Kings of The Road
We are two friends who went on a road trip around the United States 20 years ago to serve churches. We kept a journal as we traveled and are reading through the journal and remembering our adventures. Listen and laugh with us as we go back in time and inspire others to go on an adventure.
Kings of The Road
35: Cityscapes and Sermons: Finding Humor and Holiness in the Urban Maze
Ever found yourself caught between a laugh and a lesson on a roller coaster? That's exactly where we kick things off on our latest episode, navigating through the thrills of the Mall of America and onto the streets of Washington D.C. We weave tales of city planning and its effect on community, from the monumental design of our nation's capital to the beige conformity of Irvine, California. Join us as we recount the odd connection between personal pride and the places we hail from, even when they show up in the most unexpected of places, like on a snug amusement park ride.
We then shift gears to a more reflective discussion on the balancing act church leaders face, finding that sweet spot between confidence and humility. Listen in as we dissect the sometimes competitive nature of pastoring and the art of captivating an audience without a screen in sight. And when it comes to dining, it's not always about the price tag—Blake and Sarah remind us that it's the simple gestures, like a warm soft pretzel at a brewery, that can leave an indelible mark on our dining experiences and, believe it or not, our spiritual journeys. So, pull up a chair, and let's chat about how those little acts of kindness at the dinner table can mean even more than the main course.
Thank you for joining us on the next episode of the Teens of the Road podcast. We are continuing our journey down the highway, stopping at Walmart parking lot, stopping at churches, helping people out, getting to know this country of ours, just enjoying the journey. So you are here with Scott Hawkins, that's me, andrew Gere that's me, and we are in Washington DC, and so we are going to get to spend some more time with our friends Blake and Sarah and just have a great time. So, okay, let's go, let's go, let's do it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, dc Washington District of Columbia. Where does that name come from? What's the historical significance of the district? I don't have that in my back pocket, do you? No, I don't I know that it is? Is it 10 square miles or is it 10 miles by 10 miles in a square?
Speaker 1:I don't know that either. I know that it's a very particular size and it was put there as a compromise because and it's more towards the south, um, if you watch the hamilton play, they talk about it there. That that was part of the compromise is to get towards the south, um, so they wouldn't have to travel up to new york to do business and work, and so they brought it down south and and it was like nasty land, I think it was boggy and marshy and all of that. And then they made it into what it is the place of monuments and museums and memorials all the M words Mausoleums, mountains.
Speaker 2:Malls, but not the way you think no, they just called that row of museums the mall Because they're like it has to start with an M. But it's not the way. You think. No, they just. They just called that row of museums the mall because they're like it has to start with an m but it's not the mall of america, that's minneapolis minnesota yes, been there, you've been there.
Speaker 1:I have glorious. Yeah, it. It's one of those things where it's like, oh, this is the biggest mall and I think think we in Torrance have the second or third biggest mall. The Delamo Fashion Center is up there, yeah, but when you go to the Delamo Fashion Center, you go to the Mall of America. It's not like they're close to each other in what they are. It's like this mall has an amusement park in the middle of it with big roller coasters and massive stores and everything, and the Delamo Fashion Center is just a big mall.
Speaker 2:And it sprawls. It's almost a bunch of different malls that are connected with corridors and there's stores in all those. But yeah, mall of America is more like a just monolith. They just Right, right, I don't know how many stories high, four or five, and I mean again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like a legit roller coaster into the middle. I was actually there not that long ago and, oh, really went on the road. Yeah, because there's a lot of. You know, lutherans love the midwest, we love minnesota, so the lutheran conference is in lcmc. Uh, the flight was out later, so we stopped by the mall of amer America for a couple of hours and we go into this roller coaster and I'm with these other guys and the Lord has built me like a buffalo so I am thick and my other friends are more built like you, so they're little, and so we get into the thing and we click it down and they like click, click, click. And I like to only do two clicks or something. I'm like, oh okay, this is fine, you know, this is yeah. But the person who's working it is like that's not tight enough, sir. I'm like okay, oh no, you need another click. I'm like, oh okay, dude, legit, like dictates it and then gets into a football-like push position. Oh no, bam. All of a sudden, all my insides are up a level.
Speaker 1:Everyone on the train is laughing, so whatever body, whatever clips there were, because there are definitely much bigger people than me that rode that thing, but I was in between clips.
Speaker 2:I was in between, I was between. Like this is not safe. This is safe.
Speaker 1:and oh, that moment of him like, okay, here we go breathe in. Yeah, oh, geez bam. How do I breathe out? Yeah, yeah, you don't, you don't. Until you're done, you just keep screaming. Oh, no, so that's a Mall of America memory. I do think, though, because I remember, in whatever fifth grade math book figure out the square footage of all of these places, they try to make them relatable, right? These are the largest malls in America, and Torrance Delamo fashion center was like number two, really. Yeah, I remember feeling so proud of our city because it was like, yeah, we made the textbook. It was like you know something in texas?
Speaker 2:I love I I do love that there is something about that where it's like if it's a place that's local or that you know about, yeah, like that. Like hey, number two largest mall in america that's we're on the map torres yes yeah, and then and then I remember in college I would, I took a um.
Speaker 2:It's like a city planning class or something, and you know. So it it looks at the different ways cities are built over time. It's like paris, it's the hub and spoke, and rome and this and that, and irvine California, and I'm like I know Irvine California, that's right, they're like they got a screaming deal on the color beige and so they just painted the whole town beige.
Speaker 1:And mosaic tile roofs, not mosaic one of those. Yeah, just clay tile roofs.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I was talking to somebody about that the other day where it's all built in, all the streets curve, there's no straight streets, because that way you've always got a view of landscaping and not just like endless straight road street which makes it very hard to get around Irvine yeah it does, while at the same time I do the one thing about Irvine in general not a huge fan, to be frank, just because it's so.
Speaker 1:What you just said Is that a Walmart, a gas station or someone's home? It all looks the same. You don't know.
Speaker 2:Yes, they're all beautiful, but they all look the same.
Speaker 1:Yes. I do like the fact, though, that the most of the streets the speed limit is 55 miles an hour. Most of the streets.
Speaker 2:The speed limit is 55 miles an hour. See, that is good. They protect the way that they did it so that you've got all these roads that are like six lanes wide and 55 miles an hour, so you can get a long distance quickly. But you're like I was going north a moment ago. Now I'm on the same road, going east or maybe south. Yeah, like Yale Loop. I don't know how many times I'm like where road going east or maybe south.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like Yale Loop, I don't know how many times I'm like where am I Right?
Speaker 1:On Yale Loop. You know what I'm talking about it is, but I do so I appreciate that. Like I said, most of it I'm always like, ah, I don't want to be here, but a lot of that. I'm like, oh, this is nice, it's convenient to to there and you know there's no driveways that empty out onto it, so it's probably safer to drive in and all of those great things I.
Speaker 1:I was actually at concordia not that long ago and my friend allison our friend was on the podcast a long time ago. She was there with her husband matt, and um, we were talking about school and she said, well, um, you took all the tires off of my car once when I was um at the apartment and I was like, no, I didn't. I said nolan took all the tires off of my car once when I was at the apartment and I was like, no, I didn't. I said Nolan took all the tires off of my car and you may have been over at our apartment spending the night. And we got out and our tires were stacked up on the front of my door. Oh, no, and Nolan put my car on phone books, oh no, and Nolan put my car on phone books, oh no, and so I came out. I have four tires stacked up and the car is just on phone books there. And so I'm like gosh and Allison's I think Allison was there because she always remembers the story and I'm like, okay, well, we gotta put the car tires back on the car to get to class. Oh, my gosh, my favorite part of that, and this is why I brought it up, because it's Irvine I'm putting the car tires on right, oh no, bolting them on.
Speaker 1:A police officer comes up and says sir, you can't work on cars in the city of Irvine out on the street like this. And I said officer, I have no tires on my car right now. He's like you have to get tow. I have no tires on my car right now. My friend took off my tires. I can't go nowhere. Okay, well, I'm going to call a tow truck for you. Officer, you go ahead and call a tow truck for me. I will not be here when he gets here. Yeah, because I have no tires on my car.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can't roll the car onto a flatbed tow truck or roll it down the street on a normal tow truck. He just did not get it through.
Speaker 1:I'm like I am putting my tires back on my car. I am not doing car work, oh my gosh. He was like oh well, I'll just call a tow. Is this your first day on the job? What's the plan? Just drive by, sir.
Speaker 2:Irvine PD is very different than LAPD. Oh, my gosh it. Lapd is very different than LAPD.
Speaker 1:Oh, gosh, it was such this moment of me being like really, okay, go ahead, call the tow truck yeah.
Speaker 2:And that's Irvine folks.
Speaker 1:I'll have this problem solved before you get that? Yeah, oh gosh, Okay, so we're in Washington DC.
Speaker 2:We're in Washington DC, District of Columbia, whatever that means. Somebody knows? Let us know. Yeah, Post. So today is day 41. It's Sunday, the 7th of November 2004. This morning we met Blake, Sarah and two other of their friends at Union Station for church. Church was actually held inside a movie theater within Union Station. It's like the Russian nesting dolls of churches.
Speaker 1:Union Station, movie theater, church. Oh, I like that. Yeah, that looks good, well done. Did you write that? No, I didn't, but it just occurred to me.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh, yeah, russian nesting dolls are always like Right there, ready to go, like they're on a shelf, ready for me to grab at any moment.
Speaker 1:I ready to go like they're on a shelf ready for me to grab at any moment. I don't have any actually we do.
Speaker 2:I mean, they're not actually from russia, so they're not russian. So, like world market nesting dolls chinese, probably. Resting nesting dolls malaysia, yeah, something like that. Yeah, cool, love it, love it. So it started off. Oh gosh'm probably going to get real critical, like I always do in these things. Let's see what I say about their church.
Speaker 1:It started off. One of the good purposes of the podcast has been some little therapy for Andrew to realize that there are times that you may be a slightly too critical.
Speaker 2:Right, like just let it go, man, just let it go, you're good know it's fine.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everything's good but here I am. I know it all recent college grad dude, it's great to be 22. It's so good to be 22 I mean I knew everything then.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um started off pretty well with a pretty decent band. It got weird when the pastor began to speak, because he wasn't there, okay.
Speaker 1:So this is kind of like that's pretty normal these days yeah but we finish it, finish the finish we, and we'll talk about it, because I'm trying to I'm trying to make myself feel less bad about what I say, but I don't think it's all that bad.
Speaker 2:I don't doesn't sound that bad. We were watching the sermon that he had delivered at the earlier service it. It was recorded so we watched it on the movie screen, which I mean if you're going to watch you're in a movie theater, it's the best possible place you can see it. How convenient Apparently they do three services 930 and 11 at Union Station, at 1030 at a different train station. I think that is dumb.
Speaker 1:You're trying to win too. There's the critical side. Bing, I think that is dumb. There's the critical side.
Speaker 2:I was like, okay, I'm redeeming my thoughts here. And then I'm like, nope, I don't want any gray area.
Speaker 1:I think it's dumb. Now, to be fair to Andrew, we are reading your private journal. Well, I mean, I didn't keep this journal because I just needed to express my thoughts on paper, no, but you also never knew we were going to publish to the whole world when you were writing it.
Speaker 2:That's right. As we established last time, this is an international audience.
Speaker 1:Oh, of course, Now everybody knows, including Karen and David.
Speaker 2:Well, at the time of recording this, we have only published that episode a day ago. Not yet, hopefully she will. Maybe Karen needs to catch up. Catch up. Karen. Catch up, Karen, and let us know Could be a name of a good brand of ketchup. Catch up, karen. So that is dumb. I want a live pastor and I don't think that's too much to ask. I want it now. Daddy, good Lord, Keep going. I'm Farouk Assault. Many people were okay with it, so I'm at least glad those people are experiencing God in some way.
Speaker 1:What a critical a-hole.
Speaker 2:I was I mean geez. Louise, what a critical a-hole I was. I mean geez Louise. Now it's like we went to a pretty large church for many years here, but I will say we always went to the service where he recorded the live this will be the.
Speaker 1:So there was a church in Birmingham called Church of the Highlands that was huge and growing at just an incredible rate, and so they had 11 campuses or something, 30,000 people. I mean it was just nuts and they would record and pipe in the sermon to all the campuses. And for me there was always this thing that is like okay, we believe everyone's gifted for ministry and you're called to do ministry, but out of all 30,000 of you, there's only one preacher and I'm like, yeah, that doesn't strike well. I guess I get how, having the consistent voice and message, but couldn't you be on theme? Couldn't you do some verses? Or couldn't you do something that keeps it all together but yet empowers 15 other people to give a message and to have the word spoken to them, because you're not the only preacher.
Speaker 1:Now, this, of course, is hard for us preachers, because we do believe we are the best at what we do all the time. Like there's all every pastor you meet. There's a whiff of narcissism in us. It's just. I mean, I represent the word of God. Look, listen to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but to be fair, I think anybody who does public speaking has to have a certain degree of that, so I wouldn't call it narcissism.
Speaker 2:But over time you do get to a place where you're like I'm good at this yeah, and I do, and I do think sometimes there's, like that, that struggle or that tug between, like I'm good at this and humility, and and people are like well, I want to be humble because I'm a good person or a pastor in that case but you can also be confident and know that you're good at something too. Agreed.
Speaker 1:But I think that that confidence should allow other people to have the place right. Like I think, so much of church unity is destroyed by us pastors because we're afraid of other people stealing our sheep, or they'll maybe go into that church and liking that person more and then wanting to go there, and so we don't want to partner with each other because, well, they might get to know their preaching better or their band more, and it's like we just don't charge for our little fiefdoms Right.
Speaker 2:The goal gets real foggy at that point, doesn't it? It does. What is the outcome we're trying to drive to? Is it to have our attendance up and Exactly and, or is it Kingdom work? Yeah, kingdom work. People getting into heaven at any avenue, any, exactly Right, like if that was the true heart. Then it was like, if my church closes, because I'll even turn my church If this church door closes because other people found the way to heaven, other places, great, great.
Speaker 1:Right. And if you don't, if it's not working for you at Ascension because of the way I am, or my preaching style just doesn't land with you, fine, that's okay, and we need to be comfortable in that and realize that the kingdom of God is so varied so it just becomes very, very protective. And of course this is a bugaboo for me in particular, because it's my world and so I see it a lot. But I do think it just makes me sad because it is hard for us pastors to be able to say no, everybody, everybody is, it can be gifted. So why does that one guy have to be piped into all 30 campuses?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I will say too, though, like there is, there is the gifting, like some people I know. The popular term is a communicator right, they're good communicators, and there are people who are very scholarly and very knowledgeable, but it's not so. It's a different thing to convey that message in a way that masses of people can understand. So that is rare, but in a church of 30,000 people certainly there are 15 gifted communicators right.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and so yeah, and if it was a team that rotated, so like if you show up on a Sunday you might get one of the 15, but it's a live person every time. Is that kind of what you think you know? Instead of one person times 11 services or whatever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, at the same time. Um, to counter my own argument, if you are in a room of 3000 people, what are you really watching? But a stream? You're not watching the speaker.
Speaker 2:Well, I remember our the pastor at that big church when we started doing that, because he was preaching live at every service and they were going to more services and I remember him up on the stage. I know some people don't like to call it a stage, but whatever you know because I'm trying not to be narcissists, right yeah.
Speaker 2:So, um, and he said I see all of you guys, you're not looking at me anyways, you're looking at the screen behind me because you know big room. Yeah, he's just a little thing, and so you, that's right. It's like, yeah, that's true, but it's it, it's different, but again, like it's, it doesn't matter ultimately If people are there and it works for them, then it doesn't matter.
Speaker 1:At my size church it does, because it becomes important to 100, 150 people there. It becomes important that there's a relational aspect. But I do understand again that piece of it. I think the other lesson just to take away from it as far as communicating is I learned this from somewhere and I just think it's so true the screen always wins, and so they are going to. If you have a screen, they're going to look at it. And so if you are constantly changing slides or showing things and that's up, then the screen always wins. So be very aware of what you put up and that's up, then the screen always wins. So be very aware of what you put up, yeah, and so I just think that that's an overall communication. That's like oh yeah, that's true. So if you do have your face up there, people are gonna watch that and I try to actively, not because I'm aware of this, but it's so hard and I find myself like, oh no, I want to go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's funny because, yeah, in my line of work there's a fair amount of presentation and that sort of thing. So I pay attention to this stuff a lot and like there's a. If you watch any TED Talks ever, you'll notice the presentation style where a lot of times, what they'll do is the slide that they'll put up on the screen might have a couple of words or a picture, and then, once that is done, it'll just go black. And that's very intentional. Because of that reason, like, where do you want the focus? Because I see a lot of people presenting and they're basically putting a Word document on a PowerPoint slide and now reading from it. And now I'm like, am I going to read this or am I going to pay attention? And I'll spend half my energy trying to figure out which one I'm going to do, and then it's on to the next slide. I'm like I got nothing out of any of this because I didn't know where to look Exactly.
Speaker 1:And that's one of my huge bugaboos is when people just get up and have so much words on the slide and they end up reading to you. I'm like I'll just read the document then. Yeah, I don't need you to read to me, I can read now. So, but if you're going to present something, present it. You know so, right, it is a fascinating thing.
Speaker 2:So yeah Well, hot topic for us, clearly because you were overly critical, though I was overly. Oh, let's come back to the important thing I was.
Speaker 2:I was an overly critical 32 year old turd um all right so listen, hey, if you go to a church and you watch the sermon where the it's recorded from an earlier thing and that works for you, I am happy for you. Yeah, keep it up. If you like that, do that. Look, I've learned a few things in my years, right, like as long as we're reaching as many people as we can.
Speaker 2:All right, all right, all right, let's move on. By the way, I visited Blake and his, his wife sarah and their two boys um somewhat recently and they still go to that church. Oh, that's awesome. Now it's it's no longer in um theater, in a movie theater. They've got a different location, but I believe it's the still. It's still the same church, if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 1:So good, that's great.
Speaker 2:I love and also I don't believe also, I think that they weren't going to church before we got there and because we went there they started going to church.
Speaker 1:So we basically saved their souls, saved their souls. They basically saved their souls. Blake had been in church his whole life, correct.
Speaker 2:Yes Blake had absolutely been in church his whole life. No, that does sound familiar. I think, we should take credit for this, because they knew we were coming into town.
Speaker 1:They were like, oh quick, find a place to take them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've got to find a church, otherwise they'll judge us harshly, because Andrew is very judgy.
Speaker 1:Andrew will write something very judgmental in the book about us. We don't want to be written to the book of Andrew as being bad. That does sound familiar.
Speaker 2:So they're a 20-year stint in the church.
Speaker 1:Who cares how you got there? There you go Back to that point. Who cares how you got?
Speaker 2:there you are there. Let's make the main thing. The main thing as people say which is? Andrew's attitude, which is my opinion. Oh gosh, I don't want to be that person. I love it.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:We went out to lunch with Blake and Sarah at a brewery where they actually give you large soft pretzels while waiting for your food.
Speaker 1:That is the greatest thing I've ever heard in my life. That is literally the greatest thing. That is so much better than chips and salsa.
Speaker 2:What could be better? And chips and salsa are already awesome. Agreed, but soft pretzels.
Speaker 1:Oh gosh, just here you go. I legit went out the other day and there's a place around us $5 burgers on Wednesdays and it comes with fries and it's a legit good burger. It's called Rebel Republic. If you want to be a sponsor, give us a call $5 burger. So I go there, but the line's just nuts at the nighttime, so then we end up going. I saw another sign $7, $8 burgers at Rock and Brews. We could walk there. Okay, so we walk. I have a pretzel, though because I kind of had my mind Like I wanted the pretzels, I walked in. Uh, you know, yep, want the soft pretzel.
Speaker 1:Yep, yes, it was on the appetizer menu. How much did I pay for that pretzel? Seven 95. No, that's a burger. The burger was seven 95.
Speaker 2:How much? I know is $7.95 as well. Okay, $12.95. You would be off.
Speaker 1:It was $17.
Speaker 2:What which I didn't realize when I ordered it.
Speaker 1:I'm putting the book down for a moment. I'm pretty sure I'm right you what I could be Was this a crazy sized pretzel? It was big, it was a big one. They hunt on the hook, so it comes out like Hanes on the hook. And then they said and you know, they hunt on the hook, so it comes out like Hanes on the hook. And then they said do you want the beer cheese? What's the answer to that? Why would you ask that question Exactly?
Speaker 2:But I think because I said that it probably became the $17.95. Oh, that was like a $4.95 add-on. You're like well, I've already invested $13 in a pretzel I can't not have the beer cheese, so then cheese.
Speaker 1:So then we did seven dollars, still my bill's, 70 bucks or something. I was like, oh gosh, going out to eat now is just, it's almost impossible.
Speaker 2:Just do it, oh, just eat it, oh yeah so, but at home, like I don't know why we did this, we had we, we do a, we've got a life group and we host it um half the time and another family hosts it the other half question and have you ever welcomed them with soft-baked pretzels? Yes, yes, this is, this is my story oh so one well sort of like, so we'll always have share a meal, and so it's a different thing.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, yeah, here's a bag of rolled gold pretzels.
Speaker 2:But listen, I got them a little bit wet and they got soggy. Very different, very different experience no we did. We did a day where the theme of the meal was like appetizer foods and so we got a bunch of those like super pretzels from costco or wherever great choice and just heated them up and I'm like dang it, these are good. I used to eat those like after school every day. I'd day that was, like always on the list for my mom to get super pretzels with the salt.
Speaker 1:I know exactly what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:I see the box in my head right now black box with the beautifully browned pretzel and the little baggie of salt know what I'm having for lunch oh man, this is what happens when we record news here's the thing.
Speaker 1:It's uh, this is what happens when we record news. Here's the thing is it's a game changer when they bring something out to your table for free and it can't be that much, right, like we're still talking about this 20 years later, soft pretzels show up to the table. Yeah, you're even stoked and you know, part of going to a medicine restaurant is like I'm at least gonna start with chips and salsa on the table as just a default. That's my floor for this meal. That's great, yeah.
Speaker 2:I know If I start a restaurant that's the floor.
Speaker 1:I'm definitely having something that's like of course, you have blank.
Speaker 2:Right, and I'm not the type of person. I know we differ here, but I usually am not the type that orders appetizers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know we are different there. Yeah, that's baked into me from my dad. He just sits down. Bam two appetizers, that's just. We're just ordering appetizers.
Speaker 2:See, yeah, we were not. It was like if we're going out to dinner, everybody drinks water and you order your meal and that meal shall not exceed this price and I was like that's how we do it where it's free, where boom kids eat free, knock yourself out kid see booty, all the curly fries you can want. Awkwardly, don't look at the ladies wearing not much that's a whole other topic.
Speaker 1:You know what?
Speaker 2:is, we should have a full episode dedicated to Texas, lucy's we should.
Speaker 1:Oh goodness, I yeah. We are definitely different about it that way. I don't think we've ever said this story on the podcast, so I guess it's time, for this is one of my classic stories that I tell you, and I are out. I think we're at BJ's and it had to be me. I ordered the appetizer.
Speaker 2:No no no, we've told this story On the podcast, I'm pretty sure. Well, tell it again. It's that good.
Speaker 1:Ah, have we. Well, whatever, I really don't remember, I have no idea. But we're on a double date and I already put in a charlotte dip. And we go and they're freshly cooked fries and I take a dip of one of them, the chips, put it in and like this, the chip is soddy and floppy and I'm like, oh gross. So I take it and I set it down. This is a mistake.
Speaker 1:I'm not gonna say this is a good thing I did, but I just said it I'm, if I'm shaking my head right now, I just said it across for me on the tray on the plate, like do not eat that chip again, scott, it is not a good chip. Well, and I crossed the table sorry.
Speaker 2:Oh, did you just order this for yourself, was it?
Speaker 1:just in front of you For the whole table, oh, an appetizer for the whole table.
Speaker 1:So it's in the middle of the table. Yes, it is Okay, and I'm pretty sure it's a double date, not just to you and I. I think there's girls there, yeah. And then I look down at five minutes later, 10 minutes later, everything's been eaten, plate's clean, and I go oh no, and I go, who ate that chip that was over there? And Andrew goes I did, and I looked at him in the eye and I said that chip was in my mouth, it was not good, and he's like yeah, it was was gross.
Speaker 1:What do you mean? It was in your mouth.
Speaker 2:I said I took it out yeah, put it as far away from you as possible which happened to be directly in front of me, but I didn't have the good thought to take it out of my mouth. I'm like, well, I guess that's in there.
Speaker 1:I gotta just chew it up no man, yeah, we said it before. I'm sorry if we haven't.
Speaker 2:It's one of the classics I'm pretty sure we did, because I I remember when anybody uses the term flaccid, because I think it's just weird, funny and also sort of gross and I'm pretty sure that's how we described that chip, so yeah, so it became more flaccid.
Speaker 1:As you got it, it was just like a oh man, okay, so anyways, super large soft pretzels.
Speaker 2:I mean. What more to say? Well, I said that made up for the beer not being too great.
Speaker 1:Okay so, brewery bad beer, good pretzels. I can't get away from my negativity on this day. Okay so, brewery, bad beer, good pretzels.
Speaker 2:I can't get away from my negativity on this day. No, I feel there are some days that you just I feel self-conscious.
Speaker 1:Well, there's some days that you just wake up and you journal and it's a little rough.
Speaker 2:I think I've learned to regulate my grumpiness since then. That's a good skill Maturity, I've matured. Yes, that's a good skill Maturity, I've matured, yes. So Scott and I were a bit sick of walking around and stuff, so we went back to Blake's apartment in Alexandria, virginia. We hung out for the afternoon and then he and Sarah dropped us off in Bethesda. We had dinner with Cindy and hung out there the rest of the night. Overall, dc was great. Like I said, it was great. Like I said, it was great to see a familiar face and also it's a beautiful city.
Speaker 1:What a great yeah, you ended high.
Speaker 2:I ended high. That's what's important. That is what's important, yeah.
Speaker 1:So what a good idea to have other solid things come out first, like if you're a breakfast place and they just bring out like little mini, like fresh baked cinnamon rolls have you ever been to a place that has done that? Never, but I'm just thinking we start that I was like where is that?
Speaker 2:that's right yeah what I mean.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you would tell people wouldn't, you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:Put this on our list.
Speaker 2:Let's steal it, okay, this goes on the list for our date restaurant. Yes, okay. So for those of you that listen to every episode faithfully, because I mean, thank you, linda Dare, that's all of you. Yes, you, yes. Thank you, linda. Thank you karen in scotland. Thank you, brennan edwards. Yep, my brother-in-law.
Speaker 1:Thank you, there's so many more people. There's thousands of people to think so I'm just gonna stop there yeah, thousands of listeners across the world. Uh, there's, there's ling in malaysia, there's um, there's lucky and australia I'm making up names now um but we have a first date restaurant, we have a first date restaurant?
Speaker 2:yes, and the whole premise of that was we are going to have a door that opens to the exterior from the women's bathroom and we're calling it the bad date escape hatch and it's a guarded door, so somebody will yes, somebody will escort you to your car if the date's going south, so you don't have to see that person anymore.
Speaker 2:But yes, we are also capturing other ideas. We will not be serving red pasta sauce no, we won't. Um or or like wings things that you eat with your hands that are messy. And we have now decided we are going to have great included pre-meal appetizers just one thing.
Speaker 1:I think it's one thing we're really good at. Yeah, like soft pretzel or, like I said, could you imagine being at your breakfast place and you just get this little skillet of little mini cinnamon rolls? Oh, that would be amazing. What did you?
Speaker 2:call those things when you make them. You like, cut up the monkey bread monkey bread. Is that what it is? Yeah, that's, I call it monkey bread.
Speaker 1:That would be good we're just yeah, wouldn't be even that hard.
Speaker 2:This isn't no, and it's it's not like it's expensive to do it, but it will definitely get your repeat customers and people say the monkey bread just shows up just for free on the table everyone's like what, what, what kind of crazy business is this?
Speaker 1:yeah?
Speaker 2:I always do wonder, though, like because it's always awkward when they bring out like this great thing, like here's a bunch of chips and salsa, and or like here's really delicious rolls would. Would you like any appetizers? I'm like, no, you just brought me some for free.
Speaker 1:But that's also the dare in you. You're like, yep, look at this. Whereas the Hawkins are like just the whole side, Just that whole side, we'll take the calamari. We'll take this and that. For a little mozzarella stitch, we'll take a dip.
Speaker 2:All just for you, sir. Look, is anybody else joining you today? No, that's a lot of food.
Speaker 1:I just really need to order the left side of the menu. That's what my dad taught me. Yeah, wow, thank you. Thank you, gary Hawkins, for supporting our restaurant today.
Speaker 2:Yep, yep.
Speaker 1:We are not. Gears are not the ideal customer. You are not. You want the hawkins to walk in. We'll have no appetizers in the water. And how much you tip?
Speaker 2:well, for a second I do tip generously, I will tell, I will I will at least do that. Yeah, that's good tipping generously on water and appetizers is water.
Speaker 1:It's not saying a lot, right? Well, everybody see you next time. Until next time, bye, bye.