Eating Out: Three Strikes

FRIDAY: C had to drive M down to PCC for 530 arrival for a 6 pm departure on his retreat. At 445 M called me looking for a costume to wear. I could tell that C was stressed when I spoke to her at 6 pm – probably because of traffic. I left work at 515 and took 85 south to meet her at the Shake Shack. The Lenox Road exit was jam, as was the Buford Hwy south exit so I wound up taking 400 north to the Buckhead Loop to Peachtree Road at Lenox Square. In the half mile to Piedmont there were numerous bad drivers. Took Piedmont to Pharr. Spoke to C and decided to leave a car at SPdL, so I cut through Garden Hills.

STRIKE ONE: SHAKE SHACK. My burger was ok – not as good as The Big Ketch, Fuddruckers, H&F, or Cheeseburger Bobbys. C hadn’t liked the crinkle fries but I thought they were ok. She got a shake but I didn’t taste it. 

Drove up to Lenox where I looked at more shoes than usual: Niketown, the adidas store, Ecco, Crocs, Champs, Foot Locker, and Clarkes. Ceil would text me where she was but by the time I’d locate that store she had moved on. When she called me I spotted her and walked up behind her while we were on the phone. Later we stopped by Barnes & Noble where a real nag for a girlfriend kept going on and on about religion, talking too loudly. Her boyfriend kept trying to change the subject “Hey, look at this!” but she went on and on. Got home in time to see the second half of the big Hawks win.

SATURDAY: cleaned upstairs until almost 1 pm. C brought me oatmeal and a scrambled egg for breakfast. Downstairs I folded laundry while watching the PGA. Saw the back to back holes in one by Dustin Johnson and JB Holmes. Also a hundred yard wedge for another eagle and three more chip-ins. My friend heard Lang on 680 talking about the Hawks. Anna went to babysit. Ceil and I went to PetsMart then over to Perimeter Mall. I said we could eat down at Jaliscos or Chuys, which was closer. Ceil picked Chuys.

STRIKE TWO: CHUYS (sounds Chinese, not Mexican) Crowded, but the place is so big that we didn’t have to wait. They pride themselves on all their varied sauces. When I read their descriptions they all sounded pretty much the same. When the waitress brought out chips and salsa she also left a bowl of white/green hot sauce – before she had brought our drinks. I ordered a plate for us to share: chalupa for Ceil and enchilada for me. I should’ve specified my sauce .The enchilada was covered in a green hot sauce, and I figured out why. When I scraped off the sauce the enchilada looked white and plain. At most respectable Mexican restaurants enichiladas are wrapped in a yellow corn meal tortilla. Chuys’ enchilada was white bland tasteless. Inside was just cheese and plain chicken without any seasonings. Very disappointing. I’d be fine with not going back to Chuys.

At Perimeter Mall I checked out more shoes: Foot Locker, Champs, American Eagle, and Von Maur. Ceil had been cold and found a great deal on a $17.00 long sweater. These days walking around malls can be a chore – especially places like Lenox and Perimeter. People don’t think about other people, only themselves. No courtesy. They walk too slow, take up the entire walkway, and stand out in the middle where others are trying to walk past. They walk  to the left against the flow, instead of to the right with the flow. Obama’s fault.

Again Ceil called me to meet up. I could see her way ahead and again I was able to sneak up on her. On the way home we stopped by Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee on the way home. They actually had an out of town singer performing: Kylie Odetta from Greenville. A young girl who tours across the Southeast, performing a colleges and coffee shops. Back home we watched a cheesy movie for the third straight Saturday night: Pitch Perfect. For the third straight week I do not recommend it.

SUNDAY morning I hadn’t reset my clock and I slept too late. Drove down to Macon to see my parents. My dad hadn’t felt good for several days and would be going to the doctor on Monday. He had wished he gone on Friday but thought he could make it to Monday. After Sunday dinner he decided to go to the hospital. Had nothing to do with anything I said. We got to the crowded ER at 245 but it wasn’t long before he was sent back for a chest X-ray. Then more waiting before taken back to a room in the ER. More waiting with an occasional visit for a test or question. I was texted updates to my mom. She would immediately notify my sister, so I saw no need to duplicate the communication. It was confirmed he had a mild case of phnemonia and would be admitted. At 645 he was wheeled to his fifth floor room which had a nice view of downtown Macon. Drove up Riverside Drive to get my mom. Not sure why she’d want to spend the night to the hospital. Brought her back, and at 9 pm I left for home. Made good time, arriving at 1045. But for the most part I did good. Ate cereal and Poweraid instead of soda and more fast food.

STRIKE THREE: WENDYS. Down in Macon on Sunday I noticed a brand new Wendys. Looked a little different on the outside. The drive through line was long with cars pulled ahead waiting for food, so I went inside. Way different, including a fake fireplace dividing up the dining area. You order and move left to get your food. Looked like a high tech cafeteria with all these electronic boards showing you what to order. I couldn’t find the dollar menu. Lots of employees but nobody taking or filling orders. Customers waiting on food and others lined up waiting to order. Nothing happening, so after looking around for a while I went back outside and got in my car. No line at the drive thru, so I ordered and got my food. Like many fast food places they place most of their manpower making sure the drive through flows, disregarding the customers who took the time to park and come inside. My frosty cup was only half full, because they were out of the small cups for the size I had ordered. Sandwich had just a tiny bit of ketchup and mustard.

MONDAY: this morning my clock tricked my again, and I didn’t get to work until 745.

MORE FOOD: I had never had a root beer float until recently. Was ok but I thought it might be better than it was. McDonalds could learn a thing or two from Chickfila. McDonalds develops all this great food but must is frozen and not fresh like Chickfila. Did you knows Moes restaurants don’t have freezers? All food is fresh. See the story where the guy who invented the single serve Keurig coffe maker wished he hadn’t?

ROB: EY Jr is fast and a good baserunner (not always the same thing), but you are correct that he is a weak hitter and is not strong defensively due to his questionable routes to balls.  I remember seeing him misplay a few balls while playing for the Mets against us.  I would rather Perez or Cunningham get the position - with this weak of an offensive club, we cannot afford to give away runs in the field.