Monday, August 18, 2008

A new post each night? Maybe for the week?!!!!

So, I am on the road for one more week this summer. Since it is my last week, I thought I would try something a little different. How about a play by play of the week's travels?

Monday: Montgomery, Columbus and Oxford.

Columbus, Mississippi is a sleepy little town about an hour North of God's country (the University of Alabama) and thirty minutes East of Starkville, Mississippi (home of Mississippi State University). I picked up a weeks worth of computers and had lunch at Wendy's. To learn more about Columbus, click here.

Once the truck was fully loaded, I left for Oxford, Mississippi. This is my second trip to Oxford. Oxford is a small little college town deeply rooted in its history, heritage and a slower than normal pace. To learn more about Oxford, click here.

Let me say that I really like Oxford. From my point of view there are two distinct parts of this city; the old, relaxed, and beautiful college (and surrounding areas), and the rest of the place. I really love the "old south" feel of the town square and university (Ole Miss as it is affectionately referred). Actually, I think the "Little Easy" is a fitting title for the area surrounding the town square.

Before heading off to dinner, I decided to cruise through the campus. Clean does not begin to describe the campus. I think you could safely eat your next meal off any one of the sidewalks. My lovely waitress told me that school hasn't started yet, so there were very few students to be found. However, all of the students that I did see where either walking, jogging or biking around the campus. Oddly, for this city boy, the speed limit for the campus is 18 miles an hour and has an amazing number of pedestrian crossings and bicycles lanes.

I decided to have dinner at a suggested location called the Rib Cage. The Rib Cage is billed as the preferred location for picking up ribs (imagine that!!!) and for catering your tailgating needs. The restaurant is located just off the town square and consists of a small dining area and a downstair bar. Mom, I promise that I did not spend anytime in the bar (another first).

As I previously stated, my lovely waitress was very attentive (not that attentive darling). The ribs were Memphis style ribs, dry rub is not my favorite style of ribs, but they were very good and the "diet cokes" were cold and cheap. I don't plan to eat there again tomorrow, but it is a very good option. If you are familiar with Oxford and have a suggestion for tomorrow, I will gladly consider it. At the moment, I am considering Proud Larry's for my dinner location tomorrow (Goggle it).

After dinner, I strolled around the square and enjoyed some of the sights. Of note is the dog watering hole provided by the State Bank. No joke, this little bank located in the square actually provides a doggie water fountain situated just outside the entrance to the bank at perfect doggie height.

I am staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites in the "other" part of the town. This is without a doubt the nicest, cleanest, and best decorated Hampton Inn ever. In the lobby is the most amazing set of stuffed lion and lionesses. You have to see these to believe it. If you go to the website for the hotel's accommodation page and click the "take a tour" link, you will see a photo of these beasts (photo number 2).

As the Wikipedia article mentions, Oxford beats to a different drum. I found this out at the local Chevron this afternoon. You can not purchase cold beer in Oxford. You can purchase hot beer but the only place to purchase it cold is at a bar or restaurant.

Once again, the lovely waitress at the Rib Cage provided some additional information. See it helps to talk with the locals!

Apparently the belief is that this will cut down on drinking and driving???!!! I guess ice and coolers were never considered? She did tell me that cold beer can be purchased during the winter at the local drive through beer store (affectionately named the Rebel Barn). I passed by the Rebel Barn after dinner (I couldn't pass up a visit) and to my surprise it is literally a barn with two drive through lanes where beer is sold. The beer is sold cold during the winter because it is cold outside.

Anyway, that was my day. It is getting a little late, so I need to finish my preparations for tomorrow and get to bed besides there is an old school Kung Fu movie coming on that I want to watch. Did you notice me lips moving? Now do you notice my lips moving? Pretty funny huh?

I got a two-fer for the Green tip today: First, National Geographic has an exceptional website which is based and updated on the Green Guide book (actually, National Geographic purchased the Green Guide, originally started by two house moms looking to improve their kids environments, several years ago) that I am currently reading, check it out here.

Second, is your antibacterial soap really a good thing? Check out this article.

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