Category: marie writes

Tank’s Bar & Grill, Dayton OH

This is Marie, contributing an article about two restaurants in Dayton that I had the privilege to visit during a business trip to interview for a job in Dayton, Ohio. One of these was a place rather emphatically off my beaten path, and the other just the kind of place I could wind up visiting often. It was the first time I had been away overnight entirely by myself since the baby was born, and it definitely felt odd. There was another layer of oddness to it, in that I didn’t know whether when I came back from the trip I would be able to make a true decision about whether to take the position if offered, due to some legal unpleasantness mentioned in Grant’s last post. Continue reading “Tank’s Bar & Grill, Dayton OH” →

Leopold’s Ice Cream, Savannah GA

This is Marie, contributing an article about ice cream. Because of an unfortunate scheduling snafu, the baby and I went to visit my folks without Grant or the girlchild, so they got no time at the beach. Well, I didn’t either, but the more important part of the visit was grandparent fun time with baby. One of the activities for that was a trip to the opening day of the first phase of the Savannah Children’s Museum. They are associated with the Savannah Railroad Musum and the children’s area is among some of the historic buildings so the place has a lot of character and considerable charm. They’re going to have problems with the grass being trampled by babies pretty soon, and the toys are so portable my son tried to escape with a Lincoln Log and I had to go back to return it. Continue reading “Leopold’s Ice Cream, Savannah GA” →

The Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market

This is Marie, contributing an article about the Food Truck Park, the place that almost didn’t happen. You see, Atlanta laws make it mandatory for food to be cooked in a stationary location. Cooking in a truck that is parked doesn’t count. So practically speaking, the only businesses that can own food trucks are actual restaurants, or businesses that have a relationship with one. There are also restrictions on where the trucks can park and serve food. Luckily, there are events such as Street Food Thursdays downtown or Food Truck Wednesdays in Virginia Highlands, plus the Food Truck Park, but it’s not the same as having a BBQ truck stop by your work parking lot for an hour during lunch time so you don’t have to cross the street to the fast food place you’ve eaten at way too often, or get in your car to drive somewhere. Continue reading “The Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market” →

Klingler’s Cafe, Vestavia Hills AL

This is Marie, once again contributing an article that is primarily about dessert, although rain, congestion, and comments on the works of Douglas Adams will also become important along the way.

A reader, Mark Vick, sent a recommendation that we might enjoy stopping here. We were not able to make it by the bookstore that he also told us about on this trip, but I’m always happy to make time for cake. Klingler’s Cafe is also listed on the famous 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die (PDF), a bucket list put together by that state’s department of tourism, and which Grant reads while licking his lips. I don’t necessarily approve of having a definitive bucket list, as I firmly believe that people change enough during their lives to change their tastes. If you don’t believe me, think about your favorite food when you were five, the one you had to have at least once a week or you’d sulk and refuse your dinner. Is it still your favorite now, or has the item changed into an occasionally indulged comfort snack? Continue reading “Klingler’s Cafe, Vestavia Hills AL” →

Marie, meanwhile, in Memphis…

This is Marie, contributing an article about how the baby and I spent the Sunday in Memphis while Grant and Big Sis went off in search of barbecue, thrift stores, and other entertainment. The visit was primarily an opportunity for my siblings and mother to enjoy spoiling the baby. This task was, of course, efficiently accomplished during the course of the day. However, we had some meals worth mentioning in between gifts and playtime. Continue reading “Marie, meanwhile, in Memphis…” →

Bay Breeze, Marietta GA

This is Marie, contributing an article about Bay Breeze, a locally-owned restaurant with two branches. We went to the one in Marietta on a lunch date with some of our neighbors. There were quite a few tween and teen girls in the party plus the baby, so as you can imagine the party was a bit on the loud side, but the restaurant has their floor space divided up into a few sections so hopefully there was at least a bit of a sound barrier. Regular readers may remember that I prefer to write about desserts, and have no fear, there was a rather magnificent dessert involved in this trip – but more on that later. Continue reading “Bay Breeze, Marietta GA” →