One addiction leads to another~ Antiques & BBQ

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Elizabeth Mozley

There are chaotic days. There are boring days.

And then, there are road trip days! So, when the promise of hours spent riffling through antiques in Atlanta, Georgia was waved beneath my nose like a tasty morsel, I took the bait, completely!

At forty-eight I still don’t know my way around the city. It is one thing to set out on foot around town with a general idea of where you’re heading; it is entirely another to navigate around Georgia’s capital city, dodging idiots and taking back-roads to avoid road construction. Needless to say, I laud the finesse of my driver. Not only was it hot as hell in Atlanta this fine July day, the traffic was unbelievable.

I think for me the love of rummaging through old things began as a child. Clearly I remember slinking away to my GrandMosie’s back bedroom to pull out her collection of Sarah Coventry jewelry. It was the same in her closets –and thus began my love of vintage clothing. She didn’t do away with anything. My cousins and I tried on her dresses from the 30’s and 40’s and fought over her pointy crocodile pumps. Another layer was added to my obsession when I began attending antique auctions with my parents. Here, I fell hard for furniture. A summer or so later, my sister, Suzanne introduced me to a salvage store in Cullman, Alabama –Southern Accents Architectural Antiques. Forever since, I’ve been owned by this infatuation with all things rusted, antiquated, collected! Today’s destination promised to feed these passions, well.

Without scratch dent or even a bump, we arrived intact at Scott Antique Markets. Mind the (s) in markets, as there are two! The antique show is held the second weekend of each month. Admission is $5 and tickets are good for the entire weekend. I admit I cheated and checked out the website prior to our trip. It boasts that it is the “World’s Largest Monthly Indoor Antique Show”, with over 3,500 booths filled with antiques and collectibles. I couldn’t wait to wander around and get thoroughly lost!

The North Building is located at 3650 Jonesboro Rd; 3850 Jonesboro Rd, Atlanta, Georgia is the address of the South Building.

*****

*A few things that caught my eye~

Silver spoons, German. My mother would have a fit for these…

******

French posters and other poster art are a strange love. I just can’t get enough of them!

A gorgeous disc music box marked, The Detmer Music House. The sound was incredibly clear.

An entire section of nothing but stained-glass windows that made me want to purchase an old home to renovate.

WWII memorabilia –

Buy War Bonds, plant a Victory Garden, A Gallant Leader. So many posters, pins, photos…

More of the same in Civil War memorabilia. I would never get my Papa out of this booth.

*****

And…flags galore!

A rare 13 Star Centennial Era Flag, Circa 1875-1890 “Symbolic of the star arrangement used on our 1^st flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes. Ordered by George Washington; made and designed by Francis Hopkinson a signer of The Declaration of Independence.”

“Bunting used in decorations during the last Confederate Reunion in

Birmingham, Alabama. – Mary J. Lanier”

And antique fishing lures! Literally there is something for everyone. You could come with twenty people, head in different directions upon entering and never cross paths.

These gorgeous demijohns made into lamps were incredible, so large and rich in color. Italians know it is a sin to store wine in anything other than glass. In Italy, demijohns are passed down from family to family; and they still fill them annually with their favorite local wines.

Tradition …

I can’t believe I didn’t get a photo of the chandelier I fell hard for.The only negative thing about being a window shopper is not purchasing. I always recognize what I should’ve bought by the time I return home.

The etched water glasses and a seascape painting with a rough, hewn wooden frame were sure purchases.

Could’a, Should’a, Didn’t…

…Until we arrived at 1811 Piedmont Ave!

And then, one addiction was followed by yet another! I’d known in advance that we were going rummaging through piles of antiques in conditioned air. A late lunch at Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, however, was a sweet surprise!

We arrived to find the line had not yet snaked its way around the building -or if it had, we’d luckily missed it!

Opening the door, we were immediately met by cold air and the lingering, seductive smells of Southern food; above the hum and drone of those feasting, Sam Cooke crooned.

“I was born by the river in a little tent/ Oh just like the river I’ve been running ev’r since/ It’s been a long time, long time coming…”

I felt I had truly died and gone to heaven.

The ribs were indescribably good. We ordered ½ a slab –it and the sides combined were more than I could handle. The meat fell from the bone and I don’t even think I touched the extra sauce they sent out!

And, the potato salad…I’d drive the two hours from Oxford, Alabama for it alone. We also ordered the Rum Baked Beans –they were divine as well.

...take a little of the potato salad on your fork, a little of the beans as well…

Talk about being bewitched~

I looked long and hard at the mac n cheese -the South’s favorite vegetable. I also cast a wanting eye toward the collard greens; Lord knows I longed for them both.

But does this not make a second visit in the very near future necessary?!

Perhaps next time I’ll brave an evening visit for the live Blues!

*Due to severe cravings and BBQ withdrawals, this is a very delayed post. Please forgive! All I know is that I craved those ribs for two days after the fact and found it impossible to write about them; every time I made the attempt, I had to stop and find something lackluster to eat from the kitchen.

********

ELIZABETH MOZLEY

@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread

And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley

We Share the Same Sky, a memoir

https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU

Avondale, Alabama ~ soul food & country haute cuisine, wood-fired pizza at the P.O. & suds @ a microbrewery!

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Elizabeth Mozley

This past week when the rain slacked off and the skies cleared, friends and I hit the road heading west to Birmingham, Alabama to try the BBQ at SAW’S Soul Kitchen in Avondale. Why, you ask? It’s simple. 2 Reasons -this tiny hole in the wall joint has smoked meats, seafood and soul food that is lauded, loudly! And, the one little block where this soul food haven is located is a loaded little block. It has it ALL. From one corner to the other you have, elbow-to-elbow: SAW’S Soul Kitchen, Post Office Pies & Avondale Brewery.

Another hop skip and a jump and you’re at Good People Brewing Company, a favorite I will elaborate on in a later post.

By the time my friends and I arrive, the rain has let up, the sun is out and it is deceptively warm in the car. We drive around and park behind Avondale Brewery, thinking the walk will do us good, both coming and going.

But, it is frigid cold and when we get to SAW’S and wiggle through the front door, I realize we may be standing for lunch.

All the tables are full! I remember reading somewhere that because everything is prepared when it’s ordered that a short wait is to be expected. It works out well; by the time our food arrives we have claimed a table in the corner. Locals fill the place –you can tell by their demeanor that this is their local grazing hole. “Blues in the Night” plays on the radio. The laid back feel of the place worms its way into my psyche. Immediately, even before taking the first bite, I am hooked!

“My mama done tol’ me when I was in pigtails, My mama done tol’ me, “Hon a man’s gonna sweet talk and give ya the big eye…” Ella belts out those lyrics like she knows.

I order the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich topped with slaw and a pile of fried onion rings.

My friends order the Carolina Burger. Lord what a burger! It arrives covered in chili and topped with slaw. It is unbelievable. I try a bite and really don’t want to hand it back over.

We foolishly order a Fried Green Tomato BLT too. It is good but I’m as funny about my fried green tomatoes as I am about my cowboy boots.

A man seated nearby is presented with a plate piled with cheese grits, greens and pulled pork. Again, I want another’s food. Thankfully, I am beyond full. I also pass on a deep bowl of Homemade Banana Pudding. Then comes the knowledge there is a cooler in my trunk… I could get a large container to go!

Had it been warmer, we would’ve ordered our food and had it delivered to Avondale Brewery just a couple of doors down and eaten out back under the hardwood trees. We notice as we walk up that the back patio is deserted.

Miss Fancy the Elephant, the brewery’s mascot, was a gift bestowed to the city back when Avondale Park was the original site of the Birmingham Zoo.

Raise a trunk!

The offerings are: the Spring Street Saison, a “Belgian-style farmhouse ale; Miss Fancy’s Triple, a Belgian ale; Battlefield IPA “hoppy citrus and floral”; Vanillaphant Porter, a light-bodied ale with “chocolate, roasted nut flavors & a vanilla twist”; and Mr. Todd’s Brown, a dark ale (Just say, hell yes!).

Now, back to the Post Office…

I’ve always been a huge fan of Eudora Welty and still smile when I think about the first time I read “Why I Live at the P.O.”

I know why I would live at the P.O. –because I am weak for wood-fired pizza!

Remember now, I am a Gadsden girl and therefore my heart will always belong to MATER’S on 3rd & Locust when it comes to my favorite pies.

But, this Swine Pie is something else! The crust is chewy, and while I like it this way too, I wish I’d asked for it to be charred. There is just something about the added smokiness when it is. Top the crust with marinara, sausage (made in house), pepperoni, bacon and fresh basil leaves –Voila!

Tell the world I am happy here at the P.O. seeking refuge, isolated and well fed.

*****

ELIZABETH MOZLEY

@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread

And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley

We Share the Same Sky, a memoir

https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU

The Lure of a Road Trip~

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Elizabeth Mozley

I think for me, the love of a road trip began at a very early age.

Most Sundays after church, the family would load up in the car with snacks and a cold soda for a long ride in the country. Not that my brother, Oba, or I ever complained but when we’d ask why we were going Papa always replied, “Gas is cheap”. And, we didn’t always know where we were going. The parents didn’t even know. Mother would explain that we were just getting out for a while, getting away and although they were not sure where we were going, they were sure we would all enjoy it.

And, we did!

There are also the memories of Florida getaways. I’m not just talking about the vacation itself, but the drive. Papa never took the interstate. He chose the back roads because they were more appealing. Sure, the interstate offered a speedy trip, but it killed any chance of feeding the senses. Looking back, I’m not sure we ever went the same way twice. But, it was glorious. Oba and I didn’t sit in the back seat and ask, “How much longer?” We were keen observers of our surroundings and stayed on the look-out for something fun to do. My parents made the trip down as much fun as the time we spent on the beach. No one watched the clock. There was no rush. We stopped at Civil War Memorials, old historic hotels, well-known restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries –and almost every farmer’s market we could find! Papa always took a cooler. Oba and I constantly begged for a ripe watermelon. These were usually sold out of the back of a farmer’s pickup truck. Mother had a thing for fresh roasted peanuts. I wanted mine Cajun boiled.

I never know when the desire to roam will overwhelm me. But, I’m always ready –drop of the hat, right here right now, ready! When it hits, it hits hard. And, it’s not always at an opportune time. Here it is Christmas, and that desire to go exploring has taken hold, a strong hold, and it’s not letting go.

There is just something invigorating and exciting about the spur-of-the-moment, a flip of the coin decision to GO! It doesn’t even have to be a new place for me. There are cities and towns for which my appreciation will never wane.

Perhaps, revisiting a beloved city is even better than experiencing the new. There are the familiar things you love that draw and entice.

I want to feel the excitement of anticipation; pull clothes from the closet, roll them and fill my old military duffle; pick a place, purchase a ticket and climb on board the train then sit and watch through the window as the landscape slides by, or read a good book, think about the things I am going to do.

I want to stand on the subway platform in Manhattan and listen to the street musicians; ice skate at Rockefeller Plaza with the kids; take a midnight taxi ride around downtown.

I want to rise early in New Orleans and peek into private courtyards…

run my hands along old iron-work…

wait in line at Café du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait with the grandbaby.

I want to hike Mt. Rainer in the snow again, and wander Seattle…

have fresh oysters and purchase succulent dates that are the size of my thumb at Pike Place Market…

see San Francisco with my husband for the first time.

I want to walk in NYC on a beautiful winter night with snowflakes falling, holiday lights flashing…

sip hot chocolate in Central Park under the moonlight &…

As often happens when the desire to roam strikes at an inopportune time, I return to my journals hoping to fill the need if only a little.

************

JOURNAL of a time in Central Park that did not make it into the memoir, We Share the Same Sky.

At last, I have found a place that bears a resemblance to home-Central Park. I cannot live without trees, trees and leaves -oh, beautiful leaves. I reach up and pluck one from a nearby low-hanging limb. My intentions are to press it, and put it away in a book so that one day when it is pulled down from its shelf, the page will fall open to this reminder, a token of a worthwhile week in the city. The words to my favorite Walt Whitman poem dance across my mind.

“…All alone stood it, and the moss hung down from the branches; without any companion it grew there, uttering joyous leaves of dark green…”

The light here in the park is different than in the city. The beauty of nature reflects it differently. Or perhaps it is that the light is absorbed more, rather than reflected. And the sounds are familiar. I can hear the laughter of children at play on the lawn, birds in the distance calling to one another from beneath the overhang of tree limbs. Like the children, they too are dancing, chirping. And suddenly, as though from nowhere in particular, I am hungry for home.

Mt. Cheaha Lake, December 2014. Photo by Lakeside Living editor, Buddy Roberts.

*****

ELIZABETH MOZLEY

@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread

And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley

We Share the Same Sky, a memoir

https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU

Fried green tomatoes @ both Whistle Stop Cafés

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Elizabeth Mozley

When it comes to fried green tomatoes, I thank God Alabama and Georgia are sister states! However, this weekend was about more than just food.

Well, somewhat!

There are days I crave a road trip, and when I can’t take a long one I pick something I’m interested in, do a little research and take a short one (or two related ones) instead.

Now being a Southern woman, it goes without saying that I am a Fannie Flagg fan. If the name does not ring any bells, please let me try to ring them. Fannie Flagg is the professional name for Patricia Neal, an Alabama native, actress/writer/comedian. You may remember her for co-hosting our local “Morning Show” on WBRC-TV or her appearances on Allen Funt’s Candid Camera & the game show Match Game. OH, and let’s not forget that little Southern book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and the amazing movie Fried Green Tomatoes!

The Irondale Café, also known as The Original Whistlestop Café is not new to me. Located in Irondale, Alabama in the greater Birmingham area, it is a short 45 minute drive from our house. And the food is worth every minute of it! Originally begun in 1928, the business was ran after WWII by three women -Bess Fortenberry, Sue Lovelace & Lizzie Cunningham-who together turned the café into a sensation. It just so happens that our author, Fannie Flagg, is Bess Fortenberry’s niece.

The idea of visiting both the Irondale location and then driving over to Juliette, Georgia where the movie was filmed struck me as something fun to do. The trip would take two and a half hours there, two and a half back. Just far enough to get away for a while and fill my tank (creativity tank/ happy tank & the bottomless pit/hunger tank). You know what I’m talking about! I just needed to get lost a while, enjoy some soul food and smile.

***

Knowing how everyone likes to hear how the food tastes and see how it looks, I decided to revisit the Irondale Café first and order a few things I don’t normally get. Being out of school last Friday because Talladega County schools can’t run buses for all the race traffic was a plus I took advantage of. It was also my excuse to hit the road!

The place was packed and plates were fully loaded! I grabbed a tray and got in line.

The pies are always my weakness! The special was smothered chicken livers~ a Southern favorite! I’m not sure what it is about cafeteria style restaurants, but I love how they bring out the little girl in me -I just get so excited about all the choices right there within arms reach! You get to see the food before you choose…

It is extremely difficult for me to give up something I love in order to try something new. So, I went for a few -a very limited few- of my favorites…

…cornbread dressing, fried green tomatoes & a huge slice of toasted coconut pie!

Their chocolate pie is still my favorite dessert.

***

Sunday Morning, arrived and it could not have been a more beautiful day -70 degrees and sunny! When I drove down Hwy 78 to I-20, Talladega race fans were already crowding the roads. I cruised along with my windows down enjoying a little Tony Bennett & Frank Sinatra, constantly checking my speedometer because every State Trooper in Bama was out and about.

Lost in a daydream I was in Atlanta, Georgia before I realized it!

As I exited I-75 South and entered Forsyth, Georgia my heart began to sing. There is nothing as wonderful as a drive in the country on a pretty day! I was nine miles from Juliette and I was beyond ravenous!

A farmhouse in Forsyth filled me with envy!

JULIETTE & THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE at last~

When I arrived, there were only a few tables taken by families having Sunday dinner; church had just let out. (In the South, dinner is your biggest meal on Sunday, taken at lunch & supper is your evening meal.)

I chose a little table in the front corner near the door where I could people watch and snap photos without being too intrusive 😉

Leslie brought me the menu, a big glass of sweet tea and a plate of hot fried green tomatoes to munch on while I looked over the menu.

“You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto…”

Too many things called to me; I was so hungry I couldn’t think clearly. Oh, what a lie!

I just wanted what I wanted: fried okra, macaroni and cheese, collards & cornbread. And, that is exactly what I got.

*The macaroni and cheese was so good I could have made a meal on it and the cornbread alone!

When Leslie returned to refill my tea glass and ask if I wanted dessert, I was ready! As usual, I felt the need to explain that I want to sample, and no, please do not bring me smaller portions! That’s what a carry-home box is for! 🙂

I followed my heart and ordered the peach cobbler.

Then I ordered the pecan cobbler & the apple dumpling.

“Are you trying all of these?” She asked, trying not to smile. When I nodded yes, she simply grinned and said, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll warm them all up!”

I tried the peach cobbler first. It was perfectly creamy with dumpling-like breading in some spots and flaky crust in others!

I set aside my spoon, saving it for last and tried the pecan cobbler. It had the same flavor as a pecan pie but less of the custardy filling. Like the peach, it was also heavenly and so sweet it made my teeth hurt! I decided to box it for later. I took one bite of the apple cobbler and boxed it as well. It was good, but I was filling up fast.

The peach cobbler and the dense lightly vanilla flavored ice cream was all I wanted. If a group of bikers had not come in and filled the cafe and the table next to mine, I’d have ran my finger through the bowl to get the rest of it! But, I’d already garnered enough raised brows and smirks for one day.

***

After lunch I decided to walk around, see the sites and browse the antique and novelty shops.

Before the filming of Fried Green Tomatoes began, many of the buildings in Juliette were run-down and overgrown with ivy and vines. Needless to say, Hollywood gussied it up. If you pay attention, at the end of the film when Ninny returns to her home and finds it is not the quaint little town she remembers, you will see Juliette as it was before the clean-up and filming began. Today, the little town remains as it did during filming -quite picturesque and very Southern.

Directly across the street from the restaurant is Vern Cora’s Antiques.

I loved the interior of this store as it was so bright and colorful. I also found too many things I wanted~

My daughter, Anderson, would love Purple Hayes which is next door! The shop was opened by Delores Hayes after her husband passed away. She came up with the name by combining his favorite color and their last name.

As I walked from store to store, I stopped and spoke with the owners. It’s amazing how personable everyone was, how willing and eager they were to talk about their little town. I met Shelley George and Jennifer Yozviak at Ruth & Idgie’s Gift Shop, where they happily showed off the back room as it is featured in one of the scenes in the film. Gives me an excuse to watch it yet again and look for matching wallpaper!

At The Blackberry Patch I found a turquoise colored mixer I should have purchased, but told myself I didn’t need!

And, all about are the quirky props from the film! Like Smokey Lonesome’s cabin, and the gravestone of Frank Bennett. The town of Juliette really is a lot of fun!

The old buildings are the prettiest.

The last store I stopped in was Tommy Moon’s store, The Honey Comb. What can I say, I just have a thing for honey…

Before I left Juliette, I drove out to get a pic or two of the dam.

And fell hard for a little white house!

Every once in a while it’s nice to just get out of town! By the time I made it back to Oxford, Alabama the race was over and Nascar fans were again filing onto I-20. Talk about perfect timing~

***

LINKS –

The Irondale Cafe: http://www.irondalecafe.com

The Whistle Stop Cafe, Juliette: http://www.thewhistlestopcafe.com

If you enjoy fall festivals you should head to Juliette this weekend for the Fried Green Tomato Festival! You’ve just missed the Whistle Stop Festival in Irondale, AL.

The grandbaby and I highly recommend it!

Me & Elizabeth Rileigh enjoying the annual Whistle Stop Festival!

*****

ELIZABETH MOZLEY

@ElizabethMozley & @CentipedeYAread

And on Facebook – We Share the Same Sky, author Elizabeth Mozley

We Share the Same Sky, a memoir

https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mozley/e/B00J7KJWIU

We Share the Same Sky

Desiring but another day to ebb the pull, damn the flow and spend an evening wading creeks that meander.

Tag Archives: road trip

One addiction leads to another~ Antiques & BBQ

Avondale, Alabama ~ soul food & country haute cuisine, wood-fired pizza at the P.O. & suds @ a microbrewery!

The Lure of a Road Trip~

Fried green tomatoes @ both Whistle Stop Cafés

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