Exploring the simple pleasures in life.
After many years of effort, I have found that the key to true happiness comes with learning to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. It’s in the awesome feeling that you have when the garden is full of beautiful banana peppers. It comes from spending time with the people you love and sharing fantastic adventures with them. This Uncomplicated Life is my way of sharing my journey into finding and enjoying the simple pleasures.
The Furnace Grill & Crabhouse Review
After attending my uncle's funeral and a nice visit with family I haven't seen in 15 years, we stopped at The Furnace Grill & Crabhouse in Thurmont, MD to eat before heading home. They have a good-sized open dining room with a patio as well. We sat at the bar. The staff was friendly, but unfortunately, that was the highlight of our visit. We ordered the Crab Pretzel as an appetizer as well as steamed shrimp and the Crab & Steak Nachos for our main meal. The food was extremely slow. We realized that they had a very large to-go order that had gone in before our order and understood why the food was taking so long. Forty-five minutes after we ordered the shrimp and nachos came out. When we brought it to our server's attention that we had not received our appetizer, she said that it would be out in a minute and that they didn't control how the food came out of the kitchen. The Crab Pretzel is a soft pretzel topped with crab dip and cheese served with a beer cheese sauce. The cheese sauce was tasty and I enjoyed the pretzel. The steamed shrimp was another story, [...]
A Storybook Trail, Cliffs, Chimneys, and Rocks
Once again we found ourselves heading to the mountains for some relaxation and fresh air. I always smile when I get to the spot on Interstate 64, about five miles east of Zion's Crossroads, where you get the first glimpse of the mountains. Once I can see the mountains, I relax and know we are going to have a good weekend. We went to Massanutten Storybook Trail outside Luray, Virginia. It is a short, relatively flat, very easy to navigate boardwalk and paved trail near the top of the mountain. After walking a quarter-mile, admiring the exciting rock formations and beautiful foliage with butterflies dancing around us, we reached the end of the trail, which opened up to a breathtaking view of the valley below. After the short hike, we went to Hidden Rocks Cliffs, stopping at Kathy’s Home Cooking Cafe in New Market for lunch. We had a little trouble finding Hidden Rocks Cliffs. It is in George Washington National Forest. Unfortunately, the GPS directions were not that accurate. I ended up passing the Hone Quarry Recreation Area, not realizing that was where we needed to go to get to the trail. It seemed as if we were heading off to the middle of nowhere and, [...]
The Barbecue Exchange Review
I saw an article on Facebook claiming that The Barbecue Exchange, in Gordonsville, is the best barbecue in Virginia so, of course, we had to check it out while we were in the area. The restaurant, at one of the main intersections in the small town, is quite easy to find. Seating is available both inside and on the patio. This is a counter-service restaurant, but someone did stop by the table while we were eating to see if we needed anything. There is a wall of refrigerators as you work your way through the line with a nice variety of beverages including beer. Chris ordered the 3-meat BBQ Lovers Platter with pulled pork, brisket, and pork belly. He changed to the 2-meat platter when they let us know they were out of the pork belly. The dish came with two sides, he went with collard greens and mac & cheese, and a hushpuppy. It surprised Chris when he realized that they serve pulled brisket and not pieces. Also, the meats were already sauced, which was a little disappointing as he likes to experiment with the sauces on the table. Overall the flavors were good. I ordered the Purgatory, a sandwich with pork brisket, pimento [...]
Kathy’s Restaurant Review
While in Staunton, VA we stopped at Kathy's Restaurant for breakfast. They serve breakfast all day, which is a bonus for us as we do not always want to get up in time for "normal" breakfast hours. The restaurant is large, the front very dineresque with booths and counter seating. The servers were friendly and efficient. I ordered a half order of biscuits & gravy with an egg and Chris ordered the Everything Omelet with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, and tomatoes. The biscuits had a lovely texture and the gravy was luscious and flavorful. The delicious omelet was the thinnest, most delicately cooked eggs that I have seen. Cost for two cups of coffee and two meals $23.45.
Kathy’s Home Cooking Cafe Review
We recently found ourselves in the small town of New Market, VA. We stopped at Kathy's Home Cooking Cafe for lunch. It is a small café on the main street through New Market. When we arrived there were two people in line in front of us. A server, obviously very busy, told us to seat ourselves from across the room. We saw two available tables and figured we would let the men in front of us pick their table and then we would take the other one. Apparently, they were not together as they each took a table. When the server realized what happened, she quickly cleaned a table in the back for us. The restaurant was patriotically decorated with red, white, and blue bunting in the windows and red, white, and blue flowers with small American flags on the tables. I do not know if that is their usual decor or if it was because we were there two days after Flag Day. Chris had the 2-piece fish basket. The fried cod, served with fries and coleslaw, was nicely cooked, tender inside with a nice crunch from the breading. For some reason, I was in a mood for hot dogs so I ordered two chili cheese [...]
A Buffalo, a Mill, a View, and a Waterfall
Chris spent his high school years in Middlesex County, about 45 minutes from our home. As he still has friends there, we have had multiple occasions to visit, giving me a glimpse into what makes him who he is. After almost 10 years together, I decided that it was time he got to see where I grew up, Floyd County. We left early for the five-hour trip, arriving around lunchtime. I haven't been home since my parents left about 15 years ago. I felt the tingle of excitement and anticipation as we exited the interstate on to the road to Floyd. Just before we reached the town I made a left turn to drive by the house I lived in. When my parents sold the house, the new owners renovated it and turned the house into a bed & breakfast. The house was beautiful, but it was a shock to see most of the trees that had surrounded the property were gone. As we drove into town, it was fun to see a lot of the businesses that were still there from my childhood, as well as some new ones. We drove to the property where I lived during my early teens. I wanted [...]
The Fishin’ Pig Waynesboro Review
On our way home from Floyd County, we got caught up in major traffic on the interstate. We realized that we would not get to our original dinner spot in time to have dinner before they closed, so we did a quick search for another place to eat. The Fishin' Pig Waynesboro looked promising so we headed there. My first impression was the lovely aroma of smoked meat that permeated the air. It was absolutely intoxicating. We sat at a high-top table in the bar area. Our server was friendly and helpful with the menu. We started off with cocktails and their Better Than Bang Bang Shrimp. The shrimp was very good, not overly spiced, but with a nice kick. Chris ordered The Fishin' Pig sampler, with pulled pork, brisket, fried catfish and fried green tomatoes, with a cilantro dill remoulade and slaw. The pork and brisket were good but didn't knock our socks off. The catfish, on the other hand, was spectacular. Our server had told us that they had an award-winning catfish and it definitely lived up to the hype. Tuesday is 1/2 price rib night, so I ordered the full rack of ribs, half dry rub, half sauced. Again, the ribs were good, but [...]
A Love Story
Once upon a time, I met a very intriguing guy at a party. He was very attractive with his long, luxurious, dark hair and a scruff on his chin. His voice was a bit intoxicating.
Omelet Shoppe Review
On our last day at Claytor Lake, we went to Omelet Shoppe for breakfast. The restaurant is just a few minutes from the lake. I didn't realize when I picked it that it was in a truck stop. I did not have high hopes for the place when we walked in, but we were already there so why not give it a chance. Wow, were we surprised! The servers were friendly, greeting us immediately. We sat at the counter and ordered coffee. After looking over the menu, we ordered a steak & cheese omelet and a mushroom & swiss omelet, adding bacon. The omelets, packed full, were delicious. Chris's omelet was missing the bacon, but our server rectified this as soon as we brought it to her attention. The hash browns were scrumptious, crispy on the outside and creamy inside. The biscuit was soft and tasty as well. My only disappointment was that they do not offer real butter. To make an already good breakfast even better, it just so happened that we were there on a Tuesday when they offer half-price omelets. Cost for two cups of coffee and two omelets (with the tip) $19.
Mac and Bob’s Restaurant Review
After an 8-mile hike, we were hungry. We headed to Mac and Bob's in Salem, VA to rectify the problem. We parked behind the restaurant. Being on a city street, there is not a lot of parking, but I did notice that there is a paid lot next door. As we entered the restaurant we were warmly greeted. We asked to sit at the bar and the hostess pointed us in the right direction. The bar is massive, extending down the length of the building. It was not a busy day, just us at one end of the bar and a few customers at the other. The bartender was cordial, but not very attentive. Apparently, the customers at the other end of the bar were regulars, thus garnering most of his attention. He did, however, do a great job making my cocktail. I like Stoli Vanil with ginger ale. Made correctly, the drink tastes like a cream soda. Too much alcohol and it does not taste good at all. He was spot on with his pour and the cocktail was bright, refreshing, and oh so yummy. I ordered the Beer Cheese, made with Fat Tire Amber Ale. While the flavor of the cheese was [...]
Chip & Jo’s Review
On our recent trip to Salem, VA we went to Chip & Jo's for breakfast. Parking is a little tricky, as it is a tight space between the restaurant and the road. If anyone parks parallel to the curb behind you, you will struggle to get out without hitting them. The restaurant is nothing fancy. There are several booths and a few tables in a very generic building. The good food and service, however, far outweighed the lack of ambiance. I ordered the Steak Omelet with onions, mushrooms, and cheese (of course I opted to leave out the green peppers). The omelet was beautiful, with perfectly cooked eggs, nicely filled with delicious ingredients. It also came with a choice of toast or a biscuit, which was light and fluffy. Chris had the East Bottom Express, eggs with hash browns, grits, bacon, sausage, ham, gravy, and a biscuit. His meal was delectable as well. Cost for two cups of coffee and two entrees $23.35.
Blue Ridge Cafe Review
We recently made a trip to my hometown of Floyd, VA. We stopped for lunch at Blue Ridge Cafe near the main crossroads in the small town. I can remember eating there on occasion as a teenager, but the restaurant has definitely changed since then. I really enjoyed the decor, with the tin siding and farm feel, even down to the mini mason jar salt and pepper shakers. The artwork adorning the walls, featuring a variety of farm animals, was absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, the decor was the high point of our meal. While the staff was very friendly, the service was almost non-existent. We both ordered the Hamburger Steak with Gravy. The dish comes with onions and green peppers (of course, we asked that the peppers be left off) as well as green beans and mashed potatoes. Blue Ridge Cafe is a small restaurant but was busy on this Sunday afternoon so we didn't mind the wait for the food. That is until I saw how long our food sat in the window before anyone noticed it was there. After delivering the food, our server did not return to check on us until we had finished eating and it was time to clear [...]
