Jump to content
American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Elvis Is Alive And Living In Ohio!


DennyG
 Share

Recommended Posts

I absolutely have to tell someone about this and you guys win/lose.

 

Once again, I found something interesting on the internet while searching for something completely unrelated. This time it was the fact that, within a half hour's drive from my old home town, there is a restaurant that serves the world's first mass produced soft drink, Moxie. I knew of Moxie but had never tasted it. It's pretty much concentrated in the northeast. The restaurant's name, Nifty 50's Old Tyme Cafe, raised my interest even more. Yesterday, I headed there after a visit with my parents.

 

The Old Tyme Cafe is pretty cool. Lot's of Coke memorabilia and a cooler stocked with unusual soft drinks including Moxie. They were out of their signature breaded tenderloins so I went with a (marginally healthier?) grilled tenderloin. When I grabbed a Moxie, the gal at the counter was so convincing with her "Do you really like that stuff?" that I decided not to risk my meal on what is always described as a acquired taste and went with a grape Nehi instead. I did buy some Moxie for later study.

 

But the surprise bonus is the real reason I'm posting this. Two doors at one end of the restaurant lead to the Dreamland Museum and Dinner Show. This is where the artist formerly know as Phillip Stanick now performs. Phillip was raised in the circus and worked as a clown and then an animal trainer. Only after he turned 21 did he learn that he was adopted. It seems he was really the offspring of an extra in the movie Blue Hawaii and the movie's star. Phillip legally changed his name to Elvis Aaron Presley, Jr., and began, not impersonating that other Elvis, but performing musical tributes to him. A subtle but important difference. Several months ago, after years of touring, the younger (but not quite young) Elvis settled down in St Marys, Ohio. During the summer he did three or more shows a week but there is just one in the current winter schedule. By the most incredible luck, I had arrived about an hour and a half before the weekly show. Did I stay? Silly question.

 

The museum is interesting and the show entertaining. The performance is clearly on the leading edge of karaoke technology. At first it's a little unsettling to hear the guy who used to live in Graceland referred to as Elvis, Sr., but you get used to it and it's actually a nice touch, I think. As proof that I'm not making this up, I give you http://www.elvisjr.com/ and http://www.seemore.org/otherattract.html and a pair of exterior shots in the dark in the gallery here. elvisjr.com is a little behind times and the other site is off on a few details but they're close.

 

Dreamland is on OH-703 but OH-66 goes through the center of St Marys just a few miles away. I understand that officials are currently looking into the possibility of renaming that US-66, Jr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dennis,

Great story and write up. And let me know how you like the Moxie. I do not drink any other carbonated beverages due to a medical condition, but I do make the exception for an occaisional Moxie. I always have a few on hand, and several Moxie tin signs scattered in the house. I used to keep running out of Moxie as my son would offer each friend a taste, and then I would find an open container missing one sip sitting on the counter the next morning. The empty nest syndrome does help keep the fridge stocked with Moxie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moxie is alright by me. The flavor is nowhere near as extreme as I was lead to believe (or I'm less discriminating than I should be:-). But then, I am a Dr. Pepper drinker and the Moxie taste is certainly closer to Pepper than to Coke/Pepsi. Better 123 years late than never.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, Alex, Junior seems intent on staying in this building quite awhile. :)

 

I've been meaning to ask if that Firebird in your signature represents your favorite weapon. If it is, I guess I should point out that I have no known connection with it maker but I think one of your ancestors may have made my first set of drums.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But then, I am a Dr. Pepper drinker and the Moxie taste is certainly closer to Pepper

 

I never had a Moxie either, but am willing to try it. Of course, I like the old 10-2-4 Dr. Pepper when it really had a kick.

 

Living in North Carolina, there was nothing better than going to my uncle's old (and I mean really old) gas station in Mt. Olive, reaching into one of those old floor coolers, and pulling out a Dr. Pepper, chilled to perfection, with a thing patch of ice across the top, and taking a deep swig. Now, that was one way to beat the heat of a hot, muggy, summer day.

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...