17. Tennessee

     Due to the weather earlier in the week, we had to alter our original plans. After looking at all the flights we chose to go to Memphis, Tennessee.  The flights on American looked iffy so we chose to go on Southwest and fly to Little Rock and drive to Memphis which is about a two hour drive. We did look later and we would’ve made it but better safe then sorry. It was really an easy drive.

      After checking into the hotel we set out to find one of the barbecue joints I had heard about. Interstate Bar-B-Que is not exactly in the best part of town but well worth the adventure. We opted for the sampler platter which gave us a taste of the variety of barbecue that they offer including a small bowl of BBQ spaghetti. I will definitely have to try this at home. Instead of an Italian red sauce, the noodles are mixed with a down home barbecue sauce. The pork ribs were tasty and the pulled pork excellent. The beef ribs had a little gristle but still delicious. The sausage looked to be homemade and I almost had to fight Dennis to get a bite of it. Since we had shared the platter we still had room to try a dessert. The server was a little hard to understand but recommended the Sock-It-To-Me cake. The mini loaf pound cake was served warm and had a hint of cinnamon. After packing up our leftovers we drove to Graceland to see it at night. I'm not sure who was more excited about the next day, me or Dennis.
    We arrived at Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, before all the crowds. We toured the house, grounds, car museum, and of course the airplanes. Well worth the time and money. I did find out later that had I shown my school id I might have gotten my ticket for free. It’s not advertised with the other discount options but I did read on the website under the education section that educators can receive a tour ticket by showing their school id. I guess I should have researched a little more.  We had worked up an appetite and were off to the second barbecue place, Rendezvous. Along the way we passed Sun Studio so we stopped in for another photo op. If you don't know, Sun Studio is where Elvis recorded his first song for a whopping $4.00 and a king was born. A number of other musicians also began their careers at Sun.
   Rendezvous is located in an alley in downtown Memphis. Very near the Peabody Hotel and Autozone Park. The 15 minute wait in the upstairs bar area gave me a chance to charge a much needed camera battery. Once our name was

called, we headed downstairs to the basement dining room. It was crowded for a Saturday afternoon, probably because of the baseball game scheduled a few hours later. Our server wasn’t as attentive as the one the night before but the food and atmosphere made up for his inattentiveness. We started with the BBQ nachos with chicken. We requested no jalapeños but as you can tell from the picture they came with them anyway. Actually I’m kind of glad they did. The sauce had a sweet taste and combined with the jalapeños it gave the nachos just the right kick. We split a small order of their charcoal-broiled pork ribs. The ribs were made with a dry rub which I’m not accustomed to. It was a different texture with the dry rub but one I quite enjoyed. Adding a little sauce gave the ribs a slightly different flavor. I’m not sure which I preferred more, the dry ribs or the wet ones, so I kept alternating between the two. Dennis ate the beans and I sampled the coleslaw. It had a tangy flavor and was sort of crunchy. I usually don’t eat coleslaw but I couldn’t decide what it was that kept me trying the slaw. Maybe because it is mustard based slaw and not mayonnaise based like the other slaws I’ve seen. After a wonderful lunch we decided to walk around downtown and take in the sights. We headed over to the Peabody Hotel where I knew I could mail my postcard back to the third graders who are now fourth graders. If you ever saw the movie “The Firm”, the Peabody will be familiar to you. Right in the middle of this elegant grand lobby is a fountain with ducks. The Peabody decor reminds me of The Palmer House in Chicago which is one of my favorite hotels. It has a grand luxurious feel to it and we really must come back and spend some time there. We continued our walk and of course Dennis had to stop at Autozone Park, the baseball field right in the middle of downtown Memphis. We drove past Beale Street, home to many blues clubs. As we headed out of town we made a quick stop in the drive thru lane at Interstate Bar-B-Que to pick up another Sock-It-To-Me cake to take home.  

     Dennis couldn’t help but realize how close we were to Tunica, Mississippi where a few casinos were located. The billboards along the highway were calling his name. He didn’t hit it big but we did have a couple of hours of fun. We drove back to Little Rock along the back roads and small towns. What do back roads, small towns, and a holiday weekend all have in common? Lots of state troopers and police officers watching the roads. As we rounded the curve into Marvell, Arkansas the flashing lights atop the local police car began flashing. Dennis wasn’t sure if it was for him or someone else, since he really didn’t know what he would have done wrong. As we pulled off to the side so did the flashing lights. They were for us. The officer was kind enough not it issue Dennis a speeding ticket for going 57 in a 45 zone but instead issued him a city ordinance violation citation for hazardous driving. I’m not sure which is worse, a speeding ticket or a hazardous driving ticket. The officer did state the city ordinance violation would not go on his record. Another first for the 50 states adventure. Hmm…I wonder if the officer would allow me to take his picture for the blog. I think I’ll keep my mouth shut for now.

     We had a great weekend and Memphis is a city I’d recommend to anyone. To quote Elvis, “Thank you, Thank you very much.”

Leg 7 -

  2 days

  2 flights

  430.5 miles driven

  1 hazardous driving citation

  = 1 state visited

  33 states to go!

http://www.interstatebarbecue.com/

http://www.elvis.com/

http://www.hogsfly.com/

http://www.peabodymemphis.com/

16. Virginia

      It was a beautiful Sunday morning to visit Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home. The crowds were not bad on this Mother's Day. We then drove along the picturesque George Washington Parkway to Old Town in Alexandria. We had decided to forego my original plan of where to eat and walk along King Street in search of someplace else. Since it was Mother's Day, we weren't sure what we would find or how long we’d have to wait. Two blocks down we located King Street House of Blues. This place looked very familiar and upon entering, our hunch was correct. This is the place that Dennis's brother, Tom, has taken us to on several occasions. It is the original House of Good Eats, comfort food with a southern accent. While the name infers it is on King Street, it is really on Asaph St. A bar is on the first floor and the dining area is located on the second floor. Be prepared to walk up some stairs to enjoy the meal. The 3-dimensonal paper mache artwork is worth the visit alone. Our favorite has always been the train protruding from the wall. Another favorite is the Spirit of 76 mural.

Dennis ordered a half rack of ribs and I selected the chicken salad melt. The ribs were so tender, the meat fell right off the bone. The chicken salad melt was served open-faced with homemade potato chips. The smoked chicken was served with bacon under a bountiful amount of melted cheddar jack cheese and topped with chopped tomatoes. The sign says no one leaves the blues hungry and they're right. No room for dessert.
     We headed to the airport after a fun weekend. I've eaten so much this weekend, it'll be rabbit food for me this week. I love looking at the architecture on the East coast. Colonial houses have always intrigued me. We completed 5 states and never felt rushed. Of course I won't say how many times we entered Maryland and Virginia due to going in the wrong direction on one of their many loops. They are so confusing even to an experienced navigator as myself. We really must learn their loop map before next time.

Leg 6 -

   4 days

   2 flights

   579 miles driven

   Tolls - $14

     = 5 states visited

       34 states to go!

http://www.mountvernon.org/

http://kingstreetblues.com/

 

15. Maryland

I had made reservations for dinner since it was the Saturday night before Mother's Day. We arrived earlier than expected so we drove around the inner harbor not far from the restaurant. The harbor area located near Fells Point is full of little shops and eateries. It's not far from Camden Yards and luckily there wasn't a baseball game. It was already busy enough. We finally parked and entered Obrycki's (pronounced O-brick-ees). We were still an hour and a half before our reservation time and the hostess said she would put our name down on the list and seat us whichever came first, the waitlist or our reservation. Ughh! We sat at the bar and expected a long wait. We watched the couple next to us order steamed crabs and I was chomping at the bit. We ordered an appetizer and as luck would have it, they called our name. We sat down and waited for the appetizer to arrive. The appetizer was a combination of clams casino, deviled crab balls, fried clam tidbits, and steamed shrimp. The crab balls were to die for. A spicier version than a crab cake, they were delicious and next time we're ordering just an appetizer of those. I ate the clams casino which are clams served on the half shell with bacon and breadcrumbs.  We both enjoyed the clam tidbits and steamed shrimp. Originally I had planned on eating crab cakes in Maryland but once I saw the steamed crabs, I changed my mind and let Dennis order the crab cake. I almost changed my mind again when the waiter said the large steamed crabs were $62 a dozen and the extra large were $79. Whoa! I know I never paid that much in Louisiana for crabs. Oh well, I only turn 50 once. “They better be worth it.” I did opt for the large. They food came out promptly and we set out to see if we could master the mound of crabs that was on our table. The crab cake was large and full of crabmeat, more flaky crab than stuffing. The crabs were seasoned perfectly and full of meat. Upon comparing another table's extra large with ours, they looked the same. We managed to finish off the dozen, although it took some time. At that price, I wasn't leaving anything to waste. Obrycki's does have a location at the airport and the next time we're in the DC area, we'll have to stop in and try the deviled crab balls to see if they are as good.

http://www.obryckis.com/

14. Delaware

     The Woodside Farm Creamery, located between Wilmington and Newark, was our destination in Delaware. I'm glad I had good directions because this place is off the beaten path. Visited by more locals than tourists, the homemade ice cream was a cool refreshing snack. Dennis ordered Chocolate Thunder and I ordered Butter Pecan. Both were served in a waffle cone. Priced by the ounce (.51 cents), it is weighed cone and all. We listened to the music supplied by a local bluegrass jam session as we ate our rich and creamy ice cream. As we were pulling off we noticed the dairy's Jersey cows very close to the road. What a photo op! The cows obviously enjoy having their picture taken because they would walk towards me and pose. I was a little apprehensive since there was very little fence between me and the cows. I wasn't sure if it was there to keep them in or me out.

Before heading to Baltimore we stopped in Newark, home of the University of Delaware, to find a postcard. Main Street is lined with what seemed to be some intriguing eateries. Both too full, we'll have to put this little college town on a to do list for later.

http://woodsidefarmcreamery.com/

13. New Jersey

     We drove from Philadelphia to Stone Harbor, New Jersey located on the Atlantic coast. We walked along the beach and picked up seashells. A couple of blocks from the beach is where we found Quahog's Seafood Shack. It was still too chilly for the  outside dining area to be open so we dined in the intimate 12 table dining room inside. I had heard about the Pacu fish ribs that the owner has flown in from Brazil so we ordered an appetizer of barbecued Pacu ribs to try. Who knew you could serve fish ribs? The meat was tender and flavorful.

     I had never eaten clams before and with the suggestion from Peggy, our waitress, I tried the steamed little necks. They were served in an herbal broth with butter soaked croutons. Yum! I ate the whole dozen. Dennis and I each had a cup of New England clam chowder. The chowder, made with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, was the perfect accompaniment to warm us up. We also tried the Quahog's fries. They were what I would call "seafood Irish nachos"The basket of fries came topped with tomato-jalapeño salsa, avocados, cheese, and crabmeat. Quahog's was definitely worth the drive to the Jersey shore.

     Our evening accommodations were at the newly built Fairfield Inn and Suites in Millville, NJ. The hotel had been open less than a week and we were greeted by not one, but four gracious hosts. We joked that there was one person to check us in, one to carry our bags, one to park our car, and one to make sure our rewards number was on the reservation. All kidding aside, staying in a new hotel is a nice treat. Liz promptly checked us in and was there to bid us farewell the next day and wish us luck on our journey. Kim made Dennis a waffle and even offered to heat up my egg and ham quiche, making sure we were full before we ventured off.

     The drive towards Delaware was along a country highway and on this particular Saturday morning there were plenty of yard sales. I allowed Dennis to stop to see if there was anything he couldn't live without at a couple of them.  Thankfully we didn't have to find a FedEx to ship anything back. Just before Delaware, in Carney’s Point, NJ, we passed a roadside hamburger joint. We decided to make an unplanned stop since it was so close to lunchtime and in Delaware we were going to a creamery for ice cream. Plus, we needed to verify our directions. While the cheeseburgers looked good, we opted to split their sandwich special, a barbecued pulled pork sandwich. It was so juicy and tender you almost needed a fork to eat it. As we ate we watched them serve a humongous ice cream cone covered in sprinkles from the adjacent Olympia Dairy Bar. I'm talking gigantic. It was twice the size of a large DQ dipped cone and it was completely covered in sprinkles. On Fridays and Saturdays they prepare barbecued chicken and ribs cooked in their giant smoker that is parked on the side of the road.

We were lucky enough to be there while they were removing some of the ribs and they allowed us a closer look in the smoker. We really should recommend Lapp's to Diners, Drive-in, & Dives..

http://www.quahogsshack.com/menu/

http://www.marriott.com/default.mi

 

12. Pennsylvania

     The drive from Baltimore to Philadelphia is not long but there are a lot of toll booths. We soon arrived in the "City of Brotherly Love". Philadelphia is full of history and home to the Philly cheese steak. We wanted to compare two of the more famous cheese steak joints so we headed to 9th street where Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks are located. First, we ate at Pat's.  We shared one of their famous steak sandwiches served in an Italian hoagie complete with, or as they say, "wit", onions and cheese whiz. We then crossed the street and went to Geno's. There we ordered a cheese steak sandwich with cheese whiz but without onions for Dennis's benefit. After sharing both cheese steaks it was a unanimous decision that our favorite was Pat's. Pat's bread was more flavorful and you received a larger helping of meat. The cheese was thicker and wasn't runny like Geno's. In our opinion, Pat's is king of the cheese steak.
   After a wonderful lunch competition we headed downtown in search of the Liberty Bell. We came across the Reading Terminal Market first and couldn't resist stopping and walking around. You can have your parking ticket validated after spending $10 at one stall so of course we couldn't pass that up. Fudge, hard candy, and some of the most delicious coconut macaroons were scored from the Sweet as Fudge Candy Shoppe. Did we stop at one stall? Of course not. Beiler's Bakery is home to the whoopie pie. A whoopie pie is a creamy vanilla frosting sandwiched between two thick cake slices. I chose a pumpkin whoopie pie to enjoy later and Dennis devoured his bismarck in no time at all.

   Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell were our next stop. Independence Hall is under restoration so hence the unusual facade on the pictures. The Liberty Bell was a pleasant surprise. Many years ago when I visited the bell it was encased in glass or some protective case but now only a thin rope separates the bell from its many visitors. I was so close I could reach out and touch the historic crack but I doubt the Park Ranger would have appreciated that so I kept my distance. A short drive across the bridge and we were in New Jersey.

http://www.patskingofsteaks.com/menu.html

http://www.genosteaks.com/

http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/

http://www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell-center.htm

Bonus: Washington DC

   We flew into Washington Dulles and after renting the car we drove into DC to see if we could find Ben's Chili Bowl. We have both been to DC on many occasions but I never tire of seeing all the lighted monuments at night. Washington is a magnificent place with magnificent sights. One of my favorite drives is to cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge from Arlington National Cemetery towards the Lincoln Memorial. As bridges go, this is one of my all time favorites.
   As often as we had been to DC, we had never been to Ben's. It took us a while to find it, but we persevered. We were determined to try one of their chili half-smokes. Ben's was a happening place even on a Thursday night. The line was long but worth the wait. The quarter pound half pork half beef sausage is served on a warm, steamed bun with mustard and Ben's special chili sauce. We had ours without onions. Just so you know, Ben's is an all cash establishment.
    After a few wrong turns we were headed to our evening destination just north of Baltimore.


http://www.benschilibowl.com/ordereze/default.aspx