Saturday, December 22, 2012

Things that made me happy in 2012 (a growing list)




I have a thing about Waffle House.
I love it.
I love it a LOT.

I begged my fabulous client Karen Kennedy to go there when I zipped down to Atlanta for a conference a few years back. Being a well-bred southern lady (albeit with a very criminal mind!) she was reluctant to take me to a place that she considered...well...low-rent.

But I whined, pleaded, and she relented. (Boy was she sorry when upon learning I could not buy a souvenir coffee mug, I threatened to purloin one)



Sadly, there are no Waffle Houses near Brooklyn. 

But this past June I was pried out of NYC by the beguiling invitation of a road trip with Sorche Fairbank. I will go anywhere with Sorche. She's the absolute definition of boon traveling companion, and it doesn't hurt that she's one helluva good literary agent too, so I get the benefit of her insights under the guise of casual conversation.




I may have not mentioned my devotion to the Waffle House until we'd cleared the Holland Tunnel and it was too late to turn back.

We hit the first Waffle House in Harrisburg.
And the second one in West Virginia.
And the third one in Lexington, KY.

And then, there was that last one. I think Sorche was green by that point, but she is a true blue friend, and we hit the Waffle House for the fourth time in five days.

She gave me lentil bean soup for Christmas and mentioned something about a juice cleanse.

But my heart remains true to Waffle House!

It was a real highlight of 2012.





and I guess the Waffle House loves me too!!

14 comments:

Josin L. McQuein said...

Live in Texas, and you dream of places like NYC where there are great restaurants on every corner.

Live in NYC, and you dream of places where the corners are deep fried and dripping syrup. (which is why every other corner will have a Walgreens pharmacy so you can buy antacids.)

:-P

Anonymous said...

Waffle House is the bomb! Make apologies to no one, Janet! I live in the south and have a Waffle House down the street, so no longing here.
My friends and family know they had better stop at White Castle for a Crave pack when they visit. Things get ugly if someone forgets.

Terri Lynn Coop said...

I LOVE WAFFLE HOUSE! On my road trip home from Florida after I picked up my car, I hit as many as I could and was also crushed when I couldn't keep my mug. I highly recommend the one in Grenada Mississippi.

Here's to a scattered, covered, chunked, and cheesed 2013!

Terri

Alan Forsythe said...

I would make a road trip to find a Waffle House.

alexia said...

Waffle House is a guilty pleasure for sure. Living in Florida, I've had many a WH meal. I don't go very often, but sometimes you just need one of those artery-clogging waffles or omelets :)

Anonymous said...

Terri do not forget the sausage gravy to dip it all in!

Laura Hughes, MittensMorgul said...

I love Waffle House too, but I think I forget they exist sometimes. We have them around here, but I never seem to think about going in. I will remedy that lapse this week, I believe. Pecan waffles, look out. Mama's coming to get you.

Terri Lynn Coop said...

Sausage gravy FTW!

Anonymous said...

Here in Kansas, there's a Waffle House in most towns. After moving here from Boston, I dreamed about Dunkin' Donuts. Now DD has a couple of places here in Lawrence, so I'm thrilled. I'll see if I can talk someone into a Manhattan Waffle House as a NE/MW trade. "Yo, you'z want cwahffee with that?"

Unknown said...

That was one of our standard hangouts in college--one of the few all-night places cheap enough for a bunch of students (several of us underage) to hang out in.

Rachel Schieffelbein said...

I love the Waffle House! Sadly, there are none in Minnesota, either. We used to go all the time when we were down south for horse shows. :)

Augustina Peach said...

Waffle House is the official restaurant of our church youth group. They even know the "Raisin Toast Song" by heart (and sing it whenever they get the chance).

Karen Kirkpatrick said...

Janet, I loved our trip to the Waffle House--I've seen lots of cops in WHs, but never was I so sure we'd be the ones getting arrested! Hope your Christmas was Merry and your new year comes scattered, smothered and covered!

Unknown said...

Then, I must confess Janet. I've not yet found the courage to stop at a Waffle House on my last road trip through the South, though my partner keeps threatening, I did however let him convince me into eating deep fried pickles and promptly gained twenty pounds.

I'll have to take the final plunge next time! I hope you have a startling, fantastic, and fun New Year!