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Road Trip Lunch This is where Don "took me to lunch" last June. It was the first day of our Texas-Oregon-Texas Road Trip. Don knows I love a drive-in and he knows I love a small town. On that day, he happened to know there was a drive-in, in Post, Texas. C.W. Post's Small Texas Town Post is a curious little town. It was founded in 1907, by the man who brought us Post Cereal. The history is definitely worth Googling. The more I read about Mr. Post's Utopian dream town, the more I want to know. I was glad Don picked this small town to support for our lunch stop. Holly's Drive-In It was after 1 pm, when Don pulled off of US 84. Yay! A drive-in, with actual curb service! And who was Holly anyway? I was eager to find out. Inside Dining It was actually too hot to eat in the car, so we headed inside. I had a feeling the interior hadn't changed much in 50 years. The walls in the dining space were covered with framed photos and articles. I was drawn to the table near the family portraits. Was Holly the woman in the large frame, posing with her husband and children? Football Photos While we waited for our food, I studied the popcorn ceiling and painted paneling and the brick-ish walls. This space probably looked pretty much the same when Holly's opened in 1971. I studied the images on the wall and read the captions... "Matt Holly" and "Coach Holly" I realized quickly, Holly was a last name. Burger and Tots! Before long we were devouring our tasty burger and dog! Much better than fast food lunch! Don was very excited about his cheeseburger and tots, as you can tell. I had a taste and it reminded me of my favorite Steak-N-Shake burgers. I was equally excited about my chili cheese dog! I was actually pretty glad I wasn't eating my sloppy lunch in the car! The Holly's After dining beneath the Holly Family, I had some questions when we headed to the counter after our meal. A very pleasant young woman told us that the Holly Family still owned the drive-in. She pointed to the woman in the portrait and said "Mary is here today!" She went to get her from a small office area. Mary Mary was a bit baffled at first, wondering why some diners wanted to meet her. But we ended up having a great chat about the family photos. First she laughed and noted how much younger she looked in the family portrait. Then she frowned and pointed to the empty space between the 2 lower photos. There were a few minutes of worry about the missing photo of Matt. Mary explained that Matt was the child she was pregnant with, when the family portrait was taken. A photo of Little Matt holding a trophy had been added to the display later. It was placed between the 2 photos of his parents. But where was the portrait of the family's baby? Matt Rescued Moments later, Mary's daughter-in-law came to the rescue, holding Matt's smiling face in a broken frame. She said it had fallen recently. Mary fiddled with the frame a bit and fretted over how faded the image was. She told us that Matt was holding a trophy that he'd gotten while participating in the the annual Mr. Post Contest. (Some kind of "cute kid" contest, I believe) I'm guessing Matt collected quite a few trophies over the years. His mother pointed to the walls and said those were all photos of Matt, when he was a young football player and later a coach. Good Stop Good Folks The lunch rush was over, so Mary was able to fill us in on all the kids and what they were now doing. She was clearly a proud mom and grandmother. Her granddaughter now helps out at Holly's. Mrs. Holly seemed genuinely pleased that we'd stopped in, at the beginning of our road trip. We told her we would be headed back to Texas in a couple weeks, traveling with our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. She seemed delighted that we might stop in again. She shook our hands and wished us safe travels. Unfortunately, we took a different route. It would have been fun to have introduced some of our family to some of Mary's. Maybe another time!
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Lahaina 2005 The recent news of devastating fires in Maui have stirred up emotions for all. You don't need to have any connection to Hawaii, to feel the heaviness of loss. I found myself digging through old photos and recalled a family trip that included a visit to Lahaina. I remember this sweet old boat. Luau in Lahaina In 2005, Don and I visited Maui during our kids' high school spring break. One of our best memories was of an evening filled with food and dance in Lahaina... when we attended a luau. The Banyan Tree Before going to the dinner and show, we stopped to see the giant Banyan Tree we'd heard about. This tree is symbol of hope for the destroyed community. Evidently the charred tree is showing signs of life. Oceanside Luau I have no notes of specifics about our oceanfront, Polynesian Luau experience. But as I look at old photos, I remember the evening felt heavenly. When I Google for Lahaina images now, I see that the multi-storied building on the right, is still standing. The lower building, behind the dining tables is gone. "Feast at LeLe" Below is a slideshow of photos I found from our dining adventure that evening. The name LeLe is the ancient name for Lahaina. The dancers performed above the beach, where the royal family of Maui once gathered for feasts and entertainment. It's nice to be reminded of the fun evening we shared. A five course meal with dance performances, reflecting the foods and culture from the Pacific Nations... all with a backdrop of the sun, setting over the ocean. I know there was a Luau performance the night before the fires. I wonder what we'll learn about the guests and performers and staff... Mama's Fish House I searched for more memorable dining spots and found a few photos from Mama's Fish House, in Paia. I have fond memories of our dinner at this restaurant on the North Shore, about 30 miles from Lahaina. I believe it has been spared. Evening I remember the incredible view, when we arrived. We did a little posing before heading inside. Was this Ku'au Bay? I wish I remembered more. When the Christenson Family opened Mama's, in 1973, tourists rarely stopped by the North Shore. It seemed fairly quiet except for surfers, 30+ years later. in 2005. Interior I remember the festive decor and the tropical dress of our servers. I wish I had photos. But back then I didn't blog. I took photos of the kids mostly. No one was in the habit of taking pictures of their food back then! Obviously, there were some tropical drinks, at least for the parents. And a beautiful view from the table. Food & View I don't recall what we ate as we enjoyed our view that evening. I'm sure there was fish on our table! I'm not sure that our family could afford a meal at Mama's today. I look at the menu and see "Tristan Island Lobster Tails" for $95.00. Then again, I would be happy to be there right now and support Mama's, or any Maui business that is open. I'm sure shops and restaurants that were spared will not be supported by tourists for a while. After Dinner I remember finishing our meal and walking out on the sand, lit with torches. I told Scott to have a seat and pose on the boat. My camera flash kind of blasted the scene as he began to sit. I don't recall if Scott was being funny in this pose. But he looks sad... kind of like we all feel, thinking about what Maui has dealt with in the past weeks. Sunrise in Maui It's been troubling to see the news and to imagine the horrors that so many experienced. But, just like signs of hope with The Banyan Tree surviving... a sunrise in Maui is also a sign of hope and a new day. I'll end with that.
On the Road in 2019 A few years ago, Don and I stopped for lunch at an old train station. I love a good building! It was in October, 2019. We were on a trip from Portland to Sacramento. McMenamins Chain We usually go for Mom and Pop places when we travel. We avoid chain restaurants, but we're always up for a McMenamins owned hotel or restaurant experience. They rescue old properties! Southern Pacific Depot This is how the town of Roseburg and its train station looked, about 100 years ago. The original was built in 1872. The current building was completed in 1912. These photos were displayed on the wall, inside the restaurant. That's another reason I like McMenamins owned businesses. They spotlight history. I like being reminded of the day, when train travel was popular! I always have lots of questions, when we dine in old restaurants/buildings. It's often hard to get answers from young staff. In McMenamins owned properties, you can count on lots of shared history on the walls. Lighting You can also count on lots of curious light fixtures. We've experienced 9 of these festive properties, in Oregon and Washington. There's always a fun mix of interesting architecture, whimsical art and refurbished antiques. Walls and Ceiling In this photo, you can sort of see the original 16-foot vaulted ceiling. The tongue-and-groove fir wainscoting, is also original. Besides old photographs, I spotted lots of intriguing, train themed artwork on the walls. Love a Good Bathroom I love a decorated bathroom. Thumbs up to this painted designs. I appreciated the preserved (I assume) stalls and tile. I hate it when historic features are removed. It helped me picture the traveling ladies from a century ago, stopping in to powder their noses! Food Some of those traveling ladies, kept an eye on Don while he ate his lunch. The menu was just basic pub food, but we were both satisfied. Don was happy with the curry flavor, in his tuna sandwich. I was happy he shared his fries! My Aztec Salad had crispy greens and bright-fresh avocado and corn chips. Just the right amount! It's been over 3.5 years since Don and I enjoyed our sandwich and salad, in the depot. Back in the October of 2019, we didn't know a pandemic was coming in 2020. We didn't know we'd have a grandchild born in Oregon, in 2021. One More Stop at the Depot! Little did we know that we would stop on another road trip in 2023. This time we were traveling with our daughter and son-in-law and their 2 year old Charlie! She approved of the crayons! We had a great little lunch, tucked into a cozy corner, near the old wood-burning stove. Charlie and Don toasted, like they did at pretty much every meal on our drive to Texas! Now this sweet girl and her parents live 2.5 hours from us! Not sure if we'll ever pass through Roseburg again. I'm glad we made this recent stop!
First Meal in Rome This past April, Don and I lucked into a wonderful meal at Caffe Rosati, in Rome. I knew nothing of its history. It was about 8 pm on Good Friday, when Don and I approached this old school Italian restaurant. We had no reservations and we were wearing the same clothes we'd put on in Texas, about 30 hours before. We were famished and delighted when we got a table. It was our first (actually our only) meal in Rome. Where is Caffe Rosati? For 100 years, Caffe Rosati has been housed in the building to the right of the Twin Churches, overlooking Rome's Piazza del Popolo. To the left of the churches, there is another iconic cafe in a similar-looking building. There's such a connection between the rival cafes and the twin churches and the historic piazza, I'm inspired to indulge in some rambling about more than dinner, on this post! Earlier... in Piazza del Popolo I spotted both cafes earlier, when on a brisk walk to avoid a jet-lag nap. Both of the cafe patios had spectacular views of the urban square, with the Egyptian obelisk, lion statues, fountains and entertaining crowds. Piazza del Popolo is located within the north gate of the city. It was the city's main entrance during the Roman Empire. On Good Friday, the area was happily buzzing with pedestrian-only traffic. Just 25 years earlier, noisy cars filled the space. Further back in time, there were worse things than cars in the square. Public executions were held here for centuries. I'm glad I didn't know that, during our visit. Twin Churches in The Trident At the south end of the plaza, I couldn't miss the Twin Churches, since our hotel was tucked right between them, on Via del Corso. When I booked our hotel, I didn't know it was connected to Santa Maria in Montesanto, on the left. I didn't know that the church had also been known as Church of the Artists, once artists became a part of the Sunday masses. By the 1950's Piazza Del Popolo and the cafes, had became magnets for artists and writers and intellectuals. Caffe Canova I was hungry on my walk, so I quickly noticed the 2 cafes, on opposite sides of the piazza. On the east, near the Artist's Church, I found Caffe Canova, with classic white tablecloths. Canova opened in the fifties and was named for a sculptor whose studio was just down the road. Federico Fellini lived nearby and was a frequent guest. Now the cafe has a gallery of photos and sketches, featuring the famous film director. Caffe Rosati on the West I find symmetry satisfying. So I was intrigued that we had twin churches and twin cafes! Although both the churches and cafes aren't really identical. At around 5 pm, Caffe Rosati looked just as inviting as Canova. It had a lovely view of the piazza and the evening light glowed on Santa Maria dei Miracoli. Wandering on Empty Stomachs After walking the Piazza Del Popolo, Don joined me, wandering further. We forgot our hunger as we absorbed the festive flavor of every street and market. There were many food options. I even recognized a cafe in Borghese Gardens, where my family dined in 1969, when I was 11. Tempting! We found the Piazza della Rotonda near the Pantheon, jammed with cafe tables. Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn sipped drinks in this piazza, in Roman Holiday. I think the cafe's a store now. We peered in windows and saw yummy gelato options and less yummy meats. Finally we ended our wandering at the Vatican at dusk. Bellissimo! After we absorbed the surprisingly peaceful St. Peter's Square, we let our aching feet take us back. Appealing at Night It was around 8 when we reached Piazza del Popolo. We thought about just grabbing pizza to go, but our eyes were drawn to Caffe Rosati. The patio looked extra inviting at night, but I was pretty sure the empty tables were reserved. It was Good Friday. A holiday weekend. Artistic and Literary Cafe Back in the early fifties, tables at Rosati were often occupied by intellectual regulars, who met up to discuss and debate and ponder. Artists, writers, filmmakers, philosophers... Many movies like Roman Holiday filmed scenes, not far from Rosati. I read that many of the stars and crew also enjoyed Rosati's and Canova's, after location shoots. Rosati and Canova continued to lure intellectuals throughout the sixties. It sounds like most stayed loyal to one or the other. I'm guessing that these days, both cafes probably serve more tourists than artists. Dining Inside The patio tables were reserved, but we were lucky enough to be seated in the beautiful dining room, just past the palm. I had expected to be eating pizza in our hotel... and suddenly we were walking into a classic Art Nouveau ristorante, with red velvet chairs! Tourist Photos I acted more like a tourist than an artist, when I quickly snapped photos of the beautiful wood cases, that held sweets. The carved wood was as impressive as the designs on the floor. I imagined the morning, when the cases were full of breakfast pastries and the smell of coffee filled the cafe. At Last! We were seated in the back of the room near a dramatic wood staircase, that didn't appear to be in use. There was a helpful mirror behind Don, that gave me a view of the room. Our server, Dino greeted us in his white jacket and took our drink orders. First we guzzled water and sighed at the comfort of our cushy chairs, after the hours we'd spent in Lufthanza's economy seats. Cheers I told Don he could relax, I was not going to ask Dino to take our photo. We toasted to Rome, with my red wine and Don's Aperol Spritz. I held onto my bread like I was afraid someone might take it away. My first bread in Italy! Cheers to that. I would have cheered twice if I'd had butter. I forget that butter isn't always served with bread in Italy! Food The menu was a bit pricey, but we were paying for the location and ambiance! I'm glad I only looked at reviews, later. There was a lot of whining going on, which makes it clear that the only people writing reviews were Americans who had hoped for an Olive Garden meal. My "Ravioli con ricotta e spinaci al pomodoro" was just right. It was a small amount, but perfect for me. The spinach filling and sauce was just what I needed. "Pennette Rosati" Don loves olives, capers and tuna, so he found the perfect dish on the menu. While we enjoyed our first Italian feast, we amused ourselves with a little people watching. I'm guessing many were locals having a holiday meal. No English spoken! A tiny dog at one nearby table was much quieter than a babbling baby at another. Both seemed very sweet. We never figured out the mystery table beside us. The table of 3 guests didn't look like VIPS, but their courses kept coming and the waiter and manager hovered nervously, attending to every need! Hmmm? Chatting with Dino If Don and I had practiced our Italian better, we could have asked Dino about the mystery guests. He seemed to be less rushed by the time we finished up. He spoke minimal English but seemed delighted to know we were from Texas. We weren't sure why, but we were glad to have a little cheerful banter before we headed off. Heading Out As we walked out towards the Piazza, I yearned to know about the history of the century-old restaurant. I wish we could have caught the eye of some elderly local, dining alone. Maybe the lonely diner would have had a cute dog that appreciated some patting. We could have started a nice converstaion... ... because the diner would speak English well and would also have a great memory. We'd ask questions about Rome in the 1950's and we'd hear wonderful stories about what Rosati was like when the tables were filled with interesting or famous people.. Canova at Night That didn't happen, so we crossed the piazza and peeked at the other cafe. I didn't spot any artists sketching, or any writers jotting notes. But I did see empty tables. If only we hadn't been about ready to drop dead from exhaustion, we could have ended the evening with with a cappuccino and dessert at Canova. Via del Corso & Trident Suites We didn't. We just headed down the street that divides the Twin Churches. After a few steps we found the giant door in the building, where our hotel was housed. We had planned our one night in Rome, as a quick rest stop, before starting our 2-week Italy travels. But our short Rome visit, meant that my memories will never be jumbled. I will always distinctly remember arriving with aching feet and huge appetites. Our Rosati dinner was a perfect oasis, on a lively holiday in Rome.
Now I'm left with cravings to return and do it even better! Hidden Saloon from 1912 Don and I had a mighty memorable night at The Blue Beet, in October... when we finally found it on Balboa Peninsula. The 110 year old brick building stood just yards from wharf. We could see it on the map, but we still drove in circles. The skinny, 3-story structure was sort of tucked into an alley. Stark's in 1912 We were greeted by a narrow hall when we stepped inside. If it had been a century earlier, (when Henry Stark owned the saloon) I probably wouldn't have been allowed inside. Unless my name was Dollar Dolly. She was an older "Lady of the Night" who searched for customers at Stark's. This may just be folklore... not sure. I was not nearly as bold as Dolly, so I let Don lead the way. Actually, I was just moving slowly as I studied the walls and thought about Mr. Stark. I'd read up a bit on the internet. He evidently ran the rough and tumble saloon, in a pretty relaxed manner, back in the day. He managed to keep the bar open, even through prohibition days. He also allowed a never ending poker game to continue throughout his ownership. When the bar closed at 2 am, the game continued right into the morning, when the bar re-opened at 6 am. Sid's Blue Beet in 1960 If we'd come in the 1960's, when Sid Soffer took ownership, I might have felt a little more welcome. I assume women were allowed, in the sixties. If they'd felt uncomfortable though, they could have put a dime in the payphone near the door, to call a cab. Not sure if that phone is actually original. From what I've read, the owner Sid was even more of a character than Henry Stark. He served food, but refused to offer condiments. He got himself on the city council where he stirred up trouble... enough trouble, that he fled to Vegas to avoid arrest. He died in Vegas, in 2007. The Bar Today I believe The Blue Beet has been owned by a father and son, since 2015. I know nothing about them. We didn't see the owners, but met Manny the bartender (manager?) when we arrived after 6 on a Monday evening. Entertainment We had heard that singer/guitarist Mike Hamilton would be performing that evening. Don and I became quick fans when we enjoyed his music in Laguna Beach, back in 2012. Manny said Mike wouldn't be performing till closer to 7, so we had time to kill. I looked around the cozy-dim space and wondered about other performers in the saloon's past. I'm sure there were many musicians over the years, but evidently in the sixties you could also enjoy entertainment like flamenco dancing or poetry readings. At some point Steve Martin did stand up here! Sunset After peeking around a bit, we decided to head outside to see if we could catch the sunset. We didn't have to walk far. The Pacific was lovely and we caught the sun just before it disappeared. More Bars We wandered near the pier and studied some of the businesses facing the water. The older bars reminded us that this area was once a working class seaport. In the early 1900's buildings stood yards from the wharf, offering food and drink... and brothels. I'm sure "Blackies By the Sea" and "Beach Ball" have some stories to tell. Who knows how old they actually are, but they now stay open more hours than Blue Beet! Blackie's opens daily at 10. Beach Ball appears to have the same hours that Blue Beet had long ago. "Closed 2am to 6am" Back to the Beet It was a little darker (than my photo) by the time we returned to the Blue Beet. The window to the kitchen was open, sharing some pretty good smells. Luckily no smells of burning food... or burning building. Evidently there was a huge fire in 1986, that destroyed most of the interior. Luckily, enough of the brick exterior was spared, so the building could be renovated. Peek in the Kitchen Once inside, I had another view of the kitchen. Under the Prime Steaks sign, I could catch a glimpse of the bright room, that made our dinner later. Mike & Guitar Don and I headed for the back room, where Mike was setting up, beneath a neon Blue Beet sign. I've kept up with with Mike on Facebook, since seeing him perform in Laguna. He knew his fans from 10 years ago, were coming that night, so if was a fun reunion. We chatted casually while Mike dealt with all his equipment. Upstairs Mike and Don continued to gab, while I explored. I climbed upstairs to check out all the levels. There was even a roof terrace, on the top level. I took a quick peek and headed back down, checking out all the framed posters and photos, on my way. There was an odd assortment of framed celebrities, from Jackie Kennedy to sports players. And then there were images that clearly had stories behind them. Questions There was a lot to wonder about. What was original from the old saloon, besides the brick? But there was no time for questions. Mike was tuning up and I was thirsty and hungry. From Beatles to Bach Don and I grabbed a table in the cozy back room and spent the next few hours enjoying Mike's mellow voice and acoustic guitar. He started with Simon and Garfunkel's, "The Boxer" Good choice. I requested Cat Stevens and heard an old favorite, "Moon Shadow". Perfect! It was fun to hear some Kenny Loggins tunes, knowing that Mike toured with him back in the seventies. Another nice surprise was hearing Mike's guitar doing a little combo of Bach and Pachabel! What an enjoyable evening. Food Too We hadn't come for the food but we did have a decent dinner with our drinks and music. The salad with grilled chicken, goat cheese, candied walnuts, beets, apples and and balsamic dressing was very tasty! The house Pesto Flatbread with mozzarella and baby arugula was surprisingly yummy. So I mentioned the food, because this is a Dining Blog. But the tasty food was just a part of the enjoyable evening. The other guests and laid back atmosphere, made it feel like we were in someone's living room, hanging out. Mike chatted through his mic, introducing us to to each other and telling stories... experimenting with different requests and thanking us all repeatedly. We hadn't intended on staying until his last song, but we did and enjoyed every minute. Last to Go I guess Don and I acted like Groupies. We lingered, until only Mike and Manny were left. Manny took our picture and we 3 grinned, kind of like we did 10 years ago when we took a photo at The White House in Laguna. Yay for a good mix of music, food and historic atmosphere!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
November 2023
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