Travel through Billboards // LA comes to the Deep South

Why do we travel? There are too many reasons to list and it's different for all of us. But, within that long list, most of us would say "experiencing another culture" is a major reason. Most humans are fascinated by the way the rest of the world lives. Some of us are blessed with the time, resources, etc. to actually get out of our bubbles of normalcy and observe other cultures through travel. However, we aren't all afforded that luxury, which is one reason I'm obsessed with Los Angeles Nomadic Division's The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project featuring the work of Mario Ybarra Jr. along I-10 in Mobile, AL. The billboards allow anyone passing a billboard to peek into another culture.

Mario Ybarra Jr. (b. 1973, Los Angeles, CA; lives and works in Wilmington, CA) is a visual and performance artist, educator, founding member of Slanguage collective, and activist who combines street culture with fine art to produce site-specific urban interventions that often bring to light little-known aspects of a particular location’s cultural history. Ybarra Jr.’s chapter of The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project uses the artist’s ongoing collection of images of what he calls “barrio aesthetics” in Los Angeles. 

Ybarra Jr. is interested in inserting the daily culture and experience of one city and neighborhood into another, both contrasting and familiar... hence the use of billboards. 

I love the way the fact that the billboards not only gives the public access to art in our daily lives (commute to work, while pumping gas, etc.), but they also give every viewer a little "moment of travel" as you glance into another culture for a split second. 

This week the billboards are making their way from I-10 to downtown Mobile. Where they will make the Centre for the Living Arts their new home for the duration of the Pre-Glo exhibition, April 3 - July 25. If you are near/in/or traveling through Mobile, don't miss this opportunity to "travel through photographs" to the barrios of LA. 

-mrs.h  

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you're decked out in green so you aren't harassed in the office all day. 

{The Friendly Son's of St. Patrick in Mobile's St. Patrick's Day Parade}

As promised in my last post, we are going to make more of an effort to highlight some of our favorite things about our hometown, Mobile, AL... not just the places we travel. And, how appropriate that today is St. Patricks Day... one of Mobile's best celebrations. Most Americans think Boston, Chicago, Savannah, etc. when they think St. Patrick's Day. But, if you want a local, laid back, secretly awesome (at least it's a secret to any non-Mobilians) St. Patrick's Day, head to Mobile. The St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off the festivities and my favorite place to end the day is with a green beer at Callaghan's Irish Social Club (which is also the home of my all time favorite burger).

{Callaghan's Irish Social Club St. Patty's Celebration} 

I know it's probably too late to make it down to Mobile to celebrate tonight. But, if you're near by, hop in the car and head our way... Mobile would love to have you celebrate with us!

-mrs.h 

on a personal note...

Our apologies for the radio silence. Don't worry, we're still alive. We've just been in a major season of transition. Normally, we stick to telling you about our travels - where to eat, sleep, and play... but things have gotten so busy that we'll fill you in a little. 

To start, let's go back to February of 2013... 

We decided to move back to Mr. H's hometown - Mobile, AL. As you know, we love to travel and we're not scared to do a little "semi-permanent traveling" (a.k.a. moving). We'd lived in 3 different states in our first 3 years of marriage.  At the end of 2012, when we got the itch to move again, our thoughts immediately went to some of our favorite cities... namely, San Francisco and Denver. However, in January of 2013, two amazing opportunities opened up for us in Mobile and we headed southward. 

We'd always known we'd eventually move to Mobile because we think it's a great city with tons of potential (translation: ending up in Mobile was a prerequisite to marrying Mr. H because he has always had a slight obsession with his beloved hometown). But, seriously, Mobile does have tons of untapped potential that's waiting to come into being. For that to happen, we realized our city needed people who are willing be a part of the incubation stages of its progress. So, we packed our bags and headed to bottom tip of Alabama at the beginning of 2013. 

In January, we took some time to reflect on our first year here and it hit us... we'd been so busy traveling that we still hadn't put down roots in the city. And, if you move somewhere with the purpose of seeing that place progress, roots are necessary. Thus, our 2014 resolution was to travel less (which is incredibly strange to say as a two people who feel most alive when we're doing anything related to travel and hospitality). We're not stopping  Mr.&Mrs.H or the blog, but our travels will definitely be less frequent and more confined to the South. Plus, we'll add an extra focus on promoting what is awesome about our city! Hopefully, you'll come visit soon. But, in the meantime, thanks for reading... don't stop. We'll still have great adventures that we'll fill you in on. Also, if you're a hotelier or restauranteur, we'd still love to work with you - our consulting work is simply now confined to the weekends. 

Thanks for the patience and we'll talk soon!

-mrs.h  

our favorite winter lunch spots

{Urban Standard}

There are few things we love more than a great soup and sandwich spot in the Winter. When you are chilled to the bone, a warm sandwich and a cup of soup hits the spot like nothing else! Here are a few of our favorite soup and sandwich spots:

Souper Jenny // Atlanta, GA
Soup is not a side-note at Souper Jenny. As the name hints, soup is what Souper Jenny is all about. If you are in Hotlanta when it's not so hot, head to Souper Jenny for a cozy, healthy lunch. You won't be disappointed!

The Old Mill House Deli // Redding, CA
The Old Mill House Deli is one of our all-time favorite spots. It's a hidden jewel, which most people miss unless they happen to notice the building tucked off the highway on the way to Lake Shasta. On a cold day, our "go-to" is the French Dip Sandwich and the Clam Chowder Soup.

Urban Standard // Birmingham, AL 
Urban Standard takes soups and sandwiches and gives them a fresh twist. Their industrial-chic decor reflects their creative take on classic staples (i.e. instead of a typical chicken sandwich, Urban Standard offers a Grilled Chicken Panino with smoked bacon, caramelized onion, herbed goat cheese, and balsamic jam - yummm). And, their ever changing soup menu provides the perfect addition to any of their sandwiches or paninos.  
-mr.&mrs.h

belle chèvre // elkmont, al

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had an incredible one. We went to my hometown and spent Thanksgiving with my family. A few years ago, my parents started a new tradition called the "Christmas Adventure." They plan a surprise trip to places that are within a few hours drive from our home. This year they did the Christmas Adventure during Thanksgiving since we weren't going to be together over Christmas. 

{the cheese plate}

{honey goat cheese ice cream}

This year's adventure had two stops. The first was Belle Chèvre  in Elkmont, Alabama. Belle Chèvre is a world renowned goat cheese creamery and when you taste their cheese you know why! It's mild and each flavor (which include fig, honey, tuscan, pimento, and more) is incredibly delicious. Belle Chèvre has a small cafe (The Cheese Shop) that offers cheese plates, sandwiches, and fondue... all of which feature their cheeses. And, you can't leave the cheese shop without trying the goat cheese ice cream - it was one of the best ice creams I've ever tasted in my life!!!

{the creamery}

{cheese makers at work}

{my siblings playing with the goats}

Then we toured The Creamery, where the cheese is made. We got to peek into the cheese making and play with the goats! The Creamery is housed in Elkmont's old cotton warehouse. Belle Chèvre has done an incredible job renovating the building. If you need a day trip from TN, GA, or MS, Elkmont is in North Alabama and it's an easy drive from many surrounding cities. And, if you are a cyclist, bring your bike. The Richard Martin trail has made Elkmont a popular destination for many cycling enthusiasts. Maybe you and your family could make Belle Chèvre a Christmas Adventure of your own!
-mrs.h

hot and hot fish club: tomato salad

There are few things I crave more than Hot and Hot Fish Club's tomato salad. Everything about it embodies summer goodness. (In fact, Chef/Owner Chris Hastings describes the dish as "summer on a plate.") Ahhhh, I'm craving it just thinking about it now.

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Part of the tomato salad's beauty is the fact that you can only order it during the summer. Chef Hastings (who won the James Beard Award "Best Chef in the South" in 2012) uses local, fresh ingredients so the tomato salad only hits the menu when tomatoes are perfectly in season -- and not a day before. In fact, a few years ago, I called and asked when the salad would be on the menu. The staff member I spoke to said they hoped to have it that Friday. I made my reservation, showed up expectantly, and was greeted with the unfortunate news that Chef Hastings felt the tomatoes still weren't up to par... I'd have to wait another week. 

Chef Hastings puts the finishing touches on a Tomato Salad with Bayou La Batre Shrimp 

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The salad usually shows up on the menu in early May, but Chef Hastings has to use nearby Florida tomatoes until Alabama tomatoes ripen up in June. The tomato salad stays on the menu through September when tomato season says farewell until next year. If you've never had this salad, it's worth making a trip to Birmingham, AL to try it (plus, if you're a foodie, B'ham has so many great spots you can make a "food trip" out of the weekend). 
-mrs.h

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