Old gas stations

[LizzieMaine]

"Super-Charged with Petrox" indeed. Petrox actually *lowered* the octane level of the gasoline, which consequently had to be produced at a higher level than it would actually be sold at. Texaco's dirty little detergent secret.

 

[2jakes]

@ Ghostsoldier:
In LA. if you stood on the corner, traffic would stop to allow you to cross over.
It must've been the policy by the law and was probably enforced. I don’t know
if it’s still done today.

This used to freak me out. I grew up where you crossed at the first chance
and you best make sure to move fast.

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Not around here...on weeknights, you can lie down in the middle of Main Street, and you'd be lucky if a vehicle came by within 15 minutes. [emoji3]

Rob

 

[2jakes]

Not around here...on weeknights, you can lie down in the middle of Main Street, and you'd be lucky if a vehicle came by within 15 minutes. [emoji3]

Rob

Reminds me of a dream where I woke up
in the middle of main street. I was out of gas.

 

[2jakes]

 

[LizzieMaine]

Yep, Lee's headquarters were right there between the Coke machine and the grease pit.

 

[1mach1]

Yep, Lee's headquarters were right there between the Coke machine and the grease pit.

Hahahaha.

I'm sure Lee would have loved himself a Coke and a smile

 

[2jakes]

Hahahaha.

I'm sure Lee would have loved himself a Coke and a smile

No self-respecting Southerner will drink a coke without peanuts!

“Granddaddy would take a few good swallows of Coke, then tear off a corner of one of the little single serving bags of Tom’s peanuts, make his hand into a funnel and pour the peanuts into the Coke. It would fizz up for a few seconds, then he’d start drinking them down.”

Combining the sweet, ice-cold goodness of Coca-Cola with the salty crunch of peanuts is a practice that goes back for generations and brings back fond memories for Southerners of all ages.

 

[1mach1]

No self-respecting Southerner will drink a coke without peanuts!
View attachment 117457

“Granddaddy would take a few good swallows of Coke, then tear off a corner of one of the little single serving bags of Tom’s peanuts, make his hand into a funnel and pour the peanuts into the Coke. It would fizz up for a few seconds, then he’d start drinking them down.”

Combining the sweet, ice-cold goodness of Coca-Cola with the salty crunch of peanuts is a practice that goes back for generations and brings back fond memories for Southerners of all ages.

I hear that! As a kid, that is what you did, at least at my house (well, my parents house). I haven't had that in years. Perhaps this weekend. Thanks for the flash back!

 

[2jakes]

I hear that! As a kid, that is what you did, at least at my house (well, my parents house). I haven't had that in years. Perhaps this weekend. Thanks for the flash back!

In my neck of the woods, besides the small glass Coca-Cola bottles, there's also the glass bottle cokes from Mexico and from nearby plant, they still produce the
glass Dr Pepper soda water in bottles.
Nothing compares to drinking soda water from glass bottles.

 

[1mach1]

In my neck of the woods, besides the small glass Coca-Cola bottles, there's also the glass bottle cokes from Mexico and from nearby plant, they still produce the
glass Dr Pepper soda water in bottles.
Nothing compares to drinking soda water from glass bottles.

I agree completely. We have a lot of old line people still here, and a good mix of cultures from around the world. You can find most of the big brand sodas in glass bottles. I am a Diet Coke man, and nothing compares to an ice cold DC in a glass bottle. I'll take cans, because they are cheaper and more readily available (not to mention they keep the inside liquid very cold), but I sure do hate the plastic bottles. They never, ever get "cold".

 

[Fading Fast]

I agree completely. We have a lot of old line people still here, and a good mix of cultures from around the world. You can find most of the big brand sodas in glass bottles. I am a Diet Coke man, and nothing compares to an ice cold DC in a glass bottle. I'll take cans, because they are cheaper and more readily available (not to mention they keep the inside liquid very cold), but I sure do hate the plastic bottles. They never, ever get "cold".

On a hot day, the right amount of coldness for soda is for the first swallow to be "too cold -" it should be uncomfortable, but refreshing as it jars the heat's ownership of you out of complacency. And you know that if it's too cold to start, it will stay cold 'till the end. Glass (best) and can (okay) can do that; plastic (as you note) doesn't.

Also, most of the sodas that I buy when I'm out and about today seem to be from pharmacies or convenience stores and not vending machines (which I'm noticing fewer of in the city for some reason) and while convenience stores seem to know the right temperature to chill soda - just shy of freezing - pharmacies tend to be too warm. Being insane, I have walked past pharmacies knowing that a convenience store will come along soon (it's NYC, everything is just a block or two away) so that I can get a really cold soda.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Coca Cola Company's official specification for fountain Coke is that it's to be served at precisely 34 degrees F. A lot of places ignore that, but those which rigorously enforce it, and calibrate their equipment to that temperature, have a much better beverage. There's a reason why the Coke at McDonald's is consistently good.

It's very difficult to get bottled Coke at that temperature without the use of an ice-water bath. The old-style "wet" coolers found in stores accomplished this, but you'll rarely find bottled Coke refrigerated to that temperature in a modern cooler, because it's usually too cold for whatever else they're selling in that particular unit.

 

[2jakes]

On a hot day, the right amount of coldness for soda is for the first swallow to be "too cold -" it should be uncomfortable, but refreshing as it jars the heat's ownership of you out of complacency. And you know that if it's too cold to start, it will stay cold 'till the end. Glass (best) and can (okay) can do that; plastic (as you note) doesn't.

Also, most of the sodas that I buy when I'm out and about today seem to be from pharmacies or convenience stores and not vending machines (which I'm noticing fewer of in the city for some reason) and while convenience stores seem to know the right temperature to chill soda - just shy of freezing - pharmacies tend to be too warm. Being insane, I have walked past pharmacies knowing that a convenience store will come along soon (it's NYC, everything is just a block or two away) so that I can get a really cold soda.

Heaven....

Hamburger/Fritos or fries & chilled bottle of Coca~Cola.

The thing is, glutton that I am, I usually finish the tiny Coke bottle in several swallows leaving me with the hamburger.

Those glass bottles have less ingredients and cost more than plastic bottled Cokes today which contain more but do not have the same flavor or carbonation.

I asked my dad about this.
He told me he bought several and explained that Cokes sold for 5¢
at one time.

 

[Fading Fast]

The Coca Cola Company's official specification for fountain Coke is that it's to be served at precisely 34 degrees F. A lot of places ignore that, but those which rigorously enforce it, and calibrate their equipment to that temperature, have a much better beverage. There's a reason why the Coke at McDonald's is consistently good.

It's very difficult to get bottled Coke at that temperature without the use of an ice-water bath. The old-style "wet" coolers found in stores accomplished this, but you'll rarely find bottled Coke refrigerated to that temperature in a modern cooler, because it's usually too cold for whatever else they're selling in that particular unit.

And that is the issue in the modern "pharmacies" I noted. They are trying to morph into "everything" stores - medical clinics, convenience stores and supermarkets. You never know what they'll be selling when you go in there, but they have all dramatically increased their food selection - hot, cold, fresh, frozen. Hence, those big, wall-long fridges are chilling many things and never are cold enough for the sodas but are probably too cold for the "freshly made" sandwiches (that appear, sometimes, to be sitting for days - but where fresh when made as if there is any other way to make them ).

I'm glad to learn that Coke specifies 34 degrees as, without knowing that, my view has always been "just above freezing" is the best for Coke. And, oh yes, the ice-bath is optimal. There is a mishmash bodega/convenience/flower store near me that puts its sodas in big metal tubs filled with ice water - now and then - in the summer. I'm all over it when they do it.

Heaven....

Hamburger/Fritos or fries & chilled bottle of Coca~Cola. View attachment 117526
The thing is, glutton that I am, I usually finish the tiny Coke bottle in several swallows leaving me with the hamburger.

Those glass bottles have less ingredients and cost more than plastic bottled Cokes today which contain more but do not have the same flavor or carbonation.

I asked my dad about this.
He told me he bought several and explained that Cokes sold for 5¢
at one time.

Growing up, when we'd go out to eat - diner, pizza parlor, Friendly's or something similar - the rule was I got one soda, period. I could order it whenever I wanted, but once it was done, that was it for soda. So, if I wanted soda with the food, I had to wait to - as I learned - order it when the food came. Good strategy that probably ignored the heck out of the server ("stupid kid, now I have to come right back to this table").

To this day, ordering more than one soda with a meal feels like a luxury. That said, as my appetite has declined, SGF and I usually just spilt a soda as the serving sizes are so big today anyway.

 

[2jakes]

It's a reproduction which was on "sale" by my buddy who owns a hardware store.
I only stock Cokes and Dr. Peppers and can regulate the temps.
But I need to stay physically active and discipline myself to limiting my intake.
My waist is 38" now and my pants tell
me I need to cut down on the sugar intake.
I'm lucky that it's only around my gut and I can work it off with good diet,
less soda water and plenty of cycling
or tennis which I enjoy. That the weather
is mostly nice year round helps to be
outdoors all the time.

 

[2jakes]

 

[2jakes]

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Restored.

Rob

 

[2jakes]

iPhoto of scene from “The Natural”

SUMMER ''GOLDEN Shell” Motor oil 25¢