RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
The Vintage Diner
- Thread starter NancyNGA
- Start date
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Meanderer
Supreme Member
"At the time of her retirement in 2005, Fran Sullivan estimated that she had cracked 12 million eggs in that diner. She actually sat down one day and figured ..."
Sullivan's Diner
Meanderer
Supreme Member
10 Cooking Tricks Only a Diner Can Teach You
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Great article/recipe for home fries, Meanderer!
The only picture I have of the diner I used to frequent is in my mind;
Mac and Velma’s
Back in the ‘60s,
….before drive thru coffee shop chains,
before anyone knew what a Starbucks was,
a little diner sat at the edge of hwy 30, between Linnton and St Johns, smack dab in the middle of Portland’s northwest industrial section of mostly huge tanks of gas, diesel and oil.
They just opened for breakfast, closing at around 11AM.
Mac was a long retired Marine.
Grey hair in a crew cut, high and tight.
A tattoo on his forearm, not ones like today, just a simple anchor.
Velma was the chief cook and bottle washer.
Didn’t see her much, just heard her, bangin’ pots and pans, flippin’ hotcakes.
Mac was the entertainer and pourer of coffee.
Always wiping his hands on the little bar towel tied to the front of his whiteapron.
White short sleeve shirt.
Stiff collar.
The tiny place was always spick and span.
Simple.
Mostly white and chrome.
A dozen red stools at the wooden counter.
Three padded booths.
‘There he is, last of the all-time greats!’ was his typical greeting of a trucker that pulled his tanker rig into the gravel parking lot.
Of a cold morning, after working all night, I’d stop there, needing a shot ofjoe for the 30 bleary miles to the house.
The coffee was always good.
Back when coffee was just coffee.
They call it ‘house brew’ now.
Mac would yard a plain cake donut outta the glass lidded pedestal container for me with his dinner plate sized hand.
‘How ya doin’ kid?’
I was not an all-time great.
Truckers, gnarly truckers, with gravel for voices, and road maps for faces, they were the all-time greats.
The donut was not sweet, but a saccharine contrast to the java.
I’d listen to Mac’s snappy patter with the truckers.
Sardonic retorts to Mac’s rhetoric was pure entertainment.
Everyone looked forward to the upbeat boost Mac would give them.
It was a good start to another day.
I drove by that spot not long ago.
The little diner is gone.
Mac and Velma may very well have taken it with them.
Last of the all-time greats.
Mac and Velma’s
Back in the ‘60s,
….before drive thru coffee shop chains,
before anyone knew what a Starbucks was,
a little diner sat at the edge of hwy 30, between Linnton and St Johns, smack dab in the middle of Portland’s northwest industrial section of mostly huge tanks of gas, diesel and oil.
They just opened for breakfast, closing at around 11AM.
Mac was a long retired Marine.
Grey hair in a crew cut, high and tight.
A tattoo on his forearm, not ones like today, just a simple anchor.
Velma was the chief cook and bottle washer.
Didn’t see her much, just heard her, bangin’ pots and pans, flippin’ hotcakes.
Mac was the entertainer and pourer of coffee.
Always wiping his hands on the little bar towel tied to the front of his whiteapron.
White short sleeve shirt.
Stiff collar.
The tiny place was always spick and span.
Simple.
Mostly white and chrome.
A dozen red stools at the wooden counter.
Three padded booths.
‘There he is, last of the all-time greats!’ was his typical greeting of a trucker that pulled his tanker rig into the gravel parking lot.
Of a cold morning, after working all night, I’d stop there, needing a shot ofjoe for the 30 bleary miles to the house.
The coffee was always good.
Back when coffee was just coffee.
They call it ‘house brew’ now.
Mac would yard a plain cake donut outta the glass lidded pedestal container for me with his dinner plate sized hand.
‘How ya doin’ kid?’
I was not an all-time great.
Truckers, gnarly truckers, with gravel for voices, and road maps for faces, they were the all-time greats.
The donut was not sweet, but a saccharine contrast to the java.
I’d listen to Mac’s snappy patter with the truckers.
Sardonic retorts to Mac’s rhetoric was pure entertainment.
Everyone looked forward to the upbeat boost Mac would give them.
It was a good start to another day.
I drove by that spot not long ago.
The little diner is gone.
Mac and Velma may very well have taken it with them.
Last of the all-time greats.
Shalimar
SF VIP
- Location
- Vancouver Island Canada
Your story brought tears to my eyes, you can write!
Great story, Gary O'.
Does this look like Velma?
1979 Press Photo Mac and Velma's restaurant. Velma has been waitress for 53 yrs.
eBay listing: "This is an original press photo. Patrolling area behind cafe's 10-stool counter is Velma McKnight, a waitress for 53 years. Photo is dated 11-26-1979."
Link below: (Since it is on eBay, the listing might be removed soon.)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1979-Press-...ma-has-been-waitress-for-53-yrs-/371934178034
never saw her
whoa
danged if that don't look like the counter (I think they all look that way, though)
Portland OR?
I think so. Check out the link. Back of photo has a clipping from the Oregonian.
Meanderer
Supreme Member
I
Am completely stunned
Thank you so much for this find
Now gonna google around to find a pic of Mac, or, 'Everett McKnight'…never knew their last or his first name
This
Is gold
(apologies for any exclusions of recognition, still trying to get a handle on this forum format)
Last edited:
Gonna say no, as I just found out his last name was McKnight and he had a full head of hair at a mature age, but thank you
I so wish I could find this one the listing referenced; 'her husband, Everett "Mac" McKnight, brandishes spatula over eggs'
Meanderer
Supreme Member
Yep
That’s Mac
A bit gnarlier than I recall, but that’s him
Can’t thank you enough, Meanderer
Welcome, Gary!
Man!
That is close (only I don’t put my glasses on my hat or stuff in my shirt pocket)
Still
Kinda creeps me out
Heyyyyyy
Just who are you, anyway?
(goin’back to bed, gonna re-git up…later)
Meanderer
Supreme Member
HA! The caption for the picture reads: "Rick Humphrey digs into a western omelet." I thought he resembled your avatar, a little.Man!
That is close (only I don’t put my glasses on my hat or stuff in my shirt pocket)
Still
Kinda creeps me out
Heyyyyyy
Just who are you, anyway?
(goin’back to bed, gonna re-git up…later)
Vince Lombardi at Sneezer's in Green Bay, WI
"Lombardi often ate breakfast here on his way to the practice field." Note fresh buttermilk sign.
Anyone here like to drink buttermilk? [I never tried it, but anyway.]
(Photo by Frank Bauman for Look magazine, 1960)
"Lombardi often ate breakfast here on his way to the practice field." Note fresh buttermilk sign.
Anyone here like to drink buttermilk? [I never tried it, but
anyway.](Photo by Frank Bauman for Look magazine, 1960)
Meanderer
Supreme Member
The sign also says "Please Pay Cashier".....DUH!Vince Lombardi at Sneezer's in Green Bay, WI
"Lombardi often ate breakfast here on his way to the practice field." Note fresh buttermilk sign.
Anyone here like to drink buttermilk? [I never tried it, but
View attachment 40640
(Photo by Frank Bauman for Look magazine, 1960)
I wonder if the order to his left belongs to the photographer, Frank Bauman?