Exploring Oxford

The Square, Oxford, Miss.

To make the most of our three-day weekend, Scott and I took a little road trip down to Oxford, Miss. It was partially educational, as Oxford was the home and inspirational hub of William Faulkner, and partially culinary, as it is home to four restaurants owned by James Beard award-winning chef John Currance. It was completely enjoyable, though, and incredibly hard to leave.

So, I thought I'd share the highlights of our weekend getaway with you, because that's what a good blogger does.

Dinner at Snackbar: When we arrived Friday night we made our first stop at Snackbar and stuffed our faces with lobster mac and cheese (me) and duck confit coque monsieur with an egg on top (Scott). Top that off with the amazing truffle parmesan fries and we were sufficiently stuffed by meal's end. 

Getting my geek on at Rowan Oak: One of the main points of the trip was to visit Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak. It's slightly off the beaten path, but we found it despite our GPS troubles. We got to explore the various rooms of the house — entering just as far as the plexiglass enclosure would allow — as well as the grounds. I thoroughly enjoyed being within the same walls that the author I've been studying once inhabited and explaining the finer points of Faulkner with Scott, whether he wanted to hear it or not.

Rowan Oak

The University of Mississippi Museum: We ventured onto other cultural pursuits after Rowan Oak, like the museum at Ole Miss. My favorite display was by Mississippi native Valerie Jaudon, entitled "White." I like the simplicity and repetition.

"Diction"

Lunch at Ajax's: After walking around the square in downtown Oxford, we stopped in for lunch at Ajax, which serves homestyle Southern cuisine. I had the best chicken and dumplings ever, while Scott opted for gravy-laden chicken fried steak. I could go for seconds right now.

Square Books: Square Books is a cornerstone of downtown Oxford. It even has two off-shoots (Other Square Books and Square Books Jr.). Inside we explored the two-story shop's stuffed shelves and signed-by-the-author specials. We picked up copies of Michael Oher's book I Beat the Odds (the football player whose story is depicted in "The Blindside") and Betty White's If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't).

City Grocery: For dinner Saturday night, we ate at City Grocery, the restaurant which won John Currance his James Beard award. Everything was delicious, from the cornbread starter to the poshed up version of a fried pie I had for dessert. I concluded that, if we lived in Oxford, I'd be really fat. 

Overall, the only downside to Oxford was its over abundance of Ole Miss paraphernalia (which I realize is about as ridiculous as complaining about Razorback stuff in Fayetteville, but I just don't like Ole Miss). We really did have a great time, though, and Scott and I are already planning our return during football season — not to mention our menu.

Hanging out with Faulkner. No, I'm not playing footsie with him.