While in Laurel, a suburb of Baltimore, we inquired at the hotel for seafood and were referred to "Bottom of the Bay."  Being a naïve Texan, I asked if it were on the water.  After laughing the desk clerk replied "no".  GPS guided us to this location.

It was not at all what we expected -- but a 3-in-1 opportunity - fine dining, lounge and liquor store.  After discussion, and it still being daylight, we said why not and parked in front of the dining room door.  Before we exited the car, the citizen standing by the dumpster informed us "they's closed but you can get take out in the liquor store."  We declined and sought other locales while wondering what "bottom of the bay" referred to.  Class members later told us the place had really good crabcakes but they usually got take out.

Laurel, Maryland
3.7.2017

stylin'

 

His red shoes caught my eye but I couldn't surreptitiously shoot them.  So we talked and I asked if I could take his picture.  Bur I really just wanted a close-up of those shoes!

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1.31.2017



salt flat café

 

The Salt Flat Cafe didn't look any different from when I was through Salt Flat on my last trip to El Paso 10 years ago.  And it probably hasn't changed much, except for the satellite dish, since opening in the 1930s.  Ninety miles east of El Paso, the Salt Flat Café and the Hammack Motel provided respite for travelers.  It was closed the day we were there (I later learned from its Facebook page that the closure was due to owner Shirley Richardson's broken knee).  For more information, watch the  Texas Country Reporter segment.

 

Salt Flat, Texas

6.8.2016

this way

 

"Follow the Smoke" is a BBQ joint in Brownfield, but don't follow the smoke on a Saturday or Sunday --they're not open.  The sign is neat but it bothers me that the cowboy just has red pegs and no boots.

 

Follow the Smoke

904 Lubbock Street (aka US82)

Brownfield, Texas

9.5.2015

lonely star

 

Advertising for the Dairy Queen calls its logo the Texas stop sign.  Well, no one was stopping at the Dairy Queen in Hale Center so it closed.  The place has tried to be other things -- unsuccessfully.  Even the Texas Observer has mentioned the Hale Center Dairy Queen in its article on the demise of a small town.  If you'd like to compete with the Owl Café, I think this place is available.  It has a great exterior paint job--on the south side at least.

 

Hale Center, Texas



ghost sign in a ghost "populated place"

 



Crume Gin is identified as a "populated place" in Floyd County but that may be misleading.  Crume Gin is about a mile north of Providence at the junction of Farm Roads 2301 and 788 but there's not much population in Providence either since the school closed decades ago and consolidated with Floydada.  The Crume Gin metroplex also had a café and grocery-- probably closed in the 1980s, although the faded gingham curtains still hang.  The only patrons of the business I saw were birds (and probably other unseen critters!).  If you need a snack on your journey, your best bet is to stop at an Allsups in Petersbrug or Lockney or Plainview.

Crume Gin
Floyd County, Texas

turnaround café

 

This post continues the culinary review of Spur, Texas.  The Turnaround Café is located in a former gas station (Exxon maybe?).  I wish I had gone inside to see if the washing bay was being utilized.  Dining rooms appeared to be on the opposite end.  On this side of the building, there is no clue that it's a dining establishment except for the "open" sign and curtains in the window.  The only sign is on the side of the building facing main street.  At noon on Saturday there was a fair crowd, judging by the number of pick-ups.  Situated at the corner of Burlington Street, which is the main drag, and East 6th Street which leads to State Highway 70, I'm guessing the Turnaround Café got its name because you have to turnaround here to get anywhere else!

 

Turnaround Café

202 Burlington

Spur, Texas

8.16.2014

 

boots...pie...and chicken fry

 

Every morning Cindy bakes delicious pies to be served by sassy girls in jean shorts and cowboy boots to customers who still have room after their chicken-fried steaks.  The Cast Iron Grill is a down-home place with character and good food.  Need a dessert to go?  Cindy filled orders for 300 pies last Thanksgiving.  And the banana pudding, after a lunch of meatloaf, is nothing to sneeze at.  Have a hankering for blueberry banana split pie?  That was Cindy's special today.

 

Cast Iron Grill

620 19th Street

Lubbock, Texas