Posts Tagged ‘Travel and Tourism’

Kaffie-Frederick General Store, founded in 1863, is Louisiana’s oldest general store, located in Natchitoches, La. The store still has the original working elevator and cash register from 1910. Yes, you need to know how to count change. That seems to be a lost art. A trip into the store takes you back to a time when things were a litter slower and less complicated. I saw so many toys from the past. My children were amazed at the top. They had never seen one. Once I made it spin they laughed and enjoyed watching it spin. My favorite thing was buying a Coca-Cola in the bottle paying based on the honor system. For those of you who do not know, it means the store trusts you to be honest, and pay for what you take without cameras. A rarity in modern times. I include a photo of sheriff and police badges. When I was a child it was an honor to have one to wear and pretend to round up criminals with our cap guns. Today, we deal with police haters. Times have changed. Not for the better in my opinion. Here are a few photos from our visit. I hope they inspire you to travel to Natchitoches. Enjoy!

I have always wanted to visit the Historic town of Natchitoches, Louisiana, the capital of Spanish Texas (1729-1770), and part of the El Camino Real trail. Recently, I checked it off my bucket list. It is best known as the city of the filming of the 1989 hit movie Steel Magnolias. However, I must admit there is so much more, and I didn’t have enough time to spend there. The city is clean. The hospitality is exceptional. The food….is…..a….BIG….Yum! I just love it there! Here are a few photos I took around the city to share. Enjoy!

Al Nakhil is an Iraqi restaurant in Houston, Texas that offers original dishes from Iraq. The food is really flavorful and prepared with time and love. Some may say, “Iraqi’s? Didn’t we go to war with them?” Well, I like to think we we were at war with a government, because the Iraqi people are very nice and they strive to build greatness just as many people do around the world. They have a wonderful culture and aim to be free just like Americans. Anytime I have been in their presence they have made me feel welcome and they are very willing to share culinary secrets. Iraqi food is a labor of love for sure. If you are in a hurry, you probably will be disappointed in Al Nakhil, because in Iraqi culture enjoying a meal is not about being in a hurry. Thank God not all cultures believe in stuffing their face real fast to get back to work right? As of now, I do not believe Al Nakhil has a website, but I will leave your with some photos and a menu. You can see more about them on YELP. These are images from the Family Kabob Platter with extra sides of Hummus and Baba Ganoush, and after dinner hot tea.

Polonia in my eyes is the official Polish restaurant of Houston, Texas. The food offers up all the delicious dishes and tastes of Poland. Growing up my father had a taste for many of these dishes and they were served at home. It was so common that as I grew older, I wondered if my father was part Polish. Someone once asked me if the Polish were vegetarians? I kind of laughed at that notion. The Polish are meat specialists as evidenced by the Polish store next door to the restaurant where you can get many Polish meats or snacks to take home. For more information..visit Polonia’s website http://www.poloniarestaurant.com/

Ritual is a meat lover’s dream restaurant! The freshest dry aged meat hanging on racks for you to select your perfect steak. The finest meats and ingredients all cooked to perfection in what was once a Citgo gas station that was redesigned into an extravagant restaurant in the Houston Heights. Outside on a statue is a pig with wings…..If pigs could fly. Their pulled pork sandwich is flying because it tastes heavenly. The Ritual burger is so messy delicious! 1/2 lb of beef with caramelized onions, blue cheese, and a pile of brisket oozing BBQ sauce. Yum! The chicken fried steak is true to the bone Texan flavorful. The onion rings fat and perfect. The Death By Chocolate cake…..Ummm, oh baby! To learn more visit their website http://www.ritualhouston.com/

Update: Closed. Out of business. COVID-19 killed it. Very sad!

With the thousands of awesome restaurants in Houston, Texas it is always not easy to get to them all at once. Jus’ Mac has been on my bucket list a long time. Upon entry I was pleasantly surprised by it’s small size (capacity 55). It gave the place a real homely feel. The service was excellent. Waiting for my dish my family and I shared some Spinach Artichoke dip. It was the best I have personally ever had. I have eaten it a lot too. When my dish came…Chicken and Waffle Mac N Cheese, it made my heart dance and the my olfactory senses happy. This places is no diet haven. This is full on heavy food that keeps a person fueled for a good time. It was everything I hoped for and then some. I’ll definitely make it my Mac N Cheese stop. For more information visit their website http://www.jusmaceatery.com/

I just love Tacos! They are so versatile for those of us who are true foodies and know, love, and understand quality food. The Velvet Taco lives up to their hype 110%.  They offer some of the best tacos I have eaten anywhere and they win the creativity award. A shrimp and grit taco? WTF? Really? That is a home run for us southern folks. Chicken and Waffle tortilla taco? Off the chain! And a cheeseburger taco? Oh, baby! For more information check out their website here https://velvettaco.com/

One of my favorite places to relax, stroll, and take photos is the San Antonio River walk. No matter how many photos I shoot, I notice differences in all of them and never loose enjoyment taking them. I hope you find inspiration in the photos and choose to take a trip to this wonderful place.

Enjoy the photos!

The Pit Room BBQ is a little known joint in the Montrose area in Houston, Texas that serves some of the best BBQ in the state of Texas. Texas Monthly or any other publications can say what they will, but I have been eating BBQ for over 49 years, so I know excellent BBQ. The Pit Room uses oak and slowly cooks their meat to juicy perfection. Their side dishes are made with top ingredients and are full of flavor. Their service is outstanding! You want GREAT BBQ while in Houston, Texas, head on over to THE PIT ROOM http://www.thepitroombbq.com/

Snoopy’s Pier is a wonderful seafood restaurant right on North Padre Island and the Intracoastal Waterway since 1980. From what I have read they harvest their own seafood locally from the bays and Gulf waters. I love that Snoopy’s is an independent chain in the school of big fish corporate dominance. The sounds of sea birds, boats, and fresh air blowing my air added to the ambiance of relaxation. Conveniently located next door to Snoopy’s is Scoopy’s which offers Texas’s own Blue Bell ice cream and other sweet treats. For more information visit http://www.snoopyspier.com/

A few photos from my visit.