April 22nd to 28th

A Roadside Fan member took a trip to the Catawissa Bottling Co. A maker of soda in Catawissa, PA

Road trip to Catawissa Bottling Company

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As vintage roadside attractions go, Howe Caverns in central New York can be said to be among the oldest, since its rock formations are millions of years old. But like other vintage attractions, Howe Caverns has seen a decline in attendance, from 220,000 to 140,000 annually over the last 20 years. Now, new owners are promising to pump some new life into an underground gem.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=582468&category=BUSINESS&newsdate=4/20/2007

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Mid-Atlantic popular | American culture association
18th Annual Conference
Call for Papers 2007 MAPACA Conference
November 2-4, 2007
Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel Philadelphia

please visit MAPACA’s online newsletter, The Gazette, at http://www.mapacagazette.net

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Messages 5548 - 5550 talked about diners in movies

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Chick's Diner in Scranton, PA fought the (No Smoking) law, and the law won.

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18251309&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6

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Cable news channel New York 1 has a video report on the Moondance Diner in Manhattan, slated for closing so that condos can be developed on the site (see RoadsideFans Message 5249):
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=8&aid=69098

http://tinyurl.com/2t3utf

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The Empire Diner is going to have new owners, who have a successful track record of running restaurants. Crazy Otto's Empire Diner will be the name, and it should open up by the end of June.

http://www.herkimertelegram.com/articles/2007/04/27/news/news03.txt

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Couple assorted links mentioned this week

ttp://www.ritterfarms.com in Eastern Tennessee
Fred's Inn in Norwich, NY http://fredsinn.com/

Ken's Diner in Birch Run, MI http://www.kens-diner.com

http://www.usroute20.com/ The US Route 20 pages has been updated

April 15 to 21st

Dutch Kitchen Diner in Frackville -

It looks like they redid the outside, but the inside remains unchanged. I have fond memories of stopping there on our treks south. Maybe someone knows what kind of diner this is? Here
is the web site: http://www.dutchkitchen.com/

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Kappy's Diner, a Valentine, is located at 501 N. Orlando Ave. in Maitland. #5548

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This page explains the history of Big Boy, leading up to the two companies that
exist today (Big Boy International and Frisch's):
http://www.99w.com/evilsam/ff/bigboy.htm

--

There are obvious differences between the Frisch's and Bob's Big Boy statues. But one of the neat things about the early Frisch's Big Boys is the slingshot in the back pocket -- just visible in this photo from the Sign Museum:
http://www.agilitynut.com/06/3/frisch2.jpg
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Thus, the first-ever "Greasy Spoon Awards." given out by our host Glenn Wells
The Silver Spoon goes to Tums.

--

Gold Spoon goes to the Heart Attack Grill in Tempe, Arizona.

Here's a video report posted on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9N4Y1DpTxs

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Vermont sits on edge of diner crisis
By Ed Shamy
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/COLUMNIST\
S05/70417016/1007/NEWS02

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A beach is much more fun when there's someplace nearby to buy a soda or ice cream cone. Any 12 year old kid knows that.

In Madeira Beach, Florida, 12 year old Kaitlyn Chalke has become an advocate for an 80 year old log cabin known as the Snack Shack. The city decided to demolish the building, prompting Chalke to collect 200 signatures supporting keeping the Snack Shack.

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April 8th - 14th

From TheAmericanRoadside.com "The author of the book on the A1 Diner, Sarah Rolph, is the guest on my latest podcast. It's a complete coincidence that the Food Network decided to shoot there this week...and I just posted the podcast. Sarah is really a wonderful woman and the book is a delight."
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There were talks about Roundabouts and SPUI, and "pronounced as though it's spelled "Spewie." Meet the Single Point Urban Interchange."

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Train meet this weekend at Merchants Square Mall 1901 S 12th St Allentown Pa April 15th 10am-3pm
Visit http://www.lehighvalleytrainmeet.com

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Diner news from all around:

The A-1 Diner in Gardiner, Maine hosted a crew from the Food Network today and Friday, filming for the newest installment of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives."
http://business.mainetoday.com/news/070411a1diner.html

Fremont, Nebraska has a new diner, Penny's Diner, and it's even open 24 hours. From the photograph, it appears to be a Starlite.
http://www.fremontneb.com/articles/2007/04/11/news/news2.txt

In Rochester, NY, Charles Scanio has departed the popular Charlie Brown's Restaurant on North Goodman Street, turning over the spatula to Bob and Bill Keller.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070412/ENT0305/\
704120323/1060/ENT03

Chef's Diner in Montour Falls, NY has been offering a "Titanic dinner," offering food like what would have been served on that ill-fated ocean liner.
http://www.stargazettenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070410/COLUMNIST05/7\
04100308

And in Glenmont, NY (south of Albany) Dan Sher visits Johnny B's Glenmont Diner.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=580146&category=ARTS&newsdate\
=4/12/2007

April 2nd-8th

former Boston Trolley Diner now an Asian restaurant in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Fire
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/11564589/detail.html

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Posts #5415, #5425 asked Is "Modern" over?

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Fleetwood Diner offers classic fare (suburban Grand Rapids, where you should first find Pal's Diner, even though the original Fleetwood diner in Ann Arbor is fantastic!)

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/features-0/1175784596\
246190.xml&coll=6

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The Albany Times Union published a review of the former Tops Diner(they tore it down and started over with a stick built building) now "Tops American Grill, Bakery & Bar." . Food was always good at the place. It's just sad they tore the diner down.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=578184&category=ARTS&newsdate\
=4/5/2007&TextPage=1

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Monorails http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Where.html

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Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum http://www.mistereds.com

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Orange roof stays, but state’s last HoJo’s gets new name - Brass House Restaurant, Waterbury, CT

http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18182341&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id\
=517514&rfi=6