Travels in the southeast
After a weekend at home with dear friends John and Jo, we decided to hit the road, visit the Asheville, NC area, see my brother and his wife, and just generally chill. Mission accomplished. If you have never visited Asheville, it is one of the most eclectic, inclusive, and interesting communities I know of. Nestled… Read More Asheville, NC – Oct 2015
Having been inactive and gained 15 pounds since tearing my rotator cuff back in June, I decided today was the day to change my life around. Donning running shorts, a tee shirt and (aptly named by my neighbor) clown shoes, I took off for a 5 mile run on what has previously been my standard… Read More Clown Shoes – Sept 2015
We decided to check out the TELLUS Science Museum, up the road in Cartersville, GA yesterday. Pretty cool! Named after the Roman Goddess of Earth, the TELLUS Museum displays four galleries: the Weinman Mineral Gallery, the Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion and My Big Backyard. The mineral gallery was great! Who knew so many products… Read More TELLUS Science Museum – Sept 2015
Local girl wins 2nd place! I don’t even know where to begin. Karen decided she wanted to compete in a cake-baking contest. I say, “Hey, sounds like fun (for you). Where’s it going to be?” She says, “At the senior center”. WHAT? Are you sh**ing me? The senior center? What could we possibly have… Read More Bake Off Contest – Aug 2015
I’ll keep the text short and the fun long; Prince Howard Neighborhood Block Party tonight! Thank you Matt, Reza and everyone else who pitched in to help make this an absolute great night. Great neighbors, great neighborhood. Thank you.
Randall Bramblett, having toured with bands including the Gregg Allman Band, Traffic, Widespread Panic and worked with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Robbie Robertson, Elvin Bishop and others, and having produced multiple CD’s with his own band as a singer/songwriter, performed in a free concert last night as part of Mountain View Arts Alliance Summer… Read More Randall Bramblett Concert – Aug 2015
Originally aired on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) October, 2014, this was our first time actually seeing The BBQ Show, a show dedicated to the art of slow cooking meats. This is my 15 seconds of fame (actually less). Having signed up for Sam Huff’s Pork University, my neighbor and I attended this daylong course on… Read More The BBQ Show – August 2015
Child Unit 1, more commonly known as our daughter Michela, decided she needed to put a little bling in her life. So before heading off to Duke University for graduate school, she and her friend Kristen decided to jump out of an airplane. I can just imagine the discussion. “Hey Michela, what do you want… Read More Child Unit 1 Airborne! – July 2015
We have much to be thankful for, and celebrating the birth of our great nation for us is steeped in neighborhood. We celebrated with our immediate neighbors, many who participate and offer something of themselves to make the entire day a delight, whether it be food, music, desserts, sparklers, fireworks, or treats for the kids.… Read More Independence Day – July 2015
While our trip to Standing Indian, a campground in the Nantahala National Forest in NC was from last year, it may be timely for any of you in the Atlanta area looking for a nice camping destination and a temperature reprieve. Standing Indian is a very basic campground (no electric, no water… nada), located in… Read More Standing Indian – April 2014
Last night was Motown Night in Marietta Square. The fact that it was 90 degrees had zero impact – maybe it even helped! There was A LOT of dancing going on. Just sayin’.
What a great weekend trip with the Georgia Conservancy! We camped (me in our Airstream, everyone else in tents) at the Altamaha Regional Park in Brunswick, GA, about 20 miles upstream from Darien GA on the side of the Altamaha River, and then paddled on Saturday from our campsite to Darien, somewhere around 15-20 miles.… Read More Altamaha River – Mar 2013
Go Huskies! Our son Drew and the Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech) team participated in the National Concrete Canoe Competition this past weekend. Sponsored by the ASCE (American Association of Civil Engineers), the competition was hosted at Clemson University in Seneca, SC. Michigan Tech’s boat was named Talvi Sielu, which I am told means Winter… Read More Concrete Canoe (SC) – June 2015
Last weekend we had a fabulous night in Little Five Points (L5P), a little kitschy, Bohemian neighborhood just east of downtown Atlanta. L5P is home to some really eclectic shops (Junkman’s Daughter, Criminal Records) and restaurants such as the Vortex, Cameli’s Pizza and our destination – Fox Brothers BBQ. This was our first time at… Read More Night in L5P (GA) – June 2015
LICK! SNIFF! POOP! DROOL! Lucy’s birthday party – It’s gonna be COOL! Well, it was. Karen designed, organized and created an 18th birthday party for our dog Lucy! We invited some of Lucy’s neighborhood friends to help share her day, replete with toys, games, balloons and photos – and a home made birthday cake! We… Read More Lucy’s 18th Birthday! – June 2015
Free concert anyone? From April until September there are free concerts in Glover Park in Marietta Square (GA) on the last Friday of each month. Bring your picnic basket or dine at one of the restaurants on the square. We dined in a restaurant (we went to the Stockyard – glad we did!) and then… Read More Marietta Square – May 2015
We celebrated Memorial Day Weekend with friends at the Virginia Highland Haven Airstream Park just north of Floyd, VA as part of the Southeastern Camping Unit (thanks to Joe and Annette Conoly for herding us cats). Joe led the armada down the Little River for close to 7 miles – gorgeous views, flowers and pristine… Read More Virginia Airstream Park – May 2015
Marietta Square (Marietta, GA) continues to delight! What a great place to go for food for the stomach – and soul, particularly on Tuesday nights when there are bluegrass pickup bands. These folks are a delight to listen to, and Marietta Square has become a “destination” location. Plenty of great restaurants, things to do and… Read More Marietta Square (GA) – May 2015
The most dramatic stories and pictures often seem to be from far off and remote places you traveled miles to see. How about those places close to home? Of recent I have been exploring by kayak Lake Allatoona, 30 minutes away in Emerson, GA. While admittedly during the nice sunny weekends this lake can be… Read More Lake Allatoona – May 2015
Eclectic. I’ll come back to this. Yesterday we spent a good part of the day visiting the Booth Western Art Museum, in Cartersville, GA. This is a stunning art museum and I cannot wait to return. With 120,000 square feet of space, there is much to see here, and it is fabulous. Eclectic in fact;… Read More Booth Western Art Museum – April 2015
Glam, mud and studs. That pretty much captures our fabulous day at the Atlanta Steeplechase, held at Kingston Downs near Rome, GA. We tailgated in our Airstream along the fence on the backstretch and had a front row view of the riders and horses (if you are not familiar with a steeplechase, it is basically… Read More ATL Steeplechase – April 2015
We had another “Springstream” weekend of Airstream love recently in Hiawassee, GA, up in the north Georgia Mountains with about 20-30 fellow Airstreams and other interesting trailers. I (we) had a great time, between paddling on Lake Chatuge (solo and with the Southeast Camping Unit armada), food, friendship and music. For whatever reasons I took… Read More Springstream – April 2015
The Public Works group for the City of Acworth is holding a Creek Cleanup at 8:00 am on Saturday, April 18th at Lake Acworth (Acworth, GA). While I am unable to attend, I wanted to post this in case there are others interested and available on that day. If you are not familiar with Lake… Read More Lake Acworth – April 2015
Located on the South Carolina coast halfway between Charleston and Savannah but in SC, we spent an abbreviated weekend here as part of rally of other like-minded RV campers (Hunting Island Hiatus). This is a stunning area and highly recommend. But get reservations early – this place is in high demand. Great place for biking,… Read More Hunting Island SP – Nov 2014
The trauma center saw a lot of traffic the other night – a few recap photos… “>
Had a (another) great weekend rally in the north Georgia Mountains in Hiawassee, with some interesting campers, characters and special guest Antsy McClain!
Summer Tuesday nights you can find impromptu blue grass players in Marietta Square (Marietta, GA) – totally awesome! Some great pickin’, and all ages!
I attended Pork U, a one day course on BBQ given by Sam Huff (Head Hog), a well known local BBQ master and his team. Sam and his wife (Diane, Queen of Pork) own BBQ1 (barbeque restaurants well known to the local community) with several locations in Cobb County (GA). What a day!! It so… Read More Pork U (GA) – July 2014
As part of an Atlanta Area Paddlers (AAP) meetup we paddled about 10 miles down the Etowah River, starting just below the Lake Allatoona dam., with a stop for lunch at the Indian Mounds – terrific paddle and day! We had one portage around a 10-12 foot dam, although one of our esteemed colleagues thought… Read More Etowah River (GA) – July 2014
Antsy McClain opened for Tommy Emmanuel tonight at the Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points – two great performances. Antsy was solo (without the Trailer Park Troubadours) and played about a 30 minute set. Antsy (second from left) is a great performer – and a really nice guy (picture of us with friends and Antsy… Read More Antsy McClain (GA) – June 2014