We love art deco diners. I recall as a kid going to the old diner near our church in West Taghkanic, NY. The link sausages there were the best I've ever eaten, or that's how I remember it, anyway. In Herndon, VA we ate at Amphora's Diner Deluxe, which has a reputation, and deserves it. The Greek food there is great, and so is everything else. Before we went in to eat we admired and took photos of the exterior.
And I got funny looks just inside the door when I photographed the dessert cases. You have to admit, they're amazing. The desserts were amazing to eat, as well. We had three different desserts and spread them around: a deadly chocolate dessert, of course, lemon meringue pie, a diner standard, and baklava, in honor of the Greek cuisine that is Amphora's specialty.
Later in the trip we ate in Tysons (it was on the way back to our hotel from our stop on the orange line of the Metro) at an old favorite, the Silver Diner. It's not as beautiful as the Amphora, and it might not be authentic art deco, but we still like it, and we have memories from this place.>>>> Appendix de Grenouille <<<<
When I look at Smiley's damaged grin, and pierced face, and see that yet he smiles, I am wondering if he is ignorant or wise. How can he continue unflinchingly to register cheer when there is so much gloom and life has taken a toll on him? Is he unaware? Or does he know something deeper, something we should all be seeking?
Et moi, I believe these other smileys have reason to wink. They are trying to tell something to all of us, but we must each work it out for ourselves. Where is joy? Is it far from us or always within reach? And if we find it, will it be walled off from the rest of our life, or will we, as DivaJood said in comment, "Bring it all out into the light," tres bon et tres mal, the work and the play, the mundane and the art.Au revoir,
Grenouille
4 comments:
When I was a girl, we lived in Buffalo, TX, a classic rural rail stop, with red brick "main street" across from the cotton gin. There was a little restaurant there, the only one in the "old" part of town (the new part had a Dairy Queen and a chicken place), called the Rainbow Cafe. I used to beg my parents to take me there, saying I loved the hamburgers (when they were merely okay), so I could look at the cool old-fashioned architecture, including the wavy frosted glass leading to the kitchen and the old-timey restrooms. Before we moved away, they had opened a cruddy new version of the restaurant on the other end of town. I hated that place with its lack of character. Too bad character and asbestos so often go together, eh?
Very cool diners. They remind me of the Marietta Diner. And that dessert case is a deliciously dead ringer for the one in Marietta.
Now these are the experiences (art deco diners) that I miss about living on a farm in a small town. So it was a pleasure to see the photographs.
Some-myrrh - Yep, the best places are not always about the food, and it's awful how much of the best stuff is not only asbestos lined, but deliciously tacky. Or maybe it's not awful, and we're all secretly pleased with and in love with tacky - especially as kids. More and more I realize that I am. Tacky means fun, character, personality. I HATE the malls and shopping centers going up all over America now, that are so picture perfectly in deadly sterile imitation of old town streets, right down to the diagonal parking. Nothing wrong with any of the old ways - they're to be imitated! More please! But not prettied up and made so boring, with the same stores in the same places in every one, no matter what state or town.
DCup - If I'm down in Marietta I will have to check out the Diner.
Odd Chick - I'm so glad you enjoyed them. We don't have one where we live, either. That's part of the magic when we travel, I guess.
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