State Fair

I have never even been to a County Fair, so it was pretty exciting to go to the Iowa State Fair last week. Iowa has one of the largest state fairs in the U.S. It has been featured in the book "1000 Places to See Before You Die." The fair did not disappoint, with more livestock than I have ever seen in my life and plenty of deep fried food options. New food items for 2011 included Red Velvet Funnel Cake and Deep Fried Butter. The lines wrapped around the fair and I'm sure the wait was at least one hour.

Cows

Sky Glider 

Deep Fried Cheese Curds, Candy, and Butter!

Butter Sculpture

Sand Sculpture of the Butter Cow

Visiting the Birthplace of Pepsi

I first visited New Bern North Carolina recently after some friends relocated there. The first state capital of North Carolina and the birthplace of Pepsi Cola, the town has a great historic downtown area located at the confluence of the Neuse and and Trent Rivers. The downtown area has fun shopping options including my favorites Mitchell Hardware, Carolina Creations, Peacock's Plume, and Confluence.  There are a number of excellent dining options and hotels.  There is a Hilton that sits right on the water, as well as several B&Bs within walking distance.  One the main attractions is Tryon Palace, the home of Royal Governor William Tryon, and then the home of the first North Carolina State Assembly.  Unfortunately the drug store where Pepsi was invented no longer stands, but you can visit the Pepsi Store located near the original location.  There are also great festivals and conventions throughout the year, including large New Years and Independence Day celebrations.  The Convention and Visitors Center has a good website for additional information.