8/20/2007

Augusta's Reading List


I stopped into the Kennebec Market today to see what kind of coffee they had. Not very good, which is strange for up here. I started talking to Pete the proprietor about the different papers he sold. He had a Bangor paper right at the top. He said the views were more conservative than the Kennebec Journal. I told him I could see that, the people being further away from civilization- you would think they would be less informed. (I guess I am stereotyping.) Then, since I didn't get any coffee, I said "Nice to meet you, I guess I'll be back when you have something I want to buy."
"Okay," said Pete.
On the way out I noticed the Boston Globe, then The New York Times.
"Ahh, The New York Times, I guess you do have something I want. Wow, I got the last one. Geez, how many of these do you sell," I asked.
"That's the first one I've ever sold," said Pete.
"What! Kind of tells you something about the people around here," I said.
Pete said nothing.

China King, Augusta's Buffet


Here's a local food review:
I went to the first buffet Chinese place I've been to since I vowed never to go back to the City Lights Cafe in DC. The China King, 57 Western Ave, Augusta, ME 04330, was one of the strangest Chinese buffets I have ever been to. It was staffed with what appeared to be authentic Chinese people, but their accents were not. I began to wonder if they even knew Mandarin. I asked for tea. It was the blackest tea I'd ever been served at a Chinese place. I soon switched to ginger ale. The plates of meat were good. I ate chicken, pork, and string beans. They were all great. Then the woman brought me some beef. Terrible! Chinese places, please don't use corned beef and try to make teriyaki beef out of it!! Before I left another party ordered tea, they took one sip and rejected it. The most mediocre part- my fortune: "Practice makes perfect."