Hello Abroad!

So, I just found out this little bloggy-blog has readers in Italy, Russia, Sweden (Hi Anna Banana!), and quite a few readers from Iran!! So hello, ciao, привет, hej, and سلام to all those abroad!  I'm not sure why you are so interested in Alabama, or what you googled to get here, but come back as often as you please!

PS- I hope those translations are correct!  If not, blame Google Translate.

Homage to a Country Star?

I had to drive north of Mobile for work this week and when asking for directions, a coworker said, “It’s the first exit past the Dolly Parton Bridge”.  I giggled to myself and thought that was so cute; someone here in the South named a bridge after a country icon.

Little did I know, the bridge is not named after Dolly for her acting/singing skills, but for her…well…see for yourself….

Upon researching, it turns out this bridge is really called the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge.  Poor W.K....He will never get his credit because the bridge just so happens to resemble boobies.  Sorry, bud. 

Azalea Extravaganza!

In Mobile this time of year, the azaleas bloom.  Its not just like, “Oh look, I think I see some azaleas”.  Its like, BAM-in-your-face-hot-pink-light-pink-humungous-everywhere azaleas. 

The weather got warmer and then all of a sudden these pink explosions started happening all over the place.  Mobile is very proud of its azaleas.  This could explain why there is Azalea Road, Azalea Dental Group, Azalea City Plastic Surgery…You get the idea.

We even ran the 34^th Annual Azalea Trail Run 10k.  I couldn’t believe how HUGE this race was.  But it was a lot of fun.

As soon as the azaleas come out, so do these:

The first time I saw these ladies, I tried really hard not to stare.  I couldn’t figure them out. (I should mention that the first time I saw them was at a The Shed so you can imagine my confusion.)  Someone finally explained to me that these are fine, upstanding young women who entered a grueling selection process and endured multiple rounds of interviews to become an Azalea Trail Maid.  They are all good students, good citizens, and all around great young women. 

According to Wikipedia, fifty high school seniors are chosen to be the Maids, and they serve as the “Official Abassadors” for the city of Mobile. They are to wear these antebellum-style dresses and use mannerisms from the era.  They greet foreigners and dignitaries as they enter the city, they are to know all about the city, landmarks and history.  The Azalea Trail Maids are to be a living example of “Southern Hospitality”.  They even attended the inauguration of president Obama.

These lovely ladies show up at events, festivals, etc. just like Miss America would.  I had the pleasure of running past these ladies at the Azalea Trail Run.  They had them set up at one of our turns as though they were traffic cones.  All dolled up, donning their bonnets and umbrellas, they were waving to all of us sweaty, smelly folks and cheering us on as we ran around them.  One man just ahead of me cut right through the line of Maids to cut the corner we were supposed to run around.  The pink Azalea Trail Maid said, “Hey! You’re supposed to run AROUND us!” then a little more quietly to her blue maid friend she said, “Oh no, he didn’t”.

Don’t mess with the pink Maid.

Throwed Rolls?!

One fine spring afternoon, Jaron and I decided to go to the Tanger outlet mall in Foley, AL.  (Quite fab, I must say).  It was really good and all, but you know what happened next?  Of course you don’t.  I’ll tell you.

We left the mall around dinner time and we were starvin’ like Marvin.  (Who is Marvin, anyway?  Someone should feed him.)  On the way home we saw a sign for Lambert’s, “The Only Home of Throwed Rolls”.  We heard a little about this place, so we said why not!

Fist, let me just say, this place was bumpin’!  There was about an hour wait.  We debated it for a sec, then decided that it must be delish if everyone and their uncle wants to eat here.  We stayed.

Once inside, you get this overwhelming feeling of old time Southern awesomeness.  You know how Cracker Barrel is Southern themed?  Multiply that by about 7 and you get Lambert’s.  

First, we get our drinks in HUGE old worn out Big Gulps.

Then, a waitress comes by and offers us fried okra from a pot.  I said, “No thanks, we don’t have plates”.  That didn’t stop her.  She laid out a paper towel and scooped some fried okra onto the table.

Next up, we got some rolls. Now, here's where things get interesting.  Let me tell you a little something about these rolls:

1.  They are the biggest, fattest rolls I have ever seen.

Pretend I don't look like a hot mess in this picture...It was a rough, rough day of shopping.

2.  Here is how one gets said roll:  

A dude rolls out a cart and yells, “Hot rolls!”  You are to make eye contact with the dude and he will chuck a roll across the room, over people’s heads, around hanging hillbilly décor, and into your hands.  Seriously.  It happened.

 Bad quality pics, awesome quality bow-tie.

The menu consists of all the Southern classics.  I ordered the chicken and dumplings.  I have never had them before so I figured I should try them…I also never had collard greens.  Tried those too.  I don’t like collard greens.   Jaron ordered fried chicken. (He decided to go all out)

Waiters and waitresses kept coming by and offering a bunch of different sides to plop onto our plates out of big pots that they were holding on their hips as if it were a small (or rather large) child.  

There was so….much…..food. 

Apparently, they have more of these around the country!  Have any of you been to one?  Are they all the same?  Lambert's roadtrip? No? Fine.   It's cool.  We have enough leftovers to make up Jaron's lunches for the rest of the week.

PS:  New things I have experienced in just this dinner alone:  Flying rolls, okra, collard greens, and chicken n' dumplins.  Not too shabby!