"THE BEST REASAURANT IN IOWA!"

       Today, while making a visit to our library here in Williamsburg, Iowa, I asked the manager and good acquaintance if he had a hot "TIP" on a restaurant worth checking out in Eastern Iowa. 

        His answer surprised me a little and also excited me. **Doesn't take much anymore. He said that he was going to give the name of the "Best Restaurant in Iowa!" Wow! Not just his home town of Dubuque, Iowa, but, the whole darn state.

        And, the original owner has a story to tell about moving or "getting out" of Chicago due to "Mob" stuff! I can't wait to get the full story one day after I stop drooling! The place is called Mario's Italian Restaurant and it sounds like the place isn't very "Fancy!" 

         After living in Des Moines for over 30 years and eating at most all the very fine Italian Restaurants there, I won't be disappointed if it doesn't measure up to many of those in Des Moines. I can't wait to shoot up to Dubuque some day soon! I love a good eatery tip! 
       

GOOD OLD DAYS? MAYBE!

           The other day while cleaning windows at the Amana Retirement Community, I realized how easy I had it compared to cleaning windows when I was a teen on the family farm. The difference is pretty stark, but, had its trade-offs!

        The other day while cleaning windows at the Amana Retirement Community, I realized I couldn't have it easier. All the windows I was doing could be easily reached by just standing at ground level, easy casement style windows, and using an easy wide applicator and an 18" inch squeegee. Each housing unit in/out took a little over a half-hour. 

        Even though the screens and storms on the farm were wood, heavy, and very large, and the rags were not very absorbent, there were still the pluses! It was generally a very sunny Fall day while working and above all I had my trusty blue imitation leather encased portable radio and listening to my Iowa Hawkeyes football team and Jim Zabel-announcer! Never can replace those fond memories!   

DOESN'T ANYBODY NOTICE?

        I know I look at things differently now that I am older, but, one I couldn't help thinking about happened while having lunch at the Ox Yoke Inn in Amana, Iowa. The hostess took a group of people or family as far back in a corner of this huge spread restaurant. 

        The one elderly lady, possibly Grandma, was having difficulty walking and was doing so with a cane. You would have thought that either the  hostess or the younger members of the family would have been aware of the situation and asked for a closer table to the entrance! Me, I would have stood there until they all came back and joined me at a table close to the entrance!  

THAT OL' FROSTY SCHOONER OF BEER!

         While at a household auction yesterday at Belle Plaine, Iowa, up for bid was an old Schlitz glass beer schooner. It brought back immediately a fond memory from my youth and no it was not about me drinking beer!

         I do remember accompanying one of my uncles up to the local tavern in Laurel, Iowa, during hay making season to get refreshments for the crew. I will never forget that image of the owner, Hank Miiller, pulling out this frosted schooner from a  low refrigerator from behind the bar and then filling it with a "cool" one. 

          I would watch those bubbles float to the top and to its "head." Then, once in awhile the patron would take a salt shaker and tap in a little salt which I presume was for added flavor. Again, more rising bubbles! It didn't take much to entertain me! 

FUNNIEST FORTUNE COOKIE SAYING EVER!

        Sometime back in the 1980's, I was having lunch at a Oriental eatery in Clive , Iowa. The fortune was --"Your car will run for another 40,000 miles!" Honest! Somebody making those sayings up really had a weird sense of humor!

COULD BE FORTUNATE FORTUNE COOKIE!

       Thursday night, I ordered out my favorite local Chinese take out and after eating opened the fortune cookie. The little slip read the following---"Romance will come your way soon!"  Stay tuned!

HEY KIDS-- DO YA LIKE BUDDY HOLLY?

     On June 30th, 2PM,at the Old Creamery in Amana, Iowa will be a performance of "That'll Be The Day"--A Tribute to Buddy Holly and the Crickets.  I've attended several performances at the Old Creamery and they are always excellent. See you there!