Dirkmonster

Lovin' Louisville KY

A September weekend in Louisville blessed us with with a wide range of experiences, from family time in a wooded park to modern art.  Legendary baseball bats to Brazilian inspired communion.  Surrounded by a giant soap bubble to Victorian architecture. We topped it off with a gourmet breakfast in a quirky cafe.

 

Here's a link to a set of pictures on Flickr.

Good eats and more runway room at Nashville International Airport

We are not flying this holiday season (so far).  For that I'm thankful this Thanksgiving.

That said, I have been in and out of Nashville International Airport a couple times this fall and my experience has been quite positive.  In addition, my office is virtually at the end of a runway so I see airplanes taking off and landing every day I'm here.  Here are two things I've noticed, one inside and one outside:

Inside, there are many more food choices conveniently arrayed in a new food court.  I'm impressed and apparently so are the judges.

Secondly, and just in time for the holidays, runway 2R-20L has reopened.  2R-20L is the single runway on the east side of Donelson Pike.  It and another of BNA's 4 runway's have been closed for most of this year for construction related to safety regulations.  There should be fewer flights that have to wait to land or take off this holiday season.

Get all the latest Nashville International Airport information.

Late Summer Vacation

This is probably the last post Labor Day week at the beach for awhile.  Next fall, Ross will begin school and we'll be on their schedule.  For now anyway, it works.

We returned to High Point on Seacrest Beach for the third time in the last four years.  We really like the place.  It's an easy 9 hour drive from Nashville.  The condo complex is very nice - the high point is the pool. It's a lagoon style pool with a big waterfall.  The beach has the classic white sugary sand found on the gulf coast of Florida.

I imagine we'll be back next summer - just a little bit earlier! See pics.

To Little Rock and Back

Here's how you manage a 36 hour road trip to Little Rock and back:

7AM: Drive from the southwest side of Nashville to the southeast side of Nashville for to pick up a rental car at the airport.

9:30AM: Drive back through the west side on I-40.  Get used to I-40.

11:30am: Pull off in Jackson, TN for lunch. Exit 80A is the one.  Many options, the best I think in this situation is Chick-Fil-A, however it's closed for remodeling. Huh.  So it's a lay-up to Wendy's. Eat behind the wheel.

11:40pm: Plug your iPod in through the stereo system. Over the air radio sucks when you've moving that fast.  Shuffle play is the way to go - and if you're alone, sing really loud.

12:30: Slow way down in Memphis as you navigate exits and construction just to stay on I-40.  Very strange how that Interstate routes through Memphis and the construction has been going on for years, has it not?

1:00pm: Since you got the Biggie size coke in Jackson, make sure to stop and pee before you get past exit 280 in Arkansas. The lovely community of West Memphis is really your last practical shot before you set off across the farmlands of eastern Arkansas.

3:00pm: If you're making decent time, don't get too disappointed when you get stuck in a contruction traffic jam (paving) even though they're not paving.  That costs you 30 minutes even though you're 10 miles from LR.

3:30: Check in to the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown LR on President Clinton Ave.  I'm a fan of the Courtyard for it's comfortable beds and pillows.

6:30: Wrap up your business and head out for team building activities. Recommended: Flying Saucer, The Underground (try hard to win at darts), and the bar at the Peabody.

Next day: Up early, clear head with coffee and coca-cola back to back.

1:00pm - finish up business and grab lunch at Sticky Fingers. Choose your flavor of chicken fingers, choose your flavor of sauces. (When making these choices, keep in mind you're staring down the barrell of another 5 hour+ roadie.)

2:30pm - Hit the road with a purpose for making time. Plug iPod back in on shuffle

4:15pm - Say hi again to the Mississippi river as you say goodbye to Arkansas. Making GREAT time.

5:00pm - Fight sleepiness. Worry that you may actually fall asleep at the wheel.

5:30pm - Around exit 118, stop and grap a mountain dew and a large dairy queen cone. Sleepiness issue solved.

7:00pm - Roll back into the driveway on the west side of town having arranged to return the car in the morning.

11:00pm - Blog it for all the world to enjoy.