Month: August 2016

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Fields of the Wood Bible Park in Murphy NC, Roy Moore’s Monument, And A 10 Commandments Rally (Plus Stroller Dog)

We love roadside attractions like this, so the last time we were in the area, we stopped off in Murphy, North Carolina to show the boys the world’s largest ten commandments at the Fields of the Wood Bible Park.

Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Work here began in 1940.
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

I hadn’t done a great deal of research online before our visit and was only expecting a huge hillside display.
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

The park is more than the Ten Commandments feature, though. We found many people climbing ‘Prayer Mountain’
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Along the way are verses from the Christian Bible with states’ names on the bottom of each display
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

I know from my study of religious serpent handlers that this verse, labeled here under ‘Signs Following Believers’ is the one the practice (and that of faith healing and drinking poison) is based on: “…they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them…” from the Christian Bible at Mark 16:17,18
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Here, a small area at the top at which people left their own prayers. The prayers were on flat, unfolded pieces of paper so anyone could see. People were praying for protection from terrorism, for healing, and that friends would stop using drugs. I wondered if people left them so that others could come by and pray over them as well.
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

baptismal pool
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

al fresco chapel
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC

Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

representation of the garden tomb in Jerusalem
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

inside:
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

representation of Golgatha
Fields of the Wood Bible Park, Murphy NC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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When Judge Roy Moore (now the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, although perhaps not for much longer due to ongoing litigation) had a monument of the Ten Commandments made and installed in the state judicial building in Montgomery, Av took pictures of it back in 2002 (that’s Roy Moore on the left in this image below) before it was permanently removed by a court order that Moore refused to comply with.

Roy Moore with his Ten Commandments monument in Montgomery, 2002//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Av found it particularly interesting that on the backside of the granite piece, there was a copyright symbol.
Ten Commandments Copyright//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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There were a few rallies in support of the Ten Commandments monument, and we were coming back from Mobile when we found ourselves in Montgomery on this day in 2003 when we saw these people protesting.

Ten Commandments Rally in Montgomery 2003//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Ten Commandments Rally in Montgomery 2003//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Ten Commandments Rally in Montgomery 2003//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Ten Commandments Rally in Montgomery 2003//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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The Good With The Meh

When we’re in town just to work, to 100% work-work, we stay at the Holiday Inn in Metairie. That’s just the place. It’s easy to get in and out of, parking’s no big deal, it’s a Holiday Inn so it’s…well, it’s a Holiday Inn. No surprises. We’ve stayed here 25 times: I promise, no surprises. But it’s also boring that way and here’s the view. Oh, I can see a La Quinta and some on-ramps from here!
I Can See LaQuinta From Here!//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Holiday Inn, Metairie LA//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
haha! It doesn’t have to be glamorous always. Obviously.

But the best part of staying here is what’s in that little building in the bottom-left of that first pic. It’s a little shopping center, and that’s where Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop is. Ohmygosh. Chef Ron. Chef Roooonnnnnnn.

When it’s worky-work time and there’s some furious typing and emailing and researching and calling and texting and blowing up the interwebs and what-not going on, we do take-out and Chef Ron takes care of us. Because this.

Chicken and sausage gumbo
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Chef Ron's Gumbo Stop//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

boudin balls
Boudin Balls, Chef Ron's Gumbo Stop//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

chicken Jefferson, which is chicken breast topped with shrimp and crawfish cream sauce
Chicken Jefferson, Chef Ron's Gumbo Stop//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

bread pudding
Bread Pudding, Chef Ron's Gumbo Stop//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

And we’re like, know what? Holiday Inn. Yeah. And it’s all high-fives. Because Chef Ron.

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This Week’s Various

A super-short ‘This Week’s Various’ this time!

Dr. Bob‘s art studio in the Bywater was shot at repeatedly early Tuesday morning, thankfully he was missed and is okay.

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Maurice's Piggy Park, Columbia SC//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

From the WaPo: A barbecue case that helped the cause of civil rights — although this story is worthy of more than the paltry 322 words given here. Also: there’s an error in that Maurice Bessinger (who had a thing for the battle flag at his South Carolina Piggie Park restaurants) died in 2013 — it was actually 2014, though his kids were implementing changes at the restaurant earlier.

Back to the author, Jim Shahin, in another piece for the Washington Post: he declares Charleston as ‘the future of barbecue.’

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https://player.vimeo.com/video/175769600

Butch Anthony deciding to make a pirate ship with some Dutch guys to go get oysters in Apalachicola is one of the best things ever.

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A gift from the Kohler Foundation will help complete the restoration of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in North Carolina.

Sunbrella has come out with a line of fabrics inspired by Vollis’ whirligigs
https://player.vimeo.com/video/177599025?color=ffffff&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0
Vollis Simpson Whirligig Fabrics from Sunbrella on Vimeo.

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at Black’s in Lockhart

Barrett Black (Black’s in Lockhart) tells Zagat in a piece entitled ‘Why Texas is the Best Barbecue in the Country‘ that there are a few pitmasters outside the state who are doing some great Texas-style bbq, including Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn.

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Wow, Glasgow is so happy about their Krispy Kreme.

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China Lights

This spring, the New Orleans Botanical Gardens hosted this China Lights exhibit. I went close to the end of the show, and although it was more ‘wow’ at night, it was really terrific to see it this way during the day

China Lights at the New Orleans Botanical Garden//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

China Lights at the New Orleans Botanical Garden//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

China Lights at the New Orleans Botanical Garden//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

China Lights at the New Orleans Botanical Garden//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

China Lights at the New Orleans Botanical Garden//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

China Lights at the New Orleans Botanical Garden//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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BBQ Shrimp, And Ohhhhh Yes BBQ Shrimp

We’ve been meaning to go to Pascal’s Manale forever — it’s been in business over a hundred years and in the 1950s developed the recipe for bbq shrimp, which so many now replicate.

bread service, with the bread inside this bag

The gumbo was unremarkable

What we came here for — the bbq shrimp. At lunch, it’s served as s type of sandwich with the shrimp served in the little bowl, then the diner places the shrimp inside the bread. Unfortunately (besides the unappetizing look of the whole setup here), the shrimp were overcooked/rubbery and didn’t seem as fresh as one might like. There was a sour, dank odor. Not good. Pass.
BBQ Shrimp Sandwich, Pascal's Manale, New Orleans LA//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

I had the Oysters Dante: fried oysters over penne pasta with mushroom and prosciutto, and that was better, though it wouldn’t have taken much to appear better in comparison to the bbq shrimp entree. I’m always a little tickled when restaurants serve dishes like this, with greenery sprinkled along the rim of a plate, like we’re all in the ’80s. That’s okay though. Either because it tries not to change or just doesn’t know how to, it’s in many ways preserved in amber. They play to an older clientele so…it is what it is. And that’s fine. But we’ve checked this one off our list and don’t feel a need to return.
Oysters Dante, Pascal's Manale, New Orleans LA//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

As some sort of cosmic nod about the restaurant having screeched to a halt in the ’80s, I noticed an autographed picture of John Larroquette on the wall, from his ‘Night Court’ days.

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Still, here’s where to go to get what we think is the best bbq shrimp in town: Bevi Seafood. They’re a seafood market and restaurant.
Bevi, New Orleans LA//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Now this is bbq shrimp. Rich and buttery and a little spicy and perfect.
BBQ Shrimp, Bevi Seafood, New Orleans//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

They have special poboys all the time. Pork belly and soft shell crab:

Yesssss.
Soft Shell Crab Poboy, Bevi, New Orleans//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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