In case you were curious about the dining scene in Charlotte,
here’s a piece that specifically
breaks down the ethnic food restaurants in the city. This isn’t going to provide you
with detailed address information on where to find the places, but a deep look at what is offered and whether or not
the locals are taking advantage. From what it sounds like, folks in the city seem to think there isn’t enough
authentic dining to be found, but Tricia Childress finds more spots than anyone could tackle in one year. Many of
them aren’t going to be chain restaurants, but I for one prefer the mom and pop joints.
Country Sites: Virtual Finland
I’m going to start a series of posts on specific country Web sites, selecting one or two sites that really do a great job selling and explaining a particular country. And today, I am beginning the series today with a post on Finland:
Lots of countries have tourist sites that they use to provide information on the people, the places to see, the food and culture of a place. But few others I’ve seen are quite as well-designed and comprehensive as this site for Finland. Perhaps it’s the sleek, simple Scandinavian sensibilities at work, but I took some time looking around Virtual Finland site and found it wonderfully good. You can always visit Lonely Planet for information on a country, but sometimes it’s a good idea to go to the sites of the country itself. This is a perfect case in point.
From history to culture to food to travel to great photos, the folks at Virtual Finland have done a truly superb job on this site, for visitors and Web-lookie-loos alike.
Bali’s Big Bounce Back
It was two years ago that extremists blew up a nightclub in Bali killing over 200 mostly Australian people. The
blast smudged a big black mark across Bali as a haven for fun-loving, paradise hunters and for a while seemed to kill
the island’s tourist industry.
Well,
according to the NYT, reports of Bali’s demise are somewhat exaggerated. Yes, the island is back, as both a
tropical paradise and a place to spend an evening in mai tai induced stupor. Proving that you can’t keep a good man –
or island, and we all know they are not the same thing – down, signs of Bali’s upswing are everywhere.
All About Alabama Food
If the south is anywhere on your radar or on your taste buds, think specifically Alabama. Down
home southern comfort is at best from what I’ve experienced in Alabama and the food is even
more spectacular. Tour Alabama, the official web site for
the state’s tourism industry has announced 2005 as “The Year of Alabama Food” and from North to South it’s very easy to
see why.
Alabama foods are packed with as much diversity as the people that reside in the various
regions. For instance, you’ll find delicious dishes like soft-shell crab Po-Boys, gumbo, apple cheese
casserole all in the Gulf Coast with fried rabbit and jerked pork tenderloin & peach papaya salsa in
metro regions.
The web site is full of restaurant information,
food festivals, and even the story behind
fried green tomatoes which people really do eat. I haven’t
had my share to date, but I’m hoping someone will send a care package my way. I’d sure appreciate
it!
Simonworld
Always on the lookout for great blogs, I came across
Simonworld again and had a nice long read. He covers most everything Asian, and
always with a smart-ass tone. His links to daily events and other Asian blogs are well-kept up and amazingly
comprehensive. This is a great Asia blog, particularly if you are planning a trip to that part of the world and want to
catch up on what’s happening.