Further Obstacles in My Comic Book Crisis

    Time for another update in my ongoing attempts to find all of the comic book issues I've been missing out on since February, due to my regular comic book store being closed due to the flooding. After cutting my number of missing books in half after ordering from on online store based in Lexington, I began searching for another store to look into. [Note:  If I had had my way, I probably would've gotten all of my books, if not for someone's interference.] The easiest solution was to check out to only store that didn't get affected by the floods.  It wasn't the type of place I wanted to go to, but it was nearby. While they had a lot of comic books, they were mostly very, very old.  The few newer books they had were all from publishers I don't collect. The place was a bust.

    Since previous stores I have gone to wouldn't have gotten the older material back and taking the day off to travel hours to a new store just in case they had what I was looking for wouldn't be feasible, I began searching for online stores to shop from. I limited my search to those in state to make it easier to calculate things like sales tax and shipping costs. I quickly found one in Louisville that looked promising. It had been around for a long time, a large online store, and a secondary location. Between their two locations, I was able to find every issue I was missing, in some form. Some were available in both places, but in different variants. Some were only found at one location, and not in the least expensive form. One issue was only available in a variant over twice as expensive as the regular cover. Still, I went over each store's selection and made out a list. Whenever possible, I would get the cheaper version. While this would mean two separate orders, it would make my total costs slightly lower than just getting almost everything at one spot, with only one or two from the other.

    After double checking my lists, I started the order with the secondary location in Florence. As soon as I clicked the first issue, I was instructed to start an account. No big deal. It took a few tries getting, as my computer kept messing up the password memorization process, but I persevered. I continued my order and went to checkout. Typed in my address and card information, no big deal. I was finishing up when I came to shipping options. I was given the choice of pickup in store, and nothing else. Now, in my research, I confirmed that they did ship throughout the country, but even after I went further into checkout, I wasn't given the option. I logged out, without continuing or even closing out my cart. 

    When reading the welcoming email a little later, I found out the bad news. The stores were moving their inventory to a new online sales portal, so shipping would be halted for the moment. I have the worse timing. Fortunately, the email mentioned the possibility of shipping. I replied to them about my situation and some questions about how to order. They responded somewhat quickly. It turns out that the Louisville location was actually the satellite store, with Florence being the primary one, and that Louisville doesn't really handle shipping. The Florence store does pick up product every few weeks, though.  Since one of my titles was only found there, this was encouraging. All I had to do was send in my list. Easy enough, I just had to include which variants I would find acceptable. Next, my shipping address.  Sure thing, my store as I have to delivery to my place and PO Boxes were a hassle to pick up from, if even acceptable. Finally, I would need the email address associated with my PayPal account.

    Now, I do have a PayPal account. I had to set one up to place some order years ago. However, I never set it up with my bank accounts, just my rechargeable debit card. Part of it is safety reasons, another is laziness. Since my card has only a limited amount of money on it, I would need to now the total costs before giving them that information. I emailed them this, along with my list of comics, with a note about how one was only found at Louisville.  I emailed them again when I realized I forgot my address. The next day, I sent them a final email, with my notes, a final list with one extra title, and my store's address. They haven't responded to my emails yet. Now, they are closed on Sundays and Mondays, (I've found that many comic books stores, and even book stores, are closed on Mondays. Never felt like this was a thing, as none of the places I've been to were ever closed on Mondays. Definitely nothing around here, including my own book store.) so they might need some more time, but I'm getting restless.

    As of right now, I'm prepared to give up on Florence, but I would be unsure of what to do next.  The only other online comic book store I've found in Kentucky so far is in Owensboro. That's a little further away than I was planning on going. I can always try the Lexington store again, but they would only have the most recent books, as I've already gotten the older ones there. I'm thinking about going back to Wise on morning, but that might be another week or two away. Page 3 GameZone is getting closer to opening.  They've already started getting in product, but not comics yet. I can't be sure if they will get back the comics they previously ordered for February and March. (They hadn't had time to order anything for April or beyond before the flood.) They might be able to get those comics back; they might not. The odds are higher for more recent comics that just came out though, so I might have a shot at those. The first trade paperback collections start coming out next month. I hate having to pay so much for just one or two comics I hadn't read yet, plus a bunch I already had, even at the wholesale rates I get for having a store.  I've done it before, though, whenever I missed a comic. I just hope nothing happens to the store before I can get them all. (More on that in the coming weeks.)

    I just wish I knew something. I've got other things I want to buy, and I can't until I can just get one simple email. [An online store has been pestering me that I haven't bought anything lately, and they are running a massive sale this week. Other possible purchases as well.] The waiting is the worst part.

Mapping the Malls, Mapping the Malls

    As I mentioned in my recently completed series, most of my 'trips' having been for shopping.  As such, I am quite familiar with the layouts of every place I go to. This is not just about going to them so often, but also about what to do in case something goes wrong.  Fortunately for me, I've only had one instance where I had to vacate a mall, and that was in an anchor store. (False alarm, but I did have to travel down three escalators and wait outside over ten minutes in late November to make sure nothing was wrong before we were allowed back in.) While I am sure I have been to many such malls in my day, there are only three that I've been to often enough to have this level of familiarity. There have been others, of course, but I either never went to them that often or I was so young that I didn't make a mental map of them.

    The first one is the Southside Mall at South Williamson, KY.  Of its original three anchors, two were regional favorites (Watson's and Dawahare's) and the third being Kmart, which dominated the north end of the mall. There were also a mega-drug store and a Kroger connected to the Mall, but not actually a part of it. Even at its late 80s height, only the Kmart could have considered crowded at any one time. The two corridors were way wider than necessary, especially with only two main entrances. (One being at the rear next to the theatre, and almost nothing else down that way-- a Sears appliance store and a Christian gift shop.) Once the anchors, including the outside two, started closing, the Mall lost its touch.  Although some stores have come in as replacements, I haven't been back there in over fifteen years.

    Now, the Huntington Mall at Barboursville West Virginia is something else entirely.  I've been there dozens of times, the Mall I've been to the most. Basic north-south layout, with an east-west crossing corridor and two additional smaller corridors on the west side between the ends. While the Mall itself hasn't had too many changes, the anchors have. Sears, the original largest anchor at the south end, would close, and the space is being taken over by a community college. A number of smaller units were combined to create a quasi-anchor in Borders, only to be taken over by BAM after it went out of business. Macy's is still the same, although it was Lazarus at opening.  Phar-Mor was built as a fifth anchor on the west end of the horizontal corridor, only to be replaced by Dick's after it closed. Dick's would go on to take over a bunch of smaller units in expanding. Stone and Thomas was the only single story of the original anchors, only to be rebranded as Elder Beerman. The space would be chopped up upon closing, with most of the space taken by TJ Maxx and Homegoods, with a shared checkout and expanded doors. JC Penny's is the north anchor. It tried to expand in the early 90s, adding an entire furniture section. This section would be closed off in a later remodel, but the ghost can still be seen from the outside. I will probably commit an entire post later this year to the Mall, after my annual late summer/early fall trip.

    The Fayette Mall in Lexington, Ky is the largest one in the state, and the largest one mall I've ever been to. The original mall has an unusual design, where the four main corridors don't combine to form a central courtyard, but are instead the sides of it. The north corridor is about a unit east of the south corridor, while the west one is about a unit north of the east one. Macy's is the largest anchor, with three stories. (Yes, this is the one with the fire alarm mishap.) JC Penny's is the mid-anchor, and the smallest of the original spots, although it only took over the space in the early 90s. Sears was the original south anchor, as well as the largest one. That all changed when the southern expansion came about. Then they went out of business, causing major problems getting from one part of the mall to the other for a while.

    That is until the remodel. The entire Sears spot became a number of smaller stores, but only H + M even had the tiniest part of a second floor. There are two halls around some of the stores to get to the restrooms for the area, as well as secondary mall offices and the fire exit. There are even two units outside of the east entrance to the area that didn't even want to be a part of the main mall, built as part of the reconstruction. At least the way to the southern expansion is still the same. It was built higher up, so there are steps and ramps to get to it. While the main corridor is mostly straight, the crossing corridors are not, with the entrance ends being further south than the inner ends. MacAlpin's was the original anchor, but it became Dillard's a year later.  It kept the staircase to the mezzanine salon though. Dick's became the 'fifth' anchor, but much later after the rest of the expansion was opened. This causes problems reaching The Plaza, a mini-shopping center behind and south of the main mall. Again, this deserves an entire post, probably this fall after the pre-holiday shopping trip.

    An honorable mention goes to the Mall at Lexington Green. Originally, it had two anchors at the west and east ends, with most of the stores between them and the central hub. I only into the hub once, when we got there before the stores opened, and my mom had to go to the restroom. We found out that the stores inside the hub were being forced to move out, after Joseph-Beth Booksellers wanted to move to the hub. After that, it meant that every unit had their own outside entrance, making the mall more like an upscale shopping center than a mall.  They still call it a mall though.

Giving the Cold Shoulder to a Hot Pocket

    I never had a microwave oven growing up. Our house was just too hot to have multiple electrical sockets in the kitchen. We barely hade one, and it was right by the main kitchen counter. There just wouldn't have been enough room for both an oven and kitchen prep. We did have a great conventional oven, though. Anyway, I didn't have a microwave until I opened my store in 2000. I didn't someway to cook meals there, usually frozen. The second thing I ever heated up there was a 'Three-Cheese Pizza' "Hot Pocket." Two actually, as I was still in my 20s and had high enough of a metabolism that it didn't matter that I ate that much. I was still trying to lift weights at least three times a week back then, so I had an extra benefit.  Anyway, I was kind of hooked on them. At first, my picky eating habits limited the types of food I ate, but having them in 'pocket' form helped me to expand my options, slowly increasing the types of foods I had at the store.  Particularly when it came to meats. I quickly began to expand the varieties I rotated on a weekly basis. I particularly liked the "Lean Pockets" line, while I mostly passed on the "Croissant Pockets." Those were just too fatty for me. 

    While I would try to not repeat a single flavor too often, I just kept going back to ones. I had favorites such as the aforementioned pizza, but also 'Chicken Parmesan,' 'Cheeseburger,' 'Cheddar Broccoli Chicken,' and 'Chicken Quesadilla.' One thing I didn't eat were the pork-based ones. I try not to eat pork for various reasons I won't go into. This meant that I had to skip anything with ham, bacon, pepperoni, and sausage. This included the 'Italian Meatball' variety.  I would have loved to try it, but had to skip it because of the inclusion of pork. It pays to read the labels. This is how I found out the some of the 'chicken' in the pockets back then was actually turkey. That changed over the years, but it blew my mind when I first read it on the label. Such facts made me finally understand the infamous Jim Gaffigan sketch about "Pockets." (It was a few years after I started eating them before I saw the sketch.)

    "Hot Pockets" would go on to introduce many other products, that I mostly ignored. There were the "Pot Pie Pockets," which didn't seem appetizing. There were "Fruit Pie Pockets," but they only came in apple and cherry, which aren't my favorites.  Besides, I would more likely eat that such a thing at home, rather than at the store. (Yes, back then the packaging had instructions on how to fix them in an oven, but that took way too long comparatively speaking to warrant use at home.) Of course, there were the "Breakfast Pockets," which I couldn't have because of the pork and eggs. (I have a slight egg sensitivity at times.) That product would go on, when others didn't. "Hot Pockets" also experimented with other things. One was introducing pretzel bread for the pockets in some varieties.  I tried some of them, and they did work at times. Even better was the introduction of 'Limited Edition' flavors. The best one, and best flavor ever, was the 'Steakhouse Mushroom,' which had Angus steak slices, portobello mushrooms, and a mozzarella cheese sauce. I would squeeze this one in as many times as I could when it was available.

    Things changed around 2020 and the pandemic.  Due to lockouts, I didn't get to eat at the store for months, and I still didn't have a microwave at my current place. (Plenty of outlets, very little counter space.) Once the store was reopened, and I needed lunches again, I began to notice something wrong. It didn't happen immediately, but the 'pockets' were missing.  The entire "Lean Pocket" line was discontinued. So was the "Croissant Pocket" line, although some of those would re-emerge in the main line. Instead of having between twelve and fifteen varieties to rotate through with the rest of my frozen lunches from other brands, I was down to about five or six, and even that number began to shrink.  A year or two ago, the final shoe dropped. Certain varieties were going exclusive it seemed, such as 'Beef Taco' and 'Barbecue Beef,' in boxes too big to fit in the store's mini-fridge.  This left me with three:  'Four Cheese Pizza' (They somehow added another one over the years.),  'Philly Steak and Cheese' (My least favorite, by far.), and 'Steak and Cheddar.'  That last one is weird, as I don't ever remember having it until quite recently. Maybe I had it a few times in the early years of my store, but I don't think it was anywhere around me for a time. Maybe it really did just debut in the last decade or so. Who knows?

    Things got worse.  They decided to remove the paper crisping sleeves, as a means to reduce waste.  They said it would still taste the same.  It doesn't.  The pockets just don't get as crisp. They were offering a reusable plastic sleeve to eat it without burning your hands, but that just felt silly. Then, 'Steak and Cheddar' got exclusive as well, with new "bold" and "spicy" flavors that I didn't like taking over. I was starting to skip having pockets for a week, just so that I wouldn't have to take the same two flavors again and again.  Next thing I knew, quite recently, "Hot Pockets" were disappearing from the shelves, with one store putting them on clearance. Somehow, I found a 'Steak and Cheddar' among them, for the first time in months. Of course, I bought it. Soon after, I discovered the reason why. Not only were the bolder, spicier flavors being phased out, so were the two-pack boxes. Now, they are only in four-packs, but none of my flavors are exclusive.  In fact, the exclusive flavors are even being sold anymore, that I can tell. Now, I can barely eat my one-a-half pockets at times, (the other half goes to someone else, now) having to eat one flavor twice in a row is difficult. Worse, while the boxes fit in my mini-fridge freezer, there's barely room for other frozen meals. I sometimes have to take the pockets home and then bring them back to eat. Or even take them out of the box, just leaving them in the freezer. It has gotten very confusing. If it wasn't for my need for a wider variety of lunch options, I would stop getting them. Did I mention that some stores carry one packs of certain flavors? Only ones I don't like though. Like I said, confusing.

The Great Comic Book Quest of 2025

    I have been reading comic books for almost all my life. They are one of the reasons why I was able to read on the day my mom signed me up for kindergarten.  (I was five though, so I was technically a little older than some of the other students.) For thirty years now, I have been getting most of my comic books from Page-3 Game Zone. Sure, I lost most of those books in the 2003 flood, but I have made up a lot of ground since then. This tragedy was reflected this past February when Page-3 got hit bad in the 2025 flood. At first, I had the naive thought that they would be storing the new comic books off-site until they could get the store in order. I mean, they were posting pictures of new trading cards they were getting in. Well, I could never coordinate my schedule to go in at the irregular times they were open until late April. (They were also having problems with their phones and Messenger service, so I didn't know of a good way to contact them sooner.) I was able to meet with the owner and found out they stopped getting books until they could fully open back, either in late June or July. At that time, that meant I was now over two-and-a-half months behind on my books, and getting further behind by the week. I immediately began to come up with ways to get my missing books.

    I would have started that weekend, but a relative had just died, so I waited until after that weekend to start planning. I was going to start out at a shop just over the state line in Virginia, when I heard about a store closing at the Huntington Mall complex. We had only started to go to the Drug Emporium a few years ago, it quickly became a favorite destination. Unfortunately, it ran into some deep financial trouble and was going out of business.  Since it had some unique products that were hard to find, we decided to go there first, and I would check out the new comic book shop/ice cream parlor Super Hero Creamery, that recently opened up. The bad news was that the very products we were looking for had already sold out, including one just a day or two earlier. The good news was that I got about seventeen of my missing books that day, and I could've gotten more. I turned down two books as they were only in the more expensive variant covers, and I wanted to save some money. I turned down four issues of a new series, thinking it would be easier to collect them when they came out in trade if I had further problems finding comics. That is also why I turned down a new first issue as well. Finally, I skipped one last book because they didn't have the previous issue, and I didn't want gaps at that time. At least I got the last issues of three titles that ended in the time. That was just about the only things that weren't food we got that day.

    A little over a week later, we made that trip out to Norton to check out what Cavalier Comics had.  We went through Knott and Letcher counties, and some roads were still in need of repair from the '22 and '25 floods. At least I got to see some animals, such as a deer and a bunch of buzzards.  Cavalier had a fairly decent amount of comics, and I was about to buy nine titles I was missing, including getting fully up to date with three of them. I would have gotten twice that amount if it wasn't for my "no gaps" rule. What surprised me was that they had some titles missing from the much larger store at the Mall, but some titles were still missing, either by being sold out or never there.

    After that, I stared making plans for my big annual summer shopping trip to Lexington. I began to study the various comic book stores in town. I quickly eliminated some that were closer to my regular shopping route, but weren't as likely to have the newer issues I needed. That basically narrowed things down to the big three. Well, four, as one of them has two locations. I decided on Comic Interlude because it wasn't that far off my route, had a large amount of titles, and have an online shop. I also planned my other shopping, to save as much time as possible so that I could search for comics after my main shopping.

    Well, we wound up being late all day. At least I got two new Murano shirts, in Magenta Berry and Ocean Green. (The second one being foisted on me by my mom. I would have much preferred the Midnight Blue.) Anyway, as we left the mall, I made the mistake of saying we could forego my comics if she was feeling too bad, this after she dawdled almost fifteen minutes talking with cosmetics and fragrances salespeople. Well, she took me up on my offer, saying that she thought that my plan was to shop online all along. WRONG! Still, I was stuck. Worse, she had talked me into waiting to money onto my online only reloadable credit card, thinking I might need more money for other things besides my comics. This meant I had to wait another day to place my order.  Still, Comic Interlude had all but eleven of the comics I was missing. Ten if I ignored some gaps. I realized at the last second that I didn't have enough money on my card, due to a mistake on my part involving "free shipping." I had to put more money on the card before I could complete the order. In the interim, five comics had sold out, including the last minute title I ordered that had put me over the total I planned on, although I could get an alternative cover for one of them. It took two days for them to process the order. They contacted me on Saturday saying more comics had sold out, leaving me with twenty-three of the original thirty-six. I emailed them back saying to continue the order, even though it left me with a lot of gaps. 

    The order came in earlier today. It is a big reason why I'm late with this week's blogcast. This is only about the fifth time I've gotten over twenty comics in one day. Now, I started making new plans over the weekend about how to get the missing nineteen titles. Make that twenty-one as of this Wednesday. The best bet is to try another online comic store, this one with physical shops in Louisville and Florence, Kentucky. Between the two, I might be able to get all of the ones I'm missing, if they will still be in stock when I place the order after the holiday weekend. Otherwise, I have to go with one of my other alternatives, some of which aren't as lucky sounding.

My Culinary Odyssey: Errata, Part Two

    Yep, more mistakes. While 

    For this extra-special bonus Monday post, I continue the errata from Saturday. They are listed in the same order as the original posts. Blue is for locations still open, while black are for those places that are closed. I'm not expecting any new entries, so I won't be explaining the other terms I have been using.  Let's go then.

    Paintsville/Louisa:  For Paintsville: One the way back from Huntington one time, we tried to stop at the Arby's at a strip mall in the same shopping center as the LJS and the BK.  The entrance was to the side and partially hidden, and it led to a hallway to the rear of the restaurant. The place was crowded and a little messy, so we left immediately.  Haven't tried it since. For Louisa: On another trip back from Huntington, we may have stopped at the Hardee's just off the southbound lane of US 23 for my mom. I definitely didn't go in, but I can't remember if she got anything.

    Huntington Mall:  We have gotten food at many other places in the Mall that aren't considered restaurants. I'm not including stores that sold food as just a part of the general selections, such as the close Phar-mor or the closing Drug Emporium. I'm also not including places where food is tertiary to other products, such as the candy and mixes available at Adams Hallmark. For instance, when the Mall opened, they had a Hickory Farms outlet in the south/Sears end of the Mall. They had a variety of products. How we got perishable items back in a then three-plus drive in the middle of summer is beyond me. When the store closed, they later opened a kiosk with a small selection during the holidays. Since I haven't been there at that time of year for a long time, I don't know if they still do.  The Mall also had a Frontier Fruit and Nut Co. in the Food Court where I think I got popcorn, maybe other things, a few times. The place closed, to be replaced by a number of other stores, including a DQ Sweets and Treats.  Never had anything there. The spot is currently Bubble World, a boba tea/smoothie shop. Across the Food Court from that is Great American Cookies.  While I don't remember getting anything at that location, a may have gotten something at the kiosk they had on the south side of the central courtyard. (That spot has since closed.) The Mall has had a few candy store, the current being Candy Craze just north of the central courtyard. I have gotten a lot of candy there, mostly "Jelly Belly" jelly beans. I used to get my own assortment of flavors, such as Watermelon, Top Banana, and later Kiwi. About fifteen years ago, I stopped as I started a new health kick and I would get tired of having so much candy for such as long time.  While I have yet to try the ice cream at the recently-opened Super Hero Creamery, I did buy about seventeen comic books as part of my quest to find my missing issues. While not at the Mall, I did buy a blueberry-based pastry at the Starbucks kiosk inside the Barboursville Kroger, but that is borderline groceries.

    Greater Lexington:  I find it hard to think that I had never eaten at a Lexington LJS.  We may have during the 70s, but I was too young to remember it clearly. We used to drive right by one of the original, if not the first, LJS on our way into the city.  I kept asking to stop there on the way out of town, but we never did. By the 2010s, an Arby's was added in. It did no good as the restaurant was closed a few years ago, to be replaced by the breakfast-themed Biscuit Belly. It is a sacrilege that there are no longer an LJSs in the city. I am pretty sure I had to have at least a drink at one of the malls and/or shopping centers we went to when I was a kid, but the events were too unimportant to recall. Finally, I know I sat at a booth at the bistro that was inside Joseph-Beth Booksellers at the Mall at Lexington Green. I don't know if I was waiting for someone to finish eating or just to rest.  I may have had something, but that was not like me.

    Fayette Mall:  Yes, it gets its own entry. I have gotten food at a few spots in the Mall too.  First, Great American Cookies had a spot in the southwest wing of the south expansion when it first opened. I think I got a brownie there.  That spot would close to merge with the original location in the Food Court. I don't think I have gotten anything there. Next, there was a candy store called Boardwalk Treats on the south end of the courtyard in the south expansion. I got "Jelly Belly" there too, as well as the occasional other, and I stopped going for the same reason. The store closed earlier this year, to be replaced by Chocomania, a high-end chocolatier. While some of the desserts looked interesting, they were a little expensive. Also, it was the middle of a heat wave, and they wouldn't have lasted the car ride back home. Finally, See's Candies used to have a kiosk right in front of where Sears was, and later they had a storefront.  We had gotten free samples there, and maybe bought something when they had a store, but they went out of the Mall a while ago.

    Stanton/Saylersville:  For Stanton: The place is called the Stanton Food Court, obviously. The A & W Restaurant left recently, leaving that side just LJS. I really should eat there again, as it is always so empty compared to the Arby's. Speaking of them, they do have some regular tables, with the higher ones just along one wall.  Finally, we had to make an emergency stop at the McDonald's after refueling so my mom could use the restroom again. I've added a star to the original entry to reflect that. Still wanting to try the Dr Pepper slush. For Saylersville: We probably stopped at their McDonald's once, either going to or coming back from Lexington. I can't remember which.

    Addenda: Yes, here too. I stopped at one of the small restaurants in McDowell to get a hot meal for my grandmother (or another) while she was at the hospital/rehab center. Don't know which one, but they have changed names/owners and/or closed over the years. One the way back from Huntington, we stopped at this pizza place in Lawrence county, way north of Louisa. It may have been a Giovanni's or even Gino's at the time, but not any more. It wasn't for me, but for one of our relatives who went with us that time. We had to wait a long time, messing up plans. Never stopped again.

    Afterthoughts: Yep, even here. I forgot to include Fayette in my list of counties with relatives. I had to stay the night a my cousin's house for that ill-fated trip to King's Island that never happened.  He lives in Johnson county now.

    And with that, I'm done. See you Wednesday for my regular post.

My Culinary Odyssey: Errata, Part One

    Mistakes were made. 

    When I first came up with the idea for this series, I made a few notes to make sure I got the order right and didn't leave anything out.  However, that wasn't the exact case. Many days, I was rushed to type my post to make sure I had it up in a reasonable timeframe. Sometimes, I would leave something out. If I remembered in time, I would change it that day, but not much later than after I posted the link on Facebook. Other times, I didn't. If I didn't realize soon enough, I would just leave it for the errata section, which I was always planning on. I would forget to either add an entry or an important fact for it. If I was too pressed for time, I deliberately skipped some briefer entries and made plans to add them here. I wound up finding out some details well after the fact (strange what can pop up on your feed). Anyway, all of those facts are included here. I originally planned on just one post for the errata, but it looks like it will be so long that I will have to split it up into two parts. The second part will either be another special post on Monday or in the regular spot on Wednesday.  Other things will be coming up to determine which day it will be. The entries are listed in the same order as the original posts in the series. Blue indicates places that are still open; black for places that have closed. Brackets indicate places where I haven't officially eaten; either I only got drinks or someone else stopped here for something. TO means 'take-out,' while DI is for 'dine in.' Let's get on with this.

    Wheelwright: I left out bake sales and parties for Osborne Elementary, both of which became rarer the older I got. Individual hallways would host bake sales in the spring, with each homeroom getting to bring in food. My mom would frequently volunteer for my room's turn. I would get money to get stuff, with more money for my room's/hallway's day. In sixth grade, my mom made a batch of cupcakes, but the next day was a bad flood, so I missed out and the cupcakes were lost. Parties were usually held on various holidays. Sometimes, homemade food was brought in. However, by fifth grade or so, all such stuff were premade, for the few times people brought in stuff for everyone. These events included 4H meetings. For some reason, my mom's bad cooking, I took cooking one year. I made some dessert bars to take in, but I had a Boy Scout meeting that night. (I only stayed a year or so, and never went on any camping trips or anything.) My grandmother forgot to take the bars out in time, and they were partially burnt. I still managed to find a few to take in, but I never tried them nor did I ever bring anything in again. Probably didn't take cooking again either. In hindsight, I should have given Wheelwright High School a full entry, as I remembered other food-related facts. I don't think I got any concessions at games. There were a few parties, but I don't remember eating at them. The lone exception may be the year-end Academic Honors dinner. I went all four years, wearing a new dress shirt each time. I had a Sprite the first year or two, but nothing after that, as my hatred to Coke products grew. The school gym (the only building remaining of the old school) had a fall fair one year when I was a kid. I went for a few minutes and left soon after as I didn't really feel for it. I don't think I got any food.  Finally, I totally forgot about the movie theater. I went there a few times, such as for Star Wars and one of the 'Star Trek' movies. (Also for Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart Club's Band as part of a school trip.  Not really appropriate.) I had some concessions each time. The theater closed in the 80s. People would fix it up for other uses, but they would always closed. The place was even considered to become the home for a new library, but politicking shut that down. It is currently the warehouse for the prison.

    Martin: I could be wrong about the restaurant being a Burger Queen, because many became Druthers before changing to DQ.  The place had a yellow color scheme, which wasn't Druthers, but who knows. I recently had to stop at the McDs for my mom, so I added a star (⭐️) to the entry to show I've been there recently. I didn't go in, but I got to watch a baby bunny scampering behind the Mexican restaurant, El Toro Negro, 'The Black Bull.' I tried to take a picture, but it was so small and far away that it didn't take.

    Prestonsburg:  First, I made a mistake in the Hoebert's Pizza steak Stromboli recipe clone. To make garlic lettuce you soak it in Italian dressing with added garlic powder, not water. I changed the recipe in the original post as well as here. Next, I totally forgot to include a location. I guess it was because it was between two posts.  Anyway, here is the official entry.

• [Prestonsburg High School, DI technically: I went here a few times for games. For a pre-season tournament, I may have gotten a drink. I stopped doing that for all other games, as I felt the sugary drinks could harm my trumpet. The school cafeteria also hosted the year-end countywide academic dinner. I was invited my freshman and senior years. I didn't eat either time, but I did receive trophies, even though the one for my freshman year had the wrong topper and had to be changed.]

Finally, my mom mentioned that Prestonsburg had a Burger King around the time I was born, but I think she is mistaken. It is more likely to have been a Burger Queen that got updated to a Druthers by the 80s. While I don't think I ever ate there, my mom may have gotten some collectable glasses instead. I might even have one or two still. I think the Druthers may have become Hardee's instead of a DQ, since the town already had one, but I may be mistaken.

    Pikeville:  When I was very young, my mom took me to a place called the Lantern Restaurant. There, I would paraded around like a celebrity. I may even remember one of those times. The place closed, but the building might now be used by the Happy Day Diner, but I don't remember the locations. Back in the early 90s, there was once a pizza place on the inbound road to Pikeville, just past the flood wall. It was next to a hairdresser I went to a few times. I know my mom got something there once, but I don't think I ever ate there. The place closed after a few years.  The building now holds a leather goods/cobbler shop (owned by the son of the man mentioned in the original Prestongburg entry) and a pet groomer. There was also a loan advance there, but it recently moved to a building across the road. Finally, there may have been a Checkers/Rallys in the north end of town, where Krystal was. For many years, I had an emergency straw I think was from there, but I don't really remember eating there, so I could be wrong. As mentioned earlier, the spot is now a branch back and a used car dealership.

    Coal Run: I'm pretty sure I dropped my mom off at Sam's Hot Dog Stand at Crossroads Plaza. I may have even gotten a drink, but I don't usually eat hot dogs at restaurants. (I only eat beef and the occasional veggie dog. Anything else is suspect when eating out.) There was also KFC there in the 2010s as well, but I never ate there as the downtown spot is way closer to the store. The place closed, and there is now a Japanese steakhouse there instead.

    Williamson/Norton: For Williamson:  I'm pretty sure that the snack place was called Frontier Fruit and Nut Co.  Definitely apt for their products. I still haven't checked on the condition of the local restaurants from the recent floods.  For Norton:  My mom says we went to a restaurant in Pound once. Don't remember it, unless it was the place I thought was in Hazard. Don't know why a relative would go there for a party though if that was the reason. I recently had to go to Norton, and I had to stop at a new place.  Here is its entry.

• [Wendy's, TO, ⭐️:  I had to go to Norton recently on my quest for my missing comic books. (More in a later post.) I went through Knott and Letcher countries, and the roads were still bad from the '22 and '25 floods in spots.  At least I got to see a deer and some buzzards, and a few other animals. My mom needed a restroom break, so she suggested here.  She got her regular, and we then left. I didn't go in, as usual. If I go again, it will be via a different route.]

    Whitesburg/Hazard;  For Whitesburg: I think I dropped my mom off at the Pine Mountain Grill once, but I don't recall why or when. It wasn't for long though. I may have also stopped at the McDonald's once. We were seriously thinking about stopping at Pizza Hut once, on the way back from Norton/Pound, but I can't remember if we went through with the idea. I am unsure about the conditions of all three places, but the Grill is the one most likely to have been unaffected from the floods. As to Hazard, I don't think there is anything to add.

    With that, I finish Part 1.  Come back Monday, or for the regular post on Wednesday, for the conclusion of the errata, and the finale to this series.

My Culinary Odyssey: Afterthoughts

    Last week, I finished going over pretty much every place where I have eaten out at.  This week, I will go over some of the conclusions you may have seen from reading this series, beyond that I eat way too much ketchup and have an almost unhealthy obsession with LJS.  First, you may think I don't like to travel based on how geographically close all the locations are.  That's not the case at all.  I love going to new places, and I am getting tired of going and eating at the same places so much.  It is my mother who is the problem.  For some reason, she insists one going with me everywhere. I mean, she has always been somewhat controlling, keeping me on a short leash even when I didn't need, but she has become fairly demanding. She is the one with variety at times. As such, I frequently have problems trying to convince her into changing up the itinerary. I could give an example or two of how she has reacted and overreacted, but it would take too long and be humiliating. This is also the reason why there are no bars or clubs on my list. By the time I turned twenty-one, I no longer had any close friends. Not even a secondary friend group. Since I am the type of socially awkward person that would need a lot of help in such a new environment, I really needed someone's help, and I had done. A guy doesn't want to go to a bar with his mother, especially not for the first time. So, I have never gone. (I have drank alcohol, though, just not in public and not that often.) Yes, this has extended to late dinners as well, but only slightly. See, I have very sensitive eyes and great night vision.  As long as there isn't a sudden very bright light in front of me, that is. The sudden shift in intensity can distract me for a second. It doesn't really affect my driving, but I still don't like it.

     Next, there are a lot of places I left out, deliberately. I felt that having to buy the food be the main criteria for including, even if I ate for free sometimes. This left out relatives in Floyd, Pike, Letcher, Knott, and Johnson counties, although as the cliché goes, some would make you pay. This left out friends' homes as well.  There were only seven, and all but one of them was in grade school. Short leash; see above. The last one was when I cut school early on the day of my high school graduation. Still a great memory, but no other friends since. No social group or co-workers ever since. 

    I also deliberately excluded other places where food is bought and consumed. I left out almost all grocery stores/supermarkets, even those with dining areas. The majority of food sold isn't made there or meant to be consumed there. While I have had food made on spot, I have never eaten such in store. In fact,  I did include the one time I can remember actually sitting down in one. This is also why I excluded other such businesses, such as bakeries. If they didn't have a dining area, I left it out, even when I bought something there.  Both criteria had to be met for inclusion. Malls are a tricky situation, as most due have seating areas, even if the individual store does not. (I will mention a few of these places in my errata that starts Saturday.  Yes, some mistakes were made.)  I mentioned the few that did meet these requirements. While I could have included some places, I didn't feel like adding over a dozen supermarkets, many just a different store in a chain, to this list. Many places are either closed, no longer have a seating area, or I'm unsure if they ever had seats.

    Finally, if you look over this series, you may get the wrong idea about my eating habits. Just because I eat at many similar places doesn't mean that is the type of food I either make for myself or buy already made, such as frozen. While I might eat at LJS a lot, I don't really fry chicken at home, or even fix french fries. I may have been on a grilled chicken sandwich kick for over a decade, but I rarely made one at home. One of my favorite meals is spaghetti, but I have never eaten it at a restaurant, possibly because I don't want to find out how bad a cook I am.  Or just how it might not come even close to mine. I do make a fair amount of my dinners almost completely from scratch, either by adding my own touches or coming up with variations on a recipe. 

    After I finish the errata, I will go back to my regularly scheduled weekly blogcast on Wednesdays. I've already got a good idea for my next series, but I'll keep it a secret until I'm sure. Be here for the errata starting Saturday.  There's a good chance I'll have to split it into multiple parts.

My Culinary Odyssey: Addenda, Part 2

    It is the second part of the addenda in this special Saturday post. As I have been mentioning since the introduction, here, I have been eating out at a lot of different places.  This part of the addenda highlights a number of spots I've only been to once, particularly in places where I've only ever been to once. Unlike part one from Wednesday, some of these locations I actually had food at. Let's begin this final chapter.

• [Pikeville High School, but not really, see post, ?:  In my senior year of high school, I got to play at the premier 'All A' basketball tournament that winter. While I had to ride with the rest of the band to the game, I got to ride with my mom on the way home. She had gotten a cup of pop for me after the game, but she didn't get it at the game. The most likely place she gotten it would be the Pikeville Super America/Speedway, but it almost could have been from any convenience store between Prestonsburg and Pikeville. The pop was a little flat, but still cold with ice cubes by the time we got to the car, so that clue doesn't help. While the school got hit by the recent flooding, it was only closed a short time before reopening.]
• [Various convenience stores, Fleming-Neon, TO: From the late 70s to the mid-80s, we used to go to Neon frequently. While it was mostly just a stopover on the way to places like Whitesburg or Virginia, sometimes it was just to go there.  Neon did have a small variety of stores for some time. What they didn't have was many places to eat. Usually, we would just not eat or eat at a later destination.  That wasn't always the case. Neon had a dairy bar, but I don't think I ever ate there. One what was probably one of our last trips just to Neon, I had gotten hungry, so we stopped at one mart.  Their fountain machine was down, and I didn't like to just grab a can or bottle. We skipped a second mart, as I didn't like its looks.  I finally got something at one mart at the junction on the way to Isom. On my most recent trip to Norton, where I was looking for some of my missing comic books, I went through Neon. The dairy bar was long since closed.  I'm not sure of the convenience marts, but I am pretty sure at least one had closed. I thought the one on the way to Isom had been closed, but there were vehicles there, meaning at least something was open, if not a convenience store.  {Speaking of fountain drinks, here are some of my favorite flavor options. For Coke only: I skip them.  Don't like any Coke products. For Coke + Dr Pepper: Dr Pepper mixed with water and/or Diet Dr Pepper. For Pepsi only:  Pepsi mixed with some or all of the following: water, Diet Pepsi, splash of Starry/Mountain Dew, splash of root beer.  If Wild Cherry is available, I add it instead and skip the last two. For Pepsi + Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper with some or all of the following: water, Diet Dr Pepper, Pepsi, splash of root beer or Wild Cherry Pepsi. I never add citrus flavors to Dr Pepper. If Dr Pepper flavors are available: Cherry/Vanilla or Cherry. I don't like Cream Soda/vanilla or Strawberry and Cream enough to drink them with most meals. I could go with Blackberry, but I haven't seen that at machines yet. (Strawberry and Cream debuted in machines years before it was in stores.)}]
• Sorghum Festival, West Liberty, I'm not sure if you would call it DI or TO:  Sometime when I was four to six, a distant relative suggested we check in on this. We didn't spend that long there, but I'm sure I ate something. I remember stopping at a Maloney's somewhere on the way back. I also remember seeing the P-burg LJS as if a was flying above it, like an out-of-body experience. As my mom recently reminded me, old US 23 once ran on the top of a mountain, which could explain that view. (Although, I may have had other, real out-of-body experiences later, but that is for a much future post.) We never went back for the Sorghum Festival again. [Side note. Although I work in Pikeville, I have never been to a single Hillbilly Days Festival, although my mom got roped into going a few times by friends. From her descriptions about the sanitary conditions, I wouldn't ever eat anything from there. My picky eating habits haven't changed that much.]
• [Hardee's, Jenkins most likely, TO: On the way back from Virginia, in the late 80s/early 90s, we stopped by this Hardee's drive through because I was getting hungry. They were running a promotion for banana milkshakes, and I got one because I was unsure about their Dr Pepper status. Now, while I may have tried a milk shake before then, this was the first time I can remember eating an entire one and loving it. The strange thing is that even to this day, I rarely think about having them. I haven't eaten one in ten years or more. Maybe I should try one again. I haven't been to that part of Jenkins in years, so I don't know if it is still open. (In fact, I thought this was in Elkhorn City instead, but my mom says Jenkins, so that is what is listed. It does make more sense.)]
• Hardee's, Morehead, DI: During my senior year, I got to go on two field trips. The first was to Morehead State University for a regional meeting of this business club I belonged to. I got roped into competing in a business math challenge without a calculator. Turns out, I was just about the only one without one. I couldn't finish most of the question long hand, so I quit a few minutes before the end. I got to roam the campus until the presentation at the end of the day, but I didn't eat at the cafeteria although we were supposed to. Afterwards, we stopped here. While I didn't buy anything, I did steal some fries from some friends. I later walked to the shopping center where I bought two cassette singles from a record store before stepping into a Walmart. Then we went home. (This was also the trip involving the stop at the P-berg McDs.) I haven't been to Morehead since, so I don't know if anything is still open at the same spots. [Side note 1: I didn't join many clubs in school, so I missed out on a lot of trips. For instance, if I had joined Beta Club my junior year, I would have had the opportunity to go to New York City.  Instead, I joined senior year and got to help with a blood drive. Still a huge regret, even after so long. My mother probably wouldn't have let me go without her as a chaperone anyway.] [Side note 2: Because I commuted, I never had to eat at the cafeteria or student center at any college I attended. Never went to any games. Never any parties. I didn't even get anything from a vending machine. At most, water from the fountain. I missed out on lot.]
• May Lodge Restaurant, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, DI: My second field trip was at a literary conference here as part of my journalism class. Other students outside of the class went too. Lunch was served here, but I only had some rolls as I didn't like how the food looked. I actually had to show people I had money when they asked why I wasn't eating. Quiet embarrassing. The restaurant has had problems over the years, but it is still open, although it will be closed for remodeling started the September. I have been here at other times. Once, in grade school, all of the Talented and Gifted classes in the county had a picnic at Dewey Lake. While I brought stuff to eat, it didn't feel right eating outside, so I didn't eat anything. Again, the Lodge hosted the dinner for the county's literary magazine my senior year. I was included, and I got a small prize for an essay. There were refreshments, but I don't think I ate anything. Finally, the Lodge hosted my junior prom. I technically didn't go, but I did go. See, I was going stag as most of the girls I was interested in were already seeing someone. This included some of my friends, so I wouldn't cross them. Didn't ask them for help either, as we weren't exactly that close yet. Anyway, I had the tux and was ready to go. The only thing I didn't have was a driver's license. My mom was going to take me. I wouldn't want to be a third wheel with anyone else, not that my mom would allow me to drive with anyone else anyway. So, we got to the Lodge a little too early.  I didn't feel ready to go it yet, so I waited a few minutes. That turned into fifteen minutes. I couldn't go in.  I just didn't feel right. So, I asked to leave, without even trying to leave the car. I just can't be myself around her. Maybe if she wasn't there, I could have gone in, but I don't know. What hurts the most is that I didn't even think about going my senior year, even after I had my license. I hate that.

    I think I should end it here for today.  Come back Wednesday for my regular post where I give my afterthoughts to this entire series.

My Culinary Odyssey: Addenda, Part 1

    Up until this point, I have been following a geographical model in arranging each place I have eaten out at, as I first mentioned in the introduction to this series (find it here).  However, that changes this week. While previous posts covered multiple stops in a place, or in two places that only had a few stops, today's posts starts the coverage of all the places where I only visited one stop, sometimes just the one instance. This first part covers a lot of schools, dairy bars, and convenience marts.  Part two should have a little more variety.  To make up for this, I will cover more of the backstory into each entry. Let's begin.

• [McDowell Elementary School/High School, TO, kind of:  When I was in seventh grade, my Talented and Gifted class got to go to this school (I'm not sure which one was the actual host, as the show took place in the shared gym.) to watch a special show.  After lunch, which I brought my own, we got a special lesson in various acting techniques. This included some lessons in juggling. I only ever got to two balls. (My grandmother would later take and hide the rubber balls from me, thinking I would break things. She was always doing such mean things.) Just before we left, we got to visit their concessions stand, which had a much larger variety of products compared to what was offered a my school. I bummed some change off of someone to try some frozen treat.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish it before getting on the bus to leave, and I had to throw most of it away. I repaid the girl back the next day. Both schools would ultimately close and be consolidated in a story too complicated to repeat here.  I believe currently stand empty, but I may be wrong.]
• [Allen Central High School, unknown:  I went here on two separate occasions. The first was my junior year when my American history class went to a panel of government and politics. I don't remember if anything was served, but I doubt I had anything. The second time was for a tournament my senior year. I don't remember getting any concessions that night either, but it was possible. Again, the school was closed and consolidated with another to a new one that was barely two minutes away from here, but fifteen minutes away from the other school. I think the county board of education currently uses the buildings.]
• [Tiger Mart, between Prestonsburg and Paintsville, TO:  Okay, it's in city limits, but it is not really near anything, so I'm calling it separate. I stopped here a few times on my way back from trips to the Huntington Mall, back when I still had lunch early instead of afterwards. I think my mom found out that the Mart had a Pepsi slush machine, and I wanted to try it. On the third time or so, the machine was broken, so I had to get a regular fountain drink. We stopped going entirely after we started having lunch after shopping. Plus, I got unfriendly vibes from the place, which is still open, but I have no idea about the slush machine.]
• [Unknown convenience mart, Van Lear: Don't remember the name. We tried stopping here one on the way back from Huntington, but we wound up not getting anything. I think we were looking for pizza or something, but the wait time would be too long. It probably is still open, but I have no idea if it is under the same brand.]
• [Unknown convenience mart, Allen, later Double Kwik, unsure?: We used to go to Allen for a number of reasons when I was a kid. I may have stopped in at least one place here. Later, one mart got a Burger King installed. I thought my mom picked something up from here to bring to my store in Pikeville back when there wasn't one in Coal Run, but she says it was somewhere else (see later entry). Anyway, the BK would close, and the mart would become a Double Kwik, if it wasn't already. That one would be torn down, so a larger one could be built on the site.]
• [Betsy Layne High School Gym (The Dome), unknown:  Sophomore year. We played here a number of times for a tournament. At least one of those days, I may have had something from the concessions stand. Don't remember. Never visited the current high school. The Dome was hit bad by the recent flooding in February, but I don't know if it currently used for anything.]
• [Unknown convenience mart, Harold, unknown:  At least once, we stopped at a convenience mart at the Harold junction with Mud Creek. Don't remember if we got anything, but it is possible. This was maybe late 90s, so I'm unsure if it is still the same brand now as it was then.]
• [Virgie Dairy Bar, now Double Kwik, TO:  When I was a little kid, we would sometimes stop here for a cone that I would eat on the short ride back home. Sometimes I would even finish eating it in time without getting sick. It wasn't that often. The bar would close, and be torn down to put up a Double Kwik.  That would later burn down, only to be rebuilt. It is currently my primary gas stop.  While I have never gotten anything made here, my mom has gotten free drinks on occasion. Mostly Coke, but sometimes coffee.]
• [Shelbiana Dairy Bar, TO?:  This dairy bar was attached to a restaurant, which I was only recently reminded of. Anyway, I stopped here once or twice after The Virgie place closed. One time, the machine was down, and we had to wait a long time before it could work. My mom and I went into the grocery store next door.  They also had a book store, Book Nook.  It was mostly mass market paperbacks, magazines, and comic books, although they had a smattering of other books. It was here that I bought my first ever issue of Games Magazine. {I still get the current version of the magazine to this day.} I continued to stop at the Book Nook, and even bought some groceries on occasion, until the store closed. The dairy bar also closed, although the restaurant may have continued a while longer. Other businesses would open at both spots, but they all closed when the buildings were torn down for the Shelbiana Food City and the liquor store beside it.]
• [BP convenience mart, outskirts of Pikeville, TO?:  {Yes, it was well within city limits. However, I wanted to start the Pikeville section with LJS, so I skipped it until now.  I barely consider anything that far south to be in Pikeville anyway.} So, this mart had both a Baskin Robbins and a Burger King attached to its traditional convenience mart.  This is where my mom supposedly stopped when I thought she got BK at Allen. I only stopped in once, on the way out of town. A downpour had set up, and we had to get off the road here. By that time, I think both the BR and the BK had closed. Turns out, the mart was getting ready to shut down too. The building was torn down.  It took years for other businesses to go into the very large lot.  There's still some of the lot empty, even after three places came in.]

    On that note, I finish part one of the addenda.  Come back this Saturday for a bonus post, as I finish up on all of these odd stops.

My Culinary Odyssey: Stanton and Salyersville

    I'm going to honest about these two places.  I basically just use them as rest stops on shopping trip to and from Lexington. As such, I really only eat there.  Sure, there have been other reasons which I will go into, but there aren't that many. Check the introduction here to see how these posts are organized.

    Stanton: Somehow, this place has become our go-to for rest stops. It's about the perfect spot for my mom in the mornings and for my afternoon refueling on the way back. The only other place in Stanton we have ever gone to would be the Kroger, and we only bought stuff there that first visit, which was soon after it opened.  Haven't been back there in over a decade.  On a positive note, almost every place is still open.

• [Dairy Queen, TO:  One summer, after we started going back to Lexington on a regular basis, we stopped here.  I didn't want to go in, so I suggested to my mom what to get. It was a limited edition strawberry frozen slush drink. (At the time, I wasn't sure if they had Dr Pepper, so I wanted to try something different instead.) It was very sweet and sticky, but I kind of liked it.  I don't think they ever brought it back. Only time we ever stopped.]
• Hardee's, TO, ⭐️:  The happens to be my mother's favorite stop in the mornings for her to use the restroom, and to get a coffee so she can justify the stop. I usually just walk around the parking lot to stretch my legs and back. Once, I even watched a family of kittens wandering about. We stopped there only a few times for the afternoon return trip, as it is harder to get to it with it being on the northbound side of the highway. Usually, it was due to mom wanting the jalapeño poppers that they had (more precisely, the Red Bean Burrito location that used to share the spot).  I got something with a drink, but I don't remember what. We haven't stopped there in the afternoons in a few years now.
• Taco Bell, Stanton Funzone, TO:  The Funzone is on the southbound side of the highway, across from the main road into town. Its centerpiece was a large play area for kids, along with a few food spots and grouped seating. Back on an early birthday trip, we stopped here to eat. I didn't want to get out of the car, so my mom went in to get something, since we always wanted to try Taco Bell. I asked for something small, with little meat and no beans. Well, while the thing she found was meatless (don't ask me what it was, I don't remember), they had didn't remove the refried beans. I tried to eat around them, but we through most of the thing away. Ultimately, the play area got turned into office space. The Baskin Robins closed (don't think I ever gotten anything there anyway), and their area is now an antique shop. Taco Bell closed too, with another place taking over its spot years later, which I'll mention after the next location.
• Long John Silver's, later A & W Restaurant as well, Stanton Funzone, TO/maybe DI: This is the only original occupant of the Funzone still here, although it added a second joint restaurant a few years later. This is the only new LJS I've been to since I started eating at BK.  Make what you will of that. I've haven't eaten here that many times, as most of their serving sizes are on the larger side. I've gotten a few drinks, as they serve Pepsi products and the other restaurant doesn't. I did order the special "authentic" Fish and Chips promotion they had years ago that had smaller fish pieces and potatoes cut into chip shapes instead of fries, and special 'newsprint' wrappers. I think I ate it out in the car, which seems strange even now to write, as there wasn't that much room. I believe I got something from A & W once as well, but I can't remember. I may have even eaten inside once or twice, but I have doubts about that. I have sat down to wait, at least.
• Arby's, Stanton Funzone, TO/DI, ⭐️: This went into Taco Bell's old spot, and it has since become my go-to. We usually get there right as the 'happy hour' afternoon discounts start. I usually get the chicken slider, a side of fries (curly, although I am growing fond of the crinkles), and a Dr Pepper. I've tried a few other sliders, as well as some other sides, but these remain my favorites. The slider is usually so hot that it can burn my mouth.  Even adding some ketchup or other condiment doesn't help. I usually eat in the car, unless it is way too hot or cold, then it's inside. They recently remodeled, removing most of the both and replacing them with high tables that I don't like. This is also the Arby's where I tried their 'Wagyu' Steakhouse hamburger during one of the first promotions. I had a few reservations after I saw that they microwaved the patty to warm it up, but I still bought one. It was actually pretty good. (Yes, we did eat inside that day.) Sure, the place can get a little messy, and they wait times are a little longer than I would like, but I still like the place.
• McDonald's, TO, ⭐️:  A few years ago, after trying to stop at the Funzone, my mom forced us out before I could place an order. The restroom was it a bad shape, and she made me leave immediately. We stopped here, since it was right next door. Fortunately, this was back when they still had a dollar value menu, and I was able to find something.  It may have been a mushroom/onion burger or something.  The next few trips, we had to stop here instead of the Funzone. That stopped when the value menu got rid of anything I liked.We haven't stopped back here since, although I am intrigued about their frozen Dr Pepper slush.  Of course, I could get that locally if I so choose.

    That's it for Stanton.  Onto Saylersville.

    Saylersville: As I mentioned last year in my series on comic books, I first stopped here in grade school to visit my doctor who was working at a clinic here. I remember stopping for a drink or something afterwards, but that may have been in P-burg. Since then, stopping here has been rare, but here are two notable examples.

• [Salyerville Funzone, TO: Once, when Stanton was under a boil water advisory,  I wasn't able to get any fountain drinks, which are a must for me.  We ended up stopping here instead, an hour and more later south. While it also had an LJS, I think I got a drink from the convenience mart instead, as well as a pre-packaged snack or something. The Funzone would close a few years later, in combination with the road construction and the tornado damage to the area. Possibly something else.  I don't remember what is in the spot now.]
• [Wendy's, TO, ⭐️: During our most recent Lexington trip last fall, we had a rocky start. We had to make a store delivery to a customer before going on.  This caused my mom to ask to stop early in Saylersville to use the restroom. I got to choose the spot, and I chose here a little out of spite for wasting travel time, as we were already running fairly late. My mom loved it. The restaurant was still fairly new, only open for a short time. Not only did she get a coffee, but they talked into getting a breakfast bar.  She was infatuated over that. So much so, that she started to go to the local Wendy's for coffee just so she could get the bar as well. She's even talking about stopping here on our upcoming trip, even if it costs me travel time.]

    And that's it for this week.  Come back next week, as I start on the addenda list of places that didn't quite fit into my geographical arrangements. See you then.

My Culinary Odyssey: Fayette Mall

    Welcome to today's bonus post for my blogcast. Today, I finish up the Lexington area.  Specifically, the Fayette Mall. I remember the first time I ever went to this mall. My mom drove right past it, and we wound up asking for directions at a general store, possibly in Jessamine county. At least we somehow got a Sears catalog out of it. Anyway, I don't remember ever eating anything at this mall those first few trips there, even though I am pretty sure I ate something. Therefore, I will only be mentioning places from the 90s onwards. Check the introduction post here to see how I am arranging these entries.

    [The Fayette Mall has undergone numerous changes over the decades. The two biggest recent ones would be the south expansion and the former Sears remodeling. As such, I will be trying my best to describe locations in relation to the rest of the mall, but it might be a little difficult. In fact, all of the changes to this mall would be worthy for a post one of these days.]

• Mango, southwest wing, south expansion; DI:  This restaurant opened at a time when my mom wanted me to try different things.  I suggested this spot as a possibility, thinking she wanted to go.  Turns out, she only went because she thought I really wanted to try it. It was all but empty, being new and in the early afternoon. Maybe the windows looking out onto the further construction of what would be the mall's fifth, later fourth, anchor. I had a burger and natural fries. I didn't like potato skins at all back then, so I either tried to peel them off or chug them down with a lot of ketchup. I used up about half a bottle. We never went back, but it didn't matter as it closed fairly quickly. A bunch of different stores would take over the spot. Currently, it is a Five Below. A discount retailer in a higher-end mall, when there is already one up the road at Regency center.  Ugh.
• Unknown bistro/cafe, southeast wing, south expansion; DI:  We stopped in this later addition during a winter trip after the expansion opened. My mom loved it, but I didn't feel for it much.  I had a pastry stuffed with chicken, broccoli, and cheese.  Basically, it was an upscale 'Hot Pocket,' although I hadn't eaten any at that time. (Fan fact:  When I did start eating them after I opened my store in 2000, the cheddar chicken broccoli was one of my favorite varieties. Until the great reduction after the pandemic, but that is a subject for a later post.) I also got a croissant, which was very good on its own. The bistro didn't last long, and we never went again. While there is currently a pizza parlor in that wing, I don't think it is in the same spot as the bistro. That spot was empty the last time I went. [During the 90s, I did experiment with puff pastry and phyllo dough, but not enough to warrant calling them restaurant clones.]
• [Unknown coffee kiosk, southwest wing, south expansion; TO/Starbucks kiosk, south end, central courtyard; TO:  I'm combing these two places, as it was only my mom who got anything at either of them. First, the kiosk in the expansion was a small place, but my mom loved the cup she got there. That is until I suggested putting the chocolate truffle she got as a freebie into it.  She hated it and threw the cup away. She never went back, but the kiosk wasn't open that long anyway.  There is now a juice/smoothie bar in the spot. Starbucks was just past the central courtyard in the older section of the mall.  My mom stopped there once or twice, possibly abandoning the line due to a long wait.  She didn't really like it, even though it may have involved her favorite, white chocolate.  Starbucks closed after the pandemic eased up.  A new coffee business has opened up in the kiosk recently.]

        Each of the remaining spots are located in the food court section, in the original portion of the mall.  Unlike the Huntington Mall, none of these restaurants have individual seating, and therefore share the general seating area.  Also unlike Huntington, booths are available and not just chairs.  So note that when I mention DI, I mean general seating.  As of yet, we haven't ordered anything to eat outside of the mall/food court.  Back to the list.

• Sbarro's, DI:  After eating at so many of the same spots for a while, I suggested we try here. Not only were they a Coke only establishment, their fountains didn't provide plain water, unlike those found in most places.  So, since we only wanted water, and not a large bottle of it, they had to fill our cups with regular tap water, from the back.  Ugh. We didn't like the slices that much, and we haven't eaten there since.
• Burger King, DI: I was shocked when I saw that a BK had opened here, right next to the main entrance. It made for some easy decisions to eat for a few visits. I probably had my regular meal. Unfortunately, the BK would close, possibly after a fire broke out that affected just their unit. It may have actually involved the next occupant though. The Burger King further north on Nicholasville Road also closed recently, but that was years after this one closed.
• Sonic, DI:  Why a drive-in would open in a mall is beyond me.  I can't be sure if either this or BK came first, or which one closed after a fire.  Anyhow, I believe I always ordered a burger and a side the few times I got to eat here.  After both place closed, a Moe's Southwest Grill would open up.  I never saw it open after a few trips.  I thought it only opened later in the day, although I may have been wrong.  While there is a stand-alone location just south of the mall, I didn't register that fact too often.  The restaurant finally left the mall unit, and a Popeye's opened up last year.  I've looked over the menu, but it currently doesn't look like I will ever eat there.  What is strange is that they wanted to open here, when there is a direct competitor across the court in ....
• Chik-fil-A, DI:  This has been my go-to spot for a few years now. I just find it easier to eat here than try one of the more exotic places in the court. I wasn't too thrilled the first time I ate here, seeing how my first time at one years earlier wasn't a big hit.  However, I was still a fan of chicken sandwiches.  I usually get the deluxe grilled chicken sandwich.  Still a big preference of mine, even though many places stopped carrying them. I used to get the waffle fires as well, but I cut back on them as they aren't a big favorite.  I also save some cash.  I get a small water, as I try not to drink too much caffeine as early in the trip as when we eat there. (I try not to use public restrooms, so I limit fluid intake, particularly for these longer, Lexington trips.)  My mom gets the original, but who can eat chicken with pickles like that? Eating at eleven is not a first choice, but we avoid the long lines that way. At least we get a large selection of sauces that I usually co-opt for home or the store.

    And with that entry, we are done with Lexington.  Come back for the regular post on Wednesday, as I cover a location that I didn't hit upon during last year's series on comic books, Stanton.  I might even include a few spots in Salyersville as a bonus.  See you then.

My Culinary Odyssey: Greater Lexington

    Finally, we have made it to Lexington. For some reason, we never seemed to go to Lexington that much when I was a kid. Maybe a few times in the 70s, but only once in the 80s. It wasn't until the 90s that Lexington became a regular destination. When it did, we quickly started going about twice a year, save 2020. It is just so hard sometimes to schedule such a long drive without preparation for me. I'll try to mention as many places from my childhood as I can, but I honestly cannot remember that many I ate out at. Check out the first post in this series here to see how I am organizing this series. Let's begin.

• Jerry's, one of three, DI: The only time I can remember eating out in Lexington in the 70s is here. I was about four, and the mounted fish on the restaurant wall scared me. Such fish were at most of their locations.  Makes sense that the owner also started LJS. Anyway, the only thing I remember eating was a parfait glass of strawberry ice cream with a sprig of mint and a small candy hard. I got a tummy ache in the car, and I curled in the floor to help ease the discomfort. (Remember kids, this was before mandatory seat belts.  Buckle up!) Now, Lexington had three Jerry's locations, but I have no idea which one we went to. As such, as they are all now closed, I don't know what is currently located there.
• Showbiz Pizza, DI:  During the lone Lexington trip in the 80s, my mom was going to take me to King's Island along with my cousin and some of his family. (This was the cousin whose father became my second dentist located in Paintsville.) One the day before, my cousin chose America's second favorite pizza place/arcade/animatronics revue to eat out at. I was still a picky eater, so I barely touched the personal pizza.  The revue was a little tiring after having to hear it multiple times. However, I had a knack for Skee-Ball and racked up a number a tickets to redeem. My cousin's mother forced him to hand over some of his tickets so I could get a "I 🩷 Billy Bob" bumper sticker instead of something else I would've wanted. (I would misplace that thing for years before I found it and threw it away. I would have kept it if I had known it could've been a collectible item.) We would try to go back the next day after the King's Island trip was cancelled. (See next entry.)  Showbiz would ultimately be bought out be Chuck E. Cheese, with locations either converted or closed. I don't know what happened to this one. I think it was in the northeast section of the city, on a small hill next to the Service Merchandise where I got my first "Super Powers" action figures.
• [Random 7-eleven, TO: Driving around Lexington in the 80s used up a lot of gas. We stopped here to refuel during the trip from above. I went inside to wait, looking at comic books, before my mom came in and we got me a drink. It was supposedly because of the overheating that day that the trip to King's Island was cancelled, but I somehow suspect that something else may have been the reason. I have no idea where this 7-eleven was located, so I don't know if it still exists. I never got to go to King's Island.  Ever.]
• Cracker Barrel, DI:  When I was looking over colleges in the early 90s, my mom asked a cousin to go with us to Lexington, the last time we ever had someone along. They chose to go here, overruling me entirely. I immediately hated the rural decor and country music, and things got worse from there. They were Coke only, no Dr Pepper, so I only had water and a milk shake.  Vanilla as they didn't have strawberry either. I ordered a hamburger, but it was served on sourdough bread, which I never had before. While I was no longer a strict picky eater, I still didn't like the flavor. I could barely eat half the thing before I gave up. It was the only time I couldn't finish a burger. Later on, I would take my mom there to meet up with some of her former co-workers who had been involved in a court case with her against a former manager. She went in for about fifteen minutes while I stayed out in the car looking at some magazines from that morning. That's been my last time there. I think it is still open. We pass by the road to it every time we go to Lexington, but I'm not 100% positive. 
• TGIFriday's, DI: During the mid-90s, my mom wanted to expand the places we ate at. This was one suggestion. It was much the opposite from above. First, it was loud.  Not just the non-stop oldies, but the Americana decor. It was also tight and cramp. Everyone was just packed into the tables. I can remember if I got a burger or a chicken sandwich, but I'm pretty sure I ate it this time. While I did try some of their frozen appetizers a few times, we never ate here again. Somehow, this place is still open, or at least one near the original location is.
• [Red Lobster, TO: Okay, my mom got obsessed with a dessert they had in the 90s, and we stopped here a few times to pick some up.  I waited out in the car as she went to get a slice of "Death by Chocolate Cake."  I tried a few bites once, but I was not impressed by it. About the third time we stopped by, my mom found out that they had stopped selling the cake slices, or something. It was near the TGIFriday's, but it is no longer open. {Strangely enough, we did try to recreate their biscuits, years before the baking kits and frozen versions came out. We just used a cheddar garlic biscuit mix, and then we added some extra cheese and garlic powder.  We totally ignored the Bay spice. I haven't tried to do this again for a few years.}

    That's it for today.  Come back this Saturday for a bonus post as I finish up Lexington.  Specifically, I focus on a certain part of town.

My Culinary Odyssey: Huntington Mall, Part Two

    It back to the Mall again as I finish off the Huntington Mall part of this series with a bonus Saturday post. If you thought some of the stories were a little weird in part one, wait until you see these.  Some of them are even weirder. In fact, I could probably write an entire post about some of the weird things that have occurred in my history with the Mall. Like how a branch bank at the Mall closed a few years ago, only to be replaced by a vape shop, and that's just for starters. Check out the introduction by clicking the link and see how I'm organizing the series.  Now, really, back to the Mall again.

• [Unknown ice cream parlor, TO:  I try to notice every store at a mall, even if I don't plan on going in. In the 90s, I noticed that the parlor had a soda machine that had Fanta root beer. Now, when I was a kid, Fanta root beer was the only other soft drink I would ask for by the carton, other than Dr Pepper. By the 90s, most stores had stopped carrying in though, so I was thrilled to see it again somewhere, or at least claiming it was Fanta. Since we usually ate lunch after shopping half the Mall in those days, I was ready for a drink on the way out of the Mall and on my way home. I got a cup a few times, but then the parlor closed to be replaced by another restaurant. No more Fanta. A new place, Superhero Creamery, recently opened at the Mall. It is a combination ice cream parlor and comic book/collectable store.  While I just bought seventeen of my missing comic books on my most recent trip, I didn't check out the ice cream part of the store. {Note:  my favorite root beers in order are Fanta, A &W, Mug, many others I have never tried or tasted, Barq's}]
• Au Bon Pain, inside Stone and Thomas, DI: This is weird. We went into Stone and Thomas, the smallest of the original anchors at the Mall and the only one without a second floor, once in the late 80s or early 90s and saw a small restaurant tucked into the cookware section, Au Bon Pain. It was a French bistro/pastry shop. We tried something there.  I don't remember what, but I don't think they had a full-sized working oven, so I don't know how they cooked everything. I may have had a pastry as well.  We never ate there again, even though it felt strange seeing the attendant watch us shopping  sometimes. Although the restaurant closed before the store got rebranded as Elder Beerman, the special tiles on the floor stayed until the store went out of business. You could still see them, even though they tried to hit the fact with carefully placed fixtures. [Elder Beerman got divided into many stores after it closed. The west section became a Rue 21 for a year, before closing. This section is now part of a Dave and Busters that wraps around to the food court. The rest is divided into a TJ Maxx (south) and Home Goods (north), although they share a rear corridor and a front register bay, as well as  possibly extended doorways for each.]
• Arby's, west food court location, DI:  It took over a year, but Arby's finally came back into the space where the ice cream parlor was, I think. For a few years, I would have my typical chicken sandwich here, as I did for much of the 90s. It was never as full as it was at its original spot. It closed by the early 2000s. I think the Philly cheesesteak restaurant that was beside it took over its spot, or it was something else.  I am not sure which of the two spots it once had. Again, there might be an Arby's on the west end of Barboursville. Never seen it.
• [Starbucks, TO:  The coffee shop opened in the 2010s or so.  My mom stopped in a few times, mostly when they had a white chocolate drink. It wasn't often, as she thought the coffee was too strong and too expensive. Starbucks would close a few years ago, only to be ultimately replace by another coffee shop, Grindstone Brewery. There are currently Starbucks at the Merritt Farm shopping center, where Target is (It's the one that made news last year when the mountainside behind it gave away, causing part of it to fall off.), and a kiosk inside the Barboursville Kroger. (Biggest one I have ever been in, and the best frozen food section of any supermarket I've seen.)
• Burger King, east food court location, DI:  This was the first BK I ever went to, sometime in the early 90s. My mom suggested it as change from some of the other places we ate. The place was pure 90s with its bold colors and curvy booths. We would eat here a few times, along with the other spots. BK had taken over the old Arby's spot, and was using the now empty spot beside it for overflow seating. Alas, BK would close in the late 2000s/early 2010s, only to be replaced by Talbots, a women's clothing store.  In the food court. My theory was the outside door.  The only other Talbots I've seen had an outside door, reminiscent of its logo. (That one has since blocked off its mall entrance.) Now, if Talbots wanted a second door, most of the other units in the Mall wouldn't have the room for it and still have ample show space and storage. However, BK already had an outside door, making it easier to adapt it and still have storage. Just weird to have a dress shop by restaurants.  As to BK, well ....
• Burger King, east Mall campus location, DI, ⭐️⭐️:  They build a standalone structure between IHOP and a tire store, just down the road from McDonald's and Wendy's. This has been my go-to restaurant since it opened, save for one time when the lobby was closed and we had to eat at the BK in Paintsville instead. I order my usual Whopper, rings, and Pepper. My mom goes a little crazy, ever since she stopped having sesame seeds. She usually picks them off a sandwich if she forgets to orders one of the other options. [Restaurant hack: you can ask for a seedless brioche bun or for two bottom buns.] She has also gotten nuggets, mozzarella sticks, and even a small fries once which she sent back because they were too salty. (The one I tried was okay, but she sent them back anyway and got an unsalted batch in return. Very embarrassing.) Speaking of sticks, this is also the place where I first tried my hack to create a Stromboli burger. I took my regular Whopper (no cheese or pickles, although I should have taken off ketchup as well). I placed some mozzarella sticks on top of the patty and covered them with some of the marinara dipping sauce. Nowhere near the same, but I am hoping to improve on the recipe later. (I haven't tried the newer mozzarella fries yet. They might offer something different.) In fact, earlier this year after a very trying service, [understaffed, broken ice machine, regular standing by the counter and asking for ice to fill their thermos, and a family bringing in a pizza from Little Caesar's] I finally took the crown that was lying on the table.  First time ever from any BK.  Hey, I deserved it that day. 

    And that ends the tour through the Huntington Mall.  Come back Wednesday for my regular blogcast post as I start my next tour through Lexington. See you soon.

My Culinary Odyssey: Huntington Mall, Part One

    I have been going to the Mall at least once a year since it opened over forty years ago. Since the early 90s, I have usually been going twice a year.  The Mall was also the only shopping trip I made in 2020, as I was able to make it there a few weeks before the lockdowns started.  While it is decidedly misnamed (see the first entry), it has been a favorite shopping destination since I was a kid.  Even after a trip where I didn't find anything, I still wind up going back year after year. I even occasionally find something I wasn't really expecting. Of course, this means I have also eaten out many times here. This week's post starts things off with some of the first places I ate out, mostly in the earliest trips back in the 80s. Maybe early 90s if I have the time. Click the link here to read the introduction to this series and find out how I have organized this series. 

• Shoney's, DI:  My first trip to the Mall didn't even involve eating there.  We were unfamiliar with the roads and got at little frustrated at not being able to find the Mall. My mom turned the car around to go back home, but I managed to talk her into stopping at the rest area for information.  Turns out, we were about a mile away from seeing the road signs when we turned around.  Why name the place the "Huntington Mall," when it is miles east of the city and just barely outside Barboursville city limits?  Anyway, we got a free map of the Mall as well. My mom and our guest saw the sign to Shoney's on the way, and they decided we would eat there after shopping. The restaurant was located up a winding road on a short hill. As it was mid-afternoon, we were practically the only people there. My mom ordered some chicken strips for me, but I thought they were too bumpy and barely touched them. We never went there again. I believe I saw on the news that they were closing the restaurant, as well as the most of the chain. I doubt I could find the place again, so I don't know what happened to the building, as I haven't been to the west end of Barboursville since.
• Long John Silver's, DI:  On that first trip to the Mall, LJS was still under construction, but I was eager to eat there once it opened. It would be the third yearly trip before we would eat there. It was the largest LJS I had been in, with three different seating areas, each one on a different level to replicate the ship experience. This was back in the days when servers would still bring your order to your table.  I loved the place.  My mother less so.  She felt it was dark and a little messy. We would never eat there again, although having LJS take out for dinner most of the time when we went back home eased that somewhat. The LJS would close in the 90s, ultimately being replaced by a Ruby Tuesday.  This restaurant prefers diners to come in through the outside entrance, but can leave through the Mall entrance. Online maps show an LJS on the west side of Barboursville. Haven't seen it.
• Bonanza (?), DI: When I was very young, my mom would ask relatives along for our shopping trips as a way to help watch over me. (Didn't always work out that way.) One time, they suggested we eat at this buffet style restaurant.  It was probably a Bonanza, but I might not be remembering it right. It wasn't located in the food court, but it was on the south/Sears end of the Mall, halfway down the west side. I don't think I saw anything that interested me, so I doubt I ate much of whatever my mom got for me. I just read one of the books I had gotten.  This place didn't last past the early 90s. I'm not sure what is in its place now.  Maybe a shoe store, or possibly Victoria's Secret.
• Big Loafer, DI:  For some reason, everyone thought we should eat here one time. It is a part of a chain based on the ubiquitous West Virginia pepperoni roll, with variations of fillings. I swear, this place is not only still open, but it looks almost exactly the same as it did when it opened. Same faux stone and wood exterior, 80s style graphics on the menu, and even the lunch counter stools and booths. It could just well be the only unit in the Mall that hasn't had a remodel in all this time.  Even the memorabilia is about the same, if maybe updated. The one time we ate there, I only had some crinkle cut fries.  Didn't like them much back then.  The place is still open.  Items on the menu board have been removed, prices changed, and pieces of paper noting newer items and other changes. How this place is still in business after all this time is well beyond me.  
• Sbarro's, DI (technically):  Another restaurant that's been here since the Mall opened, but this one has been remodeled.  It used to have a very small seating area and maybe even restrooms.  Both were removed, although the restrooms may have been converted for use for the entire food court. The one time we ate here, probably early 90s, the seats had already been removed.  We ate in the general seating area.  The tables and chairs were too close together to be comfortable, so that was the only time we ate there.  We have since refrained from eating at any location without a seating area ever since.
• Chick-fil-A, DI:  This was another choice made in the mid-80s. We had brought along relatives again.  They wanted to eat at one place, but I didn't. Therefore, my mom decided we should eat here, although I was probably pushing for LJS and this was her compromise. I tried their chicken strips, but I felt they were too bumpy or something, so I barely touched them. I was looking through a comic book instead of eating. We never tried to go back. About fifteen years or so ago, they remodeled the restaurant, eliminating most of the seating space. This forces people to sit in the general seating area. Although I have since grown to like Chick-fil-A (see a later post), this fact alone prevents me from trying here again.
• Arby's, east food court location, DI: This one is tricky, as Arby's might have moved a little after the time I ate here.  See, I think Arby's originally had a larger location right by the main entrance to the Mall. We ate there at that time.  They were phasing out the 'Laurel and Hardy' promotional materials.  I just had some fries, and I can't remember if they were the curly ones. By the 90s, Arby's may have moved one unit down to allow another restaurant the coveted door location. I don't think I ate there after that move.  Later, Arby's would close this location, but they left many of their tables and chairs in the space.  The newer restaurant would use the space as overflow seating. What happened to Arby's? What restaurant took over its spot?

    Come back this Saturday for a bonus post to find out the answers to these questions, as well as finding out about the rest of the places at the Mall where I have eaten.