Friday, October 21, 2011

Small Town

I've been pretty worthless today. I've got a deadline whizzing up like a Catfish Hunter fastball and I can't seem to get in gear. So, when the going gets tough, the tough goes to lunch.
And that's what I did. We went to the historical district of Apex, North Carolina and walked up and down the street. 
We walked by a frozen yogurt place, and ice cream shop, a couple pizza places, but we ducked into Salem Street Pub. 
We talked to the waitress (Kelly) about the choices, and we both decided on Carolina Burgers which had chili, cole slaw, and some other stuff on there. As I always say, you can't fly on one wing.
It tasted good but I felt like I needed a shower when I finished eating and by the time we made it back to the hotel, I felt like an arterial gram might be in order,  and my stomach made it clear to me that I need to be more mindful of my nutritional choices. So I snorted a few Tums and soon began to feel better.
Jilda's class started at 6 this evening but she got out at 9 so I drove down to fetch her. I was a bit early so I walked down the street to the Salem Street Pub where the live music was just starting. 
I stood outside for a while and listened. I hadn't worn a jacket and regretted the decision. As I headed back up the street I saw Jilda walking out of class and heading toward the car. The heater felt good on my feet.
Earlier I stopped by Whole Foods and picked up some hummus, pita chips, cheddar cheese, and some fancy~smanchy crackers.
When we got back to the room tonight, we snacked on the chips, hummus and fruit that we'd scored down in the lobby.
Sitting here tonight trying to think about a topic, I thought back over the day and our short tour of Apex. We only touched on the historical section but what we saw was interesting ~ lots of shops, antique stores, eating places, and art/gallery places.
It occurred to me that this is exactly what Jasper (the town near where I live) is trying to do -- to bring people downtown to eat, shop, listen to music, and spend time -- a place with a little culture, and not just a place to do commerce.
I'm guessing it's not an easy thing to do because until you get enough people, businesses, and activity going on, so that it's not only profitable for the business but also a unique experience for the visitors, the people won't come.
It was not my intention to start delving into city planning and urban renewal, but it's nice to see a place that seems to have gotten it right. There is nothing better than walking around and soaking up the ambiance of a small town.


++++++++++++
Phil Campbell update -- They moved into second place today and only a few thousand votes behind the leader. 
I am so excited for these kids. I'm going to continue to remind my blog buddies to keep voting because the huge schools can turn the tide in a heartbeat. But for right now, I feel really good for their chances.


Phil Campbell High School  Vote Here





12 comments:

  1. Rick! Sorry I just read your comment on my blog! Did not know you were going to be in the area...Apex is a really nice area. If you and Jilda are looking for any other places to dine give me a hollah! I'll try and ck later tonight or early tomorrow. All the family is coming in for Elise's birthday so I've been cleaning, shopping, cleaning, cooking, cleaning...yep that's about it. Downtown Raleigh has fun spots to eat, imbibe and enjoy near the area called Moore's Square. There is a new Restaurant called Relish that has some good food for reasonable $6-$14 or so. Fried green tomaters with their special Come Back sauce are good appetizers. Anyway...have fun in NC and next time maybe we can set up some time to meet. Tell Jilda hi and she is my YOGA warrior!
    Hugs~

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  2. Gee Andy, that sounds like a good day spent in Mayberry! Love that small town, nostalgic feel - like stepping back to a slower, simpler time. It's a great way to clear your mind and recharge the brain cells. Enjoy!

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  3. I love small towns for exploring as well...just wish I had the time to do more of it.
    And I just voted again.
    Thanks for the reminders!

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  4. You certainly do seem to be enjoying your food lately my friend! (I'm remembering the lunch that you had without Jilda the other day). Just to let you know that I have voted for Philadelphia several times, either through you, or through Sush. I really do hope that they do well.

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  5. Rick..lol I just re-read my post and was cking to see if you saw it when I realized I made it sound like Relish was in downtown Raleigh. It's not...it's in the area known as N Raleigh...but easy to find. Batistella's in the New Orleans restaurant in Moore's Square and they have some Irish Pubs..and lots more!

    Have fun!

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  6. Sounds like a really lovely town - easy on the chillies and other stuff too though..! :-)

    Take care
    x

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  7. Ah Rick, you're a man after my own heart. What a wonderful way to spend the day.

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  8. sounds a good plan for a small town and I hope as much as we support Campbell School, more entrepreneurs with the same thoughts would support the plan for Jasper...

    JJRod'z

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  9. Anonymous3:07 PM

    It seems like you've had a good day! I prefer small towns before larger places. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

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  10. I'm pretty worthless today and every day, but at least I can say I voted for Phil!

    Love,
    Lola

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  11. No I didn't change my lay out - I did try dragging it to look at something but changed it back to the original one - and I am not getting my comments mailed to me - even though I have that on my settings.

    Thank you. sandie

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  12. I'm liking the sound of those burgers. Yum.

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