I found this article, and thought it was appropriate to post, as Taylor is returning to New England this week. It's about the Southern tradition of sweet tea, and why a beverage is sooooo important!
http://www.slate.com/id/2171917/
Now, of course, after reading that I need to start brewing some of my own... mmm...
I'm a little disappointed with myself. I traveled to NC & SC in March. I managed to get into a Waffle House and a BBQ joint - but neglected to have any sweet tea!
I am a total addict, and I am CT born and raised. Sweet tea, BBQ, grits, greens, okra... and biscuits, oh God I want biscuits... cornbread...
I started this, didn't I? *sigh* Off I go to watch Paula Deen clips on the Food Network website...
Are you only going to the Concord show? I'll have my father make some biscuits for you...best ones I've ever had.
Yup, just Concord as far as I know... I am toying with both CT and RI since they're not too far away but I don't actually have tickets. I would LOVE biscuits, but don't make your father make them just to feed me! Lord knows I don't need carbs...
Interesting...but I do not find the idea of sweet tea that appealing. I like my tea hot and black and very strong.
I was born and spent most of my life in the south so I grew up with sweet tea.
I moved over to the west coast and of course we don't have that here. When I went back to AL for Taylor's KO book event I had some sweet tea at the Waffle House. I almost choked on the stuff. It was really, really sweet and the syrup was really
sweet also. But it does get addicting once you get use to it again.
Yes, noticed the maple syrup was different but tasted great anyway. Still wished I had at least tried some sweet tea...
amyrebo -
Hi. I finally joined NESP (as you suggested to me a couple of times on the Boogie Board.) Actually, I thought I already was a member. But anyway, here I am. I'm a little confused about which thread I should be posting in, but saw your name and took a chance this was ok. Please direct me to the "right place" if I'm wrong!
The last time we "chatted" at the Boogie, you asked if I would be going to Twin Rivers. I didn't think so, as we have a christening in the opposite direction at 4:00. I was considering trying to do both, but had just about decided to skip the concert. Today, however, I received a phone call that caused me to reconsider, and now it looks like I will be going to Taylor's show.
I wanted to share the little bit of info that I was given regarding the venue. First, I need to give a little background.
About three months ago (shortly after I learned that Taylor would be performing in RI) a friend of mine called to tell me about her "new find" - the newly renovated Lincoln Park - now renamed Twin Rivers - and which (according to her) was fabulous. I was interested (because of Taylor) and she persuaded me to go with her one afternoon. The venue is very close to us (less than a half hour.)
We went on a Wed. afternoon and I was impressed. The casino is one very large area (no table games, only video-type slots, as opposed to the more common type machines) and it was mobbed (even on a weekday.) Upstairs, overlooking the casino floor, are some very nice restaurants. This part of the facility is adjoined to the older original Lincoln Park casino, which looks out onto the race track where the greyhounds still race daily.
It was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon, and we had lunch and watched the dogs race from window seats in the Irish Pub. Then, we walked over to the Events Center (which was surrounded by ongoing construction and basically roped off) so that I could get a feeling for where Taylor would be playing. It was a much larger area than I had anticipated, but because of the construction, I couldn't see inside the theater. I thought at the time, that when it was finished, it should be quite a place.
We wandered back to the new casino, and split up to play for an hour or so. I was sitting at a dollar slot machine close to the entrance of the High Roller section - just playing, and minding my own business, LOL, when a casino host approached me and asked if I had one of the Twin Rivers "cards" (like the Wampum cards at Foxwoods or Mohegan.) I said no, that I wasn't interested in getting one. Why, he asked. Because I have ones for Foxwoods and Mohegan, and really didn't want another. He began citing the benefits (perks) and reasons why I should have one, etc., but I declined. Then he asked if there was anything he could do to make me change my mind about getting a card. I laughed, and said well, I might sign up if you promised me a couple of free tickets to see Taylor Hicks when he comes here in August. He says, "I can do that. I'll get you a couple of tickets." I looked at him, and asked if he was serious. He assured me he was. So, I said "You're on!" When he returned with my card, he said Taylor's info wasn't even up on the computer yet, but that he would be in touch with me, when it was closer to the date. He gave me his business card with email and phone numbers, etc. I was psyched, but figured there was a good chance it would never happen. That was back in late May (I think.)
Hubby and I went to dinner once at the casino, since that day, but I never made it near the Events Center. With "real" life intervening, in the form of a christening invitation for August 11th, I stopped focusing on the fact that Taylor was soon to be in RI. I also hadn't heard from "casino guy" about tickets. I was angsting over whether or not we should just make an appearance at the christening, and go to the concert. I figured if I could make it to the venue, there would probably be tickets available. Then the other day, I was thinking about the whole "free ticket/card" thing that day, and decided that the host really should have gotten in touch with me. I decided to call him. I left a message, reminding him of our conversation about the tickets.
Today, my phone rang. Guess who? "Hi, I got your message, and I have a couple of Taylor Hicks' tickets for you." He went on to say that there's some kind of "transition" going on at the Events Center, and he wasn't sure if my tickets would be at the Will Call window, or if he'd have them on his person, so I should call him on his cell, when we got "on property" and he'd meet me. We chatted a bit and I asked him whether people had to stay in their seats or could they stand and dance. He said the venue was large and spread out with chairs set up sort of like a "ballroom" setting, so it wasn't a crowded "situation" like some other venues. He said there's also a SRO section, but he has seen people dancing in the aisles in the seated section. He wasn't sure if security allowed that at all shows, but he didn't think there would be any problem with people dancing. (He said he used to work at Mohegan Sun, and at that venue, there really wasn't room for dancing - ) I asked about cameras, and he said he wasn't sure, but he believed they were allowed in the theater - just not in the casino. Said the venue normally holds 2,000, but they can fit in about 500 more, when necessary.
So, that's my saga! We plan on leaving the christening at about 5:30, stopping home to let the dog out, and continuing on to RI. I look forward to meeting whoever is going from the boards!
Welcome azure.....I can't sleep ,so when I saw your post I was happy to know I'm not alone.Have a blast in RI. Glad to see you here!