Are Negative Opinions Allowed on this Forum?

[car54]

Originally Posted by terrence81

So what's Hot Shoppes?

The Hot Shoppe (singular) was founded by newly arrived (from Utah) J Willard Marriott in 1927. It started out as a root beer stand and later added food items. That lone storefront on 14th St NW grew into the global hotel empire we know today.

I have fond memories of the place....took my first date there in 1966 (I know that because that's the year I got my driver's license!). We went to the one at Bailey's Xroads (Rt 7 & Carlin Springs Rd)....it had car service (don't remember if they were on roller skates or not) and indoor seating. We opted for a booth inside <wink>. That was the joint to impress a chick! The pikers went to McDonald's which had no "inside" in those days....just walk-up service.

The food was probably better in my memory than it was in fact, but if you slid a Mighty Mo (triple decker burger) under my nose right now, I'd grab it in a second....my cardiologist be damned!


edited to add: The Sunset Drive-in Theatre was right across the street from the Bailey's Hot Shoppe....and to "cool off" after the movie, Gifford's Ice Cream parlor was a few blocks away on Columbia Pike. That was the absolute best old-time ice cream parlor EVER! Mmmmm, I'm sorta glad Gifford's is gone.....I might not be alive today!

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by car54

The Hot Shoppe (singular) was founded by newly arrived (from Utah) J Willard Marriott in 1927. It started out as a root beer stand and later added food items. That lone storefront on 14th St NW grew into the global hotel empire we know today.

I have fond memories of the place....took my first date there in 1966 (I know that because that's the year I got my driver's license!). We went to the one at Bailey's Xroads (Rt 7 & Carlin Springs Rd)....it had car service (don't remember if they were on roller skates or not) and indoor seating. We opted for a booth inside <wink>. That was the joint to impress a chick! The pikers went to McDonald's which had no "inside" in those days....just walk-up service.

The food was probably better in my memory than it was in fact, but if you slid a Mighty Mo (triple decker burger) under my nose right now, I'd grab it in a second....my cardiologist be damned!


edited to add: The Sunset Drive-in Theatre was right across the street from the Bailey's Hot Shoppe....and to "cool off" after the movie, Gifford's Ice Cream parlor was a few blocks away on Columbia Pike. That was the absolute best old-time ice cream parlor EVER! Mmmmm, I'm sorta glad Gifford's is gone.....I might not be alive today!

Gifford's is sorta reincarnated - but until they reintroduce the Matterhorn and the Alpine Split in their full glory, it won't be the same (and, no, negative opinions are NOT allowed about the original Gifford's!)

Giffords Ice Cream & Candy Co. - Home

[slduvall]

QUOTE=ScranBarre;8758454]I'm curious to find this out as well. I've taken it upon myself to thank older WWII, Vietnam, and Korea veterans for their valiant service with positive response, but is it "lame" for a younger guy to thank another younger guy who served in Desert Storm/Desert Shield on up to the present? I don't want them to think I'm coming onto them or something! (YIKES!)[/quote]

Trust me, to have someone...any age.. thank you for your service isn't lame. My husband has been brought to tears by people thanking him. Not a pretty look on a 6'5" guy. My husband is a walking recruitment poster. He will engage in conversations about the military with anyone. But not about the war itself. He will discuss the history of the country...blah...blah...I personally have heard enough but when he did this on a tour of Gettysburg the other weekend and had 6 boys who otherwise were misbehaving, absolutely entranced, the parents, actually all the adults, were grateful. He had noticed a hat on an older gentleman that hadn't said much, (I think it is a rule that older vets have to wear a hat) and he turned his attention to him and asked HIM where he had served. These young boys had totally dismissed this "old guy" who had landed at the age of 18 on the beaches during D-Day! He was 4-5 years older than these boys when he did it. This gentleman's Grandson thanked my husband (in tears) as the Veteran thought no one wanted to hear the stories anymore, and he learned things his grandfather had never told him.

Many enter the service as a last resort, but most stay because of what they learn. My DH entered at the age of 18, after having moved 12 times and went to 4 high schools. One year he lived in 3 states, that's 3 schools in one year, at the age of 12. Talk about tough! He was clueless, but hungry for something. The military gave it to him. He shares what he has learned at every opportunity. Not a war monger, but he can't think of a better way to repay his country for what they have given him....an education. He barely graduated from High School, (because no one cared, not because he coudn't) and now has a MSEE.

He can't stand the officers that talk down to lower ranking folks, or as someone posted, think they are still on base when they are in their neighborhoods, and demand respect or whatever. He never gives his rank when not in uniform, never takes the "Col" parking space, as they are too close and he would rather have the exercise. He is shocked every day when he looks at the rank on his uniform, and returns salutes with pride and it shows.

He knows that every single person he meets has something to teach him...be it the mailman, the taxi driver (someday I'm afraid he might invite one home for dinner, he knows their names, what country they come from what they did before, what their children do) he would even talk to ScranBarre, he would love to take a walk with Normie! Though I'm not sure if he could keep up with her.

And he is actually painfully, painfully shy! Go figure.

So thank a vet, a serviceman or woman. I thank mine every day...

[Caladium]

slduvall, what a wonderful post! You made my day, and you made me want to spend some time with people and hear their stories. People who have gone through adverse situations like that impress me, they have a lot of character and a lot of strength to share. I get so sick of whiners, wish we had more people like your husband who learned to take problems in stride.

Life has been "tough" for my family lately--but it's all surface stuff, when I think about the real problems other people face, it makes me resolve to be stronger and to be more positive. Thanks for writing that.

[pcity]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

If on-street parking is permitted in a residential neighborhood, and if the roads are public and not private, then those who park on residential streets and then walk to Metro stations because they couldn't find any other parking aren't really doing anything illegal though, right?

That is perfectly legal if there are no signs preventing the practice.

In Arlington, Alexandria, and DC, however, there are either 2-hour parking restrictions or resident parking permits required for all of the streets near Metro stations, so the effect is that no one is allowed to park on a residential street if they're taking Metro.