Dancin' In The Streets Of Hyannis

Back on board the M/V Eagle again - this time heading back to Hyannis after two very relaxing days on Nantucket. Goof and I experienced Nantucket the way the island's earliest settlers must have - namely without Internet access.

Alas, the inn where we took shelter from the bluster of the four winds had just upgraded their computers and "network" and was unable to get their wireless signal working correctly. Some nerve they have... making us rough it like that. I thought about telling them I work in computers for a living, and offering to take a look, but Goof wisely pointed out that this would be a good opportunity to put the laptop away for a bit and enjoy some of the island's more simple pleasures. After all, did I go on vacation just to surf the Internet? Well... yeah, I did. But I wanted to surf it in Nantucket, which was not doable.

We made do, however, and still had a fantastic time. Much of our time was spent idling away the hours during long walks, browsing local bookstores, or hanging out with the vagrants in the local coffee shop. In between, we enjoyed some fantastic food, beautiful scenery, and charming old world atmosphere (we never did get the camera to work, so think cobblestoned streets, lots and lots of weathered grey shingled houses, and a fair bit of gas lantern style streetlights.)

We found out some interesting tidbits about the island, too. For instance, it is FULL of money. Not surprising, of course, but in looking at some of the realtor's listings (there are over 40 realtor's offices on the island) it was almost impossible to find a house for under $1,000,000. Those that did fall below that price were almost certainly fixer uppers. Just insane. This didn't stop one of the locals from telling me to apply for the open IT position for the Nantucket school system. Tempting, I suppose, but I don't want to have to rent for the rest of of my life. They have a beautiful library (they call it an Atheneum) and a pretty neat whaling museum. Or, at least, it looked really neat from the outside. We didn't actually go in. Don't think Goof is all that into hunting sea bound mammals (speaking of which - Can Whales Get Rabies? Seems like they can.)

Now, however, we're heading back to the mainland and our apartment's, situated in the plain of Jamaica. Nantucket was indeed a great little getaway, and t'wont be the last trip for us, methinks. In between now and our next visit, however, I'll be sure to stock up on Internet access, and maybe brush up on a little pirate talk. Arrrr.

Yo Ho Ho And a Bottle Of...

...Chocolate Milk. And, actually it was a small little carton, downed by Goof (who has posted again - YAY!), on board a big ass boat that's on it's way to Nantucket.

Yes, indeed. As I write this, Goof and I are on board the M/V Eagle (at least I think that's the name) and are traveling to Nantucket Island for a few days of chillin'. Below us in the car hold are two HUGE Stop & Shop semi's which are, presumably, going to restock the islands food mart. That ought to give you some idea of how big this vessel is.

Anyway, enough about the boat. We're both very excited, never having been to Nantucket before (in fact, neither of us have been to Nantucket OR Martha's Vineyard. That's borderline sacrilege for a born and raised Masshole such as meself.) If anyone reading this has any tips on where to visit on the "Grey Lady" in March, please feel free to share them.

Oh yes, why Nantucket in March? Well, it's cheap, for one, and it's not jam-packed with lots of other people like us, wondering what the hell to do and generally getting in each others way. I've got my copy of Moby Dick, and Goof has my library copy of Nightbirds on Nantucket (yes, I know - we're dorks) and we're good to go. If time permits - and I can remember - I'll keep you posted with updates and photos (if we can get the damn camera to work.) Toodles for now, hepcats.

Long Distance Information...

As alluded to in the previous post, I recently made another trip down South - this time to accompany Goof to a wedding in which she was a bridesmaid, and I, her fortunate date. Unlike all previous trips to Dixie, however, the city of New Orleans was not involved. Alas, it will probably be a while before ol' NOLA and I cross paths again, as Goof no longer lives there, and there aren't too many legitimate reasons for me to be on Bourbon St. otherwise.

Not to worry, however, as the trip still had plenty of noteworthy moments. One does not have to travel to Louisiana to have a journey worth writing about. One can actually spend their entire vacation in the state of Tennessee and have a fantastic time - hard as that may be for us Northern folk to believe - and that is, in fact, exactly what I did.

You'll have to trust me when I tell you that I made four previous attempts at writing a sort of "travelogue" for this post. None of those attempts proved fruitful (I'd write a few paragraphs, stop, erase the whole thing, and start over again) and I am thus forced to admit that as a formerly lapsed blogger, I'm struggling to find my voice once again. So, rather than start attempt #5 in "story form", I decided to list the highlights with bullet points. Believe me, it'll be easier on your eyes. So, without further ado...

Reasons why I enjoyed Tennessee, and which you may or may not (some of them, hopefully not):

• Arriving in Nashville to be greeted at the baggage claim by Goof and her mother. Now we see where Goof gets her good looks, charm and sense of humor.
• Eating lunch at the White Trash Cafe in Nashville immediately after landing. The White Trash Cafe is built out of cinder blocks and has an old metal bathtub and sink right outside. Inside is full of all sorts of kitsch, and you could spend the entire day just scanning the walls. Thankfully, however, we were distracted by our waiter who greeted us by saying, "How do?" Not to be outdone, Goof's mother, upon hearing this, looked up from her menu and said, "Oh! How do?" I, of course, was delighted, and immediately gave Goof a grin that would have made Guy Smiley jealous. You see, way back when we first started dating I used to greet Goof on the phone by saying, "Howdy do?!?" When she asked why I always said that, I responded by asking, "Don't all Southerners say that?" Truthfully, I didn't need to even ask, because I already knew the answer. Of course they do. I'd seen it on Deputy Dawg when I was a kid, and more recently in the movie The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada when Levon Helm (yes, that Levon Helm, from The Band), playing the role of a blind 80 year old Texan, greeted authorities as they visited his shack. So yes, Southerners say it. However Goof, refusing to see the light, has protested vehemently against this fact for the entire year and change that we've been dating. Yet, how does the first person I encounter in Nashville (aside from Goof and her mother) greet me? With a hearty "How do?" He even did me the favor of dropping the '-dy', making it sound more authentic. And, how does Goof's own mother respond? With the exact same phrase. Case closed. (Side note: To be fair, Goof's mother mentioned afterwards that she had NEVER used that phrase before that moment, and I believe her. It might have been an unthinking reaction type of thing. Still, precedent has been set. Let there be no doubt.)
• The drive down I-40 from Nashville to Memphis, known as the Music Highway. The reason for the naming is obvious enough. Memphis and Nashville are (or was at one time, in the case of Memphis unless you count Hustle and Flow) music industry powerhouses. Both have contributed mightily to American music history. Still, the highway didn't really seem to reflect this, and for the first half of the four hour trip, I wondered why they bothered to name it the 'Music Highway' at all if they weren't going to have some sort of other recognition/roadside memorabilia to go along with it. That was until we stopped for a break at a rest area and found out that it was, in fact, the 'Johnny Cash Rest Stop.' There was nothing to indicate this other than the sign proclaiming it so. No guitars, no Johnny Cash music wafting overhead. Just a sign saying 'Johnny Cash Rest Stop', but I could only conclude that the other rest stops along the highway were named after other famous musicians. So, it was a little boring in that respect, but still, it's comforting to know that I took a long piss in Johnny's urinal.
  
• The Memphis Public Library. Now this, my friends, is a cool library. Yeah, they might lack the tomes and treasures that Boston may have but at least the "new addition" to their library doesn't look like the headquarters of an accounting firm. In fact, the entire library is new, and architecturally, is VERY pleasing to the eye. Plus, the layout makes perfect sense. Things are easy to find, and they were selling remainders for cheap, cheap, cheap. Good books, too. I bought a Dennis Lehane offering in hardcover for a whopping $2.00.
• Eating dinner at Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous. Located in an alley in downtown Memphis, the Rendezvous is perhaps one of the most famous restaurants in town. The ribs and sauce were excellent (although not the best ribs I had on the trip - I'll get to that in a bit), and the place was surprisingly crass, yet comfortable. Paper plates and napkins are pretty much thrown at you, and the whole restaurant has a loud, boisterous atmosphere. I left the place a barbecue sauce covered mess - but a very happy one.
• Southern Accents. Back when I was 12 years old and had nothing better to do on a Saturday night, I used to watch the TV show Cops, largely because there was little else on. Of the multitude of episodes that show aired, my favorites would be those that were filmed on location in some area where the cops in question had an accent (except if they were in New York - then I knew to skip it.) Invariably, they'd go to some Southern state, and the show would be that much more enjoyable. A Southern drawl has to be one of the best accents this country has to offer. Charming, yet not too sophisticated, the accent just puts you at ease in a way that other accents can't. And, if you're really unfamiliar with it, it might just make you laugh (although that might be considered rude. Still, sometimes I can't help myself.)
• The Stax Museum of American Soul. Located on the site of the former Stax recording studios (where Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. and the MG's recorded) this small little museum has some great exhibits, displays and memorabilia. Well worth a visit, and at $10, a very cheap entrance fee.
  
• Presbyterian Weddings. I'd never been to a Presbyterian church service before, much less a wedding, and it was, without question, the quickest nuptials I've ever been fortunate enough to witness. Clocking in at just about 30 minutes, it was as if the celebrant had one eye on the bride and groom and the other eye on the time clock for the UTennessee football game (and make no mistake, Southerners LOVE their college football. Wedding guests were constantly checking scores, starting immediately after the proceedings and into the reception.) It was a delightful ceremony which, while quick, still maintained it's poignancy and seriousness throughout, and the bride and groom and their families can look back and remember a very special and meaningful celebration. Plus, one of the bridesmaids was shockingly attractive. Were I not already a lapsed Catholic, I might have considered jumping ships.
• Home cookin' (and hospitality.) My last night in Tennessee, I had the pleasure of driving back to the middle of the state (although unfortunately chose to stop at a Phillps 66 with the nastiest bathroom ever as opposed to Johnny Cash's Rest Stop again) and spending a night under the roof of Goof's parents, who are the very definition of Southern hospitality. They served a feast of Southern food for dinner, with the highlights being the ribs (cooked by Goof's father, and which were the best ribs I've had - seriously) and the Key Lime Pie (made by Goof's mother of 'How do?' fame - simply delicious.) Dining with us were several members of their extended family who came up from Alabama (and surprised me with a 'Bama football t-shirt) and later several neighbors stopped by to say hello. This being the first time I'd met any member of Goof's family, immediate or extended, I fully expected to get grilled and ribbed (pun intended) about my "Yankee" heritage. Nothing of the sort happened, however. In fact, everyone managed to make this northern boy feel quite welcome and at home. Goof and I closed out the day with a nice walk around the town square (exactly as you'd think it might be - city hall and the common in the center, with lots of independently owned shops and boutiques surrounding it - very Southern, and very nice) and it ended up being a great ending to a great trip.

And, as if all that wasn't good enough, I somehow managed to snag a free round trip ticket from the airline by volunteering to fly on a later flight (the plane I was on was over its weight limit. I didn't know such things were possible, and I was only too happy to let them book me on another aircraft - even if the flight they booked me on was delayed by two hours.) That means, of course, that I can do it all over again. Although next time, I think I might look out for the Faith Hill Rest Stop, as long as the bridesmaid don't object, y'all.

Vacaciones! Una ves mas!

Well, the streak had to break sometime. I'm back to a more normal posting schedule, although a few sentences here and there isn't exactly normal. Still, just wanted to check in and mention once again that I'll be away for the next few days, visiting Goof and taking a little Southern Fried Road Trip. A nice little jaunt from New Orleans to Memphis (and back again) is the plan with lots of time set aside for museums, kitsch, fried pickles, and whatever else we may find whilst travelin' along the ol' Mississip. I'll be sure to take lots o' pictures and, rest assured, I'll be posting every once in a while from the road.

'Course I cain't quite speak Southern yet, so I'm fixin' to have a hard time communicatin', right? Guessin' ah kin jist wear one o' these here t-shirts, and start pointin' t'different thangs. That'll learn 'em, don'tcha thank?

Catch you in a few, folks.