JACKSON, MISS. -- It's not really newsworthy to write about hanging out with two of my coworkers and two of my former coworkers over the weekend. That happens all the time.

But usually, we're not hanging out in Jackson, Miss.

We made the trip to "OMC South" for the wedding of Craig McKinney and Grace Briscoe. Craig was our art director for several years, and Grace was an account executive. They didn't meet at work, though my wife and I did set them up five years ago. (Velia, five months pregnant, didn't make the trip down with us -- and considering this rowdy crowd, that was probably a wise decision.)

Anyway, our group consisted of programmer Zach Karpinski and his fiancée, Kristin; sales manager Erin Ulicki and her husband, Val; and myself. Zach and Kris beat us down there by a day, while Val, Erin and I showed up Friday afternoon.

Yes, we all did our best impressions of June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash's "Jackson." Yes, all tried to speak with a Southern accent (some pushed it more than others). And yes, Zach and I bought a jar of moonshine that we couldn't bring ourselves to drink, but spent most of the time trying to persuade others to taste.

I don't think I've ever been to Mississippi, and unless Brett Favre invites me over for dinner, I don't think I'll be back. Which isn't to say I didn't have a great time, because I did ... but Jackson is an interesting place and a little hard to describe.

My first impressions were pleasant. Jackson has a tiny airport, which is great since it's as hassle-free as they come. The area is lush and green, and it's a straight shot to downtown. Along the way, I saw the omnipresent Waffle Houses and Confederate logos, disturbingly still present on the Mississippi state flag.

Jackson is the state's largest city, but it sure doesn't feel very big. It is a city of about 175,000 people, with a population of more than a half million in the metropolitan area. So, Jackson is significantly smaller than Milwaukee, but it's hardly a tiny city.

We stayed at the charming Old Capitol Inn, 226 N. State St., which is right downtown. But downtown is also a ghost town. It reminded me of a scene from "Easy Rider," and it resembled what I imagined a southern city to look like in the '60s.

My closest Wisconsin comparison for downtown Jackson is Green Bay, but honestly, Jackson makes Titletown look like Las Vegas. There's some interesting history and architecture, but sadly, Jackson is considered the 23rd most dangerous city in America. From what locals told us, many people have given up and moved to the suburbs. We could scarcely find a restaurant for lunch or for dinner, and we literally didn't see a soul walking the downtown's streets at 3 p.m. on a Friday afternoon.

So, after a fruitless search for food, we hopped in the car and drove a mile north. For lunch, we ate at a Greek / Southern place called Kiefer's, 120 N. Congress St. While one might not naturally pair those two cuisines, it was actually quite good.

Dinner proved to be a bit more roundabout. Initially, we planned on visiting one of Jackson's oldest family restaurants, the Mayflower Restaurant, 123 W. Capitol St. But when we pulled up, we realized that we'd be the youngest patrons in the place by at least 35 years. Normally, I'd wholeheartedly endorse such a restaurant, but none of us were up for it, and we aimed for plan "B."

We jumped on the highway and headed north on I-55. In addition to dinner, we had one other stop to make. Since Northwest Airlines lost Val and Erin's luggage, we needed to make a run to Target.

First, though, we ate dinner at a great place called Julep, 1305 E. Northside Dr., which coincidentally catered the wedding on Saturday. I'd call it Southern fusion, and all our dishes tasted excellent. After dinner, we spent entirely too much time at Target (just like at home) and made it back to the hotel in time for the 10 p.m. rooftop party. I was a little surprised how many friends and family of Grace and Craig I knew there, it was at least a dozen if not more.

Hanging out with a bunch of people you know, 800 miles from home, is a surreal experience -- and I don't just say that because we tried the utterly undrinkable moonshine.

We had a great time, sharing stories about old times, making fun of the groom behind his back; you know, the typical stuff one does before old friends get hitched.

 Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

Next >>

13 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...