We spent a fabulous five days with family in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where southern hospitality knows no limits.
We had been in Tuscaloosa back in May and witnessed the aftermath of the devastating tornado that had hit the area in April, 2011. Today, while much of the debris has been removed, many homes remain in desperate need of repair. Some are abandoned, without indication of returning owners. Some of the homes have been rebuilt or are in the process of being restored. None-the-less, it is a long journey back to the oak-lined streets that are now bereft of much of the splendour of these graceful trees. Read the story, 40 Seconds, which was inspired by the events of the tornado
But all is not doom and gloom.
In the downtown area there is a vibrant commercial area with restaurants, shops and other commercial enterprises. The university grounds were quiet, as was the stadium - not many students left during the holidays. We dined at DePalma's Italian Cafe on 2300 University Blvd. Don't let the word cafe fool you. It is a full-service restaurant dishing up Italian fare. But their claim to fame is the pizza. We ordered the Catalonian - a white pizza ( olive oil, fresh garlic, cream, and Parmesan ) fresh rosemary, mild Italian sausage, sliced fresh mushrooms, black olives and sun dried tomatoes. A large is $18 and a medium is $16. A medium is sufficient for 2-3 people depending on how much you want to eat. We opted for the thinner crust. We were not disappointed.
No visit is complete without a visit to Dreamland, an eatery that has been around since 1958. The restaurant or cafe as it is known was owned and operated by John “Big Daddy” Bishop. Big Daddy built the restaurant on the land beside his home. While there are a number of Dreamland locations, the original Dreamland is located about two miles from the intersection of Hwy 82 and Interstate 59 just south of Tuscaloosa in an area known as Jerusalem Heights. It is still owned by members of the Bishop family.
We ordered a couple of slabs of bbq ribs and potato salad. The meal was accompanied by white bread slices and extra sauce. It's a casual place and seems like a throwback to the fifties. Pictures of famous people adorn the walls as do licence plates from many, if not all states and some Canadian provinces. The waitress, I'll call her Darlene, was a gem. She was full of humour and took a liking to one of the members in our party. Her smile beamed across the room as she posed with us for a picture in "Big Daddy's" chair.
One might think that all we did was eat, and we pretty much did, as it's par for the course over the holidays. However, we did take in the historic Moundville Archaelogical Park, about 15 miles outside of Tuscaloosa. The Park is the historic site of an ancient Native American civilization of the classic Middle Mississippian era. The inhabitants lived in this area between the 11th and 16th centuries. The most notable aspect of the site are the 32 mounds which are of different sizes and are believed to have been centres of social polity and structure.
In 1964 the site was declared a National Historic Landmark and is part of the University of Alabama. The museum on the site depicts the life and times of the Mississipian peoples. It is a site worth seeing if you are planning to visit the area.
Our visit with the family ended with a trip to Bama Lanes - 10 pin bowling challenge amongst the family had us all vying for the top spot. But we were all winners as we enjoyed the gutter balls, strikes and misses. Overall a fine ending to a wonderful time in the South.
We had been in Tuscaloosa back in May and witnessed the aftermath of the devastating tornado that had hit the area in April, 2011. Today, while much of the debris has been removed, many homes remain in desperate need of repair. Some are abandoned, without indication of returning owners. Some of the homes have been rebuilt or are in the process of being restored. None-the-less, it is a long journey back to the oak-lined streets that are now bereft of much of the splendour of these graceful trees. Read the story, 40 Seconds, which was inspired by the events of the tornado
But all is not doom and gloom. In the downtown area there is a vibrant commercial area with restaurants, shops and other commercial enterprises. The university grounds were quiet, as was the stadium - not many students left during the holidays. We dined at DePalma's Italian Cafe on 2300 University Blvd. Don't let the word cafe fool you. It is a full-service restaurant dishing up Italian fare. But their claim to fame is the pizza. We ordered the Catalonian - a white pizza ( olive oil, fresh garlic, cream, and Parmesan ) fresh rosemary, mild Italian sausage, sliced fresh mushrooms, black olives and sun dried tomatoes. A large is $18 and a medium is $16. A medium is sufficient for 2-3 people depending on how much you want to eat. We opted for the thinner crust. We were not disappointed.
No visit is complete without a visit to Dreamland, an eatery that has been around since 1958. The restaurant or cafe as it is known was owned and operated by John “Big Daddy” Bishop. Big Daddy built the restaurant on the land beside his home. While there are a number of Dreamland locations, the original Dreamland is located about two miles from the intersection of Hwy 82 and Interstate 59 just south of Tuscaloosa in an area known as Jerusalem Heights. It is still owned by members of the Bishop family.
We ordered a couple of slabs of bbq ribs and potato salad. The meal was accompanied by white bread slices and extra sauce. It's a casual place and seems like a throwback to the fifties. Pictures of famous people adorn the walls as do licence plates from many, if not all states and some Canadian provinces. The waitress, I'll call her Darlene, was a gem. She was full of humour and took a liking to one of the members in our party. Her smile beamed across the room as she posed with us for a picture in "Big Daddy's" chair.
One might think that all we did was eat, and we pretty much did, as it's par for the course over the holidays. However, we did take in the historic Moundville Archaelogical Park, about 15 miles outside of Tuscaloosa. The Park is the historic site of an ancient Native American civilization of the classic Middle Mississippian era. The inhabitants lived in this area between the 11th and 16th centuries. The most notable aspect of the site are the 32 mounds which are of different sizes and are believed to have been centres of social polity and structure. In 1964 the site was declared a National Historic Landmark and is part of the University of Alabama. The museum on the site depicts the life and times of the Mississipian peoples. It is a site worth seeing if you are planning to visit the area.
Our visit with the family ended with a trip to Bama Lanes - 10 pin bowling challenge amongst the family had us all vying for the top spot. But we were all winners as we enjoyed the gutter balls, strikes and misses. Overall a fine ending to a wonderful time in the South.
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