TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS

ALTON BROWN COOKING SHOW

The Savvy Old Lady — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:22:00 GMT

Alton Brown Cooking Show
Part of the Celebrity Chef Show Series
At the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center
Nashville TN

Alton Brown, The Rock Star of Cooking? You would think that after this fabulously staged and performed 90 minute show. Alton Brown, well known for his long running show “Good Eats” on the Food Network ™, now tours America doing a cooking show. Truth be told though (as Mr. Brown might put it) it is more of an upbeat comedy show featuring food. The audience for this show was certainly as eclectic and diverse as you might see at a rock concert. This show truly underscores American’s love affair with food and for food as theater.

The well done staging at the Gaylord Opryland Resort where I viewed the Nashville production looked more like a Rock-Star set than a set you would see on The Food Network or even the campy Iron Chef program. Mr. Brown, attired in a Hawaiian Shirt, casual blond hair and semi-neat blond beard, looked more like one of the Beach Boys than a food expert. The intro music was loud, the lights were electrifying and the tempo was as high energy as any rock concert you might want to attend. In this high-energy format Mr. Brown is unique in the culinary world as being in his element.

Mr. Brown demoed three “recipes” a cheese appetizer, a meat dish and a sorbet. But these were prepared with his Mad-Scientist-Of-Food flair.

The first was a cheese appetizer dish. This concoction was actually a “fresh” prepared whipped cheese whose main component was powdered aged-cheese and smoke and was dispensed using one of those metal squirt bottles most folks use to prepare fresh carbonated water for cocktails…you know the one’s powered with a nitrous-oxide cartridge. While not very good eats it did allowed for a long rift of jokes about processed foods, nitrous-oxide, crackers and smoke-pipes.

The next delicacy was barbecued beef-ribs, (didn’t anyone tell him he was doing this show in The South, where real barbeque-men don’t eat beef ribs? It’s Pork, Alton, PORK.). This dish was prepared using the exacting science of slow cooking – ala Mr. Brown style. The cross-cut ribs were given a wet-rub marinade (again, Mr. Brown, it is The South…please, next time you come to town, use a dry rub!) and then sealed the meat in an industrial weight plastic vacuum bag. This was immersed in the water bath at precisely 150-degrees for 18 hours. Mr. Brown speculated, as only he could, or would, that this immersion technique, while a bit pricey and unusual is the wave of the future for ultra-slow cooking. To get a gander of the kind of immersion cooker used here take a look at www.polyscience.com, they makes these gizmos for labs.

Next, and a real favorite with the numerous young adult fans here, was the sorbet preparation. Specifically it was a Red-Bull™ sorbet. Yes Sir, a sorbet of that rather obnoxious tasting “energy” drink so popular with the burn-the-candle-at-both-ends set. For this Mr. Brown brought his interesting knowledge of chemistry to the party. Apparently, as Mr. Brown was experimenting with preparing this item (based on a dare by one of his compatriots) he was having trouble making the frozen concoction smooth out, like the refined sorbet rather than a frozen slurpy drink from the local mall. Ah, yes, chemistry knowledge! What will depress the freezing point of the water allowing it to whip more finely while being super quick chilled by some frozen carbon dioxide, (a.k.a., dry-ice)? Yes, of course alcohol, in this case a bit of Jagermeister. The audience went wild, and the lighting guy went crazy, when Mr. Brown doused the sorbet ingredients mixing up in the high powered Mixmaster with the dry-ice and huge amounts of stage-smoke billowed out across the stage. It was a sight even the greatest rock band would love!

GOOD SHOW, ALTON.

Mr. Brown is a quick on his feet. He encouraged and took a lot of questions from the 60 or so onstage audience (who paid a well worth it premium to sit up close and personal) and from the 750 or so in the audience on the main floor. Questions ranged from those about how he got started in this line of work, to what the maximum amount of Jagermeister the Red Bull sorbet might be able to hold. One super hilarious moment came from a rather urban looking twenty-something, who deadpan asked Mr. Brown if, “He and the other chefs at The Food Network get together for pot-luck meals every now and then”. Mr. Brown absolutely lost it at this question. After a bit of quipping about the imagery of him and Giada DeLaurentiis private jetting over to visit with Mario, he noted; “Sir, I can’t even get a table at most of their restaurants!” Another question shed some insight on to the roots of Mr. Brown’s fascination with science. No, as some, including I speculated, he was not a NASA scientist before show biz, but had a love of chemistry gleaned as a young and rather mischievous boy growing up in rural Georgia, where his primary passion was making small explosive devices and surprising his neighbors. Ah, Mr. Brown – quite a career turn around there I would say.

If you are an Alton Brown or cooking show aficionado or if you just love lighthearted high energy showmanship catch Mr. Brown’s show. You might not get a good new recipe but you sure will get a belly full of laughs.

There are several shows in the Gaylord Opryland Celebrity Chef and cooking demo series over the year. Check them out at http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/. While I am sure most are not as humorous as this one is they all are entertaining and highlight America’s new passion, cooking for fun.

NASHVILLE’S BEST KEPT SECRET…AN OLD FASHIONED COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

The Savvy Old Lady — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:22:00 GMT

If you are running around stressed out and caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season you might want to take a breather for a few days and find the true spirit of Christmas in Nashville, Tennessee. Recently The Crabby Old Guy and I moved to Nashville where he took a position at Belmont University. After living in New York, Maine and Florida we really didn’t know what to expect in Tennessee. Oh yes, our first thoughts were of country music, the Grand Ole Opry and southern cooking but we were pleasantly surprised to find a truly cosmopolitan city. Music is the soul of this city and its people but it’s not just country music. Every venue of music can be found here from classical, contemporary, rock, rap, jazz to country. Just visit Music Row and you will find yourself swaying to the beats of your favorite music.

Christmas in Nashville will remind you of all those wonderful Christmas’ you experienced from your childhood. Yes, all those memories will come flooding back and a true Christmas spirit that actually fills the air with joy, hope and great anticipation will welcome you. If you are looking for a secular “winter festival” approach you won’t find it in this city. Beautiful decorations can be found everywhere and the malls are decked with holly. Don’t hesitate to bring your children for this is truly a family friendly city.

It didn’t take much to get The Crabby Old Guy and me into the Christmas spirit this year and we decided to attend some of the major events in the area. Our first stop was Gaylord’s Opryland Hotel and Resort where we spent over an hour just walking around the hotel and marveling at the decorations and their two million lights. Would you believe that the hotel is decorated with 11 miles of garland and 9 miles of hand tied ribbon? Surely Santa won’t have a problem finding Nashville this year since the sky is alive with this sparkl ing scene.   In the main lobby you can find Santa sitting on his throne greeting all the children and adults while Christmas music plays softly.



Our next stop was Gaylord’s Hall of Trees. Gaylord Opryland Hotel has graciously donated the use of one of their ballrooms for the purpose of displaying more than twenty lavishly decorated Christmas trees (with some incredible presents included) which are sponsored by local community corporations and auctioned on-line with all proceeds going to different charities. I do believe that even Santa would be impressed and touched by the beauty and generosity of this fundraiser. You can go to www.halloftrees.com and take a peek at the trees and if you want you can even place a bid.

The New York Rockettes Christmas Show was a must in our book. Since both Crabby and I were born in New York City visiting Rockefeller Center and going to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes perform was an annual Christmas event that we will always cherish. So being able to see the New York Rockettes perform live at the Grand Ole Opry was an absolute delight. I must admit The March of the Wooden Soldiers is just as spectacular in Nashville as it is in New York although there are fewer Rockettes performing.

Believe me when I tell you that I have saved the best for last...The ICE Extravaganza. Two million pounds of ice has been dyed and sculpted by 90 Chinese artisans into the bigger than life story of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Mrs. Geisel, Dr. Seuss’ widow helped with the designing of the exhibit and informed all that Dr. Seuss had always wanted to see his book come alive in ice. You truly do not have to be a child to enjoy this extravaganza because once you have seen it your “inner child” will come shining through. As people (adults and children) line up to enter the exhibit, which is kept at a constant 15 degrees, they are handed a hooded coat to wear inside to keep them comfortably warm. Going through this display is like falling asleep and waking up in your own private fairy tale. The expression on the faces of the children and adults is truly one of wonder and awe. My only regret was that I didn’t try one of the three ice slides in Whoville but I guess I’ll just have to leave that little treat for my children and grandson to try. At the end of the show is a life sized Nativity scene carved out of clear ice and it is fabulous.

As the old song goes “...these are a few of my favorite things...” Yes, Nashville is celebrating Christmas and the residents and tourists are thrilled with the opportunity to step back and enjoy the true meaning of the season. I am just amazed that this cosmopolitan city is capable of bringing all of us back to a time when life was simpler and joy was the order of the day. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays All!

Hugs,

The Savvy Old Lady©

THREE DAY TOUR OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Savvy Old Lady — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:45:00 GMT

Guest Blog by Larry

Hi guys. We just returned for three days in our nations capital. I must say Washington is a great city to see. The richness of history and its well organized scheme of things makes it a dream for touring.

We flew from ORD to Reagan NS and due to catching a tailwind our take off to touch down time was an astounding 1 hr, 15 min. After collecting our luggage we met a driver who offered to take us to our hotel for $24.00 which seemed reasonable. Now I knew he was a bit shall I say clever because he was driving a hotel shuttle van and we were not going to that hotel but he was making a buck on the side and there was no one waiting for us so off we went. It was only today I found out he had taken us for a ride in more ways than one as a regular taxie fare was only $17.00. Oh well not so bad I suppose. Its not like I bought a time share that vanished into thin air you know.

We spent day one (Sat.) or what was left of it touring. Places we saw included the Washington monument which by law is the tallest structure in DC, some 555 ft. in height. We also saw the WW II memorial and the White House. What I found very interesting and puzzling is that on the street fronting of the White House were about 10 guys playing skate or roller hockey. I would have thought access there would be tighter and though there were guards everywhere I was amused by this. I wonder who those guys were that they could be doing this so close to the home of our nations leader. Oh well. What I found in DC was that most cabbies I met are from Ethiopia so of course I asked one about a good Ethiopian restaurant. Well as it turns out one was nearby our hotel so our first dinner out was at a local place called Lalabela which was also recommended to us by friends who used to live nearby in Virginia. I must say and this is a matter of personal taste of course we were disappointed. My wife ordered a vegetable dish and I a beef dish. The entrees for both of us came presented over a flat Ethiopian bread on one plate. This part was fine but the bread was actually cool to touch and spongy, a texture we are not used too. All in all it was OK and the Ethiopian beer went well. BTW this place is local in every sense. Don't expect to see many tourists here. This a gathering place for the local Ethiopian community and as such I found that part pretty neat.

Day two, Sun., was a day for us to see the museums. Our first stop was what I think is a must see, the Holocaust museum. The lines are longest here and entrance is, like all the government museums free of charge. No pictures are allowed. What you see here is stunning. Before beginnig you can take an identity card if you wish. This has a bio of a person who was a victim and gives a brief story of the tragedy of their lives.

Our next stop was the Smithsonian castle for a brief tour, the Museum of African Art followed by the Air and Space Museum. This last one was really neat. Inside you will see all sorts of planes and space craft including Sputnik, WW I and WW II fighter planes, the Spirit of St. Louis flown by Lindbergh over the Atlantic, Soviet SS-20 and US Pershing ballistic missles and various types of civilain propeller aircraft from bygone eras. After a nice lunch at a neat Mexican tapas like restaurant it was off to see the room where President Lincoln died. As you may know he was seeing a play at Fords theatre when he was shot by John Wilkes Booth. He was taken across the street to a boarding house where he died 9 hrs. later. You can actually see the room where he took his last breath. The building is still there and only the one next to it, which is now a French restaurant still stand from that time in 1865. Fords theatre has been restored but closed that day.

After that it was off to the Spy Museum, which is private and costs $16.00 per person. It was OK if you like that sort of thing but we were underwhelmed. After that we saw the Lincoln memorial and the Korean and Viet Nam War Memorials. Much of what Washington has to offer leaves one sad really but I think its a must as it is our heritage. We decided to call it a day and cabbed it back to our hotel. Our driver was Indian so of course we asked him for restaurant advice. This time we struck gold. . Now bear in mind my wife is Indian and we have been married for 29 years and believe me I have had Indian food all over the world. Folks the Bombay Club in DC on Conn. Ave. served the best Indian food we have ever tried! The flavors and sauces were unmatched. I have had the same food many times before but never did it taste this good.

Our final day was spent touring Arlington National Cemetary. We saw the grave sites of JFK and RFK and the Iwo Jima memorial but the highlight had to be the tomb of the unknown soldier and the changing of the guard there. Never forget what our soldiers have done and continue to do for us. Thats all I can say.

We had lunch in Georgetown and later found a gem of a local Thai place simply named Rice. Again being from Chicago I had had alot of Thai food over the yrs. Rice was the best I have ever tried.

How about the hotel? In a word very disappointing. We stayed at the Helix, a Kimpton hotel which specializes in boutique hotels. Our only other experience with Kimptons was the Vintage Park in Seattle which was very nice. The Helix was well short of the Vintage Park. When I was booking on Travelocity I first tried for the Westin which was sold out. However the Helix was available at a comparable price so I took it. Big mistake. We walked to the Westin for breakfast and to compare the two which again came in price wise about the same was like comparing a 5 yr. old Toyota Corrola with 75 k miles to a new Lincoln Town car. . Thanks for reading. I hope you could get something out of this and ask if you have any questions. PS I think the hop-on hop-off trolley is a waste of money. A two day pass for both of us would have cost about $200.00. Actually the metra works well there and the cabs which we took everywhere were surprisingly moderate.

ARE YOU A COUNTRY AND WESTERN FAN…WELL I AM!

The Savvy Old Lady — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 03:30:00 GMT

The Crabby Old Guy and I have recently traded in our bathing suits for cowboy boots. We have moved to Nashville, Tennessee and I honestly had no idea what to expect of this famous city but I did know one thing for sure and that was I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC. Just the mere mention of Nashville and for most of us it immediately conjures up thoughts of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country & Western Hall of Fame and the incredible voices that sing of love, heartache, patriotism and life in its simplest form. There is no doubt that America stands a little bit taller with pride for the music and legends that have entertained and left a legacy for all country singers yet to come.

For years I’ve listened to country music on my car radio and loved it but as soon as one of my teenagers got behind the wheel the radio station was changed and some contemporary, unintelligible screeching would be heard in stereophonic sound. Oh yes, the kids all went to their concerts but Mom never had the chance to experience a live country music show. That is until now.

Since The Crabby Old Guy and I are now “empty nesters” in a new town we decided to take advantage of all the wonderful sights and events that our new city has to offer. Let me be honest, it’s much easier on the check book purchasing two tickets instead of seven and just trying to get two adults and five teenagers to all agree on one music venue is enough to give a saint a migraine.

At Christmas time Nashville not only lights up with holiday lights but also holiday shows. My first choice of shows to see was the Pam Tillis Christmas Dinner Party which is presented in the Delta Ballroom of the spectacular Gaylord Opryland Resort and Hotel. The dinner is served family style with ten people seated at each table. In the center of the table is a large green lazy susan filled with delectable delights. This year’s menu featured lots of country cookin’ favorites including a fantastic corn soufflé with pork chops and baked chicken stuffed with a cranberry dressing. Usually, most people expect the food in a dinner show to be rather mediocre since they are going for the show and not the food but surprisingly, the food was quite good. The corn soufflé and black forest soufflé (which tasted like a soft brownie filled with cherries) were yummy and hopefully I will be able to get the recipes and publish them on my website to share with you all.

After the hour long dinner the show began and believe me Ms Tillis is an absolutely incredible entertainer. Her voice resonates throughout the room with a rich quality that can only come from her heart. Within minutes of listening to her sing you know she is giving you 110% of herself. If you’re not a fan of hers already it won’t take long to realize that her performance will remain with you long after the Christmas season has passed. She sang Christmas carols, songs from her new albums “Just in Time for Christmas” and “Rhinestoned” and did a “live feed” (via video tape) duet with her father, a Country legend, Mel Tillis. I think what amazed me most about her show was that once Pam started singing and chatting with the audience she quickly had us feeling like we were part of her family, sitting in her living room and enjoying her legendary talent. Included in her show were her “Swat Team” of elves, aged eight to eleven. Their sweet and talented performance put a smile on each guest’s face. The band was lively and quite talented. After a fantastic hour long show Ms Tillis stood tirelessly greeting guests, signing autographs and having pictures taken with anyone who requested them. She definitely gives star quality a new twinkle. The Savvy Old lady walked away with a new lilt in her step and a gratitude for having had the opportunity of hearing and meeting an amazing lady. You can read more about Pam at www.pamtillis.com and her father, Mel Tillis at www.meltillis.com.

After seeing the Pam Tillis show, I knew I had to go to the Grand Ole Opry. This legendary show is located during the holiday season at the Ryman Auditorium which is a National Historic Landmark. This venerable building housed the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974 in downtown Nashville. For those of you who have never been there, the show is usually composed of six or more entertainers who generally perform twenty minute stints. Even before the show began there was a feeling of anticipation and excitement in the air at the Ryman that is electric and truly contagious. The audience was definitely ready to be entertained by some of their favorite vocalists and they were not disappointed. The Crabby Old Guy and I were in for a real treat since the program included Bill Anderson, The Wrights, Mel McDaniel, The Grascals, The Whites, Blake Shelton, and featured Carrie Underwood. I had to chuckle because it didn’t take long before I found myself toe tapping to the music. The singers entertained us with ballads, Christmas carols, Bluegrass music and some fabulous old country favorites. I can’t think of a nicer way to spend an evening and now that we live in Nashville I look forward to going to many more shows at The Grand Ole Opry House. Check out www.opry.com and www.ryman.com .

My last country music experience was seeing Mark Lowry. Mr. Lowry is a well known Christian comedian and gospel singer. He is probably best known for writing the lyrics to the beautifully moving Christmas classic “Mary Did You Know?” The evening was inspirational and entertaining and of course he sang “Mary Did You Know” to an appreciative and loyal audience. At the end of the show everyone was on their feet joining in song and celebrating the season of Christmas. Mr. Lowey’s website is www.marklowry.com .

Well The Savvy Old Lady couldn’t be happier living in this incredible City of Music and southern hospitality and she definitely looks forward to enjoying many more musical events In Nashville. I’ll make sure to keep you all informed and hope that one day you too can enjoy the “City of Song.”

Hugs,

The Savvy Old Lady©