This was Elvis’ favourite booth. His picture marks his spot. Could be him, couldn’t it?
For the past month, as we have travelled across the top of the US on I-80, down through California and along I-40 to Memphis, our most recent stop, I have looked for authentic diners. In their heyday, during the first two thirds of the 20th century, nearly 7,000 diners dotted the American landscape. They were THE stop for travellers on classic roads like Route 66, or for those looking for a hearty, inexpensive meal in many cities.
Today fewer than 2,000 remain and most of those are in the east. So looking for one in the Midwest and west was like searching for a needle in a haystack. The fast food chains have supplanted this uniquely American institution in the hearts and appetites of Americans. So imagine my delight when, in Memphis, I found The Arcade, a diner that has been around since 1919! Continue reading
My mouth is on fire!
We were looking for the Artichoke Center of the World. So we drove into Watsonville – where nobody knew what we were talking about.
For three days we’ve been driving west on Highway 80…I-80 is the Interstate Highway that most closely approximates the route of the historic Lincoln Highway, the first road across America. It also roughly traces two other historically significant travel routes, the Oregon Trail across Wyoming and Nebraska, and the Mormon route through to the Great Salt Lake.
