Roundabout Music Company - Whitesburg, Kentucky

What's the first thing you think of when you hear "Eastern Kentucky"?  What ideas and images leap through the synaptic gaps of your brain when those two beautiful words are bestowed upon your ears?  Rolling hills?  Flowery meadows?  Beautiful women?  Horses?  Cornbread?  Coal?  Ale 8?  VINYL RECORDS?  For those of you that answered "cornbread", nice try, but this time around, we're not delving into the world of hillbilly cuisine.   If your response was "vinyl records" followed by a raised eyebrow (as should have been the case, based on the title and first picture of this blog entry) then good for you! 

In a world thought to be dominated by digital media; a world full of mp3s and Ipods, Spotify accounts and satellite radio, Itunes and Youtube.  In a world where physical media was thought to be 10 stages past dead and forgotten relics of the past...emerges Roundabout Music Company, nestled in the last place on Earth you might would expect such a niche outlet to be located.   I say "might", because to the outside world it may seem a bit strange and out of place...but to the residents of Whitesburg, Kentucky and surrounding areas, a record store finally popping up was inevitable, and all but surprising.  As of a few years ago, Whitesburg has really emerged as a beacon of hope for this area.  It's a very reliant, progressive, unique little town that has taken on a personality all its own.  It was once thought to be dead end and destined to be a ghost town, like so many of our precious townships as of late.  Now, the residents have taken it back, and they've absolutely turned it around, relying on the arts and its own brand of Appalachian History and heritage.  It has become economically self sustaining, and Roundabout is one of many businesses in town that have emerged seemingly out of nowhere, owned and operated primarily by the employees themselves.  It's a business model that's risky, but by golly it's working.  And it's working WELL.

Roundabout opened last Summer, and as a music lover and vinyl collector myself, it was somewhere I knew I had to visit.  The store has 4 owners, one of which is actually the husband of a long time friend of mine by the name of Lacy Hale.  To call Lacy a brilliant artist would be the understatement of the century.  She's making quite a name for herself in the world of folk art, and is a member of several different art related councils and commissions.  Before I start to gush too much and skew off into a tangent, please take a moment and visit her website here.  She's incredible, and she and her husband have been vital assets to transforming Whitesburg into the unique powerhouse that it's becoming.

If you think I'm exaggerating in any way, shape, or form about her artistic abilities, I assure you I'm not.  These photo quality images were hand painted with a brush on the side of a bumpy brick wall in Knott County.

I started collecting vinyl in 2006, during the time, according to various data sources, that vinyl sales were at the lowest in history.  I wasn't just following some random trend.  I started because I missed it.  I missed the art work, I missed the liner notes, I missed the SMELL, I missed the history; the fun of discovering who owned an old forgotten album in some dusty milk crate at an off road yard sale somewhere.   I missed all these things from my childhood...all these things that you simply can't get from digital media.  I just like having something tangible, something that I can enjoy in different ways, creating a multi-sensory experience, and not just an auditory sensation.  With vinyl, I can look, see, feel, smell, AND hear my music.  I might could even taste it, but that would be weird, so I'm not going to do that.  Bottom line; no one has ever walked into my house and said "holy crap, your MP3 collection is sick!  Look at all those files!"  However, with my record collection, it's a whole different story...because there actually IS a story.  It would appear that many other people have shared that same sentiment, because as of 2014, vinyl sales have SOARED, increasing nearly 300% since I started back in '06, and overall sales being the highest since 1991.  It's back, and not even I expected it to happen.


These gentlemen who put all their faith and love into this store, however....they knew.  They knew that their hard work and focus on something they believed in would pay off in so many different ways.  Hats off to them for being such an inspiration to the rest of us.


So, that brings us to Record Store Day, 2015.  April 18th, 2015 to be exact.  Yes there's a Record Store Day, and yes it's like Christmas for us.  We dig it, and we get involved however we can, which includes supporting mom and pop record stores such as Roundabout, and getting our hands on many Record Store Day exclusives, which are released only to stores such as this, and only on this day.  I figured it was as good a time as any to pop in and see what's up.

Awesome.

Awesomer.

More Awesomer.  Seriously, every genre and sub-genre you could possibly think of!

The wall of amazing.

Pretty bustling and busy!

That's actually my cousin Angie who just happened to be there with her back turned to me...but don't tell her I told you that.

YES.

Wait...LOL...what??

Whaaa...??

Ok, this is clearly much more than just a "music store".  This is an eclectic collection of EVERYTHING APPALACHIA.  This is our heritage, our folklore, our customs, and our everything, all rolled into one unique palette of amazingness!  It has already been worth the trip just to look around and all this great stuff, all created by local artists.   

Personalized tote bags are always a nice touch.

...and instruments!  FOLK instruments! 

...and Roundabout Swag!

...and perhaps a little something for myself?  Perhaps a local boy from over in Breathitt that has been proclaimed the "savior of county music" and has received an insane amount of exposure and publicity all over the country?  Yeah, maybe.

Maybe a little more something for myself?  Yeah maybe.

Very cool, an in store performance by a local artist!  I wonder if if this Wayne Graham fellow is any good?

Yep...he is.  Check out this performance!

And check out this dude's shirt.  OOOOO YEAHHHH

and...ohh dear....FREE Ale 8, just for stopping in.  Gracious me.

Roundabout Music Company is a true testament to the Appalachian spirit of never giving in and never giving up.  It's a spirit that endures, whether in the coal fields, in the gardens, in the faces of ignorant media critics, and in the case of successful small businesses.  It's quirky, it's cool, it's independent, it's a nexus of culture, and it was a pure joy getting to finally make a visit.  For music lovers, for art lovers, and for culture junkies, it's a place you must make time for as soon as possible.  I was treated just like family, as expected. It's as if it were more of a social gathering with hosts and guests, than customers at a business.  Now that these folks have opened a few doors, and have provided a platform and venue for local, regional, and even national music acts, things could get even more interesting in our little part of the world pretty quick.  Thanks for reading, and have a great night!

Thanks Lacy :)

For more info on Roundabout Music Company, check their Facebook page out here.

In addition, for more info on Appalshop and WMMT FM, two organizations instrumental to everything I have mentioned in this blog entry, click here and here.

The Moose Cafe & Farmers Market - Greensboro, North Carolina

Made a buddy in Greensboro.

Sometimes, you just have to go outside of your geographic comfort zone, and see what the rest of the world has to offer.  In this case, this tried and true UK fan proudly strutted into enemy territory only a mere days after Duke had won the NCAA championship.  The end result of this is far less climactic than you're probably imagining.  I arrived in Greensboro late Friday night to see an old college friend of mine for the first time in many years, and to FINALLY meet his wife, and daughter, who would be celebrating her first birthday the very next day.  I was overdue for a visit, in other words.  So, there were no pitchforks and angry mobs meeting me at the state line, no 'boos' or 'hisses' as I went through the Triad, and no flaming wads of toilet paper being hurled at my car at any point during my excursion.  North Carolina is actually a beautiful state with a lot of culture and history, and the people there are as nice and welcoming as they are here.  It's a 'home away from home' without a doubt.

I pretty much said hello and crashed when I arrived Friday night.  We got up the next morning, and partied at Barber Park in south Greensboro like any mid-30s crew possibly could for a little girl's first birthday party.  We were lucky the cops weren't called as we ate rainbow unicorn cake.  We wrapped up the day just enjoying each others company, and I went to bed, still exhausted from the trip the night before.  I was awakened the next morning by a loud knock on the bedroom door, followed by a stern "breakfast time!  Get up!!".  I knew right then I was probably in for a treat.

We loaded up the cars (there were actually 9 of us staying there this weekend), and we headed out to what I gathered was probably the best place in the area to get Breakfast; The Moose Cafe.  After a 15 minute journey through some beautiful neighborhoods, we arrived.  I was immediately impressed upon pulling into the parking lot. 

If you squint really hard and believe, you can see the Greensboro Farmer's Market.

The Moose Cafe and the Farmers Market are owned by the same people, and are on the same property.  That means this is a "farm to table" restaurant.  They grow, raise, and harvest their own foods.  That's as fresh as it gets.  I've not even walked through the front doors of this place yet, and I'm already excited.

The front of the restaurant.  Sorry for the vehicles in the way.

Right side of the restaurant.  I couldn't fit it all in one shot no matter how hard I tried.

Small garden and picnic area in front of the main entrance.

Indeed!

We walked in, and clearly seen that the restaurant was packed.  There was a waiting list, and our greeter told us it would be roughly 15 minutes before a group our size could be sat.  Luckily, we were seated in 10.  Our server not only greeted us with a smile and a welcome, but she brought out a basket full of free biscuits....you read that right, at The Moose Cafe, you get complimentary homemade buttermilk biscuits, as well as fresh house recipe Apple Butter. 

Such riches and rewards are only documented in the Bible.

Yes, it was just as good as it looks.  Hot, fresh, and amazing.  The in house apple butter was crisp and sweet, and complimented it perfectly.  I feel I should remind everyone that I haven't even placed my order yet, and haven't paid the least bit of attention to anything else around me.  Once I scarfed this bad boy down, I gave a quick and easy assessment of the cleanliness and ambiance of this place.  For a reminder of how I do this, please refer back to my very first review here. 

Cleanliness:
The Moose Cafe is clearly a place that not only takes pride in its community, but that pride carries over to how well maintained it is.  This place was crazy busy, and the floors were still virtually spotless.  The only thing I could see in the way of clutter was a table where a small child was sitting, and there were crumbs and a straw wrapper underneath.  Our tables and silverware were neat and clean as well.  Everything appeared to be organized, and tidy.  The men's room was out of soap, but that was possibly due to being slammed during brunch hours.  It happens.  Everything else was great.  I saw no posted health department score, but they may not be required to do so in another state.  I didn't really look for one, either.  Very clean, well maintained establishment.
Overall Cleanliness Score:   4.5/5


Ambiance:
In addition to being clean and organized, this place really rocks it in the ambiance department.  The temperature was perfect, and there was country music playing very lightly in the background.  The walls were white, and the waiting area had a small gift shop with locally made products, so you could browse while you wait!  The restaurant itself is divided into two different sections.  As I've said in past reviews, this don't give an awkward feel at all.  This place is big enough that it doesn't feel cramped in the slightest, even with the level of business that was going on at the time.

The 'Right Wing', where we were sitting.

The 'Left Wing', where EVERYONE ELSE was sitting.  Notice the painted mason jars and moose antlers?  Very cool.

Left side of the left wing.  As I said, packed house.

Overall Ambiance Score: 5/5

Only moments later, our server took our orders.  I kept perusing the menu, because at a place like this, it's almost impossible to make a decision.  You KNOW with a farmers market merely feet away, anything that you order is going to be amazing (hopefully).  I would be very, very disappointed at this point if it wasn't.  But, after a couple minutes frantically deciding what I wanted, I eventually settled on what they call "The Biltmore Breakfast".  I'm was assuming this dish was named after The Biltmore Estate, located in Ashville, NC, home to the original Moose Cafe.  (Read more about The Biltmore Estate here.)  It consisted of 3eggs cooked your way, hashbrown casserole, 2 pieces of fresh country ham, 2 pieces of sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, and a "Mo+ose Cake".  The thoughts going through my mind as I ordered this were all over the place.  I was getting hungry too, so thoughts of "how many years is this going to take off my life" were replaced with thoughts similar to "hell with it, I'll worry about that later.  Also, what's a moose cake??"  In only a matter of 8-10 minutes, many of these questions were answered.

OH...MY...........

I don't even know where to begin.  Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?  How do you even start to eat something like this?  Where do you take your first bite?  How do you possibly give an analysis of such a thing??  And that monstrosity on the right?  Is it as big as it looks in the picture?!

Yes.

Food Quality and Service:
After about 5 minutes of sitting and staring, I finally figured out it was easiest to just start with the eggs.  I'm not sure why, so just trust me.  They were fantastic.  I almost always prefer scrambled, and these were light, fluffy, and flavorful.  They were the perfect level of done.  All too often I come across eggs that are either dried out and over done, or underdone to the point that Jesco White would strongly disapprove.  The Hashbrown Casserole was very tasty, with a strong cheese flavor that really complimented the potatoes.  It was moist and flavorful.  The bacon was nice and crisp, and both the ham and sausage were nice and flavorful.  There was just the right amount of sage in the sausage, and the texture was really nice with both.  They were firm enough that your fork had some resistance, but soft enough that it cut right through.  All the items on this plate complimented each other very well, and as I feel the need to point out again, everything is fresh from the market.  This entire meal was also only $8.99!  It was incredible, and I was able to easily finish it....I'm lying, I was only halfway done.  I still had the aptly named Moose Cake to devour.  It was just sitting there, glaring and mocking me.

You win this round.

Overall Food Quality & Service Score: 5/5



In the end, it was great to get away from the grind for a couple of says and see some old friends.  I'll admit, I made a few new ones as well.  The Greensboro area of NC has a lot to offer, and The Moose Cafe is definitely a not-so-hidden gem in the midst of an already great place.  If you're ever down that way, give it a try.  It may not be a carbon copy of how mamaw did it, but then again, who does it as well as mamaw did?  No one, but The Moose Cafe is probably as close as you could possibly come.  I hope to return someday, and possibly try lunch or dinner, where I'm sure the fried chicken, among other things on their website, is as good as home.  Their motto is  "any closer, and we'd be in a field".  I believe it.  The Moose Cafe is excellent from the inside out, and I award it an aggregate total of:

4.5 Mooses*!!

That wraps up this edition of The Hillbilly Stomp.  Thanks for reading!






*I'm well aware that "mooses" is grammatically incorrect. 

Fatboy's Pizza & Grill!

Martin, Kentucky

Welcome back, everyone!  I meant to assemble this review a couple weeks ago, but life interrupted my progress.  It happens, and I'm happy to bring you yet another restaurant review from right here in good ole Eastern Kentucky.  How did I end up in Martin, you may ask?  Why, to meet an old College friend at St. Joseph Hospital and pick up some Nintendo games she was nice enough to give me.  Why else??

You thought I was kidding, didn't you...

As awesome as it was to see an old friend and indulge in some nostalgicy goodness, she was running late for work, it was getting late in general, and it was still ridiculously cold.  So needless to say, our visit was cut short.  But, all was not lost.  It was getting to be supper time, and of course my wondering eyes noticed a sign on the way in.  I asked my friend if she had ever eaten there, with it being so close to her workplace.  She smiled and replied with a confident "yes", so I figured I would stop in, quell my hunger, and give the place a good dose of Hillbilly Stomp.  If you read my last review, then you seen how I rate my experiences.  I wont bother repeating the process, and I will review this establishment the same way.  If you want to see a detailed rundown of the process, head on back to my last review. 

It was around 7 p.m. when I arrived, and as soon as I walked through the door, I was immediately impressed with what I was seeing.  This place was spotless, and the smell of the food was nearly intoxicating.  I knew I was already going to be in for a treat.  I looked around before I proceeded any further, just to try to take everything in.

It looked a lot like this, only not blurry. 

As you can (kind of) see, this place is well maintained.  I was greeted by a lady by the name of Lisa who was acting as both bartender and server at that moment.  She was very nice and attentive right off the bat, and that's a wonderful way to start things off.  As always, I ordered my obligatory Mountain Dew, and began to peruse the menu, looking at everything they had to offer.

It looked something like this, only not blurry.

After several minutes of going back and forth, trying to choose between all the amazing sandwiches, pizzas, hot dogs, salads, burgers, fried chicken, and house specials that they offer, I finally came to a difficult decision.  I got the Mushroom and Swiss Burger with a side of Beer Battered Fries.  In the moments after I ordered, I looked around at what the other customers had ordered, and what people who were stopping in to pick up had ordered, and I started second guessing myself.  Everything that passed by me looked incredible, especially the pizza.  I remained strong, and stuck to my guns. 

Because the food is made to order, I knew it was going to take a few minutes for it to get done, so I decided to kill some time by looking around, checking out some of the decorations and what not.  This place was obviously named after the Harley Davidson Fatboy Motorcycle, because the decor was heavily decked out in Harley gear and memorabilia.  Even their restaurant logo itself is reminiscent of the classic and familiar Harley logo.  Very cool.  I then proceeded to my right, to check out the other section of the restaurant.  Yes, there's another section that we haven't even visited yet!  So, I make my way over in that direction, when I then spotted....the movie rental rack.

I bet you thought I was kidding AGAIN, didn't you...

I was kind of stunned.  In a good way.  How many places do you see renting movies these days, much less a restaurant doing so?  Quirky and awesome, I say.  Whether or not anyone actually rents them is a question that's still up in the air, but hey, even if no one does, how great is this regardless?  So, after I spent a few seconds musing over memories of video rental past (and admittedly scanning through their selections), I made my way over to the other section of the restaurant.  Again, it was obviously clean and well maintained.  The management of this place knows what they're doing, and how to run this type of business.  Check it out:

The second dining area.  Through the opening on the right is where we just came from.

The bar area, I really dig the lights!

A smaller corner stage area, and from what I understand, there's some mighty fine local talent that's played on that very spot.

I love the lighting and ambiance of this place, you just need to visit to see for yourself.

And, what tour could be complete without a visit to the restroom.  You can tell a lot about an establishment by how well their Johns are maintained.  The finger of judgement is often and rightfully over-critical when it comes to this sort of thing.

Men's room, right side wall.  There are no words.

Cleanliness:  As I've already stated, this place is very clean.  I actually tried looking for dirt, and honestly couldn't find any.  The tables and chairs were all wiped down, the center caddys were all stocked, the floors sparkled, and the men's room was virtually spotless and completely stocked.  The areas I could see behind the front bar (where I sat to eat) and what I could see of the kitchen area were very clean as well.  They deserve a medal.
Overall Cleanliness Score:  5/5





Ambiance:  The decor was very stylish with a combination of modern Americana and Harley Davidson memorabilia.  The was a huge concentration on the color red, which I thought looked great.  Red is an impact color, and it makes things easier to remember.  The lighting was nice, not too bright, not too dim.  Even though the restaurant was divided into two separate areas, it worked really well.  It didn't feel all that awkward or cramped, and seemed to have good air flow throughout.  The radio was playing what sounded to be 90s-2000s radio hits lightly in the background, as two large TVs were playing ESPN in the other area.  Very nice all around!
Overall Ambiance Score:  4.5/5







I received my food, hot and fresh, in about 10-11 minutes, with a bill of around 9 bucks.  I was too busy being impressed by everything else that I honestly lost track of the time.  The server brought it out to me promptly, along with a pop refill.  What I witnessed in front of me was, well.....

Perfection?

Heaven on a plate?

A MASTERPIECE WORTHY OF INFINITE PRAISE?!?!

I would have no problem referring to it as any of the above.  All kidding aside, it was one of the best burgers I've ever had.  It was Angus beef, cooked well done, hand-pattied, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, and as you can see, garnished with sauteed mushrooms, crispy bacon, grilled vidalia onions, and a cheese sauce that was amazing beyond description.  It was like a mixture of swiss, provolone, and white Mexican dipping cheese.  The burger was definitely large enough, as I could barely finish it, even as hungry as I was.  The fries were really good, just standard beer battered fries.  You can find them in most grocery store freezer aisles, and these were nice and flavorful with a crispy outside "shell" of flavor.  My Mt. Dew was very good and flavorful as well.  I considered dessert for about a millisecond, but decided against it as I feared my stomach exploding. 
The service was really good.  The server was very attentive, and could answer any questions immediately I had about the food.  She was very nice, and we chatted a little bit as I enjoyed my meal, and as she continued to clean and prepare to-go orders for incoming customers.  She was great, and according to her, had only been there a little over a week.  I couldn't tell at all. 

Overall Food Quality Score:  4.5/5

Overall Service Quality Score:  5/5






Fatboy's Pizza & Grill is a gem of an eatery, and it's located right in Martin over in Floyd County, Kentucky.  It was clean, well set up, well managed, with a friendly attentive staff, and outstanding food.  When you have the power to turn ordinary into extraordinary, then you've got a good thing going.  If you're over that way, do yourself a favor and drive the extra 35 seconds past the standard, stock fast food places and give this local business a spin.  You'll definitely not regret it.  I'll be returning soon, and I may give their pizza a try, or possibly one of their specials.  They have a Facebook page right here, so be sure to look them up! 

I give Fatboy's Pizza & Grill an aggregate total of:

4.5 Harley Boots!!!

Thanks for reading!  Check back soon for another review from "The Hillbilly Stomp"!