Road Eats - Gambino Brothers in Mobile, AL... Like Family.

There are many rules you should follow when you're dining out.  Some are practical (don't go to a restaurant after closing time and expect to be served), some are sadly humorous (always wash your hands after eating peppers), but some are just ironclad things you should know.  Three of those cardinal rules:  follow your nose, choose new things, and don't argue with the chef.

All three of those things apply at Gambino Brothers on the western side of Mobile, Alabama, along with a fourth -- when you can, dine with friends.

Little Rock-Based PK Grills Are A Hot Item.

The iconic oblong grills are quickly becoming popular again, thanks to their reliability and construction. Learn how PK Grills became the go-to grill for many top steak cooks and ribmasters.

Change is Constant.

This morning was a milestone.  Hunter is six and a half years old, and she has adult teeth coming in. Unfortunately, she still had the baby teeth in those places, so they had to go.

Alliance Rubber in Hot Springs is the Western Hemisphere's Largest Maker of Rubber Bands.

It’s not a stretch to say that Alliance Rubber Company has the squeeze on rubber band manufacturing in America. The Hot Springs operation makes more of the pliant, springy bands than any other operation in the western hemisphere and possibly the world. Like its products, Alliance Rubber Company has managed to remain flexible and resilient over all these years.

The Arkansas Peach - Johnson County's Pride and Joy.

The Johnson County Peach Festival is just days away. It's a great time to head up to Clarksville and its surrounds and pick your fill.  Let's look at the history of the Arkansas peach and where to pick your own.

Monster Melts and Peach Shakes at Fat Dawgz BBQ and Something Sweet in Clarksville.

Johnson County is a prime destination this month with the Johnson County Peach Festival on the way While you're in town, grab a bite to eat at this comfortable joint on the downtown square. It also has great pie.

4 Trips You Can Pack Into What's Left of this Arkansas Summer.

Have you missed out on summer? Been avoiding the really hot weather, or the really wet weather before that? Well, wake up... there are just a few weeks of summer left before the kids go back to school.

Eat, Drink and Give a Hoot at Hoots BBQ in McGehee.

Almost any lunchtime or evening, you'll see a full parking lot at Hoots BBQ in McGehee.  But don't ever let that scare you off.  There's a place for you to sit and eat, and you'll have a good meal, too.

Them Poor Boys at John Gendusa Bakery.

New Orleans is a mystical culinary land that speaks its own language... in shrimp Creole, beignets, gumbo and Hurricanes. For the food lover, it is a destination like no other, a chance to speak that tongue and let the crumbs roll off. Some items, like Bananas Foster, Oysters Rockefeller, pralines, call to a higher and mightier position; others speak more to the common man, such as the Monday tradition of sitting down with a bowl of red beans and rice.

Mount Holly Plantation in Burned Ruins.

After the fire.

The first time I laid eyes on Mount Holly Plantation, it was damn hot. We'd spent the morning at Lakeport Plantation near Lake Village, and had explored the house and grounds there. An offhand remark on the tour about other plantations brought up

Mount Holly Plantation in 2010.

Mount Holly, which was built on a similar floorplan, not far away in Mississippi. Of course we went.

Road Eats: Desi Romano's Sports Grill in Chalmette, LA.

A couple of trips back, on a particular long Saturday morning before the first signing for my second book, Grav and I explored the land to the east of New Orleans proper. We spent a great deal of time looking around the area around the former Six Flags over New Orleans, then headed south and ended up across the bridge in Chalmette. Hungry, ready to take a break and in need of a clean restroom, we pulled over at the first place that smelled good. That place was Desi Romano's.

Road Eats: Soul Food at 2 Sisters N Da' East, New Orleans.

We stopped in at 2 Sisters N Da East -- also known as 2 Sisters Out East or just 2 Sisters -- thanks to my curiosity.  A couple of years ago, we were in New Orleans the first week of November, and we'd driven all over the area close to Six Flags New Orleans, looking at abandoned lots and roadways.  Having already had lunch, we weren't really searching out a restaurant for dining, but there was a place along US Highway 90, also known as Chef Menteur, that looked promising.  I bookmarked it in my mind for later.

Picking Blackberries.

Have you ever picked wild blackberries?  It's a significant piece of work, and there are pitfalls, but the reward is a great one -- fresh, wild blackberries to use in jelly, ice cream, or even just as fresh fruit to eat.

The 63 (Or So) Best Places For Ice Cream Treats in Arkansas.

It's summer.  It's hot.  There's nothing that beats the heat quite like a cold, refreshing ice cream cone, sundae, milkshake or banana split.

My Favorite Hot Dog Creations.

The hot dog is a very old creation, but here in Arkansas, we just adore these weiners in buns.  We like them all sorts of ways, whether topped with chili or pickle relish or slaw.  Let's take a look at some of the greatest dogs you'll find in The Natural State.

Wakarusa 2015 In Pictures.

Magic. For a long weekend the first week of June each year, magic happens on Mulberry Mountain. Thousands gather to listen to music acts that cross the spectrum while camped out under the stars.

But Wakarusa is more than that. It's a gathering of a tribe, of people from several generations and every walk of life, who peacefully relax and listen and interact with each other.

Please enjoy this selection of magic.

The Snak Shak in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Before we left for Little Rock, we had one more stop to make. It was hot, and though the simple solution would be to go jump in the ocean, we were looking for something that would leave our clothes dry for the return trip.