Montgomery, Markets and Martin

When we started planning our trip we knew we wanted to cover a lot of ground

in a short period of time. There were a few days that would be "long drive" days. Originally, we planned to go from New Orleans to Hilton Head Island in one day, but had second thoughts when we realized how many hours we'd be in the car with a baby.  After consulting the U.S map we added a stop in Montgomery, Alabama. I didn't plan much for this stop, as it was short, but it ended up being more fruitful than I'd expected.

We stayed downtown and had a beautiful view of the Alabama River at sunset.

We walked over to the alley and found a great restaurant for dinner, Central. 

I realize this picture doesn't do it justice but pimento cheese spread is surprisingly tasty. 

I may be partial because he belongs to me, but he is such a wonderful traveller. He sleeps anywhere, is pleasant in every situation, cries only when he needs something and greets me with a gummy smile every morning. It may not last forever, so I am soaking it up while I can. I just cannot get enough of him. Mama loves you Hayden.

It felt like we had the restaurant to ourselves and our server Matt shared stories about Montgomery and his time in the military, making for an enjoyable evening.

We decided to take an evening stroll to Dexter Ave. following dinner. This short stretch of road is home to many historical events that changed this nation for ever. For the better.

I read about a farmers market held near our hotel and wanted to see how other market goers do it. We arrived and were quickly surrounded by people buying homemade treats and locally farmed produce, all while visiting with their friends. It had a great neighborhood vibe.

It has been our experience that with any long vacation there is a propensity for plans to change. What was supposed to be an early morning departure from Montgomery, quickly changed to an afternoon departure after hearing about Shirley Cherry's tour. Approximately one block from the capitol building is the Dexter Ave. King Memorial Baptist Church. What was going to be a quick photo turned into a tour of the church where Martin Luther King Jr. pastored  from 1954-1960 and a tour of the parsonage (lead by Shirley Cherry).

We had a break between the church and parsonage tour, so we headed to Martin's Restaurant for coconut pie. I read about this must-try-pie and after walking into the restaurant, I am certain almost everything on the menu is a "must-try." The walls are covered with awards for best fried chicken, best southern food, etc .We grabbed our pie and headed over to S. Jackson street.

Below is Ms. Shirley Cherry giving this woman the opportunity to unlock the door to the parsonage, as Martin Luther King Jr. had done many times before. One lucky woman, right?

Matt and Hayden sitting in the kitchen at the parsonage.

Shirley Cherry told us a story about the red carnations in the kitchen. Coretta Scott King usually received fresh flowers from Dr. King, but during his last trip to Memphis he sent her flowers that were not alive. The story is heartbreaking-just search the Internet for the story and you will see why.

We left Montgomery much later than expected but it was worth every minute.

This cinnamon concoction made the drive to Savannah a little sweeter for us and Sophie made it sweeter for Hayden (we think we see a tooth.) 

I have been waiting for some traditional farm shots and Georgia was so good to me. I found a corn and barn shot, pecan tree farm, and sunflower field and farmhouse shot. 

We were looking for a dinner spot that didn't include placing our order through a microphone and found this little gem. Think old pine lodge meets southern cooking. We made it to Savannah by 10pm.