Old Virginia Corn Cakes

Hotel Rueger / Hotel Raleigh

What’s in a name? Dumb question—everything, of course! My random traveling destination from my 1950 “Treasury of Famous Eating Places” is “Hotel Rueger” in Richmond, Virginia—but in the revised (1955) version of the same book, the establishment is now called “Hotel Raleigh”—I’m sure there’s a story there, but it might be no more interesting than money changing hands. The scary thing is always checking to see what’s there now—might be a depressing parking garage, or a modern office building—same difference. But… it looks like—still there! One wonders how many more name changes transpired in the last 70 years but, at any rate, now it’s called The Commonwealth—and the crucial thing, there’s still a restaurant—and it’s called Rueger’s. I’ve never visited Richmond, but should the opportunity arise, I’ll have no trouble finding this place—it’s right across from the State Capitol (which is, in turn, across from the Capitol Waffle Shop). The hotel is likely haunted, and the restaurant menu boasts grits—$5—which puts it in my price range.

The drawing in the guidebook is somewhat bland, but the description tells us there used to be an oyster bar, established in 1846, and it was a favorite “stopping place” for Edgar Allan Poe! If the image of Edgar Allan Poe eating oysters isn’t exciting enough for you, here’s the Hotel’s recipe for “Old Virginia Corn Cakes”—“3 eggs, 1 pint milk, 1 pound water-ground corn meal, unbolted, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 cup melted lard.” Which you mix, naturally, and cook on a hot griddle greased with bacon rind. And that happens to be remarkably close to what I had for breakfast this morning—except for no eggs (too pricey), no milk (intolerance), no lard (that’s just gross), and my corn meal was bolted. And I didn’t grease my griddle with bacon rind, but rather, butter. I probably like butter too much. You know when people describe certain things that “melt in your mouth like butter?” You know what else melts in your mouth? Butter.

I was sad to hear that David Johansen passed away this week. He was one of my favorite people to ever approach a microphone. So, rather than a random selection from the archives, I am including this ancient review (from my DJ FARRAGINOUS site) of his first (1978) solo record. This writeup is from 18 August 2007—and even though I’m a different person, now (molecularly—2 and half times), I’ll stand by it (though my fav, now, is “Donna”) and happily post it here without further editing.

David Johansen “David Johansen”

I still think of this as one of my favorite records of all time, but that has to be partly due to going to see him at the Cleveland Agora not long after this record came out in 1978. I was 18 and could go to a bar, and this was the first time I saw a band I really liked at a bar (rather than a concert venue) and I was amazed at how close to the stage I could get. I hadn't ever really listened to the New York Dolls, and from the pictures on the album cover, I expected the band to be wearing pretty much all black leather-- so I was pretty shocked when David Johansen came out wearing an all bright yellow suit with matching hat and started dancing around like a maniac. It was a great show, maybe my favorite rock show ever-- the energy was overwhelming to me.

So, over the years since, I STILL get the feeling back from these songs. The interesting thing is that I have changed my favorite songs over the years. I'm sure of that. The geekiest thing I can think of to do right now would be to rank the songs (all of which I really like) according to how I feel about them NOW. But I won't do that. Okay (from least to favorite): 9. Lonely Tenement 8. Pain In My Heart 7. Girls 6. Cool Metro 5. I'm a Lover 4. Donna 3. Not That Much 2. Funky But Chic 1. Frenchette. I could go on and on about these songs forever, but I won't. (I'm sure this was the first time I ever heard a CONCEPT like "I'm in love with you daddy, but not that much.")

It's no secret that the New York Dolls are my favorite rock'n'roll band of all time, but by the time I listened to them they were in the distant past. I suppose this record might have been a disappointment to Dolls fans, the cover and back cover pictures are kind of screaming "I'm not in drag!" But for me at the time, nothing seemed cooler than that pack of Lucky Strikes sitting on the floor. The band picture on the inner sleeve is hilarious-- the band looks like the cast of "Mean Streets"-- well, the one guy looks just like young Bill Wyman. My favorite is the bass player, Buzz Verno (nicknamed definitely NOT after his haircut) who, live, as I recall, was wearing a couple of huge white leather belts, hanging down low. The two guitarists look pretty much the same-- which is always a nice look for a band. It says a "Joe Perry" played on Cool Metro (as well as Sylvain Sylvain)-- and if it was THAT Joe Perry, I'm wondering if there was a contest that day in the studio for protruding cheekbones and puckered lips.

Anyway, I think this is a record that I'll ALWAYS be able to listen to. (I'm kind of sad I don't have his next one, "In Style" which is pretty good, too.) I know it's personal, though, and has to do with circumstances. Every time I listen to a New York Dolls record I think about that.

—Randy Russell 3.2.25