Mama's Boy, Athens, Georgia

Sometimes you only need to look in your own backyard to find something special and noteworthy. Poncho and Lefty often find this to be true… especially since their backyard happens to be the cultural and culinary melting pot that is Athens, Ga. In a town with a population to restaurant ratio that can only be found in a place made up of one third college students, surely there are more than a few good places to eat!

Mama’s Boy is just such a place.

In an unassuming building overlooking the Oconee River Greenway, Mama’s Boy offers “southern fun dining” in wonderfully retro atmosphere complete with jazz on the radio and not-too-sweet tea in a mason jar.

Poncho likes to call this kind of cooking “fancy southern”. It’s the way your grandmother would have cooked if she’d been shipped off to cooking school to learn how to add goat cheese to her macaroni.

Mama’s Boy pulls all of this off to perfection. The fried chicken is brined in sweet tea, the green beans are still crisp, and the French fries are hand cut. Homemade breads and sweet herbed butter are not to be skipped.

Lefty’s meatloaf was well-seasoned, but he preferred to scrape the marinara off and just add Heinz 57.

The servings were plentiful with the menu featuring several “southern fun” additions such as milkshakes, a signature strawberry-lemonade, and even espresso drinks made from Athens’ own, Jittery Joe’s coffees. Poncho and Lefty shared a memorable blueberry cobbler a la mode.

The laid back atmosphere welcomes guests to bring their own bottles of wine (or coolers) to enjoy at the comfortable tables and booths indoors or on the deck out back. Perfect for a week night or a date night, the food here may just make Mama’s Boys out of all of us!

Mama's Boy can be found at:
197 Oak Street
Athens, Ga
http://www.eatatmamasboy.com/
(706) 548-6249

Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island, South Carolina

Spring was at hand and Poncho and Lefty were ready for a weekend getaway. The pair loaded up the Freestyle and headed for the coast for what was the first of many trips to South Carolina’s Hunting Island State Park.

Hunting Island is one of the state’s southern barrier islands. Travelers to the island will pass through historic Beaufort and cross over the numerous rivers and tidal creeks that create inland islands like Lady’s Island and St. Helena Island. The drive through the low-country from Beaufort to the campground takes about 25 minutes.

The park, one of the states largest, offers campsites directly off the beach and others under the maritime forest. Tall pines, palmettos and a reconstructed beach offer plenty of natural environment to enjoy. A nature center on the island’s southern tip delves into the animals, fish, and plants that inhabit the area. Miles of beaches mean that you’re never too close to the nearest beach neighbor. Poncho must say that the waves at Hunting Island are impressive and make for excellent boogie boarding!

Campsites are available for tents, campers, and RVs. Sites offer electricity and water with adequate (but not to be bragged about) bath houses. There is a well-stocked camp store to purchase anything that may have been forgotten or even a souvenir. Reservations for prime sites nearest the beach can be hard to come by during peak season. For the best spots, the park begins taking reservations eleven months in advance.

For this reason, Poncho and Lefty have enjoyed visiting the park during the off-season. The weather is less predictable – but at least there are no hurricanes to worry over after you’ve had your spot reserved for almost a year!

There is plenty at the park to keep you busy off the beach. (Lefty can only take so much direct sunlight!) A must see is the Hunting Island Light House. You can climb the spiral staircase to the top of the light for a spectacular view of the island. Interpretive displays depict life on this remote barrier island for the light keeper and his family.

Here is Poncho and Lefty’s list of things that are not to be missed on a trip to Hunting Island:

• Srgt. White’s Diner in Beaufort
  
• Sunrise on the beach
  
• The unique art galleries, shops, and Gullah culture of St. Helena Island
  
• Crab Cakes and Chocolate Stuff at Barbara Jean’s on Lady’s Island
  
• Look for the Ghost Light on Fripp Island (Poncho has been too chicken to actually do this, but she’s read all about it!)

Poncho and Lefty hope you'll enjoy discovering Hunting Island State Park as much as they have!

Hunting Island State Park can be found at:

2555 Sea Island Pkwy.

Hunting Island, SC 29920

http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1019.aspx

(843) 838-2011

You can also find the Friends of the park at:

Friends of Hunting Island