This weekend thousands of “little monsters” traveled to the Queen City to the Monster Ball (aka Lady Gaga Concert). My friends and I made a weekend out of it – planning a train ride from the Gate City to the Queen City, a night with Lady Gaga and a sleepover in Uptown. The train ride down on the Amtrak Carolinian wasnt complete without a full Southern picnic. I brought my absolute favorite family picnic item – homemade fried chicken and some new snacks I thought would pair well. I made most of the menu the night before and assembled the picnic in disposable boxes right before we took off. Everything on the menu was best cold or at room temperature – a perfect pair to cold beers.  

After a hilariously fun and exhausting night, we all arrived back today admitting that our favorite part of the trip was our train ride down. Perhaps it was the anticipation of Gaga or the first cold beer of the day — but maybe it was the MMoM picnic!?! Either way, I highly recommend taking the train on your next trip! And don’t forget the picnic! 

Train Ride to the Monster Ball Menu  

• Homemade Fried Chicken Fingers with Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce
• Tomato and Basil Tea Sandwiches
• Lee Brothers Cheese Straws
• Solo Cup Adult Beverages