Saturday, May 21, 2011

Moodiness to Marvelous

We're in a new town for a wedding, and we ask the pastor where we might go for breakfast this morning.

This is the pastor who describes this little town as "ordinary people who serve an extraordinary God."  He leans over and tells us we can go to all the normal breakfast places, but if we really want the best place, we need to go to Java Jacks.

Java Jacks looks like a run-down house on the side of the road!  This can't be the place.  A dog named Samson sits by the side door waiting for a sample of sausage.  But the pastor said this was the place, so we enter.

I have one of the best breakfasts (in the quirkiest settings) I can remember in a long time. (By the way, a "Jacks" is a little funnel cake they serve on the side of your blueberry pancakes and crab omelets.)

I love finding people who know the local scene.  You have to leave the beaten path, not judge by appearances, and be willing to go on an adventure. 

I used to detest traveling.  All my anxiety and bad moods would flare up in resistance as soon as I packed the car.  But not anymore.  Living with flair has set me on a journey to find the extraordinary thing--often off the beaten path--that nobody else notices.  When I travel, it's now anticipation instead of anxiety.  It's marveling instead of moodiness.

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Journal:  What's the best kept secret in your town?  A coffee shop?  A bookstore?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

In Missoula, MT, there was an old theatre which had catered to vaudeville back in the day. It (well, 17 years ago) now played films in the basement. You got your butter (real) in a cup for your popcorn, looked at old vaudeville posters, noted the RIP rememberance of the resident parrot and then sat in old theatre chairs in front of a stage; the screen was lowered from the ceiling. I drove 3 hours over a mountain pass to enjoy this place! I am sorry I cannot recall the name but it was awesome, friendly and yes, out of the way.

A View From Serenity Acres said...

I love finding places to eat like the one you described Heather. In our many journeys around the state of Florida, we have found dingy looking places that serve the best seafood in the area. Hard to believe...but it is wonderful. It changes everything when we can find delight in a good restaurant like that. Glad you enjoyed it!