GLEE CLUB MEET & EAT, FEB. 18&19. NASHVILLE

I know Jan and I (and Puppy McDuff) did one in Feb 2004, just two weeks before the First Glee Club Meeting.  I don't know if that was the first one on the Website ??
 
Ralph & Lori,
   I am so glad you weathered the negative elements of your trip, to participate with the Glee Club this year. I agree with the thought that you missed the 'most genteel' location" on the tour...Silke's Bakery and German Cafe in Clarksville, TN.  No big "ambience or pretenses", just a nice comfortable place to enjoy some unique (for a TN Military Town) light and delicious foods. You would have loved this place !

lleechef-
I'm just glad I was well dressed for the red carpet!

I do regret missing Silke's; multiple people have said that it was a great stop. But I think that I made the right choice, even though it was a bitter one.
 
ScreamingChicken, I've had Roadfood trips without travel incidents: since the beginning of 2009, the trips to Raleigh-Durham, New Mexico, and Chicago have been incident-free, and I count three road trips without any problems. But we've had flight problems to Alaska, New Orleans (twice), and Nashville, and hotel problems with our West Coast trip. So I'd say that six out of eleven trips have been trouble-free, which is not a splendid record. 
 
I blame the airlines mostly; we've had flight problems on 50% of our trips of the last three years.

Ralph, if this record keeps up, Melton will become a verb, just like Travelin Man did!

buffetbuster


Ralph, if this record keeps up, Melton will become a verb, just like Travelin Man did!

 

Fantastic reports and photos!!!  Y'all are true legends! 
 
I'm sitting here at 6:30 in the morning before going to work, and suddenly I have a strong craving for BBQ'd spaghetti. 

Bushie,
  At 6:30 AM  Put a can of Spagetti-O's in a bowl, dump some Kraft 69 cent BBQ sauce on it and some bacon bits...heat in the Microwave and close your eyes when you eat them....  hehehe
 
OK  From now on when a travel connection is messed up (or missed) It will be "Meltoned" !!

And when someone does something nice, such as going to pick up a stranded diner in the middle of a snow shower that will be Meltoned, too.

I don't know if I want to be responsible for the travel woes of all Roadfooders...I can see the voodoo dolls now  (Clearly I"m getting in New Orleans mode already!)
 
I'm glad the travel worked out and we were able to come, though I am sorry to have missed the bakery. We'll hit it next time we're in Nashville...and I've told Ralph I want a trip to the Grand Ole Opry too. :-)  But missing a restaurant is no big deal -- I'm just glad we didn't miss visiting with y'all. 

Michael Hoffman


And when someone does something nice, such as going to pick up a stranded diner in the middle of a snow shower that will be Meltoned, too.

DITTO!! 

mayor al

OK  From now on when a travel connection is messed up (or missed) It will be "Meltoned" !!

 
It took me a day to figure out how to respond to this proposal.
 
I really am flattered. And I like the idea of contributing to the language of this community.
 
But I don't feel like my travel woes are that special. (I'd be very curious to know how often buffetbuster has airline troubles, since he flies out of the same airport.) I think our troubles are a combination of two factors:
- we tend to fly in the evenings, which means that planes are full, minor problems throughout the day have had their best chance to snowball into major problems, and problems are hardest to fix without major delays; and
- a very tight economy for airplane travel (caused by rising fuel prices and easy price comparison) has turned the major airlines into penurious weasels who would make you get out halfway and push if it would save them five bucks. 
 
But here's the clincher for me that makes me want to decline this honor:
I already have one name that has unpleasant associations when used as a verb in a food context. I would rather not have that be true of both my names.
 

Michael Hoffman

And when someone does something nice, such as going to pick up a stranded diner in the middle of a snow shower that will be Meltoned, too.

 
Michael, that's very kind of you to say, and I appreciate it very much. Thank you.
 
My volunteering to go pick up Bushie was an easy choice, because I saw that it would be good for me as well as for him. I hadn't had a chance to talk with Bushie at all at the Loveless Cafe, and picking him up would give us a chance to talk and deepen our acquaintance. I enjoyed our chat together, and I'm glad that we had that chance.

Tips to avoid being "Meltoned"
1. Fly early in the day, first flights preferably.
2. Take direct flights whenever possible.
3. Carry-on your luggage.
4. Move to a warm climate to avoid Pittsburgh weather!!!

 
 OK Friends, It is time to "UNSTICKY" this chapter in the GLEE CLUB HISTORY and let it sink into the morass of the other group digests.  Watch for it to reappear as we approach the Winter Solstice. That's when we begin the preparations for MOBILE - 2013.   It looks like we will be meeting the weekend AFTER Mardi-Gras, but the dates and specific locations on the list have NOT been selected yet.

But before it goes I just want to say that Tennessee DOES HAVE actual bourbon, and not just Tennessee whiskey. I know that because of the generosity of Pogophiles who provided me with a bottle of Prichard's. It is mighty fine bourbon.
 
And then there was that jar of shine from out of his car trunk. Smooooooth!
 
Glee Club meetings are fun, and the people are terrific. lleechef and I can't wait till Mobile.

:)
 

Michael,
   Janet and I are thinking of doing an Alabama or Mississippi or Southern Georgia Hog Hunt for a couple of days after the Mobile session. Interested in joining in ?

mayor al


 
OK Friends, It is time to "UNSTICKY" this chapter in the GLEE CLUB HISTORY and let it sink into the morass of the other group digests.  Watch for it to reappear as we approach the Winter Solstice. That's when we begin the preparations for MOBILE - 2013.   It looks like we will be meeting the weekend AFTER Mardi-Gras, but the dates and specific locations on the list have NOT been selected yet.

 
Al,
 
I've been silent  for the most part and the reason why is I'm going to add my two cents when I complete my other trip report which eventually ended up here in Nashville. At the slow rate I'm going on completing my other report, I probably won't get to this one until the winter solstice. Well....... probably more like the spring equinox.

Dale,
  No Problem my friend. We know you had a much more complex trip this time. I am enjoying your seperate trip report very much. Get it posted when you can.
AL

I was not aware of Mobile but it works for me.  I certainly enjoyed it the last time at Winzell's and the BBQ place.  We will be there.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN 

Mr. Mayor, I would be interested. I'd love to give lleechef the opportunity to take a hog. On the other hand, we had been talking about Acme in New Orleans after Mobile.

Just an update on the follow-up Hunt info. Lleechef and MH will join the Mayor and Mrs for a Hog Hunt in Southern Missouri next September. Be prepared for a 'primitive life-style' trip report for the foursome as they do their famous Lewis & Clark re-enactment !

Lewis & Clark? Does that mean I have to bring my canoe AND Sacajawea?

WOW!  What a trip report that is going to be!

Michael,
  Sacajawea had a baby during that expedition, are you trying to tell us something???
  I do have a rabbitfur cap (with hunter orange trim)...but in September it may be a bit warm for that !
   I think the foodstops in the Rolla area will get some attention before and after this hunting week.  Both M H and I have visited the area several times in the past years.

No, Mr. Mayor. I am not trying to tell you anything at all.
 
Are you trying to get me killed?

mayor al


Michael,
Sacajawea had a baby during that expedition, are you trying to tell us something???
I do have a rabbitfur cap (with hunter orange trim)...but in September it may be a bit warm for that !
  I think the foodstops in the Rolla area will get some attention before and after this hunting week.  Both M H and I have visited the area several times in the past years.

 
I was under the impression that Michael was present at that original expedition!

I wasn't on the expedition, but I did cater the sendoff party.

mayor al
 
OK Friends, It is time to "UNSTICKY" this chapter in the GLEE CLUB HISTORY and let it sink into the morass of the other group digests.  Watch for it to reappear as we approach the Winter Solstice. That's when we begin the preparations for MOBILE - 2013.   It looks like we will be meeting the weekend AFTER Mardi-Gras, but the dates and specific locations on the list have NOT been selected yet.

Mentioning Mobile and Mardi Gras  --  Most people are not aware that Mardi Gas actually started in Mobile way before it became popular in New Orleans and Mobile Celebrates it in a big way. Something to take into account in your early planning stages regarding rooms and availability of restaurants. Suggest taking a look at places in Fairhope, Gulf Shores for side trip excursions. Also, there's a Lambert's Cafe, Home of the "Throwed Rolls" in Foley AL for side trips!
Don't forget the Flora-Bama Lounge, in Perdido Key, Home of the World Famous Interstate Mullet Toss, It's not too far from Mobile.
http://www.florabama.com/index.php
.

There is talk of a moving meeting next winter to include the Gulf-Shore from Pensacola/Desitin to Mobile and maybe even Biloxi, MS.  No final itinerary is locked in at this point.   Build your dream lists and we will piece together a plan in the Fall.  Our focus is on Marksmanship training for the Great Missouri Hunt for the summer.

As promised, here are some photos from the Glee Club Event. 
As I noted previously, this isn't a trip report- just some photos with Commentary. Although if there are two themes that
prevailed this weekend ( besides folks getting ill and having travel issues ) it's gotta be this (I'll let Buffetbuster  explain)
 
 

 
 
and this
 

 
(I'll let Chi Town Diner Explain)
 
Friday February 17 
 

 
The Beacon Light Tea Room Bon Aqua TN


A good 40 minutes outside Nashville, this was our first stop Friday Evening. It was the five  of us- Buffetbuster, Cousin Johnny, Chi Town Diner, Travelin Man and yours truly
 
Not really a tea room- actually this restaurant was started by the same person who founded The Loveless Cafe
 


 
Like the Loveless , biscuits come to the table with preserves
 
Here's a shocker!
 

 
Chi Town Diner ordering a salad! 
 
I skipped the salad 
 

 
I'm solidly in country ham country territory now. It came with red eye gravy and I ordered hash brown casserole and fried apples as my two sides.  The country ham lacked the punch that  country ham usually delivers. The sides were rather pedestrian.
 
The best part of the meal was
 
'
 
The Ice Box Pecan Coconut Pie that Cousin Johnny and I shared.
 
Our last stop for the evening was
 

 
Eastside Fish
 

 
I'm still trying to figure out what the crunkest fish in town is?
 
My memory is failing but I believe we ordered several items
However the one thing I was waiting for was this
 
 
 
The O G King Fish
 
This is over a pound and a half of whiting. 
We all shared. There were complaints that there were bones in the fish, but somehow I was grabbing hunks of whiting and lucked out because I didn't encounter any bones- I wasn't very hungry but I enjoyed what I had.
 
As we were half way through, Cajun King arrived and ordered the same thing-
 
Everyone konked out that point (with the exception of Chi Town Diner of course) we all wanted to get some sleep- I believe he referred to us as amateurs. 
 
I'll post the next day's photos sometime this week.