I'm a Little Bit Country...*

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

We spent the early afternoon at the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  A collection of memorabilia that includes vintage video, cars, costumes and wonderful guitars, the place had me tapping my toes.  It was fun to see old tv shows from the 60s and 70s.  Beyond the museum are shops, shops, shops just begging the fan to come in and buy, buy, buy.  

Broadway, Nashville

Tonight we walked to Broadway, the Beale and Bourbon street of Nashville.  Trip Advisor, et al, suggested we go to Robert's Western World, a boot shop by day and a honky tonk by night.  The Dan Kelley Band played a great set.  The Bass player was fabulous, a real showman.  

For a change of venue, we walked down the street to Jimmy Buffet's where we heard some rather low key folksy music by a duet.  It is true what they say about Nashville that on every corner there are 10 musicians with 10 others watching and waiting to take their place.  

For more videos of the music go to flickr.
Donnie and Marie Osmond

This Little Blue Bird*

Preparing the Pig at Martin's BBQ

Whenever we cross the Mason Dixon Line, a search ensues for local barbecue.  Nashville has its share of the smoke with Martin's BBQ coming in first among the aficionados.  The place has a nice jive as well as good bbq.  Good country music serenades, smoke scent fills the air and the staff is typical southern charm and friendliness.  Becks, the bartender loved Sweetness.

Sweetness Charms Becks

As we were leaving two guys emerged from the back hauling a whole pig (Sweetness squealed and hid her eyes) to the pit.  They used a hammer and cleaver to split the chest open.  It was gruesome. For more pics and videos visit flickr.

Nashville, the Athen's of the South, has a full scale replica of the Acropolis' Parthenon.  It is thought provoking to walk around and through the building considering how it affected the Athenians.  Inside is a full size replica of Phidias' Athena Parthenos complete with shield and snake.  The building also houses a small collection of American paintings with nice representations by Bierstadt, Gifford and Church. Sweetness prayed for Athena to protect the pigs of Nashville.

Sweetness marvels at Athena Parthenos

This evening following another meal of bbq at The Peg Leg Pig, we had a great time at The Bluebird Cafe. The Bluebird is a small 90 seat club located in a strip mall pretty far outside downtown. It is famous for acoustic music performed by song writers. Many well known performers were discovered here such as Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift.  You can read more about this fascinating place at Wikipedia.  We heard 4 writers/performers play individually in the round: Rivers Rutherford, John Driskell Hopkins, Brian Collins and Leslie Satcher.

The Bluebird Cafe

More pictures of the day can be seen at flickr.
This Little Bluebird by Christina Perry

Nashville Serendipity

Sweetness at Wholey's Fish Market

We awoke to a frigid 9 degree Pittsburgh morning.  But it had not snowed for which we are grateful.  Thinking we could pick up some sushi for lunch on the road, we went a couple of blocks to the Strip District and Wholey's Fish Market.  The District is a neighborhood historically home to mills and factories that sits on the Allegheny River. Today there remain some wholesalers but most of the spaces have been converted into speciality shops, restaurants and bars.  Sweetness was delighted with Wholey's and wants to spread the word, "eat more fish".  Oh, we were too early for the sushi.  

Some 7 hours later as we were entering Nashville, I checked out the local happenings and discovered Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour was performing that evening at the Brookstone Arena.  We checked in to the hotel, got tickets, and walked the 2 blocks to the Arena. It was a lively crowd of old folks like us, cowboys, and Madonna look-alikes.  We were surprised at how empty the stadium was and asked the usher what time Madonna would be on.  It was then that we realized we were still on EST and an hour early.  Oy!  Another serendipity occurred when the woman who sat next to us said she was from Quincy and just in Nashville on business.  I said to her I couldn't believe how great the seats were, and for only $60.  After her jaw dropped she said, "I paid $200 for this seat."  Guess it pays to buy at the last minute.  The Show!  The Show!  Man was it eye candy.  The technology and dancing rivaled any Cirque du Soleil.  Madonna was her usual irreverent self; her singing is as you know mechanical, but her message is still provocative.  At 2am we crawled into bed.

Brookstone Arena, Nashville, TN with Madonna

More pictures and videos can be see at flickr.

Heinz, Heinz and more Heinz

Wayne at the Heinz History Museum

I'm surprised this city has not been renamed Heinzburgh since everything else here seems carry that name.  The Senator John Heinz History Center is directly across the street from our hotel.  We scurried over there this morning dodging snow flakes.  The museum's focus is on 250 years of history in Western PA.  It is a conglomeration of sports, culture, sports, exploration, sports, settlements, sports, and more sports.  There is an entire floor dedicated to the Heinz corporation and all 57+ brands that they produced.  

This afternoon we attended the Pittsburgh Symphony at, you got it, Heinz Hall.  To get there we had to drive past Heinz Field, home to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  More on them later. We heard a disparate program of Beethoven, Philip Glass and Respighi.  Right away Sweetness was enthralled that ResPIGhi was being performed.  She even finagled some time at the conductor's stand.  

Dinner was at Lidia's, a suggestion from the gentleman seated next to me at Heinz Hall.  Lidia's was okay with a nice setting, quiet and a great waiter, but not superb, nor what one would expect from a celebrity chef.  Back at the ranch we watched the Steelers loose a game they were winning for almost 4 quarters to Denver.  We're sad about that.  Means the Patriots will have to play in Denver and not at home.  Tomorrow is a long drive to Nashville.  

More pictures and videos can be seen at flickr.

Pittsburgh Bound

We left Massachusetts in the rain and arrived in Pittsburgh 9 hours later in the snow.  Nothing of significance to report today; there was very little traffic, only a few kooks, and dramatic skies. 

It was good news on the NE Patriots front as they won against the KC Chiefs and advanced to the divisional playoffs.  Sweetness complained throughout the entire game about how rude it was of us to cheer the tossing around of a pigskin.  She did do her share of work, though, with some relief driving.

But then as soon as we hit the hotel, she started celebrating and is now no use to anyone.

On the Road Again

Coast to coast, big cities, little cities, trees, deserts, mountains and wide open spaces, you guys, yinz, and y'alls, symphonic, country, blues and opera here we go. It will be a full day of driving tomorrow to reach Pittsburgh where we will spend two nights.  

Lucky is staying with Margaret while we are away, studying law and preparing for the Bar exam.  

Blackie, the wild Black Beast

Maud, the Fake Wild Beast

Our neighbor John is feeding Maud, Blackie and the 2 raccoons.  He's also watering plants and checking for leaks.  He is the best neighbor eva'.  

My beautiful Aunt Juanita called to wish us bon voyage.  Thank you, my dear.  We will indeed have a good voyage.  Good night all, until tomorrow night. 

San Diego Bound

Sweetness Hotstuff

Sweetness and we are done with the New England winter.  Five days is enough already.  We're loading the car with enough chocolate to take us the two weeks to San Diego.  Departure is set for January 16 with stops in Pittsburgh, Nashville, Memphis, Dallas, Carlsbad, Tucson and Yuma.  Our chosen theme is music performance.  Look forward to reports on the Pittsburgh and Dallas Symphonies, Nashville's and Memphis' country venues (saloons mostly), and the Arizona Opera in Tucson. I can't wait to climb down the 75 stories into Carlsbad Cavern.  Should I never make it out, please send relief chocolate.  We will settle into an Imperial Beach condo for February and March.  Our toes can reach the surf from the condo deck where we plan to toast the sunset each evening glorifying in the fact that it doesn't set until after 6pm.  Our greater plans upon leaving San Diego are still unsettled but do include a route north through Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota with stops in the National Parks. May the Force be with you and us.

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher

We left Galway today traveling through County Clare on our way to Killarney in County Kerry.  We passed through an area known as The Burren. Burren is derived from the Gaelic meaning "Stoney place". We have left the bogs behind and find ourselves in a moonscape of huge limestone crags. But unlike Connemara there is a diverse array of plants including wild roses and orchids which live in the limestone crevices where heat is generated by the limestone. Adjacent to these plants can be Alpine plants. 

The Cliffs of Moher, also in County Clare, are majestic formations towering 700' above the Atlantic. While windy it was clear and dry. We walked beyond the park which had built a safety wall since Wayne was last here 38 years ago onto a farmer's land where we were completely free to wander over the edge. 

To get to Killarney we took a ferry across the Shannon, the largest river in Ireland. Killarney is a market town known for its green hills, laughs, and the Killarney National Park. Upon arrival we immediately went for a ride in a jaunting car also called a jarvey, a traditional Irish horse-drawn carriage, for a tour of the Park. Our driver, Michael, wasn't top of the line. His banter was scripted, and he took 2 phone calls on the short ride. But we laughed with him and the scenery was gorgeous. Clancy was our horse, a type of Clydesdale. We dined buffet style in the hotel tonight. 

Thoor Ballylee and Galway

With some reluctance we departed Coopershill. While we had initially planned to revisit Sligo for a trip to The Cat and the Moon shop, it became a necessity when we realized Wayne left his credit card at The Embassy on Saturday night. Fortunately, the staff found it, we shopped a bit and then started for Thoor Ballylee. Thoor Ballylee was WB Yeats tower home with his wife Georgie. Here he wrote many poems about living in the tower and the area.  It was here that his patron, Lady Augusta Gregory, dramatist, folklorist and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre also lived at what is now Coole Park, a 1000 acre nature preserve. 

The Tower was closed for the season, but we enjoyed a walk around the space. From there we went to Coole Park.  Unfortunately our walk to the lake did not reveal 9 and 40 swans. But we did find the autograph tree, a large beach inscribed by WB Yeats, Jack Yeats, and George Bernard Shaw among others. 

Wayne at Thoor Ballylee

Selfie at Thoor Ballylee

Autograph Tree at Coole Park

The remainder of the day was spent driving to Galway, checking into the Ardilaun Hotel, returning the car and having an early dinner. There was a pub at Eyre Square with music where we enjoyed a smoked fish plate and beef stew. We grabbed a cab back to the hotel, and got some tourist information from the cabbie. He suggests Thaffs and Ca Colin(sp) for music and food, the Museum and the Spanish arch and Main Salt Hill, and Oscars for oysters and mussels.

Knocknarea and Donney Rock

Climbing Kkocknarea with Sligo in the distance.

Today we climbed to the top of Knocknarea, near Sligo.  A large flat mesa, it seems to have been a major place of ritual and meeting in the Neolothic era. There is a large cairn on top believed to be the grave of Queen Maeve, 200' long and 40' wide. It is believed to date around 3000 BCE.  WB Yeats refers to Knocknarea as "The land of heart's desire". It took us about 40 minutes to climb the 1078 feet, some of it rather steep, rocky and treacherous to an old lady (or so I'm told). The views along the way of Sligo and Lough Gill are spectacular.  It was very windy at the summit, and we sought the leeward side of the cairn to have our picnic where there was a fine view of the Atlantic Ocean. We ran into David, another guest at Coopershill. 

Wayne approaching the summit and Queen Maeve's Cairn

Back in the car we headed for Dooney Rock the setting for Yeats' poem, The Fiddler of Dooney. The small dale there that fronts Lough Gill was deep and green. We were satisfied to simply reach the Lough, listen to the lake water sounds lapping low on the shore and skip the kilometer walk to the rock. 

Wayne in the glen approaching Lough Gill

Dinner tonight was again at Coopershill. We asked David to join us. He was entertaining enough. A publisher of English origin who now lives in Stockholm, he had a great deal to say about technology, Jeff Bezos and the demise of the printed page. The fare was duck tonight. 

Yeats and Sligo

Both of us awoke this morning telling stories of waking during the night because we heard or saw someone in the room. It was totally freaky. Wayne said he actually saw someone near the door. I simply heard the door open. Separately both of us thought we were so jet lagged that we were dreaming and fell back asleep. But now sharing our experiences we're thinking......da da da da.  Simon says no one has ever reported ghosts in the house. 

Following breakfast we picked up our Coopershill picnic lunch and headed to Sligo in search of WB Yeats. Sligo is bigger than your average village with about 20,000 people and seaport town situated on the Atlantic coast. Sligo means abundance of shells so named due to the richness of sea life and the many large minions found there. It is also rich in culture and the home and burial site of Yeats. We were fortunate to find a young man in the Yeats House and gallery who showed us drawings by John Yeats and offered us maps and information. We walked a bit in the area past a very stylized statue of Yeats, found the local museum with Irish history and some small works by John Yeats. 

Yeats House in Sligo

Wayne with Yeats

We drove to a point on Lough Gill where we could see the lake Isle of Innisfree and ate our picnic lunch aided by the company of a very friendly black lab. The lake was a beautiful, clear blue. After, we went to Drumcliff, located at the foot of Benbulbin Mountain.  There is the little church where Yeats' grandfather was pastor and Yeats and Georgie are buried. 

Lake Isle of Innisfree behind.

Cast a cold Eye

On Life, on Death.

Horseman, pass by!

Our final destination, Knocknarea, proved too much for the old gps. We tried a couple of routes trying to see the cairn of Queen Maeve of whom Yeats wrote "The Old Age of Queen Maeve". Giving up we headed back to Coopershill for a rest. 

This evening we returned to Sligo for dinner at the Embassey Steak House, a mediocre meal. I had my first Guinness there which I described as, "Guiness! The beer that makes Bud Wiser taste good".  The Embassy is on John F Kennedy Parade which runs along side the River Garavogue. Many other pubs, restaurants and shops are here on this rapidly running river. 

Trying our first Guinness

Boston to Galway to Sligo

We had a fairly easy flight from Logan to Shannon. After landing we took a bus from Shannon to Galway with a 30 minute layover in Innis. In Innis it was dark, drizzling and cold with only a bus shelter to stand under. We were all alone and hoping the bus would really be coming. We had passed many houses on the way to Innis none of which had lights on even though it was 7am by then. But then slowly people began to arrive. By the time the Galway bus arrived, we were about 20. The bus from Innis to Galway picked up a lot of young people either going to work or school. I thought it was expensive for them, 10 euros one way. The Galway City bus station was next to Eyre Square, a big green park, where we found Budget Car Rental. We got the car, dropped our luggage and went next door for a hearty Irish breakfast and coffee. Next we walked to the local shopping center where we met Oscar Wilde and got a SIM card for Wayne's phone. 

We then set off for Sligo and Coopershill B&B. What an amazing place Coopershill is. Simon, the proprietor, is the 7th generation O'Hara to live here. Built in 1774, it sits deep in the old woods surrounded by sheep and deer fields, orchards and a river. The house is a 3 storied Georgian stone structure filled to the brim with taxidermied animals, paintings, medieval weapons. Tonight we had a 4 course dinner that included venison and Irish cheeses. The deer are raised on the property. 

Coopershill B&B

Earlier today at Simon's suggestion we took a short trip to find an ancient (5000 year old) burial site. We ended up at a farmer's house at the end of a very narrow road. He let us park and with great caution sent us up a steep hill filled with much cow dung. We never found the burial site but did get a beautiful view.

Wayne in search of neolithic burial passages.

Dinner tonight was at the Inn and prepared by Christina, Simon's wife. Two other couples and a single man were in the parlor sitting in front of a roaring fire where we gathered before dinner. . We were virtually ignored although I said a very cheerful hello as we entered. Shortly thereafter Simon called us into the dining room. We had venison with a sumptuous cream sauce. There were Irish cheeses and lemon curd for desert.

Gasparilla

Wayne at Gasparilla Festival of Arts, Tampa, FL

The first of March and spring as definitely arrived.  The sun felt warm and wonderful on our skin as we sat out for Tampa and the Gasparilla Arts Festival.  The Festival is one of several events that orbit the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival.  Jose Gasparilla is a mythical Spanish pirate that lived in and plundered the Tampa area.  Since 1904 there have been parades (much akin to the Mardi Gras parades) and events celebrating the apocryphal event. To read more about this event please see the Wikipedia article.  The Festival of Arts hosts hundreds of artists and offers $75,000 in prizes, first prize equating $15,000.  The art offerings run the gamut from kitsch to masterful.  Sunday was marred for many artists because of the mud invasion.  You can watch a video and read more about this here. We were not deterred and walked every corridor.  There were 2 music venues, one a folk venue and the other a Broadway offering.  A tenor at the Broadway setting was just magnificent in his rendition of Les Miserables songs. Sculling was happening on the river.  The event is adjacent to the Tampa Museum.  We took a quick tour of the very small museum where their Classical holdings were on view.  After, we drove over to Ybor City to check it out.  It is much larger and really a wonderful street of restaurants and shops.  We will definitely go back there.  

Fins and Feathers

Starfish Market, Cortez, FL

It was a raining and mild today, 2nd day in a row I did not walk.  Wayne the ever vigilant went to the Community Center, and I painted.  It was so dark with rolling gray clouds that I didn't see well enough to paint for long.  Around 5pm we went to Cortez to buy fish and clams for tonight's dinner. This is the coolest little town.  It is completely unaffected by the influx of affluent tourists and retirees.  The Starfish Market has very fresh catch, neat art and t-shirts.  One can also dine out back on the deck adjacent to fishing boats and a variety of large birds.   

It is the last day of the month and the Saturday that new renters arrive.  They were everywhere evident by the erratic driving, hordes of children with elderly (grandparents, I assume).  We stopped in Publix for basics and bird food (chicken).  The hordes were stocking up on all that nutritious vacation food: candy, candy, candy, chips, chips, chips, soda, soda, soda.  They were all walking around with their heads in the clouds and sauntering like life was grand, which it is.  

Pelican at Cortez Starfish Market

Eat Here

5 Lakeview Place, Anna Maria, FL

Following a normal day of painting, computering, and exercising we went to Eat Here, the affordable version of The Beach Bistro.  Both are owned by the same proprietors and both have excellent fare.  The Beach Bistro is situated on the beach with beautiful views and lavish interior accommodations.  Eat Here is in a plaza next to a dentist's office.  It does offer a pleasant interior with great paintings and a long, raised community table.  Last year we ate several times at Eat Here and were able to make reservations.  Reservations are no longer taken.  I think it is part of the "We are great and you have to wait like everyone else to have our fabulous atmosphere and food" approach to alternative advertising. Against the advice of Martha and Oleg we went at 6pm, the height of elderly dining, and were informed it was an hour wait. During that hour we made great friends with a couple from New Hampshire who have been coming here for 15 years.  His brother was with them and knows people in Marion at Burr Brothers Boats.  There were also 2 women from Tennessee who have lived in Little Rock and Pine Bluff.  All of us were lamenting the very bad winter in New England and worry about our roofs.  It was a most interesting and uplifting hour.  Oh, and yes the food was worth the wait.  

Fog, Sun, Fog Again

Gulf of Mexico

The fog was thick today.  Despite this, the beach was filled with people as it was quite warm.  

Since my main objective with writing this blog is to act as an accounting for Wayne and me to remember places and events, I'm going to concentrate on our evening.  We went to Martha's and Oleg's in Bradenton Beach for sunset hors d'oeuvre, dinner at the Blue Marlin and a screening of my Costa Rica video.  The fog actually lifted around 6pm and we were hopeful for a beautiful sunset lighting some spectacular clouds.  Unfortunately, the horizon was shielded by a large, long blue cloud that we thought was sky.  We walked to Bridge St where the Blue Marlin is located.  By the name you could guess they specialize in fresh fish.  Our waitress was from Western MA and chatted with us about all things Berkshire.  We all liked our dishes.  I had black grouper Provencal and Wayne had clams and fish bouillabaisse.  All 4 of us shared 2 deserts:  key lime creme brûlée  and chocolate pate.  I would give it a 3 out of 4.  Service and atmosphere was a 4.  My dish was more like a 3.  The sides were black-eyed peas over rice that tasted like the peas were reconstituted and haricot verde that were over cooked a bit.  Also, I had asked for red snapper and got black grouper.

Back at the condo I presented my video to accolades.  It is too large to upload here.  So I will offer my beach walk video instead.

Lunch with Friends

Harry, the Great Blue Heron

Janet and Jeff Hathaway come up from Fort Myers today.  We spent some time on the deck talking about life in Florida and gated community living.  Harry offered some entertainment.  We ate out on the Anna Maria City Pier, our first time there this year.  As I remembered, it's not the best dining in town.  My shrimp and rice dish had so much sweetener in it to be on the level of a dessert.  But the pier is nice to be on.  People were catching fish, a musician was playing the guitar and singing, the pelicans were preening.  After lunch we walked up and down Pine Street.  The weather was warm and delightful.  

This evening we watched the Oscars for about 5 hours.  We had seen Birdman, The Budapest Hotel and Boyhood.  Having not seen the other nominees for best picture, we were happy with the choice of Birdman. Now we have a host of unseen movies to fill our nights.  

Let The Sun Shine, Let The Sun Shine

Sunset Lakeview Place

Today was the reason we love this place, perfect weather with temps in the 70's. After we lolled around the house until noon, we both exercised.  I walked the beach which was packed with February vacationers.  The town has really picked up in the last week with visitors.  We walked to the Sandbar for lunch.  There was a 30 minute wait in which we had a beer while sitting out on the beach benches.    A game of pool (Wayne is killing me nightly) finished off the afternoon.  We are watching the Oscar nominees nightly in anticipation of Sunday's award ceremony.  Tonight's performance is Whiplash.