After all my difficulty on Thursday to find a decent connection, I stumbled onto a little oasis called Perk Central on Friday. I was done for the day and heading back to the house. I had an NPUG Meeting to prepare for the next day and I really wanted somewhere other than home so that I could prepare without distractions. I went by my favorite cigar store, because awhile back I had convinced them to get an Internet connection in their store. They never went Wi-Fi, but at least I would have a reliable connection. I bought a cigar and was just getting setup when I asked, “Where’d the Internet connection go?” That’s when they informed me that they dropped their connection.
It seems that their ISP really jacked up their price and they didn’t find the Internet crucial to their business. Of course they never really marketed it, but that’s another story and beside the point. I was SOL on another connection. With no Internet access, I decided to pack it up and head home. That’s when I remembered “Hey, wasn’t there a coffee shop on my list that had a location in Antioch?” There was only one way to find out, so I passed my regular turn off and headed about 5 miles further east to Murfreesboro road and then turned south until I found it.
Perk Central is a little mom and pop cafe that server excellent Italian coffee and other beverages as well as a small menu of soup and sandwiches. I ordered a Fuze and Panini Sandwich and as I was about to leave the counter, I saw that “Today’s Special” was Red Beans and Rice. A staple of my Louisiana heritage, how could I NOT order a bowl?
I found a table with a nearby power outlet, fired up my laptop and BAM! I was connected. Oh if only everything was this easy.8) A few minutes later, my feast was delivered to my table. I call it a feast because I had ordered WAY too much food. Half of a sandwich would have been plenty, but I had ordered a whole sandwich. On top of that, I had ordered the Red Beans and Rice and that was served in a bowl with a hearty portion. This was my first Panini and I have to say, I was hooked after the first bite. I don’t know if they are all this good, but this one was delicious. Although that was a bit of a surprise (in a good way), what was even more surprising was the fact that I didn’t have to add any Tabasco to the red beans – they were seasoned perfectly. Later, I asked the owner if she was from Louisiana and she said no, but confirmed that the recipe was from a family friend that WAS from there. Makes sense.
I ended up staying there until closing at 10:00pm. I got SO much work done and the atmosphere was just perfect. In fact, it’s become my little oasis when I need to get away and focus on some work, or just to kick back and enjoy a coffee. If you stop by and see a guy geeking out with gadgets everywhere, chances are it’s me. Stop by and say “Hi!”