Good Eats | Live Work Dream | RVing Lifestyle Design Blog

Hodges serves up fine breakfast buffet fare.

April 23, 2008 by Jim

I hate writing about stuff that happened weeks ago. But then I guess you would never know, if I didn’t tell you! Anyway …

I hadn’t reviewed any biscuits and gravy for a long time.

So I was especially pleased to discover Hodges Corner Restaurant serves up a mean breakfast buffet on Sunday morning.

I was even more pleased – and even more surprised – that René actually suggested we stop for breakfast on our 12 mile bicycle ride from Riverbend Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences up to Elephant Butte. It’s sure a good thing the second six miles were downhill!

Livin’ large at the Dal Rae

March 15, 2008 by Jim

I really enjoy a nice dinner out. I’m all for spending good money for good food and good service. But it’s even better when someone else pays the bill!

The last time René and I dusted off our nice clothes and went out to a “fancy restaurant” was months ago on our trip into Toronto, Ontario. So I am extremely grateful to Liz, Tom and the Agredanos for treating us at the Dal Rae in Pico Rivera recently.

Since opening in 1958, it seems like the Dal Rae hasn’t changed much. The atmosphere is pure 1960’s supper club. Complete with piano bar and a proper Manhattan. Its retro look was revitalized in a 1999 renovation, and the dim lighting, comfy booths and wood paneling had me feeling swank and yearning for a cigar. But not before dinner…

Artz Ribz and the Deep Ellum Blues

February 24, 2008 by Jim

We’ve been hearing a lot of good music lately. So much that I’ve added a new Musicamericana Video Playlist featuring samplings of the local music scenes we’ve soaked up along our way.

But I promised Sonja I would post this movie from our dinner at Artz Rib House in Austin where they hooked up with us for some good food and good fun.

Dive Bars and Road Food Restaurants in Old Florida

January 17, 2008 by Rene

There’s a lot of talk here about how “Old Florida” is disappearing. Kitschy roadside attractions are being paved over for gated homes along golf courses, and old timey family diners are being squeezed out by Chick Fil A and Olive Garden. It’s like this in a lot of the country, as Americans allow national chains to destroy the very things that make our hometowns unique.

We get a kick out of finding new, divey places to check out. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve found two great places that are sadly, a dying breed: Archie’s Seabreeze on Hutchinson Island, and Mrs. B’s in Vero Beach, off I-95.

We didn’t find them on our own; our online friend Chelsea told us about Archies, and the locals we met at Earl’s told us about Mrs. Bs.

Christmas RV Epilogue: I finally got my Tryptophan

December 27, 2007 by Jim

Not only big Mexican families can enjoy holiday traditions, you know.

We had our own little taste of a “white” Christmas on the farm too.

On Christmas eve we even had the joy of carolers coming to sing for us at the trailer. Those Quants are one crazy bunch.

Florida fare ain’t no Tex Mex.

December 21, 2007 by Jim

We haven’t had any good Mexican food since we left California. In fact, we haven’t had any, or even tried looking for it until recently.

The reason? In all the miles we’ve traveled we hadn’t passed through any communities with enough – shall we we say, authentic color – to warrant a dinner out until we reached Florida.

But once we saw an authentic looking Taqueria, a Mercado selling dresses and phone cards, and our first Tecate billboard in over 29, 000 miles, we figured the food was worth a try. While it wasn’t bad, it was nothing to write home about either. But here I am doing just that.

Review: Great Food, Nice Prices at Paula Deen’s Savannah Restaurant

November 28, 2007November 28, 2007 by Rene

If you’re a Food Network viewer like we were (before ditching the TV), you’ve probably watched Paula Deen at some point. She is the southern gal with the snappy wit and great sense of southern humor that cooks up homestyle food like nobody’s business.

When we were Walmarting it on Monday night, a friendly security guard in the parking lot told us that Paula’s from Savannah, and her restaurant, Lady & Sons, is downtown.

My First Vegetarian Thanksgiving

November 24, 2007 by Jim

That is what Rene has been proudly calling this year’s feast. My answer is that every Thanksgiving dinner is a vegetarian banquet. It just happens to also traditionally include a large stuffed bird roasted to juicy perfection. Alas, not this year … and while our big dinner date was a day late this year, it was still delicious!

Goin’ Down to the Piggly Wiggly

September 4, 2023November 16, 2007 by Rene

This week started our first real Workamping gig at Safe Harbor Animal Rescue in Maysville, North Carolina. We’ll get to talking about that soon. But today, we went out exploring on our day off, to secure provisions and check out the nearest big city, New Bern.

Our route included a stop at the Piggly Wiggly.

Remembering My Birthday Dinner in Virginia

November 15, 2007 by Jim

Carol would call this one a Back Track … one of the hardest things about trying to blog about our travels is trying to keep everything current when there is so much to see and do. Hell, there is still stuff I could write about from way back in Colorado. At least this one only goes back a few weeks to my birthday dinner.

Rene got off easy this year. I was a cheap date. All I wanted was a to take the day off from driving and do nothing, other than barbecue myself a steak. So the day before – on Halloween – we went to the Blacksburg Farmers Market for some fresh produce, in search of some local meat. Having never seen cattle ranchers at a farmers market until we got to the East Coast, I was feeling lucky. And I struck gold, or black rather, as in Angus.

We’re Gettin’ South Now…

February 4, 2021November 11, 2007 by Jim

Jim reviews Famous Anthony’s restaurant in Christiansburg, VA and reflects on his stay in Virginia

Farmers and Philly Cheese Steaks at Reading Terminal Market

November 3, 2007November 2, 2007 by Jim

We went to Philadelphia last week, courtesy of our tour guide Brian, who was kind enough to take us there during a major rainstorm – with is two kids (is he a superdad or what?). There was only one place to go to in a downpour, with two small children, and that was the Reading Terminal Marketplace (pronounced “Redding” for the unfamiliar). What a treat!

This video includes an interview with a local farmer, Mennonites making pretzels, authentic Philly Cheesesteaks being made, and much more! We have also updated our Full-time RVing Videos page which now includes a playlist of all our interviews with local residents and business owners across the U.S.

Focus on what you don’t want

October 30, 2007 by Jim

You never know what lies down the road ahead. While this applies to much of life in general, it is especially important when you’re hungry.

When you don’t know what might be found around the bend, it is impossible to decide on exactly what you want. There might just be something better. There may be nothing at all. Either way, the odds are against you finding what you set your mind on.

We discovered a simple solution that may save you a lot of stress. Don’t get your mind set upon one particular thing, whether that be an old fashioned diner, roadside burger stand, or a family run pizzeria. You probably won’t find it. Instead, decide upon what you don’t want. Rule that out, and something good is bound to come your way.

Do It Yourself Lobster Pound Dinner

September 4, 2023September 30, 2007 by Jim

How to clean fresh lobster and make Lobster Alfredo with some great information about finding groceries near Bar harbor Maine while camping at Blackwoods Campground in Acadia National park.

Lobster Pound Review: The Docksider

November 9, 2008September 29, 2007 by Jim

This was a new site for me at a National Park campground. When we first drove up to the easternmost camp site from where we began our trip, I guessed this was a communal lobster pot where you could boil your fresh catch from Bar Harbor and feast on bugs by the fireside.

My silly dream was crushed when I discovered it to be a sink for dumping camp dishwater with a strainer basket and nearby trashcan for nasty bits. This is a good thing I suppose. After all, like the signs read, “A fed raccoon is a dead raccoon.”

But it sure felt good anyway to finally sit by a campfire again without bugs feasting on me. Especially after enjoying an authentic Down East lobster feast in Northeast Harbor. Just remember, when it comes to overindulgence, it’s not the volume of lobster one consumes, it’s the butter factor. And it is clarified butter that makes a breaks an establishment from the fine dining list.