Mackinac Island, Mich.: A Scenic Area to Enjoy the Great Lakes

 

AAE recently visited Mackinac Island, Mich., which is part of the state's Upper Peninsula. Mackinac is adjacent to Lakes Huron (to the East) and Michigan (to the West), two of the Great Lakes. 

This sidewalk featured shops and eateries along the main drag of the town of St. Ignace. The town had a friendly vibe, and is probably a popular spot for vacationers during summer months. 

As one might expect, boating appears to be a popular activity in this nautical area, and there is a local park with an historic marker that pays tribute to the many boats that overturned in the waters, costing many lives. The boats once heavily traveled the area for commercial purposes such as fishing and shipping of goods. 

This small lighthouse provided a fitting stylistic touch to the local area, which is scenic and relaxing. 

The area provided many peaceful settings for enjoying the surrounding lakes. 

Rosewood, Fla.: Site of an Ugly Chapter in America's Racist History

 AAE recently visited Rosewood, Fla. This historic site was the scene of a racially motivated massacre against African-American residents that took place over a few days in January 1923. A violent White mob invaded the town after a woman claimed she was assaulted by an African-American resident. 

The ensuing violence that was sparked by the invasion of the mob of savages resulted in as many as 150 deaths, and destroyed virtually the entire town, wiping out homes, schools, businesses and houses of worship. 

The historical photo above shows the immense damage caused by the racist attack. Later, survivors and some descendants of the African-American residents who were traumatized received a paltry settlement from the state of Florida to address their "mental anguish." This incident is yet another in a long line of attacks against innocent Black communities in the United States that have tainted the nation's racist history. 

Today, there is one standing house in the Rosewood area, in addition to the two-sided historical marker that is pictured above. More needs to be done to tell the story of this racist tragedy and to redevelop the area to restore its heritage and return people to rebuild the community.  

Cedar Key, Fla.: Sleepy Fishing Village Offers Beauty, History and Great Seafood

 

AAE recently visited Cedar Key, Fla., an island village off northwestern Florida's coast along the Gulf of Mexico. It is known for its national wildlife refuge, a group of islands with abundant bird life and trails. Cedar Key has a history as a busy port town, with fishing and other boats plying their trades from docks in the area. 

The sleepy village has fewer than 1,000 residents, but it offers a handful of quaint restaurants (specializing in seafood, of course), shops and other attractions. 

Cedar Key is a beautiful place to relax and take in the pleasant views of the Gulf of Mexico. It has a laid-back, island-type vibe, so it's a good place to come wash your stress away. 

Cedar Key lies roughly an hour west of Gainesville by automobile, so if you're ever visiting the home of the UF Gators, but want to get away to a quiet, relaxing spot, CK would fit the build nicely. 

Gainesville, Fla.: Gators' Home Town Has Much to Offer

AAE recently visited Gainesville, Fla., home of the University of Florida. The public land-grant university has history dating back to 1853 and has a current enrollment of around 35,000 undergraduate students. This pond is part of the scenic campus and features signs that warn visitors to keep an eye out for real alligators, not just the Gators who represent the school's athletic teams. 

Pictured above is part of the UF athletics complex. UF competes in a wide range of men's and women's collegiate sports, and is a member of the Southeastern Conference in the NCAA. The Gainesville community is hugely supportive of the Gators, providing a classic college-town type feel. 

Lexington, Ky.: Home to a Major University and Other Historical Attractions

 

AAE recently visited Lexington, Ky., a city of about 322,000 and home of the University of Kentucky. This shot from the street gives a glimpse of Thoroughbred Park, an area of downtown Lexington that pays homage to the area's rich history in horse racing. 

This is a statue of a race horse named Lexington, who was one of the most successful horses in the early days of American racing. 

This fountain in downtown Lexington provides a scenic and relaxing spot to take in the city.

It may look like a fairly non-descript building, but this is an outside view from the parking lot of the fabled Rupp Arena, home of the University of Kentucky Wildcats of college basketball. The arena is downtown, convenient walking distance to the UK campus and other downtown attractions. 

This is an elevated view of one of the streets running through the UK campus. The campus was buzzing with new students arriving when we visited. 

This mural depicts the famed artist Frida Kahlo. We don't know if Kahlo had any connection to Lexington or UK, but the mural adds a nice artistic touch to the downtown scene.

These statues of horses were not in Lexington, but rather off the highway as you first enter Kentucky from the Tennessee border. The display gives a nod to Kentucky's rich history breeding and competing race horses. 

Corbin, Ky.: Home of the Sanders Cafe & Museum, A Shrine to the KFC Founder and his Restaurant Chain

 

AAE recently had the pleasure of visiting the Sanders Cafe & Museum in Corbin, Ky. It is the site of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, started by Col. Harlan Sanders in 1937, when it opened as a gas station, with the restaurant and a small motel to follow. 

According to the site's website, KFC franchisees Linda and John R. Neal bought the Corbin KFC in 1973, and following a renovation, reopened it as the Harland Sanders Café and Museum on Sept. 9, 1990, which would have been the Sanders' 100th birthday.

The museum features many historical items from KFC's distant and recent past. This display showed some of the products that have been offered from the fast-food chain.

This is a replica of the open-kitchen concept that Sanders used in his first restaurant. He wanted customers to be able to see the process used in creating the signature fried chicken and other dishes that were served.

This is a replica of one of the tables used in the dining area where guests could come in and enjoy their meals.

This life-sized statue of Sanders greets visitors in the entry area of the museum. And of course, he's holding a bucket of his world-famous chicken. 

This display contains one of the iconic white suits worn by Sanders. It gave him a distinctive look, along with his white hair and goatee. 

This bust of Sanders honors his memory, and along with so much of the other items displayed, helps tell the story of the man and the restaurant chain he founded. Plus, the Sanders Cafe now also functions as a modern KFC restaurant, so hungry visitors can grab a bite to eat at the historic site. 

2022 Toyota Highlander: Versatile Family Vehicle

 One of the leaders in the small-to-midsize SUV category for years has been the Toyota Highlander. This versatile vehicle offers good fuel economy, ample space and modest towing capacity.  

The Highlander offers seating for seven or eight passengers over three rows, depending on how it is configured. It offers front- and all-wheel-drive versions as well as powertrain options of a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 295 horsepower or a gas-electric hybrid drivetrain that makes 243 horsepower. 

Front-wheel drive versions of the traditional fuel model are rated at 21 mpg city, 29 highway, with all-wheel versions coming in at 20 and 27. 

The Highlander can tow up to 5,000 pounds with the V-6 engine, which comes in handy if you have a bike trailer or small camper to tote around. The Highlander Hybrid can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The Highlander provides 24 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seating and an additional 8.6 cubic feet behind the third row. That's not exactly cavernous, but it's reasonable for an SUV of this size. 

For this model year, Toyota introduced a Bronze Edition Highlander Hybrid that stems from the XLE trim level and includes bronze trim on the exterior and interior, bronze 18-inch wheels, SofTex-trimmed seats with bronze stitching and distinctive floormats.

Pricing for the Highlander starts at around $37,000 and ranges to around $51,000.

The Highlander is a good choice for those seeking a modestly sized family vehicle that is reliable and versatile.