There Goes Connie

7 Ways to Feel Like You Really Went to San Francisco

06/15/2015 By: CCPearson4 Comments

(This is a print we bought as a souvenir. It hangs in a place we pass frequently to remind us of our wonderful time in the City by the Bay.)

1) Ride a cable car. It’s a must! Every movie or television show you’ve ever seen that is set in San Francisco shows them. The views are wonderful. The drivers are entertaining. It doesn’t cost very much. You’ll kick yourself if you don’t. Steve and I both rode UP, then he chose to walk back down through Chinatown and the Crooked Street. I wish I’d been with him.

2) Stroll around Fisherman’s Wharf. See what’s for sale. Smell the fresh seafood. Savor the feeling of being on the Bay. People watch. Enjoy the colorful boats docked there.

3) Eat sourdough bread SEVERAL TIMES. Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. So yummy! Boudin’s is the place at Fisherman’s Wharf.

4) Eat chocolate at Ghiradelli Square. Yes, it will cost more there than at your local grocery store, but just do it so you can say you did. There are other neat things to buy there, but don’t by-pass the chocolate. I’m telling ya.

5) Take a narrated bay cruise to Alcatraz. Even if you don’t actually go into the former prison, it is still eye-opening to understand where it is, who was housed there, what an escape would have involved, etc. Let’s just say it will enhance your understanding in novels and old movies.

6) Drive up to Napa Valley and Sonoma to tour a vineyard. It’s only a few miles up the road. Steve and I are non-alcohol people, but we still enjoyed seeing the gorgeous fields of grapes and learning about the wine-making process. Somewhere in my mind, I knew that yeast was involved, but it wasn’t until I walked into the Gloria Ferrar Winery and started looking for the homemade bread (without finding any) that I knew for sure that yeast was a part of the process. And, just so you know, there are plenty of sodas, juices or flavored waters available while the rest of your group has their wine-tasting.

By the way, everyone scattered for lunch in the town of Sonoma. We happened upon a Mexican restaurant called “Maya.” Here is the review I shared on Trip Advisor about it: The Best Mexican We’ve Ever Eaten “My husband and I were in Sonoma for a few hours recently and happened upon Maya for lunch. We were so pleased with the results. We shared “Oh-So-Good” Nachos and Chicken Enchiladas. Both were absolutely bursting with flavor and fresh ingredients. Our service was good, and the prices were very reasonable. We would highly recommend that you give it a try.”

7) View the Golden Gate Bridge from every possible angle. It truly is a beautiful symbol of the city, and what a serendipity for Auburn fans that it is painted ORANGE. We happened to be on a tour bus by the time we headed out of San Francisco. The tour director brilliantly made sure we heard Frank Sinatra croon “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” as we drove over it for our final time on this visit. A perfect moment in my book.

For a hotel in a great location, we liked the Hilton Fisherman’s Wharf. See the website here.

Several restaurants we recommend are: Alioto’s, Beach Street Grill, and Joe’s Crab Shack. All three are reasonably priced with good food.

On our next visit to San Francisco, I’m sure we’d repeat numbers 1, 2, 3, and 7 again, and maybe even 4, 5, and 6. Why skimp on fun??

“Some Enchanted Morning” — A Musical/Magical Day on Kauai

06/10/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

You have to understand. I taught music for many years, and one of my joys was to introduce junior high age students to the magic of Broadway musicals. And, one of my all-time favorites was and is “South Pacific” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. To have a whole day to explore many of the places where the movie version was filmed back in 1958, was sheer bliss for me. To also pass the settings for “Blue Hawaii,” “Jurassic Park,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark?” Well, that just pushed the day over the top. We could have chosen an organized group tour such as this one, but instead we got in our rental car with a map and plenty of time and explored on our own.

From our hotel on Poipu Beach in the southern part of the island, we headed up the east coast, stopping first to catch glimpses of O’paeka’a Falls and the Wailua River, both seen in “Blue Hawaii” and “Jurassic Park.”

Next up was the Kilauea Lighthouse. Another set of falls near this point was used in “South Pacific.” See a video of it here.

Then we arrived at Lumaha’i Beach in Hanalei Bay and walked out onto Hanalei Pier. This area is where virtually all of the scenes in “South Pacific” involving the military men and women were filmed, including arguably the most popular “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.” Click on this video to view a short musical synopsis of this movie.

We stopped for smoothies in the town of Hanalei and quietly sang to ourselves:

Puff, the Magic Dragon, lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a Land called Hanalei. The composer himself has denied any connection with this place, but don’t tell the locals. They embrace it completely.

We lingered at other beaches along our way back, including this amazing sight known as “The Spouting Horn,” and then had a sumptuous dinner at Keoki’s Paradise. Indeed a perfect day.

Orchids and CHICKENS! on the Garden Isle

06/08/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

When my Silver Fox and I got off the plane in Kauai on a recent anniversary trip, I immediately started looking for flowers. They had to be just everywhere, or so said the tourism descriptions. And, after all, why else would Kauai be nicknamed “The Garden Isle?” Even though we chose to stay on the south end of the island where it is warmer and drier (rather than on the north end that is lusher and wetter), I didn’t have to wait long to see gorgeous blossoms of many varieties.

Our hotel was the Sheraton Kauai in Poipu. Just right down the sidewalk, you can wander the Plantation Gardens for a free visual botanical feast.

As we were taking in the sights near our hotel, we noticed signs mentioning an upcoming Orchid Show for the following Saturday in the nearby town of Hanapepe. Serendipity!!! Not only would we get to see more beautiful flowers, but we could soak up some local flavor off of the beaten tourist path. The members of the Garden Island Orchid Society (can you imagine being a member of such a group?) greeted us warmly, happy to show us their prize-winning entries.

When you add the hibiscus plants featured in landscapes everywhere, my expectations about the Garden Isle were more than satisfied.

We did, however, get a fun surprise. Chickens. EVERYWHERE. Running wild. Strutting roosters, hens and chicks.

They are at the airport, in parking lots, at gas stations, in shopping centers, on the sidewalks beside restaurants, in the woods, and near the beaches. We asked several people about this peculiar phenomenon, and here are the most popular theories:

1) Kauai has never had a serious predator for chickens. Other islands, yes, but not Kauai.

2) Natural disasters have led to the cross-breeding between Hawaii jungle fowl and domestic birds. The most recent was Hurricane Iniki that leveled this island on September 11, 1992. Thousands of domestic birds scattered everywhere.

3) Hawaii’s wild jungle fowl are a protected species. Although it is seldom mentioned and the punishment for harming these chickens is hard to pin down, catching one of the birds is still a crime in the State of Hawaii.

Considering the price of groceries on the islands, it is amazing that more of these chickens don’t find their way onto dinner tables. But, from what we understand, they are inedible. At least that’s what this old Hawaiian proverb suggests:

“If you like eat da chicken get two pots of water to a boil. In one pot put da pohaku (lava rock) and in the other put da moa (wild chicken). Once the lava rock is done da moa is ready to eat.” Moral of the story; you can’t eat the wild chickens, they are hard as a rock!

P.S. We flew from Maui to Kauai on Island Air, but we flew back to Maui on Hawaiian Airlines. Hawaiian Airlines has bigger planes with roomier seats, but the employees of Island Air add a nice touch to their service. All of the employees, from the gate agents to the baggage handlers, line up to wave good-bye to the passengers of each departing flight. The spirit of “Aloha,” for sure.

Eagerness to Worship

06/05/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

“I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1

That morning I saw a truly beautiful sight – people of all ages and economic backgrounds hurrying to worship God.

There is a wonderful evangelical church about a mile or so from our mission-owned house in Quito that holds worship services on Saturday nights and at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 on Sunday mornings. That day we were getting out of our truck about 7:25 a.m. headed to the early service when we noticed some people parking their fancy cars, others walking from nearby streets, and still others streaming from the trolley station, all moving at a fast pace in the same direction where we were going. The faces were eager and expectant, and the voices gave us a happy greeting. Indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorians, gringos (like us), upper and lower class Quitenos (citizens of Quito), young and old, dressed in jeans or in Sunday suits, each of us had the same goal – assembling in the house of the Lord for praise, worship, prayer and instruction in God’s Word.

Steve and I estimated that 700 chairs were available. Within minutes every single one of them was filled, and 70-80 people lined the walls. No one left because their needs weren’t going to be comfortably accommodated. There was just an unmistakable sense that everyone who was in the room wanted to be there and was grateful to have a place of any kind.

The music was powerful and well-planned. The words, melodies, and rhythms took us all from quiet meditation to a lively crescendo of fast-paced celebration and then back again to peaceful, private reflection. The prayers were fervent and personal. The pastor’s sermon was passionate and pertinent. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was challenging and convicting. Every aspect of the service pointed us to God and His holiness. At the end of nearly two hours, we would have gladly stayed longer, but another large congregation was eagerly waiting to come into God’s house. As we filed out in an orderly, although shoulder-to-shoulder fashion, the second group was streaming in with the same hopeful, excited faces and attitudes that we had displayed when our group congregated. Together, we had participated in a time of genuine adoration and praise for our Heavenly Father. OUR Heavenly Father. It occurred to me that we would one day be in a similar gathering around the throne of God, people from every race, tribe and tongue glorifying the Lord in heaven. I am anticipating a whole new level of eagerness as that time approaches.

Psalm 95:1-2, 6 “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

An Afternoon Inspired by Beverly Lewis

06/03/2015 By: CCPearson1 Comment

I am a big fan of Christian novels by Beverly Lewis. If you’ve never heard of her, check out her beautiful website here. Beverly was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which has a high concentration of Amish families. She grew up observing the lifestyles of those unique people and learning about their very strict, conservative beliefs and practices. She has woven many facts about the Amish into the fictional storylines of her books that feature these hard-working people going about their daily lives.

On a recent Saturday after learning that one of the largest communities of Old Order Amish lived less than an hour and a half from our house, my Silver Fox and I decided to ride out and explore. We discovered that from Hwy. 72 West from Athens we could take either Hwy. 207 in Rogersville to 98 then on to 43, or we could drive west a little more and just hit Hwy. 43 in Killen and have a straight shot to Etheridge, TN. Either way, you will find yourself first in Leoma, TN and then Lawrenceburg, TN, both of which have plenty of gas stations and places to eat.

As we came into Etheridge, we immediately spotted the Amish Welcome Center. We had planned to eat lunch there (folks coming out gave it rave reviews), but a wagonload of people were leaving on a tour, and they had room for two more. We bought our tickets ($10 each) and hopped on. It was a good decision. The people already on board were very friendly, the driver was knowledgeable, and the horses were cooperative. It felt “right” to hear the clippity-clop of horse hooves as we passed through the well-tended farms of the Amish people. We stopped at several to look more closely at the baskets, furniture, preserves, and baked goods they had for sale. At the end of the day, we had a fresh loaf of sourdough bread, muscadine jelly, orange marmalade, chow-chow, farmer’s cheese, and a fried peach pie. The peach pie, however, didn’t survive long enough to make this picture. Delicious!

The wagon tour lasted about an hour and a half. Here are some of the facts that our driver shared:

1) The Amish first settled in the area in 1944, and currently there are 250 families living in Etheridge.

2) There are about 20 one-room schoolhouses scattered throughout the community. Children go to school until the 8th grade or their 14th birthday, whichever comes first. They don’t learn English until they start school but instead speak a Pennsylvania Dutch dialect of German.

3) They all rise at 4:30 a.m. and work until sundown.

4) They have no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no running water, no vehicles with rubber tires (such as tractors or automobiles), and no telephones.

5) We were asked to refrain from making any photographs. The Amish consider photos to be “graven images” which are strictly forbidden according to their beliefs. They also don’t have any mirrors in their homes to avoid developing attitudes of pride and emphasis upon their appearance.

I’ll save other facts for you to hear about when you make your own visit. Fascinating people indeed. One important tip — use the bathroom before you leave on the tour. You won’t be invited to use the outhouses.

When we got back, the restaurant at the Welcome Center had closed for the day, so we got directions for two others nearby. We went into The Meat Market/Texas BarBQ. It smelled amazing, but the line was long. We ended up at Edna’s Country Cooking and enjoyed it a lot, especially the working jukebox and the musical selections of our fellow diners. 🙂

We’re looking forward to returning to Etheridge several times this summer to buy fresh produce. Maps to the farms are available at the Welcome Center.

So Much to Do in Maui — A Few Outings to Consider

06/01/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

When Steve and I went to Maui for our 25th anniversary, we did a couple of activities that are still available and very popular today. One day we took our rental car, cameras, and a picnic lunch and drove the “Road to Hana.” It’s a very curvy stretch of highway that clings to the coastline with spectacular scenery included for free. This would be a great place to have a convertible. Check out the info here for all of the how-to’s. You could easily return with a book full of waterfall photos.

We also took a sunrise trip to the top of the Haleakala Crater (elevation 10,000 ft.) and rode bikes all the way back down to the coast (about 26 miles). We were picked up at our hotel about 2:00 a.m. (yes, a.m.) and returned exhausted, exhilarated, and covered in mud about 4:00 p.m. that afternoon. We were MUCH younger then. If you are adventurous and not 60-something, then, yes, I’d recommend it. Read about it here. Bikes, helmets, and instructions are provided, of course.

Again, if this is your first trip, you simply MUST enjoy a luau. Pick one of these based on your location and your budget. They are all very similar. Don’t expect particularly delicious food but do plan to enjoy the setting and the entertainment. It’s possible to book all of these events through your concierge at the hotel once you arrive, but if you’re like me, you will want a Clipboard of Fun at least partially filled out and ready to implement when the sun rises for your first day on this incredible island.

On our most recent trip, we still drove around Maui in a convertible, stopped often to whale-watch and make pictures, and did some leisurely shopping in the town of Lahaina, but we also added a couple of new twists.

Steve wanted to go spear-fishing. My Silver Fox has done just about every OTHER kind of fishing in the world, but this was on his Bucket List.

He contacted a company called Maui Spearfishing Academy located near Lahaina, and he highly recommends them to all of you. However, I doubt that he will repeat this particular adventure. As you know, he is 60-something. He was with a 30-something instructor and two 20-somethings. He DID manage to spear a fish, but the most frequent word he has used to describe the trip was “INTENSE.” You have to learn to hold your breath for a long time. An awesome surprise, though, was being under that water and hearing the whales singing in the distance.

Because of the wonders of Facebook, I had managed to stay in contact with a former student from Hartselle who now lives in Maui with her husband and beautiful daughter Gracie. We were able to drive to Kula and visit in their home. Not only do they have an amazing flower farm and sell protea, birds-of-paradise, and other flowers to hotels in the area, they also own a sailing charter.

We planned a sunset sail with them, but the weather/wind didn’t cooperate. I happily suggest that you check out Cinderella Sailing in Maui. Graham and Laura are highly skilled sailors, plus they are very safety conscious. It would be a memory for a lifetime.

Now you know where to stay, where to eat and what to do while you’re in Maui. Start saving, dreaming and planning. You’ll love it.

A Mango in Guatemala

05/29/2015 By: CCPearson2 Comments

For our second volunteer mission trip, Steve and I joined a street evangelist, a musician, and two other helpers for Holy Week in Guatemala. During the mornings we would go into cities and towns with names such as Huehuetenango, Jalapa, Quetzaltenango and Guatemala City, find an available spot, set up sound equipment and pass our tracts while the evangelist preached and the musician sang. In the afternoons we would find a likely-looking neighborhood and go door-to-door inviting people to come to a showing of the “Jesus” film in the early evening.

Several actions utterly amazed me. Of the hundreds of tracts that we distributed, not a single one was thrown on the ground. All were accepted graciously and read by the person who received it or by a literate friend. And, there were no chairs for watching the movie, but people were willing to stand for several hours without saying a word or acting bored or uncomfortable. Both were such contrasts to what would have happened in the States.

Through all of the experiences of the week, one incident is forever engraved on my mind. We had separated to go two-by-two through a pathetically-poor neighborhood using our broken Spanish to invite the people to see the “Jesus” film. Steve and I were walking down a dusty street when an undernourished brown boy about 10 years old came and started motioning for us to come with him to his house. He wanted to introduce us to his mother and sisters. We followed him and stepped into a hut with dirt floors and not a single piece of furniture. No chairs or tables, just some hammocks attached to the walls but rolled up out of the way during the daytime. We visited for a few minutes, inviting all of them to the film, and then started back down to the street. In a few seconds, the little boy came running after us holding a mango that he wanted to give us. We had seen where he lived and what his family’s “worldly goods” were. We knew that any money that had been scraped together to buy fruit in the market was precious and that such foods needed to be consumed by them to sustain life, and yet, he was insistent that we take the mango. We thanked him and went on our way. We learned later that during Holy Week the people are taught to present to someone else a gift of value that they own, and the mango represented that boy’s Holy Week observance.

What a lesson in sacrificial giving! I doubt that we’re ever been given anything of such proportional value. We’ve always given and received out of the abundance that we and others have, not in a way that would deprive us of an essential of life. And, the boy was smiling and joyful about the gift, not reluctant and begrudging. I wish I could remember his name, and I wish there had been some way to preserve that mango. I need to be reminded of its significance on a daily basis. I want to learn from this Guatemalan child the joy of exuberant giving.

Jesus witnessed a similar scene with the widow who quietly gave two mites to the temple treasury and made an example of it to those standing nearby. Luke 21:1-4 “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a certain poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.’ “

Sleeping and Eating in Maui

05/27/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

It’s hard to go wrong wherever you decide to stay on the island of Maui, ESPECIALLY if you go during whale season (generally considered to be from November through April each year). Nineteen years ago, we stayed in a moderately-priced hotel in the Ka’anapali area and saw whales breaching everyday from our balcony. On our latest visit, we stayed at the Wailea Beach Marriott because of a veterinary conference for my husband. The resort itself was deluxe in every way, but the whales were much farther out from shore. Their sprays and blows were visible, but little else. It is off of Hwy. 31 about 30 minutes from the Kahului Airport. Garden rooms in this resort are roomy and extremely nice, but the views from their oceanfront rooms are worth the splurge in my opinion. While Steve was sitting through continuing education sessions (poor guy), I treated myself to a manicure in the Mandala Spa on site. Heavenly.

I would also recommend hotels and resorts in the the areas of Lahaina and Kihei based on the roads, the views, and the popular activities nearby.

WHERE TO EAT?

Get prepared. There are very few “cheap eats” in Maui. We generally make it a rule when we travel to avoid chain restaurants if we possibly can. But, after 5 or 6 days of expensive eating, we usually throw in a Subway or even a Mickey D’s just for something reasonable and predictable. With that being said, here are some of the restaurants we tried recently and a few words of description/advice. Click on the links to let the drooling and dreaming begin.

Home Made Cafe in Azeka Place in Kihei. We had a delicious breakfast with the locals. Owners are Vietnamese, and the little spot was packed.

Slappycakes — I loved this place and wish so much that it WAS a chain. According to our waitress, this is family-owned with the original location in Portland. The “hook” here is that you may cook your own pancakes on a griddle built into your table if you wish. There are buttermilk, chocolate, gluten-free, and whole grain options available for the batter, and a mouthwatering array of toppings to select. It had a fun family atmosphere watching everyone create their masterpieces and devour them.

Cheeseburger in Paradise located in The Shops at Wailea. Open-air, near our resort, so-so food, so-so prices.

Longhi’s also located in The Shops at Wailea. Also, open-air. Italian-themed menu. Good taste. Good location for us. Nothing to “write home about.”

Three’s Bar and Grill in Kihei Kalama Village on a very busy Sunday night. We enjoyed a coconut-crusted fish sandwich and a macadamia nut-crusted chicken sandwich. Live entertainment cranked up at 7:00. Great place for people watching.

Kula Bistro. WAY off the beaten path, almost to the top of the Haleakala Crater at a high altitude with noticeably cooler temperatures. We were there to meet some friends. The food was great. Where else could you find a monchong fish panini??

Blue Moon Cafe in Kihei Gateway Plaza. Delicious breakfast. Portions are huge. Definitely shareable. We enjoyed a Greek omelet and macadamia nut/banana pancakes.

Fabiani’s in the Wailea Gateway Plaza. Italian cuisine. Soft jazz playing. Rosemary foccacia with oil and vinegar brought to the table. Bliss.

Kimo’s in Lahaina with a perfect view of the harbor. Here we had our first taste of Hula Pie — oreo crust filled with macadamia nut vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream, hot fudge, and toasted macadamia nuts. And it was FREE — a treat for our anniversary from the waitress. YES!!

Pita Paradise, a Mediterranean Bistro in the Wailea Gateway Center. Very flavorful food and friendly waitstaff. The tab was about $35.

Do you have some Maui restaurants and cafes to recommend? Feel free to comment below.

Stay tuned. The subject for my next post will be THINGS TO DO in Maui.

Mama’s Fish House — Worthy of an Anniversary Splurge in Maui

05/25/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

Just going to Maui for an anniversary should be special enough. “I know,” says this very spoiled North American. But, we were going to be there ON THE ACTUAL DAY of our 44th wedding anniversary. Surely that deserved an EXTRA-special dinner. I — long since recognized as the Family Planner — started reading reviews, asking friends, and doing research. We were not disappointed when we chose to celebrate the occasion at Mama’s Fish House in Pai’a, on the North Shore of Maui. Check out the website here. The location is incredible, the atmosphere is romantic and exotic, and the food is to-die-for.

We called for reservations several weeks before flying to Maui, and our table, along with a personalized congratulations card from the restaurant, were waiting and situated in probably the best location in the house — overlooking crashing waves, swaying palm trees, and lush landscaping. Even though the restaurant was filled, our table had an intimate feel to it since it faced outward rather than inward toward all of the other tables. Right about now, our children are reading this and screaming “TMI, TMI,” but, too bad. I’m just reporting the facts. 🙂

Those who know my Silver Fox and me can testify that we don’t often “go for broke” in even upscale restaurants. This time we did. Our previous “splurge of all time” was when we dined at Windows on the World (102nd floor of the World Trade Center) in New York City for my 50th birthday in May of 2000, a year and a half before 9-11. At Mama’s Fish House we beat that splurge by about $30, and both times we drank WATER. No alcohol.

Listen to the descriptions of these menu selections:

Our appetizer — Crispy Mahimahi Roll with Hamakua mushroom sauce and poha berry jam. VERY special.

Our salad — Waipoli Farm’s mixed greens, heart of palm, pineapple, goat cheese and candied macadamia nuts with Tahitian vanilla vinaigrette.

Our entrees — Ono sauteed with Hamakua Ali’i mushrooms in garlic butter, white wine and capers for him, and Monchong pan seared with Maui onions, Kula watercress and avocado for me. Ono and Monchong are fish that we’d never tried before. Both were amazing.

For dessert, we ordered a banana nut crisp with vanilla bean ice cream, but as a surprise, they also brought us homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream with fresh strawberries as a complimentary anniversary treat.

I particularly enjoyed the relaxed pace of the meal. We had time to truly savor each course before the next one arrived, and our water glasses were continually refilled.

Do I recommend this place? Unequivocally.

Would I want to visit again? Absolutely . . . when I’ve had time to save some money.

You’ll enjoy it. I promise.

Balloons and Big Bob’s

05/20/2015 By: CCPearsoncomment

My Silver Fox is a Morgan County boy, a card-carrying River Rat, and a ’66 graduate of Decatur High School. He “speaks” Morgan County. And the culinary route to his heart goes through Big Bob Gibson’s Barbecue with all of the smells and memories associated with it. When we lived in Ecuador, especially after several meals in a row of “interesting” foods, we would often play a game with each other. “Close your eyes. Pretend like you’re sitting at Big Bob’s. Describe what’s on your plate. Are you eating a pork sandwich with chips or are you biting into a chicken quarter drenched in white sauce? What pie are you going to get for dessert?” We would drool and laugh and add a stop there to the itinerary for our next visit home.

Ask thousands of people in North Alabama what comes to mind when they anticipate Memorial Day Weekend, and they will say “Balloons and Big Bob’s!” They are referring to the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic held at Point Mallard Park in Decatur, Alabama, and to the world famous smoked pork, chicken, ribs, beef, and turkey from Big Bob’s Barbecue.

This year’s dates are May 23 and 24, so you’re not too late to head in this direction. You can see the schedule of events and photos of all the balloons planning to participate by clicking here. If the weather cooperates, you can view early morning and late afternoon balloon races, and spectacular balloon glows when the sun goes down. The Decatur Art Guild will host an Arts and Crafts show during both days, and various musical artists will perform (one of my favorite groups is Natchez Trace). On Sunday night the event closes with an amazing fireworks display.

You should expect to park at Point Mallard and walk several blocks, but you might go early enough to find a closer spot. Naturally, you can pack a picnic and tailgate, spread a blanket on the ground, or luck up on an available picnic table. But, now that I’ve put the Big Bob’s notion in your mind . . .

You can choose to eat-in or drive-through for carryout. Big Bob’s has great coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans, but my, oh my, the pies!!!! Coconut and chocolate with their mile-high meringues are probably the top sellers, followed very closely by lemon icebox and pecan. All are made in-house and worth every calorie. In this part of the South, you can expect to find both white and red sauce, as well as the hot sauce. If you haven’t tried white sauce on barbecue before, give it a try, especially on chicken. Eat like the locals for a meal or so.

The Festival organizers and participants hope and pray for no rain and oh-so-slight winds. Many of the events happen no matter what, but you won’t see the balloons flying unless the officials determine that conditions are safe.

It’s usually pretty warm, so dress comfortably and slather on the sunscreen. I hope to see you there. I’ll be the one with my mouth open gaping at the gorgeous balloons or wiping a telltale trace of meringue off of my upper lip.

(The wonderful balloon photos in this post were made by my friend Shirley Boster Hallman. They were actually taken at Calloway Gardens last year, but most of the balloonists there also participate in the Decatur event. Thank you for sharing these, Shirley.)

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