn't familiar with much of the produce, so I was eager to purchase and try it.
Clockwise from top: Purslane; Red Chile Powder; Fresh Garbanzo Beans; Ronde de Nice Squash; Chokecherry Jam; Roasted Fava Beans with Chile and Lime.
The Market Manager visibly bristled when I asked her how many of the vendors grew organically. She carefully explained the community is very low income (clearly noticeable), and the majority of the farmers can't afford the certification required to be officially labeled "organic." She also explained that most of them grew organically anyway, because they were using traditional methods that had been passed down to them. The ones who used pesticides were not shy nor embarrassed to talk about it, so she encourages all shoppers to ask individual farmers about their growing methods. This doesn't sound so different from the Northwest farms with which I'm familiar.
On the days WIC checks are issued the market can be quite crowded. Today was such a day.
We talked about the cooperative kitchen sponsored by UNM and how the state encourages (or doesn't encourage) WIC families to buy produce at the Farmers' Market.
So here was tonight's dinner:
The fresh garbanzo beans were out of this world, and the roasted fava beans make a very appropriate snack with beer. The chile powder was absolutely fantastic, and the entire bag only cost $4.00. I'm eager to use it when I return home.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Picture Book
Today I tried to familiarize myself with Taos and some of the surrounding area. First I walked to the other side of town to have breakfast at the Dragonfly Cafe.
I hadn't heard of it or read about it. I was just planning on walking until I found a place without a long wait.
I enjoyed a really good breakfast of 2-poached eggs on top of cornbread with red chile sauce. It came with black eyed peas and greens. I drank enough coffee before venturing out, so I had iced tea instead of coffee.
As you can see, it is clearly two servings. I ate about half of it, although I ate both eggs.
I then kept walking OUT of town. Taos is much more crowded and touristy than I anticipated, and I was trying to find someplace quiet. I thought about walking to Taos Pueblo, but I think I'm going there on Tuesday instead.
I did find a quiet place:
I then headed back toward town and came to an arts and crafts fair going on in Kit Carson Park.
One of the first booths I ran into was this one:
I spent time talking to the owner and looking at his photo album. He's been tending goats for twenty years, but when he first started he didn't know the first thing about goats ("I was a horse man"). He learned everything by just doing it, and he now has 60-goats. He hires a staff of five people to help him. When I asked him how he learned to make cheese his response was, "Oh, there are lots of books out there." He didn't know anything about goat cheese to begin with either! Of course, I had to buy some of his cheese after talking to him for 20-minutes.
I then walked toward "downtown" or "The Plaza." I took a few shots. Notice all the cars! There are too many people for this tiny town.
I know there's a Wal-Mart around here somewhere, because I read a reference to it while looking at some real estate listings (no, I'm not planning on moving here). I haven't seen the Wal-Mart, but the McDonald's is pretty close to the center of town. McDonald's is the center building in this shot.
So I'm sure there are some architectural guidelines/restrictions for building in this town. The town isn't fake looking like some places with architectural restrictions though (Leavenworth comes to mind).
I walked the "back roads" to my casita...
...where I changed clothes and walked back into town to rent a bicycle. I figured I'd be able to see more on bike, and I didn't particularly want to add to the car traffic woes. I rode up to Arroyo Seco, a little community north(?) of Taos. I also rode out to the Rio Grande Canyon about seven miles west of Taos:
There's a big suspension bridge near where I took this picture, but I forgot to bring a map and I couldn't find it. I'll go back tomorrow to take a walk out on it!
Note the sky (note the sky in all the pictures, actually). The weather changes frequently here. I hightailed it back to town, because there was thunder and lightning in today's rain. I don't care about thunder, but I really don't want to be riding while lightning strikes around me.
I returned the bike, and -- lo and behold! -- directly behind the bike shop is a brew pub:
I enjoyed the Taos Mountain Gold.
And then I walked to the grocery store to pick up some dinner, and then back to my casita.
Dinner was a non-event. I missed the farmers' market yesterday (I was in the middle of the Oklahoma Panhandle), and the "good" food store is closed on Sundays. I'm driving to Espanola tomorrow to check out that town's farmers' market (and to see the town of Dixon), so I really didn't want to buy anything at the local Kroger. Dinner was bread, cheese, and fresh organic apricots. Pretty simple and pretty good!
I hadn't heard of it or read about it. I was just planning on walking until I found a place without a long wait.
I enjoyed a really good breakfast of 2-poached eggs on top of cornbread with red chile sauce. It came with black eyed peas and greens. I drank enough coffee before venturing out, so I had iced tea instead of coffee.
As you can see, it is clearly two servings. I ate about half of it, although I ate both eggs.
I then kept walking OUT of town. Taos is much more crowded and touristy than I anticipated, and I was trying to find someplace quiet. I thought about walking to Taos Pueblo, but I think I'm going there on Tuesday instead.
I did find a quiet place:
I then headed back toward town and came to an arts and crafts fair going on in Kit Carson Park.
One of the first booths I ran into was this one:
I spent time talking to the owner and looking at his photo album. He's been tending goats for twenty years, but when he first started he didn't know the first thing about goats ("I was a horse man"). He learned everything by just doing it, and he now has 60-goats. He hires a staff of five people to help him. When I asked him how he learned to make cheese his response was, "Oh, there are lots of books out there." He didn't know anything about goat cheese to begin with either! Of course, I had to buy some of his cheese after talking to him for 20-minutes.
I then walked toward "downtown" or "The Plaza." I took a few shots. Notice all the cars! There are too many people for this tiny town.
I know there's a Wal-Mart around here somewhere, because I read a reference to it while looking at some real estate listings (no, I'm not planning on moving here). I haven't seen the Wal-Mart, but the McDonald's is pretty close to the center of town. McDonald's is the center building in this shot.
So I'm sure there are some architectural guidelines/restrictions for building in this town. The town isn't fake looking like some places with architectural restrictions though (Leavenworth comes to mind).
I walked the "back roads" to my casita...
...where I changed clothes and walked back into town to rent a bicycle. I figured I'd be able to see more on bike, and I didn't particularly want to add to the car traffic woes. I rode up to Arroyo Seco, a little community north(?) of Taos. I also rode out to the Rio Grande Canyon about seven miles west of Taos:
There's a big suspension bridge near where I took this picture, but I forgot to bring a map and I couldn't find it. I'll go back tomorrow to take a walk out on it!
Note the sky (note the sky in all the pictures, actually). The weather changes frequently here. I hightailed it back to town, because there was thunder and lightning in today's rain. I don't care about thunder, but I really don't want to be riding while lightning strikes around me.
I returned the bike, and -- lo and behold! -- directly behind the bike shop is a brew pub:
I enjoyed the Taos Mountain Gold.
And then I walked to the grocery store to pick up some dinner, and then back to my casita.
Dinner was a non-event. I missed the farmers' market yesterday (I was in the middle of the Oklahoma Panhandle), and the "good" food store is closed on Sundays. I'm driving to Espanola tomorrow to check out that town's farmers' market (and to see the town of Dixon), so I really didn't want to buy anything at the local Kroger. Dinner was bread, cheese, and fresh organic apricots. Pretty simple and pretty good!
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Last Meals
I'm in Taos now, so I have a lot to catch up on. First and foremost, my last two meals in Nashville...
A few months ago I was getting some training at Ivey Portland, and our trainer mentioned he had recently been to Nashville. His client had taken him to a restaurant he highly recommended, but -- unfortunately -- he couldn't remember its name. He could only remember he sat at a big table where he was served "family style."
Quite by accident during my first day in Nashville I ran across a description of such a restaurant. I decided to try it out in hopes it was the same place. I'm betting it WAS the same place, and running into it as I did was sheer, dumb luck. It's not a tourist destination. I spoke with people who had lived in Nashville all their lives and had never heard of such a place.
The name of the restaurant is Monell's, and it was outstanding.
Monell's is a little bit north of downtown in a lovely neighborhood, Germantown. It's a historic district, and it's undergoing gentrification. I wouldn't mind living there if I lived in Nashville. The architecture is really nice, and there are a lot of small interesting businesses in the neighborhood. Plus, it's only a few blocks from the Farmers' Market.
Nashville Business Journal Article
Realtor Description
I was seated at a table with a 65-year old (or so) woman from Alabama, her daughter who's a PhD student at Vanderbilt, and an older couple from Nashville who run a pet-sitting business. The table sat 12-people, but the restaurant wasn't so crowded the night I was there. There were probably four other tables of 4-6 people.
I can't begin to remember everything that was served at Monell's, but here's a start:
• "Sweet tea"
• Unsweetened iced tea
• Lemonade
• Green Salad
• Cole Slaw
• "Watergate Salad" (see below)
• Fried Chicken
• Baked Chicken
• Pork Chops
• Ham with red-eye gravy
• Mashed Potatoes
• Stuffing
• Corn pudding
• Green Beans
• Okra cooked with Celery and Tomatoes
• Stewed Tomatoes
• Butterscotch Bread Pudding
And more that I'm definitely forgetting.
But the kicker was the biscuits! Amazing biscuits! Unbelievably good biscuits! I've never had such good biscuits, nor did I know there were such heights of biscuitry. I may have to work on creating the perfect biscuit when I return to Seattle.
All of this food cost $12.99. It was all you can eat. Our server stopped by several times to see if we needed any bowls re-filled. Unbelievably outstanding food, good company, and a great price in a nice atmosphere. Really, I couldn't ask for much more!
The name, again, is Monell's, and here's another shot of it. It's in a typically-styled house for that neighborhood:
The next morning on my way out of town I stopped for breakfast at Loveless Cafe.
Jane and Michael Stern on Loveless
I ordered barbecue pork served with eggs (over easy). All breakfasts come with hash browns or grits (I chose grits) and two biscuits with an assortment of preserves and sorghum. I also discovered a corn cake underneath the barbecue pork. It was a great meal, but the biscuits weren't as good as Monell's biscuits. The peach preserves, however, were phenomenal. They had a gift shop next to the restaurant, and I'm now kicking myself for not buying some of their peach preserves!
Yes, it's a bit of a tourist trap, but it's an institution. The food was better than decent too.
I did, however, manage to buy a 14.85-lb country ham (needs no refrigeration) from Gatton Farms in Kentucky. I'm now lugging a ham around with me. Some of you might be treated to a ham dinner when I return from Seattle!
I drove from Nashville to my parents' house in Norman, Oklahoma. I was greeted at the front door...
...and I'll continue catching up tomorrow. If you want to read about Watergate Salad start here:
O Chef Watergate Salad Recipe
Yes, it was unspeakably odd for several reasons. Everyone else at the table knew what it was though. Is it a "Southern thang?"
A few months ago I was getting some training at Ivey Portland, and our trainer mentioned he had recently been to Nashville. His client had taken him to a restaurant he highly recommended, but -- unfortunately -- he couldn't remember its name. He could only remember he sat at a big table where he was served "family style."
Quite by accident during my first day in Nashville I ran across a description of such a restaurant. I decided to try it out in hopes it was the same place. I'm betting it WAS the same place, and running into it as I did was sheer, dumb luck. It's not a tourist destination. I spoke with people who had lived in Nashville all their lives and had never heard of such a place.
The name of the restaurant is Monell's, and it was outstanding.
Monell's is a little bit north of downtown in a lovely neighborhood, Germantown. It's a historic district, and it's undergoing gentrification. I wouldn't mind living there if I lived in Nashville. The architecture is really nice, and there are a lot of small interesting businesses in the neighborhood. Plus, it's only a few blocks from the Farmers' Market.
I was seated at a table with a 65-year old (or so) woman from Alabama, her daughter who's a PhD student at Vanderbilt, and an older couple from Nashville who run a pet-sitting business. The table sat 12-people, but the restaurant wasn't so crowded the night I was there. There were probably four other tables of 4-6 people.
I can't begin to remember everything that was served at Monell's, but here's a start:
• "Sweet tea"
• Unsweetened iced tea
• Lemonade
• Green Salad
• Cole Slaw
• "Watergate Salad" (see below)
• Fried Chicken
• Baked Chicken
• Pork Chops
• Ham with red-eye gravy
• Mashed Potatoes
• Stuffing
• Corn pudding
• Green Beans
• Okra cooked with Celery and Tomatoes
• Stewed Tomatoes
• Butterscotch Bread Pudding
And more that I'm definitely forgetting.
But the kicker was the biscuits! Amazing biscuits! Unbelievably good biscuits! I've never had such good biscuits, nor did I know there were such heights of biscuitry. I may have to work on creating the perfect biscuit when I return to Seattle.
All of this food cost $12.99. It was all you can eat. Our server stopped by several times to see if we needed any bowls re-filled. Unbelievably outstanding food, good company, and a great price in a nice atmosphere. Really, I couldn't ask for much more!
The name, again, is Monell's, and here's another shot of it. It's in a typically-styled house for that neighborhood:
The next morning on my way out of town I stopped for breakfast at Loveless Cafe.
I ordered barbecue pork served with eggs (over easy). All breakfasts come with hash browns or grits (I chose grits) and two biscuits with an assortment of preserves and sorghum. I also discovered a corn cake underneath the barbecue pork. It was a great meal, but the biscuits weren't as good as Monell's biscuits. The peach preserves, however, were phenomenal. They had a gift shop next to the restaurant, and I'm now kicking myself for not buying some of their peach preserves!
Yes, it's a bit of a tourist trap, but it's an institution. The food was better than decent too.
I did, however, manage to buy a 14.85-lb country ham (needs no refrigeration) from Gatton Farms in Kentucky. I'm now lugging a ham around with me. Some of you might be treated to a ham dinner when I return from Seattle!
I drove from Nashville to my parents' house in Norman, Oklahoma. I was greeted at the front door...
...and I'll continue catching up tomorrow. If you want to read about Watergate Salad start here:
Yes, it was unspeakably odd for several reasons. Everyone else at the table knew what it was though. Is it a "Southern thang?"
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
With Thanks to Bill K
I've managed to pack a lot into my short stay in Nashville. I'll be leaving tomorrow for parts unknown.
Meanwhile, here's what I've managed to do in the past 24-hours or so:
Walked from my hotel to the
Flying Saucer
Then walked "The District" checking out the places with live music. They're everywhere. Music is piped out onto the street, and each little honky-tonk has speakers outside their doors. Most places don't charge a cover, and there are bands playing all day. There's truly an overwhelming amount of live music.
Stopped for dinner at Jack's Barbecue.
I know you can't read the menu very well, but I didn't have my camera with me and couldn't take a shot of the food. I had the Tennessee Pork Shoulder Plate with green beans, baked beans, and bread. I tried to order cole slaw instead of green beans, but they were out of cole slaw. What kind of barbecue place runs out of cole slaw?!? No matter, the green beans were fabulous. Canned "Italian Cut," boiled with bacon within an inch of their life.
Sitting at a picnic table on Jack's back deck, I looked up and realized I was sitting no more than 20 yards (if that) from the Ryman Auditorium. After dinner I walked around the Ryman, walked around town a little more, and then went back to the hotel.
Today: First stop was back to the Ryman for a tour, which included backstage. I was hoping to catch a show there tonight, but no such luck. No show until tomorrow night.
Next stop: Hatch Show Print. Both these links tell the story of Hatch better than the official Hatch site (which is run by the Country Music Hall of Fame).
Hatch Show Print Link No 1
Hatch Show Print Link No 2
Then a long walk to the Nashville Farmer's Market:
I'm not sure I've seen so many tomatoes in one place for a long time. They all looked good, and I bought one to eat like an apple sometime in the next day or so. The farmer who sold it to me assured me that "the pointy ones are sweeter."
One section of the Farmers' Market is a "food court," albeit far better than the food court at your local mall. I ate lunch while I was there. Fried chicken, turnip greens, and fried okra. I didn't know it at the time, but at dinner tonight I was told I lunched at one of Nashville's institutions -- Swett's. It was extremely good.
After walking back to the hotel to get my car, I spent some time looking for these folks:
Earth Matters Networks
I had difficulty finding them, because I forgot to bring the slip of paper with their address on it. Furthermore, I'm 90% sure the address is actually a home office. I'm sure I drove by it; I remembered the street and the block correctly.
It was okay that I drove around. I got to see some of East Nashville and a very nice park (Shelby Bottoms) along the Cumberland River.
I then went to the Vanderbilt area, Centennial Park, and the Parthenon.
Got a chocolate malt at Elliston Place Soda, the oldest operating restaurant in Nashville...
..and then hit Music Row which is chock-full of recording studios, some big, some small, many you've probably heard of. Plus this little licensing outfit which directly impacts all of us:
Finally, I came back to the hotel to wash up for dinner. It deserves its own post, so I'll share that with you tomorrow. Besides, I need to take in one last bit of music this evening!
Meanwhile, here's what I've managed to do in the past 24-hours or so:
Walked from my hotel to the
Then walked "The District" checking out the places with live music. They're everywhere. Music is piped out onto the street, and each little honky-tonk has speakers outside their doors. Most places don't charge a cover, and there are bands playing all day. There's truly an overwhelming amount of live music.
Stopped for dinner at Jack's Barbecue.
I know you can't read the menu very well, but I didn't have my camera with me and couldn't take a shot of the food. I had the Tennessee Pork Shoulder Plate with green beans, baked beans, and bread. I tried to order cole slaw instead of green beans, but they were out of cole slaw. What kind of barbecue place runs out of cole slaw?!? No matter, the green beans were fabulous. Canned "Italian Cut," boiled with bacon within an inch of their life.
Sitting at a picnic table on Jack's back deck, I looked up and realized I was sitting no more than 20 yards (if that) from the Ryman Auditorium. After dinner I walked around the Ryman, walked around town a little more, and then went back to the hotel.
Today: First stop was back to the Ryman for a tour, which included backstage. I was hoping to catch a show there tonight, but no such luck. No show until tomorrow night.
Next stop: Hatch Show Print. Both these links tell the story of Hatch better than the official Hatch site (which is run by the Country Music Hall of Fame).
Then a long walk to the Nashville Farmer's Market:
I'm not sure I've seen so many tomatoes in one place for a long time. They all looked good, and I bought one to eat like an apple sometime in the next day or so. The farmer who sold it to me assured me that "the pointy ones are sweeter."
One section of the Farmers' Market is a "food court," albeit far better than the food court at your local mall. I ate lunch while I was there. Fried chicken, turnip greens, and fried okra. I didn't know it at the time, but at dinner tonight I was told I lunched at one of Nashville's institutions -- Swett's. It was extremely good.
After walking back to the hotel to get my car, I spent some time looking for these folks:
I had difficulty finding them, because I forgot to bring the slip of paper with their address on it. Furthermore, I'm 90% sure the address is actually a home office. I'm sure I drove by it; I remembered the street and the block correctly.
It was okay that I drove around. I got to see some of East Nashville and a very nice park (Shelby Bottoms) along the Cumberland River.
I then went to the Vanderbilt area, Centennial Park, and the Parthenon.
Got a chocolate malt at Elliston Place Soda, the oldest operating restaurant in Nashville...
..and then hit Music Row which is chock-full of recording studios, some big, some small, many you've probably heard of. Plus this little licensing outfit which directly impacts all of us:
Finally, I came back to the hotel to wash up for dinner. It deserves its own post, so I'll share that with you tomorrow. Besides, I need to take in one last bit of music this evening!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
