Hopefully, they'll move to Riverdale.

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“...the term “democrat” originated as an epithet and referred to ‘one who panders to the crude and mindless whims of the masses.’”

But their food was "delicable," according to one of the owners! How could a place with "delicable" food not succeed?

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Floor Mosaic, 3rd cent. church, North end Sea oif Galilee

Also a lot of comments and hype about Onyxx as to being classy, backed by rich people, and wonderful managers!
Sounds like talk about a pizza joint opening up!

One does lick their fingers with fried chicken. I know I do.

Beats me. I suspect their menu would make interesting reading. BTW, I seen that La Jolla had 14' waves.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

I would definitely be in trouble were I to paddle out into 14' waves.

A few years ago a swell came in at Cocoa Beach. It was perhaps 10' on the best sets, with most waves being between 6 and 8 feet.

Needing my male ego massaged, I stationed my wife on the beach with a camera to catch me dropping in with a huge wall of water behind me.

After a smaller wave, I started paddling back out when a huge set rolled in. I was "caught inside" right where the lips of these monsters were crashing down. All I could do was abandon the board and dive for the bottom. My board was leashed to my ankle, and, thankfully, it did not snap (I likely would have drowned had it done so). But the set was relentless. I would dive under a huge wave, and just as I was coming up behind it, it was pulling my board down, which pulled me under again. This happened over and over and over again until I was absolutely exhausted.

Finally, the set was over. I managed to crawl back onto the board and then with the little bit of strength left, paddled outside--beyond where any waves were breaking--to just lie on the board to rest and get my strength back.

After a while, a very alrge set loomed up on the horizon. I felt better, so I paddled into position. A huge wave was peaking just to my left. As I paddled, I felt myself being pulled up the face. Just as I gained forward momentum, I jumped to my feet and dropped in for perhaps the best wave of my life. It was a solid 8' and possibly more. I dropped to the bottom, did a bottom turn and climbed back up the face, then trimmed off with the curl breaking just over my right shoulder. The wave was big, well-formed, and long-lasting. I rode it all the way into the beach, having done several "S-turns," etc. on the way in. All along I'm thinking, "This is SO cool! She's standing RIGTHT IN FRONT OF ME on the beach with a telephoto! My friends will be SO IMPRESSED!" etc.

I got to shore, grabbed my board and ran up to her, excitedly.

"Did you get it? Did you see that?!!"

She had "gotten it" alright. Several shots of me off my board an nearly drowning. The pictures, developed later, showed just the head of a very frightened man, appearing very small in front of the waves that were crashing down on him. But by the time I actually caught the wave, she found it impossible to get the camera focused and framed for the shot (!).

The wave of my life after surfing since I was 15, and, though I had a photographer there for it (a very rare thing), no photos.

These days, 3-4' waves with a longboard are much more my speed.

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Floor Mosaic, 3rd cent. church, North end Sea oif Galilee

Knew there was something I liked about you. Who'da thunk it?
I grew up riding waves at Jersey, SoCalif and FL beaches. No real surfing, though. Mostly boogie boarding with fins. I have tried a little surfing. But really haven't had the opportunity to invest enough time to get accomplished at it.

Have you ever tried kite surfing? I saw a group of folks doing it in Hawaii last year and it looked awesome. One of my dreams is to try it. First, I need to find a good beach house, though. The waves around Tybee island are decent. Do you know of any other good beaches with waves within a days drive of ATL?
From the other side of the tracks

I missed that part.

If you are in that market, I must strongly recommend the precise area in Cocoa Beach where we have a place. It is just south of town and just north of Patrick Air Force Base. It's right on the ocean, and this is the spot along A1A where the Banana River is perhaps at its widest--three miles. This means that there are incredible sunrises off of the ocean balcony, and incredible sunsets off of the river balcony.

Our building in particular is only 11 units, with several of those occupied by active surfers, so, generally, it's a pretty upbeat place. Within walking distance down the beach to the south is a great surf spot called "Second Light," though the waves right behind the condo are often good enough. (Lately the sand bar has gotten a little funky.)

And if you are into kayaking at all, one of the best kept secrets in Florida is the Thousand Islands area in thre Banana River, where you can paddle through mangrove islands and spot manatees, dolphins, and, this time of year, thousands and thousands of migratory water birds, including rare white pelicans. In fact, I'll be strapping the kayak on the van today to head that way either today or tomorrow for a few days!

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Floor Mosaic, 3rd cent. church, North end Sea oif Galilee

Thnaks for the info!!

From the other side of the tracks

You can pretty much forget surfing at Tybee Island. I've caught some waves there over the years, but most times I have been disappointed. If you look at a map of the east coast you can see why. (And I've been there when the waves were great at high tide, but once the tide started going out, it was like someone pulled the plug--it went flat instantly.)

You start having better chances of waves at Jacksonville and as far south as Sebastian Inlet. (Else, you could head for Charleston and Folly Beach, or, farther, the North Carolina coast and even the barrier islands out at Hatteras where perhaps the east coast's best surf occurs.)

Our place is at Cocoa Beach, which is about 8 hours. I grew up in south Florida (Pompano Beach) where there were seldom good waves because of the Bahamas. Cocoa Beach was always my first choice for going "up coast," so going down there now is always like going home.

I've never tried kite surfing. My buddy in the condo down there has the full rig and has done it on occasion. (He always comes back to our first love of plain ol' surfing.) It looks absolutely torturous. It would really require--and produce--powerful upper body strength.

You might enjoy a forthcoming book. I Surf, Therefore I Am by Christian philosopher, Peter Kreeft, is coming out in March. I've pre-ordered it. Kreeft is 70 and still "surfs" (with a boogie board). We corresponded a few years ago about our common interests, and, when he asked whether "stand-up" surfers looked down on "spongers" like himself, I replied that if he truly has a religious awe of surfing, then perhaps it is appropriate that he "lie prostrate" rather than standing in "hubris." He said he was going to use the line. I'm betting it's in this book!

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Floor Mosaic, 3rd cent. church, North end Sea oif Galilee

Back when I was younger - when Moses parted the Red Sea- I used to body surf all around LA area beaches. Wet suit and fins was all I needed.

One winter, we had some rollers pound Dockweiler Beach. I can't remember exactly the height but I do remember looking UP to see the crest. I had never taken on waves of that size but being young you feel indestructible. So I had to do it. Well to make a long stroy short, I got in WAY over my head. It's a good thing I didn't get hurt. Sand is HARD!!!! I found my limits that day.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

There's no description of the actual height of this wave, but it was HUGH!

Even when I was young and invincible, it would never have crossed my mind to try waves like this. These guys have to be towed in with a jet ski as it is impossible to catch these monsters by paddling in. (It would likely be worse than simpy missing the wave. You'd get sucked up the face then pitched out over the lip.)

The wave in the video looks to be well over 40'. Imagine if that tube caught up and swallowed him. Your body would be like a rag doll in that turbulence.

I've gotten myself into some serious scrapes, nearly drowning, when surfing. I went out in big stuff off of Central Florida the day after Hurricane David went through in 1980. My leash broke and the board washed ashore, and I was way out swimming in huge surf that kept pushing me under.

The next day I learned that a high school friend had been surfing in South Florida the day before that--just after David had passed through there--and had drowned.

I have friends my age who still will paddle out in really big stuff--hurricane surf or huge winter swells. They live right there and stay in shape for it. It makes me feel a bit like a "pansy," but these days that's when I hang out on the balcony and watch with binocs.

I have a lot of respect for and not a little fear of the ocean.

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Floor Mosaic, 3rd cent. church, North end Sea oif Galilee

It seems to me that any restaurant that is not part of a large chain will have difficulty in Fayetteville unless it's located within the Pavilion. The wonderful City Cafe seems to be the exception that proves the rule. I was sad to see Johnny Carino's and even Backyard Burger bite the dust. To add insult to injury, we get a new KFC!

-reserved for something more clever to say

The recent score of "84" on their Food Service Establishment Inspection Report certainly could'nt have helped business much.

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“...the term “democrat” originated as an epithet and referred to ‘one who panders to the crude and mindless whims of the masses.’”

Not only those two have gone out Xaymaca. Within the time I've lived here we've had an Indian place try and survive in fayetteville (it's now a car rental place..Enterprise I believe), we've had Ted's come in and go out as well as georgia Shrimp Co. It seems only chains and southern style/home style/soul whatever you wanna call it do well in F'ettvuhl. It's kinda sad actually. Don't forget we also have the excellent Village Cafe near the dollar theater. I feel it's better than City Cafe but maybe not in such a great location these days. both are small gems to have here though......almost like being in Atl. or the northside for a minute.

"once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right"
"listen to the thunder shouting, "I AM, I AM, I AM"

in the old Los Toribos in the southside Kroger center...Latitudes 33. Some how connected with the Longbranch folks. You know, Longbranch has such a terrible location, this might prove to be a better spot. Opening after the first of the year.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

and Latitiude 33. My husband is the owner of Longbranch and I can confimrm that it is only rumor that the two are related. There is only one Longbranch and it is not going anywhere. Why should it? It has been very successful at its current location for nearly 20 years.

I worked there 19/20 years ago! Pam and Jimmy ran it and it was a fantastic (and fun) place to work. I made great tips, which I needed for tuition and books. Do Ronnie and Arthur still work there? I guess I'm pretty old...that was almost a quarter of a century ago!

I am sorry that I was given false information and that I passed it on without confirming. I have to say that I am also a big Longbranch fan and did not mean harm by any remarks. I hope that you remain an outstanding part of the Fayetteville culinary scene. Some of my most pleasant meals have been in your establisment. keep the faith.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

One of my favorite restaurants in the County. Keep up the great work!