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Colorado in May Weather was cold and sloppy when we visited Breckenridge, last May. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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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Pie Time in Granby, CO Reaching Granby First we had to get to Granby. With Denver traffic, it took 2 hours to reach the town that sits right on US Highway 80. We sailed right past the Trail Riders Motel, which was in fact our destination. We had to reach Showboat's before it closed at 5:30. Signs Down the Alley The little white building with red trim, was just .1 miles from our motel, so we could have walked. But who wants to walk up, to a drive in window to buy pie? That's like sitting in a lawn chair at a drive-in movie. Cheating. Plus, we were racing the clock and we ended up driving around the block before we realizing we needed to drive down the alley. The Green Window We hoped they hadn't closed early, since we saw no other cars. We pulled in and drove past the red window and the sign that listed pie choices and an old fashioned bell. We stopped beside the green order window, but we didn't get to clang the bell. Sherry was at the ready, in the window. Sherry greeted us with a "Happy Summer!" We glanced at the pie menu and decided we probably didn't need a whole pie, for 28 to 45 dollars. Luckily we didn't want cream pie. "All Cream Pies - $500" I guess Sherry doesn't make cream pies. Sherry chatted up a storm as she readied our 2 slices for $10.00. She asked if we'd be needing any raisin bread. She offered some dining suggestions for Granby. She told us about her catering work and how she works for some very famous people. Evening Pie in the Motel I have no photos of Sherry, the Famous Pie Maker of Granby. But I do have photos of her slices of Killer Apple and Wild Maine Blueberry, before we ate them in our room. They were good, but they would have been better if we'd warmed them in an oven and served them on vintage china. Or maybe if we'd eaten them on a pie picnic! A drive-by pie experience needs to be completed in a festive way! I'll think that through, before our next visit.
Whistle Stop Reunion It's time for a throw-back write-up, about a very fun breakfast... in June of 2017. There seem to be a few diners looking out the window, eager to see what's going on. After Breakfast I have no photos of the 4 of us meeting and greeting, inside. We were too busy for photo ops. I do remember our voices were very loud, for the quiet diner! Don took this photo of me posing with Martha her hubby, Bill. We were feeling happy and stuffed after our breakfast. Martha and I hadn't seen each other since college, (38 years!) so there was lots of catching up. Don and Bill Over lunch, Martha had me laughing hard... just as I had expected. We hadn't seen each other since 1979, but we needed no warming up. An added treat was finding out how easily our Long, Tall Texan Husbands got along. Don and I both had fun talking about Bill's hometown, Mineral Wells. I'm not sure that we took a moment to admire the cafe's fine sign, or those nearby mountains! Inside the Cafe I wish I'd taken at least one other photo, but we were too busy gabbing. This does not begin to capture an ounce of the fun we had. I loved hearing the story of how Martha and Bill met... or Martha's tales of NY theatre after college... Food It's always easy to photograph your food. So I did. The platter of poached eggs and biscuits with gravy, looks as crazy as I remember. There must have been a half dozen eggs in that omelet. I do remember the chopped and fried potatoes! Very yummy! Post Breakfast After we ate, we were off to explore the town of Georgetown. We toured the old Hotel de Paris, which was an impressive museum. Then we made a stop at a colorful, sweet shop. Ice Cream and Candy We relaxed with some ice cream and left with our candy purchase! Candy necklaces and candy cigarettes! What a perfect way to end our reunion! Continuous Reunion Our reunion actually continued the next week, when we met up at The Brown Hotel in Denver. Martinis, appetizers and a tiny bit of dancing. No candy cigarettes. June 2019 This past June, we 4 met up in Idaho Springs, Colorado. We "took the waters" at Indian Springs Resort, then shared a hearty breakfast at Marion's of the Rockies. Once again, I failed to capture much of our dining with photos, but the memories are good!
Yay for dining reunions, with good people! Thanks, Martha and Bill! Colorado Road Trip
Lunch at the Saloon This June, we were traveling through Glenwood Springs again. It was lunchtime and we were in luck. The saloon opened at 10 am. The entrance to the saloon looked a little eerie with Doc's piercing eyes. But we headed inside anyway. 1880's At noon on a Monday, the saloon was pretty tame. There were no whiskey drinking gamblers or beer guzzling bikers. The old place was about as calm as it probably was in the 1880's, when it was a mercantile store. Doc's Bar? Don and I took a seat at Doc's bar... which of course was not Doc's bar. Doc died down the road, in 1887. He may have entered this space when it was a store, but he never got to see this beautiful bar, which was built in the east, in the 1870's. Beer at the Bar Don and I split a beer... since we were on the road. I offered up a toast to the famous gambler/gunfighter/dentist. It was a little sad to picture Doc in 1887, dying from tuberculosis. I'm sure he would have preferred to have gone out in a dramatic gunfight, rather that a hospital bed, in Glenwood Springs. Admiring the Bar I allowed myself to look like a tourist, when I pulled out my cell phone to snap a few more photos. I loved the old cash register, tucked between the liquor bottles and beer taps. The arching backbar and mirrors glowed, with more neon. Some history in the menu, said the antique bar traveled from the east to a bar in Leadville, Colorado. It didn't come to this location until the 1920's. Maybe Doc did have a drink or two at this bar. He lived in Leadville, before his final days in Glenwood! Quick Lunch Don and I chose this place for the iconic sign. Even though the bar caters to tourists, we did not assume we'd get good food. I always keep my expectations low. But our grilled ham and cheese with waffle fries was actually pretty tasty... served on a china plate, for about $5. Our somewhat frazzled bartender/food server was also very sweet. She seemed to be the only one on duty to serve the bar and tables. Exploring Before hitting the road, I gave myself a quick tour. The stone fireplace was a good reminder of the tavern's age. Photos I was glad to have daytime lighting, to help me explore with my camera. Big Nose Kate My trip to the restroom was interesting. The large photo near the door, showed a bloody face. (Glad I'd already eaten) The Ladies Room door was titled "Kate" with an image of her, on the door. The woman known as Big Nose Kate, evidently tended to Doc, in his ailing last days. The restroom itself was curious. The stall had swinging saloon doors. We finished up, just as the lunch crowd was thinning out. I glanced at a few more displays behind the round booth, as we headed out. Eerie History
I'm going to try to forget that grisly info and focus on that fine, neon pistol. I love a good sign and this one lured us in and gave us a nice road trip lunch break. I'll drink to that!
Crested Butte, Colorado Historic Mountain Town Don and I had been wandering down Elk Avenue, when we discovered the little red building that held the donut and ice cream shop. Niky's was as colorful as all the beautiful buildings we'd been admiring. The old western storefronts were great reminders of Crested Butte's coal and silver mining days. Back to the Fifties When we stepped inside Niky's, it felt like we'd gone back to a totally different era. Instead of the 1860's, it looked and felt like the 1950's. Nostalgia There were cheery displays of vintage goodies everywhere. A lunch box and jack-in-the-box, record albums and a Howdy Doody marionette... A carousel of Coke bottles, made an interesting light fixture... but they should have used smaller, vintage bottles. Mini Mini Mini! So Many Options
Made To Order We could have bought a 36-pack of minis for 46 dollars. But Don and I only had a mini appetite that morning. We bought the smallest order, a 2-pack. Our donut decorator place our tiny cake donuts in a paper dish and went to work. Those little mini treats didn't look so tiny when she handed them to us. Death by Chocolate and Cinnamon Roll We took our sweet feast outside, to a bench in the sunshine. The chocolate donut was totally hidden under moist, mini choco-chips and frosting. The cream cheese frosting on the cinnamon sprinkled treat, was almost too sweet to eat... but I managed. Too Fun! I learned a little something as I worked away at these tiny (yet mighty) treats. The heavily decorated, mini donuts were as sinful as any regular donuts. I was in sugar shock, even with Don's help.
Love the idea! Love the setting! Love the mini-food-adventure! |
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
April 2024
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