according to jeff

As my faithful readers may recall, I work for a small company in the Christian publishing market. Specifically, my company creates and markets Bible and Bible-related software products for (mostly) mobile computers. For each of the ten years that we’ve been in business, all of our staff has worked from our individual home offices. We haven’t ever had a central office.

Through the years, we’ve had occasional periods where we might work together at some one’s house. For instance, when Microsoft was preparing to introduce the first Pocket PC, my friend and business partner Craig and I were hard at work to create the first PocketBible for Pocket PC in time to demonstrate it at the Pocket PC launch event at New York City’s Grand Central Station. At the time, Craig’s office at this house was large enough for one, but not two. My office, on the other hand, was in a large but roughly finished room in my basement. I remember the wallpaper was particularly colorful and made to appear as if paint had been randomly splattered on the wall. So, for several weeks, we worked together in that basement room to reach the goal of finishing PocketBible for Pocket PC. However, by and large, most of our time has been spent working individually at our own offices.

While working at home is great (Craig and I both have different office space in our homes than we did those many years ago), for the past several weeks, Craig and I have been trying something new. We’ve been meeting together twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) to work off-site — that is, away from our home offices. We’ve been meeting at one of several local coffee shops (or similar locations) and setting up shop.

It’s been great to “get away” and focus on programming tasks, instead of other work-related work, on these days. I’m not sure how long we’ll keep it up, but for now, it’s been a good experience.

Here are a few things that I’ve learned.

My MacBook: if I turn off my AirPort (wireless Internet) except when I actually need it, and don’t listen to music via my Mac, then my MacBook battery will last most of the day. However, it’s important to have access to an electrical outlet to prevent having to stop prematurely due to a drained battery.

My iPhone: MLB At Bat turns my iPhone into a baseball game radio machine… I can listen live to any MLB baseball game. So, sometimes when there’s an afternoon game, I plug in listen.

My Bag: my Rickshaw Bagworks bag (previous articles here and here) has been a great bag for such a day. It has room for my MacBook and accessories, plus notebooks, books and spiral-bound documentation. I have a bag that is essentially a computer sleeve (I wonder where that is), but this size is much more practical for day away from the office.

On Being Welcome: I’ve been pleasantly surprised that the coffee shops don’t mind us hanging out, using their wireless (and sometimes electricity), and working all day. Of course, we do buy coffee, lunch, snacks, etc., throughout the day.

So, where have we been?

• Java Creek: Java Creek has become our “normal” spot for Thursdays. Several varieties of coffees are available, and the menu is extensive, which makes for a great lunch. Coffee refills are not free, but we can run a tab all day long and settle up when we leave. Seating is comfortable, and the music is nice but not obtrusive. Power outlets are readily available. I’ve been known to stop for a jelly-filled donut on my way…
• Coffee Emporium: the Coffee Emporium has become our “normal” spot for Tuesdays. This is convenient for me, as it is just a few blocks walk away. The interior is a bit more spartan than Java Creek, but is still comfortable. Coffee refills are not free, but again, we can run a tab all day. The lunch menu is more limited than Java Creek, but I’ve not yet grown tired of it. And I’ve recently learned that the breakfast sandwiches ($3) are awesome. (Since I like to be up for a few hours before eating breakfast, it’s nice to be able to find a light breakfast wherever we’re at.) Unfortunately, power outlets are limited, so there’s really only one table that works for us.
• Roasters: Roasters is the smallest of the coffee shops that we visit, and the wooden seats aren’t comfortable for a whole day. However, if you’re into lots of coffee selections, this is the place for you. A Mediterranean restaurant shares the space, so lunch choices are good. Power strips are available, but coffee refills are not free. As with the other coffee shops, we’ve been able to run a tab.
• CoffeeSmiths: CoffeeSmiths filled up in the early afternoon with people working on laptops, and after school with loud high school kids. On the positive side, the seating was very good and the tea selection was great. On the negative side, the lunch choices were more like you’d find in my kitchen than at a restaurant. Power is limited, but has been available when we’ve been there. While at CoffeeSmiths, we met a young man working on an iPhone program related to disc golf, so that was pretty cool.
• Oscars: it doesn’t have the coffee shop vibe, but the coffee refills are free. (Since I don’t drink a lot of coffee, that doesn’t mean much to me.) However, they also offer Kathy’s Pies. Craig has had lunch here most every Saturday for the past two decades, and that’s pretty cool, too. Unfortunately, Oscars doesn’t offer free wireless Internet. That would be a problem except for the fact that one of the other companies in the strip mall has unsecured wireless that we can use during their business hours.

Today, some Laridian associates and I drove across the country on Interstate 80, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to the Blue Mountain Ski area of Pennsylvania. It’s a business trip; I didn’t come to ski.

I was surprised at how unflat Pennsylvania is.

On the way, we drove through Elkhart, Indiana. You may recall having heard about Elkhart, Indiana, all day on the television and radio news stations, as an important visitor was to give a speech there.

We were probably driving through the area at the time that the important visitor was there, but we didn’t see any black limousines or Suburbans.

When in Warsaw, Indiana, try Maria’s House of Pancakes, where the menu is extensive and the portions are large enough to feed you, all the pets you have at home, and perhaps a neighbor, too.

Underneath those three over-easy eggs, you’ll find a chicken fried steak, green pepper, onions, potatoes, and sausage gravy. Next to the skillet is a side of two large buttermilk pancakes (possibly the best I’ve ever had). You wouldn’t want this meal every night, but as an occasional treat (say, once every year or so), give it a try.

I think I’ll have fruit tomorrow.

“Next week, your lucky color will be green.”
— Fortune Cookie Fortune

The Great Wall of China (in China) would be an impressive sight to see. But when in Elkhart, Indiana, the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant is an impressive place to eat.

Unknown Chinese restaurants are always a bit of a risk. But, if you know us, you know how much we thrive on the new and unexpected. So, when it was time to eat dinner in Elkhart, Indiana, tonight, we adventured to the Great Wall. It turned out to be a nice, sit-down restaurant.

I opted for Jack’s Special #2 – sliced chicken, shrimp and onions – family dinner style. It included an eggroll, two shrimp toasts (surprisingly good), my entree, and ice cream (or, in my case, rainbow sherbet). I have enough left over (except for the sherbet) for another meal.

Our server, Miguel, did an excellent job presenting the food.

So, when you’re in Elkhart, Indiana, and don’t feel like taking an adventure, just try the Great Wall.

“There’s something for everyone” at Boomland, in Benton, Missouri. You can find fireworks, Uglydolls, gospel T-shirts, and cured hams. Oh, yeah, cheap gas, too.

“Boomland”, Benton, Missouri
November 20, 2008

When you find yourself in the Cannon Falls, Minnesota, area (as you undoubtedly will), be sure to stop by the Hi-Quality Bakery. My family is partial to the peanut butter twists, and often brings home a half or full dozen. However, my favorite is the raspberry jelly-filled long john with caramel icing. You can’t really go wrong with either one.

I just happened to be there yesterday morning, when I met my friend Tim for a donut and coffee. Tim is in full-time ministry and is quite a technology guru. Surprisingly, though, he’d never tried a peanut butter twist from the Hi-Quality Bakery. We remedied that situation.

While there, I commented to one of the staff that I didn’t see a chocolate-covered cake donut with peanuts. What do you suppose happened? Yes, indeed, she offered to dip one special for me. Within just a few moments, I had a freshly dipped, chocolate-covered, peanut cake donut. You just can’t beat small town service like that!

This past Saturday, a group of teachers from our church went to Galleria de Paco in downtown Waterloo, Iowa.

Galleria de Paco

This (apparently famous) restaurant features a replica of Michelangelo’s artwork from the Sistine Chapel by graffiti artist Paco Rosic. Yes, the ceiling features the famous artwork of the Sistine Chapel, but this time painted with 5000 cans of Krylon spray paint. I’ve not been to the Sistine Chapel, so I don’t know how this compares to “the real thing.” However, I can say that it was pretty cool. It definitely provided an elegant setting for a meal.

Galleria de Paco is gaining national and international attention. The entrance also features numerous newspaper articles from Seattle, Chicago, and, yes, Iowa, extolling the artwork. The proprietor, Mr. Rosic (the artist’s father), told us of a tour group from England that vacationing in Florida and flew up to Waterloo for the sole purpose of eating at this restaurant.

So, if you’re looking for an good meal in an unique setting, consider the Galleria de Paco as a place to go.

While in Asheville, North Carolina, we visited the famed Biltmore House. Built by George Vanderbilt, the home — still the largest home in America — was first occupied in 1895. It includes over 250 rooms, including 34 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms. The home consists of four floors, plus a basement and subbasement. The basement includes an indoor pool, a bowling alley, and an exercise room, in addition to the primary kitchen. The subbasement includes boilers and an innovative air exchange system.

Interestingly, and a testimony to the fleeting nature of riches, prior to his death, George Vanderbilt spent more on the house and estate’s upkeep than the annual income on his vast wealth. Following his death, his widow sold some of the surrounding land to the United States Government, and it became the start of the Pisgah National Forest. Much of the family wealth was in railroad stock, which plummeted from $200 per share to $6 per share during the Great Depression. Following such financial loss, the family could not afford to live in the entire home, and therefore closed much of the home. Now the home is open to the public, and tourism income is used to maintain and preserve the home.

Biltmore House

From the Garden

Biltmore offers several tours of the house, including a self-guided tour, an audio tour, and a guided tour. Additional tours, such as a rooftop tour and a behind the scenes tour, are also offered. The main grounds also include an extensive garden, several hiking trails, and the carriage house and stable, which now includes shops and restaurants.

Since we were there in July, we opted to start our tour with the gardens immediately upon our arrival. This allowed us to tour the gardens before the heat of the day, and turned out to be a wise decision. We were able to spend a few leisurely hours in the gardens and on the trails.

Portion of the Gardens

Some of Many Flowers

On a Hiking Trail

Following our walk through the gardens, we stopped for lunch in the stables. Actually, we had lunch in a restaurant in what was once the stable. Our table was within a horse stall. (Cleaned up, of course.) It was the kind of restaurant that serves $6 hamburgers for $9, but was a nice lunch never-the-less.

Following lunch, we toured the house. Most guests appeared to be opting for the audio-assisted tour — wearing an audio player and headset while touring the house. However, we opted for the self-guided tour, followed by a guided Behind the Scenes tour.

The house itself is simply amazing, and somewhat oversized. That is, everything (except perhaps the servant’s quarters) is big. Some might even say over the top. It is definitely a display of wealth from the turn of the 19th century.

Obligatory Tourist Photo

We were among the first to arrive in the morning, and among the last to leave at night. (Our parking lot was virtually empty when we returned.) We did not tour the winery or the farm, or visit the inn which has been added to the grounds. There’s definitely much to see and do!

Biltmore House definitely worth a visit when you are in the Asheville area.

As faithful readers will have already surmised, after visiting Charleston, South Carolina, we travelled to Asheville, North Carolina.

On the way, however, we returned to Dillard, Georgia, for a night. We attended the mid-camp harp concert on Saturday night and church at the Head of Tennessee Baptist Church again on Sunday morning. Then we left for Asheville for our stay at the Wildberry Lodge.

Asheville has been described as a Southern version of San Francisco or Santa Fe. I think Santa Fe is a closer match, though Asheville doesn’t have the flexible prices that many of the stores in Sante Fe use. The downtown stores and art galleries also reminded me of Breckenridge, Colorado.

Asheville has also been described as welcoming and progressive. It wasn’t uncommon to see dogs (leashed, of course) in public, and there were several downtown stores that catered to dogs (and cats, too, I suppose). Gourmet dog biscuits, for instance, were readily available. Other “progressive” sights were less common, but still available.

We arrived on Sunday and were guided by our GPS directly to the Wildberry Lodge. Our Monday started with a trip to Asheville Mall for a quick visit with an eye doctor, and then we headed to the downtown shopping and arts district. Unlike most downtown areas, which are devoted to offices, the Asheville downtown area is devoted to shopping, art galleries and eating. It covers a several block area, which means that we walked quite a bit. There was more to cover than we could do in one afternoon, so we returned on Tuesday to finish the job.

Some of our favorite stores:

• Alexander & Lehnert Fine Jewelry — most of the jewelry in this store was handcrafted by either Michelle Alexander or Bill Lehnert, a husband and wife team. Mr. Lehnert’s pieces often included large, spectacular stones. (One ring was marked at $44,000.) Many upscale jewelry stores are staffed by snooty people that don’t make browsers feel welcome. Not so here! The young lady in the store was very friendly and very happy to show us the fine jewelry on hand. She obviously appreciated it herself and wanted to share it with others. It was a refreshing experience.
• Mast General Store — featured some tourist stuff upstairs, but mostly clothing. The downstairs included hiking and camping gear, which I love to look at even though I rarely hike and am not fond of camping. (I tell myself that I would like camping if I had the opportunity to hike up into a secluded area and camp where no one had camped before.)
• Topps for Shoes — easily the largest shoe store that we’ve ever been in. There were so many shoes that if you were actually shopping for a pair of shoes, the number of choices available would be nearly overwhelming!

Outside of Mast General Store, a group of what appeared to be long-haired, unshaven men wearing camouflage pants and assorted T-shirts were hanging out. One asked me: “Surveys have shown that 90% of Canadian students cannot locate their state on the map. Do you think that’s the fault of schools?” I said “no” and kept walking. But a few minutes later, we walked by again, so I asked him, “Do you know what percentage of US students cannot identify the province they live in on a map?” It took him a moment to get it, but when he did, we had a nice (though fairly brief) conversation.

The downtown Asheville area offers many dining choices. We asked for a pizza recommendation, and were sent to Barley’s. On the way there, we passed a noodle shop (called The Noodle Shop) and decided to eat there the next day (which we did). Both were good, and I’d definitely eat at The Noodle Shop again. One delightful feature of The Noodle Shop, as well as many of the downtown eateries, is an outdoor, shaded eating area. On this trip, whenever we’ve had the opportunity to eat outside (in the shade), we’ve taken it. It’s turned out to be something that we truly enjoy.

While in Asheville, we also took a day trip to Black Mountain and Montreat, which I’ve previously written about. We also toured the Biltmore Estate, which I’ll write about in another article.

While in Black Mountain, North Carolina, we drove two miles north to Montreat.

It turns out that Montreat is home to one thing that I knew of, and one that I did not. Montreat is the home of both Billy Graham and Montreat College.

The college campus is beautiful, with stone buildings nestled into the hills. The college also includes the Chapel of the Prodigal, which features a mural by . Since school wasn’t in session, we were able to see the chapel and mural.

Black Mountain, North Carolina is a small, scenic town about 15 minutes from Asheville.

Three things stand out from our day trip to Black Mountain. The first is One Fly Outfitters, a fly fishing store. I’m not a fly fisherman, or even a non-fly fisherman, but I enjoy stores like this. What made this one especially interesting was the friendly lady that worked there. We talked about fly fishing, hiking, what to see on our trip back to Dillard, and even the flood back home in Cedar Rapids. One Fly Outfitters offers a floating fly fishing trip, where they teach you how to fly fish while you’re floating down a stream. It sounds like a lot of fun, and I’d like to try it if we are ever in this area again.

The second thing that stood out was a small music store that sold hammer dulcimers, ranging in price from about $500 to about $3500. We didn’t know much (OK, we didn’t know anything) about hammer dulcimers before going in, but now we know something about them.

And, finally, there’s Veranda’s, a small cafe on Cherry Street. When you go to Black Mountain, plan to eat at Veranda’s.

During our stay in Asheville, North Carolina, we’ve been staying at Wildberry Lodge, a bed and breakfast inn in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Wildberry Lodge

This is our first experience staying at a bed and breakfast inn, and it’s been wonderful. Each morning begins with a three course breakfast prepared at the inn, and each day usually ends with quiet time in the lodge’s great room.

The Wildberry Lodge Great Room

The view out our window, and from nearly any vantage at Wildberry Lodge, is spectacular.

View from Wildberry Lodge

The sun sets over the mountain before it sets over the horizon. This can make some dramatic pictures, but clouds are necessary to help bring in the color.

Sunset at Wildberry Lodge

Sunset at Wildberry Lodge

If you’re looking for a quiet and peaceful place to stay, just a few minutes from Asheville, then this is it!

We’ve nearly completed our three days and four nights in Charleston, South Carolina. While here, we have enjoyed many tours.

On our first morning here, we took a carriage tour ($20) through the historic district. The carriage tour was highly recommended by a local artist, Lee Johnson, in Clayton, Georgia. The carriage was covered and pulled by a 2000 pound, 20-year old horse, who is expected to live a natural life of 10-15 more years. Since we toured in the morning, our carriage wasn’t jam packed, making it a comfortable ride. We learned that each carriage is assigned a route when it leaves the staging area, so until you actually leave on a carriage, you’re not sure where it will take you. Our tour took us down King Street, Market Street, and Church Street plus into some residential areas. While the tour wasn’t as good as the trolley tour we took in Savannah, it did introduce us to some of the history and the geography of the historical district. However, the tour lasted only an hour and was one of the more expensive tours. While it was good to take the tour once, I don’t think we’d repeat it.

Edmondston-Alston House ($10) — the lot for this home was purchased in the 1810s for $4500, when it was still swampland. (According to one inflation calculator, that’s about $55,000 of today’s dollars.) After the sea wall was built, the home was built in 1825 for the Edmondston family. Within a few years, it was sold to the Alston family, and has been in the Alston family ever since. The furnishings in the home are actual family pieces, which made this a very historically accurate tour. Though the home is less than 200 years old (!), it was pretty amazing. The home was built in the federal style, which means that there were four rooms per floor, with a hall running through the center of the house in both directions. So, the rooms are in the four corners, and cross shaped halls runs through the middle. It was a beautiful home on a beautiful location.

Calhoun Mansion ($15) — the Calhoun Mansion has an interesting history. As soon as the 1990s, it was empty and in a state of disrepair. It was purchased from the city for $220,000 (more or less) and about $5,000,000 later it was restored into an impressive structure again. Around 2003, it was sold for (we heard) about 4.5 million dollars. The 24,000 square feet in this home is filled with marvelous woodwork and the current owners many collections. It is not furnished in a historical fashion, so while the house may be historical, the interior is not. Don’t visit this house expecting to see it furnished as it might have been years ago, but do expect to see some awesome woodwork. (One local commented that the current owner “ruined the home”, though this local was also thankful that it had been saved from condo developers.)

Nathaniel Russell House ($10) — this tour had the best guide, Miss Jane, a former school teacher, who encouraged us all to be lodestars. If you ever take this tour, be sure to ask for Miss Jane. But back to the home. Completed in 1808, this home features an open staircase (which makes it similar to my parents’ home in Missouri). This makes the Nathaniel Russell home a little older than the Edmondston-Alston home. It is also different in that Mr. Russell used means to make the home look more expensive than it was. For instance, instead of mahogany doors (expensive), he used pine doors painted to look like mahogany. Instead of a plaster medallion above the stairwell, he had a medallion painted onto the ceiling. From the first floor, you can’t tell the difference!

Aiken-Rhett House ($10) This tour differs from the others in four significant ways. First, unlike the other homes, the Aiken-Rhett House is being preserved, rather than restored. This means that no effort has been made to restore the house to its original condition. Instead, it is being preserved in its current state. So, for instance, some rooms have many layers of paint, showing the evolution of the wall cover. Also unlike the other tours, this tour is self-guided with an iPod shuffle-like audio player. The narrator walks you from room to room and explains what is being seen. The third difference is that this home was located not in historic Charleston, but in suburban Charleston. (Or, what was at that time suburban!) And finally, this home included tour segments of the separate kitchen and wash rooms and the slave quarters.

Charleston Church Tours ($20) — by far the best tour that we took, this 2-1/2 hour walking tour was led by C. Preston Cooley. We visited six different historic churches in historic Charleston and went inside four of them. Preston discussed the architecture and history of each church building, and the history of some of its members. Given the duration and qualify of this tour, it should cost more than it does. The church tour Web site lists the churches and includes pictures of each. (Preston — in the unlikely event that you read this, then here’s my advice: your tour is worth more than the $20 you charge, especially compared to the other tours.)

Updated on Friday, July 11

While in Charleston, South Carolina, I’ve been enjoying the fresh seafood. Meanwhile, Lu has been enjoying salads.

On our first night here (Tuesday), we went to Fleet Landing, a casual restaurant on Charleston’s waterfront. We arrived about six, and asked to sit outside. At that time of night, all of the outdoor seating was in the shade, and a brisk wind was blowing off of the water. So, even though the temperature was in the upper 80′s, it was very pleasant.

Eating in the Wind

I was disappointed to learn that the shrimp cakes — something I’ve never had but which sound interesting — were only available once a week — at lunch on Tuesday. So, while I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy shrimp cakes, I opted for fried shrimp and scallops.

Shrimp and Scallops

Whenever I eat shrimp, I am reminded that Jesus declared all food clean. That often leads me to remember that I am declared clean by Jesus as well!

The shrimp and scallops were excellent. The scallops were especially good. They were large and had a pleasing texture — firm, but not rubbery.

Wednesday night, we tried Bubba Gump, another casual restaurant that offers outdoor seating. Again, I opted for the crustacean family, and selected the Sweat Chili Shrimp. The shrimp were grilled, and served with a pineapple salsa. It was delicious.

Sweet Chili Shrimp

After dinner, Lu and I walked from the market area to the battery and some lots of beautiful homes. (I’ll write more on that later.) Following our walk, we returned to Bubba Gump for dessert. I selected the Key Lime Pie, and Lu selected the Strawberry Shortcake. The Key Lime Pie was fine, but I should have taken a picture of the shortcake. It covered an entire dinner plate. Lots of shortcake, two large scoops of vanilla ice cream, strawberries and strawberry sauce, plus whipped cream. You can imagine what Lu said when it arrived!

Thursday we visited Joe Pasta for lunch. Oddly, though we arrived at 11:45, the restaurant was empty. One other family came in during our meal, but that was it. The day before we’d eaten lunch at Moe’s, which was jam-packed. (At Moe’s, you are welcomed with a yell when you come in. It took quite a while for me to decipher that the phrase was “Welcome to Moe’s.” I thought it was “Close the door!”) So, we were surprised to find that Joe Pasta wasn’t similarly swamped. Lu enjoyed a baked chicken penne dish, and I enjoyed the lasagna. It was a nice break from seafood, but only for a day. From where we sat, we could see the chef preparing the fresh food.

On Friday after the immensely enjoyable church tour, we had low country food at Poogan’s Porch. I returned to the seafood theme, and tried something new — Shrimp and Grits. It included shrimp and grits, of course, but also onions, peppers, sausage, and a ham and crab gravy. It offered lots of flavors and textures. I’m not sure I would eat it every day, but I was glad to try something new.

These are just four of the many restaurants in historic Charleston. There are certainly many more left to try!