Ain't Nothing Like 'Em Nowhere
And I can finally attest to the validity of that statement - after nearly nine years of waiting, I can honestly say to you, ladies and gentlemen, that no, there really ain't nothing like 'em nowhere.
Two nights ago, I sat down at a table in the corner by the potbellied stove (after waiting outside in the cold for 30 minutes before the policeman/bouncer/greeter let us in) and drank in the atmosphere that is Dreamland Barbecue in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
From the outside, Dreamland is nothing more than a shack, but from the inside...Dreamland is nothing more than a shack. Phillip had prepared me for this, however, and I was actually excited about that as some of my best eating experiences have been in some pretty "shabby" places. Now, Phillip had also warned me that all I would be eating was MEAT and BREAD and that I might get a drink "if I was lucky."
A few minutes after being seated, our waitress came over to inform us that we could get “a rack and 2 drinks for $23.17”. (I thought about asking for mashed potatoes and green beans, but Phillip had also warned me that requesting a side item might get me thrown out. Having seen the size of the guy at the front door, I wasn’t prepared to take any chances just for the sake of a laugh.)
After a couple of minutes, our waitress brought us two plates of what appeared to be Sunbeam sandwich bread and 4 little cups of barbecue sauce. Sandwich bread? Really? OK, so it was the best bread I have ever put in my mouth. No joke. I’m talking Fresh-From-the Baker’s-Oven Fresh. Dipping it in the sauce made it absolutely divine.
The four of us - Jeremy, Marsha, Phillip and I- polished off both plates of bread and asked for more just before the 2 heaping plates of ribs arrived. Now, I wasn’t expecting beef ribs – I’m not even sure that I’d ever had beef ribs before – but these things were huge. I am here to tell you that these things were fantastic. I am not even a “rib girl”, if you will, but these ribs were amazing. They were so good I even bought a T-shirt to commemorate the event. Yes, I did. It's definitely the kind of place everyone should go at least once in their lifetime. I just hope I don't have to wait nine more years to go back!
The rest of the weekend with the family was really nice. It was just too rushed, as all weekend trips are. The wedding was the main event, of course, and it was at 5:00 which unfortunately was Jack’s dinner time. He was a trooper, as he always is, and waited to eat until we got back to the hotel.
One thing this weekend taught me is that I will always pack for both warm and cold weather no matter what the weatherman says. Tuscaloosa’s forecast for Saturday was sunny and 70 degrees. So, having dressed accordingly, you can imagine our discomfort when it was actually drizzly and 50 degrees. Having a baby on antibiotics for fluid on his ears, wearing short sleeves with no jacket did not a happy mommy make! (Thank goodness the GrandDuncans brought bags of consignment clothing which just so happened to contain a jacket!) I feel like I ended up playing Crazy Overprotective Parent because of my fear that he will develop a full -blown ear infection. I did everything short of keeping Jack in the car all day to keep him out of the elements. Oh, well.
Needless to say, my baby boy seems no worse for the wear and he and his cousin Spencer were able to play together and “get to know” each other again since having seen each other at Thanksgiving. They are only 5 weeks apart, and Marsha and I talked this weekend about how we hope they will grow up to be close. Jack is Mr. Laid-back, while Spencer is Very Intense. It’s funny to watch them and see the differences in their personalities shine through. They are both definitely a chip off the old block! I have posted a picture of them below, taken just as they were getting reacquainted.
My eyes are getting heavy, so as I close tonight, I want to say to anyone who might be reading just how much I love my husband. I do not deserve Phillip’s goodness, and I am grateful that he is the love of my life. We learned today of a good friend who is in the midst of a failing marriage. As we ache for him, I am reminded of the blessing that Phillip has always been since the day he walked into my life.
G’night.
Two nights ago, I sat down at a table in the corner by the potbellied stove (after waiting outside in the cold for 30 minutes before the policeman/bouncer/greeter let us in) and drank in the atmosphere that is Dreamland Barbecue in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
From the outside, Dreamland is nothing more than a shack, but from the inside...Dreamland is nothing more than a shack. Phillip had prepared me for this, however, and I was actually excited about that as some of my best eating experiences have been in some pretty "shabby" places. Now, Phillip had also warned me that all I would be eating was MEAT and BREAD and that I might get a drink "if I was lucky."
A few minutes after being seated, our waitress came over to inform us that we could get “a rack and 2 drinks for $23.17”. (I thought about asking for mashed potatoes and green beans, but Phillip had also warned me that requesting a side item might get me thrown out. Having seen the size of the guy at the front door, I wasn’t prepared to take any chances just for the sake of a laugh.)
After a couple of minutes, our waitress brought us two plates of what appeared to be Sunbeam sandwich bread and 4 little cups of barbecue sauce. Sandwich bread? Really? OK, so it was the best bread I have ever put in my mouth. No joke. I’m talking Fresh-From-the Baker’s-Oven Fresh. Dipping it in the sauce made it absolutely divine.
The four of us - Jeremy, Marsha, Phillip and I- polished off both plates of bread and asked for more just before the 2 heaping plates of ribs arrived. Now, I wasn’t expecting beef ribs – I’m not even sure that I’d ever had beef ribs before – but these things were huge. I am here to tell you that these things were fantastic. I am not even a “rib girl”, if you will, but these ribs were amazing. They were so good I even bought a T-shirt to commemorate the event. Yes, I did. It's definitely the kind of place everyone should go at least once in their lifetime. I just hope I don't have to wait nine more years to go back!
The rest of the weekend with the family was really nice. It was just too rushed, as all weekend trips are. The wedding was the main event, of course, and it was at 5:00 which unfortunately was Jack’s dinner time. He was a trooper, as he always is, and waited to eat until we got back to the hotel.
One thing this weekend taught me is that I will always pack for both warm and cold weather no matter what the weatherman says. Tuscaloosa’s forecast for Saturday was sunny and 70 degrees. So, having dressed accordingly, you can imagine our discomfort when it was actually drizzly and 50 degrees. Having a baby on antibiotics for fluid on his ears, wearing short sleeves with no jacket did not a happy mommy make! (Thank goodness the GrandDuncans brought bags of consignment clothing which just so happened to contain a jacket!) I feel like I ended up playing Crazy Overprotective Parent because of my fear that he will develop a full -blown ear infection. I did everything short of keeping Jack in the car all day to keep him out of the elements. Oh, well.
Needless to say, my baby boy seems no worse for the wear and he and his cousin Spencer were able to play together and “get to know” each other again since having seen each other at Thanksgiving. They are only 5 weeks apart, and Marsha and I talked this weekend about how we hope they will grow up to be close. Jack is Mr. Laid-back, while Spencer is Very Intense. It’s funny to watch them and see the differences in their personalities shine through. They are both definitely a chip off the old block! I have posted a picture of them below, taken just as they were getting reacquainted.
My eyes are getting heavy, so as I close tonight, I want to say to anyone who might be reading just how much I love my husband. I do not deserve Phillip’s goodness, and I am grateful that he is the love of my life. We learned today of a good friend who is in the midst of a failing marriage. As we ache for him, I am reminded of the blessing that Phillip has always been since the day he walked into my life.
G’night.
Posted By Mary Alice at 11:28 PM
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