Breakfast at Bee's Diner

My friend Eric and I have been meeting for breakfast at Bee's somewhat regularly, and I hope it continues--the food, the setting, and the conversation are great. As you can see, Bee's is a tiny hole-in-the-wall "snack bar" in Winslow Maine; it sits right on the "intersection," if you will, of the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers. A unique train trestle goes across the back of the restaurant, and, directly across the river, is old Fort Halifax, which I am told is one of the only original, free standing Revolutionary War Forts. Stories resonate throughout the small restaurant, whether from regulars who sit at the counter (I've seen the same guy in the same stool three times now--and I've gone on three separate days/times), or from the folklore of the restaurant itself. For instance, back in 1987, the restaurant you see in the picture was underwater from one of the worst floods Winslow has ever seen; the flood was caused by north woods ice dams jamming up as they made their way South down the Kennebec River. But they lived to tell about it--Bee's, not the chunks of ice. Sorry about the misplaced modifier, even.

Another morsel of "Bee's Lore" is that it was featured in the film "Empire Falls"--the movie based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Richard Russo. Scribbled on the counter of the breakfast bar is "I ate here . . .and it was good!--Paul Newman." Did you know that, in addition to making salad dressing, he is also an actor?

The food is "Maine Breakfast Food," and Ortiz seems like he wants to go. Its nothing special, but it tastes really good--from their homemade donuts and baked beans (Beans, by the way, are immensely popular for breakfast in Maine . . .I didnt find this when I lived in Mass.) to their biscuits and sausage gravy (which, by the way, Eric and I wolfed down this morning). Eric, being the internet marketing "mogul" that he is, discussed with me the possibility of launching "jaredgoldsmith.com," and taking this blog "to the street." That's right . . .just like when Kramer protested Kenny Rogers Roasters--he "took it to the street." More to come on this later.

After shoveling snow this morning, and then meeting Eric for breakfast, I took an hour-plus snowshoe trip right from our house. It was a reconnaissance trip--I wanted to see what kind of trails we had back there. It was an amazing walk, and I'll write more about it later . . .Sally wants me to take her around and show her. Happy Friday everyone . . .