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Georgia 2022 – Augusta, Statesboro

Isaac Church — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 21:00:19 +0000

Greetings! As promised, here’s the second post I never got around to writing back in the fall of 2022. Sorry I’m so delinquent! We’ve got a lot of content coming soon, so I figured it was time to finally get caught up.

For the final game of App’s 2022 football season, Dad and I drove south to Statesboro, GA to watch the Mountaineers play Georgia Southern University. There were some spectacular sunsets on Thanksgiving weekend, so I thought I’d start by sharing a couple pictures.

Granite Falls sunset

Travel // Breakfast

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Dad and I left Granite Falls early, driving to Pineville for our first stop of the day. We stopped at MJ Donuts, a Korean-run shop close to Carolina Place Mall. By the time we arrived, they were sold out of their old-fashioned sour cream donuts, so we had to settle for some iced yeast donuts and some donut holes. They were very good and reasonably priced.

MJ Donuts

After breakfast, we stopped by REI Co-Op at the mall to return an item and do some Christmas shopping, and then hit the road again. After making a pit stop at Chick-fil-A in Lexington, SC to grab a drink, we continued southwest on I-20 towards Augusta.

Augusta, GA

Hawai'ian Barbecue

We arrived in Augusta just after 14:00, stopped at our hotel to drop off our luggage (turns out, we’d stayed there before when we visited the Masters almost a decade ago), and then headed to find a late lunch/early dinner. After weighing a number of options, we decided to be adventurous and try a Hawai’ian barbecue joint, which, judging by its roof, was housed in an former Pizza Hut.

Hawaiian Style BBQ

We ordered a variety of meats to split: chicken katsu, garlic shrimp, teriyaki steak, and beef short ribs. As sides, we got steamed cabbage, rice, Hawai’ian sweet rolls, and Hawai’ian-style kimchi. Everything was outstanding, and we were genuinely surprised at how delicious the meal was. I’d like to visit again sometime.

Hawaiian Style BBQ

Hawai'ian Style BBQ

Augusta, GA

Truly a “hole-in-the-wall” gem of a restaurant. Not in the best part of town, but the food was amazing. Everything was superbly flavorful, tender, and generally well-prepared. While prices were a bit high, portion sizes were extremely generous. I never expected a taste of the Pacific islands like this in the South!

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

Swamp

Running a little behind, we rolled into Statesboro about 1.5hrs before kickoff, secured a parking spot, and walked through a dirty swamp (not exaggerating) to get to the football stadium. The stadium layout made basically no sense, and the pickup line for visitor tickets was horrendously slow and long, but we finally managed to get our tickets and make our way to our seats. The game was a major disappointment; the Mountaineers lost, eliminating them from bowl competition.

Paulson Stadium

Krystal

After the game, we drove back to Augusta, stopping at a Krystal Burger for some post-game sustenance. I hadn’t had Krystal in years, and it was a pretty good late night snack. We arrived back at the hotel, ate our undersized burgers and tots, and headed to bed.

Krystal Burger

A Spanish Breakfast

In the morning, we set out to find some breakfast, but first, we decided we’d do some quick sightseeing. We drove past the entrance to Augusta National Golf Club, getting a nice view of Magnolia Lane from the road. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a picture. Next, we drove through the surrounding neighborhoods to the backside of Augusta Country Club, and eventually wound up at our breakfast spot.

Our chosen breakfast spot was Bodega Ultima, a Spanish-inspired cafe in a posh shopping center. Dad and I got a table and settled in to watch some of the World Cup while we ate. We split a cinnamon roll as an appetizer, and then split a hot honey smoked and fried chicken biscuit, and a Jamon croissant with butter, an omelette-style egg, smoked ham, aged provolone, and house aioli. We each got a coffee too.

Bodega Ultima

Breakfast was excellent, and I would definitely go back if I’m in the area. The croissant sandwich was particularly good.

Bodega Ultima

Augusta, GA

An excellent place for a Spanish-inspired breakfast. I considered giving it 2 stars, but seating and the menu were somewhat limited. The food, however, was outstanding, and you don’t see much Spanish cuisine.

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

Cookie Shortage

We headed back to Charlotte, stopping at Trader Joe’s in Midtown to purchase some more Christmas gifts. Dad loves to give their butter cookies out as Christmas gifts, so he managed to purchase an entire buggy full; I too secured a good haul. We loaded up the truck and got back on the road for the final stretch back home.

Trader Joe's

Conclusion

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Sadly, we had to cancel our final trip of 2022 – we’d planned to visit family in the Chesapeake Bay area over Thanksgiving. Since Faith was expecting and was quite sick, we had to postpone. We’ve rescheduled for 2023 though!

I bumped up my ankle surgery to two days after our return from Statesboro, and Dad had a impending knee replacement in January. Thus, the delays in posting all this. Between surgeries, a new baby, and many other happenings, I’m just now getting caught up.

Ankle surgery

Rollin'

Here we are in August (almost September 2023)…I may be belated with my posts, but that comes with some good news! We have three exciting trips coming up very soon, so the blog will finally be active again. I won’t spoil the surprises too much, but there will be one trip out west, one involving a lot of colonial history, and our rescheduled Chesapeake trip. Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for the intro to our western adventures.

Thanks for reading!

– Isaac & Co.

Restaurant

Location

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* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

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Atlanta 2021

Isaac Church — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 16:00:00 +0000

Greetings all! Welcome to a weekend edition of the blog.

This time, we’re taking another three-day trip to Atlanta to catch a baseball game and watch some Mountaineer football at Georgia State. Oh, and by “we”, I mean Cody, Alex (Payne), Trevor, and me. Three of us took this same trip in 2019, complete with an unexpected stop at Cowpens National Battlefield.

Travel // Lunch

Friday morning, Trevor and I left Granite Falls and drove to Shelby to pick up Payne, and Cody, who was coming from east of Charlotte. I didn’t really want to deal with I-85 traffic, so I decided to route us west through the mountains and then turn south, sacrificing a bit of travel time for better views and less crowded roads.

On the way down, we stopped at HenDough in Hendersonville for a quick bite to eat. We got a variety of sandwiches: I got a fried chicken sandwich with caramelized onions, bacon, and maple glaze; Payne got a fried chicken BLT; Trevor got a buffalo chicken sandwich; Cody got “Eggs in a Basket”, which is a breakfast dish with eggs, bacon, fried chicken, and a donut. I also had a side of hash brown tots and a pumpkin white chocolate donut. The food was good, but not phenomenal. It was worth trying once, but I would visit somewhere else the next time I come to town.

HenDough - Hendersonville, NC

Chicken sandwich with maple glaze, bacon, and caramelized onions with a side of hash brown tots

Pumpkin white chocolate donut

Buffalo chicken sandwich and mac & cheese

Table Rock STate Park

Leaving Hendersonville, we drove south through Flat Rock down US-25, crossed the border into South Carolina, and then turned west onto SC-11. Eventually, we came to Table Rock State Park, just NW of Pumpkintown, SC. The park has two beautiful lakes, and a view of Table Rock Mountain (not the one in Linville Gorge). We stopped at a couple overlooks to enjoy the scenery, and then headed on our merry way. Had we more time, we probably would’ve done one of the many hiking trails in the area.

Table Rock State Park - SC

Toccoa Falls

From Table Rock, we took US-123 towards Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Georgia, and stopped to see the falls. After paying a small entrance fee at the gift shop, it’s a short, flat walk to a 186′ waterfall. It’s taller than Niagara Falls, and in a beautiful cove. We stayed for a while, but time was of the essence, so we got back in the car and took US-23 to 85, sat in traffic on 85 and 285 for way too long, and finally arrived at our VRBO in Marietta.

Toccoa Falls

The Battery // Truist Park

Truist Park

We arrived at our parking lot near Truist Park around 17:15, and walked the footbridge across I-75 to Truist Park. It was still a while before the start of the game, so we decided to walk around The Battery (a collection of restaurants, shops, and activities near the stadium) for a while, and then find some food. For dinner, we got some incredible burgers and shakes at H&F Burger at the stadium, and then found our seats.

H&F Burger

Atlanta, GA

I’ll give the description straight from H&F’s website: “Griddled double cheeseburger, topped with red onion and house-made pickles, served on a freshly baked pan de mie bun with from-scratch ketchup, and mustard on the side. The buns, sized with ideal bun-to-burger ratio in mind, are butter-toasted on the griddle for crispy golden edges. This burger is a direct descendant of the original that debuted at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.” What more could you ask for?

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

Once inside the stadium, we explored the Monument Garden inside the park behind home plate. There are some interesting exhibits featuring Braves history and players. Several artifacts from past games are on display.

Monument Garden

Monument Garden jerseys

Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets

Braves vs Mets

First pitch was at 19:20. The Braves had clenched the NL East title the night before, and with it a playoff spot, so this game didn’t really matter. They rested many of their star players, including Swanson, Freeman, and D’Arnaud. Riley and Albies started. Swanson and D’Arnaud pinch-hit later in the game, but it wasn’t enough to rally the home team to victory; the Braves lost to the Mets, 4-3. At least the game was exciting to watch…

Braves vs Mets

Friday Night Fireworks

As per Friday tradition, there were fireworks after the game. It was late and we were tired, but we still stayed to watch the show. Plus, we were only staying a couple miles away from the stadium, so it’s not like we could’ve slept through the noise.

Friday Night Fireworks

College Football Hall of Fame

Saturday Morning, after stopping for some petrol, we drove to downtown Atlanta to visit the College Football Hall of Fame. We only had a couple hours before we needed to head to the football game, but it was nonetheless a great experience. The App State Alumni Association had tickets available for $10 instead of the usual $25, so it was definitely worth the visit, even though abbreviated.

College Football Hall of Fame

Helmet Wall

It was a fascinating museum, with exhibits covering the history of tailgating, uniforms, rules, equipment, coaching, rivalries, championships, and much more. We enjoyed reading about 2/3 of App’s inductees, Jerry Moore and Dexter Coakley. I don’t count Mack Brown. There were interactive exhibits, and as we left, we attempted a field goal and a 25yd pass (both were tough when not loose). I’d highly recommend this to anyone visiting Atlanta, and would like to go back one day.

Jerry Moore

Dexter Coakley

App State - College Football Hall of Fame

College Gameday Simulator

Helmet Wall and Mural

College Football Hall of Fame

Helmet Wall

The Varsity

For lunch, we drove to The Varsity, just off of Georgia Tech’s campus. We got the traditional chili dogs, onion rings, peach pies, and milkshakes. They also serve a “frosted orange”, which is essentially a milkshake made with orange soda flavor. As expected, it was a fantastic lunch – especially the onion rings!

The Varsity

Fun fact: Every day, The Varsity cooks 2 miles of hot dogs, 1 ton of onions, 2,500lb of potatoes, 5,000 fried pies, and 300 gallons of chili.

The Varsity

Atlanta, GA

The Varsity gets a star because it’s such an iconic spot in Atlanta. Everyone needs to go at least once in their lifetime. “What’ll ya have?!”

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

App State at Georgia State

Center Parc Credit Union Stadium

From The Varsity, we drove south to the old Turner Field (now Center Parc Credit Union Stadium) to watch App play football against the Georgia State Panthers. After a slow start in the first half, the Mountaineers pulled it together and thumped the Panthers 45-16, mainly thanks to some big defensive plays.

Center Parc Credit Union Stadium

Wall from Fulton County Stadium

Ponce City Market // Minero

After the game, we ventured to the NE corner of downtown to Ponce City Market in search of food. The market is an old Sears catalogue building that’s been converted into mixed-use property. Two floors of the building have a food hall and shopping, making it a popular place. It took us forever to find a parking spot, but we managed to get inside, add our name to the waiting list of a Mexican restaurant, and then explore the market while we waited for a text saying our table was ready.

Ponce City Market

We ate dinner at Minero, a Mexican restaurant. Payne, Cody, and I each got a catfish, charcoal chicken, and steak taco plate, and Trevor got a steak quesadilla. We also split a sampler of chips and salsas. The food was excellent, and we all agreed it was the best meal we’d had that weekend so far.

Monero - Ponce City Market

Minero

Atlanta, GA

Minero offered some exceptional, well-thought-out tacos. They had a little bit of everything. Portion sizes weren’t the best, but the quality of the food made up for it. Plus, its setting inside Ponce City Market makes it a unique location to visit.

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

Marietta Square Market

Seeking some dessert, we drove northeast to Marietta Square Market, a smaller food hall a block off of downtown Marietta. We got some ice cream at Four Fat Cows, after waiting in an unnecessarily long line. I got huckleberry cobbler and a double chocolate swirl ice cream. The huckleberry wasn’t nearly as good as what we’d had in Montana, but it was good nonetheless.

Marietta Square Market

Four Fat Cows Ice Cream

Travel Home

After an early start Sunday morning (mostly thanks to the stupid smart light in my room waking me up at 05:20), we arrived back in Shelby around 10:30. Trevor and I got back to Granite shortly thereafter. It was a great weekend, and I look forward to more [football] road trips in the future!

App State at Georgia State

Conclusion

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Our next trip is TBD, but keep a sharp eye and I’ll send out an email when it’s about to happen.

– Isaac, Trevor, Alex, and Cody

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Atlanta 2019

Isaac Church — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:34:28 +0000

It’s road trip season again in the Church household. I’ve been traveling a lot recently – mostly related to App football. Dad and I have already been to Chapel Hill in September, and Columbia [SC] two weeks ago to see the Mountaineers defeat the Gamecocks, 20-15. This past weekend, I headed down to Atlanta to see our game against the Panthers of Georgia State University.

Two of my former college roommates joined me: Trevor Gragg and Alex Payne, from Granite Falls and Shelby, respectively. The game kicked off at 19:30EST, so we headed down early Saturday morning, spend the night after the game, and then came back to NC on Sunday.

While titled “Atlanta”, this post will actually cover a bit more, including the other two ASU Football-related trips.

North & South

No, I’m not talking about the 1855 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. Here are a few pictures of our previous football-related trips to the Universities of North and South Carolina.

Chapel Hill, NC

Victory

We got some great food in the Triangle – especially breakfast at Guglhupf Bakery in Durham.

Three Bulls Steakhouse in Clemmons

Time Out in Chapel Hill

Guglhupf Bakery

Durham, NC

Tender, moist pastries with just the right amount of sweetness.

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

Columbia, SC

Dinner at The Improper Pig in Fort Mill, SC

ASU vs South Carolina 2019

The Improper Pig

Fort Mill, SC

Solid barbecue with delicious sides – worth trying.

* – Would definitely visit again

** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area

*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there

For more info on food ratings, click here.

Congaree National Park

While in Columbia, Dad and I stopped at Congaree National Park, checking another item off the bucket list of visiting all 61 National Parks. Congaree is quite obscure, and for good reason: most of the park is only accessible by kayak during high-water. The park is largely old growth forest in the floodplain of the Congaree River, with swampland, oxbow lakes, and incredible biodiversity.

We walked the Boardwalk Loop, a 2.3-mile boardwalk that circles through the forest above the 6-feet-deep mud.

Atlanta

Finally, we get back to the titled purpose of this post: our trip to Atlanta.

Trevor and I left Granite Falls around 07:00 Saturday morning, picked up Payne in Shelby, stopped for coffee and pastries at Hannah’s Coffee House, and then hit the road bound for Hotlanta. Thankfully, the high is only 56° for the weekend.

Hannah’s Coffee House

Chick-fil-A Dwarf House Grill

Our first stop in Atlanta was the Dwarf House Chick-fil-A in Hapeville, GA. This was the original restaurant, called the Dwarf Grill because it was so small. Half the restaurant is a traditional Chick-fil-A, and half is a tribute to the original diner-style food. You can get several menu items that have long disappeared from Chick-fil-A menus, including lemon icebox pie, carrot and raisin salad, and chicken salad. Unfortunately, the brownies seem to be gone for good.

Alongside some current menu items, we got a ribeye, burger, corn muffins, fried okra, and a slice of lemon pie and a fried peach pie for dessert.

After lunch, we went to our hotel in Buckhead, browsed a lot of stuff we’ll never be able to afford at Lenox Square Mall to kill some time, and then drove down to the game.

App State @ Georgia STate

Before it was demolished in November 2017, the Georgia Dome hosted Georgia State football.

Georgia State then purchased Turner Field, which formerly housed the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the Atlanta Braves.

It was interesting to see the stadium’s transformation. The layout was a bit odd, but overall it was very nice. The crowd was probably 75% black and gold. ASU travels extremely well, and easily filled up one half of the stadium.

As always, it was a great day to be a Mountaineer. After struggling at the beginning of the game, the Apps mounted a comeback and handled Georgia State easily, winning 56-27.

Food Food Food

During the game, we split a couple gyros from a Greek food truck parked inside. Afterwards, we were rather hungry, so we went about the rather difficult task of finding somewhere good (and safe) to eat at 23:30.

Apparently, The Cheesecake Factory is open till almost 01:00, so we went back to Lenox Square Mall to get a quick bite. We split some appetizers: Brussels sprouts, potstickers, and Buffalo chicken blasters; we each got a piece of cheesecake as well. They were out of my favorite, the classic strawberry, but I got lemon raspberry, an acceptable substitute.

I’ll also throw in this cranberry-orange muffin from Hannah’s Coffee House in Shelby from early Saturday morning (somewhere above).

Potstickers

Cowpens National Battlefield

We stopped in Greenville on the way home to grab some lunch and do a little Christmas shopping. After a quick lunch at Whole Foods’ deli, we soon returned to I-85 to continue our journey home. Unfortunately, yet unsurprisingly, traffic was backed up on the interstate for miles due to a wreck, so we looked for an alternate route.

We ended up on US-221-Alt somewhere east of Chesnee, and happened upon Cowpens National Battlefield, part of the National Park Service. We stopped to drive the park loop and browsed the museum for a while before continuing back towards Shelby.

Cowpens National Battlefield

Cowpens was one of the most memorable battles of the American Revolution, and was a notable defeat of Banastre Tarleton.

Conclusion

That’s all for this round of travels! I’m hoping to plan another trip for Faith and me soon, so stay tuned for that.

Thanks for reading!

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