We're Awfully Glad We Came

Last Saturday, we followed Peggy's advice from Thursday's Turkey Day dinner at Scotties Bar and Grill (there's just so many social obligations here, y'know?), and headed out to Donna's Place, newly relocated to the Copper Bank Inn, in Copper Bank.

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.

- Where Everybody Knows Your Name
(the Cheers theme song) 

by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angel

Donna's Place At The Copper Bank Inn

 Wow! And what a change it is too. Donna's floor space has more than doubled, it has a nice, large bar, and in Donna's words, "A kitchen to die for".

Donna's Place is large, but comfortable. It's bright and airy. And just like in the song, it's a place where 'everybody knows your name'.

The food, as usual if you've ever eaten at Donna's Place, was very good. It was served promptly and all together. Dianna and I had Tandoori Chicken, Alan and Elsie shared a baked chicken plate.

Every Saturday, the crowd comes in to play darts and to have a good time. And, it really doesn't matter if you know how to play darts or not. Once you're introduced, you feel you're family - you laugh, drink and eat, and have a heck of a good time, in a most relaxing atmosphere. So much so, I felt like I had been coming there for a long time and they were genuinely 'glad we came'.

Here's Alan and Elsie, just shortly after we arrived. See how big the joint is? I was totally impressed.

Alan and Elsie

Shortly after we ordered, I snuck (is that a word?) into the kitchen and snapped a quick one of Donna hard at work in her kitchen preparing our meals.

Donna Hard At Work In Her Kitchen

Every now and then Donna was able to sneak out and join us. Oh, ok. She was able to not only join us, but she played some darts as well. It's not all work, work, work.

View From Behind the Bar

Here Donna's catching up on what Elsie and Alan have been up to and what they're going to be doing - like a couple of months in Costa Rica and Panama and probably some other places as well. She and Alan will be back here in February.

Donna - A Break From The Kitchen

Their biggest problem right now is trying to decide where they want to spend Christmas - Panama, Costa Rica, or some place entirely different. Such hard decisions to have to make. Sounds like a fun journey.

The dart players invited us to join in, but for this visit we were content to just sit and watch. They were right - it didn't matter whether players were good or not, everyone was playing for fun.

Peggy, You're Up!

Lined Up And Waiting Their Turn

How Do You Keep Score?

Fairly early on, Enrique, Donna's husband hollered to me that Dove, the Inn's owner was going to show some visitors the Inn's rooms and view from upstairs and that I should join them, so I did.

Enrique Working Behind the Bar

Dove Showing Visitors Around The Inn

Two of the room have air-conditioning, the rest have ceiling fans. The place is scrupulously clean. It's tailor-made for a nice, quiet and relaxing stay.

Nice, Clean Rooms

From upstairs at the Inn, you get a great view of their large kidney-shaped pool. If it's like ours over in Corozal, the temperature is steady at 84° (f) to 86° (f) at this time of year.

The Copper Bank Inn's Large Pool

It seemed our table always had a lively conversation going on. A couple of folks even came over, introduced themselves and said they were sorry they missed us the last time we had been over at Donna and Enrique's house just north of Copper Bank. Talk about a welcoming feeling.

It's Lively At Our Table

After leaving Donna's Place and the Copper Bank Inn and all the friendly folks, it was time for us to head back to Corozal. A nice interlude each way on the trip is the hand-cranked ferry. Dianna spelled one of the workers and took a turn on the crank. It's not hard work at all and the workers do appreciate the break.

Dianna Taking A Turn On The Ferry

 All in all, one of the most enjoyable afternoons we've had in a long time. We all really enjoyed the people, the food, the setting of Donna's Place and the Copper Bank Inn. It's really one of those feelings like you get when you put on a well broken in pair of jeans or shoes - they just feel comfortable and right. That was our visit - comfortable and right.

If you do come to Corozal, make sure to mark some time to at least make a day trip to Copper Bank to see Donna. If I were you, I'd mark out a couple days to stay and really relax at the Copper Bank Inn. You won't regret it. It won't be long till everybody knows your name.

Location, Location, Location

For those of you who either live in the greater Corozal area (I guess that would be the Corozal District), or are visiting here, or maybe you're planning a visit, include in your plans a stop at Donna's Place in Copper Bank. The food is excellent, the service is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed.

Just in case you have been to Donna's Place in the past, this is to let you know that she's moved. But not that far - still in Copper Bank, now at the COPPER BANK INN. Just follow the signs along the road! You won't regret it. Tell her Dave sent you.

BTW, I forgot to mention on the original post, the phone number is still the same:

501-622-0366

I'm Remiss. I Know it. I'm Sorry.

I will try to make up for it before next years b-day event.

Donna and Enrique

Donna and Enrique, owners of Donna's Place, restaurant in Copper Bank, were kind enough to invite us to help them celebrate Enrique's birthday a couple of weeks ago. We started off by meeting them and a whole passel of folks at Bumpers Chinese Restaurant.
Now, for folks who don't know, Bumpers is one of the 'few' Chinese restaurants we have here in Corozal. It's long suit sure isn't the decor - it's early 'plain'. The last time they painted inside, was probably right before they opened for business, and if you go there in the evening, some of the clientele may not quite always be up to snuff.

But, let me tell you what Bumpers does have. First - Cold beer. Their Belikin is at least (and I don't say that lightly), at least, as cold as the Purple Toucan's. Second - Great food. They have a pretty wide-ranging menu, printed on an honest-to-God blackboard on the wall, and it's all excellent. Large quantities too. Their fried shrimp is excellent. We tried several orders of it and it was all good. And, third, the service. What nice people that run Bumpers. You couldn't ask for better service - well, in Corozal anyway.

Here's a couple more photos while we were at Bumpers:

Ricky, Paul, and a Friend

And Bob, and Dianna

From Bumpers, we migrated (as you do) over to the new place in town, Primo's. Primo's is a nice little palapa bar, right across the street from the Jamrock Bar on Corozal's waterfront at Miami Beach.

They too, serve Belikin (not as cold as Bumpers, but acceptable). They also serve a great Nacho plate and some other botanas as well. They also have music (dare I say), not too loud - he said whisperingly. At least you can carry on a conversation.

Here's more photos of the party at Primo's:

I Don't Know Who This Guy Is

Everyone is Having a Great Time

Everyone is Having a Great Time

Little Poochies Too

Enrique Making A Point

Talk, Talk, Talk

Talk, Talk, Talk

Jokes and Laughter

Jokes and Laughter

Primo's Behind the Bar is in Capable Hands

Bellying Up To the Bar

For a Fanta and A Coke, Of Course

Somewhere along the line, I lost total track of the number of Belikins I'd had (as you do, at times). Suffice to say, we had our share, Enrique had a nice party, we ate our fill of shrimps, nachos, and who knows what else, and we made it home in one piece (carefully, of course).

I was even together enough the next morning to still walk the dogs on their almost 4-mile daily trek.

Cheers,
Dave

PS - And again, I'm sorry. I won't be near as late on posting something, if you invite me again next year. - d

Visit To Donna's Place

Just yesterday Dianna and i made an excursion out to Copper Bank. Donna had called us a half-hour earlier inviting us out to swim at their beach. We had just been lounging around the casa, laying in our individual pools of sweat, trying to figure out if we had enough energy to head down to the pool. It's been over a week since any meaningful rain, and just about a total absence of a breeze. It does get hot.

We had been meaning for ages to go visit Donna and Enrique. But, something always came up, and it's so far to Copper Bank, and it's dusty, and the road's bumpy, and..., and..., Well, with Donna's call, we were galvanized. I made a quick call to see if Doug and Twyla wanted to go, but they were occupied with other things. So, we grabbed a cooler full of beer, our swimming togs, and away we went down the road toward the Copper Bank ferry.

Surprisingly, the road was in pretty good condition. Well, that's relative as the last time we had run it , they were still mid-way in the repairs of the road from Hurricane Dean. Of course that was a year ago. Not the hurricane, the repairs. Things take time.

Anyway, we got to the ferry. We only had to wait about three or four minutes for it to get back to our side of the New River. A quick ride a across the river and a leisurely drive at 30 MPH and no A/C to Copper Bank. The road wasn't even too dusty - an unexpected bonus!