A Taste of Argentina - Buenos Aires Grill & Cafe in Little Rock's River Market.

Taking on a spot formerly held by Juanita's Cantina and Bill Street, Buenos Aires Grill and Cafe hopes to draw diners down the stairs for Argentinian fare in the popular River Market District. This just might be the place to make a permanent residence of 614 President Clinton Avenue.

Scenes from the 5th Annual World Cheese Dip Championship.

Cheese dip.  Since documented as a bona fide Arkansas creation, natives of the state have started to truly celebrate the golden concoction.  Today, the Little Rock River Market Pavilion became the hub of this celebration, as (for the fifth time) competitors faced off to see who could create the best.

While Hunter and I judged upstairs, Grav Weldon captured the essence of this event in photos.

Quick Trips Around Arkansas Via Timelapse Video.

Technology sure has changed a lot since the early days of Tie Dye Travels seven years ago.  Back then, my camera only got about 100 shots on a card at 1200x800px, and that required two changes of (rechargeable) AA batteries. Video was right out.

Today I shoot on a Canon Rebel T4i, and have a companion photographer on a bigger, badder Canon 5D.  I can shoot interviews on my phone, and the still images on my outdated iPhone 4S are miles beyond that old Fuji point-and-shoot I started out with.

The latest tool added to the arsenal is a GoPro 3+ Black.  We actually purchased the unit this spring, but thanks to an incredibly demanding schedule, haven't had much of a chance to play with it.  Now that we're finally ahead of our work schedule, we're trying it out by capturing some of the cool routes we take to head to different places.

Here are three videos taken in timelapse at one frame per second. The first, Interstate 40 from just west of the I-430 exchange to near Ozark. We wanted to make sure the rig would work fine at high speeds. We pulled off briefly at Conway to check the camera after a rock popped the car.



The next test was set along Arkansas Highway 10 from Greenwood to Havana. We actually expected it to roll all the way to Perryville. I believe we lost the tail in a file divide.



The third test was one I've wanted to document for a while -- Arkansas Highway 9 between Mammoth Spring and Mountain View. Of course, we'd decide to do this on a day when I had a worsening earache and an air conditioner that couldn't make up its mind whether it would blow hot or cold. Grav got carsick. Hunter loved it -- the ride, not the carsickness.



After those experiments, we decided to try for two frames per second, and experimented around Little Rock. In advance of the 10th anniversary of the Clinton Presidential Library, I wanted to capture the River Market.



We had a little extra time and decided to do a big figure-8 through Hillcrest and the Heights.



And finally, just for giggles and grins, here's the shortest tour you'll ever take of Mount Holly Cemetery.



We're now considering where to go from here... are these interesting?  Let us know.

Bill Street - No Blues.

This restaurant has closed. Read about the restaurant in this space now, Buenos Aires Grill & Cafe, here. 

Is Bill’s Burger Better Than The Bevy of Other Burgers Battling For The Best of Arkansas?  Bill St. in Little Rock’s River Market District is making a run for the title.

Meats and More Meats at Kent's Downtown and The Meat Shoppe.

Mail order meat is not the be-all and end-all of holiday meat procurement. Downtown Little Rock is now home to a smorgasbord of traditional holiday meat choices, thanks to Kent Berry and his burgeoning meat counter in the River Market’s Oppenheimer Hall.

Kent’s Downtown is an extension of The Meat Shoppe, the Gravel Ridge mainstay where savory meats can be picked up or eaten for lunch. Berry’s stores carry Petit Jean meats and his own barbecue sauce, perfect for ribs or pork roast.

One of his creations is sure to stir up trouble in the form of grabbing hands and flying forks at the dinner table. The Italian Pork Roast is a pork loin spiced and stuffed with pepperoni, salami, provolone and mozzarella that just might start a new tradition at your home, Mamma Mia… that’s a good-a pork roast.

Homemade summer sausages, Andouille, pork butt and beef brisket are also items you might consider putting in your basket.

KENT’S DOWNTOWN/THE MEAT SHOPPE. Pork loin, pork butt, Italian pork roast, Andouille, summer sausage, beef brisket, and a pork-friendly barbecue sauce. Order on-site at the store or call Kent Berry and ask for shipping possibilities. RANGE: By the pound, ranging from $2.99 for pork chops to $4.99 for Italian pork roast on up. ONLINE: www.meatshoppe.com. PHONE: (501) 833-2100. STORE: Oppenheimer Hall at the River Market, The Meat Shoppe at 14509 Highway 107 Suite A in Jacksonville.