Italy Stop #2: Pisa

A small town with one very unusual claim to fame, Pisa was one of the most memorable places I visited. My traveling companions thought I was a little crazy to pay 13 Euros just for the privilege of climbing up over 7 stories worth of stairs. I could get that at the hotel and not pay a penny extra. But for me it was a challenge, so 13 Euros lighter I got in the queue to the top and made my way up.

While the angle of the building is visually noticeable from the outside, it creates an even stranger sensation while climbing the tower. It's narrow and as the steps go up and the leaning gets more pronounced, the indention into the stone steps where the millions of feet have walked shifts from side to side. As it gets closer to the top, the last area of steps is so narrow that it was impossible to stand with my hands on my hips.

At the top, the view is beautiful, and looking down at the ant-sized people below I could get a sense of just how far up this tower was. Finally I could fully appreciate how it really was worth the effort and expense. The railings there were pretty basic and small , leaving a very unobstructed view of the entire town of Pisa.

So overall, Pisa is not for the financially conservative, claustrophobic, over-sized, unfit or someone with Aeroacrophobia. Yet they didn't seem to have any trouble selling tickets despite an overcast and somewhat rainy day.

Something I have noticed after visiting Italy (most especially Pisa) and since then Jamaica is how over-guarded we are in the USA. The serious lack of guard rails at the top of the tower in Pisa, the non-existent hand rails all the way up, the numerous areas of slick marble (it was raining that day) around the outside with minimal railings at best; these would have never made it past the legal department for any attraction in the USA. I saw similar things going on in Jamaica. Climbing a slightly steep and rushing waterfall sans any protective gear might seem like a joke of an idea here, but in Jamaica the guides were doing it barefoot and wearing just a pair of swim shorts. It seems here at home we miss out on some really interesting things to see and do because of the few who will sue the swim shorts off the owners of said attractions because their precious snowflake fell down and skinned his knee. That being said, that sense of safety is kind of nice and I think a tad under appreciated, until I watched a woman fall down hard and repeatedly on wet rocks as she makes her attempt to climb the waterfalls. That's going to leave some bruises. Not cool.

What is Aeroacrophobia? The fear of open heights. Yes, I had to look this up to be sure.

Italy Stop #1: Rome

First destination of my trip to Italy was Rome. It has the feel of any large city, but with very historical overtones. Everywhere something with either historical significance appears in view or at least seems to be very very old. The exterior of my hotel, Prime Hotel Saint John, blended into the side street's aged look, yet the interior was completely modern at every turn. The hotel was quite clean and as quiet as a city center hotel can be. Within easy walking distance there were a few restaurants and bakeries, plus a restaurant at the hotel.

All the hotels we stayed at in Italy had really exceptional breakfasts. We generally didn't stop our touring for lunch, so by dinner that evening I was quite thankful for the good breakfast. Most notable was the Orange juice. First, it wasn't orange in color at all, it was red. It was also really really good. As was the Pompeii grapefruit juice and some concoction they called "ACE," a blend that involved orange, carrot and I don't recall was else. It wasn't something I'd have expected to like, but while in Italy I wanted to try anything new I could get.

Something I discovered about the food overall that didn't really strike me until I returned home was the lack of salt and sugar. For about the first week after I got back, everything tasted like it was heavily salted or had way too much sugar. I promptly adjusted my habits here at home and have for the most part kept the salt cut back when cooking. I should have caught the clue that the salt was so much lighter by two of my traveling companions actions... they were reaching for the salt at every meal. I think I might have added a touch to some eggs, once. It's amazing how little I missed the salt and how much I noticed it's presence at home.

Back to the tourist must-see bits. The Coliseum is truly a sight to see. In a word, it's gargantuan. It's impossible to get across the sheer size and the awe inspiring technology the builders and designers employed. Getting a guided tour was the way to go for this as the guide provided more explanation as to what things were, how they were used and how the building has come to be in the condition it's in today.

Visible from the Coliseum as well as just a short walk away are both the Arch of Constantine and the Roman Forum & Senate. We didn't take any special tour of either, but again the sheer size of both was impressive. Just from walking around and seeing what is there now, it's easy to tell this was the central hub of activity for a thriving metropolis. Like the coliseum, it's amazing the technology that was needed and used to build such tall and imposing structures using solid stone and even concrete.

The easiest way for us to see the city was to take a bus tour. They are inexpensive and were plentiful, and we could just hop off at whatever stop we liked. Our stop was the Vatican. Starting with the Vatican museum, we walked through hall after all of paintings, artwork, tapestries, statues, carvings... the list goes on and on. Everywhere I turned there was art. A window frame? Can't leave it as is, it must be heavily decorated with painting and textures. From the floors of flawless stone to the ceilings painstakingly painted by masters such as Michelangelo, every inch is a piece of art. And then, in the middle of these hallways lies the Sistine Chapel. My only wish there was for better lighting. It's large and some of the more famous artwork adorns the ceiling of this chapel. Despite a crowd of visitors, it was relatively quiet in the room. I can only imagine what visiting the Vatican must be like for a Catholic; just the sense of patience and devotion required by the artists alone to create their artwork is enough to me. It's also very obvious that the current caretakers are taking their jobs seriously, and if the original artists were here today I am sure they'd be quite appreciative.

After a few days in Rome, we packed up and took a train trip to Florence for a few days. More of that coming soon!

Crossing the Atlantic

I just returned from what I expect will be my first of many trips to Europe. The whole experience can be summed up in one word: Wow. It's the little differences that I found most facinating, but there are plenty of big ones you can't miss either.

Let's start with the overview of the trip. Nine days with a group of three other women, taking a traveling view of Italy. Transportation would include plane, taxi, bus, metro, local train, Eurostar, water bus and the most often used mode would be walking, a lot of walking. Plans were to visit Rome, Pisa, Florence, Naples and Venice if time and energy allowed for them all.

Just getting there was entertaining. We took a direct flight from Chicago to Rome Fiumicino airport. We were able to get Business Class seats for the trip, which sounded great to me. Then I saw what that entailed... woah. First class on domestic flights pales in comparison to this. Going anywhere internationally, this is the way to travel. Each passenger has plenty of space and seats that have more adjustments than a Mercedes. Once in flight, the attendants provided the laptop-sized personal tv's that had a sizable selection of movies and currently running tv shows. Those came with your personal Bose noise-canceling headphones too. As a relatively frequent traveler, my husband discovered those a few years ago and we haven't had a flight without them since. But to have them provided, that was a surprise. Also each seat was equipped with a cigarette-lighter style power plug, so I arrived with my Ipod charged and ready to go after using it as much as I wanted on the flight. The 5 course meal provided on real china, with real silverware was actually good. I know, airline food... good? Rarely do the two go together, but in this case it was an accurate, if surprising, statement. But enough about the flight already...

On one hand, Rome is just another big city. However, the staggering amount of well preserved and documented history found in this city does change that a bit. Everywhere is history. Considering that "old" there takes on an entirely different meaning than we find in the USA, it really is something to see and simply absorb. After arriving in Rome about 10am, we checked our luggage at the hotel and went for a short stroll to see a few things. A few blocks from our hotel was the Colosseum. Just the sight of this massive structure was a wake-up call... "Yes, you really are looking at what you've previously only seen in photos." We would wait until the next day for a tour, but just to stand in the piazza and see it, the Arch of Constantine and the Roman Forum nearby was indescribable.

Some general observances I made very quickly about Rome proved themselves true over the days we were there. The cars fascinated me, probably a bit to the annoyance of my traveling companions. My own cars at home would seem ghastly and big in contrast with the city cars that populated the roman streets. Smart cars were everywhere, as well as all the small sized vehicle offerings from Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Mercedes, the occasional Ford and some I didn't recognize at all. The vast majority were models not sold in the US at all, and would be nearly laughed at on the street as looking like "toys." But at nearly $8 a gallon for gas, who can blame them for wanting the most fuel efficiency possible? Toss into the mix at least one scooter for every three cars on the road as well. With this crush of compact cars and 2 wheeled cheap transportation on the road, traffic was lunacy. Lanes? What lanes? Drivers simply drove wherever they wanted, the idea of lanes was merely a suggestion. Scooter riders were the real daredevils, splitting the suggested lanes at every opportunity, taking full advantage of their narrow size and ability to drive over most any obstacle in the way, including pedestrians. Traffic and the drivers there are simply insane. Maybe outside of the city center it's not that way, but inside, pandemonium rules the road.

I'll be posting more of the experience including a few pictures... coming soon!

A quick weekend in Northwest Arkansas

This corner of the state is growing rapidly and after visiting, I can see why. The area is beautiful and with the size of the overall area, the conveniences of a major city there there too. So is the traffic, not a pleasant thing for the residents I'm sure.

My husband and I stayed at the Hyatt Place in Rogers. I've heard of this chain but not had an opportunity to try one until now. It's the large hotel chain's answer to the demand for a hotel that has more the boutique and upscale feel without being priced vastly higher than your average Holiday Inn. It is a step up in style, quality and the rooms have several well thought-out amenities. A large plasma tv with about every conceivable input to allow you to see your business presentation beyond your laptop, a very comfortable lounging area in the room, stone counter tops and a small wet bar area; just nice upgrades you typically see in a more upscale, 4 star or better hotel room. My only complaint about the hotel was our room location. We were directly across the hall from the ice maker. Ordinarily that wouldn't be too bad, but since it was a slow weekend and the hotel had maybe 12 occupied rooms, the defrost cycle ran every 3 hours and was horribly loud. Inexcusably so. I would recommend the hotel, but check your room location first. Also call for reservations, the rates on the phone were considerably less than online. (Usually it's the opposite.)

Our plan was to have dinner at Doe's Eat Place, a small chain that has garnered rave reviews. Then as I was flipping through a local magazine, I found an ad for it. The first Ruth's Chris in Arkansas just opened in November. Instant change of plans! Dinner was as wonderful as expected, and I sampled a new dish too. The ziti with cheese and caramelized onions was fantastic, good enough that I could have eaten it by itself as a meal. Besides, the Doe's Eat Place location in Bentonville is a franchise, and I think I will save the experience for the original in Greenville, Mississippi.

On our trip home, we stopped at a Taco John's in Russellville. I haven't been to one in years, and after our stop I realized it's a good thing I am forced to avoid them. I would eat there about daily, it's just that much better than the Taco Bells found on every corner at home. I didn't have a single bad item, all hot and very tasty.

It was a great weekend getaway and I'll certainly put the area on my list for a return visit. The scenery is great, the food choices plentiful, amenities are handy but it's also easy to get out of town and find some great driving roads all within a short distance. With all these features, I can certainly see the attraction to the area.

A Cajun Delight in Memphis

My husband and I took off to Memphis on a recent Saturday for a bit of shopping. As part of any good shopping excursion, we planned out the food destination as well. Since it seems we've been to a number of good restaurants in the area, we looked online for something new to try. On one of those ever present "top 10" lists we found Owen Brennan's. It's a Cajun / Creole restaurant that received pretty good reviews elsewhere online too. After my visit, I'd definitely rank it as worth making a return trip. One way it differentiates from other restaurants in today's offerings is the portions; one entree isn't enough to feed an entire family of four. While I still couldn't finish my meal, I was presented with a reasonable amount of food. Also they understand that the terms creole and Cajun are not just replacements for "hot." They encompass a range of flavors that fit in the genre without being so hot as to leave me gulping down water as fast as the waiter could refill the glass. In the dish I chose, the Shrimp & Andouille with Grits, the andouille was the only item that failed to impress me, but the mushrooms incorporated were some of the best I've had anywhere. The key lime pie is fresh made on premises and was tangy without being overly so, and again a perfect portion size. Also of note was the atmosphere; it is quite reminiscent of New Orleans and surprisingly both attractive and spacious for even an upscale a strip-mall location.

I ate the Whole Hog

Every once in a while a friend comes along with a great idea. This time the great idea was "let's to go Memphis on Saturday... we can stop by Fresh Market and go try Whole Hog Cafe." Yes! So I spent the remainder of the week avoiding any other bbq and looking forward to the short trip.

I didn't quite eat the whole pig but as good as the bbq was, I could have. This time I got to Whole Hog Cafe well before closing time and it was definitely worth the stop. I sampled the pulled pork, which being a proper Southern gal, is what bbq is all about. The variety of 6 sauces at the table
makes it tough to decide which is best. I tasted all but the Mustard based type, which I still can't figure out why someone had the thought "man that smoked meat is good, let's put some MUSTARD on it" and actually decided it was good. Not that I dislike mustard, it just doesn't fit in the world of bbq in my world. Sweet, spicy, tomato, molasses, vinegar... I'm not otherwise biased, I can appreciate them all for their own goodness.

I also tasted the bbq nachos, which like the rest of the items weren't skimpy on the portions. Getting to sample the grub with friends has it's benefits, as I have it on reliable word that the bbq beef sandwich and the bbq pork topped baked potato are also both good choices. I was definitely right a couple of posts back, I'm very glad I'll have a location nearby soon so I won't have to drive so far to get their delicious bbq.

Imagine a Restaurant

After my recommended restaurant experience in Little Rock turned out disappointing for dinner, I got another suggestion from another reliable source. This one paid off quite nicely. (Thanks!) The name of the place alone hinted that it would be something worth noting and it followed through.

Since I was in Little Rock, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to get some of the "good stuff" available at Fresh Market. Living in a smaller town has it's benefits but the lack of ingredient options sometimes does limit what fun foods can come from my kitchen. So when I'm in a larger city with a selection of either specialty foods or the larger gourmet grocery stores I like to make at least a quick stop in for a few items. While the internet nets me a plethora of sources, I just can't beat sometimes browsing around the store for new goodies.

So I wouldn't want to buy every interesting gourmet delicacy in The Fresh Market, we first stopped by Imagine a Restaurant, located in the same shopping complex. It was a really tasty stop for lunch. The club sandwich my husband ordered was great, and the Ham, Brie and Apple sandwich I ate was delicious. I chose the sweet potato chips and he chose the regular potato chips, both made fresh in-house and both excellent. After making some fresh potato chips at home this weekend, I can't imagine why more restaurants skip out on this simple but tasty dish. I'll definitely put this on the list of restaurants I hope to visit again sometime this year.

After I mentioned Whole Hog Cafe in my previous post, a bit of interesting news has brought it back to my attention. In our local newspaper this week, it was announced that Whole Hog Cafe will be opening in my town, probably around late March. I won't have to travel to Little Rock or Memphis just to sample this new-to-me BBQ, so while they're taking away the travel it does mean I can have as much as I want, whenever I like. I think I will enjoy the convenience.

Greetings for 2008

It's about time I finally ate or went somewhere noteworthy! The holidays didn't provide me with a lot of blog fodder, but a short trip to a small town in Tennessee visiting relatives did give me one cozy little restaurant to mention. The Elms Restaurant in Selmer, Tennessee has that southern style service that's missing in many places today. The waitresses know the patrons, they call them and everyone "honey" and sincerely care if the diners are happy. Between the warm sincere service and some simple, tasty food it's a welcome stop for lunch or dinner. Of note in my book were the fried cheese sticks since they were battered instead of breaded, which is my personal favorite.

Last week my husband and I were in Little Rock for one night, and after making a pass by Whole Hog Cafe and feeling too much sympathy for the employees to go in at 20 minutes to closing and order dinner, we ended up at Julie's. The restaurant had come with good recommendations from reliable sources. While I think it had the potential to be a good restaurant, it failed to deliver. The chef must have been quite paranoid about under cooking the shrimp as despite the good flavors I can imagine the bottom of my running shoes would be less rubbery in texture. The other items we had were merely ok at best, and the baked potato was baked and past its prime long before we arrived.

So for desert, my husband & I skipped out on the offerings at Julie's and opted for Krispy Kreme. I know it's just a donut chain but in this case it's worth mentioning. Yes, the donuts are good. Really good. It's the service that gets my attention. At this location the service has been fantastic every single time. While I haven't been in that often, it's been consistently good each time, good enough for it to stand out against the crowd of mediocrity.

I have plenty of trips planned for this year, including a Caribbean cruise I just booked this week. As I like to call it, "blog fodder" will be plentiful this year I hope. As always, I've resolved to take a little more time to enjoy my hobby of cooking this year, but I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for roads and eats along the way too.

Holiday Eats

It's the holiday season so my traveling and dining has been more limited than usual. It does give me a chance to spend a bit more time in my own kitchen, which generally has the best cooking and food around our area. I think I naturally tend to be biased to my own cooking as I cook what I like, the way I like it cooked. I completely cook the onions, well all the veggies for that matter, and do not care for this "tender crisp" stuff that restaurants try to tell me tastes better. I know what my taste buds like and those unnaturally green things are not it.

I'm breaking out the cookbooks and recipes I've wanted to try lately to make a few holiday goodies to share. I get a chance to taste something that looks interesting, yet not keep an entire desert setting around the house to taunt me into the guilty pleasure of eating it all in one calorie laden feast. My friends get to sample the results of my kitchen time without over-indulging as well. Since I enjoy cooking, it ads up to a happy day for all involved.

Over the past year I've worked to develop a little better sense of self control when it comes to what I eat. (I say this after scarfing down vast quantities of chips & dip at dinner.) I love to cook and I love to consume and offer no apologies for that. I do not love what it does to my hips when I over-indulge. I flat refuse to live on some bizarre restricted diet to look like what TV and magazines promote as attractive. I'll take the healthy body of a woman from Runner's magazine over Cosmo any day. When it comes to the holidays and the plethora of food choices constantly presented, one of my personal trainers really summed things up nicely. "Everything in moderation, even moderation." Take a bite, maybe even two. This year I might even try to make those holiday treat eaters feel a little less guilt by including some homemade breakfast granola in the mix. Hopefully they won't take it as an insult but rather a helpful gesture. I like getting a nice homemade batch of cookies just as much as the next gal, but I appreciate the baker providing a healthier option for when I'm consumed by the guilt of eating the entire plate of cookies first.

Best gift to yourself during the holidays? Don't give up on exercise and eating healthy. I'm glad I have held it together so far, just don't let me back in the kitchen tonight. There's these Peanut Butter Cream Brownies in there ready to be sacrificed, all in the good name of hip expansion.

The Best Fried Chicken, Round 2

Lots of restaurants claim to be famous for their fried chicken. The vast majority of such places serve as proof that their patrons simply haven't tasted really good fried chicken. I found one this weekend where that isn't the case. Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in downtown Memphis is best described as "joint." It's one of those small, rough around the edges sort of restaurants that appears even a bit rougher from the outside. Inside, food is served on disposable plates, with limited utensils and cups of cheap disposables too. It's all about the chicken, and they focus on it. So many restaurants try to broaden their appeal too far and lose their focus. What put them on the map can keep them there if they don't stray too far or neglect their claim to fame.

Choices of side dishes at Gus's aren't plentiful, but they do offer some interesting cajun fried rice and good french fries. (If I'm going fried, might as well go all the way.) It seems a bit odd that two best fried chicken restaurants I've been to skip the mashed potatoes; They both serve some form of cajun or dirty rice. According to my husband, they go together like salt & pepper, something is missing without the mashed potatoes. We didn't seem to have trouble eating the chicken regardless of the limited cooked potato choices.

My overall rating: 4.5 stars
Cons: Limited parking and since I was there at 3:30 pm on a Saturday I can only imagine the line to get in at noon. Very limited selection of side dishes. This location can be quite noisy, so it's not a great choice for those with hearing problems.
Pros: It's the second best fried chicken I've ever had, but a close second (Old Country Store in Lorman, MS is the best so far.) It's spicy chicken and they wisely focus their energies on their main dish. The slightly dive type feel of the place gives it great character.

A Little Learning Never Hurt

I recently attended my second class at the Viking Cooking School and I have to say that the school and instructors have impressed me both times. The classes in their hands-on kitchen are both fun and informative. Clearly the design of the facility was well thought out, not just cobbled together by a crew of construction guys whose idea of a kitchen is a beer tap and a microwave. In the center of a large humidity-controlled "kitchen" is an island work surface, wide enough I can't reach the center and big enough to easily accommodate twelve students with good sized cutting boards. The two instructors I've met so far both had an easygoing demeanor but lead the class through the recipes and kept things moving at just the right pace so the time preparing the food seemed to vanish quickly. After talking with one of the instructors, I know I still have a lot to learn; yet seeing some of the other students unfamiliar with the simplest concepts around the kitchen is a reassurance I'm not reverting to my "culinary dark ages" either.

The class I just attended was one about holiday baking, all sweets and treats such as gingerbread scones and toffee almonds. I previously went to a class that was more of a meal, full of Italian dishes from a Roasted Red Peppers antipasti to the Chocolate gelato finish. The holiday baking class was little more fun as it let me participate in making every recipe, versus focusing on one dish and just stealing quick glances at others being prepared around the kitchen classroom. Besides, what's more fun than dipping sticky homemade marshmallows into delicious dark chocolate goodness? After attending the second class with friends, that's most definitely the way to go. Have a fun time cooking and enjoying the great food with great company makes the time zip by even quicker.

With the holidays coming up, if there's an aspiring chef or cook on the gift list and a Viking school nearby, a gift certificate for a class would make a great gift. Fun, educational, and an environment in which you're encouraged to play with all the fabulous Viking appliances? Here, twist my arm. Ok! I'll go for a class again... and again. Next up: The Steakhouse menu!

What a Diner Should Be.

I've found the ultimate in diners. Too bad for me it's in Phoenix, Arizona. Fast Eddie's Diner isn't all that much to look at from the outside, but step inside and there's plenty to see. Friendly staff, a menu with enough variety to feed just about anyone, and a quirky diner feel. The food is pretty good too, with properly sized portions on about everything I ordered.
One real unique thing about this restaurant that made me wish I could become a regular patron was the cleanliness. Not just a surface clean, like in so many places. This was clean down to the corners. Those little crevasses where crumbs and sticky drinks of days gone by go to hide when the bleach comes out to play; those were even squeaky clean. It was enough to impress me, and when it comes to cleanliness it takes a lot to make me take notice in a positive way.

Turning in to grab a bite a Fast Eddies was just on a whim, but it's those little "let's try here" places that sometimes turn out to be worthwhile.

In search of a road

This fall, while visiting the Crowley's Ridge Nature Center, I was admiring a large relief map showing portions of Crowley's Ridge. One area caught my eye toward the south eastern portion of the map, a national forest near the Marianna area. It had a couple of lakes and a road that resembled a 2 year-old child attempting to draw a piece of spaghetti. That's something nearing perfection in the eyes of a car or motorcycle enthusiast. It meets all the requirements for fun; Plentiful curves? Check. Scenery? Check. Relatively convenient? Check. Let's hit the road!

So we did. The map at the Nature Center and the state highway map gave a more rosy picture than was realistic. After ending up at a dirt road to a Confederate Cemetery (for history buffs a great find) and ultimately the Helena Police Station trying just to find the highway that would lead to the road, I should have see the big red flag waving wildly in front of me. If nothing else, I am persistent and would find this road one way or another. After a while longer of wandering somewhat lost, there it was... the road. It was one of the better roads, lined with trees and despite having virtually no shoulder it was still reasonably maintained and most of all beautiful. A good amount of twists & turns later and the road opened up to a lake area. That's when the gravel appeared. Thus ended the search for a good road that after less than 10 miles turned to gravel. My car isn't the kind you'd take down a rough gravel road, so after all that it was time to call it a day.

The entire day wasn't without something of note, a bit of good food at Ray's Dairy Maid in West Helena. Actually it's considered to be in Barton, but it's just on the outskirts of West Helena. Between the friendly staff and the good, home cooked food it was hard to go wrong with anything on the menu. The fried pies were excellent, and the variety of pies alone was a reason for the drive.

Between an interesting historical stop, some great pie and at least 10 minutes of good road made the day's trip worthwhile.

Memphis just got better

Living in small town America sometimes necessitates going to a larger city for things I can't get locally. One of the nearby larger cites for me is Memphis, Tennessee. There's several good things there, like a variety of great local restaurants and a Penzey's store, where I could camp out for days. Sometimes the trip requires an overnight stay, as was the case recently. Since I've stayed there a number of times in the past, I'm always on the lookout for a good hotel.

A couple of years ago, my husband and I stayed at The Peabody in downtown Memphis. Overall, we just weren't that impressed. It was nice enough I suppose, but between the extremely busy atmosphere, the lacking service and noise levels, it just wasn't worth returning. We tried The Peabody in Little Rock, and while it was more modern and the service somewhat improved, it too was noisy. I have a low tolerance for noise in a hotel. If I'm out of town, most often it's for leisure and one of my favorite leisure things to do when traveling is sleep in a bit without disruptions. Hotels that fail to provide a quiet environment to do so are promptly marked off my list.

For this trip, we stayed at The Madison Hotel. I have found my new home away from home in Memphis. It's quiet, with a modern feel yet the building is definitely not new. It doesn't have the wild flurry of activity feeling of The Peabody. One thing that's a must-see is the gym. Located in the basement, a portion of it is in an old bank vault. Grill 83, just a few steps away, is a good and convenient choice for dinner. I could have made a meal off the cheese fritters appetizer alone. The room service breakfast we ordered was one of the best ones I've found thus far and well worth the price. The hotel staff was friendly and I didn't get the impression I was merely an obstacle between them and their paycheck. They honestly cared about doing their jobs well or were great at giving that appearance anyway. That combined with the low noise levels will keep me coming back to this hotel for most any overnight trip to Memphis in the future.

I'm finding in my travels that for a more luxury or upscale hotel, what are deemed "small boutique" hotels are my preference. They tend to be quieter with a more relaxed atmosphere and are at least adequately staffed to accommodate my needs. I've spent better nights in even a simple Holiday Inn Express than in some ultra-swanky resorts and paid far less for it. I've quickly come to the conclusion that the price isn't always a great gauge of the quality of the hotel or resort, but the size and attention to detail tend to speak more to how much I'll enjoy my visit and the likelihood of a return trip.

Yianni's

In Greenwood, Mississippi, a town described as "it's all about the food," I found an interesting dish at Yianni's. I can't say I'd tried a fried hot tamale before then. Hot tamales? Yes, but battered and fried? That was a new one. Leave a group of good southern cooks alone in the kitchen too late on a Friday night and we'll take something already tasty and contemplate a bit on how to best deep fry it. The chefs at Yanni's must have had such a Friday night and the results were this culinary wonder. Lightly breaded and fried, they're served with Ranch dressing as a dip but it's not needed. What is normally the exterior of the tamale becomes extremely soft, almost to the point of melting. The flavors all blend together to make one oozy, gooey good mess.

My husband would have taken home an entire chocolate toffee cake, as he said it's one of the best he's ever had anywhere. The bit of remaining summer heat in the car might not have been to kind to the cake and he likes being able to fit into the car; eating that entire cake might not be so conducive to that.

Overall rating : 3.5 stars
Pros: Those fried hot tamales are worth the trip. Save room for desert as the chocolate toffee cake is great. The menu has plenty of choices, good for a group or family. Another good local restaurant.
Cons: While the filet mignon was a good cut of beef, it lacked a bit in flavor. The overall food was quite good but not spectacular, with a few previously noted exceptions. I was unable to locate a website for the restaurant, but you can see them on a Google map here.

The Best Fried Chicken

I probably should be concerned about my complete willingness to go drive over 700 miles on a weekend to get Fried Chicken, but I'm not. The consumption of some tasty bird may have been the official destination, but the other purpose of the trip was a change of scenery. Sometimes I just need to go and take in something different. Different walls, different roads, different air.

So with the trusty GPS as a guide, my husband and I headed south with the ultimate destination of Lorman, Mississippi. (See Lorman on a map here.) It's a tiny town and about the only standing building is The Old Country Store. It's questionable how it's still standing; it could be a testament to the old adage "they don't make 'em like the used to." Quickly assessing the building's ramshackle exterior, I know it was not a place I'd ordinarily stop but based on good word (Alton Brown's Feasting on Asphalt) it's contents would prove well worth the risk. Tempting me with a promise of the best fried chicken ever was enough enticement to make the drive and go for it.

As soon as we walked in the door, owner Arthur Davis, or "Mr. D" as he's known there, greeted us with a friendly reminder to leave our diets on the nail by the door. After driving over 300 miles to get fried chicken, any thoughts I might have had of a so-called diet were fading, and the heavenly smells from the kitchen were happily stomping those remaining thoughts to tiny bits. Walking through the restaurant, which is proudly announces its heritage as an old country store by the wooden floors, the shelves to the ceiling and the ladders on casters and guide rails.
A simple buffet of mac & cheese, greens, peas, dirty rice, cornbread muffins and of course, the chicken awaits the large open room of tables and hungry diners. One bite confirmed that every single mile of the drive was worth it because this really was the best fried chicken anywhere. The secret? Mr. D cooks the chicken and doesn't use chicken that has been frozen. I wouldn't be surprised if some of what was served at lunch was happily clucking and pecking just a few hours prior to meeting my plate. There wasn't a bad item on the buffet, but the chicken was outstanding. The dirty rice reassured me that the stuff Popeye's scoops into a styrofoam cup and call by the same name doesn't begin to compare to the real deal. At this point, I'm not so sure about that stuff Popeye's sells, but I've promised myself I will from here forward only consume it under the most dire of circumstances.

The drive to Lorman was a bit further than we wanted to make as a day trip, so we chose to make a weekend of it and stay in Greenwood, with a visit to Vicksburg as well. The weather was flawless and the change of surroundings was a welcome breath of fresh air. The people in the area exude southern hospitality. Any town that wants to attract visitors could learn from the relaxed and generous nature of the people in the small towns along the Great River Road in Mississippi.

More to come about this trip to Mississippi...

I know it's a chain, but...

I think this is the only hotel I have seen with labeled pillows. Accurately labeled too.

I have to give credit where it's due, and the Holiday Inn Express at Greenwood, Mississippi really deserves some credit. While it is the generic highway hotel for the most part, it seems to step a bit beyond that. It was the quietest hotel I've stayed at, ever. Usually I don't expect a 40-plus inch LCD TV in the room and solid surface counter tops in a Holiday Inn.

I've read recently that Holiday Inn is pushing to update and upgrade their hotels and overall image, going as far as to drop some of the older hotels from the chain that refuse to bring their hotels up to par. This was a new location that opened this summer and should be an example for the whole chain.

Return Trips

Several years ago, I used to go with a group of friends to Sheffield's for lunch. It had a certain charm that only comes from a restaurant housed in a old downtown building, complete huge glass windows in the front, brick interior walls, original hardwood floors, and a ornate ceiling that hopes to hide the sprinkler system. We'd catch up on the latest gossip and socialize while feasting on homemade quiche, soups and most often their notoriously good salads. It was these gab sessions that actually encouraged me to start eating salads; prior to that I generally avoided lettuce like it was a nasty and highly contagious disease.

Skipping forward to now, the friends have moved away and the restaurant has a new owner, but it is still there. Today I went for lunch after having not been in a number of years. The salads were still as good as I recall. I think if I had a blob of mud and could cover it in their Wine & Cheese dressing, I would probably eat it. It's not unique to their restaurant, but with what has to be an astronomical calorie count, I prefer to leave it for special occasions. The quiche wasn't quite as good as I recall, but the soup was quite tasty. I suspect I might have gotten the leftovers from yesterday's lunch, so I'll certainly give it another chance.

There was an unexpectedly great dish I sampled; my husband ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. At this haven of upscale, gourmet, light lunch foods he ordered one of their specials, the American Burger. It was great! It's probably one of the best tasting burgers I've had in quite some time, served with hot french fries that didn't taste like they'd had a long soak in trans-fat filled lard. The bun was likely a house-made bread, thus fulfilling its gourmet setting, but still good.

While I can't go back to my "girls day out" lunches of years past, it's nice to know I can go back to the restaurant and get the same great salads and a surprisingly delicious burger.

My rating: 4 stars
Pros: The burger is really phenominal. One of the best I've had in a long time even. The salad selections are plentiful and the "mixed greens" isn't a load of iceberg lettuce with some other things lightly sprinkled in. Toppings are varied and plentiful. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing.
Cons: Parking. It's downtown thus parking is limited. This is one of those "club" restaurants that are popping up in the area. Membership is required just to dine for lunch, regardless if alcohol is served. (The restaurant is in a Dry County.)

Dinner to Wear

I must have a target printed on me somewhere that I can't see as lately I've worn part of dinner. One night, it was a glass of Sprite, which proceeded to pour out all over the place when the table got wiggled. In less than a week, I also had a plate full of french fries dumped into my lap. Both were of no fault of my own. Whoever is in charge of the accident distribution can aim another direction now, I'm completely caught up for now, thanks.

The interesting thing was how each restaurant handled the situation. The cleanup of the Sprite was just another thing that got between the employee and her paycheck. The french fries were another story. The employee who did it apologized repeatedly. Then came the assistant manager, who also offered his apology and sent over the manager next. They all simply wanted to make it right, whatever was needed. Their gestures made me reconsider my new vow to never return. I might actually go back, they did make such great efforts to correct an otherwise unpleasant situation.

I've been to a few restaurants that I've sworn off for life, such as the one where a fellow diner found a roach in her salad. Or the one where I waited too patiently for an hour for my meal. Then there's the one where the waitress dumped a glass of ice water down my back in a full room. That last one wasn't me, but I was at the same table. I can't describe the whole Ruby Tuesday incident; it just puts me in a foul mood thinking about their lousy attitudes. But I digress. With accidents, it's how they handle it. There are some inexcusable acts like the "extra fiber" in the salad. Those put a restaurant on my permanently banished list.

Speaking of Smoke

While traveling I've noticed more states where I don't have to request the "non-smoking" section in restaurants. For me, that's great. Inevitably as a non-smoker, I was the one stuck at the table that is right beside the smoking section. If I walked into a restaurant and saw great billowing clouds crawling across the room, I would leave. I've actually walked in and turned around and left before event talking to a soul because the smoke was so thick.

So in my little search for the effective date for Tennessee's new smoking ban, I found a nice list on Wikipedia of what states have bans and to what extent they cover. I thought it might be handy for anyone else traveling, so enjoy!