I love popcorn probably as much as I love my iPhone. I eat popcorn almost daily, and when I can find flavored and gourmet popcorn it makes life all the better. Over the years I’ve enjoyed Dale and Thomas. Saw them on Oprah’s favorite things one year and tried them out. They were good but their flavors were limited. I’m a candied popcorn fan so the cheeses and toffee cashew mixes are great but not my first in line fav. One summer on a Myrtle Beach S.C. trip, I discovered a popcorn shop at Broadway at the Beach that had my simple and cherished cherry popcorn. Lost contact with them when they closed shop. Discovered Chicago’s famous Garrett’s popcorn. Very good but again, limited in flavors to about 4-6, and heavy on the cheese versions. Chagrin Falls (Ohio) Popcorn Shoppe surprised me with a limited edition cranberry mix. Good, but the cranberry pops were mixed in with kettle corn. Interesting flavor but not fully fruity like I wanted it. Read more…
Often when you hear “all you can eat,” it is a buffet setting. Typically you have a packed restaurant that will require you to wade through items cafeteria-style picking out what’s left, or waiting in line around bunsen trays for the refill crew. Additionally problematic is that the flow of your meal intimacy is always interrupted by “be right back,” as you have to leave the table to replenish. What a pleasant surprise it was then, to discover the Japan Inn on Falls of Neuse Rd in Raleigh. Read more…
Just returned from an excellent and quick getaway up to Washington DC. While at a family function Saturday night, I had a sudden craving for my favorite Mexican restaurant. So what if the restaurant was in DC 4 hours away? I could taste the Carne Asade and the Margarita’s that many say are the best in town. They’re the kind of ‘ritas that have just the right mix of top shelf tequila, grand marnier, cointreau, lime, and salt. The perfect combo of taste and disguise so that when you stand up to leave you’ll have a smile on your face, but also feel very fortunate that you’re walking to your hotel in the cool evening air. That, my friends, can be found at Alero in DuPont Circle. And so with those memories hot flagging my taste buds, I started to plan my escape. Read more…
