Dunn North Carolina Restaurant

When you are traveling you are at the mercy of reviews and comments made on websites. So on the last leg of our trip we stopped at a Mexican place in Dunn, North Carolina that had rave reviews. We were graciously seated in a booth that faced a highly visited bathroom; a waitress that was quite unkempt; and food that was meant to be served to an army - not just for two! The appetizer alone was a soup bowl bigger than the size of my husband's head. Being a Friday night it was quite busy. I do have to say the chips and salsa were good, but can't comment on anything else. It was authentic alright but a bit too much for our taste. We prefer our neighborhood place where things are on a smaller scale, but unfortunately - triple the price! I'm hoping my husband has not been turned off to Mexican food. He can't stop talking about it - and not in a good way. 

Muscat Grape Jelly from Merry Hill

It's not every day we receive home made jelly made out of real grapes from a vineyard on a farm in North Carolina. We've had home made jelly before - my husband concocted quince jelly. It has a peculiar taste for a particular person - and the quince fruit itself tastes like a wooden apple. We even had a quince bush in Milwaukee that we hoped would supply us with quince. That never happened. Yesterday one of our friends stopped by after work and brought along two glass containers of Muscat grape jelly. On the card was a picture of the old tobacco barn in the background and a the grapevine in the foreground. I recall him talking about the grape vines that he started planting there many months ago and he spoke of eventually making wine and such. And so he held true to his word. And of course we had to try it as soon as we opened one of the jars. It was quite good - I would actually eat it. I much prefer the jelly to preserves, and typically go for grape jelly. This was less sweet than most but was quite nice, and the color was interesting too. In the end it's not so much the jelly as the idea that he thought of us while making it. Now every time we have it we will fondly think of him and his family. What a sweet - and tasty - notion! 

A Hampton Inn Renovation In Process

We have been traveling since last Friday. It's been awhile since we took a road trip in summer. The traffic is heavier and the hotels are full. I tried to book a Hampton Inn several hours before the arrival time but it was full! So I looked for the next city and tried again. There was a warming that renovation was in process. We didn't want to take any chances so we made a reservation in Wilson, North Carolina. When we arrived there they told us there was no cable. Okay. The room looked like it had just been completed that day. It smelled new and was set up for the twenty first century with charging stations everywhere, sliding shower doors, sleek lighting fixtures, and pull out shelves. The chaise was nice but my husband didn't care for the green cover. It was comfortable as rooms like these go. Unfortunately this morning the Internet wasn't working either. We didn't get a discount for the missing services, but we didn't inquire either. It didn't bother us too much, but I'm glad we didn't have any kids to think about. Since we were traveling for an emergency this is not the time of year I would choose either. We are anxious to get back home today. There's nothing like it. Let's hope our cable and Internet are working.