Music & BBQ

Posted by Edith Parten, Alabama Tourism PR/Media Relations Director:


In July, 2010 Alabama Tourism's PR Department teamed up with Georgia Turner from Daytona Beach to host seven travel journalists to a Music and BBQ tour. We hosted Patick Humphries from the UK, Sharon Spence Lieb from Charleston, Pat Brennan, Canada; Suzanne Corbett, St Louis; Leslie Long, New York; Diana Lambdin Meyer, Kansas City; and Renee Gordon, Philadelphia.

The writers were treated to Alabama's Music attractions and BBQ as part of the Year of Alabama Music pre-promotion. The tourism department kicks-off the year-long campaign in January 2011.


The journalists got a snippit of what the state has to offer from its music history. The group went inside the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia and a few even recorded their own song to cd. We also toured the renowned FAME recording studios and Cypress Moon Productions in Muscle Shoals.

We visited during the W.C. Handy Music Festival where we saw W.C. Handy's birthplace and museum, he is considered the "Father of Blues." We also visited the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Florence to hear the Handy Community Choir. What a treat! It had me and the journalists on their feet dancing. For dinner we were treated to sandwiches and ice cream at the famous Trowbridge's in Florence. What could be better?

We stayed at the Marriott Shoals where guests can hear nightly music by local muscians in the Swampers Bar. They also have the Sam Phillips suite compelte with its own jukebox.

From the Shoals area we headed out to Tuscaloosa to visit the Alabama Blues Project where we met blues musicican Debbie Bond and a student of hers, Rachael Edwards. Boy can these ladies sing. The project also teaches kids about the blues. Oh, and the home that houses the project is right next to an old train station, where we are told the blues muicians used to hop off the train to play in Tuscaloosa.



We were hungry for something good and ended up at the original Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa. Yes, the sign is right. "ain't nothin' like em nowhere." and the banana pudding is not to miss.

From Tuscaloosa we headed east on I-20 for Birmingham and our hotel, Ross Bridge. Driving up to Ross Bridge you would think you were in Scotland as the castle-like hotel sits atop the rolling, lush green golf course that is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. I don't paly golf, but the site of this course makes me wish that I did. And if I was not working I would definitely be at the Spa or out in the swimming pool.

We checked in and prepared to head out for the evening, but before we leave we are treated to a man dressed in a kilt playing the bagpipes as is the traditon every evening at Ross Bridge.

We visited WorkPlay in the loft district of Brimingham, where we heard Jazz Guitarist Kevin Williams. The next night we visited Moonlight on the Mountain which is a community listening room. He heard Kassie Miller play that night. We also played the drums at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center.

We were treated to a personal tour of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame by the 82 year old Dr. Adams who played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Adams plays the clarinet and saxophone. If you're lucky he'll tell his stories of meeting Ella Fitzgerald and playing with Sun Ra.


We also visited the historic Alabama Theatre built in 1927 as a showcase for Paramount films.

Sharon Spence Lieb has written her article on the trip. Read it here: http://www.moultrienews.com/travel/-03TRAVELNOVEMBER

Renee Gordon's Article in the Phildaelphia Sun can be found here: http://www.philasun.com/news/860/43/Alabama-s-Music-Trail-Part-Two.html

and Leslie Long's article in Limite is here:
http://www.limitemagazine.com/2010/08/the-alabama-blues-project/#more-23616


Enjoy Alabama's Music Trail.

Girlfriend Getaway to Alabama's Gulf Coast

"Girlfriend Getaway to Alabama's Gulf Coast"

Guest Blogger Jennifer Kornegay writes about her "Girlfriend Getaway" to Alabama's Gulf Coast.:

While the Alabama Gulf Coast is a great place to visit year round, a late February trip isn’t very conducive to sunning on the beach or swimming in the sea thanks to blustery breezes and chilly temps. So what’s a group of girlfriends enjoying a weekend away in Orange Beach supposed to do for entertainment? As four of my friends and I found out, the answer is easy…eat, eat, eat and then shop.

We arrived at our condo on a Friday afternoon to find the sun shining and gentle waves lapping the shore. We took in the beach view for a moment before the cold pushed us back inside, and after we exhaled a relaxed sigh in unison, the talk turned to dinner.

The restaurant selection in the area has grown in the years since Hurricane Ivan hit. Old favorites are back in business and better than ever, and new eateries are upping the ante on coastal cuisine and bringing a fresh food in a fun atmosphere to the forefront.

Our group chose two of the best names in Alabama beach eats: Cosmo’s and Cobalt. Show up at Cosmo’s on Canal Road and make yourself right at home. The easy-going, neighborhood pub vibe makes everyone feel welcome. A guy strumming guitar and outdoor seating on a large deck are reason enough to visit, but the spectacular sushi pushes this place to the top of the list. Other popular dishes include chicken roulade with risotto and the grilled tuna salad. And if you’re wondering about the doggie décor, it was inspired by Cosmo’s namesake, a black lab rescued by the restaurant’s owners.

Cobalt’s wall of windows facing Perdido Pass offers a picture-perfect water view. Nosh on tasty jumbo BBQ shrimp or the tuna and avocado stack as you watch the boats float by. And the raised bar ensures everyone gets a good look. Sleek décor and friendly service seal the deal. We finished our meal with Cobalt’s tiramisu split five ways. Yum!

Tacky Jack’s in Orange Beach is an old standby, and for good reason. After an evening of indulgence, nothing satisfies a craving like a pile of Jack’s Mexican Garbage nachos. There’s almost always a crowd of happy diners and drinkers making it great spot for socializing while satiating your appetite for ample portions of delicious food.

Once you’re good and full, walk off the calories with a shopping excursion to the many stores at The Wharf. Sassy Britches is a good bet for cute tops and flirty dresses. H.L. Hood has classic offerings and some funky options, and Shades has a huge selection of sunglasses from every designer name you can imagine. A welcoming staff is just fine watching you try on pair after pair in your search for the “right look.” Two of my gal pals found some cute and stylish sunglasses on our visit.

So if you’re in need of a beach escape, go ahead and make a break for the Alabama Gulf Coast. Don’t worry about the weather. Close proximity to the ocean will always provide instant stress relief, and there’s plenty to do (a.k.a. buy and eat) no matter what’s going on outside.

U.S. Space and Rocket Center

My U.S. Space & Rocket Center Experience
by: guest blogger - Jennifer Kornegay

“To infinity and beyond!”

This phrase, the rallying cry of Buzz Lightyear from the movie “Toy Story,” is what kept reverberating in my head as I toured the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville recently. I kind of hate to admit that a line from an animated movie was the first on scene in my mind…not “a few small steps for mankind…” from Neil Armstrong, or “we choose to go the moon…” from the speech Kennedy made when promoting the idea of space exploration.

But as I walked around and marveled at the size and scope of the exhibits, I felt a little less guilty. After all, infinity is a concept that, at least for the average guy or gal (and I certainly fall into that category) stands for “just too much to grasp.” The Space and Rocket center is almost too much to take in.

I was blown away (pun intended) by the massive Saturn V rocket that’s suspended in all its massive glory from the ceiling in the Rocket Center’s newest facility, the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. The Saturn V launched Apollo 11 and the subsequent Apollo missions.

A simulator gives you an idea of the force (and noise!) exerted by a rocket so large. All I could think about was how scared I would be to have that much rocket fuel firing up below me if I were an astronaut. I guess that is just one of the many, many reasons I am not an astronaut.

I was equally impressed by the people in Huntsville who’ve made the U.S. Space program what it is. The Center does a great job detailing the history of the “space race” and spotlighting the integral role Huntsville played. Thanks to the innovation at Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in the city, Huntsville went from being the Watercress Capital of the World to earning the name “Rocket City and now boasts more Ph.D.’s per capita than anywhere else in the country. Pretty cool, huh?

The Center’s interactive exhibits were covered up with kids. All ages were having a blast (sorry, can’t resist) participating in activities that taught about gimble, G-forces and other laws of physics that make my head hurt when I think about them too long.

Exploring a replica of the International Space Station will give you a new level of respect for astronauts and the “special” living conditions they endure in the name of science. How anyone does anything in such cramped quarters is beyond me.

I could go on…but I won’t. I hope I’ve piqued your curiosity. Now maybe you’ll take the next free weekend you’ve got and check out the U.S. Space and Rocket Center for yourself.

ON THE ROAD WITH A TRAVEL WRITER FROM NYC

One Day in Alabama with a Travel Writer from New York City

Recently I had the privilege of showing freelance and culinary travel writer, Corinne Trang around Alabama. Corinne is from New York and this was her first trip to Alabama. Here is what we did in Alabama in one day. I picked Corrinne up at the airport in Huntsville late on a recent October morning and met with Charles Winters at the Huntsville Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Charles took us to an early lunch at a fabulous restaurant in the Providence shopping area of Huntsville.

We walked in to Grille 29 for lunch and sampled an array of appetizers. Corinne is a food writer as you know so it's in her nature to sample as much as possible. http://www.grille29.com/.

We tried a sample of entrees. The Tenderloin of Beef Carpaccio was awesome. The Grille 29 cheese plate offered a trio of cheeses, the Gorgonzola Fondue was fun and very tasty, the mussels were excellent but the Tilapia in a Bag was the best dish. Fresh tilapia was baked in parchment paper with a white-wine broth.

From lunch in Huntsville it was time to head straight to Scottsboro to sample an array of lost luggage items at the Unclaimed Baggage Center. If you have ever lost you luggage, chances are good that you will find your items here, that is unless someone else found them first. After looking through electronics, handbags, jewelery, household items, and clothing of all sorts it was time for a coffee break. They serve Starbucks coffee at Unclaimed Baggage.

Corinne almost bought a pair of high-heeled shoes, but they were a tad too small. http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/.









The next stop on the way to Florence from Scottsboro is the small town of Rogersville. We strolled the small downtown area before stopping at Stanfield's Steakhouse. We were supposed to stop in to sample desserts, but we ending up sampling more. The ribeye steak was cooked to perfection and very juicy. The sweet potato was fresh and yummy and the fried pickles were tasty and tangy. The we sampled cakes and pie. What a hidden treasure in Rogersville.
Next stop - Florence.

We stayed at the Marriott Shoals in Florence. The Swampers bar in the lobby is a great place to relax and unwind with live music nightly. If you need more relaxation, the Spa offers massages, body treatments, pedicures, manicures and facials.

We had dinner at Ricatoni's in downtown Florence. The Margherita pizza was excellent as well as the bread with herbs and olive oil which is listed in the "100 Dishes To Eat in Alabama Before You Die" brochure. We then headed over to Smokehouse Billiards where we met and hear blues musician Max Russell playing, youtube video.

One more stop before heading back to the hotel for the evening. We stopped for a cup of coffee at the Rivertown Coffee Company. They are open late and have excellent lattes, coffee and hot tea.



Around 11 p.m. it was time to head back to Marriott Shoals for a good night's sleep. What a day! Tomorrow, well that's another story.

posted by: Edith Parten
PR/Media Relations
Alabama Tourism Department

The Last Day of My Internship At the Alabama Tourism Department

Posted by Alabama Tourism Department intern Brooke Franco

On the last day of my internship at the Alabama Tourism Department it is hard for me to really pin- point all of the things that I have learned, and my favorite things that I have done while I have been here. The biggest things that come to mind is how working in this industry is always about keeping and staying in contact with people, and how you must always have an open ear about what new things are happening and what is going on. I have also learned that promoting an entire state is not an easy job, and it requires an entire dedicated team which everyone working in this office has shown me this. From promoting events and cities, to creating brochures and advertisements, to coordinating tours in the state, to helping people with travel questions, managing the welcome centers to a whole lot more, I have seen how complex working in Tourism really is.
Working in Public Relations in this office is not just about doing press releases, is about doing anything and everything you can thing of to get Alabama’s name out there. It’s about finding out every new thing in the state and promoting every detail of it. It’s about offering the public a chance to see anything that Alabama has to offer and why they would want to see/be apart of it. I have also realized how staying on top of social networking groups like Twitter or Facebook are a critical part of Public Relations. As these networks have become less for entertainment use to for business use, it is a normal thing that groups like the Alabama Tourism Department use them for promoting themselves. In the work that I have done I realize how detailed you must get when writing a press release or an article for the public. Anyone out there can be convinced to attend or visit something because of the tiniest detail that they read in something that you write, therefore it’s best to leave nothing out.
This is just a sample of the things that I have learned while I have interned with this office. I have taken a lot from this internship and I will use it as I work on my plans for the future. I thank everyone in the Alabama Tourism Department for the help and the opportunities that they have given me this summer!

Meeting Governor Riley!

Posted by Alabama Tourism intern Brooke Franco:

There’s something very unique about taking a trip to the state capitol building in Montgomery. From taking in the picturesque view of it as you walk up Dexter Avenue, to climbing up the massive marble staircase at the foot of the building, to checking the time on the enormous clock on the front, to walking around the buildings tribute to all 50 United States flags, to gazing up into the mural of the history of Alabama inside the rotunda, there is just something exciting you find every time you go over to Goat Hill in Montgomery. History and stories abound from the moment you step onto the property.

I was able to take a special visit to the capitol. Ten other interns and I for the Office of the Governor were able to go and meet Governor Bob Riley in his office inside the building. We were all very excited that he was able to squeeze us in between traveling and all of his duties as Governor.

The Wednesday afternoon in July that we were to meet him we were taken into the grand reception area outside of his office to wait while he was in an important meeting. None of us said a word, as we stared at the pale yellow walls anxiously thinking about the man we had heard so much about on our internships.

When he was ready, we filed into his office and greeted him one at a time for a picture. From the second we walked into the room we found out how personable the Governor was. He talked to each of us asking where we went to school and what we were studying, things we had done on our internship, to even talking football and making jokes with us. He seemed so happy to meet us all despite how incredibly busy of a man he is. We all left his office excited at the opportunity we had just had.

Now when I take a trip to the capitol building I will always think of the day I was able to meet Governor Riley in his office. I will remember the exquisite way his office was decorated as it grandly looked out onto the grounds of the capitol. Most importantly, I will remember how happy he made a group of interns just by spending a little time with them!

A Trip to the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Plant

Posted by Alabama Tourism intern Brooke Franco:

As a part of my internship, I recently had the opportunity to visit the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant located right off I-65 outside of Montgomery. I was amazed at what I was able to see on the tour of this facility. This particular Hyundai Plant produces the Hyundai Santa Fes and Hyundai Sonatas. They offer guided one and a half hour tours Mondays-Fridays three times a day, and only one evening tour per week, with a reservation.

The tour started off as our guide gave us a brief overview of the history of Hyundai, the plant itself, and the car making process. They then showed us a brief video about how the plant was run and gave us an idea of things to look for as we were on our tour. The entire facility is huge, spanning several miles. The tours are given on trams driven by your guide and take you as up close as you can to seeing how the process is done.

I was completely amazed with the robots and the technology that the plant uses in making its cars. Hundreds of robots are used that perform jobs like welding, stamping parts of the car from steel, putting in the car consoles, and placing on the windshields, all in a matter of a few seconds.

The tour first takes you into the stamping section where steel is cut, transformed into recognizable parts of a car, and then welded on to create what looks like a car body. You are next taken into the general assembly building where the majority of the production is done. Watch as the wiring, engine, battery, seats, windows, doors, and everything else are put into the car by both workers and robots. As cars leave this building they are drivable and ready for the rigorous testing done to each vehicle. Your final stop of the tour takes you to where the engines are assembled as robots cut the parts that are assembled by team members.

Overall, I was very impressed with the tour and watching how the facility was run. I was really impressed with the fact that so many of the Hyundai team members stopped and waved to the tram as the tour passed along, and that they seemed to be so happy to have visitors. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone!