Lunch at Raglan Road in Walt Disney World with Old Friends
On the way back from spending the week with friends, Blake and Karen, on Captiva Island, we decided to take a detour to meet up with two other old friends we don’t get to see very often, who happened to be at Walt Disney World.  We were heading toward Tampa and re-routing to Orlando would only a few of hours to the trip, so we arranged to have lunch in a pub at Downtown Disney before we had to get back on the road, again.
A change in destination … heading toward Tampa, re-routing to Orlando …
Aaron and I considered getting a hotel room and staying for a few days but we’ve already been away from home and the office for awhile. Â Plus, we might come down again in a few months, or, perhaps, meet up with some other friends in California later this summer depending upon our schedule.
Pulling into the money making machine that is Walt Disney World. Â Did any of you see the double-digit dividend hike in January?
We met at the Raglan Road. Â Despite all of our trips here, neither Aaron nor I have ever eaten at this particular establishment. Â We were surprised how huge it was inside because it definitely doesn’t look that way from the street.
It’s Jocelyn and Erika! You’ve met them both before but in case you need a refresher, they were two of the first people we met as freshman in college and had been assigned as roommates. Jocelyn, you’ve encountered several times. She came for a house visit a few years ago and when we were in New Jersey for a scholarship donation we had made to a local music school for one of our favorite professors we met up with her, Ian, and Ashly. You became acquainted with Erika a few years ago when we had lunch with her at her office in the GM building in New York City. She no longer works for Perry Capital but, instead, moved to another hedge fund as a way to fund her music career. (We all started out as vocal performance majors but she’s the only one who wanted to make a living at it, haha!  She’s a working opera singer and was telling us about a production she had done in Pennsylvania recently.)
Hmm … I’ll give her some free advertising in case any of you are booking classical gigs on the East Coast. Here’s Erika in a performance in New York City a couple of years ago. Â She’s a Mezzo. Â She also has a food blog, to which I’ve linked in the past.
On to the food, for other Disney eaters out there who like documenting this sort of thing!
I had the daily special, which was an incredible pot roast with Yorkshire pudding and potatoes. The sauce balance on it was fantastic.
Aaron had Fish and Chips. It was good but he immediately regretted it because he tasted mine.
Erika had berry pancakes, which were delicious. The dark things in her lemon are cloves for a Hotty Toddy she ordered.  I didn’t check the Whiskey brand but, fingers crossed, it was probably manufactured by Diageo given it was an Irish themed pub.
Jocelyn had … something I can’t remember. I need to check. Â She’s going to make fun of me for this. Â The last time I posted something involving her and food was when she made these delicious cookies in our kitchen and I got the ingredient list slightly wrong, calling for a re-edit. Â I’ve done it, again.
After an hour or more of good conversation, we walk through the shopping area a little bit together before saying our goodbyes.  Aaron and I ended up browsing some stores but we wanted to get back on the road so we decided not to get anything since we’ll likely return soon.  Tonight, we’re going all the way to Nashville, Tennessee.  We should have stopped back in Atlanta, Georgia, but we want to press on as much reasonably possible.
On the drive, one of the books I worked my way through was The 48 Laws of Power which, frankly, reads a bit like narcissistic fantasy pornography for delusional 14 year olds.  However, the historical anecdotes are second to none so it’s worth buying just as a jumping off point for additional study resources.  The author did a great job bringing together accounts of different phenomenon throughout history.  Just try not to roll your eyes too hard at the gross oversimplifications, reductio ad absurdum, and flashbacks that might make you think you are momentarily in a 1980’s movie involving psychopaths who quote the Art of War.  One of the best reviews of the book warns you should read it in the spirit of “The Screwtape Letters”, which is excellent advice.
We passed some place called the Rosen Inn. I found the architecture style interesting. I’ve never seen anything quite like it in the hospitality space at that price point.  I don’t know anything about the brand; who owns it, the franchise terms.  I’m putting it here to remind myself to research it in the future.
Driving, driving, driving.
Can I just say that I did not anticipate the anti-evolution billboards, the anti-gay billboards, the anti-abortion billboards, the “apocalypse is coming” billboards, and the strip joints-next-to-trailer parks (I don’t mean this as a joke, I mean it literally, so please don’t think I’m making light of it) in rural Georgia? Â It is very different than the nice areas like Atlanta. Â In fact, it’s weird to think Atlanta is even in the same state because I loved it during our trip to the World of Coca-Cola. Â I could live in Atlanta tomorrow were it not for the equal rights thing. Â Yet, the difference between it and the rest of the state was so pronounced, you would honestly think someone was mocking the region. Â We passed one billboard with a flag waiving behind a bald eagle, staring off into the distance, announcing something like, “Turn Back to GOD America!”. Â Another one yelled, “EVOLUTION IS A LIE! GEN. 1”
The level of obsession, which surprised even us, was something to behold. And we live in the Bible Belt where it’s not unusual to meet someone who believes the world is 6,000 years old and who home schools his or her kids with book series like this one from Ken Ham. (Yes, the same Ken Ham who indoctrinates children to believing that dinosaurs existed up until a few thousand years ago; that mankind lived amongst the Tyrannosaurs like we do modern dogs and cats because the Jewish book of Genesis must be taken literally rather than figuratively.)  That might give you an idea of how off-the-charts it was.
We also did more than one double-take when we spotted random Confederate States of America flags flying by the side of the road.  That was different.  It is hard for me to fully comprehend this exists in the same nation Newport Coast does, or Laguna Beach does, or Manhattan does, or Denver does, or Santa Fe does, or the farmlands of Ojai do.  Think of how differently children raised in each of those areas compared to here are going to experience life.
This was … weird to me. Very weird to see this. I’ve never seen it. Â Can you imagine seeing one of these in Kansas City? Â Missouri’s divide happens around Springfield, where the culture and demographics further south is demonstrably different the culture in the Northern part of the state.
Driving, driving, driving …Â in the middle of the night, somewhere in rural Georgia – perhaps near the state line? Â I can’t recall – out of nowhere, this bright building appears offering fireworks. In winter. I’ve watched enough episodes of the Twilight Zone to know this random, oddly placed building in 1960’s-style neon is not some place we should stop. It’s a trap! Keep going …
We made it to Nashville, checked into a hotel near the airport so we could get some sleep before getting back on the road.
And, this is where we are now …
… we’re back in the freezing winter of the Midwest.
It only gets worse … It was so cold you could feel the frigid hand of winter trying to reach through the glass.  How were we in sunshine less than twelve or eighteen hours ago?
Aaron, who has done the driving up until this point since I was reading, needs to sleep so I’ll be taking over in Illinois and Missouri, going through St. Louis, Columbia, and on to Kansas City.
Reader Comments (21)
Comments are presented chronologically, with replies indented beneath the comments to which they respond.
innerscorecard
February 28, 2015
Haha, the first time I ever saw a "IRL" Confederate flag was hiking in the mountains in an East Coast former Union state. At my young age, it raised a lot of questions for me.
jerkstores
February 28, 2015
Replying to innerscorecard
I've seen it flying in peoples yards in New England while on bicycle rides through the countryside. Up there it definitely means "I hate n*ggers" and to have the full flag like that hanging on a pole is very rare up there. I've been living in the deep south for a couple of years now. I don't take it to mean the same thing down here. For some it could mean that, for others it's "southern pride".
Whatever, I'm still planning on moving back north. My wife is pregnant and I don't want my kid raised to be a southerner.
innerscorecard
March 1, 2015
Replying to jerkstores
Yes. My time living in different regions of the country did let me realize the different ways in which symbols such as the Confederate flags are perceived by different groups.
Rob
March 1, 2015
Replying to jerkstores
Odd, growing up in Boston I never saw one flying in anyone's yard until I moved down south. Did you see it more in NY/MA or NH/VT? Just wondering
jerkstores
March 1, 2015
Replying to Rob
I am from Eastern CT near the casinos. I saw the flags in front of decent enough houses, not run down trailers or anything like that. The old stars and bars are slightly more common as auto decorations. Still, none of this stuff is very common up there.
The first time I ever saw the flag was in the late 90s when I visited SC with my dad. Since then it seems to have become more common up in New England. I bet you'd find some in the backwoods of northern New England, but I'm sure it's not that common.
Brendan
March 9, 2015
Replying to jerkstores
Odd, I was born and raised in Manchester, NH and I never saw a stars and bars confederate flag until I went to college down in Virginia. I've been all over Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, and never saw the flag there either.
dave (nestle)
February 28, 2015
Replying to innerscorecard
hey scorecard (inner),
did you remove the guest posting ability on your blog? comments only open to account holders?
innerscorecard
March 1, 2015
Replying to dave (nestle)
I didn't change anything, actually! Disqus not working for you?
dave (nestle)
March 1, 2015
Replying to innerscorecard
I don't think I ever left a comment before, so maybe I didn't notice the format. It won't work like this site where you can choose to leave a comment as a guest. Maybe I am blocked to keep out the riff-raff. Will retool my efforts.
dave (nestle)
March 1, 2015
Replying to dave (nestle)
As George Costanza once said, "I don't want to be remembered. I want to be forgotten."
innerscorecard
March 2, 2015
Replying to dave (nestle)
I'll take a look. This is all pretty new to me too.
innerscorecard
March 2, 2015
Replying to dave (nestle)
I just enabled guest commenting on my site. Should be similar to what Joshua has here.
Eric
February 28, 2015
Replying to innerscorecard
Pardon for my ignorance, but what is IRL? I only know it as the Irish country code.
Joshua Kennon
February 28, 2015
Replying to Eric
IRL = Acronym for "In Real Life" ... out there in the wild.
innerscorecard
March 1, 2015
Replying to Eric
"in real life." That is to say, as opposed to the many Confederate flags that I had previously seen in books, movies, museums and the like.
dave (nestle)
February 28, 2015
I had a coworker here for a bunch of years who was a transplant (because of husband's job) from rural South Carolina. Her father is a minister down there. Nice girl, but different. Very different. Almost to the point of always trying to hide the whole picture. Yet, super religious.(?)
Years ago I owned a condo near Hilton Head. Though now it seems I really didn't know South Carolina that well.
Hey Joshua, you guys drive alot when on vacation, it seems. I guess you love a good road trip? (cant lie, so do I)
dave (nestle)
February 28, 2015
By the way, I couldn't tell a mezzo soprano from a Tony Soprano, but I do know that Erika's voice is pretty awesome! Shockingly awesome!!
William
March 1, 2015
I am an Atlanta transplant from rural Georgia and I can confirm that there is a huge difference between the Atlanta metro and the rest of the state. The representation in the state legislature is incredibly skewed in favor of the rural counties (Georgia has 159, second only to Texas) to the point where the body is almost openly hostile toward the city. I've read that the Atlanta metro has about 75% of the state's economic output and 20% of the political representation. I think a larger observation is that this urban/rural divide occurs across the entire south and most big southern cities are indistinguishable from their large coastal counterparts.
jonnymack
March 2, 2015
Hahaha...I know that fireworks place well. The sign makes it look massive but the reality is it's a converted gas station convenience store size on the inside. Pretty good fireworks selection if you can get past all the backwards Southern vibe thing. I live in Atlanta area and feel you've summed it up nicely. It's really weird when you get outside of Atlanta and applicable suburbs. Shame too because there are some amazingly beautiful areas that are not as popular as they should be. Come down to Atlanta Josh! We'd love to have ya!
Adam
March 3, 2015
Should have spent a few days in Nashville. Being able to spend the time to do things like that on a whim seems like one of the great perks of building the Kennon Empire instead of working in cubenation.
Brad Spencer
March 8, 2015
Hey...
LOVE YOUR BLOG...it's like crack for investors 🙂
Needless to say, your use of "related posts" on your archives is a dream. I share it in my investor group on fb all the time.
Anyhow, enough "fan boy" stuff.
Re: Rosen Inn...
Harris Rosen is one of the biggest hotel owners here in Orlando. He owns most of international drive and his start was pretty interesting. He was an Exec at Disney and got his start in the "oil embargo" in the early 70s...back then most people drove so Orlando was in the pits.
Anyhow, he is the donor for UCF's Hospitality school which is one of the best in the world. Up there with PSU, Purdue, Cornell, etc.
I'm sure if you look up the Rosen School they'll have a fancier bio but yea. He's a BIIGGGGGGGGGGG deal (you drove by a ton of his properties if you saw that sign...he owns almost all of that "zone" on i-Drive.
Next time you're down here, would love to take you for a cup of coffee. I'm about 30 min north of Disney (Disney is mid 60's and I'm 101a on i4)
I've got season passes and go down there a ton so we could meet up and have a coffee somewhere and shoot the breeze.
Cheers,
Brad