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Pirate's House in Savannah, GA

8/29/2016

Welcoming Visitors Since 1700's

This old place first opened as an inn, serving seafarers traveling down the nearby Savannah River. There are lots of stories of pirates and grog and underground tunnels to the Rum Room. But mostly the grog drinkers have been tourists, since it became a restaurant in the 1940's. Don and I were 2 of those tourists, last January.

Cozy House

There are a number of buildings that make up the Pirate's House and its 15 dining rooms. This homey one with the porch, was part of the original inn. The attached structure on the right, with the slanty-roof, was built in 1734. It was called the Herb House and it was home to the gardner who tended Savannah's carefully planned botanical garden.

Cookbook Illustration

I'm sure the exterior has gone through many changes over the years, but not much since 1964. This illustration is from my 54-year-old Ford Motor Cookbook and it shows the same paint colors on building and shutters. Of course I brought along the book, hoping to share with an enthused server or cook...

Late Afternoon Visit

It was around 4, when Don and I squeezed in a visit during our short stay in Savannah. There were a few young and bored women chatting at the hostess desk, during the lull. They told us to feel free to roam around and to enjoy the gift shop. That was a bad sign right there. I don't care about souvenirs. I just wanted some history and these youngin's didn't have much interest in that. So we looked on our own. The first room we peeked in, was the original Herb House. You can see the slanted ceiling with thick beams.

The Captain's Room

The Captain's Room had great old floors and wooden walls. The fireplace looked authentically rustic. But what was with the skull and parrot theme? Yes, real pirates spent time in this room, but I doubt the fireplace was decorated with skulls back then.

The Bar

Don and I wanted to have a "dining adventure" in this old building, but it was too early and too empty to be fun. So we figured we could at least drink an ale or some grog-like beverage to help remember our visit. Sadly, the bar was a newly remodeled space that could have been anywhere. But luckily Joshua was still on duty for a while behind the bar. He had a bit of a pirate look about him, with ponytail and earrings. But best of all he had a lot of interest in the history of the place.

Don had some kind of ale and I went for the Pirate's Pleasure... because it sounded appropriate, with rum. Some lively tourists arrived a while later and ordered the 22-ounce Chatham Artillery Punch. Joshua explained how he makes this crazy concoction in huge amounts each day. Maybe next time.

Date and Nut Pudding?

It made my day that Joshua was amused by the old cookbook. He laughed over the pudding recipe, which is no longer served. He even flipped through some of the pages from the northeastern States to see if he recognized any of the featured restaurants.

A Quick VIsit

I can hardly say we really experienced Pirate's House. We had no meal. We weren't there at night with costumed servers. I didn't even ask if I could go find a tunnel.

But we got to check off one more on the Cookbook List. And best of all, we had a great chat with Joshua. He may not be as young as the disinterested youngin's, but he was still young enough that I was impressed with his appreciation for history and preservation of old buildings.

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Josiah Chownings Tavern

8/27/2016

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Williamsburg, Virginia

Don and I had a quick getaway to Virginia in July. We spent some time in the Revolutionary City of Williamsburg, trying to absorb a little Colonial History.

We stopped to enjoy lunch at an authentic 18th century alehouse and ended up with some good people encounters!

Some Background First

This actual building was reconstructed 75 years ago, where the old Colonial Hotel once stood. The hotel was built in 1895 on the foundations of 2 buildings from the mid 1700's!

Who Was Mr. Chowning?

An old newspaper advertisement shows that a man named Josiah Chowning did own a Williamsburg tavern in 1765. I don't believe this is where his tavern was, but the 1940's reconstruction attempted to bring back the authentic flavor. They even added a beer garden in back, with "arbors and booths of greenery". The tavern became popular with visiting servicemen during WWII.

Waiting for a Table

A costumed hostess met us on the porch and added our names to the a wait list. Maybe she was just "in character", but she seemed sort of bossy when she asked, "Would you mind eating with another couple?" That seemed odd, but she wasn't someone we wanted to say no to. And we were hungry. We passed through the dining room to wait in the beer garden. I hoped we would be matched up with someone more friendly than our hostess.

Passing Through

We headed towards the rear door and I peeked at the corner fireplace and antique chairs and benches. Nice. I also took a look at some of the tourists and hoped we hadn't set ourselves up for some very dull dining conversation.

Lucked Out!

The hostess grabbed us from the bar, before I had a chance to ask for the complimentary peanuts. She hustled us through the lower rooms like an impatient schoolmarm and pointed us towards another couple, heading towards the stairs. Our dining partners! Don and I eyed each other and grinned. Not only did we luck out, getting to eat in the quaint upstairs attic room, but the other dining couple looked pretty delightful!

Our New Friends

Our server, Tansu was in much better spirits than the schoolmarm hostess. Being from Turkey, I didn't expect her to care a hoot about the 1950's, Ford Motor Cookbook, which I pulled out of my bag. But she laughed and took in the retro book, like she actually understood the fun. Our new friends Bob and Joan seemed equally tickled as they flipped through pages.

Recipe

Don and I always feel pretty lucky when we find a place that still exists in our old travel cookbooks. Usually the featured recipe has disappeared from the menu. But the Chowning's menu still featured Brunswick Stew! I don't know if it had been altered, but I made sure to order it!

Swapping Stories

While waiting on our orders, we shared some travel stories with Bob and Joan. Bob had some good cell phone pics to accent his funny stories. They seemed a lot younger than the ages they claimed. And they certainly had no problems hiking up the rickety stairway to the attic dining room. However, Bob admitted that just the day before, they claimed they "needed an elevator" during their visit in D.C. Their daughter was able to set up a special tour at the "White House", which included a bit of stair climbing.

But somehow the 2 had determined, the route would be different if they needed an elevator. They ended up with a sneak peek into the White House kitchen and some extra chat time with the Secret Service! Our dining buddies were gave us some tips for the future!

Food and Drink

The beers came in festive clay mugs. Bob and Don teased over who had the most beer in theirs. I was actually pretty crazy over the heavy dishes with yellow and blue peacocks! It was quite an incentive for any child to clean their plate.

The Feast!

Don and I did a little sharing for lunch. Our order came with Brunswick Stew (made with young fowl and fresh garden vegetables) and two Pasties, plus slaw. The meat and veggie "pasty" pies were flavorful and seemed like an authentic choice for an alehouse. The stew was thick and tasty, as well.

Wandering

I took off on a wandering mission and only got in trouble once. Evidently one staircase is for employees only. A different schoolmarm got on my case, this time. But I did see some wonderful antique youth chairs and some curious sconces and pewter items.

And People

Colonial Williamsburg is full of costumed characters and I found a few at the bottom of the stairs. Two were seated, playing a table game. A man in a 3-cornered hat, was warming up on the mandolin and a cheery woman in cap and apron was just passing through.

On the Porch

By the time we 4 had finished our meal, the porch had been relieved of the hosting schoolmarm. Joan and I enjoyed a little music and threatened to dance a bit. We posed for a picture instead.

All in all, the place was memorable. The grumpy hostess gave us something to laugh about with our new friends. Food was decent and our sweet server Tansu was the best. Next time, we'll have to arrive at night, when I hear the games and music can become very lively!

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Trough Juice Bar in Richmond

8/24/2016

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Getting Healthy in Small Town Texas!

I pass through this town often, on my way to 2 centers where I volunteer. It's fairly new and I never knew it existed, until my friend from one the centers mentioned it. I've been trying to change some eating habits since I was diagnosed with cancer. My friend, Terri is in the same boat and she highly recommended the place.

Interior

So I had my first intro to the place when friends, Lorrie and Shari decided I needed to get prepared for my first chemo, by going wig shopping. I was sort of dreading that outing, so we made sure to start with a fun... and healthy lunch. The inside was as cute as the outside.

Quotes and Cowgirls

The theme seemed to be sort of Texas Cowgirl and Homey Comfort. I loved the retro red refrigerator and the wooden kitchen table with metal legs. And yes, lots of cowgirl "pin up" artwork. The quote above the door caught my eye.

Creative Touches

I liked all the clever touches with chalkboards and jars and who knows what that lamp was made out of? Some old espresso maker?

Into the Kitchen

We could peek into the kitchen through the windows, or sort of through the very curious revolving door... which was holding some bananas in an attached holder.

More Cowgirls

I almost missed these little ladies below the upper counter. Quite a collage, I would say. Some with frying pans and some with guns and one with a cup of cold- pressed juice!

Back Room

The front room was small but there were more tables in back. I loved the cow and horse art. And Trough! What a curious name for the place.
Best Table

We 3 got my favorite table, right by the window. It was like a wooden version of my grandmother's white and chrome table. The occasional trains rumbling by just outside our window, added a little more nostalgia!

Juices

Lorrie had been before so she knew about the organic cold-pressed juices, made daily. The Trough tags were helpful since they listed the ingredients in your drink. Lorrie went for Green Pastures, the healthiest. Shari went for sweeter, Ruby Red, with apple, beet and celery! I went for the Dragon Fruit or something. I'm confused what I had... because I accidentally drank Shari's first, so we got small cups to sample them all.

Food

The meals were all $8.50, just about the price of a juice. I ordered the Super Trough Bowl, recommended by my friend Terri. Brown rice, kale, cucumbers, tomato, pickled veggies, cranberries, sunflower seeds and ginger sesame dressing. Lorrie got Avocado English Muffin and Shari got a combo of Salad with Grilled Cheese. I couldn't finish, but refused to leave a thing behind. I carted mine home to top my salad for dinner!

Off to Shop

After our healthy feast we headed into Sugar Land to "Care & Company", a wonderful wig salon, owned by a Mother/Daughter team, both cancer survivors. I was helped by another daughter, but her sister, mom and aunt, were all helpful with suggestions, support and tips.

I ordered a wig similar to the one on my head and Lorrie and Shari were good enough to put on some flowered hats to pose with me!

Another Visit

Before starting up with chemo, I met up with Terri for lunch another day. I was once again surrounded by delicious, healthy foods and fun stuff to look at. I got a better look at "Pearl", the juice-drinking Cowgirl. And I loved the slim legs of the Carrot Woman, posing in the basket!

It was wonderful getting to catch up with Terri, since we have much to share. She frequents The Bar often and chatted with many. It was also a nice surprise to learn more about the history of the business. The inspiration came from a mother of 4 who became proactive with her cancer by totally changing her diet. After kicking cancer, she and her daughters transformed this quaint little building to become a healthy and quick alternative to fast food. It's their shared love of horses that brought on the name... along with a reminder that these energetic beasts can thrive on a trough of grass!

I love living in 2016, a time when we no longer whisper the word Cancer. Coming to The Trough, I felt like I was celebrating my good-bye to Cancer!

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White Knight in St. Louis, MO

8/14/2016

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A Diner of Many Names!

This colorful little diner was once called, Super Sandwich Shop. After Universal Studios used it in the film, White Palace, the diner hoped to keep the new name. Universal said no, so then it became White Knight.

Bounce Castle in the Street!

When Don and I drove by it last fall, we both laughed. It was sitting there at the intersection of 18th and Olive Boulevard, just west of downtown. It looked like one of those blow-up Bounce House Castles, that had been caught by a breeze and landed in the street.

Glass Block and Turrets

Don and I lived in St. Louis, but neither of us really remembered this oddball place. We adore a good diner with character, so we of course had to stop.

Closed

The sign said they were open for breakfast and lunch and it was after 3. Darn. At least I could peek through the glass beside the colorful letters, "God Bless America" and see the interior. Wow. What an iconic looking place.

Movie History

Not only was the diner iconic, but it had a little history with Hollywood. In 1990, the quaint diner had a starring role as a hamburger joint in the movie, "White Palace". The movie starred Susan Sarandon, as a waitress and James Spader as her young lover. The little diner proudly displayed many old movie photos and news clippings.

White Castle

Anyone from St. Louis knows about White Castle, whether you can stomach the greasy burgers or not. White Castle is really what author, Glenn Savan was writing about when he wrote the book "White Palace" in 1987... but he had to change the name. Don and I were living in St. Louis in the eighties. We lived near a cafe in Webster Groves where the author spent time. When I visited the cafe, I thought I recognized Savan, sitting alone reading. Like a groupie, I introduced myself, but he laughed and said no. Sadly he died in 2003 at 49.

Back to the Diner

Don and I were actually more curious about the diner itself, than the film connection. Who would go there? We decided to catch breakfast the next morning before leaving town. It was hopping at 9:30.

Chrome

We sat down on 2 of the 4 red stools near the 3 small booths. Later, when some black stools around the corner cleared, I snapped a few photos. Lots of St. Louis Cardinals and US flags in the diner!

Grill View

There were 3 women hard at work. The place was small, but there were tons of carry out orders. I so wanted to ask about the history of the place, but the cook, was a little busy for chit chat. She did mention that the current owner had owned the business for 46 years. I can find little on the internet, so that's about all I know on history.

Food

I ordered from the menu section titled, "Customer Creations". I ordered the "How 'Bout 'Cha", which was a grilled up combo of chopped ham, hash browns, eggs, cheese, green pepper and onions. Not too bad, with some crunch to the potatoes.

Rude Photo

This is the second photo I took of Don and his pancakes. He was taking a bite when I snapped the first time. Angela, who was seated next to me, laughed and reprimanded me for taking a photo of my husband when he was chewing. That opened up our conversation which went on until we left the diner. Angela had been trying to converse with the cook and servers earlier.

But they had no time to hear about what Angela thought of church service last week and how her bus ride went that morning. But I was happy to chat with Angela, who despite missing a few teeth, posed beautifully for our photo.

"I don't usually warm up to women that much!" She laughed after we had talked quite some time. She told me about how she became a minister at age 5 and how she just finished her cancer treatment and how her daughter looked after her.

We chatted until the other tables cleared out. She told us to come back and get the hamburger next time. We promised we would and she wished us well as we departed.

Interesting atmosphere. Interesting people encounter and interesting connection with the movie world! I just wish I knew more about how this little place has managed to hold onto this spot for so many years. I'm sure there are good stories out there!

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Food & Drink in University City, MO

8/13/2016

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Fun Part of St. Louis

Last April, Don and I spent a night in University City, not to be confused with Universal City... even though, both have a lot of festive lights and attractions.

"U. City" is in St. Louis County, near Washington University. Delmar Blvd. is the main drag and it was hopping, even on a Sunday evening.

Tempting Signs

There were a lot more options for dining and drinking, than when we lived in St. Louis, 30 years ago. We strolled down Delmar, feeling extra intrigued,

by all the neon signs luring us. The Pin-Up-Bowl, looked like a good option of food, drink and entertainment!

Blueberry Hill

Blueberry Hill has always been a favorite. I wrote it up in the Dining Blog, back in January 2013.

We headed in for old time's sake. Don was eager for a beer and I was eager to feast my eyes.

There's a lot of stuff to look at in Blueberry Hill!

Lots of Old

We sat in a booth by the old bar. The bar is pretty impressive, but that doesn't thrill me as much as all the weird stuff that covers the walls and fills the shelves.

Back in the seventies, Blueberry Hill was just about the only reason for coming to this area of U. City. Don loved the beer and darts. I loved the whimsical collections that owner, Joe Edwards displayed. Vintage toys and record albums, to giant oddities... like Pinocchio's head! I was glad to see it was all still there.

Peacock Diner

We had already decided on a Thai place for dinner, but I had to stop to take in this beautiful sign, just down the street from Blueberry Hill. It was tempting to change plans, but Don and I decided we would save a stop at The Peacock, for the morning.

Coffee at The Peacock

It's pretty lame to sneak in a blog write up about a place, when you've only sampled their coffee. But that's how much I loved the atmosphere. We stopped in at 9 am and the place was festive, bright, curious and a little empty.

More Collections!

I looked across 4 U-shaped counters and saw a lit up case of themed goodies! As it turns out, Joe Edwards also owns this place. But the collections displayed at The Peacock were all bright and sparkly. I'm not sure I'd want to see some of the Blueberry Hill collections (many items are comically creepy) in the bright of day!

Best Seat in the House

I'm not sure where everyone was, but the place was pretty empty. A sweet old woman sat alone at one booth and a man with laptop sat at a table. He saw us oohing and ahhing and he actually looked up to enjoy our enthusiasm. He encouraged us to go ahead and sit in the "Carousel of Love". When our server brought our coffee, she explained how the round booth rotates on a platform. In the evening you can reserve the booth and spin it towards the curtains... which open up to reveal large TV screen! Crazy!

Feasting My Eyes Again!

I almost wanted to take my coffee and try out every booth. There were many delightful displays of dairy related goodies. Milk bottles and cows.. coffee cans and chickens. What a great place to have breakfast! But we had to save our appetites, because we were heading out of St. Louis in a moment. And we had already planned an important breakfast stop. And that will be my next blog!

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Food & Excitement at Dog Street Pub

8/11/2016

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An American Gastropub

Don and I were in Virginia recently and spent a day touring Colonial Williamsburg. For lunch we dined at a more authentic tavern, so for an evening bite, we headed out of the Olde Town area to grab some food at Merchant's Square. We had been intrigued earlier when we passed a sign, with a dog! We didn't know we'd have some excitement surrounding our dinner outing!

Evening in the Olde Town

It had been a hot day, so as we headed towards the pub, it was nice to see the old street becoming quieter and cooler as the sun went down. All those poor employees in their hot costumes!

From Costumes to Uniforms

As we traveled down the street we noticed some different costumes. There seemed to be a number of men in uniform, looking very serious. There was also some crime tape around an area near the historic City Hall. It seemed someone had left a backpack on a wooden bench near a barrel.

Moving Along

We were curious, but continued down the road towards the pub, where we knew beer and food awaited.

Cute Building

The pub on the corner was appealing, with tower and weathervane above. There was a small crowd dining outside, which looked inviting.

Inside

The inside was actually pretty comfortable, with a bar and a few levels. Lots of big windows and iron light fixtures. But we are from Texas and we don't get to do much patio dining in the summer, so we waited for an outside table.

Beer and Food Made With Beer
Don was most excited about all the beer options. But I was pretty delighted with so many unusual choices on the Small Plate Menu.

"Welsh Rarebit" was my number one pick. It was much more exciting than what I remembered from childhood. This was made with brown ale & horseradish cheese over English toasting bread. It was rich and decadent. I was a little disappointed that our waiter, who I think was putting on a British accent, pronounced my dish like it's spelled. My mom always called it "Rabbit" which was maybe why I liked it. There's evidently quite a debate over how you say it.

The Rueben Croquettes were pretty crazy! Panko covered corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut! And then Don went for some Mulligtawny, a yellow curry soup with chicken and coconut milk. Welsh Rarebit was my favorite of the three.

Excitement Besides Food

We enjoyed our food, while watching the tourists and locals wandering by the patio area. Then we had more to a watch, as a parade of emergency vehicles flew by, with sirens blasting. It was dark, but we were pretty sure we saw the words, "bomb squad" on the side of one.

Eat and Run

Since I'm always up for a dining adventure, I pushed Don to get the bill so we could go see what all the excitement was about. But we could no longer get anywhere near where the backpack was sitting on the bench. (which is a good thing) The crime tape area had been enlarged and we wandered around to the end, where the most important trucks were parked. We watched one man put on a suit that looked pretty much like the Michelin Man.

All is Good

There really is nothing amusing about this at all. It's a sad thing that a backpack, probably holding a water bottle and a guidebook, must be treated with such caution. But that's the world we live in now. Don and I watched while 2 suited men disappeared towards the backpack. Before long they returned, holding the pack. Their body language showed relief. There were high fives and the hot suits were removed.

Good Ending

We chatted with a few other curious tourists and got reprimanded by a policeman for walking across a grass field, where they had evidently run out of crime tape. We meandered back to our car through the peaceful streets of town. We were glad that there had not been more excitement, than what we'd encountered. Our adventure that evening obviously had nothing to do with The Dog Street Pub. But I will always remember the excitement that surrounded our pub meal!

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Columbia in St. Augustine, Florida

8/10/2016

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Gem of the Spanish Restaurants

Don and I spent a few days in St. Augustine last January. We were delighted by the atmosphere of the historic city.

Many times, we'd walked by this wonderful building with waving fans and trickling fountain.

Since 1905!

1905 is pretty young for St. Augustine, which was founded in 1565! But the building was inviting and 1905 is old in my book. How could we resist?

So Many Options for Seating!

We entered the charming building at 9:30, on a Sunday evening. Luckily, there were still enough diners to make things festive. The hostess seemed a little tired, though. She walked us through the arched entrance of the room marked "El Patio". She put menus down at a cramped table for 2. When I cheerily asked for another table facing the fountain, she yawned and moved us. I didn't ask her to move the broom and dustpan that rested up against a column. I'm pretty sure someone was eager to use that and get home, but I tucked them behind the column where I didn't have to stare at the eyesore.

Exploring

Before ordering, I did a quick "Race to the Ladies Room", which means, I went exploring. There were so many rooms in this great old place.

Family

I wanted to know all about the 5 generations of The Hernandez Family who have been running Columbia since it first opened.

And More Seating

The murals, stucco, iron and tile felt very Spanish, but Mr. Hernadez, Sr., evidently immigrated from Cuba. The foods on the menu reflected that.

Looking Down

I took a quick glance down towards our table from the railing above. My photo doesn't show a very clear shot of fountain in the center of the dining room, but there was quite a curious sculpture. The glowing, white legs are wrapped up in the tail of a dolphin! It gave us lots to ponder.

Food and Drink

I was hoping for a very old server who could tell me some stories, but our young server was at least very gracious and didn't rush. She brought us warm Cuban bread, which was heavenly. Don had a Pisco Sour and I celebrated with a Margarita. Then she tossed up our "1905 Salad" right next to the table.

The salad was iceberg, mixed with ham, Swiss, tomato, Spanish olives, Romano cheese, Worcestershire and lemon. I actually liked the plate it was served on, just as much as the salad!

The Original Cuban Sandwich

A recipe from 1915 was used for this perfect sandwich. Genoa salami, smoked ham, pork loin, Swiss, pickle, and yellow mustard was pressed and melted inside long slices of Cuban bread.

Fun Food

Not only was it the best tasting sandwich I've had... since a Muffaletta in New Orleans... But it was just plain fun.

Look at Don. He looks like he's eating giant cigar. Which is kind of funny because I found out later that some of Mr. Hernandez's first customers were workers from a nearby cigar factory. They often bought the Cuban sandwiches to eat walking to and from work.

The Bad News

Don and I enjoyed our dinner, even though we sort of closed the place down. We even managed to laugh at the disappointing restaurant history we learned after our meal. I asked about Columbia's history and our young server answered with a smile. "Oh it's been here since the 1980's" I cringed and asked, "Well is the building old?" "No, it used to be a parking lot." What? So there are 6 locations of Columbia. The original is in Tampa. So much for my love of historic dining!

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Dining in Postville, Iowa

8/9/2016

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Small Town Food?

I lived my first 10 years in Grinnell, Iowa. All I remember besides counter dining at Cunningham Drugs, was the Long Horn Steak House and an A & W Root beer Drive In.

Postville is much smaller than Grinnell. It's about 2 square miles and home to around 2,000 residents, but it sure has some curious food options.

Taste of Mexico

Don and I were traveling through Postville, 2 years ago when we stopped for lunch. We didn't see many listings on Yelp, but we found Taste of Mexico, in this old corner building.

Out of Towners

We got a few looks when we entered. The other diners seemed to be locals, who all spoke Spanish. But we were welcomed to a table and given menus. The menu was a bit weathered, with lots of glued on notices about, service refusal and added gratuity...

But the donkey picture was cute and the prices were cheap.

Authentic Decor

Living in Texas, we've eaten at a lot of authentic, family owned Mexican restaurants. This kind of decor is not unusual.

But this restaurant had its own Mexican grocery store and a party hall as well. There were also restrooms, but I didn't pay a visit when I heard of Don's adventure. "I had to step over some kind of frozen meats to get into the restroom!" He laughed. He also was amused that there was a cup with toothbrushes in the men's room.

Food

Luckily we had already eaten our meal before Don shared that story. The tostada and burrito plates were only about $5.00! And the food was right out of Mexico. Perfecto! Don even had a chance to speak some Spanish with the owner, who warmed up quite a bit.

Shopping

After lunch, we walked down the block to the Glatt Market to get some food for dinner that night, since we would be staying at a farm B & B outside of town.

Nearby

Just around the corner, I spotted two Muslim women walking away, in long skirts and head coverings. This didn't seem much like Iowa either.

In the Shop

When we entered the store, a man with the traditional hair, beard and dress of an Hasidic Jew, looked up from his conversation with the shop keeper. "Don't you look good!" He spoke to Don with an accent. That was an odd greeting, but Don responded with a cheerful, "Thanks!" The gentleman was eager to know all about us and why we were shopping in a Kosher grocery store. We were obvious outsiders, but I was amused at his question, since a number of people have thought I was Jewish in the past. But we had quite a good time chatting for a while, until he needed to hurry on.

Shopping and Recent History

After he left, the Ukrainian woman behind the counter began to open up. She told us about the local Kosher slaughter house that had been raided in 2008. Many illegal Mexican workers, were rounded up and jailed. After the factory reopened, new immigrants came to work. She smiled and shook her head at all the changes. "The factory has had to adjust to the Muslim Somalis, who need to halt work for daily prayers."

Somehow in recent years, the local Iowa folk, Hasidic Jews, Mexicans and Muslim Somalis have managed to live in this small town, combining their cultures. It's a complicated story that lead me to some interesting books. The history is worth Googling.

Dinner Snacks

Nadia was not Jewish, but she showed us around. She pointed out the Kosher wine used for Passover and helped us pick out a few snacks to have with our light dinner later at the barn. We headed out of town, but didn't manage to spot any cafes that might have been Somali owned. That would have completed our diverse dining experience!

Postville 1916

As we headed out of town, we spotted a mural featuring an image of The Ringling Brother's visit to Postville in 1916. We had a feeling this was the bit of Postville History that the old timer locals are most proud of.

Barn B & B

We traveled just a few miles to our B&B down the highway. Our hosts were Iowa natives and went to Postville schools. Our barn looked over a field of corn. There were cows and chickens and breakfast couldn't have been more All-American.

It's been almost 2 years since our visit to Postville and my mind is still kind of boggled by the memory. I would love to go back, stay longer, eat more... and ask more questions.

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