So, I guess y’all are still waiting patiently for part two right? (LOL) Yeah, the end of summer definitely came at me quick. Let me wraps this up so we can move on to some new things.

We left off with our arrival to Alabama. This was the longest leg of our trip as we were spending time with my boyfriend’s family in Birmingham. It was really fun meeting them and getting to know them. I hadn’t been here since I was kid. It was a trip to take in some of the historical Civil Rights sites, although moving at the time, I hate that my memories of that are already fleeting. However, we did get to take in some history at our first attraction.

The Vulcan Park & Museum

The Vulcan Park and Museum boasts the worlds largest cast iron statue. Birmingham’s development is intricately tied to the economic boom of the iron and steel industries. As someone who grew up in relatively close proximity to the Rust Belt, I was intrigued to learn more (I might also be a budding economic development nerd, but that’s neither here nor there). The exhibit does a nice job of outlining the evolution of the city, and I appreciate that it also highlights it’s place in the Civil Rights Movement as well. What was so ominous to me where how some of the rhetoric and displays in the Great Depression era mirrored today. An added bonus is that the rotating exhibit was about women’s suffrage in Alabama (Hint: It was granted quite late and also involved racism). One woman in particular I learned about was Elizabeth “Indiana” Little. She was Black woman who was jailed for speaking out about her right to vote in one of the counties after being denied voter registration with a group of other Black women she led there. After word spread of her arrest the Justice Department launched an investigation of voter registration in Birmingham. I love learning on my travels!

Not only was the museum full of interesting new things to learn, the grounds of the park are beautiful. It’s tucked away within one of Birmingham’s neighborhoods, with a view that overlooks the downtown skyline. I can only imagine how it looks from there at night. With your ticket you also get to ride an elevator to the top of the statue where the panoramic views are amplified. Of course in true millennial fashion, we had a cell phone photoshoot. Here are some shots from the Vulcan’s overlook area.

Downtown: Railroad Park

Next stop of the day we went downtown to see another park and grab some lunch. We had a chance see the BLM street mural. It was so large you honestly couldn’t get a good photo of it unless you’re at an aerial view. The street itself frames Railroad Park. It’s such a cute repurposed urban greenscape. We didn’t stay here too long, but I was able to snag a few shots.

The Fish Market Southside

It wouldn’t be a trip to the south for me without some good ol’ fried seafood. We ate at The Fish Market Southside, and BAY-BEEEE!!! I was thoroughly please with my meal. Started things off by splitting some fried green tomatoes. Then, enjoyed an entree of fried catfish fillets with a side of fried okra and charbroiled oysters. This was the first time I had oysters prepared this way. I’m normally a fresh off the ice gal, but this did not disappoint.

Lovely entree featuring crispy fried catfish nuggets, fried okra, hushpuppies and charbroiled oysters.

Bonus Stop: Atlanta and Tennessee (again)

On our way back up to Indy we swung by Atlanta briefly to see some other friends. This leads my to my #BrittBuysBlack on the road features. If the last food photo wasn’t enough guess where we went... the Slutty Vegan!! My boyfriend is not at all normally hyped about plant-based/focused diets, until he ate from here. He came to One Music Fest and had a chance to order from the food truck, and I’ve never seen this man’s face light up this much about a meatless meal. He literally raved about it to folks all year long. Now, it was my turn to try. Surprisingly the wait wasn’t bad because the weather and of course the state of the world then (John Lewis’ ceremonies in Atlanta) led to less crowds. Y’all, that fake bacon cheeseburger was everything. I couldn’t believe an animals life hadn’t been sacrificed for this splendor. I can’t wait to return and try their faux chicken sandwich.

The Slutty Vegan restaurant in Atlanta, GA

Our last major stop on this trip was a tried and true favorite for me— Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville. I hadn’t had any since December and I was feigning. It lived up to my expectations per usual, but what I didn’t anticipate were the new neighbors next door. The Peach Cobbler Factory was now just steps away from Prince’s front door, so you know I was IN THERE. I got the blackberry AND peach cobbler, and I never knew this was a dessert combo I needed in my life. To top it off, one of my BF’s friends gave me a can of Weathered Souls’ Black is Beautiful stout.

Blackberry and peach cobbler from the Peach Cobbler Factory in Nashville, TN

I hope you enjoyed this two part travel blog. We had another successful couples trip together full of family, friends and food. We didn’t get caught up by the virus thanks to us and the places we went to following precautions (even when mask wearing by the public was sketchy). All in all, the trip was just…

Me and the Bae at Peach Cobbler Factory!

Ciao,