LSU Campus

None of the pictures I took really captured the beauty of the LSU
campus, which if filled with red-tiled Spanish-style building and
georgeous hundred-year oaks, put this picture does capture well one of
it's tastefully named buildings.

Maybe the most distinguishing feature of my visit though was the
complete absence of any students. It was a Sunday during a long
weekend (they get off for start of Mardi Gras) but there was literally
zero sign of any students. I'd been told it was a suitcase college,
but didn't understand the scope. Was on campus for over an hour and
saw no one outside of a maintanence staff member. Wierd.

Zeus

Baton Rouge

Here are a few pictures from Baton Rouge, LA. Almost a week late, has
been hard to find spare time.

Despite my leaving Louisiana two days before Fat Tuesday - who made
this stupid itinerary?!? - I still got a fine taste of Mardi Gras, in
the form of a parade. It was put on by the Posidean Krewe and although
I was small, on a cold evening and (gasp!) family friendly, still the
coolest parade I've ever been too. And not necessarily because of the
quality of floats or other entries, but because of the spirit of the
crowd. Only one row of people deep where we were on the three mile
route, but happy and enthusiastic and just straight fun. I even
managed to start to understand the fever over having beads thrown at
your head and called loudly for some near the end. All in all, an
excellent taste of an element of what Mardi Gras could be, enough to
make attending a Fat Tuesday in Louisiana a task that needs to be
completed.

Sunday night...

...and out of sequence. Spent all day getting from LA to St Louis. 660
miles, should have only taken 9 hours. But hit wind/sleet/ice in south
Missouri and it wasn't good. Long story short, I'm fine and it took 12
hours total. So no time today for covering LA activities.

But have excellent hotel, picture is view out of window. Note Arch and
snow. Very nice room, small single but very well appointed. Only
downside is no free Wi-Fi. How is one supposed to live?

Good night.

This isn't right

My view as I was passing by Jackson, Mississippi. I didn't travel 900
miles south so I could see snow out my window. Crazy.

Memphis BBQ

Sadly, not much to report from Memphis. Got in too late to tour
Graceland, hotel was near Beale Street, but Beale Street isn't much
more than two blocks of bars and bad gift shops. Also, it doesn't
start hopping until later on the evening, and I had a very early wake-
up call.
But I did get a taste of a signature Memphis rib, from The Rendeavous.
Place was neat in structure, an alley entrance neatly hid off the main
road, and a sprawling basement restaurant, with tablecloths! It's a
charcoal cooked rib, with an odd vinegar baste, not going to become my
favorite.

Schlafly's

A native St Louis brewpub, founded in 1991, well in front of the micro-
brew trend. Place feels a lot like Great Dane, but the beer's not
nearly as good. The beers (well, the eight I had sample-sizes of) had
an over-arching yeast taste, which occurs a lot in micro-beers but
I've never enjoyed. Friendly place though, glad I stopped.

Next up, Memphis.

One more Pappy's post

Picture of the store front and the overflow smoker. It running,
prepping food for Friday's large crowd.

The Aftermath

Took about half the time you think it did to create this scene.

Couple of notes I forgot above: food is cooked only one day in
advance. If they miscount, or you get there late, bad news for you - I
was there about 7:00 and they were already out of turkey.
There is sauce at the table, but the ribs themselves are smoked
completely dry, rub only (4-6 hours). I now know I am a dry-rub rib guy.
All of the (good) rib places I've stopped at are tiny little places
with the menu on the wall and maybe a dozen seats. No tablecloths,
menus, ect. In fact, from what little I've learned so far, if a place
has metal silverware, it doesn't have elite BBQ

Best. Ribs. Ever.

At least, the best ribs I've ever had. It's a plate from Pappy's
Smokehouse in St Louis. Pitmaster Mike and two of his friends opened
the place in 2008. Mike has been making ribs for 20+ years, and about
four years ago won the Memphis contest (they assure me it's a big
deal). Blah blah blah, Pappy's is opened and I dug into this pile of
perfectly applewood smoked slab of ribs.

PS: that's a deep fried cob of corn sitting there. Not better than a
grilled and buttered cob, but interesting and tasty in it's own way.

PSS: one dissapointment, margarine only, no butter for the potato.
The things we take for granted in Wisconsin...

Yet more Arch

More the Arch

The Gateway Arch

Could rattle on here for awhile, but I won't. If you've ever been awed
by a structure or monument seen in person, you'll know how I felt
seeing this. And if you haven't, I don't have the words to describe it.

But I will say, I've seen a number of large man-made objects, but
nothing approaching the elegance of this arch. It's the scope plus the
elegance that stunned me.

And if ever visit and don't ride to top, you are missing out. View is
crap, as it looks out over East and Non-Post-Apocalyptic St Louis, but
the ride up is something else.

The Iron Barley

Wow. I'm just in love with this place. May recognize the name, as
they were recently visited by the spikey blonde haired guy from Food
Channel (they say it's insanely increased their business).

Picture is of the lunch special, beef stroganoff on spetzle. Simple
dish, but pitch-perfect in taste. It was accompanied by an Altbier
designed by the owner and created of Iron Barley, Tom. Designed, as
it's his reciepe, brewed by local brewery, The Stables (a little
something on them later).
So, great food, fab beer, and friendly company. Fabulous introduction
to St Louis.

Horseshoe

Not the best photo, but it gets the idea across. Apparently a native
Springfield creation, the one had is described as follows: two pieces
of toasted Texas toast; a pound of ground beef, bacon and onions; a
crap-load of fries; and a couple of laddles of cheese sauce. Note:
better cheese sauce than you'd expect - not a cheddar sauce, but far
above a cheese-whiz situation. It was both disgusting and tasty at the
sane time.

Other interesting observation was the tap beer selection. Short list
of six - Irish bar staples of Guinness (well poured but meh),
Smithwicks and Harp, a Sam Adams seasonal, Miller Lite and, the
surprise, Lienie's Sunset Wheat. That's it, that's the list. Odd.

All in all, glad o stopped to get a taste of Springfield uniqueness,
but if I were passing by, I'd hold out until St Louis (next postings).