When Hodge Podge Works

April 21, 2011 By
Choo Choo Cafe

A friend of my sister's took us to a spot not far from Asheville even though it's just over the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Historic, funky and small-town-homey, The Choo Choo Cafe is in Erwin, Tennessee to be exact. Erwin's history as a railroad town is plastered throughout the Cafe, which is also a furniture store, museum kind of place. That's right, sit anywhere you like, including next to a bedroom display or in between dressers and tables for sale. Oh, and the sparkly table-top … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American, Travels

Strip District!

October 17, 2010 By
Strip District Organic Produce

Pittsburgh's Strip District is a prime example of an industrial area in decline that, thanks to district merchants, turned itself around, becoming what is now a culinary destination full of ethnic markets, restaurants, coffee shops and more. Read more Strip history here. I had so much fun exploring the Strip with my sisters! We were going to spend the morning in the Strip and then head over to the Carnegie Museum of Art for the afternoon. We never made it out of the Strip. Take a look at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Reviews, Travels

Grill & Chill?

September 26, 2010 By
DQ Grill & Chill

Have you seen the latest Dairy Queen incarnation? It's called DQ Grill & Chill! Spotted this store at 200 Adams Shoppes, Mars, PA at The Shoppes at Adams Ridge, and HAD to go in to check it out! Inside, it looked more like a coffee shop than a Dairy Queen. People (not pictured, but there!) were taking advantage of table service and free Wi-Fi, working on laptops at their seats after ordering at the counter. The interior actually looked a lot like some of the new McDonalds, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Travels, Trends

Boston Bites

September 1, 2010 By
Mike's Pastry Shop

Boston was ours for three whole days! Teen Daughter and I traveled to Boston to visit colleges (and eat). We must have walked a thirty miles, traversing neighborhood after neighborhood. We probably wouldn't have walked quite as much if we hadn't kept going back to the North End! Just couldn't stay away. Please enjoy the slideshow below. If you have trouble seeing it, click here. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Reviews, Travels

Mom’s Apple Pie! (Road Trip)

January 26, 2010 By

Sitting square on a triangle of land where E Market St and Loudoun St SE meet in Leesburg, VA is Mom's Apple Pie Company. Sis and I were on our way to visit family and stopped to pick up a pie. Mom's has two retail stores, both in Virginia. This is their just completely adorable outside and in location! Stepping through the door, the first thing you'll notice is the "pie-tin" ceiling. Creative and cute, it also reflects both artificial and natural light, brightening up the place. As … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reviews, Travels

Road Trip – What Recession???

January 25, 2010 By

Road Trip! First stop, Northern Virginia. This post isn't food-related, but I thought you'd be interested. Are you as surprised as I was at seeing this completely full Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets (Leesburg, VA) parking lot? Whether you are or not, hold on to your handbag! We had trouble just getting close enough to look at the merchandise at the Coach Leatherware store. And, sure, there are always lookers, but a big percentage of these folks were buyers! Take a look at the check … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Travels

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept, is to Find This Restaurant

May 29, 2009 By

I'll give you a hint - it's not in the Asheville area, but was so fun to discover I had to share it with you! On a side street in a sleepy mid-western town, sits this less than assuming building: There are no signs, no advertising and no menus - Harry and Buds is strictly word of mouth. I'd venture to say some wouldn't dare to venture -inside. I did find a menu (a little out of date) on H & B's website, so if you want to cheat, you can look there first before going to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American, Reviews, Travels

Road Notes – Part 3 (Last in Series)

May 5, 2009 By

After spending time in Washing, DC with a long-time friend and her daughter (see Road Notes - Part 1), the road took me to Western PA to visit my mom and one of my sisters. My mom loves to go out for dinner at the Saxonburg Hotel. It's been in operation since 1832 and has been owned by the same family for the last 50 years. Just down the block from the hotel is another very old building that houses one of my favorites: The Fresh Cup Cafe (read coffee shop!). My sister's book … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Travels

Saved by the Wizard Living Under the Stairs!

May 4, 2009 By

Blogger and WordPress are both free and easy to use platforms for blogging. You can begin blogging immediately after spending just a few minutes setting up your site. Then...you start thinking, wouldn't it be great to have this cool thing or that cool thing on the blog, and realize it's not offered. That's when a "work-around" is called for. You go into the code and edit; adding that cool thing and making it work. But what if like me, you don't know anything about code when you are new to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Travels

Road Notes – Part 2

April 21, 2009 By

Dining in the Washington, DC area - Good vs Evil. The Good, actually fantastic, was our meal at Old Ebbitt Grill. They were slammed, so the three of us ate in the bar rather than wait 2 hours. We were surprised we could bring an 11-year-old into the bar, but happy about it. (Image: Old Ebbitt Grill) Seriously, this was one of the best meals either of us adults had ever had, and for downtown DC, extremely reasonably priced. We shared a generous and very nicely cooked dish of Fried … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Travels
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