The Guardian recently published an article that told the story of a father, Stephen Holmes, who wrote a story for his two daughters to help them get to sleep. One of his daughters convinced him to publish this story, and Virgin Atlantic ordered 2,000 copies!
It is always nice to see an airline take an active interest in the comfort of their passengers, and even nicer to see them support independent (and local!) talent. Though it still isn’t certain if the book will be distributed to other flights, it is a nice surprise for both the father as well as the children on those flights.
Let’s face it, when a child is happy on a flight, everyone around them is happier, as well! 😉
The wristband for the attendees of the 10th anniversary of the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ festival. Love the slogan!
The Wristband
I took an Uber there and back to be safe, and couldn’t help but wear this shirt from Woot. It was too perfect for a BBQ related festival!
Too perfect!
There were quite a few proprietors in attendance, and quite a lot of deliciousness in a very small period of time. I have a few of my favorites listed below.
TOPO Whiskey Punch RecipeTOPO Whiskey Punch
Seeing a whiskey based mixed drink that also contains tea intrigued me, and though I am not a huge fan of sweet drinks, this blew me a away. The recipe is posted above if you want to give it a go! It’s made with TOPO’s Eight Oak Whiskey, tea, juice, and bitters.
Apple-Ginger Moonshine
Willie Clay Call was also in attendance with their 96-proof moonshine, and mixed with some apple and ginger juices to create a wonderful flavor. Lots of ginger notes, so if you are not a fan of the burn of ginger, might not be your thing.
Raleigh Brewing’s House of Clay Rye IPA
I took a chance with this IPA, as I am more of an Amber & Red fan, but the Rye really makes this one work. House of Clay was brewed by Raleigh Brewing.
Jabberwock by Brothers Vilgalys
Probably my favorite non-liquor tasting was Brother Vlgaly’s Jabberwock. The amount of spice and heat brought together was a real delight and the presence of the peppers combines with the chicory to give a nice lasting heat. It’s a liqueur that you could make some very interesting mixed drinks with!
Pulled Pork, Ribs, Hushpuppies, and Slaw – perfect lunch!
After all that drinking, I figured I should take a break, and with all the BBQ around (and the shirt I was wearing), it was hard to say no to pulled pork!
The Part Time Blues Band
While eating, the Part Time Blues Band came back on stage and played some more – including a very well done cover of Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World. If you can catch one of their shows, I highly recommend it!
Voodoo Chile Hot Sauces – Saucesome!Voodoo Chile Sauce Descriptions
On my way out, I came across this vendor, and while initially drawn to them by their creative naming it was hard to leave after sampling their sauces. All of their sauces have spectacular flavors, and though I went with Phoenix (I felt it was the most versatile of the ones available), there were a few that left a fairly intense lingering heat that builds over time. I can’t say enough good things about these guys – they know what they’re doing!
