Year 2, Day 276 (The Anniversary Weekend Getaway, Part 1)

The weekend that Tikvah and I spent in Eureka Springs, AR was absolutely fabulous! We arrived at our motel Friday night, staying at Lookout Lodge. The lodging was quaint and the hospitality we received from the owners was superb. In fact, this is what our room looked like:

and of course we had an excellent view the next morning, right outside our door:

Of course, that Friday evening, we celebrated 20 years in style, with a bottle of Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon that Tikvah had picked up just for the occasion.

What was fantastic about Lookout Lodge was that any issues or problems that may have arose were quickly addressed and rectified. As part of the Always And Forever package I had gotten with the room, we had a voucher for one of the local restaurants, and the best word I can use for our dinner at Ermilio's (we had opted for Italian) was orgasmic. They are only open from 1700-2100 - and there will, more than likely, be a wait - but it is so worth it! The next pictures are of what Tikvah and I ordered, Fettuccini Alfredo and Fettuccini with Garlic & Olive Oil Sauce, respectively.

The thing I had noticed about Eureka Springs is that it maintains a small-town appeal, while still having enough commerce to attract the tourists, with a little San Francisco feel to it. A very artsy atmosphere is also added to the mix. It was like no other place in Arkansas we had ever been to. It had such an allure to it that Tikvah and I are seriously considering moving there instead of California.

There was also a vast array of different food without getting too outrageous. The local restaurant where we ate breakfast Sunday morning, aptly named Local Flavor Café. I had ordered an Eggs Benedict, was is an english muffin with Canadian bacon, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. The difference with the Local Flavor is they offer different options. Instead of Canadian bacon (or ham), you can choose sausage, bacon, filet migńon, or smoked salmon (I chose the salmon). Tikvah is not a big fan of fish, be she took a bite of it and liked it... really liked it; Tikvah had chosen the Quiche for her selection. So, needless to say, we were very pleased with our trip. We plan on spending a week there next year to get a feel for it off season. This was a fantastic weekend. Tomorrow's post will be about the Crescent Hotel (which is haunted) in Eureka Springs.

Year 2, Day 272 (Our Anniversary Dinner)

Yesterday Tikvah and I celebrated our 20th anniversary, but tonight was when I made our special dinner... and I must say it turned out very delicious. The first thing that happened was when I was getting the preparations lined out, a really rare (and cool) photo opportunity presented itself. Preparing the frying pan to saute the vegetables, I poured olive oil into the pan, and this is what came out about 15 minutes later:

Here's what I made for our dinner: yellow, red, and orange bell peppers, onions, and almonds sauteed in olive oil; lemon-pepper noodles; and seasoned tilapia covered with roasted tomatoes, olives, and garlic:

I - as was Tikvah - was very pleased with the end result. Now it's time to brew up some coffee to go with the cheesecake for dessert.

Year 2, Day 236 (Road Food For The Road Scholar)

Many years ago I had discovered a nice little gem of an eatery. I was making a delivery in southeastern Minnesota, when I happened upon a little restaurant right off the interstate, which was owned and operated by Amish. What was very memorable about this little place was it was quaint... and they served home churned butter. As I was making my way back through Minnesota today, I found that same little diner... now what was the name of it...

After placing my order - which was French Toast (made from their Apple Crunch bread) - they had served not the home churned butter, as I had remembered from before, but individually wrapped butter pats. Something was amiss... so I did a little investigating. Sadly, the Amish folks whom had previously owned it sold the restaurant, but the current owner (a dentist from Lewiston, MN) still does a lot of business with the Amish... to the point that the store upstairs (and some in the restaurant, as well) is packed to the gills with Amish made merchandise. Items such as noodles and breads:

There are also a variety of home bakes pies, as well as Amish handmade quilts (such as this Mariner's Compass pattern, which goes for about $1,300)

I almost forgot, I went there to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, the food looked so good, I had forgotten to take a picture, until it was almost too late.

The servers, Blanca & Leslie, were top notch. Despite still trying to catch up from the recent lunch rush, they still maintained a more than pleasant attitude, as well as a cheery ambiance in the restaurant. If you're ever in St. Charles, MN, the restaurant and gas station are off of I-90, at exit 233, then turn south... you'll see them on the right. The restaurant is usually open from 0600-2000 each day. You can also view their menu from the website, and free WiFi while you're there. Pop in for a meal... you'll be glad you did.

Year 2, Day 233 (Food, Glorious Food!)

Yesterday, while I was getting a re-start on my logbook (and enjoying the Sabbath), I had put a wild idea into action. The other day I had done some shopping, and on my list I had written vegetables... so I started brainstorming. I had already picked up a pre-cooked smoked beef brisket, when this wild concoction began to form. So I wandered through the produce section to see what I could come up with. A week ago I was given several Roma tomatoes (most of which I had planned on using in a Pica De Gallo), I just had to figure out what else to use with them.

My mind suddenly went into "creative" mode (and, no, I wasn't shopping on an empty stomach). I found several ingredients to use. I chose not to use the potatoes for this meal, as that would have produced too much food. While the brisket was heating up in the crock pot, I went to work an my idea. My "Vegetable Medley" (as I have come to call it) consists of a couple slices of Roma tomato, red, yellow, and orange Bell Peppers (sliced), a couple slices of white onion (which I had already purchased for the Pico de Gallo), some Greek Kalamata Olives & green Olives (stuffed with garlic), almonds, then I drizzled it with olive oil, splashed it with red wine vinegar, then gave it all a little bit of salt, pepper, and some Mediterranean seasoning.

I also took some aluminum foil and fashioned it into a little pan, then placed it on top of the brisket, closed the lid, and let the crock pot do its work. When I went to put away & organize the last few select items from shopping, I realized I had purchased some sun-dried julienne cut tomatoes just for this idea... so I added a little to the already simmering concoction, which at this point was half done (better late than never). I let it all simmer for a couple more hours. Once I removed the lid this time, the aroma was very enticing.

Now that I've seen what my gastronomic mind created, I was more than ready to eat.

The pictures make it look delicious, but the end product surpassed what could be captured on the camera of an iPhone 3GS.

I really enjoy cooking!!

Year 2, Day 226 (What A Taxing Day)

After just a few hours of sleep, I was up at around 0900 (CT) to try and sort out the whole fiasco of the 72 rejected cases. Once I had things started concerning that, I tried to get a little more sleep until the claims department had done what was needed on their end, after which I took the product to a facility not far from where I delivered to "pass it off" to them. That in itself threw the day off track. While I waited for that facility to work their end, I put the butterflied Leg of Lamb in the marinade to sit for a while, then put the lamb and the baby potatoes in the crock pot, where it simmered on low all day.

Finding the customer where I was loading was not a problem, getting the load put on efficiently, however, was a little arduous. By the time I was loaded, with bills in hand, my remaining drive-time had already begun ticking down. Racing against the clock is not fun, especially if your sleep had been broken throughout the day. I almost made it to Charleston, WV before shutting down, plus made a stop at a Starbucks earlier in the day.

Oh... and the lamb (in the words of my friend Lauri Rottmayer) was "Fabu"!

Year 2, Day 211 (Homeward Bound Very Soon)

Though it may have taken a while to get loaded yesterday, Nathan and I did get out of there with a little time left to drive. I stopped in South Beloit, WI to scale out, then I shut down for the night in Rochelle, IL. Even though there was still nearly 1 1/2 hours left of available driving time, I chose Rochelle because there was a Pilot nearby where we could get a shower. There was also a Petro (which is where we parked where we could get a good meal while I washed what was left of our laundry.

The food at The Iron Skillet (Petro's in-house restaurant) has always had good food, and last night was no exception. Nathan had the Sirloin Steak Sandwich, while I went with the 7 Pepper Whitefish.

Today gives me a little over 500 miles to cover on this load. It's due tomorrow morning, but we do have a drop trailer there, so I can do a drop & hook and be out of there. No telling if I will load up something else and have it re-powered to another driver, or if I will just get sent home from there. One thing is certain, I'm ready to go home and relax!

Now to get some coffee.

Year 2, Day 195 (Heading To Pennsylvania)

I made it to Auburn, IN at around 0100 this morning, where I unloaded at the Walmart Distribution Center there. Once I finished with my required 10 hour break, I made my way to Newport, MI where I met up with one of our other drivers to swap trailers. His trailer was loaded with Coca Cola product heading to Pottsville, PA for tomorrow evening. Nathan and I made a few stops along the way: Meijer (to pick up a few groceries), Pilot (to get fuel), and, finally, to the Commodore Perry Service Plaza (to get a dose of Starbucks, as well as Lox & Bagels from Einstein Brothers Bagels).

This was Nathan's first experience with Lox & Bagels (there's not a lot in the way of kosher food establishments and/or deli's in north central Arkansas), and, from what I gather, he seems to like it. I figure I'll try to get us into Pennsylvania, probably about 100 miles, before we shut down for the day. All in all, this turned out to be a pretty productive day.

Did I mention we got some Starbucks?

Year 2, Day 62 (Such Beautiful Scenery)

Larry and I didn't make it as far as I had hoped, but we did cover some ground. The customer where we picked up at was, as usual, very pleasant to deal with. Even though the load wasn't ready yet (in fact, they weren't expecting us until today), they did what they needed to ensure an efficient loading process... even getting with the delivery customer to get all the logistics sorted out. When we left Lewiston, ID the weather was cool and the roads were clear... up until we started climbing the mountain on U.S. 95 north to Genesee. In about the distance of 5 miles, the roads went from dry & clear to this:

It was still a lovely ride. The thing about driving a truck in weather like this is it's not too bad when you have a load around 35,000 - 40,000 lbs; but when you have a load that is just slightly over 17,000 lbs, you definitely use a little extra caution (as Larry did). The roads weren't bad going across 4th Of July Pass in Idaho, nor on Lookout Pass crossing into Montana, but with a load this light, you still want to be careful. We ended up shutting down in Haugen, MT, about 8-10 miles east of the Idaho/Montana state lines. I had hoped we could have made it to Bonner (just east of Missoula), but a lot of time was eaten up by dealing with the present conditions.

The scenery is already beautiful out here in Montana, but the addition of snow certainly adds to it:

One more thing... this is the view we awoke to this morning:

As Sabbath approaches, I pray The L-rd's Shalom (peace) upon you, and may He bless you all!

Year 2, Day 43 (Doing A Favor For The Company)

Last night I made dinner which turned out VERY delicious. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I made a Mushroom Lasagna, which I had never made... for that matter, I had never many any type of lasagna.

What really made it taste so good was the béchamel sauce. If anybody is interested, I posted a link in yesterday's post.

Friday, Lance (one of our Fleet Managers) asked me if I would "babysit" a load then deliver it on Sunday night. I told him I would do it. I only live just under 75 miles where it delivers, so it's no problem. I was able to convert a few of my albums to my iTunes player. It's still going to be a long process to convert my entire collection (I have a couple hundred titles), but little by little, I'll get the job done.

Year 2, Day 42 (Taxes Are Done, Dinner Is Almost There)

This has been a beautiful, but cool, Sabbath... very peaceful and relaxing. My wife and I had our taxes done this afternoon, which will help us get this house done, so we can sell it in 2 years and move back to California (yes, we are getting a refund). As I put this post together, I'm enjoying a fresh cup of coffee, and tonight's dinner still has 11 minutes left in the oven.

The recipe I had actually obtained from an acquaintance that I know via Facebook and Twitter (@MissInformation). She had made it a few weeks ago for a dinner party she was throwing. After seeing the message several times, I decided to give it a go. The recipe is for Mushroom Lasagna, which I got (through Donna) on the Smitten Kitchen website. It almost seemed a bit daunting (especially since I had never made any kind of lasagna before... ever), but I worked my way through it. It seemed a bit time consuming (perhaps it's because I had to pop my "lasagna virginity"), but as I put it into the oven, it all seemed worth the effort.

I'll post pictures tomorrow.

Year 2, Day 41 (Laid Back Day, Awesome Dinner)

Today was really laid back and relaxed. Tikvah and I ran a few errands and picked up some groceries, which turned out to be a joke. I say that because what we actually purchased was not even commensurate to what we paid. We didn't even do our full shopping. The good thing about it was dinner that Tikvah made tonight. She made a Mulanese Chicken:

She found a recipe for that from an issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. The other thing that she made - which was completely fabulous - was her French Onion Soup:

Tomorrow night I will be making dinner. I've been given a recipe (via Facebook) of a pasta dish that seems easy enough, but the actual preparation/consumption could be a different story (though I doubt it). I will, however, post the results here, whether good or bad.

The Sabbath is approaching, so I will put this post to bed for the day. May you all be blessed!

Year 2, Day 40 (Home At Last)

Due to being short on my hours available for driving, I was unable to get home last night. I shut down in Poplar Bluff, MO last night and finished the trip this morning. Shortly after I arrived home, my wife, Tikvah, and I were on the road heading to Little Rock for the afternoon. I had some business to take care of at my employer's North Little Rock terminal, then we went to lunch at a great Mediterranean restaurant called Istanbul, located on the west side of Little Rock. We've been there before, so we knew the food would be excellent. We started off with some warm, fresh Pita Bread with Babaganouja:

We each also had some Lentil Soup:

With my food also came a salad, which I opted for the Mediterranean Salad:

We both ordered a Lamb/Beef Kabob dish, though each one was slightly different (as we expected):

The food was very filling, yet not heavy. Quite delicious! Afterward, Tikvah & I went over to a Starbucks where we "carpe'd the java" with the fabu Lauri Rottmayer (whom is also a fellow blogger).

We are presently sitting at the Greyhound bus station, waiting for our 19 year old son, Sean-Patrick, whom is returning from staying with my brother for the past couple weeks in Las Vegas. So far, this extended weekend is starting off pretty productive... and filling.

Year 2, Day 27 (Looks Like Another Re-Start)

Lou and I left from West Memphis, AR today at just past noon. When we loaded yesterday, I informed the broker that we would not be able to make the appointment (0800 in Searcy, AR) on time, but that I would call again later when I could give an accurate ETA. When I called again at 0200, I told the brokerage that we could get there by 1430 this afternoon. I called again this morning before we left to make sure everything was still good. The word from the representative was to head on in, and the customer would take us but we would be a work-in.

When we arrived, not only did the customer not take us, but the crew that did the unloading was gone for the day. Obviously we were misinformed by the broker (sometimes that's almost expected). We are at the terminal in North Little Rock, AR where we dropped the loaded trailer, and I've got the truck going through the shop. After getting some things taken care of, Lou and I went to grab a bite to eat... which turned out to be Carino's. I had never been there before, but it was rather delicious. Most of all, it was quite filling.

Our next load will pick up on Sunday in Pine Bluff, AR and bound for Kansas City, KS on Monday.

It is the Sabbath... I hope you are all blessed on this day!

Year 2, Day 9 (On The Road With A Light 3-Stopper)

I was up this morning at 0500 (ET), and my body was reminding me that it was 0400. I made my delivery, then - once my 10 hour break was over - made my way to Marysville, PA for my next load. This load was actually pre-planned on me yesterday (which came as a surprise), and has 3 drops on it: Goodlettsville, TN (just north of Nashville), Humboldt, TN (just north of Jackson), and Southaven, MS (just south of Memphis, TN). This load turned out to be light... really light... less than 11,000 lbs. All of it is baked good... pies, etc. I did go to their outlet store before they began loading me, and got quite a deal... all of this for just $7.65:

Though before I went to the customer, I made a few stops. My first was to get the trailer washed out, then up the road about 1 1/2 miles to scan my paperwork in from the previous load, and finally, to the grocery store - Giant Food Stores, to be exact (to whom I had delivered to this morning) - and, for the first time in a little over a year, splurged on a treat:

Because Boar's Head is a little pricey ($11.99/lb) I don't get it very often. Actually, this is the first time I've bought some since I've started working for my current employer, in who's service I have been for nearly 2 years. Over the years I have tried many different brands of deli meats from many different delis, and Boar's Head is - by far - the best I have tasted (Walmart's brand being the worst).

As I make my way to my first two drops (for Wednesday), then finish this load off on Thursday, I wonder where the roads will take me beyond that. So far I have (finally) driven through some snow, in Virginia. Not very much, but enough to keep me on my toes (light loads and slick roads DO NOT mix). Don't get me wrong, the roads aren't treacherous in any way, but as long as I respect the road/weather, I'll be just fine.

You know what would go great with my Boar's Head roast beef sandwich? An ice cold coke (you probably thought I was going to say a grande triple Marble Mocha Machiatto from Starbucks... but that's for dessert).

Day 364 (Vacation Can't Be Over Yet?!)

Today has been yet another lazy day. Yesterday wasn't supposed to be lazy, but either allergies kicked in, or Tikvah and I started to feel the onset of a cold. therefore what we wanted to get done yesterday (working on the bathroom), was not done. We didn't work on the bathroom today because Tikvah had already made plans to go to Little Rock with her friend Helen... a "girl's day out" sort of thing.

I also went to SuddenLink to get an issue with our DVR taken care of. It took a while (to include a visit from the technician), but it's now taken care of... I hope. I'm getting some of my vinyl records converted over to my iTunes library, and at the same time I'm also proofing some dough for homemade Pita Bread, from a recipe I got from a blog post by my friend, Lauri Rottmayer. When I read that post the other day, it stuck with me. So much so, I went out and got some more flour (as I was out) so I could try it.

Pictures to come later.

Strategically placed alongside coffee.

Day 277 (Burnaby, BC: Done... Plus A Visit To The Hot Spot)

This morning James and I got up around 0530 (0730 CT), walked down to Starbucks for the morning fuel, then made our way up to Blaine, WA (right across the border from British Columbia). I dropped him off at the truck stop then went into Canada. I've been to the customer a couple times before, so finding my way around is no longer a problem. What became the problem was getting through Customs on the way back into the U.S. Not any major problem, just a long line of trucks doing the same thing I was. In all, the wait was about 1 hour, 45 minutes (that's not counting the 10-15 minutes I spent in the Duty Free store, to get a couple bags of wafer cookies for my Tikvah).







Once I made it back into the U.S., I hooked back up with James. I told him about a wing joint just walking distance away that has a wing challenge: 3 wings/dollars/minutes. The owner, Mike, has a sauce - which he called "Stupd" (not a typo) - and consists of Jalepeño, Seranno, & Habenero peppers, onions, garlic, and Frank's Hot Sauce. However, there is one other ingredient involved: pepper extract. The extract Mike currently uses for his sauce/challenge is 6,000,000 Scoville Units. To give you and idea of how hot this can be (and you can compare it to this handy, dandy chart), the average Jalepeño ranks 3,500-4,500 Scoville Units; the Habenaro: 200,000-300,000. If you happen to stop in and take the challenge, Mike does require you to sign a waiver. They can be found at:

The Hot Spot
1733 H St. #260
Blaine, WA
(360) 656-5489

... or you can "like" them on Facebook, as well. By the way, I didn't take the challenge... I went with the Chipotle/Garlic wings.



- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 222 (On The Way To Tulsa)

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Clint and I left from Ellensburg, WA this morning with cool weather to drive in. We arrived there last night, topped off the fuel, and I decided it would be best to call it a day there, mainly because the routing we were taking (more than likely) would not have many places to park a truck. I'm glad we did shut down there, as there was a Starbucks just walking distance from the truck stop, so I could get my coffee fix before we left. Along the way this morning I found some very panoramic views, such as this in Vantage, WA:






The back roads we took were very nice, though I think the town of Starbuck (in Washington) was mis-named, as there was no Starbucks anywhere in town. We arrived in Lewiston, ID right at 1300 (Pacific time), and the customer was very expeditious in the loading process. I was hoping I would have had time to make a stop in Clarkston, WA, to visit my niece and sister-in-law, but the time, unfortunately, didn't permit. When I spoke to my niece, we discussed (the next time I'm in the area) how we can get together and, as she put it, have a couple cup of coffee at Starbucks (Erica, you speak my language!). Now that I have a passport, and will be taking loads up to British Columbia, hopefully I'll have the chance to make that stop in the near future.

This load delivers in Tulsa on Monday, and an option that my fleet manager is looking at is to put Clint on another driver's truck (to get him transported to our North Little Rock terminal so he can test out and get his own truck), then have me shuttle a load toward the northwest, swap with another driver, and have me back in Arkansas in time for me to go home... but right now, it's just a possible option. When I find out on Monday what will come next, I'll be sure to let you know.

- Another rant via BlogPress

Day 217 (I've Missed This Part Of The Country)

This morning, our day started in Colby, KS, a small town on I-70, just 54 miles from the Colorado state line. Another beautiful Sabbath day, with mild weather (84°, as opposed to the 100°+ temperatures we've been enduring lately), and, of course, a grandé triple Marble Mocha Machiatto (extra hot) from Starbucks. We topped off the fuel and continued our westward journey.

As we made our way across the Colorado plains toward Denver, I did a little more experimenting with one of my favorite camera apps, Hipstamatic, where I got this shot of eastern Colorado (around Kiowa) from the passenger seat:




... then, using a different app (and you will see the difference), here is an area further west, toward Denver:




We made our way through the north eastern end of Denver, on made a pit-stop at Johnson's Corner, a well-maintained truck stop in Johnstown, CO (just south of Ft. Collins, on I-25). If you recall, from my post on Day 192, I blogged about the monster of a Reuben sandwich I got from Izzy's Deli. If you don't recall, here is the sandwich itself (and you will also see its weight):




The reason I brought up Izzy's 110 Reuben is I think I may have found the dessert to accompany the aforementioned sandwich should somebody find they are still hungry... though I find that to be highly unlikely. At Johnson's Corner, they have a cinnamon roll that is huge:




Though I'm sure there are people who make their rolls this size regularly, but Johnson's Corner is the only place I've seen that sells them this large (and at $12.99, that's a pretty good deal).

As an "added feature" to his training, I had Clinton take more of a scenic route. Most drivers will stay on I-25 to Cheyenne, WY, then jump on I-80 west to Utah. I, however, had Clinton get off the interstate in Ft. Collins and take CO 14 west, to U.S. 287 north, which will bring us to I-80 in Laramie. It may take a little longer, but it shaves off some miles, plus it has a really nice view.




On another note... this weekend will find the battle of the ages, a long held rivalry that may never be quenched: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox. Yankees took it last night (3-2). Two more games to go. Where do I stand?

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

GO RED SOX!!!

- Another rant via BlogPress

The Road Scholar - Day 6

The days are drawing to a close at an accelerated pace…

Now that I have garnered your attention… Today, I didn’t travel far; from Dawson, GA, around Atlanta, to Gainesville, a bustling community about 50 miles NE of Atlanta. If you’ve never been there before, nor are familiar with the general region, it’s easy to become misled into thinking that it’s another small town, masked by its sylvan surroundings, and just lucky enough to have an interstate highway built nearby… and you would be wrong. It appears that way at first, until you venture in to see what it may, or may not, offer. In fact, it has quite a bit to offer: Home Depot, Target, Best Buy, Starbucks (if a town has THAT, then it MUST be worthwhile – and, yes, I made a stop… CARPE JAVA!).

Although, one mistake I made was to park next to a restaurant – on an empty stomach. Most truck drivers are satisfied, even content, to get their meals from the truck stop restaurants, or a nearby fast food joint – I am not one of them. I’ve gotten to a point of near loathing of McDonald’s, Wendy’s, etc., etc., etc… Occasionally I’ll go to a mass market restaurant (IHOP, Denny’s, Longhorn Steakhouse), but mainly, I enjoy the places you can’t find everywhere; independent & small chain restaurants (for example: B.D.’s Mongolian Barbecue). One such place I happened upon tonight.

I was actually intending just to pay a visit to Starbucks (Mocha Marble Machiatto, naturally). Since their “free standing” locations usually don’t have the parking to accommodate a big truck, I will usually park at a shopping plaza nearby and walk over (WHAT?! A truck driver that not only drinks Starbucks, but will actually WALK across a plaza parking lot to get it?!). As I said, I parked next to a restaurant – an Italian restaurant! I am not an Italian, but I can eat like one. I parked, grabbed my coffee mug, and told myself, “no food! Use what’s in the truck!”

When I climbed out, I was immediately seduced by the aromas of marinara sauce, garlic, Parmigiana, meatballs. It was enough to send my senses into a tailspin, and my stomach to lash out at me, as if it was saying, “It’s ‘Starbucks’… not ‘Snickers’ – it AIN’T gonna satisfy!” Now this place, Biba’s Italian Restaurant, is the kind of place that kind of slips under the radar; it’s not flashy, nor trendy, but it IS very welcoming, and has the right amount of class, without appearing too poshy. Inside, it was elegant, yet casual. As I walked in, the hostess – Lindsay – appeared from the dining area and greeted me before the door completely closed. I placed my order to go, then went to Starbucks (I STILL gotta have my coffee). When I returned, my order was not yet ready, but I was greeted by about 5 different servers, ensuring I had been attended to – now THAT is quality service (others in the restaurant industry – take note!).

I ordered the Baked Ziti Sicilian (Ziti tossed with roasted eggplant, mushrooms, meat sauce, topped with mozzarella), though I did substitute the meat sauce for Fra Diavolo sauce (spicy marinara). That with garlic/parmesan rolls, a side of fresh garlic, and a ceasar salad. Once my order was ready and bagged, I climbed back in the truck and returned to this chicken plant. Within moments, the aroma permeated the inside of the truck’s cab and I found myself whistling Frank Sinatra tunes. To taste the food was a different matter – “scrumptious” does not even begin to describe this food! For one thing, you get a very generous portion… the Ziti is mixed with the sauce, mushrooms, eggplant, and mozzarella… and it’s topped with more mozzarella! It’s one of those dishes that you want to continue eating – even after you’re stuffed – because it tastes so good! If you ever make it up here, this place is a “must visit”… then finish off the meal at Starbucks!