kentmitchell
11-08-06, 05:32 PM
Any Marine in the Atlanta area owes it to himself/herself to go to the Blue Ribbon Grill near Northlake Mall tomorrow (Nov. 9) for the annual Marine Corps Birthday Party. The owner is a Marine and so is his partner. Marine Corps memorbilia is heavy in the place along with pics of the owner and various celebrities and sports figures. It's a combination grill and bar. The food--except for some awful cole slow--is as good as you'll get in Atlanta. Great steaks and seafood and the owner's mother's famous meatloaf and potatoes. There will be about 150-200 Marines there. They range from a boot-ass private to at least one major general and all ranks and ages in between. A color guard complete with bagpipe playing swabbie marches into the main dining area at about 2100 or 2200. We all sing the Hymn--scaring hell out of clueless civilians--and the general reads the Commandant's Birthday Message. Then the youngest and oldest Marines cut the birthday cake. The grill serves up a bunch of free appetizers and you won't guess what is the most popular--SOS, cooked the Marine Corps way and served over toast. That's right! Uniforms range from dress blues to cammies from various wars. One old guy, Rocky something, wears his old Raider utility cover. Rocky and Ted Williams flew together in Korea. General Ray Davis attended more than once before he died. Me, I never saw a shot fired in anger ('56-60). The big deal for me is being able to tell anyone who will listen that I served in an outfit with heroes like those that surround me and my wife at Blue Ribbon Grill on the Marine Corps birthday. And THAT is a big deal. The grill is located at 4006 LaVista Road, Tucker. If you get lost trying to find it, call them at 770-491-1570. Semper Fi, Devildogs!