12/14

We're back! Pulled into our garage around 3:30 yesterday, and glad we missed the weather we have today!

Sunday J went to an art museum on the campus of Univ of Louisville, and then we had tea in the lobby of the Brown while a woman played heavy duty classical piano, with an opera singer. I was thrilled! Monday we stopped by the American Printing house for the blind for an hour. J could have spent most of the day. Then we stopped by Columbus IN (about an hour north of Louisville) for a short tour to the great buildings. We will return - it's about a 5 hour drive from A2. Monday night we stopped just north of the Indy beltway for an easy drive home on Tuesday.

12/11

Greetings from the Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville. We arrived yesterday, and leave tomorrow. J will visit an art museum on the campus today (what a surprise!) and I will take it easy. Tomorrow she wants to visit the American Printing House for the Blind. She used to teach the blind and wants to see what is new in that field. On the 9th we visited the Hermitage (aka Andrew Jackson's home) outside of Nashville. In town, we stopped by the Hermitage Hotel, a block from the State House. Great bar that was, and maybe still is, a good old boys club. Then we stayed for dinner. For the third time, J got foie gras - twice at the Biltmore. She talked to a waiter who gave her a tour of the men's room - voted best Art Deco men's room.

12/8

Greetings from the Union Station Hotel in downtown Nashville. J took the "butler tour" at Biltmore yesterday AM, so we didn't leave until 1PM. Then we spent 3+ hours driving through the mountains on Rt 40 while it rained constantly. More trucks than passenger cars. When we pulled into Holiday Inn just west of Knoxville around 4:30, the temp was 36 and it was snowing. Fortunately, it was clear and dry today with nothing but sun coming out of the sky. We are next door to the Frist museum, which has an exhibit on Egypt. So J had to see it. Tomorrow, we will visit the Hermitage. Saturday we head for Louisville.

12/6

Greetings from the Inn at Biltmore. We arrived yesterday afternoon and leave tomorrow for Nashville. Is this place nice? How many places now have cloth towels in the rest rooms? J enjoyed foil gras both nights and high tea with champagne today. We each toured the "house" on our own. It is amazing the wealth that can be accumulated when there are no anti-trust or tax laws! The place is magnificent, and nicely decorated for Christmas. Once in a lifetime experience! Dinner and service here is terrific, and the Biltmore chardonnay (at $20 a bottle) is a real value.

12/3

Yesterday, we ate lunch at Wintzel's Oyster House. Guess what we ordered! We first visited the original Wintzel's in Mobile. We had our concerns about the neighborhood, and the large, imposing gentleman standing inside the door - bouncer? We noticed that when a patron left, he went outside. Turned out that he was making sure patrons reached their cars safely. Good food then, and now. After lunch, we visited Tacky Jack's. J remembers their bloody Marys fondly, so she had a few. Still good, so we bought some of their mix. Returned for breakfast this AM, and she had more bloody Marys and I had shrimp and grits. Love that southern food. This afternoon, we put Montgomery Alabama in our rear view mirror, and tomorrow we continue our trek to Asheville.

12/2

Another beautiful day on the Gulf! Today it is Perdido Beach Resort in Alabama, just a stone's throw from Fla. We arrived yesterday afternoon and will stay again tonight. We stayed here many years ago, and it is even better now. Tomorrow we will head north to Asheville. But today we have to visit Jacqui's favorite bar: Tacky Jacks!