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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Well That Was Interesting. And Somewhat Surreal.

So I decided to play tourist in my own home town last night. Holed up across from the local altar of consumerism Hanes Mall. I have not stepped foot in it for well over a decade but remember shoving quarters in machines at the arcade so many years ago. I chose a Microtel in walking distance from the Outback restaurant and tried it out. What was once an interesting concept and presentation for a chain restaurant has now become a corporate mandated "Meh". I was pretending to like it, they were too. I'll try the old Japanese Steakhouse next time and see if I get the same.

The view from my third floor window with a daybed kept me entertained for the remainder of the evening. Gah. 

Today I drove by many old haunts from back in the day and most are still there yet subtly different. The most disturbing thing was driving by Whitaker Park. RJR at one time had public tours for this manufacturing plant and had these outside of it:


Now, the fountains are drained and no activity is there. 

However today ended on a high note. I visited Mr. and Mrs. Curmudgeon and Mr. Curmudgeon and I visited a local range. He got up close and personal with "Emily" the M1 I built at the CMP.





He said he liked it but would not want to run around with one all day on his back like he did *cough* some years ago.

Food was consumed, stories were told. now I'm back at stately manor. What a great weekend so far! Next time I play tourist I'm going to hang out at either the Embassy Suites downtown so I can play with the hipsters or the Green Valley. I don't know WHO I might play with at the latter =) 

      

9 comments:

  1. Yep, I'd say he's shot those a few times... :-) Going home IS interesting isn't it...

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  2. It's been a long time since I stayed in a hotel that wasn't lame. Used to be, Holiday Inn, Red Roof Inn, La Quinta were all pretty nice. Now, they feel third world a lot of the time. I notice that by sheer coincidence, the one's that have deteriorated tend to have new owners. They are all named Patel. There must be more Patel's in the world than any other family name.

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  3. Give my regards to your Dad and enjoy the rest of the adventures. I agree on the Outback steakhouse.

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  4. Having only been a resident for about eight years, I can't comment on some of the changes you've talked about… but I can attest to the "revamping" of all the RJR buildings downtown across 52 from Station 8 over those 8 years. I am happy at the attempt to at least preserve the buildings, and hopefully, in part the legacy of the industry that built the town. I completely agree with Brigid and your description of Outback… Thankfully the restaurant scene in WS is slowly evolving to something other than the cookie-cutter corporate-type restaurants. Safe travels.

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    1. I have not lived in Winston for over 20 years. I do visit regularly though. Let me do see if I can get a map for you from 1985 or so.....

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  5. Outback has definitely tanked in quality over the years. Back in the early '90s, that was as good a steak as you could get without dropping Ruth's Chris levels of coin. Now? Meh. May as well go to Golden Corral or Waffle House for the steak.

    Interestingly, while Longhorn has slumped a bit from its glory days, it hasn't fallen as far as Outback. I'll still go to Longhorn in a pinch.

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