Vidalia Onion Festival

Every year in April there is a HUGE event that goes down in Vidalia, Georgia. Vidalia is known to be the home to Georgia's state vegetable, the Vidalia onion. People swear by this layered vegetable. They say it is the best tasting onion in the world. In honor of this beloved vegetable, the city of Vidalia hosts the Vidalia Onion Festival every year.

There are many activities that people can enjoy at the festival. These include:the Airshow, Little Miss and Miss Vidalia Onion Pageant, rodeo, safari through a ranch, etc. They also have many onion rings. Like I have said in my previous posts, Southern people like to fry everything and onion rings taste amazing; especially these ones.



Here is a link to a video from the show, "Georgia Traveler."

This is the official website of the Vidalia Onion Festival.

-Rajeev

Taste of Alpharetta

One of best known traditional events held in my hometown of Alpharetta is the Taste of Alpharetta, the largest "Taste of" festival in the South. Alpharetta is a rapidly developing surburban city situated roughly half an hour northeast of Atlanta. The town has been established since 1858 and thus is best known for preserving its historical and cultural values through its architecture, arts & crafts festivals, and other various events. Arts and craft festivals, such as the Juried Arts and the Arts Streetfest Festival are held once a year to observe unique artworks and enjoy musical performances. However, the Taste of Alpharetta tops them all, with +70 restaurants and +70,000 attendees. It is held once a year in the middle of May and hosts a variety of multicultural cuisines, ranging from Southern style cooking like Smokejack: A Southern Grill, to ice cream places such as Cold Stone Creamery, and even to exquisite fine dining like the Cabernet. You can sample delicious appetizers, desserts, and get FREE prizes. There are also exhibits such as the culinary competitions between top chefs competing for prizes, and additionally, there are musical performances, from Irish dancing and folk to top hit songs performed by localists. Because the festival attracts so many restaurants and people to the area, Alpharetta is one of the fastest growing cities in the South, and has become so diversified and culturally rich in all aspects.


--
Agnes

See Alpharetta, GA on map.
Source of picture: http://atlanta-restaurantblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/taste-of-pretzel.jpg
http://www.alpharetta.ga.us/

Transitioning from the North to the South

I have only been living in the South since arriving at Georgia Tech in the beginning of the school year. I definitely like living in the South and it is a different experience than living in the North. Atlanta is not too different from Baltimore in that they are both well known cities. I am used to the city life but living in the South is still different. Because I don't have my car here yet, I don't believe I have been able to gain the full Southern experience yet. The obvious factors that I have experienced are the Southern food and Southern hospitality. The friendliness and manners of several people in the South are more evident than what I would experience back home. The food is definitely an advantage of attending school in Atlanta. I love traditional Southern food. My friends and many of us are not from the South so we enjoy trying new places. In addition, I have noticed that some fast foods restaurants are cheaper here than they are back home. Another aspect that I like is the beauty of nature. There are so many beautiful beaches that are in the South, like Florida and there is also the countryside of many states down here. In the North, cities are more likely to be visited. People often go visit New York, Philly or Washington D.C. which are all extremely urban areas that are known for what their cities encompass instead of anything dealing with nature.

I would consider living here after college. I am honestly open to wherever my job takes me after I graduate but I wouldn't mind at all living in the South. While Georgia weather is quite bi-polar, I love how much warmer it is here. It also barely snows which is nice. This past winter in Baltimore, they received a foot and a half during one snowstorm and over 50 inches during another. Another reason I would like to live here is because cost of living is much cheaper. Real estate is much cheaper here than it is up north. The South is just a different experience from what I am used to but I really like it and I would love to further explore what the South has to offer.

Below are some pictures from all of the snow we got in Baltimore.

--DaNae

southern girl

I grew up in Atlanta and I've had no complaints so far. I love Atlanta and I really couldn't tell you why other than the fact that I've grown accustomed to the set up of this city that living anywhere else seems so foreign. although some seem to think that Atlanta doesn't count as the south and that Atlanta is not "southern." I may be true that Atlanta doesn't look like what you'd expect from your typical southern city due to it's skyscraper building and urban/ modern feel, but i still think Atlanta holds a lot of southern characteristics.
Atlanta is still full of the southern gentleman who still open doors for women and southern belle who follow a similar code of conduct. you find the same dinner restaurants serving up southern cooking from collard greens, country fried steak, and grits. you'll still hear the southern dialect in Atlanta as in any other southern city. the homes still give off a southern hospitality vibe with both the style of large front porches to the white columns. Sweet tea is an essential at every restaurant and every household. therefore Atlanta is still a part of a the south which i love, regardless of it's unpredictable weather, because of it's southern urban mix.
this is another Atlantian's opinion in the atlanta metblog.
i would most certainly still live in atlanta when i grow up. preferably in the Virginia highlands/ Morningside area. as much as I love Charleston and Savannah i think that I'd have a hard time living in those cities for a very long period of time. If i were not to live in Atlanta but in a southern state i think north carolina would be the runner up. my sister currently lives in chapel hill and has lived in Raleigh and Greensboro in the past. Although they aren't very large cities and some lacked diversity i still found myself at home whenever i went to visit my sister in north carolina.

Adjusting to the South

This week we wanted to talk about how it is like to live in the South.

I've been living in the suburbs of Atlanta for the past 8 years. I moved to Atlanta from India. When my grandfather found out that we were moving to the southern part of the United States, he quickly mentioned the history of racism and prejudice against minorities in the South. At first, I didn't believe my grandfather. Then I came to Atlanta in September of 2002, a year after the tragic incident in New York.

On my second day of school in America, I went to P.E. class. I changed in the locker room and as we were walking to the field, a kid starts yelling from behind me. "Why are you here? We don't need y'all over here! Go back to where you came from!" I thought it would be a white kid. It wasn't; he was African American. I wasn't very happy with the comments. Later I thought to myself; maybe he thinks that I'm getting it easy whereas his ancestors had to go through a lot of struggles for their freedom. Maybe that's why he was so upset. These kind of thoughts raced through my head day and night for the first few months.

I was not used to seeing so much diversity in one place. In India, 97% of the people living there are of Indo-Aryan or Dravidian ethnicity (CIA). People looked at me like I was weird. I definitely dressed differently back then; tucked-in dress shirts, turtle necks, overalls, and everything. This was middle school and nobody dressed like that. My science teacher, who was white, always gave me complements about me wearing my overalls. I always wanted to know why they amused her and later I realized that some people in the South wear them. Slowly, I started getting accustomed to the culture of the American South.

It took me almost two years to get to the point where people didn't think I was different from them. I learned to see the interesting aspects of the South. I gained a liking for Southern food and some of the activities that Southern people enjoy, like watching and playing football. After living in Snellville, I've also picked up a faintly Southern accent.

It was hard to get over the diversity issue at first, but now I'm used to it and I like seeing people from different backgrounds here. After living in the South for almost 8 years, I feel as though I'm a Southerner. It took a little adjustment, but now I can't see myself living anywhere else.

Here is a link to the CIA World Factbook.

-Rajeev

A Good Place

This weeks blogs focuses on what it has been like living in the South, either for those of us who were raised here or those who have just been introduced to the area through our lives at Tech.


Personally, I was raised in Roanoke, Virginia which in my books embraces the Southern "image" and displays many of the aspects of the traditional southern culture. In my opinion, southwest Virgina was the perfect place to grow up and has really made me into the person who I am today. My family and much of the community around me was very focused on the outdoors and an appreciation for it. As a child I quickly learned to appreciate nature through camping and hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains. I also helped to work on the family vineyard and also spent time running around the tabbacco fields where I learned to ride horses. In this area however I was raised in a decently sized city of 200,000 where I was exposed to aspects of city life and the modern suburb setting, but the outdoors was never too far away.

Beyond an appreciation for the outdoors and manual labor, growing up in the South also gave me an appreciation for family ties and the importance of close bloodline connections. Each year we would get together which much of our family for a big reunion and whenever anyone was sick we would always travel as a family to visit them. Perhaps the most Southern image I can present of my childhood was walking along the vineyard with my father listening to him explain that nothing in this world is worth anything (stocks, cash, possessions) except land and that the farm was his prize possession and security in life.


Even though I realize that the "image" of the south is far from the actual lives we lead, I am proud to have been raised in the south among this tradition and culture. I feel that the morals and ways of thinking which have been taught to me are wholesome and good. When I was looking for colleges I did not intend to pick a Southern school, I simply wanted a large school in a large city where I could gain new experiences. The final thing that brought me to Tech was not the academics or research, but rather the culture, people, and relationships which I would find here.

So far I have enjoyed living in the "deep south." The weather is nice, the poeple are kind, and I feel at ease among this culture. Once school is over I again will be open to going just about anywhere and working just about anywhere, but much how my comfort with the region led me here for college, I would not be surprised if I stay in the South and end up raising my family here; it is a good place for sure.

To express a little more about the mountains and culture from which I came, here's a link to a little indi-folk band called Fleet Foxes and their song "Blue Ridge Mountains". The lyrics describe beautiful images which are accompanied by pictures both from the blue ridge mountains and other wilderness areas.

Parker



Blue Ridge Mountains Image courteous of http://www.raggedmountainracing.org.jpg

Beautiful Weather!

Born and raised in the South, I have experienced a majority of the benefits that the South has to offer. Personally, I absolutely love the weather here. I have only lived in two other states, Texas and New Jersey. During our stay in New Jersey, the weather was absolutely horrendous. Come winter season, blizzards piled up on the driveway and made it impossible to go to school. Nevertheless, even with five or more inches of snow, schools never closed. Unlike New Jersey, Georgia delays or closes school when there is barely a full inch of snow or ice. As far as the warm weather goes, Georgia is neither too hot nor too cold. Temperatures reach up to the mid-80s and sometimes to the low-90s in the summer but never to the 120s that Phoenix, Arizona reaches at times. In the winter, it is never too cold. Whenever we traveled to New York City for vacation, I was always overexcited about visiting the big city, with its fascinating skyscrapers and departmental stores. However, I go to find truly the complete opposite of Atlanta. I see a city polluted and unbearably crowded. You can barely drive a car to get anywhere on time, let alone drive a car at all! I love the freedom of being able to drive, and I believe the wide landscapes and roads of the South has much to offer for that.

I also love the coastal sceneries of the South. The eastern coast is just not the same as what one can experience with the beaches of Florida or the Gulf of Mexico. The sunsets are fascinating, and the waters are crystal clear blue, unlike the darker blue, green waters of the eastern coast. The tropical weather just adds to the advantages of living in the South. After college, I would definitely stay in the South!

Source of pictures:
href="http://wordyninja.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/blizzard-new-york-feb-2003-5501.jpg">
http://www.interactiverealty.com/xSites/Agents/REMAXInteractive/Content/UploadedFiles/cocoa-beach-florida.jpg

--Agnes

In resposne to parker's ruralism of the south

Parker a few weeks ago states how ruralism was one of his least favorite stereotypes identified with the south and I strongly agree but I also wanted to give my own input and broaden the topic. I grew up in Atlanta my entire life and was rarely ever exposed to the southern rural stereotypes as much as the suburban stereotypes. Now I'm from Georgia which is basically as southern as you can get but it also has a terrible representation of being your typical rural uneducated hicks due to it's low SAT scores and media influence. the south is not like this at all; it is not an underdeveloped uneducated society. Although I, being a southerner, know better to believe the south is full of hicks and plantations, I can understand where the south gets it's image. When I went to Charleston last weekend, i did noticed the pretty fields of cows grazing. In fact it was probably the most common sight, along with the 15 consecutive advertising for the Farmer's market, a Cracker Barrel at every exit, boiled peanuts stands, and mega Fireworks discounts. if i didn't know better and this was my first impression of the south I'd think the south were full of rural farmers who loved southern cooking as much as they did blowing things up with their guns and fireworks. I would take this personal experience over anything the statistics might show. I compare this experience to the time i traveled through New york and Massachusetts which was full of beautiful maple trees and beautiful orchards. banking on this alone i can understand how old stereotypes can still be relevant to modern day and how they can still constituted.

The Continuing Role of the Civil War

Flipping back through our posts this semester I have found myself most interested in DaNae's post on January 27th regarding the Civil War. In this post, DaNae claims that the Civil War was "a historical event that effected the South and contributed to the identity it has today." I agree that the Civil War is the event which gave Southerner's their pride and made the "image" of Southern Culture known to the world.

In her passage, Danae claims that the Confederacy was fighting to preserve slavery and the North was fighting to abolish it, however the was clearly goes beyond this single issue. The South was in the Civil War due to its inherent political, cultural, and economic differences than the North. Before the Civil War, the South was paid little attention to by the rest of the world and for most residents, it yielded a relatively poor and harsh life. However, when tensions rose with the Northern states and Southerners found their right being infringed, a huge sense of nationalism went through the South and suddenly a United, culturally rich Confederacy arose.

Even though the Confederacy lost the war, the strides which the war made in uniting the Southern people under a single "image" or ideal remained and persist today. As a result of the war the rest of the world looked at the South as its own region in the United State and gave it much of the respect and interest which a separate country would have had. In bitter defiance, the Southern people also harbored and nurtured their pride for their region and preserved many of the traditions which seem commonplace today.

In the modern age, the Civil War and its impact on the South is still clearly remembered and prevalent. Southern figures from the war are revered in the South and most Southern residents, even those of foreign cultures, buy into the Southern pride as if it has always been theirs. For example, I am from Virginia and yet within my first three months living in Georgia I participated in a Civil War re-enactment remembering and honoring those who fought in this event which brought about the South we know today. Our group project will more closely discuss the multiculturalism of the South and the new "Image" of the South which is emerging. (See the map for a link to Stone Mountain)
I've provided a link to a home-made video about the Fort McAllister which is the re-enactment which I participated in. Notice how most of the pictures shown revolve around the museum and the "showcase" nature which the war has taken on. From this video, especially with the music its been paired with, it seems like this families trip was more about excitement and being part of history rather than simply appreciating and remembering what happened.

Parker


Image from
http://www.theoccidentalobserver.net

Southern hospitality

I am responding to Thuy's post, "What will you have sweetheart?". Southern hospitality and food are definitely two things that immediately come to mind when thinking of Southern characteristics. People are often so much nicer and more friendly in the South 'just because.' This applies to random people as well as the service in the food industry. Waiters are often so nice in Southern restaurants. The service of a restaurant is a huge factor for me when determining whether or not I will go back. Being from the North, you will not always find servers that are so friendly. While some people are genuinely nice, others are just trying to be polite and friendly to get a good tip.

The video below caught my attention because it shows two boys that go around Charleston and give out compliments to people. While it may seem a little random, it made people smile and that is all that's important. You will not find people doing random acts of kindness like this in the North. Also, in certain places in the North, people would have just brushed these boys off instead of greeting them so warmly.




--DaNae

Waffle House of the South-Southern Style

For this week's blog post, our topic was to respond to a fellow group member's post, and I am responding to DeNae's previous post on "Waffles Anyone?" I definitely agree that Waffle House is a popular Southern dining restaurant. Being from the South, I have never even tried Waffle House before, until just a few days ago when my friends and I were finding someplace to eat for breakfast. It serves the typical southern foods you would find in the South, such as country ham, eggs, and the good ole' bacon. Yummy! They still have biscuits, which I am not sure if people still consume nowadays, but I still love it served plain. I also glanced over at the dinner menu, which personally didn't look as yummy to me as the breakfast menu did. However, I did notice that one of the dinner meals was called the "Meat Lovers, Southern Classic Pork Chop Dinner". That sounded as southern as it could get. Pork chops and fried chicken are well-known traditional Southern meals, greasy yet delicious. They also serve chili, and additionally, there were also Southern meals called "Texas Becan Steak Melt" served with the classic steak chops and hash browns, which I absolutely love! In case some of you don't know, hash browns are basically made of shredded potatos. My mom often makes them seasoned. Waffle House mentions Texas in a few of their meals and that simply brings out more of its Southern style foods. Now that Tech Square will be constructing a new Waffle House, I'll be sure to stop by from time to time.
Here is a video of a customer ordering yummy hash browns served at Waffle House!


Menu Reference: http://www.wafflehouse.com/welcome/

-Please see map of the Waffle House Location where I visited.
--Agnes Ho

yeeeehhhhaaa

this weeks blog topic was to review a blog or article from the southernliving blog post that emanated an representation of the south. the blog i found was about good places to buy cowboy boots. this reminds me of an episode of Antony Bourdain's No Reservation when he travels to Texas and one of the first things he does to be a Texan is to buy a pair of cowboy boots. The article talks about how the writer becomes suddenly interested in buying a pair of cowboy boots not because she wanted to go horseback riding but she says because every southern girl would love a pair of great come "Hey I'm Southern". At the end she comments with move over Carrie Bradshaw you don't have anything over a southern girl with a perfect pair of boots. i thought this was an appropriate Carrie Bradshaw is a New Yorker known for her Prada shoes compared to a southerner in a pair of vintage cowboy boots who has just as much class.

Southerner's celebrating their Football Team and Tradition

For this weeks blog were are reading Southern Livings blogs and analyzing what aspects of the South they portray. I choose to read a blog called "Tales from the Road" where touring journalists and editors share their experiences. The particular article I read was titled, "A Southern Super Bowl: Share your Plans with Southern Living."

This article began with the journalists experiences in Birmingham in the days before the super bowl. The author commented on the nails of a hair salon owner which she found to express the Pride for her team. The owner has painted her nails gold and placed the Saints fleur-de-lis in the center of each one. This aspect of a person's pride in their team interested the author and she invited Southern fans to write to her and explain how they were supporting their team. It is in these responses from southern families that aspects of the Southern "image" emerge in action.



Here are the excerpts and a little discussion about each:
"Will be surprising my guests with personalized 'Who Dat?' and 'Geaux Saints!' chocolates. Guess you know who I'm routing for!" - Gwen Harris Cloutier

This comment by Ms. Cloutier portrays the idea of Southern hospitality. It shows that Ms. Cloutier is not planning on watching the big game alone in her house but rather is hosting a party and entertaining guests. It almost seems like entertaining her guests is more important than the game!


"I'll be makin' my famous chocolate dipped rice krispie shaped footballs and lot's of cajun gumbo. Who dat gonna git 'dem some good food, yeah!" - Kathy S. Brown

This write in especially reveals the dialect and historical culture of the South, particularly Louisiana area. Ms. Brown writes her dialect into this passage using apostrophes to show the shortening of words and also uses some "southern slang" such as "dat" and " 'dem." She also references the Cajun culture of the New Orleans and Louisiana area and her pride in making and eating food typical of that area.


"We will be having Red Beans and Rice or Crawfish etouffee. I'm sure Boudain will be in there somewhere as well. I made Fleur De Lys sugar cookies for the Saints vs. Cowboys game and they were a big hit." - Valerie Johnston Mellema

This passage again hits on the unique foods of the Cajun culture as well as the idea of Southern hospitality. Ms. Mellema is very proud to be creating typical Cajun dishes such as Crawfish and red beans and rice. She was also proud with the success of her last batch of cookies at entertaining her guests and intends to make them again.


This blog was very unique in that it allowed us to see actual comments, ideas, ways of speaking, and concerns of real Southerners. Even though they have been sifted through and specifically chosen by the Southern Living editors, the fact is that they are original quotes from people who are actually living these aspects of the Southern "image" in their daily lives.


Parker


Photo courtesy of A Southern Super Bowl: Share Your Plans With Southern Living!
at http://talesfromtheroad.southernliving.com/

Barbeque Anyone?

This particular blog post from Southern Living was titled "Out to Dinner, Stop 3: Nolensville, TN." This post tells of Farrah Austin's trip to Martin's Barbecue Joint. The owner, Patrick Martin, has a true love for barbecue. There is a 24 hour process behind preparing the pulled pork just right. Not only is the food good, but the atmosphere of the restaurant attracts customers also. Patrick believes that people can let go of their current troubles temporarily while enjoying themselves at his restaurant. He says, "It's the one time when people's social, racial, and financial differences disappear. That's the beauty of it--the beauty of good barbecue."

This article caught my eye because it shows a typical and favorite Southern food. The blog post gives a great description of the restaurant and also incorporates great quotes from the owner that encourage the reader to try the food there. The owner is truly passionate about his food which is always a great thing. The style of the restaurant, wooden with a porch, definitely makes Martin's Barbecue Joint seem more authentic. To make it even more personal and seem like home, Mama Martin (Patrick's mom) drives her own freshly made coconut cake down from Memphis every week. This article gives a great review of a southern restaurant that offers a typical Southern food with great hospitality.

The author of the post: Farrah Austin

Out to Dinner: Martin's Barbecue Joint

--DaNae

Southern Living Magazine Covers

I was looking through some blogs from Southern Living's website and I came across this article. The article looks back at Southern Living magazine covers from 1966-1968. Almost all the covers reminded me of things that I would think about when I think of the American South.

This picture reminded me of a Southern belle.


This picture reminded me of rich, Southern aristocrats in their ruffle collared shirts and crazy, large hats, watching the Kentucky Derby.


This picture reminded me of SEC Saturdays and the saying that "Southern women know their football."


This picture just looks Southern. Two grown men are on a lake, with a hound dog, doing some bird hunting. The man closest to the dog has a smoking pipe in his mouth, looks like he has a Confederate uniform on, and he is holding a rifle. This picture is shouting, "I am the South!" Also, the caption on the bottom right reads, "They leased a Southern Plantation for hunting, fishing." That just sounds like something that a Southerner would do, right?

All these pictures showed me something that I could relate to the South. After I looked at these pictures, I went to Southern Living's website to look at the most recent magazine covers and this is what I found. This is the March 2010 issue.

I was very upset. This picture did not scream, "I am the South!" like the older pictures did. These are flowers. They have these in the North too. If Southern Living is trying to tell me that this is the South and this is what Southerners do, I would not be interested in their magazine. Is it really a Southern thing to be interested in gardening? Are plants really something that define the South? This is just too postmodern for me. I wish Southern Living would look at the South like it really is today.

-Rajeev

Images from Southern Living

Come Get Your Tacos!

One of the Southern Living blogs that I chose to read was called "Ode to the AL Pastor Taco" by Marian Cairns. Cairns talks about a popular Southern delicacy--tacos. There are a few taco places in the north, but in the south, there are plenty of them everywhere! The author also talks about a recipe of a Texan friend's called Tacos Al Pastor. A picture of the taco illustrates how it represents a Southern food. Typically, tacos are considered Mexican food and found all around the south. Probably one of the best known tacos places served more in the south is Taco Bell or On the Border. In the picture on her blog, there is also a condiment that is normally on the table already, especially in taco places, and that is TABASCO sauce. Of course, tabasco sauce, the South loves it spiced up! Texan-Mexican cuisine is very popular in the South, and most of the foods are accompanied with some sort of hot sauce. Similarly, there are many types of Creole foods served Cajun style, including spicy gumbo soup and spicy chicken.

Looking at the menu served at Maria's Taco Express in Texas, they offer a variety of Southern foods. For breakfast, they serve egg, potatoes, cheese, bacon, etc. wrapped in tortillas in a style similar to omelets which are one of the most popular breakfasts in the South, with bacon and grits on the side. On its dinner menu, steak and chicken fajitas are the top choices. While tradition Southern chicken is fried, the chicken served at the Express is grilled! KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken, now serves grilled chicken legs as well and is just as popular as the fried chicken legs.

Please see map for the location of Taco Express.

--
Agnes Ho