I happened to have the camera with me when I went for a bite to eat at the 2400 Diner, a Fredericksburg, Virginia, landmark opened in the 1950's. The Contax was loaded wtih an out-of-date roll of Tri-X film, and affixed to the camera was the 50mm f/1.5 lens that was on it when I bought it.

And so it began. I saw the opportunity to document something that is slowly fading in these days of cookie-cutter fast food franchises, strip mall obscurity and corporate culture: a family-owned, one-of-a-kind, jewel.

The 2400 Diner is a place where locals can go to get a good, reasonably priced meal, or just sit and enjoy an iced tea. You don't see many suits there, but it's visited by everyone from painters to politicians.

I decided to stick with the Contax, its one lens and Tri-X black-and-white film to emulate the era when the diner opened; nothing electronic, no zoom lenses or motor drives and no flash. My one concession to the electronic age was to tone the images in Photoshop.

So, come on in and have a look. I hope you feel some of what I do when I go to the 2400. Give me some feedback and remember to check back later for updates to this ongoing project.