Roll Tide or War Eagle…In Alabama You’ve Gotta Make Your Choice
In Alabama you’ve got to make your choice at a very early age. Unless you’re bound by your family tradition, it’s never too early to decide whether you love Auburn or The University of Alabama. Here, there is no doubt about which camp anyone is in. It’s refreshingly unambiguous. I […]
On Mobile Bay, Hurricanes Are a Regular Visitor
It looks like rain for the next three days. That’s always a bummer on a press trip to a beach community that likes to brag about the great weather. Oh well. Tonight we’ll stay at some condos in Gulf Shores, the beach community where you can walk down the beach […]
Hurry Down to the Beach–it’s a Jubilee!
We drove south toward the Gulf of Mexico and on the bus we met Alex Robinson, the pretty and young chamber of commerce representative from the town of Fairport, population 16,000. She said that when she was young she used to come to Fairport to visit her grandparents, now she […]
Cajun and Creole Cottages in Mobile
I love these houses down here in Mobile. Among the names for these beauties are Creole and Cajun cottages. Or bungalow and mini-mansion. These are in some of the city’s historic districts. I also couldn’t resist this little cutie in a park.
A Day In Mobile
Random scenes from a day in the deep south. Above AJ’s Peanut shoppe, where they roast fresh peanuts in the shell in a 30-year old roaster. The shop was once owned by Planter’s Peanuts. Next the green scenery of Bellingrath Gardens, on the Fowl River. Deco ‘man’ symbol on the […]
Sweet Home Alabama…In a Good Way!
Just as I suspected…Mobile Alabama is full of upbeat people who have a great city to show off. I knew it and laughed when I was met with derision in the cafe when I told people my next destination. They’d start singing “Sweet Home Alabama,” and mocking my choice of […]
Closed for 31 Years, The Battle House Is Alive and Well
The Battle House Hotel is a gem that was closed for 31 years. Two years ago the retirement systems of Alabama, (in other words the pension funds of state workers), invested heavily into many tourism facilities such as cruise ship terminals and hotels in the region. That makes sense I’m […]
Ask the Driver to Find Out What’s New in Mobile
We touched down in our needle-thin regional jet at Mobile’s airport, where drive Bill Hyde met me and the group. It’s all women, I noted, and as I sat up front, I kept my attention on Bill, peppering him with those questions I like to ask when I first arrive […]
Alabama’s Small Towns Might Just Be Charming
Unlike other times when I am about to travel, I’m not feeling like I’m forgetting something or feeling disorganized. Part of this comes from flying out at a leisurely time, I depart for Alabama at 12:30 pm and tonight we’ll stay at the historic Battle House Hotel in Mobile. I […]
On a Sunny Playground, A Grandson Finds Bliss
I’ve written before about how little joys make life worth living. Today I got a chance to go back in time, spending five joyful hours with my grandson Nathan. It brought back the days when I was in my early twenties and raising my daughter Kate. My son Sam came […]
Colon Cleanse? White Spackle Coating? Rubbish!
I’m a regular listener to talk radio, and sometimes I hear ads that make me wince. “Some doctors say that the inside of your colon has a layer of spackle or paste lining the inside. Colonclense removes this, and you’ll also lose weight the announcer screams. I’ve heard this ad […]
Tidbits from a Night of Reading
Last night I sat reading and reading every section of the WSJ. As we lay in bed, Cindy asked me what it was that was getting such rapt attention. I ticked off just a few of things that fascinated me more than even the Idols results show. *General Electric is […]
Mridula’s Taj
Mridula Dwivedi is a friend and photographer who writes for GoNOMAD and blogs regularly. Here is her Taj. She has a big following for her Travel Tales from India blog.
We Love It When Our SEO Pays Off
My funky ringtone woke me up way too early this morning. Out of a sound slumber with Mama cat by my side, I sprang out of bed to hear that Sara isn’t coming in. Ugh! So here I am having my first cuppa after opening the cafe. I must admit […]
When Reader’s Digest Calls, I’m Ready for Our Close-up
It doesn’t take a whole lot to make me very happy. I think that’s one of the secrets to a great life…letting tiny joys fill up your life and content you. Today I got an email that led to a call from a writer named Cathie Gandel from Bridgehampton NY. […]
Late Night Pitchmen’s Claims Debunked
Today began with me watching a little slice of Good Morning America. There the lovely Diane Sawyer had a frenetic blond woman on the show who was debunking the claims made by loud-mouthed TV pitch artists for dubious products. First they tried that glue that supposed to glue back your […]
For Every Buck Casinos Make, They Owe Seven
One thing I’ve learned from a year or so of reading the WSJ…it’s debt that makes it hard in business, not just sales. One of the worst-hit sectors of our buckling economy is the casino business. In Vegas and Atlantic City, debt is taking down Donald Trump and now, Kirk […]
Our New Home Makes Us Yearn for the Old One
There is a commercial for Target Stores that’s running on TV lately which captures the zeitgeist of today’s tough times with an appealing zeal. The catchy tune with the words “this is a brand new day,” contrasts the old and the new in our time. “The new bakery” turns out […]