Ruminatbions aout the Southland in the spring time

I’m a middle aged man who still get’s a spring break; here’s a brief recap of mine.

I headed to Atlanta to visit some of the college friends. I stayed with my old roommate Owen, his wife Amy, and their daughter Emily. Great visit. While I was there I got to hang out the Charley H, and his brother, and got to see Stephen U. It was a very chill weekend. Some of the highlights, besides the company of course, were a trip to the Atlanta Zoo with Owen and Emily, great show at Smith’s Olde Bar, Ryan Adams concert at the Tabernacle, and lots of hanging out and relaxing.

Let me say that if you are ever in Atlanta and get to see a show at the Tabernacle, GO! The venue is phenomenal for both sight and sound. It is one of the most aesthetically and acoustically pleasing venues I’ve ever been to. On a side note I heard a great R and B, funked up version of the Cheers theme at Smith’s Olde Bat. I don’t know the name of the act, sorry.

There is nothing that clears my head and satisfies my soul like a great road trip. The drive from Atlanta fit the previous statement. I had just picked up the new Springsteen and Indigo Girls Albums on iTunes and I thoroughly enjoyed both. I knew it was going to be a great trip when I found a Dunkin Donuts on the way out of town. I mean seriously, how can anything beat a sunny day, clear roads, a Dunkin’ Donut with an extra large coffee, and great tunes for a 5 plus hour ride. On a particularly desolate part of Highway 78 in Alabama I switched music modes to some of Bon Jovi’s Greatest Hits. Judge all you want it was awesome.

The best part of the drive was pit stop in Holly Springs for lunch at a place called Phillips Grocery. It’s an old sundry store past the square and it has saliva generating burgers in a Mom and Pop atmosphere. I expected to have Atticus Finch wander in at any time.

How I found should probably be another entry altogether. Let me first state emphatically and a bit disturbingly that I LOVE my iPhone. Why I held out for long is beyond me. Second, I have to also thank Facebook for finding the place. Yes, I’m one of those people. I do not spend hours on the FB hanging out and wasting my time but I use the mobile version on my iPhone. Here was a reason that FB works, for me at least.

I just got finished “Livin’ on a prayer” with Bon Jovi and realized I had not eaten since my donut (ok two donuts) on the outskirts of Atlanta so I was I hungry, shocker. I’m in no mood to spoil the mojo I had going on by eating at some McFranchize so I get on FB and post, “Anyone know a good, old school, mom and pop, BBQ or burger joint, between Tupelo and Holly Springs, MS. Within an hour I get two great suggestions. The winning suggestion was by an old college friend who now runs a winery and lives in the Napa Valley. He states, “Phillips Grocery, best burgers in the world!” So I get on my trusty iPhone, Google the place, get an address, and let the GPS function of the phone, map out the directions to the place. An hour later, burger orgasm was achieved.

Head clear, belly full, and staring a week off of work staring me in the face. Good times..., good times