Pigs and wine combo

You don’t realize how much a handicapped hotel room helps until you have a broken leg.  The chair in the shower is invaluable.  Otherwise you find yourself traveling with a Little Tykes chair (yes, that’s as weird as it sounds).

The low lip allows for easy access without having to step over barriers.

The handle by the toilet helps so I don’t fall in especially if there’s not another gal around.  You know girls always have to go the bathroom in groups.

I’m not sure if there are REAL (not fake) pigs in barbecue country but there are plenty of fake pigs galore!

The Childress Vineyards are an interesting pair – wine and NASCAR.

The interior is ready for the holidays.

Purty glass bottles catch my eye.

This wine bottle holder is a neat idea.  We discovered it’s not a solid wood construction but wood veneers glued together.  It still looks cool.

The wine tasting lady has to stand with us the whole time.  For me, wine tastings have always involved plastic cups.  This is high society!

They give us papers, pencils, and crackers.  Evidently, we have to take notes to remember which ones we like (and consequently want to buy).  I use checks and x for likes and dislikes while Jason uses + and –.  Between the two systems you can imagine the confusion with the x and the +.  Somehow we manage.

This is the crest on the big fancy wooden door.

In an attempt to find the highly recommended barbecue restaurant, we make a wrong turn and end up in lovely downtown.  This town is well known for their candy so I’m glad we made a  pit stop.  One of my first duties is to promptly knock over an entire display with my back pack.  Here Jason is picking up the aftermath.

I like the old timey displays.  Scissors and glasses for a few pennies.

Look at all that candy!

Main street is all lit up for the holidays.

After four or five failed attempts with the GPS and calling the restaurant for directions, we make it to the famous Lexington Barbecue.

As with multiple attempts to find the restaurant, we take multiple attempts at a self portrait.

The barbecue came with hushpuppies and the kind of slaw that has some barbecue flavor mixed in.  Good stuff.

On my way out, I get a B&G handmade chocolate pie.  I ask the lady how long it will keep expecting an answer of years or forever.  Instead she tells me that it will keep a week which makes sense but surprising.  Nowadays, food is so over processed, I expect everything lasts forever.  She talks up the pie pretty good but unfortunately, it wasn’t all that.  Oh well.  You win some you lose some.

Luxury is having pillows labeled soft and firm (or as we know it, tier 1 and tier 2).

Since the vineyards close early and don’t offer night time dining, we had to continue our own late night wine tasting.

My favorite part of traveling is having a leisurely breakfast.  I think that’s my favorite part of the morning even when I’m not traveling.  I enjoy a feast of eggs and bagels and I substitute my daily Charlotte Disturber (Observer) for a USA Today written on a third grade reading level (just perfect for me).

Ain’t that the truth?  Reese’s cups are the stuff.  I’ve been enjoying some bell shaped Reese’s candies during the holidays.

Usually I’m not one to buy souvenirs especially t-shirts but this sure beat the I went to blah blah place and all I got was this t-shirt.