Diverse Dining List

Lost Maples

1/31/2020

Breakfast in Utopia!

On a sunny, Sunday morning in January, Don and I drove to Utopia!

We were staying in San Antonio, so it was only a 90 minute drive. (4+ hrs from Houston)

We took TX 90 and meandered through other small towns, like Castroville and Hondo.

Love The Sign

Some years ago, we came upon Utopia, while heading to a campground. I remember how that sign got me thinking.

I wondered about the proud little town.

I was eager to experience a little of Paradise!

I was happy to do my best to keep it nice...

Did that mean no littering? Or was there a deeper meaning?

I won't say anything about a possibly "hidden" apostrophe... because my sloppy blogging is the worst!

Coffee on our First Visit

The first time we drove though Utopia, it was also a January day. We quickly spotted Lost Maples. There was little else in the town of about 220.

It wasn't mealtime for us, put we pulled in to have a quick peek.

Don headed to the counter to get some coffee-to-go. I stood back and studied the tables. They reminded me of my grandmother's kitchen! I couldn't help but notice the ladies gathered in the back corner.

Return in 2020

We swore we would return someday for a meal.

It took us 6 years, but we returned to those fabulous tables. One of the 9, looked a little different. I liked that combo table, with wooden legs and metal top!

Breakfast Time

It was just after 9 and only a few tables were taken. I'm guessing a lot of local folks were still in church.

Some women behind the counter invited us to sit anywhere. A woman, seated nearby, greeted us warmly. I wondered if she might be the owner.

Food

Don ordered eggs, ham and hash browns. I have to laugh at how my camera captured his plate! The biscuit was huge, but my photo image makes that square of bread look comically large.

My meal was more serious.

I had the veggie omelet with chopped potatoes. It came with a jar of salsa on the side! There was no way I needed that salsa.

The omelet had a pretty fun kick, all on its own! My biscuit looks much more normal, in the photo!

Exploring Time

After a while, it was time to get nosy. I wandered to the counter to look at the yellow sign and the wooden stools.

At the end of the counter, I noticed a chair, bolted to the ceiling.

Hanging from the back of the chair, was a rope and a cane. A couple of horseshoes were looped over some back rungs.

A young woman at a nearby table, noticed me snooping. Michaela was on a break, but was happy to fill me in on JR.

He had been one of the cafe's prized customers. He came daily for so many years, that they retired his chair after he died.

Seven Days in Utopia

Michaela was seated near a deer head, sporting some odd looking antlers.

I asked about the photo collection and she lit up. The cafe was used in the movie, "Seven Days in Utopia". She raved about meeting Robert Duvall and his wife, who couldn't have been nicer. I was glad to hear her speak with enthusiasm, since I've heard the opposite in other small towns... where movie crews clashed with locals.

Side Room

We continued chatting as I peeked into an additional eating area.

I asked if Michaela if she was from Utopia. She answered, "Born and raised!" She said her parents worked at Lost Maples, before she did. "We've all worked for Tacy." She gestrued towards the woman who had greeted us earlier.

Questions for Tacy

I introduced myself to the owner, who was happy to fill me in. I told her how much I loved the vintage tables and the wooden booths.

Tacy said they weren't there, when she and her husband Rusty, bought the place in 1986. They added the diner seating and booths, then began filling the place with antiques and knickknacks. She looked up at the covered shelves and windowsills and laughed. "I'm done with that!" I had the feeling she was facing the same de-cluttering urges that I am.

What Before?

Tacy said the building was built before 1904. Besides serving as a restaurant, it was used as a Masonic Lodge, a doctor's office and a drug store. The upper floor was available for lodging, when it was used by the Masons.

I asked when the building began serving meals. Tacy knew it was a restaurant in the 1960's, but she also recalled hearing the some kind of food was served in the forties... and there had been some kind of bar. I'm guessing JR could have filled us in!

Today

When a couple cars moved, I had a chance to look at the porch and compare to the old photo, that's on their website. Tacy said the old tree on the right, is in every photo she's ever seen.

Tacy's husband arrived after a while. He was wearing a cowboy hat and shook hands graciously. It's nice that they have kept this sweet place going for so many years.

Before Hitting the Road

With a 90 minute drive back, we made sure to pay a visit to the restroom. Of course I would have done that anyway. A trip to the restroom can offer more surprises.

I was tempted to make a call on the payphone... which really wasn't all that old.

Off We Go

We thanked everyone for chatting with us and headed out. I paused to take a look at the sweet building across the street.

It made me wonder about the post office and the original post master. I read that he was the one who chose the name Utopia. I guess the town never was a Utopian Community. It was just a really heavenly place, near the Sabinal River... which supposedly cured the postmaster of some illness.

Bye

I took one more picture of the building, just as Tacy and Rusty headed off.

They waved good-bye and I felt lucky that we'd had a chance to talk.

It was worth 3 hours of driving, especially with all the hill country scenery coming and going.

Maybe we'll have to catch the movie and reminisce about our Utopian breakfast!

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Grey Moss Inn in Grey Forest, TX

1/22/2020

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What a Discovery!

Last week, Don and I had my favorite kind of dining experience! Our dinner at Grey Moss Inn wasn't just about the food or atmosphere or service. It was also about the adventure of finding the place!

We found the 91 year old restaurant in the small town of Grey Forest. It was about 25 miles northwest of San Antonio... and then a short drive on Scenic Loop Road.

"Scenic Playground" of Grey Forest

We drove through the tiny town of Grey Forest, which had once been some kind of a summer camp community.

The 2-lane drive on Scenic Loop Road was intriguing. We spotted a few stone cottages that were built in the 1920's, when the area attracted artists and wealthy San Antonians, looking for a retreat from the city.

Long before that, the road was a trail, used by nomadic Indian tribes, stagecoaches and wagons. We didn't know all that... until later.

On the Loop

The restaurant backed up to the Loop. It wasn't exactly obvious.

There was a faded neon sign, that sort of blended with the winter landscape. We might have passed it, if we weren't looking for it.

Cookbook Time!

But we were looking for it! We knew about Grey Moss Inn... well sort of.

It wasn't a magazine ad that informed us. Or the internet, or word-of-mouth.

We read about Grey Moss Inn, in our 1959 cookbook, put out by Ford Motor Company.

We knew that Mary Howell owned the "rustic inn and served apple pie and charcoal-broiled meats...

...at least she did, 6 decades ago

I'm afraid Mary died in 1976, just a short while after she sold the restaurant. She was 85 and her son had been running the biz. Luckily, the old stone building never stopped serving meals, throughout all the years! That's not the case with most of the restaurants featured in the vintage cookbook!

Stone Entrance

Once the internet told us Grey Moss was still in business, I called to be sure. I was surprised when they suggested reservations. I happily made them for Tuesday evening.

I was eager to see the place in daylight, so I talked Don into driving over on Sunday morning. I spotted two stone cottages on the left, as we pulled in.

Huge Lot

The restaurant and patio faced a large gravel parking lot. They weren't open until dinner, so all was very quiet.

Don parked and I headed over to have a peek. The image didn't exactly match up with the book's illustration.

Outdoor Dining

I paused at the locked gate and peered into the patio area. The trees were dripping with Spanish moss, just like the picture.

It was a little cool in January for outdoor dining, but they had tables. The building on the right looked nothing like the stone building in the illustration. Did they add onto the front?

The Stone Grill

To the left of the patio, I spotted the round grill. In the illustration, it looked like a stone wishing well...except for the cartoonish figures, that seemed to be cooking.

I clicked one more photo before heading back to the car. I didn't want to cause any concern, in case there were any security cameras.

I got a better look at the circular grill when we returned on Tuesday evening. A young man was tending the mesquite fire, when we approached. A little later, he cooked my filet beautifully!

Tuesday Evening

No one else was on the patio when we arrived at 5:30. There were blue tablecloths and strings of lights.

I was glad to be there early and peek around, without bothering other guests.

Garden Room

We stepped inside and the hostess greeted us. She asked if I was Beth, which gave me a clue that they might not be expecting crowds.

I suddenly noticed the original exterior, with the arched doorway and the tree growing up through the ceiling.

Emily said the enclosed area with plants and skylights, is now called the Garden Room. We were obviously standing on what had once been the patio.

Questions for Emily

Since I'd read up a little on the internet, I had a few questions for Emily. She was young enough to roll her eyes, but she answered with such enthusiasm. I love young people who care about history.

She stepped outside with me, to point out the two stone cottages, that remain on the property today. She explained that the original owner Mary, used to live in the first one. "She baked her pies and breads there. In fact our current baker still does the baking over there."

The Treaty Tree

I asked about the tree I'd read about, with its peaceful energy. Emily pointed to the massive Live Oak, across the meadow. I walked over to have a look.

Apparently, this tree represented neutral ground for many land disputes, over the years. Treaties and alliances were signed here, between conflicting Native American tribes and early settlers.

So Much History

I was slow getting back to poor Don, who was waiting patiently at the table. But I was so curious about this property with its native stone buildings. I wondered about the woman who started the restaurant in 1929. Not the best time in US history to start a business!

Mary must have been quite an amazing woman. For so many years, her hard work and passion drew customers to such a remote area. The restaurant's current website even talks about encounters with Mary's spirit! Maybe I should have lingered out there longer. I could have asked her a few questions!

Cozy Interior

Don was checking on the menu when I returned. We had a sweet table for two, beside a window.

Of course our window no longer looked outside. If we peeked through the curtains, we could see a room with 3 tables.

The cozy addition with the slanted ceiling, had a great view of the original exterior stonework... now painted. While we were eating later, a man stepped into the tiny space and pointed to the table below the oval portrait. I heard him tell his friends that he proposed to his wife there. Sweet.

Fireplace

My eyes were drawn to the fireplace in the back part of the room. Too bad it wasn't a little chillier outside. A fire would have made things perfect.

I spotted a few old photos on the wall, next to the fireplace.

I loved this photo. Were those rocking chairs? Who was the woman in the hat with the cat? I think Mary was the woman standing. The curious woodwork above and near the fireplace, hasn't changed.

Some Bubbly and Candlelight

I was pretty amused by the enormous display of wax on our table! I wonder how many candles and how many hours of burning produced that!

Don and I decided to order a couple glasses of Prosecco first. We quietly offered a toast to our fun adventure!

Our waiter Chris, brought us our complimentary (and traditional) "Olive Twist" appetizer. He also introduced us to Jacob, who was shadowing him. Jacob happened to be his younger brother and they made the perfect team.

Again, we were delighted to realize how well informed the young staff was with the restaurant's history. We decided to eat first, before dragging out the cookbook...

Our Feast!

First we peeked at the wine list, which was huge and varied. They were offering glasses of Altos Hormingas Malbec for $6. that night! Yes!

Then Don ordered the 3 course special. Wild Mushroom Bisque, Beef Wellington with garlic truffle mashed potatoes, mushrooms and peppercorn sauce. Mouthwatering! I loved the buttery pastry crust.

My choice was the 8 ounce filet, grilled over the mesquite charcoal and basted with the traditional Witches Brew! (another tradition) My photo fails terribly! The meat's flavor was magical! The Grey Moss Squash (with cumin) was made with Mary's old recipe! The "Sour Cream Potato on the Half Shell" was mighty fine!

Dessert Time

By the time Don's third course arrived, I was stuffed and half my meal was being boxed. His Blue Velvet Cake with Swiss cream icing was dense and delicious and there was plenty to share, but it was time to ask about apple pie.

I asked Chris and he said they did have apple pie. "But do you think it's made with this recipe?" I asked. I opened the vintage book and pointed to "The Inn's Own Apple Pie" recipe.

Reaction

It's always fun to see reactions to the old book. I lower expectations with younger servers, but Chris and Jacob leaned in and laughed with giddy surprise. "What is this!?" Emily rushed over from the doorway and said she had to look too.

Emily took a photo with her phone and all 3 flipped through the pages, while we told them how we use this old cookbook like a treasure map. It's not easy to explain, to a generation that hardly knows about Ford Motor Company or cookbooks period. But they clearly loved hearing how the book leads us to interesting places and people! They were happy to pose with the book. I let them pick the best photo spot.

Heading Out

We finished up and I gathered the book and my precious leftovers.

Don and I headed out the door thanking the 3 young people who had treated us well and impressed us with their enthusiasm.

As we walked towards the car, I noticed two nicely dressed men near the grill pit. It looked to me like maybe the owner had just arrived.

I couldn't help myself. I headed over, in the dark.

First I embarrassed myself by approaching wrong man, with the cookbook. The dapper gentleman said he was actually Dr. Baeten's driver, but he pointed me in the right direction.

Louis Baeten

Dr. Baeten was more than happy to put up with my jabber about our delicious meal and how nicely the staff took care of us.

He was also pretty delighted when I showed him the book. He and his wife have owned Grey Moss since 1988, so I was surprised he hadn't run across the book in all these years! He asked if he could get a photo of the recipe and Emily assured him she had taken one. I left happy. I also left without my mouthwatering doggy bag. I put it down on a patio table. Rats!

Green Sign and a Phone Call

I was excited to see the old neon sign glowing as we pulled out onto the Loop. We drove cautiously through Grey Forest, since Chris had warned us about speed traps. Chris had also asked me to text him photos, when I got them off my Nikon.

The next day I realized I'd lost Chris' contact info, so I called Grey Moss. I told the woman on the phone to give my cell number to Chris, so I could text him the photos. "Are you the person with the cookbook?" the woman asked.

Kelly introduced herself and said she was the baker. She'd already been given the recipe and was eager about getting Mary's original apple pie recipe on the menu.

We chatted a while and she told me a few more bits of Grey Moss history and trivia. I hung up the phone grinning... and hungry! Sometimes I get to carry over a dining adventure to the next day, by devouring leftovers. This time I extended the adventure by enjoying a conversation, with the baker!

What a fun time! We'll have to go back for pie!

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Murphy's Steak House in Bartlesville, OK

11/29/2019

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Lured by the Sign

My eyes are well trained in spotting vintage signs in cities and towns.

Last November, I spotted this one easily, as we drove into Bartlesville.

"Murphy's Steak House!" I shouted as we passed the weathered cow.

Then I made Don turn the car around to let me get a better look.

Open?

Was this place even in business?

We hoped so. We love local steakhouses and cafes. I actually don't care that much about eating steak, but I love a good neon cow sign... or cow statue. I'll take whatever food comes with it.

The boxy building looked closed, but there was a truck. Maybe it would be open later. How about that walk up window for service? You don't see those much anymore.

We hoped they'd be open for dinner, since it was Monday and our hotel's restaurant was closed...

Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower

We had actually come to Bartlesville to stay in the iconic skyscraper, built by FLW in 1956.

We were geared up to have an amazing overnight adventure in the 19-story building that was originally designed to house the H.C. Price headquarters, as well as businesses, shops, apartments and a top floor penthouse for the Price family.

Don and I love a curious hotel adventure, but we love our dining adventures, too.

Luckily we got to have both, with our visit to this small Oklahoma city.

Open!

Murphy's was open!

Two signs were glowing when we arrived around 8:00. The newer sign announced, "Home of the World Famous Hot Burger...''Gravy Over All" WooHoo!

Entry

We parked and headed inside. There was a good sized waiting area. I heard there used to be lines out the door.

If we'd been there at 6 on a Friday, I'll bet the little room would have been filled with locals. Luckily there was no wait.

I wanted to look at all the framed news articles and photos, but we wasted no time. Small town businesses don't love it, when non-local diners stroll in, just when they're gearing up to head home.

"Sit Anywhere!"

We stepped inside the restaurant, which looked a little more like a diner than a steakhouse. We were told to sit anywhere.

The restaurant wasn't due to close for 90 minutes, but the place looked pretty cleared out. There were lots of options. The corner table near the window was cute... but kind of large for two.

Dining at the Counter

Oddly, the counter had chairs instead of stools. We could have had a more authentic experience if we'd sat down at the counter.

But there were more employees than diners at this point. I had a feeling we'd be intruding on their "end of shift" banter if we'd eaten at the counter.

Booth Time

We figured we should pick a a nice orange-ish booth and be quick about it.

We weren't exactly up for a romantic dinner, so we chose a booth not far from the counter and kitchen window. Lots to watch.

Observing

Everyone seemed nice, but I didn't spot anyone who seemed old enough (or chatty enough) to share Murphy's history with us. Sometimes you have to just quietly take it all in and not ask tons of questions.

The table gave us the first bit of info. "Established in 1946" The employee shirts prompted a question. "Gravy Over All" was written on the back. What did that mean?

One Order of Hot Hamburger!

Our young server seemed hurried, so we just ordered the food that the place is known for. While our meal cooked, we watched some staff with brooms and rags. Two women sat at the counter doing important tasks. One was counting money and the other was filling small plastic "to-go" containers, with the famous dark gravy.

I laughed when Don's Hot Hamburger arrived. Toasted white bread, covered with ground beef patty, buried beneath a mountain of hot fries and blanketed with chocolate-brown beef gravy!

Our waitress didn't ask "Gravy all over?" like we had expected. But she did offer Don some garlic sauce. He did as recommended and squirted some on top. He also added a generous amount of salt. He thought the strange concoction was pretty fine.

I was actually happy, with my grilled ham and cheese. (no photo) The ham was a nice thick slice. It hit the spot.

Reading Some History

It was still 30 minutes until closing when we finished. But there wasn't a person in sight who looked open to chit chat. I decided to study the walls for some history.

Jane and Michael Stern of "Roadfood" fame, had a write up on the wall. Their books and articles have guided us to many locations. But it was the cow sign that introduced us to Murphy's.

Melvel & Lorene Murphy

The best framed piece, was a photo of the couple who started this little place in 1946. This photo must have been after the remodeling and expansions of 1957 & 1966.

The couple must have had some big stories to tell from early on, when there were only 8 stools and 4 booths... and Mickey Mantle sat at the counter in 1949.

Sturdy Business

I read that the steakhouse weathered some difficult times over the years.

In 1969 it burned down. In 1982 it was struck by a tornado.

I took a peek at the building as we headed to the car.

I wondered if the sign survived the fire and tornado?

I guess the building must have been rebuilt after the fire. I heard they were only closed a few days after the tornado.

I felt a little bad that I didn't try harder to just ask a question or two. Some of those young workers might have had parents who worked at Murphy's... they might have had their own memories of coming in for Hot Hamburgers, when they were young tots!

Back to the Tower

As we headed back to the Tower, I had another thought.

I wonder how many of the men who worked on this tower in the mid 1950's, had a lunch or dinner break at Murphy's.

After the Price Tower opened in 1956, maybe the people who worked in the skyscraper, gave themselves a steak or hot hamburger treat?

But even more fun... what if the renowned architect himself had a craving for a Texas Dining Adventure and headed a mile down the road to Murphy's!

I so wish Melvel and Lorene were still around, so I could ask!

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Echo Lake Lodge - Mount Evans, CO

9/29/2019

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Breakfast at the Lodge

I have such fond memories of this sweet, lodge-y place!

Don and I ate here over 15 years ago, with our kids and another family, after a visit to nearby Mount Evans. I remember loving the Lincoln Log Look of the octagonal restaurant.

Mostly, I remember the relief of stepping inside with our 4 hungry children who only moments before had been crabby and woozy from altitude! Echo Lodge was as comforting as Grandma's house!

Now and Then

Echo Lake Lodge is no longer a lodge. The sign tells us, it's a restaurant and gift shop and yes, it has film! I can't remember the last time I bought film.

The lodge was built in 1926 to accommodate visitors to Denver Mountain Parks. Although I heard somewhere that it had been a brothel. Not sure about that.

WWII

During WWII, the lodge was used as a high altitude training camp for the military.

The lodge is at 10,600 feet. That's high enough to make me feel winded. So it's funny to remember that day, when Echo Lodge felt blissfully low. We all felt like Echo Lake Lodge was at sea level, after coming down from the top of Mount Evans, at 14,271 feet.

Octagon

Don and I returned to Echo Lake Lodge early last June. I was happy to see the chocolate brown building!

I love shapes, so this wonderful structure appealed to me. This was the original shape of the lodge. A year later they added a wing.

8-Sided Building

We climbed the stairs and entered the building. Since we are huge fans of historic hotels and lodges, it was killing me to know we could no longer book a room in this wonderful place.

But we could shop! And we could chat. The woman behind the jewelry counter had been working there for 32 years. She said Barb was the current owner, since 1989. "But, she won't be coming in today. She's been ill..."

Cocktails?

I spotted 2 openings, one with a sign for the dining room and the other for cocktails.

It was breakfast time, not cocktail time. But, I had to take a peek at what kind of cocktail area, this sweet Lincoln Log building would have!

My new friend Denise, at the jewelry counter, warned me. "There's a 2 drink limit of cocktails!" Luckily I was only in need of a peek. It looked more like a soda fountain to me!

Dining Room

Some curly horned sheep met us at the front of the dining room.

I have fond memories of our visit to Mount Evans years ago and spotting a few real, curly horned sheep, climbing up in the rocks.

Pick of the Place

At 10:30 am, we had a pick of all the tables. Everyone else seemed to be buying tee shirts and postcards. There were lots of windows and many large tables, with old cafe chairs.

There was a sweet set of Old Hickory chairs next to a piano. They seemed to be inviting Don and me to play a duet with Don... but I'm not sure we could even pull off Chopsticks! It looked like an old stone fireplace, at the end of the room. A roaring fire would have been cozier than that funny, vintage heater.

Cozy Corner

Don and I picked a corner table in the front.

My French toast was perfectly-old-timey-tasty! Don's ham & egg scramble, with hash browns, was gone before I got a picture.

Views

Don had a view of Echo Lake from his seat.

But, I had a view of the humming bird feeder, just outside our window. I saw 8 at once.

Heading Out

On our way out, I looked up one more time.

If only someday, I could stay upstairs in one of those rooms. Our very sweet Czech server said she and the rest of the international staff, were all housed at the lodge. So at least the lodge isn't lonely at night.

All I have to do is get a summer job next year!

We said good-by to Denise at the counter. She had some good advice for us.

Take a Hike

Denise told us to walk up the road. "Why? Is the view good?" She laughed and said we should go to just enjoy the quiet, free of cars.

The road to Mount Evans was still closed, after their long winter. So we walked around the barricades and walked a quarter mile. Just enough to burn off a quarter piece of my French toast. Maybe when I get a job at the lodge, I'll hike up, the full 14 miles!

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W Cafe in Gunnison, CO

9/25/2019

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Old Cafe, Old Sign

I spotted this yellow sign, as soon as we hit downtown Gunnison. An old cafe with a vintage neon sign. How could we resist?

But, W Cafe wasn't open that day. The door was ajar, but there was a note taped to it, telling us they would be closed for two days of cleaning.

Rats!

But then we realized our route would be taking us back through town in a couple of days.

Back Again

It was the beginning of June, the day we returned. The trees were full of blossoms on Main Street. When the wind blew, it snowed.

Open Door

We parked around the corner and passed some colorful hanging baskets. The door was open again, but there was no note.

Before Noon

The diner was between rushes, when we arrived. We had our pick of about 8 booths, all cozied right up to the shiny-rough, pine wood.

We sat beneath one of the many nostalgia shelves.

We even had our own little wall sconce to light up our menu.

Yay! Breakfast served entire day!

But the entire day ended at 2:00, so we were glad we got there before noon. We placed our orders and got ready to chow.

Delirious

I look a bit insane in this ready-to-eat pose. Maybe I had too much coffee. I don't usually have coffee with lunch, but Charlton asked if I wanted some and I couldn't say no. He was too sweet and he put my diner mug down on a doily!

Our waitress was a more typical, all business, server. She brought our orders pretty promptly.

Hefty Servings

My half-order special, was pretty huge for $8.99. Hot open face turkey sandwich, with mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce... and a container of cranberry sauce.

Don got the daily breakfast special, of Huevos Rancheros with hash browns. Both were nice and hot and flavorful. There was no doily for the china to rest on, but I kind of liked the retro texture of the naugahyde table cover. Or was that oil cloth?

Don Pose

Don did his pose for me. I made sure to include a little peek of the room behind him. The teenagers at the table in the far corner were having a good time.

Stainless Steel!

I was pretty impressed with the shiny cooler behind Don. I didn't spot any fingerprints, so I'm guessing that was one of the things that got a big cleaning, during the closure.

Treasures on the Wall

I of course had to wander a bit, to check out all the stuff on the shelves.

When the teen table emptied in the back, I headed over to have a look at the best corner. I love kid related antiques.

Charlton was busing tables and I asked him about the child's western attire, displayed on the wall. "Oh, that was my brother's!" he said, pointing ( I believe) to the shirt and boots. He said the chaps belonged to his grandfather or great grandfather. He wasn't sure which. He said the elephant marionette was very old.

He pointed out the framed stars on another wall and a hand-crank ice crusher that had been in his grandparents' house. He seemed so delighted that I seemed interested at all. He said his mom was the owner and had been for about 10 years.

Charlton seemed extra excited when he heard we were from Texas. He had family in Amarillo and Bandera. I thanked him so much for sharing with me and asked if he'd want to be in one of my photos. "Oh, probably not," he smiled. "I'd be too shy." I said I understood and thanked him so much for keeping my coffee nice and hot, because he really had. I wish I had a photo of Charlton. I wonder if he was named for the actor?

What's With the W?

I never found out what the "W" was for, in W Cafe. I should have asked the nice man, dining by himself near the front window. Before heading off, I asked him about the sign on the wall, over his head. "I've been coming here since 1973, " he said. "That sign's been here forever."

I asked what it was from.. or for. He kind of shrugged.

"They're just being funny, I guess."

That was sort of a lame question on my part.

I never found out the age of the cafe, although I did read that they had a full remodeling in the mid-fifties. That's old! Even older than me. We were a good fit!

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Lost Maples

Grey Moss Inn in Grey Forest, TX

Murphy's Steak House in Bartlesville, OK

Echo Lake Lodge - Mount Evans, CO

W Cafe in Gunnison, CO

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