We're back in C-Town (East siiiiiyde represent!) after a trip to Birmingham, Alabama to see Wilco perform. They're my husband's favorite band; we've seen them several times recently. He bought the tickets some time ago and although the concert was Friday, I wanted to go down on Thursday before the concert, so we could check in to our hotel, get the lay of the land, scope our surroundings, do some reconnaissance about the facility (hey, my dad was a Green Beret, I can't help it) - so anyway we arrived the day before the show, got to our hotel and set about choosing a fabulous place to have dinner.

We ate here. We started with the charcuterie platter for two—housemade pate de foie gras, pork rillettes, duck terrine, chicken sausage with coarse-ground mustard, country pate with pistachios, arugula and other cured meats (you can't imagine how yummilicious). For a main course, I had the mussels - er, I mean moules mariniere with frites and a glass (or maybe two) of
Chateauneuf du pape.













Alan had the pork escalope with crisp breadcrumbs, new potatoes and arugula, and a carbonated citrus drink (shown above) that they make on site.



We finished with, instead of dessert, a cheese course of four cheeses and toasted walnuts. Can I get a yum-men?!?

The next day was a lazy day reading in our hotel room, running a few minor errands and getting ready for Wilco's performance at Sloss Furnaces, which was so incredible! I wouldn't have thought a rock show held in a casting shed of a former iron foundary would lend itself to greatness, but it worked, and it worked SO WELL. The weather couldn't have been more perfect in terms of not too hot/not too cold, even with the crowd pressing ever stageward. The band sounded so great; the acoustics which logic would tell you wouldn't work well somehow did, to eleventy, they all seemed to be having a good time/hitting a groove, and it was just a fabulous performance.



My sweet handsome husband in the sunset at Sloss Furnaces, waiting for Purling Hiss and Wilco to take the stage, skillfully lit and artistically framed photo taken by moi.



I was happy that they performed my favorite song of theirs (missing from the set list when we saw them on Day #2 at Cobb Energy Center) plus my two favorites off their newest album. Alan was happy that they performed a long-missed beloved from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot ("Poor Places") plus their time-honored standards that he adores.

It was a lovely trip, a delicious dinner, a fantabulous concert and a wonderful way to spend a few days with my husband.

Lastly, I give you my enhancement of Wilco's seminal album; here is Esme Hotel Foxtrot (with every respect and admiration to the originators).