As we were standing in line for Gus’s on the Saturday night of our trip to Memphis, Mike told us about this remarkable milkshake that he’d enjoyed the previous night. He said that it was a – get this – cinnamon chocolate chile pepper milkshake, and that it came from a place in the Cooper-Young neighborhood called Beauty Shop. “Well, heck,” I thought, “I am definitely going to have to check that out.” As you might have guessed, I do enjoy good milkshakes. And weird ones, too. Continue reading “Beauty Shop, Memphis TN”
Category: dessert
The Starlight Cafe, Marietta GA (CLOSED)
Growing up, I remember a restaurant on the Marietta Square called Jimmy the Greek. At the time, I was aware that CBS Sports had a commentator who went by that name. It’s not like ten or eleven year-olds pay that much attention to who provides commentary and picks before the games or the fights, but Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder (born, according to Wikipedia, Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos in Steubenville, Ohio in 1918) was so well-known that, like his peer at ABC, Howard Cosell, he was parodied on many of the sitcoms, variety shows and Saturday morning programs that I watched as a kid. And, as a kid, using child-logic, I concluded that the real Jimmy the Greek must have not only owned the restaurant by that name in Marietta, but also greeted guests and cooked all the food. I vaguely recall being disappointed to learn that was not the case. I really wanted to meet another celebrity. By the age of eleven, I think the only celebrities that I had ever met were behind tables at car shows. Continue reading “The Starlight Cafe, Marietta GA (CLOSED)”
Kay’s Kastles, Soddy-Daisy TN
Revisiting Kay’s Kastles has reconnected me with another part of my past, and, reading up on the very small ice cream parlor, I’ve learned a lot about this very old company, and how its fortunes have withered so badly. There is only one Kay’s Kastles store left, north of Chattanooga up US 27 in Soddy-Daisy, and it is a shadow of its former self, but I’m so glad that I stopped by to say hello to an old friend. Continue reading “Kay’s Kastles, Soddy-Daisy TN”
Two Dairy Bars in Northeast Bama
While dairy bars are not unknown in Georgia – we’ve visted, for example, Dari Spot near Gainesville and Jiffy Freeze in Canton – the actual name “dairy bar” is very uncommon. The only place in the state that I’ve found that uses that name is a joint called Cree-Mee down near Unadilla. In Alabama, the term is more widely used. Just so we’re on the same page, I’m talking about little places that specialize in no-frills fast food and soft serve ice cream, effectively the same sort of food that you could typically expect to find at a Dairy Queen, but independent, local and, usually, very old. Continue reading “Two Dairy Bars in Northeast Bama”
Snacking in Downtown Athens
When Marie and I visited Athens a couple of weeks ago, we had more on our mind – honestly! – than just driving around eating. In fact, we really just enjoyed our barbecue lunch, and, several hours later, a nice supper, although we did have a few snacks between them, and enjoyed some driving and visiting. After going to Hot Thomas, we popped just up the road to the Elder Covered Bridge. Unlike Watson Mill, which is about twenty-five or so miles away, this bridge doesn’t have a park built around it, and neither of us were dressed to tackle the steep grade down to the creek below it, but we enjoyed looking at the flowers and taking photos, and getting out of the way of other people driving through it. Continue reading “Snacking in Downtown Athens”
Snacking on Saint Simons
Usually, our visits to Saint Simons give us many chances to walk around, take in the sights at our own pace and enjoy some pretty good meals. Our most recent trip, two weeks ago, was no exception. We had a nice visit, got some sun and exercise, and ate well. Continue reading “Snacking on Saint Simons”
Blue Bell Ice Cream
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to join some other local media to learn a little more about Blue Bell brand ice cream, and made my way over to Hal’s Kitchen, a cooking school in Sandy Springs for a light lunch and several scoops of their delicious desserts. I left with the words of Monty Python‘s Mister Neutron ringing in my ears, as he told his lady-love “I can eat an enormous amount of ice cream.” Afraid I can’t quite eat as much as he could. Continue reading “Blue Bell Ice Cream”
Marie, Let's Eat! 