Category: 0 Colorado

W Cafe in Gunnison, CO

9/25/2019

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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The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs

9/25/2019

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On-the-Road Lunch

Usually when we're on the road, we search for quirky small town cafes or curious roadside diners. But last June, we gave ourselves a lunch treat at the lovely Broadmoor Hotel.

The hotel looked impressive as we approached, but we weren't exactly dressed to impress. I fretted about my flip flops as we neared the guard house. Don reminded me this was not a members only club.

A man named Doug, popped his head out and welcomed us. He encouraged us more, when he mentioned free valet parking. I asked him if we could pull over before heading to valet parking... to tidy up and change shoes. He thought that was funny.

Quite the Valet Area

There were 8 valets in full uniform when we pulled up. I climbed out and grinned at all the loveliness surrounding us. Just in the carport area (which of course would never be called that) I spotted brass cherubs and God-like faces, two mounted buffalo heads...

...and a lovely green, Broadmoor Rolls-Royce, sitting out by the fountain.

Lunch at La Taverne

There are something like 18 restaurants, in the sprawling resort complex. We were just interested in the original hotel from 1918. We entered the the glamorous, pink stucco building and found our way to La Taverne.

The legendary Tavern steakhouse (originally no "e" after Tavern) was added in 1930, to celebrate the end of prohibition. The decor included lots of wine bottles... in chandeliers and sconces. I failed to get a photo of the original Toulouse Lautrec posters, that decorated the walls. Not sure when they were added.

We passed the curving bar in the main room and then a dining counter, with a chef at work. All looked wonderful, but a little too quiet and empty. Where was everyone?

Le Jardin

It seemed that most of the people were dining outside in the atrium, surrounded by lush growth, with a 16-foot chandelier hanging above.

I didn't spot any live flamingos wandering about, but there were some, back in the day.

Mid-Century Modern Lingers

We were seated at a table between the main dining room and Le Jardin. Evidently this area was added in 1939 and called Tavern Lanai. They likely served tiki cocktails, while Hawaiian music played. In 1953, there was a new theme and the space became the Mayan Room.

Hidden Designs

There was a lot of geometric fun with all the wall angles and squares of light wood. I wonder if these little faces and designs were part of the Mayan theme?

Colorful Glass

The Art Deco, stained glass didn't seem to fit at all. Then again, there were a lot of shapes in that glass, to add to the mix!

Service

The service was excellent. In fact our server, Matthew was so quick to whip my napkin into my lap, I was jolted. When he wasn't looking I put it back and snapped my pic.

Oh my, the bread was heavenly! I was so happy with warm bread and soft Tavern butter.

Ordering

I also took a photo of the menu with its European scene. All the French focus and titles were added in recent years as a nod to artist, Toulous.

Yum!

The food was fabulous and not overly priced! Don had chicken salad, on retro Tavern china. The salad had a little zip and zing to the flavor, that made the cool melon and zucchini bread, taste extra nice.

Matthew was so pleased when I ordered the chicken pot pie. He said it would be the best I ever tasted... but to not tell my grandmother! It was delicious and it looked like a sweet little boat. The hole in the top let out a blast of yummy steam. The piping hot chicken, pearl onions and peas looked like they were trying to escape!

Bottle Alley

A trip to the restroom was extra fun. First of all, I loved the door with its title, "Retiring Rooms". On the way to the very elegant Ladies Room, I enjoyed glancing at about 1,000 dusty bottles of wine and liquor.

I heard that Spencer Penrose, who built The Broadmoor in 1918, was not too pleased about prohibition. He hoarded and collected and hid massive amounts of liquor in preparation. He also drank what he'd collected. I read that most of these empty bottles were enjoyed, during prohibition.

Exploring!

I love nothing better than going on a walk, after a huge feast or just a tasty lunch. We did just that, inside the beautiful 101 year old building.

Outside

While peering out of a few upper windows, we realized we were really missing the best walk of all. We headed out to enjoy the gorgeous weather and the grounds, that were designed by the same man who created Central Park!

Pretending

We barely scratched the surface, of experiencing this historic hotel! I took in what I could as we wandered across the bridge for a rear view of the hotel. I pretended I was a hotel guest, not a lunch guest. I don't think I fooled anyone.

They're going to have to drop their hotel prices before we can stay a night and add Broadmoor to my 90-Notable Nights Blog!

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A Little Dining & Drinking in Ouray, CO

9/24/2019

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First Stop - The Ouray Brewery

In June, Don and I spent one night in the sweet little Alpine town of Ouray.

We were staying right on Main Street, at the Beaumont Hotel. That meant we could pretty much walk to everything. At 5:00, we headed for the Brewery, with its rooftop sitting area.

Beer and Views

We grabbed two stools, ordered beer and took in the sights. Obviously, the mountains were stunning.

The slow parade of traffic on Main Street was equally entertaining. The non-stop flow of dusty trucks and Jeeps was downright comical. Where were these vehicles going, in this town of 1,000? Watching the wandering locals and tourists, was an added plus.

Mr. Grumpy Pants

We made one more beer stop at The Ourayle House... because Don likes beer. I don't love beer, but I like entertaining places, even when they have intimidating signs.

The owner was more quiet and expressionless, than grumpy. He pretended to be annoyed when a young woman asked for a beer sample. He looked like he was suppressing his smile, when he handed it to her in a baby bottle.

I was amused by the sliding chair that Mr. Grumpy used, to whizz down from one end of the bar to the other. I was surprised when he allowed me to take his photo. When I asked what you had to do to earn a ride on that thing, he pointed to the wall. There were photographs of all the people who had paid for a ride, by doing the splits on the bar.

"Any men?" I asked. "Just one." he answered, pointing to a photo of a smiling man, performing the stunt with the help (or without the help) of his prosthetic legs.

Time For Food

It was a Wednesday evening and we had been warned that the town pretty much closes down by 9. We headed down Main Street in search of food.

I was drawn to The Outlaw, with its brick and glass block and screen door. I read that the building was constructed around 1910 and originally housed a meat market during the mining boom. The building was bought by the Bonatti in the 1943.

The sign also attracted and amused me. I love a little mix of old west saloon and mid-century cocktail lounge. The Outlaw name was given to the restaurant/bar in 1969. That was the same period when John Wayne was in the area, filming "True Grit". He was a visitor to The Outlaw and his hat is on display behind the bar. I failed to get a photo!

Welcoming

I took in the scene as we entered. Right away, I noticed the shake shingles on the upper walls. I couldn't really read the writing, but I learned they had been signed, by local miners and cowboys.

The long wooden bar and hanging wagon wheels made me think saloon. The stools made me think of a soda fountain. The folded cloth napkins made me think of dining, which was just what I wanted.

My View

A friendly man with dark hair greeted us and ushered us to a great table in the back. I had a nice view of the bar and tables, to do a little people watching.

A child sitting on a nearby stool was greeted by lots of staff. One happy table celebrated a birthday. A young man played for tips on a honky tonk piano. A couple had an intense conversation for much of the evening, but stopped after each song to applaud the piano player, like proud parents. I'm guessing everyone was local.

Servers

Everyone who served us looked related, with dark hair and friendly dispositions. Could these be members of the original Bonatti family, who immigrated from Italy years ago? I guess not. The Bonatti family sold to the Chaotes in 2009 and there were lots of different folks running the biz, in between.

I especially loved the sweet woman who brought us our water. She had an accent, which probably wasn't Italian. But she smiled so big. "Hello Lady! How are you today?" That made me smile.

My huge Greek salad made me smile too. It was packed with all the good stuff.

Don ordered Chicken Pasta with mushrooms and a slightly sweet red sauce.

I have no pics of our wine or yummy seasoned bread or my soup with beef and potato. All tasted like my kind of comfort food. I was happy. But I'm beginning to think it was all a dream. I don't see any of the things we ordered, on their website menu.

Out of Outlaw, by 8:30

It was still light when we stepped outside after our meal.

The colored lights surrounding the glass block windows were just beginning to show up.

We had a nice meal, but I think we missed out by not sitting at the bar and learning some local lore. I'm sure many remember the Bonatti family well. Rudy was the son of the Mr. and Mrs. Bonatti. Up until 2008, Rudy was seen by many, sitting on a bench outside the restaurant. I'm glad the Choates, didn't change things up when they bought the business!

It's fun to imagine John Wayne coming here in 1969. Now I can add The Outlaw to our fairly long list of restaurants, bars and hotels that we AND John Wayne have enjoyed. Hmm? Maybe I need to make a new John Wayne category.

Ending the Evening

All dining adventure's are better enjoyed when they don't involve a car. It was wonderful walking back to our hotel while the skies darkened.

I ran up to the second floor of the Elks Club, to see if the Bingo happenings were still underway. They were indeed going strong, but we figured we weren't excited enough to pay $15. a card. We headed back to our fabulous hotel and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Yippee for enjoying some good food and drink and strolling, in Ouray!

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Tiki Mana in Breckenridge, CO

9/20/2019

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Tiki Break in Breck

Before Don and I headed to Breckenridge last May, I did a Google search.

It was a fun surprise to see Tiki Mana listed, in case we needed a little Tiki-Time up in the mountains.

Finding It

Don and I arrived a few days before our kids joined us. We decided to locate the place early, so we could do some celebrating with the youngin's later. They love tiki adventures, too.

We walked over from our condo and found Tiki Mana, in the lower level of a hotel. The place wasn't open, but we could see some tropical decor through the windows. The patio faced the creek and looked pleasant in the sunshine.

Memorial Day Weekend Weather

We hadn't exactly expected snow for our visit. By the time we were gathered with our kids and their spouses, we were ready for a warm escape, to a tropical environment.

Tuesday Tiki Time

We concluded the bar/restaurant was open on Tuesday afternoon. We headed over for Happy Hour, at 4.

The entrance by the creek was much more festive than entering through the hotel. There was a cute little gathering space, right inside the door.

Bright

We stepped into the main bar and dining area and I was surprised with the bright lighting. Usually my aged eyes go into shock, when I enter dimly lit, tiki bars.

On a chilly Tuesday at 4:00. I wasn't too surprised that we were the first. It gave me a chance to peek around and snap a few pics.

There were cozy booths and thatched roofs.

There were bamboo walls and plants and windows. I'm not sure I've ever been to a tiki bar that had windows.

There were lots of Aloha Girls in the art and carved faces.

And carved Polynesian masks...

Our group of 6 could have fit into this sweet booth with seaside pillows.

But we decided to sit at the bar.

I sat near the corner and shared a little bar space with this carved figure.

A local man came after a while and chatted a bit, but he was pretty dull.

Our bartender was nice and he wore a flowered shirt. But he seemed sleepy and our enthused little crowd didn't seem to wake him up.

Menus and Water

You know you're visiting a high altitude Tiki Bar, when the bartender hands you big glasses of water with your menu. He did not give us the leis.

I packed the leis, because I am always prepared with props, for dining or tiki adventures! Luckily the kids went along with my silliness.

The Tiki Gang

Only two of us were willing to brave the cold and wear a tropical shirt, for our outing.

I failed to get close ups of our tiki cocktails. Besides the colors, they weren't really all that exciting to look at. I guess I had my hopes up, because we were sitting at the bar staring at some typical tiki cups. Oh well, we did enjoy our Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians. We had a few toasts, while flurries blew outside.

Food

There were some decent appetizers on the Happy Hour menu. We had Tiki Poppers and Coconut Shrimp, Lava Edamame and Lava Wings, for $5 each.

Tiki Memories

Our tiki time was brief and then we were off, to other things.

I'm glad we experienced a little of Mountain Tiki Experience, but mostly our fun was about being together. We will always remember that that we walked in wearing coats and took off our gloves to drink our cocktails.

Over the days, the weather got even worse, so it would have been nice to have returned for some more tropical warmth. But we weren't inspired.

Mana Tiki just was not cozy enough. It needed better music and a happier bartender... which would have brought more customers and a better vibe. Maybe Breckenridge needs to stick to the mountain theme that it does so well.

Hmm? A Yelp search says that Mana Tiki has closed. Not sure.

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Dining Houses of Breckenridge

9/20/2019

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Colorado in May

Weather was cold and sloppy when we visited Breckenridge, last May.

Luckily the pretty town had lots of cozy indoor dining options.

Of all the meals we enjoyed during our week, I was happiest with the ones in quieter settings. Especially the ones in cute, old houses!

Briar Rose Chophouse and Saloon

Don and I arrived on May 25, a day before our kids met up with us. It was the only day of the week, with sunshine predicted.

We dined that first evening at Briar Rose. It wasn't exactly a house, but it was once home to miners. It had been a boarding house for the workers at the Briar Rose Silver Mine.

Actually, I learned later that it burned down. In the 1960's they rebuilt.

Oh well... still cozy, like a house!

When we arrived at 7, the place was packed. It was good we had reservations. Although we could have killed some time in the saloon, had we needed to wait. There was a happy crowd back there, hanging around the oak bar, beneath some deer heads.

Sneaky Photos

Breckenridge is full of tourists, so I'm not sure why I was so shy about pulling out the camera. I snapped a couple low pics with the old cell phone.

Our dining room felt both homey and elegant. I was happy to see tablecloths and wine glasses and candles. I was happy with the noise level... festive chatter, but easy to converse.

After a sip of wine I was brave enough to ask our server to take our photo. It was all good from there. Rosemary sourdough bread, spinach salad with egg and bacon, two filet mignons and cheese cake for dessert! No food pics, but all good!

Happy Hour Dinners at Twist

"Comfort Food Redefined" That's the claim of the second Dining House, we enjoyed.

This sweet old house up on South Ridge Street, didn't actually start out as a house. It was built in 1881 to house the Summit County Leader newspaper. It was remodeled as a home in 1898.

We had heard great things about the Happy Hours at Twist and we ended up going two times!

A little blue sky opened up on one of our visits.

Upstairs

The first time we visited Twist, we sat upstairs with Heidi and Jamie. The upper level was much quieter than below. The second story gave us a great view of the snowy mountains.

The Happy Hour menu offered 6-dollar glasses of wine and 5, 6, 7 and 9-dollar, plate options. A very happy hour!

We came another evening, 10 minutes before Happy Hour ended. The prize window table downstairs, had just vacated. Our wonderful waiter worked with us... taking our orders at 6, but delivering as needed! Another incredible dinner off the Happy Hour menu!

Coziest of All - Hearthstone

The big, blue house on the hill welcomed us with glowing widows, on our last night all together. It was chilly and damp and we needed a warm, comfy place.

The Kaiser's House

Back in the 1880's, the Kaiser family built their home up on the hill. They owned the Kaiser Market, just down the street.

The Kaiser's sold their house in the 1940's and it became Hearthstone about 30 years ago. There are some questionable years in between.

The Kaiser home looked pretty sweet and simple back in the day.

No bold blue paint or modernized roof and windows. No stonework and no trees!

Upstairs

There were lots of inviting dining spaces, upstairs and down.

I was glad when our hostess took us up the stairs, since there was still enough light to enjoy a view.

Window Table!

We lucked out with a window table in the front of the house. The wind and drizzle outside, made the Victorian decor extra warm and comfy.

The View

The weather altered our view of the mountains, but we got to look down on some curious giant circular art, that was being installed.

We could have done some people watching if the deck had been in use. I'm sure there were people sitting out at those tables enjoying the mountain view, the day after we left town.

Happy Diners

We have no photos of our whole group and no photos of our wonderful server, Shorty. But I do have a pic of these happy (and full) diners after their meal.

Our server was wonderful. She greeted us wearing 2 pigtails and a bowtie, made with dollar bill fabric. When we questioned her nickname she assured us she was a certified midget. Which was her word, not mine. She kicked off her shoes to prove that she was 4' 10''.

Shorty was pretty delightful with our group and she was especially kind when I suddenly realized I'd left our "coupon passport booklets" at the condo. She quietly whispered that she would honor them anyway. My Harris Ranch Beef Filet suddenly tasted twice as good. And now I'm dreaming about the Garlic Sauteed Spinach and the Gruyere Rosti Potatoes!

Peaceful Lingering

The place was surprisingly quiet by 8:30. We lingered a bit before bundling up, for the cold walk back.

I peeked around at some of the old photos, near the bar. The bartender talked a little about the history of the house. She mentioned something about it once being a brothel. I looked that up later and learned that a restaurant in 1970's, had a bit of a bordello theme. Hmm?

Post Meal

We had some good meals in cozy places, during our stay. We did end up seeing the sun a couple times. And we burned off some calories, pumping the bar in the circular artwork.

But we didn't work hard enough to make the neon face smile!

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W Cafe in Gunnison, CO

The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs

A Little Dining & Drinking in Ouray, CO

Tiki Mana in Breckenridge, CO

Dining Houses of Breckenridge

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