Moving On...Changing My Focus

It was on July 18, 2010, 15 years ago today, that I first posted something on my blog site.  I have regularly published posts regarding historical, food, family, travel and restaurant experiences for most of the past many years.  At one point I was posting to the site 3 times every week.   Most recently, it's been twice a week.

I've decided to cease any regular publications/posts to the site.  Not gone...still will publish something from time to time as the spirit moves me, but my focus is moving elsewhere.  I want to spend more time researching our family histories and I've gotten much more involved with a local Knoxville collector's club.  I do enjoy the time spent in that endeavor...even with the work involved. 

What follows are a scattering of the many photos dating as far back as last October...a sampling of those taken near the conclusion of our long road trip through parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia.  I'd never completed the Virginia portion of the trip...

This is the entrance to the Reeves Museum of Ceramics at Washington and Lee University in Lexington Virginia.  The Reeves collection showcases one of America's best collections of Chinese export porcelain as well as European and American ceramics made between 1500 and 1900.

FYI, Washington and Lee University is the 9th oldest college in the USA.  Originally known as Liberty Hall Academy, it was renamed Washington Academy in 1796 and Washington College in 1813.  A gift of stocks from George Washington had saved the school from financial ruin.  Robert E. Lee, who had led Confederate forces throughout the Civil War, had previously been the Superintendent of the West Point Military Academy.  A few months after the war, he became President of Washington College and he helped build the university for the future.

In today's highly charged political atmosphere, Lee's name being attached to this University has been controversial.  For the university's outlook on this subject, go to https://www.wlu.edu/about-w-l/university-history/university-namesakes.

During our visit, there was a exhibition of ceramics adjacent to artwork with blank spaces in the paintings that are related to the ceramics.  I still don't get it...but both Laurie and I do love ceramics and this plate was a stunner!

I just had to include this 'fowl' piece of porcelain in my post.  Love the brilliant colors involved!  

Then there was this gorgeous brown and yellow teapot with raised decorations.  This teapot from the Yixing Dynasty teapot dates somewhere between 1725 - 1775.

This stunning hard paste porcelain 'tea pot' from China didn't start its life as a tea pot, but rather as a wine pot.  The English later repurposed it as a teapot.  Note the 'bamboo bundle' shape that was created by a master ceramics maker sometime between 1700 and 1720.

Moving on down the road, it was time to find a place for dinner.  Research had revealed the possibility of a fine German dinner near Staunton Virginia.  The Edelweiss Restaurant is a log structure in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The family that built it came from Karlsruhe Germany.  The menu is loaded with German specialties, something one doesn't see very often.

While Edelweiss is well rated on the Internet, Laurie and I weren't feeling it... The food was decent but not great and the service was rushed.  This restaurant is popular with long waits for customers so maybe our lack of enthusiasm isn't typical.  Check it out and give Edelweiss a try.  Let us know what you think... Website: https://edelweissvirginia.com/.

I love taking photos like this and imagining what might have been... Located at the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains on US Hwy. 60 in Amherst County Virginia, Forks of Buffalo refers to the place where the North and South Forks of the Buffalo River come together.

Since I like researching places, I came across this photo from the Forks of the Buffalo area, showing the Myers' Cash Store, United States Post Office and Esso Gas Station.  Perhaps the early to mid-1960s, the store opened in 1937.  Unfortunately, I also came across another photo from December of 2024, only 2 months after I took that first photo, now showing that the front of the old building had fallen down... Timing is everything.

This well preserved and restored railway depot is located at Amherst Virginia.  Amherst was founded in 1807 and it is the county seat for the county of the same name.  The town's population has never been much higher than its current level of about 2,200 residents.

Amherst was first known as Dearborn and the first depot here was completed in the late 1800s for the Orange and Alexandria Railroad.  It was replaced in the late fall of 1913 by the Southern Railway.  As was typical, the ticket booth extended outward from the center facing the tracks, with waiting rooms on each side...one for black folks and the other for white folks.  Three passenger trains stopped at the depot every day until the mid-1940s.  Passenger service was completely discontinued during the 1960s and finally freight service ceased in the mid-1970s.

So...just where is this old structure located?  Our next significant stop was at the Appomattox Courthouse National Historic Park at the village of Appomattox Courthouse...redundant I know.  This is not the original Appomattox Courthouse, but rather a reconstruction.

In the 1800s the original courthouse gave its name to the village around it.  As many of us know, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army here in 1865.  I always thought that Lee had surrendered to Grant at the courthouse but the courthouse was closed that day so the surrender took place in a nearby home.  In any case the village was already in a state of decline in the 1850s.  The original courthouse burned down in 1892 and the county seat was relocated.  This structure was rebuilt in 1964 and it now serves at the Visitor's Center for the more than 1,700 acre Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park.

So this is the house...or an almost exact replica of the house...where Lee surrendered to Grant, virtually bringing America's long and painful Civil War to an end.  This is the McLean House at the Appomattox Courthouse National Historic Park and it was chosen for the surrender as it was the most substantial home or building in the Village.

The McLean House was originally built by Charles Raine in 1848.  It had served as a tavern/inn and it was sold to Wilmer McLean in 1863.  In an interesting historical quirk of fate, the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) took place on McLean's farm.  Seeking to avoid the war, and too old to serve in the Confederate Army, McLean moved here to 'avoid the war'.

This is a recreation of the setting where Lee formally surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant.  The original furniture is in the possession of the Smithsonian and the Chicago History Museum.

The terms of surrender were: "The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands,"... neither "side arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage" to be surrendered; and, as many privates in the Confederate Army owned horses and mules, all horses and mules claimed by men in the Confederate Army to be left in their possession.

As for the McLean house, Wilmer McLean was broke as all his money was in Confederate dollars, which he'd accumulated by running sugar through the Union blockade during the war.  Ownership passed from one person to one scheme or another.  At one point it was disassembled and labeled for possible reconstruction as an attraction in Washington D.C.  That project never got off the ground and much of what was left of the house was pilfered over the years.  The re-built house was opened to the public on April 9, 1949.  Over 5,000 of the home's original bricks were used in the construction.

To learn more about the Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park and to plan a visit, go to https://www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm. 

This is the Booker T. Washington National Monument near Hardy Virginia.  Booker T. Washington was born a slave on the 207-acre farm of James Burroughs in April of 1856.  Following the Civil War, he became the first principal of  the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School.  Later, as an advisor and confidant of President Theodore Roosevelt, an author and orator, he became the most influential African American of his era.

Booker T. Washington (1856 - 1919)

To learn more about Booker T. Washington, you can go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._Washington.

This National Monument preserves portions of the tobacco farm where Booker T. Washington was born and where he lived for the first 9 years of his life.  The facility also provides interpretation of Washington's life and achievements as well as an interpretation of slavery and farming in the 1850s through the use of buildings, gardens, crafts and animals.

You can learn more about The Booker T. Washington National Monument at https://www.nps.gov/bowa/index.htm.  

The last stop on our long but interesting and relaxing road trip was of course, dinner on the last night of the trip.  We were tired and looking forward to getting home.  The decision was made that we should go casual for our final meal on the road so we picked JJ's Restaurant and Sports Bar in Abingdon Virginia from my list of dining options.  Laurie stuck to soup and cornbread and I went for fried catfish, beans, coleslaw and cornbread.  The food wasn't gourmet but it was tasty, reasonably priced and satisfying.

JJ's Restaurant and Sports Bar is located at 115 Charwood Drive in Abingdon Virginia.  Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Phone: 276-525-4999.  Website: https://www.eatatjjs.com/.

As I mentioned at the start of this post, I'll be back from time to time and I'll also check in on those who I've been following...

Just click on any of the photos you'd like to enlarge.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care...and, as the saying from the 50's (the era of 45 rpm records), "I'll see you on the flip side".

Big Daddy Dave

Eating Our Way toward Galveston!

Following our short visit to Eutaw Alabama, we got back on I-20/I-59 and continued southwest across the state line into Mississippi.  Just past Meridian Mississippi, we once again diverted onto the slower but more interesting US Hwy 11, which parallels I-59 south toward Laurel and Hattiesburg Mississippi.  Our overnight destination was the Hampton Inn in Hattiesburg.

After we'd checked in at our hotel, we headed out for dinner.  I'd done some research and Mug Shots Grill and Bar ended up as the winner for dinner...  As you can see, the interior of Mug Shots is expansive, loaded with booths, tables and chairs, a full bar and a plethora of televisions.  Industrial look on steroids!  

Well, Mug Shots does have a full bar...and after a day of driving Laurie was ready for an adult libation.  I don't believe that she was expecting her bloody Mary to come with its own appetizer! ($9.00) Note the celery, olive, onion ring and bacon...

We did order an actual appetizer, the Pow Pow Shrimp. ($12.99) Mug Shots version of this spicy shrimp appetizer was OK...no complaints, but not the best ever either.

For my entree, I ordered Caitlin's Cajun Sandwich. ($12.79) The sandwich consisted of a blackened chicken breast topped with hickory smoked bacon and melted pepper jack cheese and mayonnaise and it came with lettuce and a slice of tomato.  I asked for the lettuce and tomato to be on the side.  The sandwich was accompanied by beer batter French Fries.  This was a very nice sandwich indeed!

Despite the fact that I did enjoy my sandwich, Laurie's evening meal looked even better than mine.  She had the Buffalo Bleu Salad. ($13.49) The mixed greens were topped with crispy fried chicken tossed in Mug Shots' (** second level) mild Wang sauce.  The salad was topped with bleu cheese crumbles, hickory smoked bacon, diced tomatoes, red onion and house-made ranch salad dressing.  Laurie really liked her salad.  I was allowed a bite as well and I concurred with her assessment.

Mug Shots Grill  and Bar is a franchised operation with at least 22 locations in a 5 state area.  The Hattiesburg location is at 204 North 40th Street.  Phone: 601-271-2299.  Website: https://www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com/location/mugshots-hattiesburg/.

                             

The next morning we departed from Hattiesburg and rolled on down I-59 toward New Orleans, picking up I-12 westbound just east of Slidell Louisiana.  We hadn't had breakfast at this point so I got off I-12 after a couple of miles and followed US Hwy 190 and then LA Hwy 22 west looking for a place to eat.  Laurie got on her phone and found a likely breakfast spot in Mandeville Louisiana, right off Hwy 22 west.  Shortly after her discovery, we pulled in the parking lot at the Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen... We did notice that the housing in this area was a bit up-scale.

The interior of the Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen was warm and friendly...not the industrial look that we're so tired of.  There is a diner style counter, high tables and chairs and plenty of well-spaced tables with standard seating.  The staff was very friendly and talkative...

The menu at Crazy Pig was both mind boggling and daunting.  The daunting part was trying to figure out what to order!  This isn't your typical breakfast menu, that's for sure!  I ordered the Schnitzel with a hand hammered chicken fried pork cutlet, topped with two over-medium fried eggs, a side of sausage gravy and a grilled biscuit, all accompanied by a choice of grits or breakfast potatoes. ($17.99) It was a great breakfast although I will say that our home-made sausage gravy at home is superior to the Crazy Pig's. 

Among the other house specials one can find the Booya Biscuit, a fried egg with cheddar cheese, praline bacon and a fried green tomato on a grilled biscuit.  Another option is the Sticky Chicken, fried chicken with cane syrup and whipped butter on a grilled biscuit.  The south sure does like sweet!

After Laurie perused the menu, she decided to go for a 'benedict', not just any old 'usual' benedict but in this case Crazy Pig's Pontchartrain Benedict.  This version involved two poached eggs over crab cakes, resting on slices of tomato all on an English muffin with Hollandaise sauce. ($17.99) Laurie likes crab but she has had several experiences with crab cakes that are more 'stuff' than they are crab.  These crab cakes were mostly tasty crab meat.  She sided her breakfast with grits and she thought that the entire meal was excellent...

How southern can a benedict be?  How about the Whole Hog Benny, with the poached eggs, pulled pork and a sausage patty, all topped with Hollandaise sauce and bacon!  Another option would be the Voodoo Crawfish Benny, with the poached eggs, fried green tomato, crawfish tails and Voodoo sauce on a grilled English muffin.

While the Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen isn't inexpensive, it is special compared to most breakfast venues we've visited in recent years.  Interesting menu and fine breakfast fare!  This restaurant is located at 4700 LA Hwy 22 in Mandeville Louisiana.  Phone: 985-264-6655.  Closed on Mondays.  Website: https://www.crazypigkitchen.com/.

On to Galveston!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

On The Road Toward Galveston

Back in March of this year, Laurie and I had decided to take a road trip, with Galveston Texas and Natchitoches Louisiana as our primary destinations.  Galveston because of its history and the HGTV show, "Restoring Galveston" and Natchitoches because of its history and the varied attractions in the area near the city.  So off we went!

When it was time for lunch, Laurie pulled up the nearby dining possibilities on her phone...and we stopped at Sadie's Diner in Vance Alabama.  Vance has a population of a bit over 2,000 residents but it is best known for the only Mercedes Benz plant/assembly line in North America.  It should be no surprise that Sadie's Diner is located at 10565 Daimler Benz Boulevard in Vance adjacent to the big Mercedes facility... 

FYI, the plant itself is located on 1,000 acres of land that was donated by the state of Alabama.  The land was part of the deal that helped win the contract with Mercedes.  The property features multiple test tracks...both road and off-road options.  The Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center includes a free museum that features cars produced throughout the company's history.  Plant tours are also available for a modest fee.

Based purely on it's size, Sadie's is not a true diner.  Expansive would be the best description of its interior dining areas.  The counter itself is basically a huge "S" with squared corners and my best guess is that it would seat about 40 customers at one time.  Tables...they have tables!  The second photo shows only about 60% of the tables at Sadie's.   Not unexpectedly, the walls were decorated with Mercedes-Benz signs, photos and even hubcaps.   

We don't eat breakfast before leaving on a road trip.  We take coffee and we hit the road.  breakfast on days.  Fortunately for us, Sadie's serves breakfast all day!  Since it is our favorite meal, our decision making was easy.  We both ordered "Trim 1", 2 eggs over medium, hash brown potatoes, a biscuit and meat... Laurie went for the bacon and I chose sausage. ($10.99 each) Our meals were OK, not famous but decent.  The problem was the service... We got very little attention from our waitress, coffee must have been in short supply, and the kitchen either decided to go on break or the waitress forgot to turn in our order.  It took 'forever' for us to get our food.  As you might have noticed from the photos of the dining areas, it isn't like the restaurant was overwhelmed with customers!  

Sadie's Diner is apparently owned and operated by Sprint Mart, a service station, convenience store corporation that features fresh food for traveling clientele.  This was the line waiting in the store segment next to Sadie's, waiting to pick up to go items.  To learn more about Sprint Mart and Sadie's Diner, you can go to https://www.sprintmart.com/sadies-diner/.

Once we passed Tuscaloosa Alabama on I-59/I-20, we were tired of driving on the 'super slab', (aka 'expressway', 'freeway' or Interstate highway), so we jumped off and followed part of US 11 south and west toward Mississippi.  It runs parallel to the Interstate.  Along the way, we came to the town of Eutaw Alabama.  Eutaw is the county seat for Greene County Alabama.  The county was named after Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island.  The town was named for the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas.  Greene County's population as of the 2020 census recorded 7,730 residents, and it has the lowest population of any county in Alabama.  In 2023, the population was estimated at 7,341, a 5% decline in only 3 years. 

There are 3 buildings on the courthouse side of Courthouse Square, not including the courthouse itself.  Unfortunately, the first photo above is of the newest building located next to the courthouse.  Built in 1931, this was the County Library and it was replaced with a new facility in the 1990s.  Other buildings literally in the square are the Grand Jury Building (1842) and the Probate Office (1856 with a second story added in 1938)

The second photo above is the actual Old Greene County Courthouse.  This two-story Greek Revival style building was the county's seat of government from 1869 until 1993.  The prior courthouse was burned to the ground in 1868.  Most historians feel that it was a deliberate act of arson by the KKK.  The fire destroyed paperwork pertaining to about 1,800 suits by freedmen against the planters and the fire took place just prior to the suits being acted on.

This historic plantation house is located at Mesopotamia Street and Kirkwood Drive in Eutaw.  Named "Kirkwood" or the Foster Mark Kirksey House, construction on this Greek Revival style home with Italianate influences, began in 1858.  The original owner/builder was Foster M. Kirksey, a planter, elected official, an agent for the Confederate government, a cotton factor and a commission merchant. (1817 - 1906) Construction was halted by the start of the American Civil War...leaving several features of the house incomplete.  Kirksey, who served as Sheriff from 1845 - 1848, was a significant part of Greene County history for more than 50 years.  As for the house itself, the balcony railings, cupola, and a few other minor features were completed by a couple in the 1970s who wanted to restore the home.

That's all for now... Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

More about the Family Visit...This Time its Lakeside

...continuing with a recent visit by my cousin Nathan and his better half, Janice.  We'd been out driving around, exploring and doing a bit of shopping.  Then Janice requested an opportunity to be down by Tellico Lake's shoreline just to enjoy the views and the relaxing impact of being next to a large body of water.

Always trying to please any visitors, I opted to visit a local bar and restaurant on the shoreline of one arm or bay of Tellico Lake.  Might as well enjoy some refreshments and an appetizer or two while enjoying the lakeside ambiance... This is The Mudpuppy Restaurant in Vonore Tennessee.  The restaurant literally floats on the lake.

Mudpuppy is not just a restaurant!  It is part of what was formerly knowns as Sequoyah Landing...which also includes a 200 slip commercial recreational marina on Tellico Lake and it features upscale rental cabins, pontoon rentals and fuel sales...in addition to the Mudpuppy Restaurant.  Sequoyah Landing Resort has been renamed as the "Cherokee Outdoor Resort" and, in collaboration with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, a major expansion is planned. 

Note: The marina is located right at the one of the head of navigation for commercial barges and larger yachts on Tellico Lake.  Several major boat and watercraft manufacturers are located close by this location.

I borrowed this drone photo of the cabins available for rental by folks on vacation who want a lakeside location...that's located close to boat slips, boat rentals and a restaurant.  It doesn't show in this photo but guests can see the Smoky Mountains from the cabin's lakeside porches.

OK...back to The Mudpuppy Restaurant.  This is a view of the bar.  Lots of TV screens and apparently a popular place to down a brew (or something stronger) while relaxing or watching a sporting event.  

This view is looking from the water's edge back through the indoor/semi-outdoor dining area at the Mudpuppy Restaurant.  Given that this large crowd was here mid-afternoon on a weekday in late April before the boating season really begins, speaks to the popularity of the restaurant. 

Nathan doesn't exactly pose his photographic subjects.  I don't know who that grumpy looking old man is but at least Laurie was happy!  Underneath that grumpy look, I was smiling...it was just internally... 

The good news is that neither Janice or Nathan were smiling when this photo was taken...so I feel vindicated given my photo.  Janice wanted a lakeside experience and you can't get much more 'lakeside' than in this photo.

 Others stopped by looking for a snack or appetizer at the Mudpuppy.  This female duck (or hen) didn't seem at all bothered by those big carp cruising around underneath her.  I can tell you that carp like these have broken many of my fishing lines over the years...making off with hook, line and minnow.

Time for some food and beverages!  Keep in mind that this was just a 'mid-afternoon snack'.  We started out with this giant Bavarian Pretzel accompanied by beer cheese and a mustard dip. ($15.50) Adult beverages were served as well... The pretzel was very nice indeed...even if it seemed a bit pricy.

If deep fried pickle chips are on the menu and my better half is present, you can count on an order of pickle chips!  In any case, these were our Mudpuppy's Crispy Fried Pickles with ranch dressing for dipping. ($9.50) They were better than average.

What the heck!  Let's order just one more appetizer/snack item... For one member of our group, this is the favored treat.  These were our Loaded Cheese Fries. ($12.00) This heap of seasoned French fries was smothered by the Mudpuppy Queso, crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and scallions...and then topped with sour cream.  I will admit that I really enjoyed this heart stopping appetizer!

This was our first visit to the Mudpuppy Restaurant and there is an extensive menu to explore during future visits.  To view the menu, just go to https://www.mudpuppyrestaurant.com/menu.  To learn more about the Cherokee Outdoor Resort in Vonore Tennessee, go to https://cherokeeoutdoorresort.com/.

I thought that I'd end this post with a water view up stream on Tellico Lake as seen from The Mudpuppy Restaurant.  Being lakeside is so calming... That lone boat speeding up the lake will soon be joined by many others as the boating season is almost upon us.

Tellico Lake is part of the Tennessee Valley System of dams, power plants, reservoirs and locks.  This portion of the lake is fed directly by the Little Tellico River as it flows from the Smoky Mountains.  From the lake adventurous boaters could conceivably cruise to the Gulf of Mexico, the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, Minnesota, the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and even to Lake Champlain and beyond.  Tellico Lake itself is 33 miles long and has 357 miles of shoreline. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

On to Staunton Virginia

...yes, I'm still traversing the back roads and byways of Virginia on the last leg of our fall 2024 road trip.  We'd already done a lot and seen a lot but more places of interest as well as shopping opportunities were yet to come. 

After our stop at the Montpelier depot, we followed VA Hwy 20 a little further to the southwest and then turned west on US Hwy 33 toward the Blue Ridge.  Once we crossed over the Blue Ridge, we worked our way south to Staunton Virginia, our overnight stop for the evening.

Beautiful day, pleasing scenery...our kind of roadway.  Beats the heck out of the Interstate system unless you are in a hurry to get to a destination.

This is the Augusta County Court House.  It's located in Staunton Virginia...even though Staunton isn't actually part of the county.  The city separated from the county in 1902 but it has remained as the county seat.  This Beaux Arts style structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was completed in 1901 and it is the fifth court house that was built site.  The first one was a log cabin built in 1755.

The courthouse is the repository of many complete records that date back to the colonial period and, given that fact it is a meccas for people who are researching family trees, old deeds and historic buildings.  Staunton was very fortunate during the Civil War, having escaped the ravages that consumed many other Southern towns and cities.

I ran across this early photo of the Augusta County Courthouse on the Internet.  As you can see, the tower or turret has been modified in today's version.  The county was formed in 1738, splitting it off of Orange County.  It was named after Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, the Princess of Wales and the mother of King George III of the United Kingdom.  Originally, this county was a vast territory, with an indefinite western boundary.  Most of what is now West Virginia and the whole of Kentucky was included within its early borders.

Located at 215 Kalorama Street in Staunton, this home is known as the Arista Hoge House (aka the Kalorama Castle). Arista Hoge was a successful local businessman and he served as Staunton's Treasurer from 1885 until his death in 1923.  Hoge built this home in 1882...but then added this massive and historically significant facade in 1891.  Located in the Gospel Hill Historic District, the home's historic significance lies in its unique architecture.  The home remained in the Hoge family until 1973.

That Richardson Romanesque facade consisting of rough-cut brownstone was added to the earlier, existing Italianate Style house.  The changes to this home are clear examples of the changing tastes in architecture in the late 1800s.  It is a brick Italianate main house, with a Romanesque facade, a Queen Anne style side-porch and a western Colonial Revival porch. (A bit of a 'Hoge' podge)

After our overnight stay at the Hampton Inn in Staunton, we decided that it would be a nice change of pace to find a local diner style restaurant for breakfast.  I took the first photo off the Internet as my photo, immediately above, doesn't really show the front of Kathy's Restaurant.  Kathy's has been voted as the best place for breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley for more than a decade.

In our opinion, if a restaurant is casual enough to have a counter with seats for its customers, it qualifies as a diner.  On top of that, Kathy's is only open for breakfast and lunch...but for 7 days a week.

Kathy's Restaurant was busy...and it was a Saturday morning.  The dining room was colorful and clean as well as bright and airy.  Service was solid and the kitchen was obviously functioning efficiently.  

Laurie is usually good for a 'straight-up' breakfast order...bacon, eggs, toast and hash brown potatoes.  She faked me out by ordering "Viva French Toast" which adds an egg plus bacon or sausage to an order of French toast. ($10.95) Everything was enjoyed and the French toast was a cut above average.

Kathy's offers 21 different 'egg dishes', which includes no less than 13 omelets.  Other segments of the menu include Meat Lover's Meals, Gourmet Pancakes plus Waffles and French Toast.

I ordered my breakfast from yet another part of Kathy's breakfast menu.  This was my "Benedict's Cousin" from Kathy's Specials.  It consisted of 2 country-style sausage patties and two over-easy eggs on a flaky biscuit that is smothered by sausage gravy.  As you can see, it also came with 'home fries'.  ($11.75)

I really enjoyed my breakfast and Kathy's did have Tabasco too... The sausage patties were seasoned nicely and although I prefer hash brown potatoes, the home fries were decent.  Of course, now that we've learned how to make our own sausage gravy, other versions can be OK but our homemade version is hard to beat.

These colorful patrons have apparently been waiting to be seated for some time... I was glad that we weren't seated too close to them as they are just a bit weird.  It was October so perhaps Halloween related?  On the other hand, on-line photos of the two characters at the left appear to show them to be permanent residents... 

Kathy's Restaurant is located at 705 Greenville Avenue in Staunton Virginia.  Phone: 540-885-4331.  Website: https://kathys-restaurant.com/.

Next stop in Staunton...was Presidential.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave