Waffle House has been an American institution since 1955. That’s when two friends decided to create a restaurant that focused on good food and friendly service available at any time of the day or night. That one restaurant down in Georgia has since grown into 1,900 locations in 25 US States. Somehow, despite the Waffle House being open 24-hours a day, seven days a week for literally my entire lifetime, I had never found the time to step foot inside one.
That was remedied yesterday.
We stopped by the Waffle House in Sharonville, Ohio and were delighted by the friendly banter among coworkers and customers. Our waitress was a sweet older lady who took good care of us and our breakfast came to the table almost before we had a chance to order it. We both got scrambled eggs and pecan waffles.
For some reason, I didn’t think to ask how big the waffles are.
Rookie mistake.
Most restaurants bring you a small waffle that’s maybe the size of a compact disc. The double stack of waffles required a dinner platter and had plenty of pecans cooked right into the batter with a sprinkling of more pecans on top.
The eggs were buttery and light. Best of all, they didn’t taste like meat grease – a problem I find at many breakfast establishments that don’t think twice about contaminating eggs by cooking them on the griddle with sizzling bacon and sausage.
It was delicious, fast and reasonably priced. Not to mention, every last bite was served with a side of hospitality and good humor.
It is commonly known that Waffle House stays open even when times are tough such as during natural disasters. It has been reported that FEMA partially gauges how badly an area is hit by hurricane or tornado using the Waffle House Index. Essentially, if the local Waffle House is closed, the town is in dire straits and needs help ASAP. Code Green means it’s business as usual with a full menu served while Code Yellow indicates a limited menu and that the electricity may be off. Code Red means the place is closed and it’s time to call in the National Guard.
People laugh at this but I think it’s brilliant. Also, if I had to weather a storm, there’s perhaps no place better to do it.
Want to know more about the Waffle House menu or their history? Find it all at their website. Want to taste those waffles for yourself? Stop on by and see for yourself what the fuss is about!
Frank Lloyd Wright owned a number of cars in his lifetime and most of them seem kind of flashy and unique to me.
Imagine my surprise when we walked into the Hagen History Center in Erie, Pa to find a car that was once owned by the renowned architect. Not only that, the car is a Crosley!
Crosley was a Cincinnati business first known for radios and then household appliances, cars and other items. I have a couple of their radios in my vintage radio collection and squeal like a little girl every time I see one of their products out in the world.
So, meet Frank’s (yes, I call him Frank) 1950 Crosley Hotshot roadster
Isn’t it fabulous?
Here’s a look at that Crosley logo.
And another look.
Headlights!!!
And just one more….
I somehow missed any signage describing this car but I think it speaks for itself. Want to see it for yourself? Visit the Hagen Center in Erie, PA. Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s story about Frank’s office which you can tour here as well.
I have a ton of stories to share with you from the long weekend but haven’t had time to sort it all out in my head. For today, here’s a photo that made me smile.
I had just walked out of this Erie, PA Barnes and Noble when I heard this car start in the parking lot. I believe she’s a 1967 Ford Mustang.
Ain’t she a beaut?
I say it all the time – you just never know what you’ll see when you go out into the world! Happy Wednesday, friends. Go explore if you can!
Today I’m showing you this picture just because I Ike it. This tractor is the one they use for hay rides at Walker Farms in the fall. I saw it while exploring their sunflower field this week.
Don’t let the great patina fool you. This vintage Ford tractor has been around the field plenty of times and still has a lot of life in it. It’s not like so many modern machines that start to fail in a few short years.
It’ll probably outlast us all!
This is your gentle reminder that age is just a number and also that Labor Day weekend is great time to go adventuring!
Let us celebrate and explore!
If you are observant while you’re out roaming the rural backroads of this country, you might catch a glimpse of a community from long ago. An old post office or school, a cluster of houses in a quiet setting, and an old store are good clues that the spot-in-the-road you’re speeding past was once something more.
In my community, there’s an intersection where you’ll find an old general store and a church but not much more. I remember going to Bible School at that church when I was little. I also remember the warmth and comfort of the old store years ago. Back then it was called Fout’s Store and it was owned by an elderly couple named Shag and Helen Fout.
The floor and fixtures, the lighting, the old pot belly stove and much of the stock harkened to another time. I’ll never forget the warmth and smells of that old place and going there at Christmas to buy bulk candy. Oh, what a treat that was! It always smelled like history to me. There’s something about old buildings and hardwood floors that their scents stay with you. In my memory, Fout’s store smells of kerosene, woodsmoke, pipe tobacco and wood polish.
Can’t you smell this picture?
It’s a pleasant aroma and one that’s almost impossible to describe. This old store was one of the first historic buildings I can remember stepping foot inside. Maybe that’s why I have such a soft spot for the place.
The store closed and has sat empty on Locust Grove Ridge for all these many years, a woeful reminder that people don’t live forever and that time marches on – even when you wish it would stand still.
But all that has changed. A friend of mine had a vision for this place and, with her partner, has transformed this amazing old building into something special for modern folk to appreciate.
They call it Stella’s Mercantile and it’s a place for residents and for tourists to find locally made items, snacks, local beef, homemade cinnamon rolls, cold drinks, things you might have forgotten to pack, and stuff you didn’t know you needed at all. They give local artists and artisans a place to sell their creations and those of us who are from here a place to feel proud to visit.
They just opened a couple of weeks ago and I finally made it in to shop last week.
My cousin Garrett sells his turkey calls there. The gentleman who makes turned wood animals, trees and mushrooms that I adore so much sells his handiwork there too. I bought an acorn for my collection as well as a small oil painting from someone I haven’t met yet.
An old portrait of Shag and Helen hangs by the door. Some vintage pieces decorate the space, houseplants await new homes, and an old display case of glass and wood is filled with cinnamon rolls and big slices of cake.
When I closed my eyes, I could almost feel the presence of Shag and Helen and the generations of others who shopped and worked here. Being there felt like a true gift. The original potbelly stove is long gone but they have replaced it with another one. It’s more ornate than the original and was made in Cincinnati, a testament to the craftsmanship and design of years gone by. They even fire it up on the cold days.
For some who visit, it’s a neat old building filled with nostalgia. For people like me, it’s a profoundly emotional place to visit. The manager says that people have cried when they saw it for the first time. I didn’t cry but I did smile at the idea that people I know have salvaged a valuable bit of my community’s past. I am so proud of the courage and elbow grease it took to breathe new life into this important place.
Find Stella’s Mercantile at 26560 Locust Grove Road, McArthur, Ohio. The Doughmaker food truck operates here as well so you can shop and then stay for a bite to eat. Be sure to peruse the selection of cold drinks in the old Coca Cola cooler too!
If you have small kids along, let them take a ride on this vintage merry-go-round. It came from an old five and dime store in Wapakoneta, Ohio that belonged to the father of one of the owners.
Take note that Le Petit Chevalier Vinyards and Farm Winery are just around the bend. You can even spend the night at the winery! And yes, the church still holds services and welcomes visitors. In other words, you could have a lovely weekend exploring the winery as an Airbnb guest and walk to Stella’s for dinner, snacks and a little shopping. Then attend Sunday services on a country church before heading home.
What a wonderful step back in time that would feel like!