Updated Site is now up!

As you can all see the updating site, with new directories is now officially up. You can now just click on the state or country that you want to view. I have also been to a few more places and within the next day or so I will be starting to post again!

Updates

Hey everyone, as you can all tell I have done some redesign of the site. I'm also working to make the directory of places page better and easier to navigate. I will be getting back to posting new places and doing it at a better rate. I will be leaving to head to Georgia next week which should give me a ton of new and interesting places to tell you about. Please keep coming back for my updates. I promise they are coming soon!

Half Shell- Troy Alabama

Well once again I am going to tell you about a place in Troy Alabama. During my trip to Troy I have to admit there wasn't much to do there. So I already told you about one restaurant but now I will tell you about another. This one is yet another seafood place. It's called Half Shell, it's an oyster bar. Now I have to admit I'm not a fan of oysters, but I hear they have the best oysters. But from my own experience they have amazing, shrimp. And if you aren't big on seafood they do have salads and pasta. I did try the pasta and it was very good. It's small and it's set up more like a small local place, which I love. They do have a bar and TVs that will usually have sports on them. Thier prices are very reasonable, and a family could easily afford to go there and enjoy a nice dinner. They service was great, the waitress was friendly and we didn't have to wait long for the food. We never had to try and flag her down. The place is clean as well, there is nothing worse that going to a restaurant and then seeing that the place is dirty or the tables need to be cleaned. Make sure to call in advance for hours.

(334) 566-1254


119 Southland Vlg, #C, Troy, AL

Mossy Grove Schoolhouse Restaurant- Troy Alabama

Sorry everyone for the delay in between posts. Usually I am much better but the past few weeks I have been traveling here and there and am just not back at home with any time on my hands to post of my adventures. I just got back from Troy Alabama. Yeah you are more than likley thinking the same thing I was "what in the world is in Troy Alabama?" Well in answer to your questions not much. Unless of course you are heading to the University. Although to be honest the town does have some good things about it, the downtown area is quite nice with a few littles shops and a couple of restaurants. However if you happen to find yourself in the area for any reason I would say make a point of stopping by the Mossy Grove Schoolhouse Restaurant. It's not a very big restaurant, but the atmosphere is amazing. The restuarant is in an old schoolhouse building (hence the name), and the decorations are that of old country items. Farm tools, school house items, photos, and things of that nature. I'm not a big fan of seafood myself, but I have to admit this place was amazing. Aside from offering chicken fingers and some side dishes they really don't offer anything that isn't seafood, so keep that in mind before you go. However if you do go, one thing to not pass up on is the sweet potato fries. They were awesome. I usually do not eat all of my food when I go out to eat, I just find that I'm full and can't finish. This food was so good I made myself finish all of it. Sweet Potato Fries and Catfish. The shrimp of any kind is also like nothing I have ever had anywhere else. I live in the south, right on the beach and I tell you this is the best seafood I have had. One thing is make sure you call ahead to see when they are open they can keep odd hours and aren't open everyday.

1841 AL Hwy 87

Troy, AL 36079

(334) 566-4921

North Point Mall/Shops-Atlanta GA

Ok so I just got back from a few day trip to Atlanta. The place I'm going to tell you about isn't actually in Atlanta but it's the Atlanta area. Alpharetta is where this is. And to be honest I hate shopping, I can't tell you how much I hate it, but this mall is really nice and I enjoyed just walking around it and looking in the stores that aren't located where I live. Northpoint Mall, and the surrounding shopping areas. The mall itself is two stories and has a lot of the more common department stores but it also has stores that not all areas have. I hate to say it, but the area I live in has very little on the nice stores front so this was a treat for me. If you have a little girl they do have an American girl store and bistro, I didn't go it in, but it's suppose to be very nice. Some of the stores that you may know what they are are, Apple, Macy's, Banana Republic, Brookstone, Oakley, Coach, Pottery Barn, The Disney Store, Pottery Barn Kids, Sephora, Godiva (one of my favorites), H&M, Williams Sonoma, and a ton of other places that I know I always forget to mention. The mall itself is really nice and you can go and just walk around and look in the stores. So many malls I have been to seem run down and don't really have much to offer if you just want to go and look around. This mall however is one that I would say if you like shopping you should stop at and take a look. However it's not just the mall itself that is worth a stop, they stores that are around the mall are worth looking at as well. Crate and Barrel, Dick's Sporting Goods, and some other places that maybe don't seem special to some people. Best Buy, TJ Max, Marshalls, Sports Authority, Target etc....

Alpharetta seems to be a really nice place and within this shopping area there is a lot of food places as well. If you are anything like me and love Cheesecake take a trip to the Cheesecake Factory. If I could have I would have eaten it everyday I was there at every meal. Bahama Breeze is another place I was told was good. California Pizza Kitchen has also gotten good reviews from people I know.

If you want to find out more about the North Point Mall go to http://www.northpointmall.com/

Scottish Rite Temple Mobile Alabama

Me, being a huge fan of anything and everything Egyptian was very excited to find this place. It was built in 1921 to be used as a meeting place for Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The same person that designed the Bellingrath Home (also in Mobile) designed this building, George Bigelow Rogers. The building was inspired by the architecture of Karnak, and has many features seen in Ancient Egyptian architecture. Two sphinxes are on either said of the door. And two obelisk site atop the building, (these were orginally used at chimneys). The Temple is the only remaining Egyptian revival style building in the city.

When I went to see this building I was thinking that I would get to see the outside of it and take a few photos and be done. I was shooting for a school project and needed something different as far as architecture goes. I got there and while I was shooting a man noticed me, and I realized

that he was waiting to put up a banner on the building. He came over and we started talking and he was telling me that he actually has a store in the Temple. It's a train store, he sells train cars and other things. This was a couple years ago so I'm not sure if he's still there, but if he is go to the Temple on a Thursday and you may get to go inside. I went inside and the inside is beautiful, and yet a little creepy. It's not a place I would want to be by myself. The floor when you walk in has some very detailed tile and design. I am not sure what the meaning was, but it looks like something I don't want to stand in the middle of. The store owner also show me some secret passages, that are in between the walls. I was not brave enough to travel down them to see what was there or even just to say I did. I have a couple of photos of the outside however these photos do not so the building justice, they are simple scanned copies of on contact sheets. If you're in Mobile make sure you stop by and see it, even if it's not on a day when you can go inside. It's located at the corner of N Claiborne and St. Francis Street.

Cathedral of Immaculate Conception - Mobile Alabama

Located in Mobile Alabama the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception is a must see if you are planning a trip to Mobile. The entire church is full of history and beauty. From the first time I saw the church on the outside I knew it was something special. I would use the word breathtaking to describe it, although I'm sure not everyone would agree. If you do get the chance to see it, make sure to take a walk in cathedral square located just across from the cathedral itself, when doing this take note of the beautiful towers. These towers can be seen from the bayway when crossing from Daphne to Mobile. When you walk in the doors, stop and take a good look around, make sure you look straight down the middle of the church, the first time I visited this church I think I stood in that exact place for at least twenty minutes. The design and the colors that surround the entire church are something I have not seen anywhere else. Be sure to walk straight to the alter and turn around, it's yet another sight that is well worth seeing. Make sure to take a complete look around, many of the statues and shrines are magnificent and very detailed. If you can also go upstairs just to get a different view and take a close look at the ceilings, the upstairs is not always open so cross you fingers you have come on a good day.

There are two things that if you visit this church I recommend you taking a view moments to look at. One is the crypt, I believe it will be on the left side of the alter, you will see a spiral stairway going down. You will not actually be able to enter the crypt but you can see the crypt. The reason I recommend going down to see this is the mosiac that is in the crypt, yes you will still be able to see if. Two take a few moments and look at the stained glass windows. The are from Munich Germany and were installed starting in 1890 and the were finished in 1910.

 Each window depicts Mary with Jesus. There are twelve windows in all, six on the south side, and six on the north side. The title on the windows are as follows. South side windows are Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Presentation of Mary at the Temple, the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity of Jesus, and the Holy Family. North side windows are Finding of the Child Jesus at the Temple, the Marriage Feast of Cana, the Crucifixion of Jesus, Pentecost, the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, and the Coronation of Mary, Queen of Heaven. These are not the only windows to take notice of however, do not miss the windows at the front entrance of the church they are in my opinon the most beautiful windows in the church. One very important thing to remember when visiting this church is that it is a working church and please be respectful when you visit of the time, and how you behave. The church is free to visit and located at



2 South Claiborne Street
Mobile, AL 36602

Welcome, Please Leave Brain Here

Hello, so this is my first blog I just randomly decide to make one. I was thinking the other day that I love traveling but sometimes it seems like it's hard to find what other people think about places and what kinds of things I should try and make sure I have with me. We have all had those moments, where we know where we are going and the purpose but we find ourselves somewhere ready to go to a water park on vacation only to realize a swimsuit is the only thing we left at home, or you're standing in the middle of the snow thinking "my jacket is hanging on the rack by the door so I don't forget it". I was going to Disneyworld a few years ago and saw a sign that said "Please leave brain here", and to be honest I'm sure we have all had those moment where you know you must have left your brain at home. You know the moment where you turn into the tourist that when you're at home you make fun of. So the more I thought about it the more I wanted to write about my travels and places I loved and the ones I hated, and what you should bring with you. I love going to places like theme parks as well as the more off the wall places or historic places. I love it all. I'll make posts of places I have been and when I go somewhere new I'll post that as soon as I can. Sometimes it may be a city or town and other times I may focus on one certain place to visit in a city. I'll have photos, maps of where I have been, and information that hopefully you will find useful. So please make sure you check back.