Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Two Urban Licks

July 28, 2007 - Tracy, Stacey and Mikey
We had been here before, but’s it’s amazing the difference your perception is when you see a restaurant full of people and the same restaurant empty.

The first time was on a scooter rally with Motovino Wines. It was about 1pm and the only people in the place were the 15 of us on the rally and the guys prepping for that nights service. We tried a few dishes, had a good look around and moved on to the next rally stop.

Now, we are back. Reservations for dinner at 8:30pm on a Saturday Night. A whole different scene. Loud. The place is packed. People without reservations are being told there’s a 1hour and 45minute wait. How smart are we, no wait for us.

This place is more like a HUGE bar than a restaurant as far as the vibe goes. As far as the food goes, it’s much better than bar food.

We started with crispy fried oysters with a creole mustard sauce. Yum.
Thin sliced sweet potato chips with a smoked salmon, chipotle cream cheese, capers and red onion spread. Awesome. It’s a dish we’ve been doing at home since our first visit with Motovino Wines.

Martinis were good and the wine selection was ok.

Entrees were as follows: Seared Tuna with a sesame dressing. Pork Shoulder, alot like Osso Bucco (reminds me of the time in Arkansas) was DELICIOUS. Skirt steak on a big pile of cream cheese mash potatoes didn’t suck either.

Waitron was excellent. We asked lot’s of questions and he had good answers. Even steered us away from a few things.

Decor was way cool. This is an old telephone factory turned loft/retail. You should click on the Two Urban Licks link and check it out. They have done a great job of giving you the industrial feel with tons of comfort. Once again, service was really good. The waitstaff are not working under regular restaurant situations. I cannot even tell you how many tables are in the place, there’s a huge bar for drinks, a food bar facing an open kitchen, where we noticed one station doing nothing but putting out the sweet potato chips with smoked salmon. Like I said, more like a bar serving some really good food.

These people have a couple of other restaurants including One Midtown, Piebar and Trois.

We’ve been to all but Trois. Looking forward to dinner there…

Monday, July 30, 2007

George

Everyone loves George. People smile the second they see him. I’m not sure just what it is but he has that affect on everyone. My mom says hello to George before she acknowledges either of us. Friends end email transmission asking how is George and might they have him. And they are not joking.

I ran into George one afternoon here in the hood. He was smelling stuff. Walking around in the church yard across from my shop smelling stuff and then peeing on it.

I had seen him around before and wondered about him. I knew someone was taking care of him, he was in really good shape. But after the third time I saw him out and about I invited him to get in my truck and he hopped right in. I took him home and made a few calls and found his current address. When the young lady who answered the door told me she didn’t want “that dog” any longer, I just turned and walked away. Fine with me, I had fallen in love with him right away and would be happy to take care of him.

And so it’s been for about 3 years now. He is the perfect gentleman, always dressed to the nines in his tuxedo. Always saying thank you, no sir or yes mam, never peeing on the floor and never fighting with the other dogs. He is the perfect mix of Bassett Hound and Black Lab. He loves to travel and never runs away from as he did before he came to live with us.

And sorry, but, no you can’t have him.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Tomato sandwiches at the pawn shop

Ol’ Ben would show up around the first of July with the best damn tomatoes I have ever had in my life. I mean these things were so good they made me want to slap my granny. But instead I slapped Ol’Ben. Really, the only thing slapped was my ass to the car seat on the way to get a few loaves of white bread and a huge jar of mayo.

Anyway, what I’m talking about here are tomatoes. It’s been years since I have had a tomato like the ones we had at the pawn shop I worked at in the 90’s. It’s not just that these were the best but they were also the last ones I have had that tasted like a tomato should.

As I write this, I realize the beauty of it all. Here I am, in the middle of downtown Atlanta, loaning “huge bucks” on wedding rings, stereos, cameras, gold teeth, 9mm handguns and uzi’s. There was me , Jimmy, Straw, Pauli, Marlin and John our faithful manager and some other dumbasses. And here comes Ol’Ben. With 20 pounds of sunshine soaked tomatoes that some neighbor of His had grown way too many of, how lucky were we ?

This was a big box Ol’Ben carried. At least 20 pounds of tomatoes. We would spend the rest of the day eating tomato sandwiches, writing loans and selling all kinds of stuff. We would skip lunch and basically eat all day. Lets say Ol’Ben showed up around 9:30 a.m. We began eating sandwiches by 10 and ate one every half hour on the half hour ? We closed at 6 p.m. soooooooooooooo I ate about 16 sandwiches those days Ol’Ben showed up.

I haven’t had a really good tomato in 6 or 7 years. When I try hard I can find some O.K. tomatoes and some that look really good but when it comes to taste they are all lacking. Stacey and I refer to these as being mealy. More than not they taste old.

I want acid, I want that juice that burns a little. I want the soft, sloppy yen yang of the white bread, the bite of the tomato and the cool sweetness of the mayo. Hell yes - that’s what I’m talkin’ bout, thats how I wanna roll.

But I can’t. Can’t find the right tomatoes. Can’t seem to grow them either. I got some plants and they are giving us tomatoes. All different kinds. I also buy them each weekend from one organic farmer or another and still, still I say - they just ain’t the same.

Remind me to tell you more about working at he pawn shop sometime!

Thursday, July 26, 2007

West Indies Salad

Ask anyone, not from the Mobile Alabama area, and I bet they have no idea what West Indies Salad is. I have asked Chefs here in Atlanta on more then one occasion and not one knew about it -and I am OK with that. This is about the best thing I can tell a person about my hometown, it was invented here. Not many folks know about it.

It is one of the best things you will ever put in you mouth. It is also one of the simplest dishes to prepare. And the fellow who invented it, his name was Bailey, was way ahead of the current thought of chefs, which is fresh and simple.

I am not gonna say a lot about this salad, you just need to make it yourself and enjoy, what else need be said. It just don’t get much better then this. You can thank me later, with a bowl full please.

This is all it takes: 1 lb white lump crabmeat
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 o.z. wesson oil
4 o.z ice water
3 o.z. cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Layer onion and crab in dish with cover; add salt and pepper to taste. Evenly distribute oil, then vinegar, and finally ice water over layered mixture. Cover tightly and marinate at least six hours, preferably overnight. Toss before serving in individual bowls on a leaf of lettuce.
4 Servings

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Bruce

So, not to long ago Stacey and I went to a small restaurant in Claysville Alabama. We were on our way to a dinner in Tuscumbia Alabama with the Southern Foodways Alliance. We went a day early to check out Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro.

We have a friend who lives in the North Alabama area. I ask him about a place he had spoken of for fried chicken. He gave me the low down on a place on Lake Guntersville. Fried chicken, fried fish, fresh off the lake and sides of southern lunch buffet regulars.

The food was good and I had three plates, one built around fried chicken, one built around the fish, which were as good as the fried chicken. My third plate was built around whatever I had not yet tried. I tried seventeen different foods including breads and salads.

But thats not the point of this story. No, the reason this meal stands out most of all is because of an embarrassing moment I had in the restaurant and didn’t even know it until I was driving away in my car.

See, I had ask my friend where he went for the fried chicken and he told me it was called Bruces’. He went on to tell me he grew up hanging out with Bruce as a teenager when his folks had a place on the lake. Bruce and his family lived near the lake.

So after my three plates, I went over to this guy who had been tending the buffet since we had arrived and ask if Bruce was there. He said “No, but I’m as good as Bruce” so I told him my friends name and how he had directed us there and how much I enjoyed my three plates. He chuckled and said “Oh yea, I know Ken” and in fact he was supposed to see him that day.

So when I got in the car I dialed up Ken, my friend, to tell him I loved the chicken and fish. I told him I ask for Bruce but the guy I spoke with told me he wasn’t there. Ken stopped me there and told me,”of course Bruce wasn’t there, he’s dead”. Died years ago in a car wreck,the guy I spoke with was his brother. He had opened the place and named it in Bruces’ memory.

I swear Ken had not told me this. And, knowing Ken he had not.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

new que

So, we recently attended an event hosted by Heritage Foods USA called THE NEW QUE. It was held at the Studioplex on Auburn Av in Atlanta. The event matched some of the best local Chefs with some of the best local Pig Farmers. This was a chance for the chefs to get their face and restaurant out in front of a large, hungry crowd. But more importantly, it was a chance for BBQ lovers to learn about where their pork comes from and who is raising it. Like everything in the food world, PORK has gone gourmet. Restaurants are promoting fresh and local and everyone wants to know where and how it was raised. Nowdays, Farmers are raising pedigree pigs and raising them with lots of TLC. Special diets, large roaming and grazing space and more humane ways of production, make for better tasting pork. It was evident at THE NEW QUE. When you hook up Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene with Charlotte and Wes Swancy of Riverview Farms or Joe Truex of Repast with Big Sandy and his Tamworth hogs - it’s pure HOG HEAVEN. It was not just straight ahead BBQ. You could have BBQ pork tacos, BBQ pork belly over local hominy, mini sausage dogs, pulled pork sandwichs, BBQ Brunswick Stew, just to name a few. Wynn Pennington of Motovino was pouring his wines. His spanish white wine goes great with any of the BBQ. Sweetwater provided beers. The Hummer Brew was a good match with the QUE, but so were all their beers. It was a really good turn out, with a hungry crowd. Lots of the regular foodies and hopefully some new recruits.

Monday, July 23, 2007

5 things you should or should not do everyday

#1 EAT GRITS, It dosn’t matter how, with butter, with cheese or with shrimp, just get youself some grits everyday.

#2 Don’t fight dogs. You would think this is a no brainer, but in case you haven’t heard some people just can’t help themselves.

#3 Carry out at least 1 random act of kindness. You can spend the whole day spoiling yourself, but you must do one nice thing for someone else.

#4 Think Positive. You may wake up in the worst funk ever, but by the end of the day fix it, whatever it takes fix it (grits may help).

#5 Tell someone you love them. If you have to go knock on you neighbors door before you go to bed and tell them you love them, then do it. This will do you more good than your neighbor, but it won’t hurt them either.

Stay tuned for another list cause there is so much we should and shouldn’t do daily

Friday, July 20, 2007

One day in New York City

So, January 8 2ooo, Stacey and I decided to go to New York for the day, we wanted to check out a few exhibitions.

First off we went to the Barry Freidman Gallery. This place is about the size of a 3 bedroom apartment. The show was furniture designed by Ed Weinberger.

Weinberger designs one of a kind pieces of furniture. He then has the designs built by master craftsman Scott Schmidt. Weinberger suffers from parkinson. He came to design late in life. I can’t remember how, but in his career before design he made lots of money. Then once he was diagnosed with parkinson he decided to spend his money having his designs built.

He teamed up with Schmidt, who was the only craftsman he could fine to agree to execute these very complicated drawings. Weinberger was also very picky about the materials he wanted used. Very exotic woods and hardware that was made special for each design. This was a very costly endeavor.

I remember reading in the New Yorker how he ended up going to Europe for a new surgical procedure, which involved drilling holes in his head. I think he found relief for a while, but it was not permanent.

I could not do justice to his work trying to describe it, you should go to the link on his name and check out some photos. I remember seeing the Tension Rod Table at the Friedman Gallery and was blown away.

Next it was off to the New York Museum of Design for a show on the works of Ray and Charles Eames. I was a little dissapointed with this show as I found it kind of lacking. There were all the furniture designs we all know, but I didn’t see much I didn’t know about. I guess the most surprising part was how crude some of the materials they used were. But I guess they were the first to work with some of these materials and use them in a furniture application.

Next it was to the Guggenheim, the lovely spiral museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. We were there to see a Francesco Clemente show.

This guys work is amazing and I have been a fan a long time. He works mostly in water colors. Very wet, loose water colors, but at the same time with very fine lines. Click on his name above to see works.

He was born in Italy in 1952 and has homes all over the world. The audio tour we took talked about how each place he has a home, Rome, Madras and New York impact his work, each in a unique way. I learned of him from these small Indian prayer books he help publish. His work on paper, mostly watercolor and pastel are his most popular, although he works in other mediums.

The works we saw were very surreal and dreamlike. We both really enjoyed this show and it was also our first visit to the Guggenheim.

Then we got on a plane and went home.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Buena Vista Social Club

So, just the other evening we were listening to the Buena Vista Social Club CD. I love this record and it always reminds me of the time I first heard it.

It has been a few years. Stacey and I were traveling around Spain, we were in Barcelona at the time. We had hooked up with a friend from the states who was there on business.

Andre is a wine importer. He specializes in small, boutique wineries. Most all from Spain, but some others.

Andre has a friend he went to college with in spain, his name is Fausto. Fausto took us to a bar near the Las Ramblas named Bar Ra. It had a really small kitchen and two small dining areas. One of the dining areas was the next door alley with a roof. Thats where we were sitting.

Having snacks and cocktails.

The owner of the place came by and we were introduced. I can’t remember the guys name, it’s been about 5 years or so. But, I do remember him, very tall and balled as a queball. I ask about the music and he was happy to share.

Well, it wasn’t 2 weeks later, we are in N.Y.C. I got into a conversation with a friend about Buena Vista Social Club. He gave me the low down. Ry Cooder had rediscovered these old Cuban gentleman who had invented this sound. These guys were well over 60 years old each. They had long ago given up any dreams of a life of music. Some of them had stopped playing altogether.

So the story goes, Ry Cooder happened upon this sound coming from a music hall as he made his way around Cuba. When he inquired about it, he was informed of the origins and in fact the fellows who had invented this style of music were still alive and living in Cuba.

So Cooder spent the time to find the original members. One of the guys had not touched a piano in years. They spent two weeks rehearsing and then cut this record. Well the rest is history as they say. These guys had huge success for the next few years. I understand some have since past.

Stacey and I were lucky enough to see them at the Beacon Theater in N.Y.C. a year or so later. It’s was a beautiful show. And it was apparent just how old some of these fellows were. But they made great music that night.

So, I say to you, get this CD. Make yourself an ice cold Cuba Libre and toast the Buena Vista Social Club.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Why do bad things happen to good people ?

This has always been a tough question. I have had the occasion to ponder this before. I consider myself a fairly good person. Always trying to take personal responsibility for my actions. I try to show reasonable compassion for everyone and everything and I try to have a good word for the folks I interact with daily.

I believe most folks are basically good. I just can’t understand why some of them get dumped on so badly sometimes. Sometimes I wonder who’s dealing these cards and what was She thinking. It’s like, doesn’t that person have enough to deal with already. Some folks I know just don’t deserve all the shit that comes their way. And some of it is really serious and it makes me wonder just why it happens to them. Especially with all the problems they already have. Problems they did not create for themselves.

I am not sure of my beliefs when it comes to God, evolution, creation, heaven, hell, life itself. So I deal with it the best way I have come up with to this point in my life and that’s responsibility, compassion, kindness, tolorence, and patients. Like a very wise man once told me a very wise man told him, “just keep your side of the street clean.” That’s what I am trying to do.

It wasn’t long ago I read this paragraph from the Encyclopedia Britannica, although I found it in another book. I really like what it has to say and find it helpful in my search for reasoning for this life of ours here on planet Earth.

Ecclesiastes. This is a book of the Old Testament.

The authors observations on life convinced him that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor the bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the man of skill; but time and chance happen to them all” (9:11). Mans fate, the author maintains, does not depend on rightous or wicked conduct but is an inscrutable mystery that remains hidden in God (9:1). All attempts to cure ones fate are “vainty,” or futile. In the face of such uncertainty, the author’s counsel is to enjoy the good things that God provides while one has them to enjoy.

So that would be my counsel, for what it’s worth. That and let’s all take care of each other.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Mobile

Decided to go to Mobile this past weekend for a couple of reasons. One, we had not seen either of our Familys in awhile and two, Tracy needed to get some lumber.

Before we leave, we flip through the book “Southern Belly” by John T. Edge. It’s a compilation of unique southern food destinations that some friends gave us several years ago. We’ve used it on another trip we made from Atlanta to Little Rock and had some great food adventures. So, we looked through the listings for Alabama and decided to stop at Chuck’s Bar-b-que in Opelika.

Friday morning about 9:30, we packed a suitcase, put George in the cab of the truck and headed to Mobile. We have three dogs, George is the one that travels best. Brownie and She She will keep each other company while we are gone. Marcia May will feed them twice a day. She’s our neighbor who happens to be a Dog Sitter. We couldn’t travel so much without her expert services.

About an hour and forty minutes down Interstate 85 South, we exit at number 60 - Opelika. Turn right and follow the signs. It’s not far till we see the smoke billowing from the building.

We are early and that’s a good thing. Because after we order and make it to a booth to wait for our number to be called there is a line of about a dozen customers. Everyone from Farmer Brown to the local businessmen are qued and waiting to order. I notice, as I wait for them to call ticket #3, that most folks don’t even look at the the menu board we had to use, to place their order.

Ticket #3 is called and I go pick up a tray of bar-b-qued chicken, a chipped pork sandwhich and sides of slaw and beans. I haven’t had chicken off the grill in I don’t know how long. This chicken is so good I make a note to self, self I say, bar-b-que chicken at home real soon. The sandwhich and sides are delicious as well. We take turns eating off each others plate.

Sated and satisfied we hit the road again, south to Mobile. I am already thinking about the burger I plan on ordering tonight at Butch Cassidys’.

And that’s where the evening finds us. With Jim and Betty, tucked into a four topper at the bar and grill that serves the “soon to be famous” burger. And its good. It ain’t no ghetto burger, but it’s good.

And that is what this weekend is all about it seems. Food. Nothing real fancy, but lots of good home cooking.

The next night we dine with Nancy and Marion at La Pizzeria. This place has the best pizza in Mobile if you ask me. Very thin curst with very fresh toppings. Just two or three different toppings on each pie and never to much sauce. I especially like the White pizza. They also have great pasta dishes and great service. And lets don’t forget the martinis, ice cold and best by the dozen.

Like I said, this weekend seems to be about good home cooking and Sunday morning is the best. Mom and Dad lay out a breakfast like never before. Well, not since the last Sunday we were home. Because Sunday brunch, when any one or more of their children are home is the same. A large pot of cheese grits, eggs, scrambled, bisquits the size of small hubcaps, bacon, sauage, banana bread, sweet rolls, jellies, juice and coffee.

And that my friend gets us back to Atlanta, where we fall into bed and try to sleep it off. But thats gonna require a trip to the gym.

I did get some old lumber thas was part of a Mardi Gras float. So some lucky person will get something built from it.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Ms Annes’ Snack Shop

SO…
I like hamburgers.
Two fisted, juicy hamburgers with lots of stuff piled on. There’s just something about having to hold a sandwich with both hands as the juices drip down your chin - MAN.

I was not disappointed with either of my visits to Ms. Annes’ Snack Shop.

Sitting at the counter watching her form two meat patties the size of her fists, then slice some onion and throw it all on the grill. As those start to cook, she peels of a couple of slices of bacon, which she then deep fries. A little mayo and ketchup are spread on the bun. The onion and bacon are put on one of the meat patties, chili is spooned on, then it’s topped off with the other meat patty. The Ghetto Burger is a sight to behold. TRUELY.
A two fisted work of art of the grill.

Ms. Annes does have a few rules. Know what you want, no leaning on the counter and no cursing, among others. But that should not (and doesn’t) stop folks from coming in for a Ghetto Burger. It’s a one woman show, from a single wide trailor, with limited seating. Rules help keep order to all the burgers coming off the grill.

The second visit was a SEINFELD episode, as well as being delicious. I took a co-worker who had no idea where we were going. He just knew he had to have a burger, after hearing me talk about it.

As we drove the 15 minutes to Memorial Drive, I explained the “rules”. When she asks what you want, just tell her you’ll have a Ghetto Burger with fries. It’s easy.

The counter to order is just inside the front door. As we entered, my friend walked up to the counter, but as luck would have it, two stools became available. Ms. Anne turned from the grill, nodded to the empty stools and said “Have a seat”. Ben (my friend) looked at Ms. Anne and said “I’ll have a Ghetto Burger and fries”. She glances back over her shoulder and repeats “Have a seat”. I gently push him towards the empty stools.

Once we are seated, Ms. Anne walks to our end of the of the counter and looks at me. The conversation goes something like this…
“Ready to order ?” she asks in a stern grandmotherly way.
“I’ll have a Ghetto Burger and fries, please”.
“You sure you can eat all that ?”
“Yes ma’am”

Ben is getting pale. Ms. Anne goes to prep a burger on the grill.
A couple with child have come in and are waiting at the counter. The little boy was bout six or seven and not tall enough to see over the counter. He starts jumping up and down trying to peak over. Ms. Anne never turns around from the grill, but say’s loudly “Take that noise outside.” The woman looks at her husband, grabs her son and goes outside. Leaving her husband to place their order.

Ben quickly turns to me and says ” You order for me.”

Ms. Anne appears in front of Ben. I say “He’ll have a Ghetto Burger and fries.”
She looks at the two of us, then returns to the grill.

Our burgers are ready and placed in front of us. I pick up my burger with two hands and take a bite. Ben does the same. We both smile.

Ms. Anne turns and asks “How is it ?” “Delicious” we both say.
Now we are all smiling.

Go soon, I hear Ms. Anne is going to be closing soon. It would be a shame to miss out !

Friday, July 13, 2007

The Front Porch

I did not grow up with a front porch but I have always thought of a porch as being truly Southern. Neighbors relaxing on their front porch, observing the neighborhood, speaking to folks as they walk by, waving to those they know. Inviting friends up to sit and chat. Catching up on each others lives. Sharing thoughts on past events and plan future meetings.

In todays world it’s a nice place to slow down. Get out of that fast-paced work, drive home, take the kids to soccer routine. At forty three, I am the proud owner of a front porch in the south. It happens to be attached to a great house built in 1917, but, that’s another story.

We keep a table and chairs, candles, and music speakers on the porch. Neighbors come by at various times. Some visit for a few minutes, others stay for hours. Both are very much welcome.

Meals are sometimes cooked on the porch. Fried oysters, grilled hamburgers or maybe a shrimp boil. Pupu platters of cheese, olives and bread. Listening to our neighbors talk about their kids. Tuning in a Sunday evening radio show called “This American Life”. Having a glass of wine waiting for the kids to come trick or treating at Halloween. Reading the newspaper, while sipping coffee. Talking on the phone with family in Alabama. All from my front porch.

Living in the South allows me a lot of happy times on my porch. Weather permits many days and nights enjoyed outside.

I love my time on the front porch.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Panama - Day Three

We wake, make coffee and hit the beach, all before 8AM. We want to see if the fisherman have their nets out and sure enough, there’s a group in either direction, working the nets. We walk in the direction of the group we have never seen before. They are younger and catch far less than the other group we have seen. It appears they have to pay off the police, who stand around and watch until the nets are up, and then help themselves to two plastic bags of fish.

This is our last day, we must leave early in the morning for a Noon flight. We decided to find a bar (we had read about online) and try the burger they bragged about. XS Memories Sports Bar is about one mile from where we are.

Hanging outThe burgers are OK, but the wild life on display was much better. Toucans, parrots, squirrel monkeys and lots more birds in large cage all over the well kept grounds. Worth the 5 minute drive and the price of a burger & beer ($4.50). The owners are Americans and were having a fund raiser the next day for local school.

Back to #11. Beach, beers, cigars and relaxing. Trying not to think about leaving tomorrow, But at the same time talking about somewhere new to go.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Panama - Day Two

So…We woke early the next morning, had coffee and headed to the beach for a pre-breakfast walk. The “teams” are at it again. They have just started to pull the net in. You can tell because the birds are circling overhead. We hurry to see the catch. Huge. A couple of string-rays (again) and thousands of fish. Pelicans get some. Black turkey buzzards get some. All on the team take home plastic bags full.

SeagullsWe try to ask how they divided up the catch, how they are related and what do they do with all the catch, but very little of our English is understood. Only smiling people looking back at us. Back to #11 for breakfast and to prepare for a relaxing morning on the beach. As this is our first beach trip for the year, we can only handle so much sun in one sitting. Time for more beers and a little break. We get in the car and drive to the mini super or bodega, which is about 5 minutes from #11. You can get eggs, 35 cents beers, rum, Spanish wines, bug spray, coffee - you know - the important stuff. We only have a one hundred dollar bills and 4.25 in change.

Today, they cannot make change, so we get 8 beers, 4 eggs for $3.40. Just what we needed. When we drive back to Las Sirenas, I see Mr. Inez. He is sitting in the same spot as when we checked in. He seems to oversee the other workers that do yard work, collect trash and exchange dirty towels for clean ones. He’s good, but no English at all. I tell Tracy to stop. I will see if he can make change on the $ 100. Tracy chuckles and says “Good Luck.” I walk over to where he is sitting. It’t outside the cottage that says “Recepcion”. He looks at me. I hold up the one hundred dollar bill and say “make change” and “picito”. He looks at me, then at the bill. Takes it. Looks for the magnetic strip, making sure it’s real. Then opens his check in log book, there’s money in the pages. He counts out 5 $ 20 bills. Perfect. As I get in the car, Tracy says “Pretty Good”.

Late afternoon and we are ready for some air conditioning. A shower and ceiling fan feel really good. A pupu platter with apples, nuts, chirizo and leftover cheese from the restaurant and a white Spanish riojas wine. For entertainment, we have brought along a portable dvd. We rented Borat and the series WEEDS - first season. We sit on the back porch, looking at the dvd and relaxing well into the evening. The bedroom is the only room with actual air-conditioning. The kitchen/living room and the back porch have ceiling fans. The bedroom keeps just above freezing.

It’s really easy to sleep. We are so spoiled.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Panama - End of Day One

Sunset, beer, tequila and watching a boat drop a net for the catch. Cannot figure out what is going on. Will watch and look. Try to learn.

The boat is barely off the beach where the waves break. He has dropped a flag to signify the start of the net. We watch, he moves slowly and is about a mile from shore, having stretched the net out to sea. Different from the beach scene earlier in the day.

The sun disappears, we can still see the sun in the distance. A light flashing every so often. OK, he wins. We are hungry and there is no sign of him pulling up net.

Stacey and TracyWe decided to go to a restaurant that we passed on the drive-in. It’s only about 5 miles up the street, on top of a hill. The Camerones.

The place is all lit up with lots of chairs. 4 tables are occupied. One is a table of eight, that happens to be the gringos staying at out place. The restaurant has table cloths and lots of candles, but no walls. Open air with a thatched roof overhead. Very nice. Our server brings the menu, which is in Spanish and English, and offers to get cocktails. Beer and tequila is a good start. Ceviche - cool and refreshing - either with shrimp, octopus or fish. We choose fish. He’s off to get our starters and we continue reading the menu.

I read two words (actually 4 in Spanish) shrimp and garlic. That makes it an easy decision for me. Tracy is found of rellaneos, usually breaded and fried peppers stuffed with all kinds of goodies. Looking at the menu, we were not sure stuffed with what, so we tried to ask.

Both are pork, but one was jowls and the other intestine. Let’s go with the jowls.

Drinks and ceviche arrive - yum! Fish, diced onions “cooked” in a vinaigrette. Perfect.

Large shrimp with heads on sauteed in garlic and butter. So simple, so good.

The rellaneos are four small roasted red peppers cleaned and peeled. Stuffed and smothered with pork. Very good, but not what we are used to.

The gringos speak as they are leaving, acknowledging Tracy as the fisherman from today on the beach.

Dessert, no thank you, but they do have a cheese plate. In Panama ? Why not.
It is supposed to be 5 cheeses but our server tells us they have only 3. It’s ok, we will still try it. I think they only have 2 ( brie and manchego) but they put enough on the plate, that we took some home for a pupu platter the next afternoon. All in all, a nice evening out.

Back to Las Sirenas #11.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Santa Clara - Panama - Day One

So…
Most mornings are very quiet in Santa Clara - Panama. The sky is gray with low clouds not yet burned off from the soon to be hot sun. Coffee is good and strong. We sit and listen to the waves crash, the birds singing and the heat thunder rumble.

A girl on horseback comes riding up the beach with a stray horse along side. He’s at full gallop and kicking his hind legs, trying to play with the other horse. Other guests are starting to come down to the beach for their morning walk. It’s a typical morning in Santa Clara- Panama. It’s nice to be in #11 - right on the beach.

For breakfast, scrambled eggs with cheese, tomatoes and chrizo sausage. Corn cakes with orange marmalade and strong coffee. Then a long walk on the beach.

We see some fisherman on the beach. They are slowly dragging in a net they had set hours before. It’s a team effort to drag the net in. They start about a hundred yards apart, in teams of eight to twelve, slowly pulling in the net that was stretched out to sea, in hopes of catching fish. As the net gets closer to the beach, more people come down to observe. It’s slow and tedious work.



My “gringo” husband has stepped in and has been helping pull for about 15 minutes. As the center of the net is visible, he yells to the others “Hey, how about some help?”. The eight “gringos” jump in to help.

Finally, the center of the net is on the beach. Fish are jumping and making a lot of motion. Pulling the net in means working with the waves. The fish in the nets weigh it down and it takes all efforts to get “the catch” to the beach.

BirdsLots of fish. Lots of birds overhead. Quite a production. The net is in the sand where the waves hit the beach. Fish, eels and sting rays are in the net. The Locals are throwing the rays to the side. A woman is kneeling down with a knife, cutting on the sting rays. We asked what she was doing. It’s difficult, as she does not speak English and we do not speak Spanish. But she does say “tongue”, “medicine” and “asthme”. [As a side note, we really need to learn Spanish. How ridiculous not to know the language]. Other locals that were working the net have plastic bags or plastic laundry baskets. They begin throwing fish into each. Birds are swarming overhead. People are throwing small fish into the air, as the birds are diving to catch them.

The rain begins to move in. The Fishermen are happy with their catch. Everyone eats tonight !

Relaxing on the beach, eating and reading filled our afternoon.

Friday, July 6, 2007

Arriving in Panama

So…

Our jobs afford us the flight benefits and the time for travel. A couple of weeks ago, we found ourselves on our way to the Republic of Panama. It’s our second trip to Santa Clara, Panama - a tiny fishing village an hour and half west of Panama City. Beach and relaxation here we come. The drive is a an easy one, once you get to the PanAmerican Highway. A straight hour and fifteen minute drive, no turns, no exits, just straight ahead.

We did make two stops for cold 8oz beers at .35cents each. A quick stop at thePanama View “REY” a 24 hour supermarket for provisions for our stay, then on to Las Sirenas, where we find Mr. Inez waiting in his usual spot. He is the resident innkeeper at Las Sirenas, speaks very little english, but takes good care of you. He must remember us, as he takes our credit card, gives us the key and does not walk us to the cottage - like the first time.

Panama BeachLas Sirenas has hilltop cottages overlooking the Pacific Ocean or cottages right on the beach. We choose # 11 - the closest cottage to the beach. The cottage has an air-conditioned bedroom, living room (with sofa beds), porch (with hammock) and a fully-equipped kitchen. We turn the a/c all the way up, unpack our groceries, and change into shorts. A couple of .35 cents beers later, we truly begin our vacation.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Fourth of July

We started early with a pre-fourth of July dinner at Repast. We’d been there once before and really enjoyed it, so the choice was easy.

Chilled summer corn soup, ginger shrimp summer rolls and fried oysters for me. A foie gras appetizer special and grilled hanger steak for Tracy. Martinis and Wine. We are off to a really great start.

In the morning, we get up early to drive to Serenbe. They (the community) are having a Fourth of July parade and have invited us to participate. Actually, Tracy helped build the frame for a float, so, they have cordially invited both of us to been in the parade.

We arrive about 9:20. The float is GREAT. The body of the float has a lot of pink and red tissue paper, green tissue paper around the edges, black paper sprinkled in for seeds. It’s a perfect slice of Watermelon.

The girls have tiaras and pink sashes that proclaim “Watermelon Queen” and the guys have large red, white and blue hats and t-shirts that say “I’m with the Queen” on the front and “Watermelon Parade Brigade” on the back. Festive beads and dum-dum lollipops are the throws. Fun.

It turns out to be the only float in the parade but there are small children in various types of motorized vehicles, a couple of horses and many residents dressed in red, white and blue. Quite a production for a relatively new community. It will only get bigger and better in the years to come.

Home by Noon. Ribs on the grill. Nap until 3. Ribs, corn and potato salad at 5pm.

straw_short1.jpgOur neighbors, Julie, Mark and Madighan came over for a late evening dessert of stawberries and shortcake. We hung a huge 15 foot by 25 foot flag from the trees in the yard. A few cocktails on the porch and we are ready to see fireworks.

Living in a small community like East Point, we have only to walk about 3 blocks and see a really awesome fireworks display.

It’s been a nice day.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Mark Mothersbaugh

The other night, Stacey and I went to the Rabbit Hole Gallery to see a Mark Mothersbaugh show. If you don't know, Mothersbaugh is a founding member of Devo, the 80s eletronic band with a great sense of humor. The show was named Beautiful Mutents. Mothersbaugh has recently been writing music for Tim Burton movies and the television show Rug Rats. He has probably been doing lots of work I don't even know about. For the last ten years, he has also produced prints of images made with a technic he has developed. He uses antique photos and a computer to create some very hauntingly beautiful works of art. Most pieces are portraits of one or more people. He stretches out or shrinks up the original image to make a face look slightly wider or more narrow. This gives the subject a freakish look. A tight tiny, face may appear to have pinched eyes or a fellow in a suit, wearing a hat is streched out enough to add a third leg. Hence "Beautiful Mutants".

The pieces looked very antique. The edge of some prints was faded and the frames were carved from dark wood. Old style gold print identified and dated some of the pieces. The names of a few of the pieces are "Baby Hoodie-Hoo, Portage County Trailer Park", "Halfway Sammy", "Two Suitors for Honeysuckle". The pieces ranged in price from $300 to $800.

Stacey and I purchased one named "Fairy Queen, Lisboa". It was one of the larger ones. The lady in it reminded us of an antique Mardi Gras Queen holding her hands in the air. And with our connections to Mobile Mardi Gras, we couldn't resist.

It was a really good show, I am glad we heard about it. We did not go with the intention of buying a piece but liked them so much we must have one.

Mothersbaugh was not there but the soundtrack was a special recording he had made for the art show. It was heavy organ music, quite fitting for the art.

Ingenuity Cleveland is hosting the next Mothersbaugh showing.

Monday, July 2, 2007

new welcome / about us

So, So Southern isn’t about the South so much as it’s about two people from the South and their day to day journey thru life. Stacey and Tracy have been on this journey for the last 25 years. It has been a journey of learning, about people and places and the things special about each. So here you will read about some of the places we have been, some of the folks we have met and some of the things we have done. Sometimes it will be about life close to home, here in Atlanta, Georgia. Sometimes we hope to take you somewhere far away. We always hope to share something interesting and maybe give you a tip on something you need to try for yourself.
Sometimes we might just tell you how our day went and what we had for dinner that night.
Whatever, we hope you enjoy.