Friday, October 21, 2011

There's no limeade at 35,000 feet

As I type these words, I'm on a Delta flight somewhere over the middle of the country, returning to San Francisco from eight days in the South. Through the window, I see brown mountains, white clouds, and absolutely zero limeades.

I'm in withdrawal.

Limeades are at the top of the list of drinks I crave whenever I'm down South. Richmond, Virginia, where Nick and I spent the past four days, is particularly known for its limeades. In fact, forget about Richmond being the Capital of the Confederacy; it's the Capital of the Limeade. We had a delicious limeade at Kuba Kuba in the Fan and another one at Bill's Barbecue. (Limeade and barbecue is a heady combination; I would say it's like pairing red wine with filet mignon but I'm afraid you'd lose all hope for me.) I'd have had the vodka limeade at Phil's Continental Lounge, if only Phil's had been open. (It's in the process of relocating.) The limeade at Dunn's Drive In is also popular, though I'd never heard of it until I did a Google search just now for limeades in Richmond.

I'm not exclusive in my love of limeades, by the way. In Greensboro, where I'm from and where we also just spent a few days, the lunch counter at Brown Gardiner drug store offers a fabulous orangeade. I didn't get the chance to have one this time, so it's high on my to-do list for my next trip.

Alas, there's no limeade to be had on this Delta flight. I suppose it would be too much to ask the flight attendants to cut and squeeze limes and whip up a batch of simple syrup. But as part of breast cancer awareness month, the airline is serving a pink lemonade martini. It's not a limeade or, even better, a mojito, but it's for a good cause and...sorry, I've got to run; the drink cart is here.

11 comments:

  1. Enjoy your pink lemonade martini!

    Um, but is there no Sonic Drive-Ins somewhere because I know that they have limeades or is that too fast-food type of limeades and not the "real" thing?

    Hope you enjoyed your visit South and can't wait to hear more about it!

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  2. I think it sounds like a business opportunity waiting to happen? Limeade on the West Coast!!

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  3. Same kind of situation for me! Limeade has got to be one of my favorite beverage choices, but in Canada limes are like 50cents each, too expensive to buy enough for a pitcher of limeade. I guess I better enjoy it while I'm here in Mexico. Great post!

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  4. Haha! I'm British, is Limeade the same as Lemonade? (I suppose the clue is in the name but I don't like to assume)

    Hope you enjoyed the pink lemonade martini!

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  5. Hope you're working on commission for the Virginia Tourist Board and the Lime Growers Association because you've sold both to me.

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  6. I sympathize. I'm from New York and I swear to God there's not a Mountain Dew or quality slice of Pizza anywhere in London. Feel better it's not just you

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  7. Limeade is lime lemonade...Cherry Limeades. Strawberry LImeades at Sonic have Strawberries in them. Is there no Sonic in San Francisco? You can get Limeades half price during Happy Hour from 2 pm to 4 pm. My New Yorker husband has never had a Limeade...mmmm, Limeade with Vodka speaking of Drink Cart, but now, I am having homemade eggnog with a splash of Jim Beam. The south misses you, man.

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  8. sooooo good. i'm in love with them too!

    -JD

    www.conflarity.blogspot.com

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  9. Ahhh very cool. From Greensboro? Couldn't have figured out you were from the south with the Piggly Wiggly background.

    I love it and great blog.

    James

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  10. Mmmmm, mojitos! I love them and pink lemonade martinis sound really great too. Is a limeade anything close to a margarita? Welcome back to Cali!

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  11. In our supermarket they have pink punnets of mushrooms for breast cancer awareness month. It sits funny with me - having fungus promoting breast cancer awareness.

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