More Jottings on Tennessee

Wednesday morning, we took a Blue Moon cruise on the Tennessee River with captain Dave Anderson. We saw herons swooping into their nests. It was cool. Dave told me some really great names of animal groups: a charm of hummingbirds; a murder of crows; a wake of vultures; a gaze of raccoons; a ballet of swans. Beautiful.

Moon Pies were introduced in Chattanooga in 1917. The company says they were popular with coal miners and laborers. The line goes far beyond original chocolate-covered marshmallow now. You can get banana; orange; vanilla; peanut butter; mint; and varied sizes, like minis and double-deckers. We popped into the Moon Pie store--Kim, a writer from Michigan, got Moon Pie earrings. I won't lie. Moon Pie fans need to taste the Nabisco Mallomar if they like marshmallow and chocolate!!!

The Tennessee Aquarium has penguins, jellyfish, seahorses and fiddler Matt Downer, who plays a few days a week in the Tennessee River Valley exhibit area. I loved hearing him play "Oh Susanna" as we walked around. Felt like I stepped back to a simpler time. Here's a YouTube link to him playing banjo. Figgy would have dug all the sea life.

 

And if you're in Chattanooga, I recommend Urban Stack Burger Lounge restaurant for a hearty side of Gouda creamed corn, made with sweet white corn and melty Gouda. They serve their burgers on white and whole-wheat buns specially baked by Niedlov's Breadworks on Main Street. The Niedlov's guy told us Urban Stack requested a roll sturdy enough to handle serious burger toppings and a little firm because the meat is juicy. Challenge met. I had the whole wheat. The burger place also serves bacon-infused martinis and lots of local brews. Speaking of bacon, Link Forty One, a sausage shop on Main Street, served us excellent baconage--sausage made with ground bacon and sorghum.

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the park. Hard to be back after all that time off.
2. Walked Sug around block.
3. Watered garden.
4. Took nap.  
5. Went shoe shopping with Pats--a very quick jaunt--because have work interview on Monday and my shoes were worn. We went to DSW--Designer Shoe Warehouse in Paramus. Really well-stocked, good amount of size 11s and substantial markdowns.