Memoir Monday - Week 11 (5/20 - 5/26)

ericvancewalton (79)in #memoirmonday • 15 days ago (edited)

Memoir

/ˈmemˌwär/ noun. a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation. Usually memoirs. an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography. the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.

Week 11 is upon us! You’ve all been writing some great entries this past week. I hope I’ve voted and reblogged them all. I’ll go back and do a final check today.

Memoir Monday has grown so much that I won’t be able to comment on everyone’s posts anymore (and get my own work done) but I’ll still be supporting your posts with reblogs, votes, and shares on my other social media accounts (X, Facebook, etc.).

For all of those who’ve regularly participated in Memoir Monday - keep going, you’re making great progress in crafting your very own life story for future generations to enjoy.

For those who missed the inaugural post explaining what the Memoir Monday initiative is all about you can find it here.

Now for next week’s Memoir Monday prompt:

What are some of your all-time favorite restaurants?

My answer:

A few favorite restaurants immediately come to mind and they’re all very different because of the great memories they hold for us.

Kahiki Polynesian Supper Club was definitely the most unique restaurant I’ve ever experienced in my life. It was a Polynesian restaurant in Columbus that was popular even amongst celebrities and world leaders. Autographed pictures of celebrities of all kinds covered the walls — people like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Louis Armstrong, and Lucille Ball. It, apparently, was the place for them to go whenever they were in Columbus for shows and such.

As a child this restaurant was always mysterious to me. There were no windows and my imagination would run wild about what was going on inside. I always thought it was too expensive or fancy for me to ever experience but I ended up working there as a busboy for a short while when I was in high school. I also ate there a few times as a young adult with friends or on dates before I moved to Minnesota in 1995.

Dining at the Kahiki was an event to say the least. The food was spectacular but it was the ambiance the stole the show, it was truly was one of a kind. There was an artificial rainforest on one side, complete with rain lightning and thunder, and an aquarium that ran the entire length of the other side full of tropical fish. Unfortunately, the Kahiki was demolished in 2000 to make way for a Walgreens (of all things). What a shame. It would probably be far too expensive to build something like that today. Kahiki only survives as a frozen food business today.

Next, is a fast-food restaurant that holds some incredible memories for me. White Castle, those who know...know. Admittedly, White Castles aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but they have a cult following for those who like them. I think their cheeseburgers are still one of the best things I’ve ever eaten in my life or ever will. If there's any classification of decadence beyond gourmet White Castles are that for me.

My parents and Aunt Betty would take my brother and I to the old location on Main Street in Bexley, Ohio as children. My aunt drove a little beige two-seater Fiat TR-7 convertible and she would pile us in for a joy ride in that fun little car and lunch at White Castle. That was a thrill I’ll never forget.

White Castle’s are one of the few things that haven’t changed at all since my childhood, except for the price. If they’re freshly made they taste just as good today as they did back in the 1970’s. Every time I have a White Castle cheeseburger it’s like being transported back to childhood for me. To this day I'll order two cheeseburgers and won't be able to wait until I get home to eat them.

Next is Salute Bar Americain. Salute was a French restaurant that used to be on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, MN. This restaurant was our “go-to” local spot for celebrations, birthdays, and sometimes just a beer and oysters on their sunny patio on a warm summer afternoon. This was where we celebrated when I finished my first novel in 2013.

You could always count on a good meal at Salute. It felt like a trip to France without the airfare.

They did an incredible job creating an authentic French bistro atmosphere. Sadly, they closed their doors this year (2024). One big plus was they allowed pooches on their patio, so it was Amstel’s favorite local restaurant too. We made so many good memories there and were very sad when they closed. The closure of Salute really felt like the end of an era.

Next, there’s Bendi Wok N’ Bar in Columbus, Ohio. We stumbled across this one as we were looking for a restaurant near German Village that had a parking lot so it was easier for my Mom get to with her limited mobility.

What a surprise it was when we discovered how good their food was. Bendi was one of the first places we took my Mom after the despair of the lockdowns during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic and now it’s become a tradition to eat here at least once whenever we’re visiting. This is one of our happy places, a sort of new beginning and a first step in our return to normalcy.

Last but not least, is Jack Stack’s Barbecue in Kansas City.

We found Jack Stack’s during an overnight stay in Kansas City on our way back from a road trip from Sedona, Arizona. This is mind-blowingly good melt in your mouth BBQ. Words can’t even begin describe how good this is so I won’t even try. Thankfully, you can order their food online and they’ll ship it to you on dry ice. We’ve done this more than once. Sometimes the best things are found by accident.

Rules of Engagement

Please reblog this first post and share on other social platforms so we cast the widest net possible for this initiative;
Pictures paint a thousand words. Include pictures in your posts if you have them;
Answer each Memoir Monday prompt question in your own post. If possible, the prompt question will be published in the week prior so you'll have the entire week to answer and publish your own post;
Have fun with it, don't worry about getting behind, or jumping into the project at any point after we've begun; and
Lastly, be sure to include the tag #memoirmonday.

It's that simple.

At the end of the next twelve months we'll have created something immensely valuable together. It's so important to know our "whys" in life and there's no better way to do that than this.

Someday all that will be left of our existence are memories of us, our deeds, and words. It's up to you to leave as rich of a heritage as possible for future generations to learn from. So, go ahead, tell your stories. I can't wait to read them.

Be well and make the most of this day. I want to sincerely thank all of the participants thus far. I've really enjoyed reading your posts!

~Eric Vance Walton~

(All photos are original.)

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15 days ago in #memoirmonday by ericvancewalton (79)

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jlufer (79) 15 days ago

How are you dear friend @ericvancewalton good morning
This week's question is very interesting, there will undoubtedly be many posts on this topic.
I appreciate you sharing the memories and experiences you've had at these restaurants. I loved ¨Salute Bar Americain¨, without a doubt, the ideal place to celebrate your first novel, plus you could take Amstel with you.
Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy it very much