Friday, September 28, 2007

Random Rouge Friday

I don't got much today kids.

To market, to market I walked to the fancy-ish market Calandro's the other day for supplies. I definitely got the cold shoulder from the previously warm old-lady cashier after I offered up my cloth bags to the bagger and she carded me and saw my license was from the Jerse. Either she is suspicious of people concerned about the environment, or Jersey folk, or northeasterners, or Jersey folk who look way younger than their driver's license says, or all of the above. Bitch.

On the way home I noticed a new sit-down dining establishment called [So and So's] EAT PLACE. "Eat Place?" Was "Restaurant" too hoity-toity? I also noticed that just about anyone feels like they can talk to you if you're walking around down here, even some dude hanging out in front of the Walgreens.
"Can I holler at you for a few minutes?"
"Um, no thanks..."
I had hollering to do elsewhere. You know what I mean, though? Like I'm just walking around with two bags of groceries, but sure, let's have an old-fashioned Walgreens gab sesh.

ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAD TRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP My super fun pal Leah and I are going to be heading down in my VW bus from Philly to Baton Rouge a few weeks from now. (And then I'll have wheels again!) Your recommendations for: places to stop for the night that might be along the way, places to stop to look around that might be along the way, whether two women camping in the South would be recommended, how not to get murdered, etc. are most welcome. We're definitely stopping at a friend's ranch in Louisville, and may also stop in Nashville and/or Memphis.


What hath Jim Morrison wrought Speaking of Leah, we looove making fun of Jim Morrison, so I hope she sees this. A mindblowing audio and visual feast in a purple palate of manly mysticism, beast-within bears, noble eagles, and dream-catching dreamcatchers, Dreaming Bear is a website that keeps on giving. I can't stop looking at his Photoshopped montages, like this one, where he has angel wings and a tangle of baby bears is adorably roughhousing in front of thim. I think this one came after, and then the bear mauled him for getting so close to her babies.

UPDATE: [gasp] Dreaming Bear has a tramp stamp!

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posted by Colleen @ 7:31 AM  

25 Comments:

  • At 8:31 AM, Blogger Ernie said…

    I think its Doe's Eat Place. It used to be Chicago's Steak House, but that closed down. I'd also watch out for that Walgreens. People are always hanging out outside, trying to hit people up for cash or cigs. I definitely don't visit it at night.

     

  • At 8:34 AM, Blogger Colleen said…

    Yes, Doe's! This is what happens when my hands are full and I can't write everything down. They need to get a neon sign: EAT AT DOE'S.

    Also yeah I figured that was where that exchange was headed. I've been approached by a stranger or two in NYC.

     

  • At 8:35 AM, Blogger JDizzle said…

    That Dreaming Bear web site is HILARIOUS! He should add "Loin Cloth Extraordinaire" to his list of titles.

     

  • At 10:47 AM, Blogger Queencarlotta said…

    I'm gonna be the total bourgsie Yankee here and say:

    The New York Times travel magazine just ran a pretty interesting article about Nashville's music scene. Might be worth a read before you head out:

    http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/travel/tmagazine/10talk-nashville-t.html

     

  • At 10:49 AM, Blogger therese said…

    I'm am so upset that I cannot join your Philly/BaRou trip. Stupid moving... But I'm thinking our birthday. Or Mardi Gras.

     

  • At 10:51 AM, Blogger The Cajun Boy said…

    colandro's is the citarella of barou. and i'm jealous about your road trip!

     

  • At 11:40 AM, Blogger Ellen R. said…

    While in Nashville, go to the Willie Nelson Museum and Gift Shop/Liquor Store, which is near the big Opryland Hotel. If you like giant caves, stop off in Cave City, Kentucky and visit Mammoth Cave. If you're luck you will also pass by the Golgotha Fun Park (I kid you not). It's a mini golf range with little chapels, Jesus, and other holy stuff. In Memphis stop by the big, fancy hotel (I don't remember what it's called) to see the ducks who live there parade through the lobby and into a fountain where they spend the day.

     

  • At 12:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    stop here in DC

    http://www.cashionseatplace.com/

     

  • At 1:41 PM, Blogger Twinkie said…

    The hotel in Memphis with the ducks is called The Peabody. I wasn't that impressed, but I'm not much into ducks. They DID have the best gift shop, IMHO.

    LOUISVILLE! Yer gonna come thru my lil town? I feel like runnin' out to the road to moon ya, or flip ya off, or whatever would ease your home sickness. :-)

    Have a super fun trip!

     

  • At 2:16 PM, Blogger Big Daddy said…

    Is that the same place where the guy killed that duck?

     

  • At 2:17 PM, Blogger Jules said…

    I am pretty sure Doe's Eat Place was featured on the Food Network a few weeks ago on a show called Feasting on Asphalt.

    Roadtrip sounds like tons of fun and don't let anyone holla at ya!

     

  • At 3:15 PM, Anonymous vl100butch said…

    Totally changing the subject...

    I hope you and the bf have the opportunity to go the the LSU-Florida game next week.

    You can't live in Baton Rouge and/or go to LSU without seeing at least one night game in Tiger Stadium. I understand that you and the bf are probably not normally interested in such things, but I'd enjoy getting your perpesctive and it'd make one helluva blog entry.

    This will be the biggest game in many years (and there is debate just how far back--most think since the 1958-9 time frame) and there is a magic about Tiger Stadium on certain nights. I think next Saturday night will be one of those nights.

    Unfortunately, I'll be in Maryland and won't be in BR until Thanksgiving week....we're making our own road trim with a 35 foot 1955 bus conversion motor home from the Frederick, MD area to Baton Rouge via Chattanooga and Oxford, MS.

    Do you have a camper bus? (had one of those years ago)

     

  • At 3:29 PM, Blogger Colleen said…

    thanks, queen c!
    therese--yes! that would be such a fun birthday treat. Or Mardi Gras.

    ellen--LOVE the willie nelson suggestion!

    anon--haha!

    twink--you should come yell outside the window of the ranch I'll be on in Louisville. That will make it just like Brooklyn. Also, bring a jackhammer.

    big D--I don't know, maybe?

    jules--maybe it was Cashion's Eat Place, linked above by anonymous? this place in BR doesn't look particularly open (but then again, see my abandoned blog...)

    vl100butch--that bus sounds SO COOL! yes, mine's a pop-top camper.
    and i'm still trying to imagine what the LSU/fla game will be like. My only previous exposure to tailgaters is my friend's parents who are HUGE Gator tailgaters. I should invite them to stay with me...no I shouldn't. Last time I hung with those cats, the dad told me he was sending me home in a bodybag. He had decided we were in a drinking contest.
    I won, btw.
    (I'm Irish.)

     

  • At 3:35 PM, Blogger Alienwhere said…

    I almost threw up from laughing just now, after looking at that Dreaming Bear site. Holy crap, that was EXACTLY what I needed to kick off a weekend of drinking.

     

  • At 6:16 PM, Blogger meanieT said…

    What the hell, Dreaming Bear? I got no time for white people who insist they are Native-American.

     

  • At 11:02 PM, Blogger Julie Klausner said…

    DOES DREAMING BEAR KNOW ABOUT THE RAW SPIRIT FESTIVAL??? Talk about making your own cheese.

     

  • At 1:32 PM, Blogger T$ said…

    I think you need to stop at Dollywood - if only for the best T-shirts ever (a silhouette of Dolly in pink glitter on a black T shirt).

     

  • At 5:53 PM, Blogger Colleen said…

    alienw--so good to know! plenty more where that came from, I'm sure...

    meanieT--does that mean you've got no time for "Miiiiiisteeer MoooooJoooo Riiiiiii-siiiiiiiin'"?!

    jk--I bet he is hosting a sweat lodge meditation bear fest outside of the raw food fest.

    t$--you are 100% right on. I've always wanted to go there, and now I MUST HAVE THAT SHIRT.

     

  • At 5:00 AM, Anonymous vl100butch said…

    There are two different basic routes from Philly to Baton Rouge:

    1-go down I-95 to I-85 south of Richmond, take I-85 down to Atlanta, pick up I-20 to Jackson, MS, where you pick up I-55 to Hammond to I-12 to Baton Rouge...stay off of I-59, the right lane in Alabama and Mississippi is "bump, bump, bump, bump" the whole way down....I don't recommend this route...

    2-take the PA Turnpike over to Carlisle and pick up I-81, this will take you within 30 miles of Knoxville where you pick up I-40...which goes right by Pigeon Forge and Dollywood...in Knoxville, you have a decision to make. It's 200 miles to Nashville from there and 369 miles to Memphis...369 miles from Knoxville on I-75-24-59-20 puts you well into Mississippi and almost to Jackson and I-55....if you go to Nashville, you need to go to Memphis and pick up I-55

    I'm a big fan of the Flying J truck stops, which have RV parking and allow overnight stops...their fuel and propane prices are among the cheapest also...on a run like you are planning, they're about every 200-300 miles on the routes you will have to take. We use them with the Witch (our motorhome) all the time...

     

  • At 5:17 AM, Blogger ecs said…

    I think, for the sake of your beloved readers, the next time a local requests permission to holler at you, you owe it to us to comply.

     

  • At 7:31 AM, Blogger jac said…

    having read this pretty late, i can only verify that it has to be doe's eat place. the original is in arkansas and probably the second or third one is in greenville, mississippi (not far from my hometown). the original does was made famous during bill clinton's first run for office as he used to eat there quite often.
    i also can say that you have to go through nashville then to memphis. that is some beautiful country up around nashville and there are all sorts of caves and hiking along the route. the peabody in memphis is pretty cool and the ducks are cool just because it's not something you see every day. the lobby bar serves the best scarlett o'haras, too. then go on down to beale street and walk around. beale street is sort of like a mini- bourbon street in nola. when you drive down through mississippi, well there's tons that i could suggest being as i'm from mississippi. if you'd like to make a pit stop at my hometown (also known as the catfish capital of the world) i can put you in touch with some great folks. natchez is a beautiful antebellum town on the mississippi river with gorgeous historical antebellum homes all over. fat mama's knock you nekkid margaritas are also certainly a big draw as well. you'll be fine if ya'll want to camp out. there are a good number of the koa campgrounds around. if you look like you know what you're doing, you'll be fine. let me know if you want to have a place to crash in mississippi if you go that route. i'm sure i could round up some decent sleeping spots for you so you don't have to spend any money. i wish i was goin' with you. but i'd way much rather fly than drive. i got NO patience.

     

  • At 3:05 PM, Blogger Kartek said…

    Don't forget the big sign "EAT" for Jose Tejahs (sp?) on Route 1 in Woodbridge.

     

  • At 6:30 AM, Blogger Colleen said…

    vl100b--super helpful, thanks! I think we were on 59 on the move here, I remember the road doing that. The Witch sounds bad ass!

    Jac-- thst's so hospitable of you. We probs will just go the rest of teh way by the time we're in Mississipp, but maybe you could email me your # in case we do have to stop there?

    Kartek--oh yeah! I used to love that place!

     

  • At 12:46 PM, Blogger Sarasota Realtor said…

    Original Doe's Eat Place is in my hometown of Greenville, Missippi on Nelson Street. I've been going there since I was a child. Attended LSU in the 60s. Love your site. Click for some interesting Doe's Eat Place

    I was just in Greenville in July visiting with high school girlfriends. We had a delightful evening at Doe's for dinner.

    Annette

     

  • At 12:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have eaten at Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, MS. for years. I travel quite a bit and I make a point to ask which locally owned restaurants rather than chain run eateries to visit. I have visited several Doe’s franchised operations and so far have only found one that stays true to the true original Doe’s. No not Little Rock, not even close, they do not even remotely resemble the experience of visiting the original, No not in Lafayette they don’t exist anymore. But I found out tonight that in Baton Rouge, LA. they not only try to keep with the original decor, plastic table clothes, eating in a converted home, but, more importantly the SAME QUALITY in food. The steaks, fries, tamales, and they even have the salad down. They didn’t attempt to reinvent the menu. The only thing missing here is walking in to the grill area and thinking you’ve entered in the wrong door or eating within 5 feet of the cast iron stove and watching/talking with the cooks as they prepare your meal and feeling you’re at your grandparents’ home for dinner. By the way, if you visit the original by yourself, don’t ask for a medium sized steak unless you’re prepared for 2+ pounds of superb steak, 1 lb. of fries, and ¼ lb. salad.

     

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