Saturday, January 22, 2011

Greetings from Athens

Not that one.
The one where these fine ladies serve up paper plates of nirvana.
This stuff will kill you and I can’t think of too many better ways to go. Photo evidence of my lunch last Wednesday with a consulting colleague. It was sublime. My buddy/colleague grew up in Macon and graduated from Georgia forty years ago. Amidst the Varsity cardiovascular death-trap lunch, he regaled me with stories of college life in Athens...life in the fratty house and all. We both agreed that we could have been destined for greater things had we not lived in the fraternity house. But mostly we talked about the music on the juke boxes of his SAE and my KA house. Even with a decade between us, the standard auditory fare of our college years was almost identical. Not sure what that says but it obviously says enough for me to put it down in a story. My hot dog is becoming overwrought. Let me just end this paragraph now.
And they gave me a hat too.

Onward.

ADG, II… Chapter President—Cholesterolics Anonymous


Ps...Here's a few songs that we agreed were on both our fratty house juke boxes...


William Turbington aka Willie Tee: Thank You John and Walking Up A One Way Street
Tony Clark: The Entertainer
Jr. Walker and The All Stars: What Does It Take?




20 comments:

M.Lane said...

Great post. I agree re living at the old Delta Chi house as well and its impact on life path. But I would do it over again.

As for the Varsity, what a heaven!!!!! All things in moderation and all that, but I am glad I don't live next to it!!

ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com

Tucker said...

THWG

Tammy B said...

Every time I drive I-75 through downtown Atlanta and see that sign hanging above the interstate, I yell, "There's the Varsity!", but I've never eaten there. It's on my list. After seeing that, I'm going to have to go to the Dairy Queen and get a fake Varsity meal.

Anonymous said...

Agreed, super post today!

The Varsity in Atlanta sells online the great meaty chili you enjoyed.

I want to drive downtown immediately to hear
"whata ya have" & gorge out!

Sandra said...

Aaah - The Varsity. My kids and their spouses are doing a fundraiser with all proceeds to be donated to American Cancer Society at the Sweetwater Brewery in Atlanta w/ none other than Varsity food. Good times. :-) {Good Music as always} xoxo

Gretchen said...

ONION RINGS!! I think I love them even more than Hebrew Nationals (which I doubt the Varsity uses in those divine aterial destroyers). My women's fraternity never had decent tunes...those girls were more into Wham (it was the 80s, after all) so I spent an inordinate amount of time over at the Kappa Sigma house. But dont tell my dad that...

ilovelimegreen said...

I am dying for some oninon rings now! (Please tell me how I can get involved in Cholestoroholics Anonymous!)

ilovelimegreen said...

I am dying for some onion rings now! (Please tell me how I can get involved with Cholestoroholics Anonymous!)

Suburban Princess said...

Looks deeelish!

Hope you are having a great weekend! Just thought I would pop in and say helloooo :O)

Anonymous said...

Nice post close to my heart. As a student at UGA in the early 1980s, I spent Thanksgiving break at school one year due to work. Thanksgiving Day was memorable as I and another fraternity brother visited the Varsity twice that day for lunch and dinner. Glad you enjoyed your dogs and rings.

UGA Bill

JMW said...

You were a KA?! Oh, we had so much fun with those boys at UK! I'm heading down to Lexington next weekend for the UK/Georgia game, so I'm hoping the folks in Athens won't too happy next Saturday after their loss to the Cats. ;) And, of course, LFG looks adorable in the hat. :)

LPC said...

What does it take! Whaaaaaaat doeesssss it take! To..oh, wait, I was going to comment. Sorry. There was a song that Cottage Club used to play at Princeton, come the end of the evening, when it was time to fish or cut bait, what the heck was that song....oh, wait, I was going to comment.

Ian Gilmoure said...

Fantastic Post! I have not had Varsity in ages, guess it is time for my yearly visit. PS Next time you are in the Atlanta area check out Farm Burger or Yeah burger.

NCJack said...

Okay, Bubba, I'll be as gentle as possible, as I know that "Thank You, John" is considered the state anthem of SC, but...

The lyrics DO describe a business relationship concerning the singer, his girlfriend and a "John"

This ain't no love ballad, though it's a good one to shag to

ADG said...

NCJackinthedamnsurpriseBox...I didn't know it was considered the SC state anthem and no need to be gentle with my country ass. And finally, I've never been against commerce.

Ian...I have Varsity fare about once every five years. But now that I'm doing work with a guy who lives near Athens, I may have an opportunity to be tempted with more frequency...and that ain't good.

LPC...Amazing how we can attach a song to a particular place but more interestingly, a particular moment. Sturdy Girls, I'm certain, made the correct decision as Cottage Club cranked up the "it's time to go home" song. I'm sure you can still see the less than Sturdy boys, pouting as the walked away, toting rucksacks of Sturdy rejection.

JMW...yes m'am Kappa Alpha. Had I not been a KA, I'd be President of the USA...today.

UGABill...I'da been right there with you.

Suburban...Thanks.

LimeGreen...and these were the BEST onion rings...I'll sponsor you for cholesterolics.

Gretchen...I was out of undergrad in 1982 so I think I missed WHAM. But, if someone had proposed that for the juke box, I'm just gonna say it...They would have gotten their ass beat.

Preppy101...you have good AND handsome kids.

Anon...The chili is THE reason I eat the Varsity stuff.

Tammy B. ... Dairy Queen ain't bad but you gotta get over to the Varsity.

Tucker...DTLSATFOM

M.Lane...yep. I do the Varsity about every five years.

In The Littoral said...

I too "coulda been a contender" if it weren't for my time at the Phi Delt house. But I would never have made the life long relationships that I now have. I know, if need be, I can pick up the phone and someone will be there to bail me out of whatever jam I have gotten myself into. And I would do the same, in half a heart beat.

Did you make it to the book sale in Annapolis? They had a great turn out as usual.

Dave

old said...

Whadaya have? Whadaya have? The best "dive"dining spot in the USA by a wide margin. Although I think Louis Lunch in New Haven and Pat's Cheeseteaks in Philadelphia, Cassell's in Los Angeles, Billy Goat tavern in Chicago and Nick Tahou's in Rochester,NY are credible competitors.

You would blend in perfectly with the Late Nite Varsity patrons sporting those neat green cordovan loafers of yours!

LPC said...

I remembered! Hey Baby! Wontcha be my girl... Heyay Baaaaybeeeee, wontcha be my girl. Although why they all sang it to each other I will never know. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBoI8h4AAjI&feature=related. I was quite mystified by preppy boys.

Young Fogey said...

Man, those dogs make my mouth water! I've heard tales of the fabled Varsity; would that I could go!

Well, neither my waistline nor my cholesterol levels really need a visit, now do they?

Even so, I refuse to make do with a soy dog topped in faux "meat" chili and soy "cheese." Disgusting!

CeceliaMc said...

Wow! Great food porn from the Classic City! You do get around! God's country!