Quote of the Week- Alexandre Dumas

Our quote of the week comes from the late French novelist Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) who is best-known for his two famous novels "The Three Musketeers" and "The Count of Monte Crisco."

I think this quote exemplifies the reasons why Donald Trump could never become a manager of a Taco Bell in Trenton, NJ, as it is he is a real germophone (according to a "Rolling Stone" interview published earlier this year) as it is.

Here is the quote:

"It is almost as difficult to keep a first class person in a fourth-class job, as it is to keep a fourth class in a first class job."

SIDEBAR: There was a commercial a few years ago for American Express where Donald Trump went into a dumpster to look for his wallet (yes, it is pick-on-Donald Trump day). As it turns out, there is an environmental activist in Los Angeles named Jeremy Seifert who is engaging in dumpster diving, which is a way to dig into dumpsters to get out potentially recyclable materials. Seifert wrote and directed a film about his experiences and his compatriots in the dumpster-diving venture for a documentary film called "Dive!" Apparently, much to his surprise, Seifert found a high amount of good, edible food in these dumpsters. The film will be screening next on Thurs., July 28, at Internationalist Books in Chapel Hill, NC.

Things We Learned from Twitter Last Night- Israel is the Best Place to Get a Kidney

Those of you not hip to this blog may be confused by my twisted sense of humor, but while Tel Aviv may not be the best place to find that antique pipe organ you saw on the Kansas City episode of "Antiques Roadshow" (which airs on PBS here in the USA), it is apparently the best place for organ donations in the world according to an article in "The Jerusalem Post."

Through a tweet from the newspaper, I learned late last night that Israel is first in soliciting organ donations according to the article by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich.

The nation's Donor Action Foundation, founded in 1998, has been an international leader with 600 successful identifications of potential organ donors last year.

Israel is also a leader in preserving donated organs according to the article.

SIDEBAR_ If one wants to find an antique organ, one good place might be The Strasburg Emporium in Strasburg, Va. While visiting the town for the first time in years this week, I also discovered Cristina's Cafe which will be celebrating its second anniversary on Saturday.

SIDEBAR TWO_ If you are not a recipient of a liver transplant and you can pretty much eat whatever you want (a habit I am trying to break though I'm not carrying a dead teenage girl's organs), then you may want to try one of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries establishments in Greensboro, NC.

My friend Brian Clarey, the editor and food critic of "Yes Weekly!" in Greensboro recently reported that the diner at Friendly Center, one of three Five Guys places in the Triad (a national chain with 550 locations, including one in my hometown of Salem, Va., that started in the Washington DC-area a mere eight years ago) serves up a delicious burger as well as scrumptious French fries made from potatoes from a farm in Rigby, Idaho.

We presume that Brian has not had a recent organ transplant either, but if we has we will apologize for the oversight in advance!

Roanoke's Texas Tavern Turns 80!

Amazingly enough, even though Roanoke, Va., is my hometown, and I have walked by the Texas Tavern at least 120 times, I have never actually been inside the landmark establishment--- not even to try their famous chilli!

The restaurant, located on 114 Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke, celebrated its 80th anniversary on Feb. 13. The restaurant was founded on that day in 1930 by Isaac Newton Bullington, who once worked for Ringling Bros-Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Bullington took a chile recipe from a San Antonio hotel, and diners have been steadily coming in ever since.

According to the Texas Tavern's web site, celebrities who have stopped have included The Three Stooges and Glen Miller.

The Texas Tavern is known as "The Millionaires' Club" by locals which is a bit ironic since the food is quite inexpensive. Hamburgers and hot dogs both sell for $1.25 and a pint of chilli goes for $3.25 while a sausage sandwcih goes for $1.10.

There was another Texas Tavern in Lynchburg, Va., but it became difficult for the Bullington family to manage both of them.

Today, the restaurant is run by Matt Bullington, the fourth-generation owner of the diner.

His father and previous owner Jim Bullington told "The Roanoke Star-Sentinel" that as was the case in the 1930s, The Texas Tavern's cheap prices allow folks to eat out even during a bad recession.