When the Regulars Take Control

We left Portland late on Saturday (close to 7pm) and headed for the coast. We didn't have a reservation (or a plan really, other than we knew we wanted to be in Eugene to get our bikes by Tuesday). We figured we'd start at Devil's Lake State Park in Lincoln City and see if we could get a spot (Saturday night) and if not, try the next place down the coast. Devil's Lake had plenty of spots so there we stayed.

We unhooked and headed out to find some food and ended up at a place a little south on 101 called Macadangdang's. According to Yelp it had good reviews and was open until midnight. We were the only ones there (uh oh). We ordered some fish tacos and a burger to share, plus a couple of Monkey Face Porters, and everything was great: food, service, and oh yes, the ambiance. 

The soundtrack to our meal: Foreigner, Journey, Heart, Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac, and some Tears for Fears and Prince thrown in for currency. We could have been in any beach town in the 80s (at 10pm on a Monday night) for sure.

It rained most of the night, and this morning we got up and headed out to get some breakfast and some groceries before continuing south. We ended up at another Yelp-reviewed spot in Lincoln City called Corner Cafe. The place was packed and busy (every table occupied), filled with happy couples and families with kids, and the breakfast was great. I had an omelette with spinach, mushrooms, bacon, and cheese, and Kevin had crab benedict. 

Above the empy counter seating to my left there was a television up high, tuned to CNN with information streaming about the missing Malaysian aircraft (super-interesting, and one of the few times Kevin and I actually watched the television in a restaurant). About half-way through our meal a large gentleman lumbered into the dining room through what I thought was the kitchen (turns out they have another section of seating through that door), and sat himself down at the counter. Clearly a regular, he ordered some coffee and some food and made it a point to remind his server that he wanted regular tabasco, green tabasco, A-1 steak sauce, AND ketchup with his order. 

Kevin and I kept eating and chatting, and I looked up once to see the man at the counter holding the television remote, pointing it up at the television, readying to change channels. Oh, the regulars. I glanced at the screen (above all the children's crayon-colored menu pages taped to the wall) and highlighted, just one click away from filling the big screen in this bustling cheerful family diner: Busty Coeds.

Noooooooo!! I looked at Kevin, eyes wide, as I imagined the scenario.

Luckily he continued on through the pages, passing by Shark vs. Dyson – The Real Truth, Miley Cyrus Takeover, Dallas Buyer's Club, eventually sticking on Fox Sports/NASCAR. 

Oh, regulars. 🙂