Tennessee PART 5: Home Already (gbye apple chips)

We’ve just got back from a grilling long vacation from United States (last week). We stayed there for 7 weeks and it was almost close to a permanent stay. But for some blockage, circumstances, people at home and the dogs made us go home. True enough, I communicated with ppl at home at the height of worlds apart through remarkable hallmark cards, ym messaging, go phones and emails. It was good to keep the bond despite the distance. I had a great time being far away and enoying freedom like it is once again felt all over by me. I enjoyed the variety and the sights of new things almost fairy-tale like. Country homes, manors and the words engraved on rusty gold metalics- 1950’s and chocolate bars of goo goo on 80’s and the scent of almost pristine-like chastity. Purity in air and sight. Then inwardly, pure by soul as we religiously went to church on Sundays (it’s a community of anti abortion, they have free breakfast/chocolates and some sort of a fair which is indeed fun).

I have been toward a cyclone of things being thrown at me in different epitomes called responsibility. I learned to cook and be independent (we’re just 4 here, 4 girls). I learned alot about their culture and how everything goes as casually. But it’s a generalization in the american lingo which somehow only applies there. The legality of abortion and prostitution makes the base foundation of the society almost at brinks of an infant-populating generation. It is a vast word, really, as highfulating as my cousin’s engineer boyfriend is earning 20 dollars per hour working all days of the week and non stop in terms of hour. Some people are like robots. Don’t underestimate waitress with large tips where they spend it for their university education (think $100,000 for Belmont’s 4 years of college). Awestruck by fashion that changes as fast as every season change in States (when in the Phils same fashion seem to last for years or so). There is no denial that it’s been barbie weekend all day and all month of July and August. The transformation from summer to Fall look and accented paraphernalias indeed said alot about the good influence of classness. Everything there came half free and half not. They paid it for me so generally it was for me a freebie but for them a big time expense that only big dough makers can tolerate. I’m very thankful for the great home we stayed in (my relatives), for their hospitality and willingness to tour us every single day- from Franklin to Memphis, to Nashville and Greenhills. We go across Mufreesborow and more sky lines and forest sightseeing. To the red neck and to the high class country singers’ lagoon. To southern breakfast and old-style factory traditions. Sweet teas and sweet potatoes all made a great meal to remember. Truly. And we burn it by marathon shopping at Greenhills Mall or Coolspring Galleria. And thanks to ATNT/Cingular, I had the joy of texting ppl at home my day-to-day escapades like there is nothing constant or even predictable. Car over heating stories and freeway chases. Add to that trolley rides as substitute to the absence of bus and taxis. This is Tennessee not New York City. You’d see trucks bigger than the houses and indeed longer than anyone’s front yard. No wonder Missouri collapsed given technical experties of United States, one of the highest paid on America are the truck drivers (pdf proof).

Everything came as a surprise. Just like a pop of coupon on the dining room meant a great deal of a lunch at you-know-where. It’s all good and it couldn’t get all that bad either- not much color on the races and no rallies or chaotic allies. This is Franklin baby. And it’s like the coolest place to take it like it’s always spring. Heh. Kinda heartbreaking when ofcourse I start to love the ppl there- platonically- I appreciate the life style. The freebies and food too. Most especially, my relatives and their pets (could that get any sweeter?). Well, it was kinda hard to let go of that. It’s been so much like sweet home Alabama (but then not in Alabalma)- the country music, the composers and the like… the cowboys, the original fashion- Rus Rlou, Dolce Gvana, Versace, Loui Viouton, Bvlugari, etc… It’s a statement to bring home. Vintage. Classic. It’s like an apple chips- there’s none like that quite back here in Manila.

TENNESSEE (part4): Toasted Cinnamon Bread

From scattered thunderstorm to torrid dry land, dying leaves and a three-digit temperature. News paper headline describe this phenomena as the "Temperature that hit Century Mark in the South", some call it the "Heat Roasted Nation" while some just call it as simple as being struck by the heat wave and experiencing the outcome of Drouth. They describe this situation as a natural disaster killer. I call it the nature’s fury. The sun stays atop ever so present in all the things that we do. As much as we avoid to encounter the immense pressure emanating from the sun and the triggering heat wave and humidity, sometimes it is just there (simply said & without a choice!). Today is the hottest temperature in Tennessee- temperature hit 105 and with humidity, it feels hotter than that! There has also been a succesive three-digit weather report for this week where temperature is shifting at the range of 100-105.

The change of weather has resulted to bad news for people who don’t have aircon. Luckily, we have aircon in our place in Franklin. Because of the weather, there is no pleasure in sightseeing. Trees are turning red and flaky. They scatter on the ground as dry leaves. As it prepare to transition, some trees have already gone bald. Some trees now look like scare crows that look barren in an oasis. Walking from the car to the restaurant is like walking in the dessert. It’s like toasting and you find out that you are actually the bread being baked. The callous of being in heat is similar to stepping on coals but not in bare feet. The heat is also lenghtened till late hours of 7:00pm. The sun is the biggest enemy here- literally true. Somehow, it’s a matter of drinking as much water and staying indoors (coolly). It’s just a WOW factor to experience something that actually just happens in a century in Tennessee…

(more here) 

Anyhow, it’s getting hot in here now… and there’s aircon+fan already. Hehe. You got the picture now. This is what its like to be a toasted cinnamon bread!!!

Literally. ^_~

TENNESSEE (part3): @104degrees

Summer is at its peak in Franklin Tennessee and we are always in the heat of 40 degrees celsus or in farenheit shifting from 101 to 105 degrees. This is the hottest so far in Franklin (in the summer history of it). No wonder people were able to cook egg and bake cookies through heat in their car. On its con side, a baby actually died of heat wave when he was left in the car by his mom (even in a short while). In the news, there was a house that just exploded (in the forest) without any contact to anything that can explode. Nature’s fury is much of a reality in Tennessee right now. I thought I was the only one being over-cooked by the sun (even in just minutes of sun exposure). Add to that the ranging height of skin diseases in America due to over exposure (cdc gov site). It’s also in the culture and pressure of staying in beach during summer, getting a tan through different ways that include tanning machines or chemicals in forms of sprays, etc. There has also been a trend of bronzer wherein they bake themselves literally in the sun… Prolonged tanning has its downside. One is to add the risk of skin cancer/diseases.  Now, given a temperature that can realy cast a heat wave if not a really bad tantrum from anyone, water is really a must here (especially in this weather)… aside from chilling any drink with ice, its contents is really good. I’m glad I had a cool shake this afternoon. As to the cliched- "All we need is Love", in this southern countryside, it’s "All we need is H2o" and it makes sense even in the bizare wholeness of things. (check this out)

Franklin Tennessee Weather

Tennessee: PART 2 (the good memories)

Remnants of civil wars, old-style homes, patriotic flags on door steps, double chimneys, historical landmarks and more underwater, jungle-like, kind-of-grunge, country mixture whereabouts… but the truth is, after awhile, all these get as mundane as any architectural structure can be. Add to this mediocre a southern meal and the southern gesture (hugs and cheers) and the labels of 1950’s. With an appeal of Elvis’ Graceland and the timelessness of the Square or the familiarity of Country Stars at the Grand Ole Opry- at least we know there’s more to Tennessee than being labeled as far off from the RUSH HOUR of New York City or the beach scene at Southern California or the tall trees of Beverly Hills or the encripted words Hollywood at Los Angeles. It’s not much of a difference from what was once Tennessee even years back when all I cared about was counting for the next road trip from Atlanta to New Jersey. This time around, we are just sitting back at the most comfortable area of Tennessee- Franklin. They call it old town Franklin. The word "old" becomes more REAL to me when we know how the reitrees live their life in the old town  despite being widowed. Bernie (a family friend) is an old woman who is 80 years old and she still working not just at home but also in her job. She is at the same time receiving both the retirement pension of her husband and her own. She does house chores and lives in a house that could’ve fit a BIG FAMILY. However, she lives alone while other people could only wonder how her wealth couldn’t offer her the security and health care. But Bernie lives with such a radiant smile that when she tells us her stories (living alone), there is a glitter in her eyes that I could tell that she is more than content despite not having her daughters and sons live close to her. For elders, the scary part is trying to insist their bones to move like teens and to do things like they can’t break their back. We’ve known people from the Church too and they showed us around town. One of them are the Whitecurs and I reckon that the breadwinner in their family is always in a business trip that’s why the only person in their house is Mrs. Whitecurs. Since red necks have been feared, Mrs. Whiecurs might keep a long gun (country-style still) in her house. They live in a house deep in the country side (where there are no longer street lamps/lights & they depend on the moon for night light). Other families like Mr. Alvie’s (pillar of the church and the choir leader) also introduced us to more country music, jazz and even church ensembles. Our neighbor Rene (a father of a big family) also helped us on carrying furnitures that has to be moved in the house. Rene also promised to drive us to the airport next week cause our baggages wouldn’t fit on my aunt’s car.

My adventures here range from Nashville tours, trolley ride (OMG I just can’t tell how we fell off our seats when the trolley halted), we shopped at Cool Spring Galleria, Hickory Mall, Greenhills (Nashville), we watched jazz music at Scott Restaurant, we took pictures at the Factory (really old mall in Franklin), dined at a Jungle Resturant, Aquarium Restaurant at Opry Miles, we raded summer sales, window shopped for accents/decors, attended a Harry Potter Release (Cosplay), had buffet at Shoneys, had steak at Logan’s on the 4th of July, we watched fireworks at the Square on Independence Day, I had a gift certificate to shop courtesy of my aunt, we ate chicken fingers at the Otters, we had our own chicken burger at Witch Witch (something), and much more!

One of the delicacy in Tennessee is actually southern cooking. A southern breakfast normally comprises of just dough- elegant breakfast would upgrade that to a fruit tart or pie. For jiffy breakfast, it would only go with jam or butter. There are also gourmet cooking given the various seasonings already made, mixed and bottled ready for those in a hurry to eat. Any food can actually be cooked in a jiffy cause they are now in TV dinner packs. Steaks, fries, poultry and any kind is always ready to eat. But at home, we also eat our dinner the hard way I do cook my own food ranging from Filipino food to Caucasian. Any kind- oriental, Italian pasta, American food… I couldn’t really care less whether what linkage is on our dining table. I igotta thank my aunt for the really keen recipes such as the teryaki noodles with sausage and the sweet potatoes. Add to that my enjoyment for pasta at Cheesecake Factory (ironic, I loved the pasta bebtter than the cake). Too bad banana shake here isn’t as good as the one in Bora or what I usually have at home.

Anyhow, my trip is actually a food trip. But I am always not letting it get me and I know I can’t eat just as much (I share my dish or make it really small)… I’m pretty sure I had to burn everything I eat anyway to miles of walking, shopping, touring…

Places also struck me. We watched a Filipino Community Stage show at Murfreesborow- they call it the Filipino Idol version of the famous American Idol primetime. They had really good talents on stage and the stage hosts were actually appearing in a concert by Filipino celebrities Ku and Pops (which I couldn’t really care about). But I would say there are really old Filipino singers who are well-known here such as Gary V. despite the reign of OPM younger rockers in the Philippines. Older singers are actually still known here just as Michael Jackson would still be known in an African suburb. I do miss Rascal Flats, Dashboard Confessional and my own version of what I call REAL MUSIC. I hear a lot of country rock which is a cool new jive now (songs by Nicole Kidman’s country singer husband).

There are more happenings, de ja vus and stories that I would like to share but this won’t fit my record for now… I’ll save the rest for later. For now, I just want to remember the names of the places, what transpired and what I should keep as good memories. =)