GATEWAY DINER - AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN HOLLAND

Last Sunday I was biking through my town and all of a sudden I stood face to face with an original American Diner. Hidden in the middle of a park close to the centre of Almere. The Diner dates back to the late 40s and it's original place was Philipsburg, NJ. at the border of Pennsylvania & New Jersey in a Philipsburg was the gateway between those 2 States that's why they called it the Gateway Diner.

The legend was that the Rolling Stones ate here in the 1970's and raved about its authentic 'Jersey "diner culture". This was probably a stopping-off point between gigs in NYC and Philadelphia.

After some wandering around through Germany, the Gateway Diner opened it's door in 2010 at it's present location Beatrix Park, Almere. Finally I found my place to get that American Experience and sip on a original made Milkshake......I'll be back. (most pics are mine except the first & last ones) 

NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN

Brooklyn Fleamarket

Brooklyn

Smith & Butler, Brooklyn

The Diner, Williamsburg

Williamsburg

My Dream Ride

Facade's on Bedford, Williamsburg

Williamsburg

View from Williamsburg on Manhattan

The last day of my trip, I spent in the streets of Brooklyn & Williamsburg. Did some vintage shopping at the Brooklyn Flea, wish I could ship a container, too much great goodies. After the flea market it was time to pay a visit to the shops for example Smith & Butler on Smith, but also Brooklyn Circus and Steven Alan and others, but that's for tomorrows post. Had a beer @ Diner at Broadway, maybe the outside does't look that interesting the inside is more then that. Close by Diner you can find Hickoree's on the second floor of 6th str. but also that's for later. I strolled over Bedford with all the great facades and hip & trendy people. It was very relaxed to spent a day at the other side of the bridge. 

CHAD IN THE BIG APPLE - DAY 3

New York in the early morning

J.Crew liquor Store

An original Diner - Square Diner

Soho

GQ & Nordstrom's Pop Up Store

Schoolhouse Electric

Hudson Street - Thom Browne @ nbr 100

Jack Spade & Barbour

Jack Spade Store @ Greene Street

Onassis Store @ Greene Street

Burger Joint @ Parker Meridian Hotel

J.Crew Store on Madison - The Vault

Nike Town NFL Display

P.J. Clarke's -  great steaks

Time Square @ night

Today I made a lot of miles by foot and that's exactly what I feel right now - my feet hurts and are full of blisters, but what the hack. It was a great day, beautiful weather and great food.  Breakfast at Square Diner homemade eggs benedict, yammie. And what about lunch at The Burger Joint, a "restaurant" tucked away in the Parker Meridian Hotel, the best hamburger in town!! Last but not least P.J. Clarke's here I enjoyed a great steak with sweat potato fries. Not only the restaurants, but also the stores I saw were great today. Too much to tell, one in particular was the Jack Spade in Greene Street, they had their collaboration with Barbour on display. Great jackets and beautiful bags in the waxed cloth we are used to from Barbour. Another store I liked was the Onassis Store also on Greene Street, great display and nice people in the store. Overwhelming was the entrance @ Nike Town all those football players and a mega USA flag made of baseball balls.

THE AMERICAN DINER

Empire Diner - New York, NY

11th Street Diner - Miami Beach, FL

Nifty Fifties Diner - Port Thownsend, WA

Rock & Roll Diner - Oceano, CA

Sally's Diner - Erie, PA

Scotty's Diner - Fort Worth, TX

101 Cafe - Oceanside, CA

Circle Diner - Latham, NY

Square Diner, New York, NY

Palace Diner - Hauppauge, NY

Denny's Classic Diner - Cortez, Co.

Americans love to eat and nothing could be finer than eating breakfast, lunch or dinner in an American Diner. On my travels to various parts of the States I love to have breakfast in one of those oldies myself as well. The first diner was created in 1872 by a man named Walter Scott, he sold food out of a horse-pulled wagon. The first manufactured lunch wagons with seating, appeared throughout the North eastern US in the late 19th century. As the number of seats increased, wagons gave way to pre-fabricated buildings in the heyday of the diners in the 1950s. We all know those streamlined buildings. The typical American diner serves mainly fried or grilled food, like fried eggs, bacon, hamburger, hash browns, waffles, pancakes etc. The food is usually quite inexpensive and cooked to order. I'm looking forward to next week when I will travel through the Rockies and hopefully can visited one or two of those All American Classics. (above you find some pics from my previous travels)