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Open in 1947 I love a good neon sign and I love the term "Supper Club".  We spotted this sign 6 years ago while traveling through Glenwood Springs and vowed we'd come back and check it out. Glenwood Springs in 2024 Don and I were back in Colorado in July.  We stayed at the Hotel Maxwell Anderson on Seventh Street.  Just a block west on 7th, we could climb up to the walking bridge that crossed the river. It gave us a good view of our hotel... ... and a good view of the iconic Supper Club and Lounge. Two buildings? I was confused.  I wasn't sure if dining would be an option for us that night. But I figured we could at least experience the place with a drink in the Lounge. The Lounge Section I wandered down from the hotel around 4 to get a peek at the place.  I passed the pink neon words spelling "Lounge" and paused at the rounded corner, to admire the glass block window. Love the vintage look! One Business or Two? I studied the patio space in front of the 1-story building.  There was a door opening to the "Lounge" building and a different door to the 2-story building, which held the "Supper Club" sign. It suddenly became clear that this was no longer one business, but 2 separate restaurants. At least the exterior had the '40s vibe of the ole supper club, that once housed a dining hall, bar, lounge and dance floor. "Riviera Scratch Kitchen" The corner restaurant's new name was written on the large front window. The words scratch and kitchen are not exactly words I associate with a mid-century restaurant. But I learned later that Chef Travis Owen has been impressing diners with seasonal scratch cuisine, since 2016.  The restaurant wasn't open yet, but I stuck my head in and noticed a tiny bar area to the right of the door. The bar section did indeed have a vintage feel, so I rushed back to report to Don. 5:30 We headed over a 5:30, hoping there would be 2 seats open at the tiny bar.  We could see there were already plenty of diners, as we headed towards the entrance. Dining Room The dining area was small, with a relaxed, open vibe. I so wish I could have seen photos of this space, 60 years ago.  I didn't spot a piano anywhere. I'd read that owner Jonathan Gorst, played regularly. But that may have been a previous owner. The Bar The bar was hopping and we were lucky to find 2 stools together. It had a fun lively feel, with a few dining at the bar.  I didn't catch our bartender's name, but he was pleasant and efficient, as he prepared drinks for bar and restaurant customers, while training an equally pleasant young woman.  Don and I ordered martinis because that seemed the appropriate choice, while sitting at a bar that's been serving cocktails for 77 years.  While sipping our cocktails, we looked for hints of the old Riviera Lounge. How many renovations in 77 years? Could we be sitting at the original bar? Was the mirror old? I snapped a mirror photo like we used to do before the days of selfies.
Then I snapped an equally lame selfie, to capture the musical note decor behind us. That piece of "art" has probably been around a while. The only thing worse than our selfie, was the blurry photo I took when I hopped up to make a trip to the restroom.  My photo barely shows the bumped-out space behind us, which was so much more curious than it appears. The cozy nook made me imagine Al Capone huddled over a cocktail, in a dim corner... Capone did frequent Glenwood Springs, but he died 1947. So unlikely he ever stepped foot in the Supper Club. Signs of the Past I took a trip to the restroom in hopes of spotting some hints of the past, along the way.  There was little to see. The sign on the door is not one we would have seen 50 years ago.  I got excited when I saw a framed photo on the wall. Was this a photo of the Riviera? I so wanted to get some scoop from our bartender, but he had his hands full. The photo hardly matches up, with all the windows. Off at 7 It was 7, when we finished up and headed out. I left feeling a little disappointed that I hadn't learned anything at all about the history of this place.  But the neon was glowing and that pleased me. More Neon Don and I headed up the stairs to the walking bridge. We had more exploring to do.  It was a treat looking back and seeing the blue and pink neon glowing. Hot Springs Bathhouse We crossed over the river and looked down on the historic Hot Springs Bathhouse.  There were still plenty of guests "taking the waters" as they did back when the bathhouse opened in 1888. Hotel Colorado We continued across and spent an hour enjoying the garden patio bar at Hotel Colorado.  The grand hotel was built in 1893, 54 years before the Riviera Supper Club opened. There's a lot to love about this old town! Back Across It was about 8:45 when we headed back across the bridge towards our hotel. Which opened 1915, btw.  And the depot! It opened in 1904. I clearly love dates. Good Night By the time we reached the stairs on Seventh street, the neon had already been turned off. The Riviera was closed before 9.  Since our very brief visit to the Riviera, I've been perplexed why I can't find more information. I wish I'd just spoken with a local or 2, who might have had some memories to share.
Mostly it's fun to know that we had a tiny Riviera Experience. The sign lured us years ago and we did sip martini's while that sign was glowing! Quite good enough!
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Dining With Fast Food Aliens The majority of Dining Adventures in this blog, spotlight places Don and I discovered while traveling. Fast food places are way too predictable, so we've avoided them... until recently.  We were lured by Aliens in Roswell, New Mexico. We had to stop!  We stopped at not ONE, but TWO junk food chains! Breakfast Stop at McDonald's Over the years, we've spotted the golden arches in a few faraway places, like Paris and China. But recently we made a stop at a location, that was totally out of this world!  At least the building looked like it had come from outer space. The location in Roswell, is actually about 2 hours from the spot where a UFO (supposedly) landed in 1947! You know you're in Roswell, when you see street lamps with alien eyes! Flying Saucer Shape The McDonald's chain doesn't really do themes much. So it was kind of fun to make a stop at this mod structure to see what it was all about.  I'm not really sure how they came up with this design. The space ship shape was sort of hidden by the enormous glassed in play area. It looked a bit more like Houston's Space Center, than a McDonald's. Although I doubt there are aliens lurking near the Houston museum! Glowing! I snatched this photo from Google Maps so I could be reminded of what we missed, visiting during the day.  In the morning when we arrived, the shiny surfaces were reflecting sunlight. If we'd been traveling through at night, we could have enjoyed the changing colors outlining the building! Morning! But our 9:30 am visit was a treat just the same.  Look at the silver Alien overseeing the drive-thru line. He looks like he could use a few Big Macs. Glowing Aliens We stepped inside and I spotted a neon Alien near the food counter.   The floor was also glowing with some changing images that involved the Alien theme. What Part of the Galaxy are We From? After getting our food, we paused to donate a dollar.  The clever collection box made the act of donating to the Ronald McDonald House, very entertaining.  Well, sort of entertaining. The "galaxy locations" weren't all that creative. We just chose the state we're from and added a buck. The Kiddie Spaceship I don't believe I've ever taken a seat in the Kid Zone area, when I didn't have kids with me.  But we were all about the theme. We headed into the interior of the big spaceship, where the theme was happening. Astronauts We didn't dine with any aliens in the spaceship, but Ronald McDonald was suited up in his astronaut suit.
I had to look up the purple character in the Coke can. Grimace seemed to have his own spacesuit as well. Sharing With Friends On our way out, Don and I took turns posing with our Alien Friends.
I shared a Biscuit Sandwich with the weariest of the 2. Across the Street We headed towards the car, but I was quickly drawn to an even bigger Alien across the street.  Something tells me I'm not the first to pose with the Green Giant Alien. Quick Peek I didn't feel like I could travel on, without at least looking inside.
I wasn't totally impressed with the inside decor. Just a handful of inflatable aliens. Then I spotted some green donuts! Dessert! I don't often need to have dessert at breakfast, but my alien donut did the trick!  Green icing and green filling! Probably green teeth after I ate it! It tasted fine, but I'm not giving big bonus points for that alien drawing! Bottom Line: McDonald's wins the prize for Best Alien Themed Dining Adventure! Update in June 2025 It took us less than a year to return to Roswell's McDonald's, while on another road trip! I never thought we'd need a second experience, but we needed food. We stopped first at Roswell's Cowboy Cafe, and there was a long wait for a table.  So we headed back to McDonald's, which was more crowded than ever. And I got to share my drink with this alien. I'd say, both our expressions were similar, as we reacted to the chilly beverage!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
May 2025
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