The Front Porch - Owners William Waybourn and Craig Spaulding’s Cafe in The Plains, VA

[DonRocks]

“A Gay Couple Ran a Rural Restaurant in Peace. Then New Neighbors Arrived” by Tim Carman on washingtonpost.com

This isn’t an “article” so much as a well- researched, written, and edited short story that is almost surely going to win some type of award. It’s not about the restaurant; it’s a microcosm of what’s going on in the world.

I spent at least an hour reading this story, and it was so good that, when I was well into it, I jumped back to the beginning and mentally sorted out the characters in my mind so I could fully engage in the second half.

However much work, revision, and last-minute panic it took to publish this piece, it was worth it.

As of this writing, there are about 11,000 comments, and if any one of them complains about “the Post no longer having any credible writers or editors,” I’m going to show up at their home at 2 AM in a clown outfit.

I may just show up at the Washer’s home at 2 AM in a clown outfit.

[Ericandblueboy]

14 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I may just show up at the Washer’s home at 2 AM in a clown outfit.

That guy is probably armed to the teeth.  I didn't finish the article once I determined the Washers have a serious credibility problem.  

[DonRocks]

8 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

That guy is probably armed to the teeth.

If he has any.

[Tweaked]

This article is part of something the Post is calling Deep Reads. 

It is well worth reading Sally Jenkin's piece from a week or so ago about the life long relationship between the tennis greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. 

[Keithstg]

We haven't been to the Front Porch in a while, but it's a solid neighborhood restaurant. Will be heading over as soon as we are back in town. This and the Red Truck situation have been the talk of the area for a while now. Sally Jenkins did a great job with the article.

Also were I looking for a financial advisor, I'd probably aim for one successful enough to have an office separate from their home. 

[Keithstg]

As mentioned, arrived back in town on Saturday afternoon, headed to the Front Porch for Brunch on Sunday. We hadn't been in about three months, and the brunch menu has changed a bit. More variety, and new cocktail options. There's plentiful street parking in The Plains, and we were able to find parking just around the corner past Doppio Bunny. The Front Porch's patio and front porch (duh) were packed with nice mix of locals and visitors, and live music on the patio. We were seated inside and heard a number of people comment that the Washington Post article had brought them in.

Appetizer was seared scallops. Scallops were three U-10's, wrapped in prosciutto and on a bed of arugula and goat cheese, topped with some bacon lardons. Scallops were well-seared and while the bacon was kind of superfluous, a nice dish overall. Our mains were Caesar salad with Salmon and anchovies, and chic Chicken and waffles. The Caesar was served in wedge form - the salmon was slightly over my wife's preferred temperature, but she enjoyed the salad nonetheless. Chicken and waffles were solid - two chicken thighs relatively lightly breaded served on top of waffles, with lemon thyme butter and maple syrup served alongside. Not sure that the butter and syrup were very complimentary to each other, so left the syrup behind.

All in all a nice brunch. My prior opinion of the Front Porch was that it's a solid neighborhood bistro, and that opinion was confirmed on Sunday. Note that the Plains Farmers market is just down the street, right off of 66 - could make a nice morning of the two.

One final note: Another business was mentioned in the WaPo article - a sandwich shop called Two Kyle's. Two Kyles is a nice market run by good people - their landlord is an ahole, but that's not Two Kyle's fault. Hope that the business and landlord aren't painted with the same brush.

[DonRocks]

“Gay Couple Sells Restaurant at Center of Small-Town Dispute” by Tim Carman on washingtonpost.com

[Keithstg]

10 hours ago, DonRocks said:

“Gay Couple Sells Restaurant at Center of Small-Town Dispute” by Tim Carman on washingtonpost.com

Worth noting that the Washer's lost EVERY SINGLE SUIT they filed against the Town of the Plains and the Waybourn/ Spauldings. Very sad that in the end the owners of the Front Porch sold, and that the Washer's continue to be bad neighbors, as they have since arriving in the Plains.

[Ericandblueboy]

Ironic that the Washers claim to be Christians but all they want to do is to destroy their neighbors' business.

[Keithstg]

14 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Ironic that the Washers claim to be Christians but all they want to do is to destroy their neighbors' business.

....and to completely prevent the town from governing itself in a normal fashion.

[southdenverhoo]

I'm firmly Team Waybourn/Myers, but I'm not sure it is accurate to say The Plains "governs itself in a normal fashion." Maybe "normal" for The Plains. I love The Plains, grew up about 6 miles from there, played baseball there (for the Warrenton Lions against The Plains Cardinals), always stop at least once at The Front Porch when home, looked at one point at buying a little building on Bragg St. for a nano-brewery, so this is not a criticism, just a statement as to village life in the Virginia Piedmont.

To be specific, the original, dating back many years ago before either party had an ownership interest in their respective properties, shared parking "agreement" is perhaps a little sketchy in terms of its compliance with the Town's own ordinance and may be vulnerable in this upcoming July appeal, is all I'm saying.

I'll just note that, strictly judging from the signage behind the businesses, there is also at least some tension between The Rail Stop and its neighbors (across the street from The Front Porch) over parking  as well. I always just park as far up the street as necessary to avoid annoying anybody; the walk is good for me anyway.

[Keithstg]

2 hours ago, southdenverhoo said:

I'm firmly Team Waybourn/Myers, but I'm not sure it is accurate to say The Plains "governs itself in a normal fashion." Maybe "normal" for The Plains. I love The Plains, grew up about 6 miles from there, played baseball there (for the Warrenton Lions against The Plains Cardinals), always stop at least once at The Front Porch when home, looked at one point at buying a little building on Bragg St. for a nano-brewery, so this is not a criticism, just a statement as to village life in the Virginia Piedmont.

To be specific, the original, dating back many years ago before either party had an ownership interest in their respective properties, shared parking "agreement" is perhaps a little sketchy in terms of its compliance with the Town's own ordinance and may be vulnerable in this upcoming July appeal, is all I'm saying.

I'll just note that, strictly judging from the signage behind the businesses, there is also at least some tension between The Rail Stop and its neighbors (across the street from The Front Porch) over parking  as well. I always just park as far up the street as necessary to avoid annoying anybody; the walk is good for me anyway.

Pretty sure I understand village life in the Piedmont. To clarify by "governing itself in a normal fashion" I mean the town being able to conduct any business - free of distracting lawsuits, endless meetings and general mayhem. It is hard to adequately express the time sink this (and other Washer related issues) have been for the village.