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Lunch in Leadville!
Two years ago, Don and I finally stopped for lunch! Yellow and Blue The colorful building looked just the way I remembered it! When it was built in 1888, there was no adorable burro sign, or yellow and blue paint. The structure housed a bakery, hardware store and music store, until the 1930's, when Roy Pray opened his business. By the late '30's, "Ray's Lunch" suddenly became "Golden Burrow Cocktail Lounge", open 24/7. At that time, the nearby mines kept 19 brothels in operation. There was a constant flow of hungry and thirsty customers day and night, at Golden Burro! Diner In June 2017, Don and I expected to see plenty of tourists when we stepped inside. But the middle room, felt much more like the local diner. Lots to Read There was lots to look at and read, while we waited for a table to open up. The sign catering to bicycle friends, was a reminder that "tourists" come in big groups. We were glad to be sharing the cafe with the "Rocky Mountain Billy Goat" and locals... not mobs of travelers. A Real Burro Neon Burro This is the booth I really had hoped for. It was right beside the mirror and yellow glass. I was very amused by all the donkey treasures, especially the old neon sign. I think that was originally on the outside of the building. Dining Counter The room to the right of the entrance had a dining counter that looked pretty retro. I believe the back bar was part of the original business, when they were serving those cocktails round the clock. More Burros The woman behind the counter looked a little busy as she cleaned. I decided not to ask her if she'd ever counted all the burros in the cafe and bar. I liked the larger one in the center, best. Dave in the Brass Ass Saloon Dave The Back Room Dave showed me the back section of the saloon. There were vintage costumes for photo shoots and lots of tables for playing poker. He said I could learn to play Faro too... whatever that is? Dave told me he'd moved to Leadville over 30 years ago. He said The Burro became so run down, the locals wouldn't even eat there. He worried about selling it someday. "They'll probably just tear it down and build a condos." He was a good spirited guy, but concerned that so few care about history anymore. Time to Dine
Feasting Don ordered the Meatloaf Dinner, "Just like Mom used to make." It came with dark gravy and a twice baked potato. The medley of broccoli and cauliflower had a decent cheese sauce and it all started with a cup of bean soup! Pretty good for a small town cafe where miners used to hang out! No Doggy Bags For Us
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Fast Food in Colorado It's a chilly February day today and I'm dreaming of that yummy summertime lunch. Since 1955 This cute little roadside joint has been sitting here, since before I was born. (barely) Originally it was named Goldbrick and Jerry's Fountain Goodies. A woman named Kay, bought the place in 1968. New owners in 2000, kept the name. Windows We placed our order at the walk up window. They didn't ask for a name. They just gave us a name and that amused me very much. Next, we walked past the decorated windows, to the side door. Inside, I looked around while waiting to hear my new name being announced. Tiny Space There was a tiny eating area, with some wall amusements. There were colorful shapes on the wall, with words of wisdom. "One who runs behind a car gets exhausted." There was also a "Dot Your Spot" map. Shadow Boxes A few displays on the wall needed a little help. This one included some buttons, a building block and an empty bottle of garlic seasoning... carefully displayed behind a sheet of plastic. I could have made a few display contributions, if I'd cleaned a drawer or two before our trip. "Meryl Streep!" I heard them call her name! It was exciting for a split second to think my favorite actress was waiting on her order. But when Meryl Streep was called to pick up her order, she was a man. While I waited on our order, I made a quick dash to the teeny tiny restroom, between the half-door and the kitchen. Not only was the cute little room, the size of an airplane restroom... it even had the handy little "occupied/vacant" announcement above the doorknob! Order Ready For Ariel The Mermaid!
There was no time for questions. We just grabbed our bag and lots of napkins and headed to one of the picnic tables at the nearby park. Yum Don's sloppy cheeseburger was yummy enough to remind us of Steak-N-Shake burgers back home. My chili cheese dog was equally messy and unhealthy and tasty. The huge cup of fries was piping hot and enough to share. All good and worth waiting for. Between Mountains and River We will remember our K's lunch for a few reasons. Our fast food feast was yummy. The little building with neon sign, was fun. We had a mountain view from our table. We ate our K's food, in a park with a river and "snowing" cottonwood trees. Memorable!
Denver's Only Tiki Bar Don and I had a Denver Tiki Adventure, in June 2017. Maybe it was the powerful cocktail that made me forget to add Adrift to the tiki list! This is what I saw from our Uber, when we pulled up to the little bar on South Broadway. The gray brick and spotlighted sign, had no Polynesian flair at all. Entrance However, the entrance welcomed us with two grand carvings! The door was propped open and we headed right in! Let There Be Light! I was delighted right away, because the interior was nicely lit! Don and I have had some crazy moments in dark tiki bars. When entering from daylight, it takes my old eyes minutes to adjust. There was no stumbling and no need for cellphone guidance, at Adrift. We headed for a seat where we had a view of the island village mural. Rounded Booth We slid into our avocado green booth and sighed at our surroundings. There were lovely tropical plants that we could actually see. There were carved faces, staring down at us... There were blowfish lamps and bamboo walls and a cocktail menu full of tropical cocktails, all made with hand-squeezed juices. Drinks I made sure to order a cocktail that looked extra fun. My Rum Punch came in a proper tiki mug, with a few fruit garnishes. Don's Mai Tai looked less festive, but worked well with his outfit. Drinks with a View Our table allowed us to keep an eye on the bamboo bar and the people coming and going. It was too early for any wild people watching. I took in a little more scenery when I ventured to the restroom. I peeked at the back patio, which had some fun murals. The restroom was the cleanest I've seen, of any tiki bar! Cheers! Our tiki-time at Adrift didn't have any outlandish characters or creepy-crazy decor. We've had more memorable tiki bar experiences. But, this was probably the most relaxing, clean and comfortable of our tiki adventures. Cheers to that!
Colorado in July Don and I opted out of our hotel's complimentary breakfast, to have a meal at an iconic diner on Main Street. The Durango Diner no longer has its fabulous old sign, but there was a happy plate with egg-y eyes, smiling in the window! The Window Table If there'd been more than 2 of us, we would have opted for the sunny spot in the window. We were happy just to get a seat at all. The narrow diner was pretty packed at 8 am. The window table was full, a moment after I took the photo. Debbie Feast Don ordered the corned beef hash with fried eggs, hash browns and sourdough toast. My giant blueberry pancake was jammed with juicy berries. I smothered it in warm syrup and even with Don's help couldn't eat half.
I was curious about the whole diner, starting with our funny table, built right into the wooden wall. I like a little curious woodwork in my diner. Stools at the Counter After working on my pancakes a while, I just had to get up and have a look around. I think I counted 20 stools. Every stool was taken, as well as a couple of small tables in the back. I wandered behind the stools and studied the wall, filled with framed photos and articles... and a little booster seat. I'll bet there are adult customers who once sat on that blue seat. Griddle View I told the man that it looked like he had the best stool in the house, with a good view of the griddle. He laughed and said he'd been eating at that counter for 40 years and was getting some good cooking lessons. He pointed to the owner on the right and made some playful remarks. Gary Gary, the owner heard us gabbing and turned to chime in. I asked if I could take a picture of him and he answered with a firm, "No." I played along and apologized, until he laughed and posed. "You can tell I hate pictures..." he said as he gestured towards the wall of photos. There were quite a few John Waynes on that wall! Good Bye Diner
We hadn't gotten out of town before I realized I'd left my sweater. We turned and headed back to the diner. Debbie had rescued my sweater and hung it on a hook, right beneath the classic booster seat. "I was hoping you'd be back." She said.
That somehow made my day! "Zietz Buckhorn Restaurant" since 1893
Image in My Cookbook
Late Lunch Bread and Beer! Don and I had been on the road a while, so we were happy to sit back and absorb our surroundings. Don sipped on a beer, while I devoured some pretty heavenly bread and butter. Lynn never made us feel like we'd come at an inconvenient time. She seemed delighted that we were so intrigued by the place. Buckhorn Specialty Don was very pleased with his salmon and baked beans. I chose Gramma Fannie's Pot Roast Sandwich on Pumpernickel. It's been a specialty since 1893. The slow cooked Colorado beef brisket and pan gravy, was actually a lot yummier than "pot roast". I had a cup of the famous bean soup that was featured in the book. Very yummy! Beasts and Critters The whole downstairs was jammed with Mr. Zietz' collection of Taxidermy Friends. Hunting was obviously a passion of the original owner. But, long before opening the saloon, Mr. Zietz spent time as a member of Buffalo Bill's "hard-riding and straight-shooting band of Scouts". By the time Zietz opened his saloon, he was the perfect host to the cattlemen, miners, railroad workers, Indian chiefs, silver barons and gamblers! Lynn and the Book
"He thought it was dead!" Lynn, laughed. "But it wasn't." Evidently, Henry moved in closer to get a better look and the angry beast kicked out some teeth! Old Tables
Were Ladies Allowed? Celebs Over the Years On the wall spaces, which weren't covered in furry friends, there were photos of celebrity friends. Long before the Hollywood stars came to call, there were the Western ones like Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull. Then Teddy Roosevelt stopped for a visit, in 1905. Since those early years, there have been 5 presidents and at least one princess... Princess Anne. There have been plenty of stars from Bob Hope to Garth Brooks. Lynn said she had lots of stories from her 30 years. She thought Tommy Smothers was pretty amusing. Upstairs Lynn invited us to have a look upstairs. She pointed out the wedding dress that had belonged to Sitting Bull's niece. Sitting Bull was the one who nicknamed Henry Zietz, Shortie Scout. The White Oak Bar Lynn sent us upstairs to see the impressive front and back bar from 1857, that Zietz had shipped from Germany. She had to get back to work but made sure we stuck our heads in the office to show the cookbook to her husband, Bill. Bill was a tall friendly, character. Even though his clothes weren't western, he seemed to fit the atmosphere well. He took time to point out some of the second story highlights. Like Lynn, he was full of information, but equally interested in us, asking questions about our travels. The Roofgarten Before taking off, Don and I took a peek at the latest room addition, with a couple of stuffed bears and an authentic covered wagon. I wish we could have come back to see what the evening atmosphere was like, with live music, a weekend crowd... and so many wild animals! Off We Go I'm just so pleased we were able to chat with Lynn and Bill. It must be an exhausting business, yet, both were generous with their time and sincerely proud of this unique, historic place!
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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
April 2024
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