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Root Beer Sign The big mug lured us, while traveling last August.
We were driving on Highway 20, headed for Montana. I spotted the overflowing mug and the little bear statues beneath. I urged Don to put on the breaks. A Real Drive-In It was an old school drive-in, with both dining room and car service!  We already had lunch packed in the car, but I insisted we pull in. Since 1965 Ashton's little root beer biz looked a bit different, back when it opened in 1965.  Since opening, I believe there have been about 9 owners. One owner changed the name to Mug Jugs, for a short while. That name and ownership didn't last long. Frostop Name I wonder if they changed the name on the mug? Hopefully not, because it was back to Frostop's, when the next owners chose to embrace the franchise.  The original Frostop opened almost a century ago in Springfield, Ohio. That was 1926 and by 1958, there were 350 locations in the country. There are about a dozen, still in business today. Drive-In Parking Don parked our car on the turtle side of the covered lot.  The colorful animals were a bonus to our quirky lunch stop! Ordering with Addy We studied the menu beneath the roof. Pretty soon, Addy came to our window and we placed our order. She was pleasant and chatty.  I didn't ask to take Addy's photo, although I kind of wanted. A&W in 1977 My brother kind of wanted to, back in the 70s, even though there was no blog excuse. We were traveling with my mom, in the Missouri Ozarks. Chris popped out of the car and took a photo, mostly because that's the sort of silly thing Chris would do. His camera snapping preserved the time and experience quite well! (car, uniform, food tray, coin belt)  A&W photography became a habit, with my goofy siblings. Sometimes a quick stop for root beer, became a paparazzi moment. No cellphones then, but at least 3 of us carried cameras when we traveled. I sure hope we tipped well, especially the time 3 of us hopped out, to photograph a rather confused carhop. (I behave better now) New Colors Before the food arrived, I hopped out of the car (with my cell-cam) and headed for the teal and red building. Hopefully the pig and bear at the entrance, weren't embarrassed when I snapped their photo.
I found an old photo on Roadside America, that showed the old brown and tan exterior. I was curious to step inside. Spiffed Up Interior Once inside, I chatted with Addy a bit about the bright interior. Evidently the McCausey family did a big makeover, after an ice storm a couple of years ago.  The ceiling was lifted and lots of new paint and furnishings, made the counter and table dining, much more inviting. Nostalgia I loved the hints to the past. Lots of goodies were older than the 60 year old building.
I wish I could have met Hannah McCausey and her family, when they owned the place for 15 years. Hubby Wayne farmed, while Hannah ran the kitchen. Sometimes along her little daughter playing nearby, with her own small kitchen. They sold the biz a couple about 2 years ago. Dining Room The dining room felt homey and clean. I'm guessing the diners were locals, the way many greeted each other.  There were checkered curtains, with shelves of goodies above. I spotted an old payphone and gum machine that could easily be original from th 1965 opening. One thing wasn't original. A new colorful mural, added during renovation. Old Mural (One more tangent here!) I got curious and went to town on the internet. I learned that there was another mural, before the Frostop & Truck mural of today.  Luckily the Mesa Falls mural, was not just painted over. The artwork created by Don Ricks years ago, was removed from the diner and is now displayed in a local museum. (photo from Museum of Henry's Fork website) Burger & Tots! I felt only slightly guilty that we only ordered one meal to split. But we tipped Addy well, for her pleasant service.  There was no one else dining at the picnic tables, so I pulled out our packed salad. We shared it with the decadent bacon-cheeseburger! The tots were especially good with the fry sauce.  We enjoyed our little feast, with our nearby animal friends. The giant mug sign stood tall, nearby! Such a perfect mini dining adventure. Except for one thing. Oops! How could I have NOT ordered a root beer? I just totally forgot, the When in Rome rule!  I took one last look at the mug before we pulled away. What a fun little dining oasis, sitting right near an intersection, filled with traffic lights.
After we drove away, I realized I forgot to do one more thing. I didn't pay attention to see if that mug was rotating. I've read recently that it still does, but I honestly did not take note. We'll have to go back and check!
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Since 1977 The date on the rusty metal sign says 1977. That's not old. 20 years younger than me.  But there's a whole lot of history behind the structure, that houses the riverside restaurant. About 100 years worth of history, before the restaurant opened in '77. Beneath Gruene's Water Tower The town of Gruene was named for Henry D. Gruene, who was a pretty prosperous fellow in the 1870s. He planted cotton and built a water wheel gristmill... a cotton gin, mercantile business, saloon and more.  Today, the restaurant sits near the town's water tower. The restaurant was basically built up from the ruins of Gruene's original cotton gin structure.,,, which burned down, way back when. Christmas Trees in Gruene This past December, Don and I had lunch for probably the 10th time, at the well-loved Gristmill. This was our first visit to the sweet town, in December. Cheers for festive trees! We walked on the brick path towards the tower and spotted a cowboy hat, on the top of a decorated tree. (zoom way in!)
We stepped inside the entrance and I posed with an upside down Christmas tree... hoping it was attached well, from above! Greetings from Santa I was sort of glad for the damp & cold, wintery weather. Warm & humid December days in Texas, make it hard to get in the holiday spirit.  I loved the welcoming decor. Especially all the festive greeters, like Vintage Santa. And the frisky pheasants, didn't seem to notice us. They looked like they were trying to take off, from the red and green mantle.
We spotted sweet Lupe the longhorn, in his Santa hat. He looked down with authority, over the guests in the dining room. Perfect Table, Perfect Soup The Gristmill is a tricky maze of rooms and levels. Some inside, some out, some half-in and half-out. We were seated inside the warm River Room, near Lupe and the cozy fire. Perfect table.  I ordered Tortilla Soup and it felt like there was nothing better on that chilly day. Warm and spicy. Fresh avocado, onions and crispy corn strips. Melt in you mouth chicken and a nice balance of broth and cheese. That's all I needed on that chilly day. March 2023 My memories of Gruene & Gristmill, are spread out over the last 2 decades. We've had many fun visits with family, to Gruene. (now part of New Braunfels, TX) Somewhere, there are old photos, with our young kids at Gristmill. Who knows where?  A more recent visit, was less than a year ago and I do have pics. It was a similar damp day and we were on a roadtrip with my sister and her wife. We stopped for lunch and headed across the wet street to follow the path beside the old Gruene Hall. As we passed the screen windows of the weathered building, I reminded my sister of all the summer nights we slept with windows open. Rarely have we enjoyed open-window-time, since moving to Texas in 1998.  Along with the Gristmill, H.D. Gruene built the dance hall/saloon, to service the cotton farmers and millworkers in the area. That was 1878 and there was no a.c. to cool those hardworking men. In 2025, there is still no a.c. to cool the performers or visitors who come to enjoy live music on the stage. Cotton Gin from 1878 The cotton gin was built that same year as Gruene Hall.  This is how the Gristmill Restaurant looks today. I have no idea how much of the structure is old and how much was added in the 1970s. Entrance Today Last March, the pathway to the entrance was fairly quiet.
I paused to study the red brick and the earthy adobe-like bricks, behind some cement. I noticed a round window near the peak of the roof. A wheel of some kind? So many materials in the patchwork design. Inside The interior looked even more spacious than I remembered. There were no guests dining, in the barn-like front room. I noticed the staircase on the right, leading up to various levels, holding tables. It looked like a stage set to me.
I zipped upstairs quickly to take a photo. I was up high, on there same level as the window that I'd just admired. There must have been a story about that wheel-like structure. Where to Dine? The 4 of us had lots of options for seating. The air was damp, but it wasn't cold.
We passed up some of the nice inside tables, next to big, open windows. Floors I admired the shiny floors as we followed the host out towards the back of the building. I imagine these are repurposed boards, with their own special history.
We headed out to a wooden deck with boards, much more weathered. More brick walls that could have been old... or created to blend with the old. Who knows? A Little Shelter We were seated at a table with benches, beneath a good sturdy roof. Just in case.  Fun to have the old water tower above us. Look Out Below Our dining terrace was above some of the decks, closer to the river.  I spotted a couple, under and an umbrella and remembered eating with our kids in about 2000. Possibly at that very table. I remember how the kids watched the tubers traveling down the river, in big giddy groups. They talked us into a tubing trip the next day. Going Up After placing my order, I went adventuring. At least 2 servers tried to graciously guide me to a downstairs restroom, but I opted for the more interesting journey... up.  After pausing at a wall of historic photos, I found the odd set of stairs in the front room.  I felt like I was climbing high up, inside a complicated treehouse.  I stopped at one point and looked down towards a table in its own cozy nook, with a view of crumbling walls, green umbrellas and trees beyond.  At the top of the stairs, I found a room of tables beneath a sagging ceiling of... burlap? The room was surrounded by windows. High above the trees!  At first I felt like I'd climbed up into a tree fort. But with the view below, I felt like I was inside a tower of an ancient fort.  So many walls and levels and roofs and roof-less areas! I'd love to have a birds-eye view of this whole property. Upper Restroom Before heading down, I figured I'd find the restroom, that I'd pretended I was searching for. It was an odd one, with its round window.  I'm not sure about the history of the round mechanical piece inside the window! But I do know, it felt odd to stare down into the dining room, when I dried my hands. Rush! I stepped out of the restroom and heard a metallic rattling on the roof above my head!  There was some exciting weather drama and I rushed down the stairs so I didn't miss the action! Flurry of Excitement While the rain poured and gusts blew, the young staff dashed in all directions.  With a restaurant designed like this one, the servers were clearly prepared. Suddenly umbrellas were moved to cover the walkway. Diners were ushered to drier tables. It was actually quite a show and the young staff seemed to be having a blast. It would have been extra entertaining to watch if they place had been crowded! Hello! I found a bit of roof to stand under and hollered at our little group!  The rain gushed. Then halted and gushed again.  I peeked through the window and waved at Don and Jennifer and Kate. I got a break and made it to the table, just before the rain pounded again.  Our servers headed with grins towards our table.  One held a tray like an umbrella, over another tray of food. Jennifer captured this photo with great expressions. Lunch! Our food arrived dry! I have to be honest, this lunch was a year ago. I took photos, but I don't even remember who ordered the club or the broccoli soup
Jennifer seemed delighted about her burger and I believe we all shared fries.  The food was just fine as I recall. It always hits the spot. But it's not the food I will remember the most, from that lunch stop in March. I'll remember the off-season, weekday calm, followed by the exciting cloudburst! A fun lunch with Jennifer and Kate!  I'm glad we got to revisit the old Gristmill in December and take in some of the Gruene Family history. After 20+ years, I'm finally taking time to learn about this magical little town. Post December Lunch A few hours after our cozy December lunch, (near Lupe and the fireplace) Don and I took in a concert at the dance hall. That wonderful saloon and hall, where men gathered, nearly a century and a half ago!  This time the hall was filled with men and women, enjoying a Tiki Christmas Show! Boots, tropical shirts and leis! Dear Henry was probably turning in his grave. H.D. Gruene's Home After the concert, we walked a few steps next door, to stay at the Gruene Mansion Inn. This is the house H. D. Gruene built for his bride in 1872.  We slept in Bertha's Room, named for H.D.'s wife. It was a fun upper room, with a door to the wraparound porch. Gruene and Red We had a good dining adventure at the Gristmill. It tied in nicely, to more adventures in the festive little town of Gruene.  I love some Christmas colors! Especially when the red and green colors are glowing from an old steel tower from 1924!
Remembering Lunch in Plains 2025 just began. But I'm thinking back to a lunch from 9 years ago.  It was January 2016, when Don and I had lunch at Buffalo Cafe. Along with our lunch, we had an unforgettable visit to the Georgia town, where Jimmy Carter grew up. I grinned to see this smiling statue as we left town. December 29, 2025 Just a few days ago, the TV news told us that President Carter passed away.  My eyes went from the TV to the funny peanut ornament on our tree. The day before, Don noticed the ornament on the floor. It had fallen from the tree, so me put it back on the branch. That smiling peanut suddenly seemed so sad. Shopping in 2016 Our tree ornament was a reminder of the little shops we visited on Main Street, when we went to Plains nearly a decade ago.  Philip Kurland's shop (which happened to be for sale at the time) was filled with political memorabilia. We peeked in a couple more stores.
I wish we'd bought some local peanuts! Spotlight on the Carters! I remember the faces looking out from the windows, of this corner building. An image of Jimmy and Rosalynn, on their wedding day.  Jimmy and Rosalynn were both born in Plains. It seemed incredible in 2016, to realize they both lived just down the road, in the house they built in 1961. Spotlight on the Carters The flags and the red, white & blue banner, made it almost feel like 1976 on Main Street. The "campaign" sign was really just a reminder that Plains is the home of the 39th president.  Mostly the town seemed to embrace the Carter Family, as beloved members of their tiny community. Carter Farm in Archery Before our lunch at the cafe, Don and I visited Jimmy's boyhood home, just 3 miles down the road. I wondered if he had contact with any of his playmates from Archery, which was a mostly African American community at the time.
We were the only visitors on that January day. It was incredible to walk through Jimmy's boyhood home and hear his voice (on speakers) narrating stories about childhood. Jimmy's School Schools were segregated in 1941, so Jimmy went to high school in Plains. Rosalynn was younger, but she had been valedictorian. The school is now a lovely museum.
A quote from Jimmy in 1971 was moving to read in 2016. The displayed words about discrimination and honesty, seem even more powerful in January of 2025. Buffalo Cafe We were relieved to find an open restaurant, by the time we finished our exploring.  The cozy cafe was housed in an old bank on Main Street, across from the train station. Plains Buffalo Mascot The brick walls were covered with photos and plaques. A sport jersey here, a buffalo image there.  The Plains Buffalo was the school mascot, when Jimmy and Rosaylnn went to High School. I believe local students go to school in nearby Americus, today. Food I should have asked our young waiter what the Carters liked to order when they came to dine. I heard that Jimmy and Rosalynn stoped in fairly often. I also heard that Jimmy never lingered. He was always on the go.  If I'd seen anything with peanuts on the menu, I would have gone for it. Instead, I went for a grilled cheese sandwich and a yummy potato soup. It seemed simple and homey and it tasted just right. Don was pleased with his pulled pork sandwich. Off We Go Our meal was pleasant tasty. We didn't spot the Carters, but we did pass their home, just a half mile from the cafe. The yard signs were a happy announcement that Jimmy's cancer had just gone in remission.  The secret service "guard house" and the fence, reminded us that Mr. Carter was indeed a former president, not just a hard working, honest man, living in his hometown.  We left Plains and drove about 10 minutes to Americus, where we would spend the night... and get up at the crack of dawn to go to the Carter's Baptist Church on Sunday morning! That's a much bigger story, with a much more memorable dining adventure. Click on the link below: https://www.thebethlists.com/diverse-dining-list/mimmies-diner-in-plains-ga Today So today, I think about Jimmy and I'm so grateful for our visit to Plains and our sweet little lunch.  I wish I had a grilled cheese sandwich right now, as I settle down to read.
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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
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