Atlanta, GA

Saturday, June 9th

Afternoon napping, major league baseball, porch beers, hangin’ with new and old friends, and late night K-Burger run.

Folks, that’s a darn god day!

After a rather late sleep in, Owen and I grabbed some quick lunch and did absolutely nothing. We watched golf, college baseball, and generally napped till Amy got home. It was everything that I thought it could be and more. What has made my visits to Owen and Amy’s house(s) so enjoyable over the years has been that there is no pressure for them to entertain me. To clarify I mean that the best part of the visit is just hanging out with them. Saturday in Atlanta was a perfect example.

After Owen and my afternoon siestas we met up for with a former colleague and friends’ of Owen from Hattiesburg Drew and Morgan. The five of us joined up with Charles and Angie, friends from the college days, for dinner at Frittis. This is one of the wood oven pizza places that had specialty pizzas with a European flair. The restaurant is located in an area of Atlanta called the Virginia Highlands. The pizzas were great. The company and conversation better. If anyone was wondering the place was certified by the VPNA or for those not skilled in the lingo, the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association.

After dinner we went the Braves game at Turner Field. The Brave beat the Cubbies 9 to 5, box score, in front of a sold out home crowd. (game recap).

Braves Cubs game obstructed by a Cubs hat

Andruw Jones makes a diving catch to save at least three runs

Harris slides under tag.

Amy, Angie, and Charles enjoy the game.

Charles and Owen pose for Pete's photo

After the game we went over to Charles and Angie house for a couple of porch beers. We retold old stories, updated new ones, and generally had a great time. Nothing beats catching up with old friends and getting to know new ones. I knew both Charles and Angie before they started dating and both are great people. Charles is finishing up a law clerkship in Jackson, MS and Angie is in her second year of law school after acting in some movies. She had some major, minor roles if that makes sense. Charles originally hails from Jackson, MS were a number of my college friends come from and many still live. If someone told me 18 years ago when I was a senior at Prep, my high school as if anyone who knows me has not heard me mention a little over a thousand times, that I would live in and have the bulk of my friends in the south I would not have believed them.

On the ride home a classic college tradition was relived. I am not sure who mentioned Krystal first but idea was met with thunderous and unanimous approval. For the uninitiated the K-Burger is a staple of the 1am to ? crowd for late night dining. What the K-burger lacks in nutrition (link) it more than makes up for in late night availability, comical stories of visits, cheapness, and taste. And yes those factors are in order of most to least important. The staples of my order are a 2 to 1 ratio of Cheese Krystals to the Kystal Chic. Some others prefer to chase the ever elusive Chili Cheese Pup who frequency of sightings in midtown Memphis are akin to the mythical Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster. The exact number ordered varies on your BAC level, time of night, and store location (the former Death Krystal on North Parkway and Cleveland in Memphis). If you have never enjoyed the epicurean bliss of a late night K-Burger and its corollary next day “struggles” you simply have not lived.

The spoils of a late night Krystal Run

Memphis, Nashville, and Atlanta
Friday. June 9th

The road Odyssey Begins
Got on the road this morning. I always think that the toughest part of a road trip is actually getting out of town. Once you are out of the city whatever you forgot or did not do cannot be changed so you are just gone. It is tough for someone as organizationally challenged like myself to pack for 7 weeks.

After getting the car parked and dropping off stuff at my parent’s house I headed over to Truk and Kath’s house for some coffee and music. Yes, I said music. I only recently joined the 21st century and purchased a 4 Gig IPod Nano. I had some downloaded music but not nearly enough for as much as I will be on the road for the next few weeks. Suffice to say Truk hooked me up. My Ipod is loaded up.

In addition to Truk’s music I have recently become obsessed with podcasts. To be honest podcasts were the true impetus to getting an Ipod. All the ones that I listen to are free. The best ones in my mind are your typical NPR fare of Talk of the Nation and Fresh Air. However the favorite is easily Bill Moyer’s new show Bill Moyer’s Journal on PBS. There have been some great shows. They are longer but when you are on a road trip they help pass the time in an incredibly informative fashion.

I took a longer route to Atlanta by going through Nashville. The reason was to meet an old college friend for lunch. Whitney and I got to know each other because she dated one of my best friends. They stopped dating long ago but she remains a good friend. She teaches at Ensworth School in Nashville. She is in charge of a summer program for kindergarten and first grade students so we ate lunch with them. I truly admire teachers of really young kids. I love teaching but do not have the patience or organizational skills to teach them. I love playing with them, riling them, up, and causing chaos but man they tax you. It was a quick lunch but it was great to catch up with an old friend.

From there I drove through Chattanooga to Atlanta. Two Moyer’s podcasts and I was there. I am staying with one of my best college friends, Owen and his wife Amy. He and Amy were brought to Atlanta through his job at ISP Sports. He has worked a number of different schools and I have visited him at nearly all of them. Owen and I lived together after college and have traveled a great deal together. He is a great friend and our visits are quite fun. He found a great mate in Amy. It is not always that the wife is so easy going with the college friend. I truly enjoy hanging out with her. The two compliment each other nicely.

Once everyone got home and cleaned up we headed out for the night. We grabbed some dinner at a pizza joint near Georgia Tech’s campus called Rocky Mountain Pizza. It is your typical, in a good way, college pizza and beer joint. From there we went to an area in Atlanta called Atlantic Station. The place is one of those “live, work, play” sustainable development ideas. Normally I would not like this sort of thing. It initially gives a Truman Show vibe. However I will note this. It replaced an old shut down factory that blighted the area. If done properly this idea could be quite effective in Memphis. The Memphis Uptown community is a version of this but not quite a complete or as well planned out. Besides the whole turning imminent domain handed over to a private developer thing kind of creeps me out despite the positive outcome of the endeavor. Here is a link to the Supreme Court case, Kelo vs. New London, which paved the way for this type of thing. Here is a link to an article in the Washington Post that summarizes the key points of the ruling and the history of the case.

But I digress; the reason for the visit was the Crocs AVP Atlanta Open, beach volleyball folks. Honestly even if you don not care for volleyball this event has something for everyone. I mean how any event can go wrong that has beers, and well sculpted athletes in bathing suits. Not that this event is simply watching that. We stayed for a couple a matches and got to see the legendary Karch Kiraly win a double match. The guy is 46 years old and looks 22. Women players, such as Holly McPeak and Misty May, fueled the sports rise in popularity during the last summer Olympics. They are very skilled players but the fact the they are easy on the eyes did not hurt their cause.

Reaching for a spike

Karch Kiraly, see ladies something for everyone.

After a couple of matches we headed off for a couple of beers at great little bar called McCray’s Tavern. At the suggestion of a TSuds I tried a Sweetwater 420 draft. Great call TSuds.

Man was Friday a busy day.

An evening of dining and drinking in Little Rock
On Tuesday I slipped out of Memphis for a short two hour drive to Little Rock. I joined in with the Big Cat, Steffi, Tonti, and Coach Wes. We were on the road to attend a meal and wines tasting at Boscos in Little Rock were my old roommate, Tusky, is the General Manager. The meal was incredible.

Appetizer: Salmon Biscotti with Caviar
Salad: Greens with Mangos and Strawberries drizzled in gorgonzola vinaigrette
Main Courses: Crawfish wrapped in Lamb
Mahi Mahi with linguine
Dessert: Raspberry Tort

All of these foods were paired with excellent wines. Being a moron I didn’t write down the wine list. There were some great Pinot’s and fantastic Chilean wine. The dessert was paired with a Raspberry Port which they suggested pouring in the torte. I did and it was amazing.

After the meal we went out on the President Clinton Avenue for a few beers. For anyone who has never been to downtown Little Rock I highly suggest you visit. Once you park your car at your hotel you do not have to touch it again. You can catch a 5 minute shuttle to the Clinton Presidential Library across the highway.