Gettin’ Carried Away

I’ve been on a plane more times than I can count. And after hearing the same pre-flight safety info being recited over… and over… I admit that I had tuned it out after awhile. However, no matter how many times you have flown, you should always pay attention to the safety demonstration, even if you have heard it hundreds of times already.

Earlier today, a U.S. Airways jet took off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport with the intention of heading to Charlotte, North Carolina. With more than 150 people on board, the aircraft appeared to have suffered a double bird strike and crashed into the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan. As New York City firefighters and passenger ferries responded, those inside the crashed plane calmly placed inflatable life jackets over their heads and headed out to the boats by walking on the semi-submerged wing of the plane.

Everyone aboard U.S. Airways flight 1549 seems to be unharmed. However, this terrifying accident should be a reminder to all travelers that it is very important to pay close attention to the safety briefing before every single flight.

Here’s another fantastic travel site, personally recommended by Gettin’ Carried Away!

Examiner.com is a website by the people and for the people, so to speak. The site employs people who are “experts” in some aspect of their life (business, education, health, etc.) and asks them to post insider articles each week. The travel section is especially amazing, as it breaks down into tons of different sub-topics that are sure to help Chicago natives and visitors alike.

I am the Chicago Getaways Examiner for the website. Basically, I take everything I know about the Windy City and give outsiders tips to visiting the city. I write about restaurants, sporting events, vacation packages and more! As I continue to write for Examiner.com, I hope to help people plan their getaways to Chicago, and enjoy their weekend as if they were locals. And speaking of locals, Dan Pultchak, the Chicago Day Trips Examiner, offers advice for the people of Chicago, who want to get out of the house and explore the ever-changing city and its surrounding communities.

Rather than reading a boring article on Wikipedia.org or About.com, why not get advice from the Average Joes and Janes of the world. They are just like you and me! Think of it as asking your trendy boss for a good place to make a dinner reservation, calling your stylish cousin to find a hip shop to buy a new outfit or hitting up your sports-crazed neighbor to go to an inexpensive bar to watch the big game. What are you waiting for… go to Examiner.com right now!

Even if you are not a huge fan of country music, you should definitely check out the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum when you visit Nashville. You’ll get to see really cool pieces of memorabilia from all kinds of musical geniuses such as Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and more!

I love country music, but my interests are mostly geared towards modern country artists like Toby Keith, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, etc. However, I do know the famous hits from older artists like Dolly Parton, Hank Williams and Charlie Daniels. And I must say, if you planned on going to the museum to see tons of pieces from people like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain and Rascal Flatts, you are going to be sorely disappointed. But that shouldn’t keep you from visiting the museum. You would be surprised to discover that you may actually know some of the older artists, because you probably know their famous songs! Also - the gift shop has fun, quirky, country-related items.

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It seems as though, everywhere you look in Nashville, you will find barbecued meats on the menus of every single restaurant. So if you get the hankering for some yummy roasted meats, you must stop by Jack’s Bar-B-Que! Located in the heart of the downtown area, Jack’s looks like a tiny dive from the outside. However, inside, the joint offers seating on the main floor, upstairs in another dining area and outdoors on a little patio!

So what do you do, exactly? If you are with a group, I recommend finding a seat before you stand in line to order. The menu consists of several different types of smoked meats and complementary (meaning they go great with the meat.. they are not free) side items. When you dine inside the restaurant, you have three barbecue sauces to choose from. I have a rather mild palette, so the Kansas City Style sauce is my hands-down favorite. As the site describes it, the Kansas City Style sauce is “mild, sweet and smoky… and goes well with any meat.” Specifically, I ordered a Regular Roast Turkey Sandwich, which was hand-carved and laid in between two buttery buns. I was quite hungry, so I also ordered two sides: soft, melt-in-your-mouth green beans and cinnamon apples. With a drink, my meal cost a little less than $10. All I have to say is…. YUMMY!