Pages

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Road Trips

So, we just got back from another Gulf Coast Run. We started in Panama City Beach, visiting the dear daughter, then moved westward along the Gulf until we arrived at Gulfport, to visit D's brother's family, then up through Alabama to visit his sister's family. Great trip -- and I feel wonderful from the break!





This is the front cover of my book I carry with me now whenever I travel. It is a regular Moleskine (NOT a sketchbook, but still the plain paper) that I use for directions, trip notes, etc. Most of the pages are numbered, and I use them as we go along to make notes about our routes, including interesting exits, best stops, places best avoided... If a restaurant is really excellent, I jot it down, so I can recommend it and come back myself. And if a restaurant is really, well, not quite up to par, it gets a "YUK" beside it. I set up the back pages with the alphabet, where I file phone numbers and addresses, etc. This lets me also cross reference directions and trip notes with the person (or place) we may be visiting. The more I use it, the more I LOVE it!



And, based on my notes from the book, THE BEST RESTAURANT ALONG THE GULF COAST -- and I mean the best, bar none -- is a little place in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi called Rickey's Bar and Grill. The shrimp tasted like what my grandmother used to make in Miami, and that's definitely worth writing about!



I did more photographing than drawing, and more just quiet looking than anything else. Still, here's just a little ink sketch of some of the houses along Florida's Highway 30A, between Panama City Beach and Sandestin. Absolutely gorgeous -- every town has it's own distinct personality.



I took a LOT of reference photos for possible future watercolor play (I DO love to paint those beach-y colors!), but...


... some photos are just meant to be, well, photos.
(Seaside, Florida -- so perfectly idyllic that this was the place chosen to film the movie "The Truman Show". If you get the chance to go there, do. Wear your favorite play clothes, and your most comfy flip flops -- plan on renting a bicycle and riding around through town. Go visit the art galleries. Sit around at a table on the sidewalk in front of the grocery store (really!) or in the little square. Stop. Breathe. Sigh...)

Posted by Picasa

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, my goodness. I could just sit in that spot in Seaside forever. To think - I was just there a few weeks ago...sigh.

Nice post - and I love the cover of the travel journal!

biteyourowntail said...

Welcome back Linda - sounds like you had a fabulous time. I'm staggered by your organisational skills - I seem still to be learning the basics of organising my life, never mind any trips I might take!

Lindsay said...

Thanks so much for this post! I'm going to the Smokey Mountains in August and I appreciate hearing how you organized your trip book. GREAT IDEA! I love the charmign drawings and the photo with all the flip flops lined up. Glad you had a great trip!

I LOVED daihn's article!!!

caseytoussaint said...

Sounds like a wonderful, relaxing time - I relax just looking at that photo of the sea. And I love your sketch - is it the restaurant where you ate?

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

I love this post...just loved reading and travelling along...so glad I came across someone who also has this crazy book where everything about a trip is jotted down, from restaurants to the smallest detail thing! And I love this gloriuous photo with the shoes strewn casually and the sea down below...it speaks of summer!
Ronell

Lin said...

Ah, Linda -- when when when are you coming to NC????? LOVE your sketch really lovely and to get all those wee angles just bowls me over!! BRAVA!

Tami said...

This looks like a wonderful idea. I just retired (at least for a short bit) and we plan to travel for a bit. This little book idea of your sounds perfect!