please speak directly into the human’s mouth

Had a lazy morning and a late breakfast… Watched Blue’s Clues with little Jessie and colored. She seems to really like her three weird uncles… I sprinkled her with water from the kitchen sink and she dashed out of the room and returned with her umbrella… I taught her the word “rain. She ran around the rest of the morning with her umbrella open and saying “Rain!” whenever anyone used the sink. I’m tickle and touched I got to teach her a word. A CD filled with cliché “rain-songs” is in order.

Spent the afternoon taking back roads and driving past important landmarks from Kevin’s childhood en-route to his brother’s house. We’re “technically” in Canton which you could consider a “rualish” suburb of Akron – which could be considered an “urbanish” suburb of Cleveland.

On our afternoon journey we had to do our ritual stop for a burger at Swenson’s. While I still hold to my affirmation that Ohio folks don’t know what real pizza is, they DO know, (and have mastered) the hamburger.

There are two chains in this region: Skyway and Swensons. They’re both similar… I think Skyways are “cooler” for their 50’s modern architecture which has survived decades of pressure to re-brand and update. Most of their locations are untouched, their 50’s modern fabulousness intact. No drive-thrus

We stop and I document one, but we hold our appetites for Swenson’s which has the superior burger.

Local culinary lore states that the man who started Swenson’s was originally a partner of Skyway and a falling out caused him to break off and start his own restaurant. Thanks to some insider info from a member of Kevin’s family, I found out what their “secret” is: They mix powdered sugar into their meat.

Their signature menu item is called a “Galley Boy”. Starting from the bottom up: Bun, sweet chili sauce, burger patty, cheese, burger patty, cheese, tarter sauce, bun – all wrapped in plain white paper and speared with a spanish olive through a toothpick…. ABSOLUTELY SUBLIME!

Unfortunately they don’t franchise and there’s probably no chance these burger-masters will ever go national. so… to experience one, you pretty much have to drive to Akron, OH.

I should blog about this – but going for a Galley Boy encore sounds like a better idea.