Exploring the NE Georgia mountains!

Happy 2021, y'all! 

I know - it's been forever.  I'm going to be better about posting in 2021!   

It's been a hard 14 months.  But I'm digging my way out and moving forward. 

Today I am going to share a super-fun place to have lunch in the NE Georgia mountains. 

I first heard about Fenders Diner in Cornelia, GA on Facebook.   I checked out the menu online and knew it was a place I wanted to try.    My friend Katherine came to visit in January from Houston, Texas.  I love when she comes to visit because we stay on the go most of her visits! 

Here we are being goofballs on Snapchat - we have such fun times together! 

This particular day started in my little town at one of our antique stores.  So many cool things to see (and buy!) there.   

Next we headed up to the Amish store in Homer, GA.  It's about 45 minutes from me, but SO worth the drive.  They have every spice you can imagine, in bulk. They sell the marshmallows from Lucky Charms in large bags - yum!! They sell Amish popcorn, jellies, preserves, sauces and more.  Plus there is a deli/meat counter where you can get a sub to go, brisket burgers, and other fresh meat and seafood.  Don't get me started on the Amish butter and cheese!! And chilled sodas in glass bottles that you don't usually find everywhere - like Cheerwine, one of our faves!  They have a nice selection of soup and dip mixes too.  And a few personal care items like CBD oil, natural remedies, and Amish soap.   It's a little bit of everything, and one of my favorite places to shop.  The prices can't be beat, either. 

This gem is called David and Katie's Amish Store, and it is located at 969 Historic Homer Highway, in Homer.  Click here for their Facebook page. They post specials, changes in hours, etc. there, so give them a look before you head up to Homer. 

A few of the goodies I got on this trip.  The dehydrated cantaloupe chunks were amazing.

After we left David and Katie's, we headed up to Cornelia.  Despite living in Georgia for all of my adult life,  I haven't ventured up to this corner of the state much.  We loved seeing Cornelia. It's your typical all-American small town.  And Fender's is the cutest retro diner - both inside and out! 

We started with the Hot Southern Mess appetizer - crispy french fries, topped with sausage gravy, cheese, bacon and jalapenos (we got those on the side). YUM! 

I decided to try the Rockin Chicken - it's a Nashville Hot fried chicken breast served on a huge 1/2 lb cheddar cathead biscuit.  I asked for a side of ranch, and I chose their grits for my side.  They were the best grits ever - super creamy and delicious.  The chicken was HOT and perfect! 

Katherine chose the Southern Lovin' - a Southern fried chicken breast served with a mac n cheese waffle and sauteed green beans.  I only got a pic of that waffle! She said it was all wonderful! 

The service was good and we enjoyed our visit to Fenders.  I'll definitely go back!

Fenders is located at  631 Irvin Street, Cornelia GA 30531.  They have a website and a FB page, too. 

Mural near Fenders in Cornelia, GA 

Nice views looking down from Cornelia.

More from downtown Cornelia. 

We ended our day by heading down 985 to Jaemor Farms store in Lula, GA.  We picked up some fried pies and other delicious treats before heading home.  

We had some other fun experiences while Katherine was here, and I'll try to add those here soon! 

What's your favorite Diner, wherever you live? I LOVE Diners! Leave me a comment, maybe I'll get to try it one day!

Y'all take good care, and thanks for stopping by! 

Dazzle Dogs restaurant in Lawrenceville, GA #Dazzledogs

David and I found the funnest, most unique place to eat a few months ago!

Dazzle Dogs is tucked next to a gas station on Braselton Highway in Lawrenceville, Ga.  It's a small place, and you'll want to either order ahead by phone, or be ok with waiting.  You will wait for a while! But trust us, the food is worth the wait!

They have some really cool gourmet hot dog options here.  My favorite is the St. Bernard - a hot dog with chili, cheese and fritos!  The Georgia Bulldog is topped with pulled pork, coleslaw and barbeque sauce.  Yum!  The fries are hand cut and absolutely delicious!  They also make hamburgers, hoagies and Philly cheesesteaks, plus wings.

St. Bernard Dog 

But the real claim to fame at Dazzle Dogs are the Dazzle shakes.  They are massive, completely overflowing with the most amazing treats.  David got the Oreo Dazzle Shake and oh. my. goodness! It's $11.99 and you will agree it's worth every penny.  They come in plastic cups so you can take it to go if you need to.  (You will!)

This oreo shake also has mini oreos embedded in frosting covered with oreo crumbs on the rim of the cup, oreos, marshmallows, a big slice of oreo cheesecake AND behind that, a giant Oreo ice cream sandwich.  Plus an oreo milkshake under it all!! 

We took a few pics - but you've GOT to check them out for yourself!! Like I said, be prepared to wait.  We waited over 30 minutes for our fries and hot dog, and almost an hour for the milkshake.  But we knew from reviews that there would be a wait, so we were prepared for it! I said it before, but it really is worth waiting for - delish, unique food will be your reward!

Go here to see the menu and ways you can customize the Dazzle shakes!

Dazzle Dogs is located at 1925 Braselton Highway in Lawrenceville, Ga.  They are open every day except Sunday.  You can find them on Facebook (@Dazzle Dogs restaurant)  and Instagram (@DogDazzle)

If you have been, share your experience in the comments below!!

Delicious food from Talmo Market Grill ~ Talmo, GA

A little over a year ago, my sister, mom and I met for lunch.  They asked me to meet them at Talmo Market Grill.  I had no idea where Talmo was, but I agreed!

Turns out that Talmo is not that far from my neck of the woods in NE Gwinnett county.  It's a sleepy little place that feels like the middle of nowhere, yet it only takes me about 20 minutes to get there.

Located across the street from the railroad tracks, you can either park in the small parking area, or over by the tracks.  Get there early - this is a small place and you might have to wait on a table otherwise!

The food here is simple and delicious - burgers rule the menu, (hand formed and made with grass-fed TALMO RANCH beef) but they also offer other items like chicken salad, pimento cheese, BLTs, Frito pie, or salads.  Sides include fries, potato salad, pasta salad or chili.

For dessert, there are daily specials, plus shakes, floats and rice krispie treats.

There are a few tables at the front of the restaurant, where you will place your order.  There are more in the back room, down the hall.   The building is older, and the decor is vintage to match.  It's such a comfy, cozy place to eat!

I've had a burger there, which was delicious.  The chicken salad has become my favorite thing, though!  The fries are freshly cut, hot and so good!  My sister has had salads and a burger there and they were both great.  My mom loves the burgers, too.

We shared a dessert on one visit, I think it was a cherry turnover ala mode.  It was perfect!!

Burger with pimento cheese - yum!! 

my sister's salad - she topped it with a burger patty

They also offer breakfast and it's as good as you'd imagine!! Biscuits are huge and filled with eggs, bacon or sausage - the perfect start to your day.  We got there when they opened and that was a great time to be there - it was filling up by the time we left! 

the back dining room 

Order at the front counter 

Check this board for dessert options and daily specials! 

Talmo Market Grill is located at 558 Main St. Talmo, Georgia and their hours are 7 am to 2 pm, every day but Sunday. (Closed on Sunday!)  UPDATE:  They are closed the week of July 4th, 2019! Reopening on July 8

Check out their Facebook page here!

Have you been to Talmo Market Grill?  Tell me what your favorite thing is there!

A little taste of Hawaii in Georgia - Truett's Luau Chick-fil-A

The kids and I have taken so many day trips around Georgia over the years. I have thousands of pictures on my laptop, so I'm going to work hard to get these here on the blog this summer!

One of our favorite discoveries was Truett's Luau in Fayetteville!  It was opened by Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy in 2013, when he was 92.  This was his last project, and he put his heart and soul into it! He handpicked most every piece of decor, and he tested menu items as they were developed so that he could be sure a little bit of Hawaii was brought to Fayetteville, Georgia through the menu at this restaurant.

At 8000 square feet, this is a MASSIVE Chick-fil-A!  And it's beautiful - inside and out.   There are tropical plants, beautiful furniture, even ukeleles to take and play at your table!  This is the coolest place to spend time with your family, enjoying amazing food and a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.

Choose to eat in the fast food dining room on your left, which is like any Chick-fil-A, or choose table service in the beautiful dining room to your right! We've only eaten in the table service side, which is pictured above.  It's bright, airy and absolutely lovely in there! Some of the tables are made of the most beautiful wood, as shown in the last picture.  That picnic-style table with benches is huge!

The menu has your favorite CFA items, but it also offers amazing Hawaiian specialties.   Appetizers include Calamari, Hawaiian Pork Nachos, and Tropical Nuggets (in an awesome sweet chili sauce!)

Appetizer Sampler with Lava Rocks, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries and Tropical Nuggets 

Hawaiian Pork Nachos 

For your entree, you can try a Kalua Pork plate, Mahi Mahi, Maui Shrimp or even Teriyaki Chicken!

They even have a burger!! The Luau burger is topped with fresh pineapple, bacon and colby jack cheese on a King's Hawaiian bun. Yum!! Or try an Awapui BBQ chicken sandwich or a Kalua pork sandwich.  So many choices!

Sides include Asian pasta salad, sweet potato waffle fries (my favorite!), pineapple fried rice, and stir-fried vegetables.  They also have the usual CFA salads, plus a Hula chicken noodle bowl.

Desserts here are something special.   Try a Frosted Pineapple (similar to the Frosted Lemonade, but with pineapple juice), or a Pineapple Macadamia milkshake.  Or the King's Hawaiian Bread Pudding, Skillet Cookie or Lava Cake.  Deliciousness!

Outside, the curb appeal is just as great as the decor inside!  Lush greenery, rocks, plus the typical landscaping care that is evident at all Chick-fil-A's make this place look beautiful.

I've gone with my kids, and I've also taken my sweet friend Katherine when she visited from Texas.  The service is perfect and the food is like nothing I've ever had in Georgia.  It's a long drive from NE Gwinnett, but it is surely worth the stressful Atlanta traffic - I promise!  I can't wait til our next visit!

Some of our favorite choices here are the pork nachos, tropical nuggets, teriyaki chicken, those delicious sweet potato waffle fries, and the frosted pineapple!!  Everything we have tried is delicious and freshly cooked to order.  If you have time to make that drive, you've absolutely GOT to give Truett's Luau a try!!

Their address is: 600 West Lanier Ave., Suite 103
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(770) 461-5828

The website is here.  You can see the menu items here!
Thanks for stopping by!


Have you been to Truett's Luau?  If so, what did you think?  What is your favorite item on the menu?

Let a robot serve you lunch at Big Bang Pizza!

My son just completed his first year of high school, so yesterday we went out to celebrate!

I saw Big Bang Pizza on Good Day Atlanta several months ago, and put it on my list of places to check out.  So glad we did!

Located at 3043 Buford Highway in Brookhaven, the building is in the back of a parking lot, sort of behind another building.  We missed it the first go round and had to u-turn and go back.  When we walked inside, we were greeted by a small robot named Pepper.  She is adorable, and you can choose different things for her to do from the tablet on her chest.  She can tell you a story, dance for you, or even take a selfie with you!

Order at the counter, and then pick a seat and put your number on the table.  A few minutes later, one of the larger server robots will deliver your food on a tray right to your table!

The dining room is large and bright, and they play fun, upbeat music.  If you order a fountain drink, Jones Soda Company sodas will be your choices!  David got Berry Lemonade and I had Root Beer.  For our lunch, I chose the pizza with a side salad, and he just got pizza. 

My pizza had meatballs, pepperoni and green olives and it was so perfect! Crispy crust, just the way I like it.  My side salad was loaded with veggies and had creamy Italian dressing.  David had cheese pizza and proclaimed it to be amazing! 

Before we left, we refilled our drinks and purchased ice pops from a little freezer by the door.  We both got the Oreo pops and oh my goodness were they ever refreshing!  It was a great lunch at a fun little place!! I hope we can go back again this summer!

Travel - Where to eat in the Outer Banks off-season

I've been home from our trip for two weeks now, and my heart still yearns for the beauty of the Outer Banks.  So to help, I'm revisiting our trip here on the blog!

Because we went during the off-season, a lot of places were closed.  But we were able to find some great places while we were there!

My son and I don't eat seafood, but my husband does.  I researched restaurants online before we went so that I could find places that would have food we would all enjoy!

Our first night, we planned to eat at Barefoot Bernie's.  They were PACKED!  So, we went across the street to a little place called Max's Pizza Co.  So glad we decided to try them out!  The owner was so friendly and told us everything is made homemade from scratch.  My husband ordered a calzone, I tried a club panini, and our son had pizza.  It was delicious! And we shared tiramisu for dessert.  Yum!!  Check them out: https://www.maxspizzaobx.com/Home


The next day we were able to visit Barefoot Bernie's. Yay!! It was as good as the reviews I'd read promised!  We started out with a side of crispy onion tanglers. Delish!  For dinner, I had a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich with fries, my son had a chicken sandwich and my husband had the El Chupacabra tacos. The food here was different and tasted fantastic! The menu has lots of fun offerings, sure to please everyone!

Click on pics to see larger image! 

You can find more about Barefoot Bernie's here! (Literally located right across the street from Max's Pizza Co!)  The vibe here was beachy and fun.  We really enjoyed it!

That's all for today!  Thanks for stopping by! 

Travel - The Outer Banks of North Carolina

We just returned home last week from what turned out to be one of my favorite trips ever!

For Spring Break, my husband, son and I drove from NE Georgia to the Outer Banks. It was about a 10 hour drive without stops, almost 13 for us with stops and a longer break for a BBQ lunch with my Aunt in Wilson, NC.

We stayed in Kill Devil Hills, at the Days Inn Mariner.  It's an older motel, but right on the beach, and the two-bedroom suite was wonderful for our family!  Great wifi and free hot breakfast every morning made this a great choice for us.  And those beach sunrises - ahhhh!

Over the next week or so, I'll share some of our favorite places we discovered.  It was an amazing trip and I cannot wait to go back again!!  I'll leave you with one of the best parts of our vacation - seeing the beautiful Inn at Rodanthe house from the movie Nights in Rodanthe.  It's spectacular in person, y'all!

**This trip was not sponsored in any way, I just loved the places I plan to share with y'all!