NC Eatin’: Sampson County

Thursday, September 20, 2007
Gracie’s Grille
123 Vance Street
Clinton, NC

On Thursday, I drove about 16 miles south of I-40 to Clinton for a work related matter. Clinton is a sleepy little town that serves as the county seat and has a population of less than 10,000. Clinton’s most famous resident (that I’ve heard of anyway) is Lauch Faircloth, the hog farmer who served one term in the U.S. Senate in the 1990s and was then defeated by Democrat John Edwards. What I saw of Sampson County is exactly what I’d expected from rural Eastern North Carolina – cotton and tobacco fields, some trailers and run-down homes with some nicer ones mixed in. The land is beautiful, but the air is sometimes stinky from a meat packing plant.

I had been to Clinton on Monday for work but didn’t have time to do anything other than grab something from McDonald’s. Today’s visit provided me with an opportunity to visit a local establishment. I was waiting my turn when we broke for lunch. Although I was disappointed that a one hour thing was going to consume my entire day, I was also glad to have the time in Clinton. I’d spotted a little grill just across the street when I’d parked, so I headed over to see if it looked good. I knew as soon as I peeked inside that I was in for a treat. Everyone in the place seemed local – and comfortable. Most of the diners were wearing comfy jeans and big t-shirts. I was the only suit in the place.

It’s a hole in the wall kind of place. The kitchen is part of the main area, with a counter area, some booths, and a few tables for the patrons. The air conditioning either wasn’t working or wasn’t on, so it was pretty warm from the grill. The options weren’t vast, but everything sounded good to me – burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and homemade pie. I took a stool at the counter and ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and pecan pie. When I pronounced it “peh-cahn” pie, the waitress repeated it back as “pee-can” pie. Hilarious! The pecan pie was decent, the fries very good, and the cheeseburger amazing. I had no qualms telling the fellow manning the grill that I very much enjoyed my lunch there. My first official meal of my quest was a success. I hope the rest will be as much fun.

 

Mission: NC Eatin’

While interviewing to hire a new assistant at work, I met a guy who came up with and executed a grand plan: he had eaten in each of the counties in North Carolina. As a huge North Carolina enthusiast myself, I decided this was a mission I should take on myself. The rules I set for myself are simple: visit each county, eat in each county at a local restaurant, take a photograph of something bearing the county’s name, take a photograph of myself wherever I eat, and keep track of my visits. I also decided that, since I live in Wake County, I should have to kick off this mission in a county other than Wake. I thought about putting a time limit on this mission, but I think I’ll enjoy it more if there’s no pressure to complete my visits.

P.S. If you can come up with a better name for my mission, please let me know!
P.P.S. To track my progress, click on “about me” to see where I’ve been so far.

Mission: Century Club

I think it was my best friend Ami who mentioned this club to me. Now one of my goals is to become a member of the Travelers’ Centry Club before I die. From their website, the club explained:

Membership in the Travelers’ Century Club (TCC) is limited to those travelers who have visited one hundred or more countries of the world. It was first organized in Los Angeles in 1954 by a group of the world’s most widely traveled people. The idea has attracted the interest of the world travelers everywhere and we now have members throughout the world, as well as the United States.

In the Country List, you will find TCC’s official list of 317 “countries,” updated June 2007, along with an application form for prospective members. In the Events Calendar you will find information about upcoming meetings. Click on TCC Tours for details about some highly interesting escorted journeys designed for the unusual traveler. If you would like to become a TCC member, click Join the Club for information about membership requirements and dues.

To date, I’ve visited 19 “countries.”