99 Bottles Brew Tour: Village Corner Tavern

What had been a pretty cohesive group for the afternoon became a scattered free-for-all, with everyone trying to get into their respective vehicles and out of the parking lot all at once. I'm not sure what the temperature was, but it was probably hovering around 42°, with a wind chill around 32°. My truck, which is dark green and absorbs sun-heat quite well, was very warm inside — and when my wind-burned face got inside... man, it was like getting seared in a hot frying pan!

And when I got inside the restaurant, holy cow: from the frying pan into the convection oven! I could barely stand to be inside! Anyway, it turns out the minor issue at the restaurant was just that: minor.

We had two large tables arranged in the bar and two smaller ones in the back room, so with that checked on I went back out to my truck to remove some layers of insulation (too bad I can't that off my body! eek!) and gather up all the STUFF I had to bring inside.

I had my bag with the customary 99 Bottles Brew Tour stamps, logbooks, markers and pencils, plus a couple of travelers, and my Speedball with sharpening equipment. Add to that two freshly-planted boxes we had pulled so we could make it to the restaurant on time — and the stamps and logbooks for five of the first six 99 Bottles boxes. Then there was my camera, and my boxing field bag... crikey, that's a lot of stuff to bring in, but it's always worth it, especially for these guys: Bookwormct and Mark & Sue!

At first all the GA people (and by that I mean those on the Summit Tour, such as Sweet n Sassy and MyMojo, plus Oread and MaineMom, and a couple of others, all of whom know each other fairly well) sat at one table; at one point someone suggested we spread out so we could mingle with the Others (aka out-of-towners). I think at first I was the only one to switch tables to the back room, and even then it was only because I need more room for all that STUFF!!

Drinks were served promptly — a couple folks had the Highland Gaelic Ale, an appropriate choice given the theme of the day. I started with a Duvel (though by the time this photo of myself with Rex and Cherokee Rose was taken, I was drinking a doppelbock). From that point on, more boxers came in pretty regularly. Eventually nearly everyone who signed up (save 2?) made it to the Event. We actually had to commandeer a couple extra tables! And the REAL locals who thought they could walk in and be seated right away were in for a surprise!

Eidolon, Artemis and Chimega occupied a spot at the bar for a short time before they were booted into the chaotic stamping frenzy that ensued shortly after somebody asked me, "Can we start stamping those boxes we grabbed?" And the event stamp, too, silly!

Now, as far as food goes, the Village Corner has a great selection of German dishes, going far beyond the "brats and kraut" that typifies German cuisine in the States. I know appetizers were ordered here and there, and I saw a lot of salads (good for you Tiger Pride, Barefootlucy and catface! :-). But while I was chatting with Mark and Sue, somebody in the back room ordered (I believe) the Racklette, a pungent melted Racklette cheese!

I didn't see it go past, but as I walked by the table where some GA boxers (Judith, karmakat and Beachcomber) were gathered, I got my first whiff of it. Phew! PUN-GENT that dish was! I asked, "All right, who over here farted!?" Amid the responding laughter, I heard, "Must have been the waitress who just went by!"

Upon entering the back room, my nose was assaulted by the pungency. Rex and Eli were just beside themselves. Aubrey had a greenish tinge to her skin, but Absentee seemed to be eyeing the plate before him with delight (and perhaps chuckling to himself for inflicting this devious nasal punishment?).

See here... that dish is a perfect example of how you get people OUT of a room! Rojo Cuello and the letterboxer formerly known as Inspector Gadget were sitting in the back room at my table. But when that Racklette arrived -- shoot, they bolted from the room and paid a visit to the first table they got to! Comment: "Holy cow! It smells like everyone in that room just cut the cheese!"

Desi and Darren (drgdlg), freshly moved back to GA from SC (unpacked yet???) came to the event and brought their little girl, Raileigh (awww!! :-). At this point I should note that this venue wasn't all that noisy, as Raileigh was seen sleeping soundly in her infant car seat a little while later!

99 Bottles Brew Tour newbies boxhound from Peachtree City (along with catface) rubbed elbows tableside with Sandibox (and Barefootlucy, see five photos up), and there was a lot more mingling as dinners were demolished and drinks kept flowing. One can only imagine that the conversation ranged through all manner of topics associated with letterboxing: carving, hiking locales, found boxes...

At the end of the evening, after Mark and Sue and everyone else departed, there were just a few of us left: myself, MaineMom, Tiger Pride, Sandibox, Rojo Cuello and Inspector Gadget (dude, don't drop the name... too cool! Now, if only you had a go-go-Gadget letterbox detector...) and catface and boxhound. And (heh) I was the LAST one to order anything to eat. I was just too busy gabbing and drinking, and by the time I was ready to order, I didn't want much of anything. So I ordered a basket of chips.

What? you say... yep... a basket of chips (American-style). Fried up right there in the kitchen and served with a garlicy-herb ranch (I think). Some of the best chips I've ever had -- and being in the (snack) food packaging industry, I've sampled LOTS of chips -- the BEST I've ever had were from this little company in Missouri who cut their potatoes the LONG way and kettle-cooked them. Oh my freakin word... go look 'em up: Spudmaster Colossal Chips. (Heh... I HAD to connect to the corporate VPN and find the leads from a 2006 trade show to bring you that link...)

Finally... at the very end of the evening, before those who were left ventured back into Stone Mountain Park for some (freezin'!) night (freezin'!) boxing (freezin'!), there was one thing left to do. Whenever the 99 Bottles Brew Tour stops at location other than Taco Mac, I've endeavored to plant a traditional box for the venue rather than provide an event stamp. So the 99 Bottles: Village Corner Tavern letterbox resides where it should! Now... here's the cool thing. I learned that the daughter of Hilde and Claus, proprietors of the establishment, recently started letterboxing, so Hilde knows all about it!

Hilde and Claus (and their daughter?) were sitting at a table in a cozy alcove. I walked over, pardoned my interruption of their dinner, and said, "Ms. Hilde, this evening I learned that your daughter is a letterboxer, and that you have learned all about it. Tonight, we had people from all over Georgia, from Texas, South Carolina and Connecticut here in your restaurant for a letterboxers' gathering. I don't know if you've gone out with your daughter to find any letterboxes... but now you have one of your own." And I presented Hilde and Claus with the Village Corner Tavern letterbox, which is a wooden Romeo y Julieta cigar box.

The look on her face... priceless.

We'll be back. Memorial Day weekend 2009. See you there.