Back when I still had a viable digestion system, we used to visit a sandwich shop here in Coos Bay called Luigi’s. They make an absolutely delicious sandwich with an assortment of Italian sausages and cheeses entitled a “Garbage Grinder.” The fully-assembled sandwich is then placed into an oven for a while, leaving a luscious, gooey mass of heart-plugging yumminess that is unforgettable.
I had certainly never forgotten about them and today we drove over to the Empire district of town to acquire some of these savory, but quite possibly unhealthful, sandwiches. I have been jonesing for a Garbage Grinder ever since I pulled into town but Luigi’s is closed on Sunday and Monday so we were obliged to wait for today to head over and have our aortas blocked.
Our impeccable timing being what it is, we pulled up at Luigi’s with my saliva glands doing exactly what Pavlov predicted but, regrettably, found a little note on the door indicating that some creep had broken into Luigi’s and stolen “everything” and Luigi’s would be closed until after our departure from Coos Bay. Bummer. Heavy sigh. Drooling, desolate but probably healthier old people departed, heartbroken.
In disgust, we drove away to find another restaurant but we knew the food elsewhere would be no match for Luigi’s dangerous, but very tasty, sandwiches. We found a place called Vinnie’s Smokin’ Good Burgers and Sandwiches not many blocks away. Their food was nominal, at best. They are “smokin’ good” in name only and little else. Their fries would have been okay if they had cooked them fully.
After the disappointment of Vinnie’s, we decided to go see something that was spectacular so we headed for the coast. The weather today was rainy and blustery and we knew the primeval, rocky coast of southern Coos County was always a good bet for terrific scenery when under the onslaught of nasty weather. We elected to go to Shore Acres State Park, where Peggy and I got married under a garden arbor on a beautiful, sunny August day back in 1979.
It was magnificent. We got caught out in the rain a few times as we strolled through the park, but it was certainly worth the effort. The gigantic storm surf was smashing into the rocky coastline and cliffs, exploding into huge blasts of spray. The jagged, stark bluffs show stratified geological formations that have been cleaved by the ocean, exhibiting fanciful, bizarre shapes. Huge colonies of seals and sea lions can be seen and heard on the offshore rocky pinnacles where they have hauled out to avoid the chaotic, churning surf. It was stunning. There was no recreational swimming near the coast today – definitely a Red Flag surf day.
To make things even better, there is a gorgeous botanical garden within the park, a remnant of the old Simpson estate that used to occupy this property. Peggy and I were married in this botanical garden and it was just as beautiful today as it was all those years ago when we tied the knot. We had little inkling then that decades in the future we would return and be just as amazed at these superb surroundings. We found an observation building near the bluff tops and another gazebo in the botanical garden where we could take shelter from the periodic rain squalls. The views were brilliant and we love this place even if it does now cost $5 to park.
If the zaniness of computers and phones have not stymied me, there should be some pictures available to see by clicking here