Most Charming Southern Town

This past weekend, I had the chance to take a trip to one of the cutest, most charming Southern towns, Charleston. This city was on my bucket list for Atlanta and fell into place last minute. A hotel was booked. A group was formed. And a travel itinerary was quickly planned. I packed my bags and left Atlanta to get away for the weekend.  

We headed out Friday evening after everyone got off work. We kicked off the trip with a classy dinner at Zaxby's.  This fast food restaurant has the best, according to the locals, fried chicken and good dipping sauce also . There wasn't a better way to start off our Southern trip than with a good Southern meal.  The drive wasn't too terribly long. We arrived in about five hours or so. We settled that night into our hotel in North Charleston.  

The next morning we hit the Isle of Palms beach. The skies were overcast but we were hopeful for some sunshine.  We felt a few raindrops throughout the morning but it thankfully never rained on us. The sun kept trying to peek through the clouds but it mainly stayed overcast. However, the air temperature was still warm and the water too so we still took a swim in the ocean.  It felt great to be play in the waves. No summer is ever complete without at least one beach day. The sand was soft and very fine. With the addition of humidity and sunscreen, it stuck to our skin very easily. 

The beach was nice though. There was a big private pier that stretched into the water.  There were also cute houses and condos lining the coastline.  Some were pretty bright colors and they all had an east coast feel.  I loved walking down the beach just to look at the houses. The tide also moved in while we were there. What was once a big spacious beach became a small sliver of sand.  It was funny to watch everyone slowly inch back and back, making the beach quite overcrowded. By the time we left, the water was at our toes and there was hardly any empty space along the sand!  

We then went back to the hotel to clean up and change before heading into historic downtown. We walked down the old historic middle street market that had various vendors selling a wide array of items. Then we wandered through the rest of the city. We admired the homes and buildings. Some were painted pastel or vibrant colors. Blossomed trees lined the brick and cobblestone roads. It was absolutely beautiful. 

We saw the famous rainbow row of houses that are widely painted and photographed.  We also saw the pineapple water fountain. I was surprised though that kids were playing in it. Apparently it is allowed to wade in the bottom of the fountain. So we, too, decided to dip our feet in the water. Something I learned is that the symbol of a pineapple represents hospitality in the South. If a house had a pineapple on the door or front of the house, then someone knew that the household would offer them in and be hospitable.

  

Another interesting feature of Charleston is that the front of the homes don't face the street but are offset due to spacing issues long ago.  The homes have a faux front door that actually just leads to the front patio and then you have to go to the real front door.  I found this quite odd because as you looked at the houses, sure enough, the front didn't face the street. Most were about three stories high and had grand columns and patios on the front or rather the side of the house. They were gorgeous and beautiful to look at.   

One of the most unique houses we found was one that didn't have paint but chalk. If you rubbed your fingers on it, the chalk would rub off onto them.  It was crazy!

We walked along the coastline with the water to our left and beautiful homes to our right.  We also looped our way back into the heart of historic Charleston.  We saw the old court house, government buildings, churches, and a variety of other meeting houses along Meeting St. There were also some beautiful gardens and parks dispersed throughout the city. 

As the evening approached, we began to see people dressed up in tuxes and ball gowns walking through the streets. There was a wedding at one of the churches and the people were walking from the church to the yacht club for the reception. Not just the wedding party but everyone involved was dressed up in the nicest formal attire. It added to the ambiance of the city. 

For dinner, we ate at a good southern home cooking restaurant. The meal consisted of corn fritters, pecan crusted fried chicken, homemade mac and cheese, and okra gumbo. I had never heard of okra until the South and I've had an apple fritter before but never a corn one! The night just got better with dessert when we tried cola cake (which apparently was made with cola), banana pudding, and pecan pie. It was one of those nights where you walked away from dinner fully satisfied and happy with the meal.  It was great way to top off the Southern-filled experience.

Also, here are the best two quotes of the trip: 

             "She looks like she has been smacked in the face with a wet squirrel."
             "The food is slap your granny good." 

Sunday, we had the chance to attend a church nearby. Then we went to the Magnolia Plantation Home which was a great choice. We walked through picturesque gardens with beautiful bridges over swamps. There was enchanting Spanish Moss hanging from huge live oak trees.  The swamps also had alligators and beautiful birds that we were able to see. Additionally, there was a petting zoo with a variety of animals. 

The home on the grounds was beautiful but had been rebuilt in the last few years. We took a little tram tour around the grounds of the plantation home since it encompassed such a large piece of land. We saw the slave cabins and the large plantation fields. The only bummer of the day was that it poured a few times on us and it was unbearably hot and humid.  But we thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a Southern plantation home.  

        

Charleston has a small town feel but yet is one large city. I'd say it is one of the most charming Southern cities. I loved how historic and quaint it felt. The buildings and scenery were absolutely beautiful; it was definitely hard to leave. I wanted to stay for at least a week longer! I was happy that I had made the choice to visit Charleston. It didn't disappoint one bit! I loved it so much that I hope I can visit it again sometime soon in the future. 

Praise the Lord!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Today I attended a Southern Baptist church service.  This experience was on my bucket list for my Georgian summer.  I've been to a Baptist church service before but thought it would be interesting to experience it in the South.  After talking to one of my local friends, I was recommended to visit the Ebenezer church and oh boy, it was quite the experience!

The Ebenezer church is part of the Martin Luther King Jr National Park as this was the King's church.  Martin Luther King Jr.'s grandfather and father served as pastors in this church. Today the congregation doesn't meet in the original building but across the street in a newer facility that was built in 1999.  The newer meeting hall is much larger to accommodate the growing congregation that is apparently around 6,000 people. I don't believe there were that many people there today; however, it was a full house, not an empty space on any bench.  

New Meeting House

We arrived to the Martin Luther King visitor's center early so we could walk through the exhibit hall and grounds.  We toured the original Ebenezer Church building which was a simple but elegant church.  Then we visited the tombs of Martin Luther King Jr and his wife as well as the eternal flame.

Next, we attended the church service which was quite a treat. People filtered in to the seats and it started off with some upbeat joyous music. The majority of the congregation was African American as there was probably only five other white people besides our party.  We didn't stand out... no not at all! Some ladies had some elegant hats and Martin Luther King Jr.'s sister was actually in attendance as well.  She also by far had the best and most unique hat.

The music was by far one of the best parts of the service.  There was a live band that included drums and electric guitars. In addition, there were tambourines and various clapping rhythms.  The choir sounded amazing and had some very talented vocalists. The music was upbeat and joyous just as you would expect in a Southern Baptist Church.  People sang along, stood up and danced, and swayed to the music.  It was wonderful!

Something else I loved at the beginning is that they introduced the visitors.  They called some out by name and had them stand up but then also had any others not mentioned stand.  We all stood up as there was no way to hide that we were visiting.  Then during a song for about five to ten minutes, everyone turned to one another to welcome each other and say hello.  People were leaving their seats to walk up and down the aisles, shaking people's hands along the way.  They were straining to reach each and every person down the row as they wanted to make sure each person was acknowledged.  People were hugging and embracing one another as if they were relatives.  I felt the warmth from everyone and very welcome in their church. I love that they reached out to the new visitors like this and created such a friendly, open environment.

Another great part of the service was the acknowledgment of birthdays! Yes... birthdays. I couldn't believe it either!  They had anyone with a birthday in this month stand up to be recognized for a short happy birthday song. How cute!

The pastor also gave a good sermon. He had some uplifting words of encouragement and interesting points. I didn't agree with everything he had to say but could see a few similarities and parallels to my faith. I find it very interesting to experience other churches and see how they worship God. And I also feel it helps me strengthen my beliefs in my Gospel and reminded of the things that I appreciate about my church.

All in all, I absolutely loved the experience.  I thought it was a wonderful church service.  I thoroughly enjoyed the music and atmosphere. Everyone was so so friendly.  I walked out with a "Praise the Lord, Hallelujah" attitude.  I just wanted to dance and sing all day! And I have to say, it was very very hard to sit so still and reverent during my church meetings that afternoon.  I was full of excitement and energy from the Baptist service that I could hardly sit still and quiet during mine.  This trip to a Southern Baptist Church was well worth it, and I can happily check it off the bucket list of Atlanta!

Quirks of Georgia

Before I came to Georgia, I heard many things about the area. No one really had anything bad to say about the place except for the fact that it would be very hot and humid.  All other comments were positive and emphasized how Atlanta is such cool city. But, I also heard that I'd face a culture shock, that many things would be different from the West Coast. So far as I've spent the first couple of weeks, I've noticed a variety of things.  I haven't faced anything too shocking but nevertheless there have still been some surprises and notable differences.  Here are some of the quirks of Atlanta that I've picked up on:

1. Southern Accents 

            As expected, I've encountered southern accents. Some so thick, I can't understand one word and some very faint with only an occasional y'all.  Side note: I'm still trying to figure out the correct way to use that phrase.  I find the expression "all y'all" quite confusing and contradicting.  

2. Trees, Trees and More Trees

           Atlanta has soooo many trees.  It makes it very beautiful but they get in the way when trying to navigate around a foreign city.  I got lost trying to find my way to Target because there were so many trees.  I could see it afar off but when I got closer, I didn't know which street to take since the trees were covering the store.  

3.  One - Two Lanes

           Streets are only one, or if you are lucky, two lanes wide in the direction you are traveling.  This causes the streets to back up fast which can be very bad during rush hour. Some of the lanes will also suddenly change into a turn only lane without much notice. Good thing I have out of state plates! Hopefully, people will have mercy on me.  Also lights take very long to change, so once you are stuck at a light, you are stuck there for a good while. I've also heard that some of the roads were once cow paths! That explains the excessive turns and loops and non-direct routes. In general, Atlanta traffic is pretty bad.  

4. My Name is Famous

          I see my name featured all over town.  From street signs, housing divisions, and shopping centers, "brooke" or "brook" is heavily used.  I've seen Brookside, Brookridge, Brookwood, Brookhollow, and my favorite, Sterling Brooke. I love that Georgia loves my name! 

5. Alligator on Restaurant Menus

         Yep, that's right.  I found fried alligator on a restaurant menu.  I was out to eat with some coworkers and they made me try it.  What does it taste like? A very tough, chewy version of chicken!  Scratch that off the bucket list. 

6. Fried Foods Galore

          The South is known for its fried southern comfort food and I've had a chance to try it already. I went out for a birthday dinner to a very typical Southern food restaurant, Mary Macs Tea Room.  I had the opportunity to try some very interesting, and even new, foods. Have you heard of pot likker? It is a broth from cooked collard greens and you use it as a dip for your cornbread.  Oh and southern corn bread is not like the typical cornbread most of us know.  It isn't the slightest bit sweet and is rather... dry.  It doesn't taste good by itself and with the addition of dipping it in pot likker, I'd guess I'd say it at least, well, becomes manageable to swallow. Let's just say after one bite, I was satisfied.  I also ordered "chicken fried chicken" with gravy sauce (why the need for the extra chicken in that name, who knows?) with some fried green tomatoes and mac 'n cheese.  The meal was then topped off with a peach cobbler - of course since Georgia is known for peaches. I'd say that was one complete Southern meal.  

6. Sudden Torrential Rainstorms

          The sudden summer rainstorms catch me off guard.  About 80% of the summer has about a 40% chance of rain.  When it will hit? No one knows. Fifty feet away from torrential rains, it can also be perfectly dry so watch out. It is scary to watch the storms move in too.  A perfectly bright sunny day can instantly change to a dark sky full of heavy clouds. Before you know it, you can be stuck in a torrential down pour. After getting stranded in a storm my first week, I always carry an umbrella with me... You never know when you might need it.  

7. Foggy Glasses

          Beware of the foggy glasses! It is so humid here that I have to worry about my glasses fogging up while outside. Especially right after a rain when there is extra moisture in the air. Ridiculous, if you ask me! I went to a company BBQ after work, and fought to keep my glasses clear the whole afternoon. Note to self: if outside, wear contacts! The foggy glasses problem is as bad as it was during the UT winters.  

8. Sunsets?

          Ha, good luck seeing one. I still have yet to see one since I've been here.  There isn't a good spot to really see the horizon here, again due to the trees.  This is quite disappointing to me because I grew to love watching the sunset each and every night while living in Jerusalem and having one of the best views to watch it. I miss that opportunity to watch the day change from bright to dark and see the bursts of colors shoot across the skyline. However, I have seen some glimpses of pink and orange skies between the trees or buildings of Atlanta. One of these days, I'll have to find a good location where I can really watch the sunset. 

9. Gorgeous Homes

          The homes here are gorgeous and so different from the West Coast. I see a lot of brick buildings and huge white columns.  Most subdivisions have large plantation like homes and are nestled in among trees. While driving through North Atlanta with a friend, we had to drive super slow down the street, just so we could gaze at all the homes.  They are beautiful! 

10. Fireflies and Pesky Bugs

          Each evening, I look forward to watching the fireflies emerge from the trees. I think fireflies are the coolest bugs and I'm fascinated by their bursts of light. One of these nights, I want to catch some and put them in a jar! In addition to the fireflies, there are many other bugs but ones not so nice. Mosquitoes are everywhere and it doesn't matter if it is morning or night for them to be out.  I feel like I always have a scratchy bug bite on me, no matter what! 

Anyways, these are just a few of the notable differences I've encountered.  With that being said, I'm sure there will be even more along the way. In all reality, the people I spoke to before coming here were right. Besides the heat and humidity, I really don't have anything bad to say about Georgia. The things I've pointed out are all minor differences or inconveniences that don't matter very much. I'm truly having so much fun exploring this new city and area. Atlanta is wonderful! And, I have many more things on my bucket list that I want to do while I'm here!

The Best Travel Awards

In just five days, I traveled across ten states.  I moved from one coast to the other coast.  It was the longest road trip I've ever experienced and who better to accompany me, but my mama! We started from our lovely home in California and ended our trip in Georgia, my new home for the summer.  Along the way. we wrote down some of the funny or unique things we experienced and by the end of the trip, we had one long list of travel awards to help us remember our trip!

Y'all ready for this? Here are some of the best awards: 

Most historically infamous part of the trip: Route 66

Craziest hotel lights: Ramada in Barstow, CA  -auto sensor lights that wouldn't stay on when you would want them to but came on when you didn't

Second armpit of California: Barstow, CA

Weirdest hotel breakfast: Pancakes coming out of a press with a push of a button -Ramada in Barstow, CA

Best hotel beds (especially for jumping on): Best Western in Albuquerque, NM. 

    

Coolest freeway lights:  Albuquerque, New Mexico - rope lights lit up the underneath of freeway ramps.  

Best food:  Veggie Enchiladas with green sauce in Barstow, CA

Most interesting dessert: Nutella Cheesecake

Most times we ate Mexican food on the trip: 3 times in two days! We love our Mexican food.

Best hotel greeting: Unlimited cookies upon arrival at 1:00 AM! -Country Inn, Arkansas

Funniest thing we saw: My mom watching me jump through the sea of grasshoppers to our hotel. 

Most random side trip we took: to see the Infant Baby Jesus of Prague National Shrine in Prague, OK

Most state abbreviation jokes: OK! The whole car ride through Oklahoma, we told funny jokes using the state abbreviation. 

Prettiest thing we saw: Bricktown in Oklahoma City.  Shops and restaurants situated along a canal of water all on brick streets. 

Most surprising city: Oklahoma City - it was greener and had more high rises than expected. 

Favorite city:  Atlanta!!

Weirdest creature: The sea of flying grasshoppers that we had to fight off with our suitcases while we headed into our hotel -Albuquerque, NM

Funniest pee your pants moment: hmmm hard to say, seemed like my mom peed her pants on multiple occasions.

Most random roadkill: An armadillo upside down on his back with his feet up in the air! -Oklahoma

Creepiest town: Hands down... Gallup, NM  (McDonald's and Sonic)

Only person that can snore when they nap in the car: My Mom!

Scariest moment of the trip: When I was almost abducted by an Indian in New Mexico while my mom was in McDonalds using the restroom.  

Best item we saw being towed: a homemade flying chair, yep it was exactly that!

Best jolt awake while sleeping in the car: Pulling over for the state sign for OK!

Most somber thing we saw: The memorial of the Oklahoma City bombing.  

Most frustrating city: Little Rock, the signage and tourist information was misleading

Most trees: Georgia! It feels like you are in a dense forest!

Quirkiest sightseeing attraction: Peabody ducks! They march in and out of the hotel every morning and evening.  We watched them march out of the pond, down the steps and out of the hotel to music at 5:00 p.m. every night.   

MOST amount of sleep I got because of my mom snoring all night: a measly 4 hours

Fastest drivers: Georgia! 

Most traffic:  Little Rock, AR

Least traffic: Oklahoma City, it was practically a ghost town. 

Saddest thing:  Seeing a poor pig in the stockyards of Oklahoma City limping in the pen. 

Smelliest state: Arkansas -smelled like cauliflower, stinky feet, musty dirt. 

Biggest sightseeing let down: Old town Albuquerque- small and everything was closed

Longest day in the car: About 15 hrs on day three.  Our car reeked of body! (and we had eaten too much Mexican food)

One of the more unique sights: Beale St in Memphis.  We loved the atmosphere with the music, lights, and bars!

First sighting of fireflies: along the highway in Alabama, just after sunset.

Place that's better than Disneyland: The World of Coke! They take your photos, have a cool polar bear to meet, and fun tasting room of all different kinds of coke.  

Best Decision: When my mom finally decided after debating for half an hour to not buy a glass encased jellyfish from the Aquarium gift shop.  She found one the day after she got home for 1/4 of the price.

Grumpiest day: Day four - we were exhausted from all the traveling and getting sick of the long car rides.   

Worst weather: In between Arkansas and Tennessee.  -torrential downpours, thunder, and lightning.  We were on the look out for funnel clouds. 

Most church sightings: On a side road in Mississippi! There were yellow diamond signs to notify you of every church building. 

The hardest state sign to find:  Mississippi! We thought we had missed it since it was so far after the state line. 

The best named river:  Holy Moses Wash, Arizona.  

The worst freeway signage: Birmingham, Alabama - the freeway all of a sudden closed and made us back track on a detour. 

Favorite state sign: Arkansas

Most painful state sign:  Tennessee, stepped on an ant hill and my feet were eaten alive and I accidentally brought them into the car after.

Longest pit stop:  Graceland

Most cops:  Arizona - literally 30-40 cops pulling over semis - must have been doing some sort of sweep looking for something specific

The most diverse topography:  AZ - from desert to mountains with trees  

The funniest accents we heard:  These girls yelling up and down the stairs to each other about a woman who was wearing multiple animal prints, saying doesn't she know she can't mix all those animal prints  - overheard at Graceland.

Best sight of relief: Seeing the city of Atlanta and knowing we had completed our journey!

Funnest part of the trip: Being together and making memories!

Hardest part of the trip: Having to say good-bye to my mama after such a fun trip!

-These awards have been documented and awarded by Latina and Brick.