Showing posts with label roadside america. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roadside america. Show all posts

Thursday, November 4, 2010

The Waffle House

When I travel, I try to stick to a budget as much as possible.  I stepped into a waffle house for the first time last year on my travels and I am hooked.  They are not in California so this is all new to me.  If you want a hot breakfast any time of the day for very little money, this is the place to go.  It's a mix between a diner and a fast food place and each one I've encountered has been a good experience.  The people are friendly, the coffee is hot and there is no mystery on how they cook your meal since everything is done right in front of you.

You can get a breakfast sandwich with a fresh egg and cheese for two bucks.  For those of you who go to McDonalds, this is even cheaper then an egg "McSumthin'" but the difference is, you can actually see the egg cracking on the grill in front of you.  No microwaves.

It's a diner experience without a diner price.  They are almost on every corner here in the South.  If you've never been to one, I would give it a try.  It might not be the healthiest meal you will eat, but it will fill you up and keep your pocketbook slim.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

MOBA The Museum Of Bad Art In Dedham, Massachusetts

The other day I had my mind set on catching a train into Boston to walk around the city and take pictures of what I came across.  I even had it on my goal list! As you might have read with my update blog, I was standing on the wrong tracks, on the wrong side so ultimately, I watched the train come and go.

Since that was the last train for a while, I decided to do something different.  I took out my handy Roadside America iphone app and came across an attraction called the Museum of Bad Art.  Perfect, I thought!

I followed the directions from the app and it took me to an old movie theatre in town.  As I walked in, there was a man standing there with a puzzled look on his face. I suspect since it was in the middle of the day and there weren't any movies showing for a long time.  I asked him where the museum was.  He said, "museum?" I said, "um..yes, the one with the bad art..."  He smiled and said, "oh, it's down there...enjoy!"

I looked across the hall and there was a small hallway with steps leading to what seemed like a basement.  Turns out it was also the way to the restrooms.  The museum was actually in the hallway in the basement to the restrooms.

I looked around and saw several paintings scattered about.  I felt a little sad thinking that works of art that people worked so hard at was shown in a museum specifically dedicated to bad art.  However, my mind changed a bit when I read the statement on the wall.  It read, "Welcome to the Museum of Bad Art, a unique institutaion occupying a niche previously ignored in the international community of art collection, preservation and interpretation.  MOBA exists to celebrate the labor of artists whose work would be displayed and appreciated in no other forum."

It went on to say, "The majority of art in the collection has been purchased at yard sales, second-hand stores, and thrift shops.  Some pieces were donated by the artists, and others were rescued from inevitable destruction after being entered as detritus into a solid-waste disposal system.  The principal is that it must have been created by someone seriously attempting to make an artistic statement, but something has gone horribly awry in either its concept or execution."

It was an interesting tour.  For more information, visit their website HERE.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Magic Camera Phone

I love gadgets.  Recently, I purchased the iphone (I know, a little late in the game) and love all of the apps that you can download right from your phone.  I had a scratched up Palm Treo for about 5 years and have been using it even when I need duct tape to keep it together and need to use the period key to put spaces between words since I had a broken space bar.  I have been putting off buying a phone where you are forced to use a data plan since I think that being away from the computer should be just that...being away from the computer.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted an iphone is for the "Roadside America" app.  I know it's silly to buy a phone just for the app, but how am I going to know when I will stumble upon the largest ball of twine if it's not listed on a map!  I look forward to exploring the odd, largest, smallest and one of a kind roadside attractions on this trip.  Once I plugged it in on my phone, I found out that the world's skinniest house was located within driving distance from me!  How amazing is that?!  Just what I was looking for!

Mostly, I didn't want to experience the time I got lost in South Dakota and drove around for hours only to camp in a place in that was going to be the center of a severe thunderstorm.  That was an adventure.

Also, you can download a fun app that takes photographs from your phone in old hipstamatic style, such as the two on this blog that I took.  It might be old news to you, but it's a pretty amazing little computer...this iphone.  I am not sold on the coverage and service so I will also have a pay as you go phone from Verizon just in case I need to call for help while a bear is knocking on my tent door.

I wonder if there's an app for that?