Alachua Together

Yes, it has been forever since I have posted here, but it’s free for everyone who cares to, so I don’t want to hear about it.

But what I do want to hear about, in the comments section if you like, is how much you like your favorite local barbecue restaurant.

Personally, I love the barbecue at Pearl Country Store in Micanopy. Yes, it’s a gas station and convenience store on South 441, but the meat there is the best I have had in Alachua County. And you get plenty of it. I usually get the pork sandwich, and I have to pick up a fork and keep eating until what’s left fits on the bun. It is delicious! No pig ever died for as good a cause!

Warning: the hot BBQ sauce is HOT. If you like that kind of thing, get it. If you are just curious, get it on the side.

Note: you can buy a canned or bottled beer and have it with your lunch or dinner. It’s way cheaper than the beer you buy at a regular restaurant.

I also like the barbecue at Adam’s Ribs. They don’t seem to have their own web site, but this is the link to their menu at GatorFood.

Adam’s is at the other end of 441, near the corner of NW 13 St. and 23rd Av. If it looks like a donut shop to you, it’s because it’s located at the old Mister Donut. It’s not quite as good as Pearl’s, in my experience, but we did takeout BBQ ribs from there once, and they were just about the best we’d ever had. So, since I live just a couple of traffic lights from it, I will likely eat there more often than I would at Pearl’s.

Weigh in, people!

The Leash-Free Zone!

I used to take my dog, Samson, to this park a few years ago, when we lived much closer to it. Samson was a 100 pound beast who could hold his own, and he enjoyed romping around in this park with 50 other dogs. The animals were well-behaved, the people were polite, and the space was vast. There were bags for people to pick up dog poop and a can to throw it in.

Location of Squirrel Ridge Park

Fast forward to 2008, and Samson is no longer with us. I now own a chihuahua named Plato, and I fully expected him to boss all the other dogs around. He has a big attitude, but he was a bit overwhelmed. He seemed to enjoy the idea of being with all these dogs, but then they started to chase him. He did not like being “the toy” one little bit, and he was soon snarling and baring his teeth at any dog that came near.

There was a fenced off area for smaller dogs, but not everyone observes this, and there is no oversight. One of the regulars, who told us that our dog might be happier in there, was the same person who let in a couple of huge dogs right in front of us.

I also noticed that some owners do not observe the self-policing aspect of dog poop. Changing this would require that the regulars create a culture of accountability. So, if you have a burning desire to be the poop police, you are needed here. If you have a live and let live attitude toward poop, it would still be appreciated if you were one of the thoughtful people. And you might want to bring your own bags, just in case.

Until other people figure out what this is all about, I will write about the places I visit here in Gainesville.

Satchel's

My wife and I were on our way back from the launch of the Endeavor and I was in a picture taking mood. We stopped at Satchel’s Pizza, and it was my very first time. I’ve heard all about it, and I’ve seen the bumper stickers everywhere. For an anti-corporate pizza place, it is incredibly well branded.

I had read about the Satchel’s Salad in the Gainesville Sun, and it sounded like my kind of thing: lots of nuts, seeds, apple slices and crumbled cheese. We got that and a slice of pepperoni pizza for each of us. The pizza had an unidentifiable herbal flavor and the crust was thin and very crispy around the edges. The slices were large and satisfying, and were $3.50 each. Plenty of salad for two was about $6.95.

But the draw for me to come back is the funky decor and the attached gift shop, which could almost get it own posting, but they are too much alike. The walls of the dining room are covered with art and framed photos for sale by local talent. The ceiling is festooned (and there is no better place to use this word) with mobiles and wind chimes. The tables all have a number except for two. Mine was one of them, and its name was “Waldo”. All the tables are also lit with unmatched lamps that were liberated from yard sales, as were the dishes, presumably.

The Dining Car

Then it gets weird. The music playing is someone’s eclectic playlist that is made up of obscure tunes by less obscure artists. When we came in, I believe that was Jim Reeves singing, “The Old Rugged Cross”. That was followed by a Van Morrison song which I could not identify.

The gift shop next store is also part junk museum. Some people have lent their personal collections to the store as some sort of public service. I saw two separate collections of antique Thermos bottles, and a stunning collection of Pez candy dispensers.

Satchel’s appears to be Gainsville’s answer to “South of the Border”. It’s got good food, kitchy decorating, unique gifts and an atmosphere that transports you to a time and place you forgot because you were stoned at the time. There are bands in the evening when they can get them, art works in progress, a kiddie playground, and a small bocce ball court. You can find this gem at 1800 NE 23rd Ave., just before Waldo Road.

The sign, seen from the west

The gift shop and band flyers on the left

A feast for the senses

If the owners want to blog here and tell us what bands are playing and when, all they have to do is sign up.