|
Sweet Adventure While visiting with family in Sacramento, we had a donut adventure.  It was the last day of our visit with "the kids" and their families. We needed something sweet and special before checking out of the Airbnb. It was a Sunday morning and our son Scott suggested a walk to Marie's.  Scott pushed the stroller, with 3-month-old Nora. Nora's cousin Charlie took the lead, heading off on the sidewalk. The weather was lovely and the walk along Freeport Blvd was entertaining. A few dog walkers greeted us.  The dogs were fun, but not as entertaining as the bold turkey strutting down the center of Freeport Blvd. Freeport Bakery I spotted a colorful building with flowers first.  Then I noticed the neon wedding cake and the words Freeport Bakery.  Nope, not our donut shop. Marie's was just past the bakery. Early on Sunday The line wasn't bad at 8:30 am. Evidently the little family-run shop gets big crowds on weekends.  Marie's is listed #17 on Yelp's 2023 Top 100 Donut Shops of USA. Smells and Colors Heavenly donut smells filled the parking lot on that pretty summer morning.  As we moved closer to those sweet smells, I studied the classic little building with its glowing neon and the painted donut images. I'll bet it hasn't changed much in 68 years! Since 1957 Hugo Argento named the donut biz for his wife, Marie. It opened in 1957, which was an excellent year for many things. My birth-year of course.  The business was more successful than the marriage. Hugh and Marie divorced, but the donut shop kept the name and Hugh opened some chains. First View The line moved faster than I wanted it to. I needed more time to study the donuts through the glass.  But suddenly before reaching the open window, a woman asked what we wanted through the glass. I was a bit confused about whether she could hear me or not, but I pointed and hollered.  Maybe hidden speakers were installed, or perhaps the workers just have good ears. But the team inside the little building was very efficient. Just a moment later, our box of sweet treats was ready for us at the window. Hugging Donuts I stayed with Charlie while she held tight to the donut box. Some in our little group dashed next door to buy coffee.  Charlie did a quick pose for us, before handing the box over to her Daddy.  We made it back home before sampling our Sunday Morning Treats. I would have taken a photo of our assortment, but they disappeared too fast.
My glazed donut and maple bar were both melt in your mouth classics! Next time I want to come for a midnight donut or maybe 5 am! Marie's may close down in the afternoon, but they reopen up at 10 each night!
0 Comments
Just Off the Tracks I love a train-themed dining adventure! This restaurant near the eastern border of New Mexico, is housed in an old train station. It sits just 30 feet from the tracks.  Don and I dined at The Rails in July 2024, but we discovered the station about 6 years before. Clovis Depot This is how the train station looked in 2019, when Don and I passed through the small city on a road trip. There was no restaurant then.  The place was vacant and surrounded in fencing. The depot had closed 20 years before. Little did we know, the station had been purchased and good things were ahead. The Gran Quivera Harvey House Hotel On the same visit, Don and I walked a little further down the tracks and found a building in worse shape.   This had once been a Harvey House restaurant and hotel. In the early 1900s, this building would have been lively with rail travelers. Harvey Girls in their starched aprons, would have been bustling about, serving meals. The hotel closed in 1948. A Train! It was a bit sad seeing the boarded up building. It felt like a ghost town, until we heard a sound.  Suddenly there was life on the tracks! Across from the weary buildings, a train rumbled by! Big improvements! 3 years later, we stopped again while on a road trip! The depot looked different in 2022.  The barbed wire fencing was gone. The building had the original colors, but the paint looked fresh. Almost Ready We found a door and peeked inside and suddenly realized we were interrupting some kind of meeting. The nice folks halted their discussion and started up a new one, with us.  One gentleman (who could have been one of the owners) was eager to let us know the renovation was complete and The Rails restaurant would soon be opening.  They seemed surprised that a couple from Texas had stopped to check on the historic station. We told them we were big fans of old railroads and often detoured to see historic depots. We'd stayed at a few renovated Harvey House hotels, in the west.  They welcomed us to to look around and I quickly imagined us in the future, stopping for a meal on a road trip. I was excited to find patio seating in front...  ...and in back. Perfect for counting cars, like I did as a kid. June 2024 Two years later, Don and I planned another road trip and booked a night at a chain hotel in Clovis. If only the old Harvey House had been renovated, we could have stayed there and walked to dinner.  We arrived on a Wednesday evening and parked near a row of arches. Thick shades covered the rounded openings, giving no hint of the covered patio behind them. Old Equipment We headed for the depot entrance, taking a peek at some displayed goodies, rescued from the old railroad days.  I'm not sure how that yellow thing on wheels was once used, but I'm sure there are plenty of train enthusiasts today who might be happy to sit a spell and explain it.  I was amused imagining how this crazy bike was used on the tracks. I was tempted to climb on the crooked seat, for a look-at-me photo pose. But, I was reminded of a childhood memory of getting stitches and a tetanus shot, after trying to stand up on a rusty tricycle. More Historic Items Once inside, I noticed a display case filled with artifacts, inherited from the museum that lived in the station after it closed.  My eyes were drawn to the white dinner china, with red designs. The dishes were once used to serve diners at the nearby Harvey House hotel. Rustic-Modern Bar We arrived a half hour before our reservation, to make sure we had time to sit in the cozy bar, tucked at the end of the building.  We passed through an arched opening, and found the corner bar and a few high top tables. Reminders of Depot Days The space was empty at 5:30, so I snapped a few photos. I could picture giant luggage carts passing through the hefty sliding door, that opened to the tracks.  I looked down to see I was standing on a wood platform of some kind. The bartender said it had once held a scale. I imagined cargo and travel trunks being weighed before loading. Window View Don and I sat in a cozy space between the bar and a small dining room. We had a great window view with lots of train activity.
Besides trains, we studied railroad related photos, displayed on the walls. I also enjoyed studying the arched doorway, with all its dings and missing chunks. Many coats of paint over the years softened those blemishes, made by hurried cart and equipment movement... I presume. Another View My seat also gave me a good view into the adjoining room, which (along with the bar) had begun to fill up. There was such a pleasant, friendly vibe with staff and customers.  Many guests greeted one other. It was easy to conclude that this was a favorite go-to place for locals. Later I learned the owners were dining. So that added to the fun. Favorite Room I remembered seeing this particular dining room, when we visited in '22. It was a little cozier and I loved the arched windows with blue trim. Two of the window tables were occupied by the time we were ready to be seated for dinner.  When checking in with the hostess, we happened to meet the beverage manager, Maribeth Delgado. She was delighted that we'd come from TX to dine. It was tricky explaining how we'd grown fond of this depot from roadtrips. Maribeth graciously assured us we'd get a great table. New Table Don and I were thrilled to get that third table, next to a window. It looked like a million layers of paint covered the frame and hardware. Don's shirt almost matched. Our server Cole, arrived with menus and a warm smile. Also warm ciabatta bread. Perfect!
The Smooth Jazz we'd noticed before was suddenly drowned out by sounds of energetic voices. There was a constant flow of diners arriving and departing. (Just like travelers back in the day) One table with men in cowboy hats, was suddenly replaced by a lively group that looked like they'd just come from a golf course. Fun people watching. The outside activity was just as entertaining. So were the outside sounds. Trains! There was constant movement out there, on about 8-10 sets of tracks. The Menu The menu looked amazing. Especially for a restaurant in a community, surrounded by farmland. But I'd read great reviews, about the French trained chefs. I knew we'd be eating food that would feel like we were dining in a big city.  There were lots of choices, from rib-eyes & burgers, to a butter chicken curry and Turkish baklava! Butter Chicken & Fettuccini I ordered Butter Chicken Curry, with Cashew Nut Marsala & Basmati Rice. We have some of the best curry, living in the Houston area. My dish was outstanding. The gigantic naan, was an added treat, for this bread lover!  Don had Fettuccini Michelangelo (Pork & Ribeye Bolognaise prepared in-house) It was thick and rich... almost like the best of stroganoffs.  I did not mention that comparison when restaurant manager Kailash Jugessur stopped by the table to ask how we were enjoying the meal. I adore a good stroganoff, but many wouldn't see that as a huge compliment. Kailash seemed so pleased that we were enjoying the food and the service. Exploring After finishing, I slipped off to explore for a moment. The larger dining rooms were filled with families and a few larger groups.  I walked to the far end of the building and found another display. This one had a collection of model train engines. Sounds Near the Tracks I stepped out a back door to have a quick look at the tracks. I listened for a while. There was more hissing than horn whistling.  A moment later, I stepped into the Ladies Room and suddenly I was listening to hear my favorite sounds. Speakers had been installed to play a very realistic recording of a train approaching. Bells clanging... train whistling...rumbling... hissing! Just perfect! Meeting Libby & Tate We were just getting ready to leave our table, when a young woman from a nearby table spoke to Don. She wanted to know if we were just passing through town.  Libby introduced herself, along with her husband, Tate. After chatting a bit, we learned that Tate & Libby (along with and Tate's brother, Jordan) were the owners of The Rails. Here they were, casually dining and visiting with locals and welcoming travelers like us.  We stood and chatted for quite a while. They wanted to know if we'd had any issues with Hurricane Beryl, which had recently hit Texas. We wanted to know what it had been like to take on this daunting task of refurbishing a building, then creating an upscale restaurant. Evening in Clovis By the time we stepped outside, the July heat had cooled and a warm breeze made wandering pleasant. I spotted the moon rising over the tip of the depot roof. 
I wanted to walk out near tracks to see the station, lit with strings of lights. But the tracks are no longer accessible to wanderers, like they were a few years ago. We couldn't check on the old Harvey house, but I believe it's still vacant. 1906 Locomotive Instead we walked just a few steps to First Street, where an old locomotive was displayed in a tiny park.  We sat on a bench for a moment and talked about the evening.
The evening had been better than expected. We'd had some amazing food in a relaxed atmosphere, where we'd been welcomed by the owners and friendly staff. We'd watched lively locals. Best of all we'd enjoyed it all, while sitting inside an old depot, watching trains come and go. Hard to beat! Simple Sign A vintage neon sign can easily lure me to a restaurant.  But so does a homey handpainted sign like this! Sign Combo Actually Brown Mug Cafe has more than one sign.  I spotted the retro brown neon sign when we stopped in Winslow, a couple of years ago. It made me want root beer. Winslow, Arizona Don and I have been through Winslow a number of times. We've posed like tourists, on the corner near the flatbed Ford.  And we've caught the corner at 6 am, when there wasn't another tourist in sight. Third Time at La Posada This past June, we had our third visit to Winslow. No need to see the famous corner again, but we were excited about our third stay at La Posada Hotel.  This sweet place keeps calling us back. The historic hotel was once a Harvey House Hotel. The beautifully landscaped property sits between the railroad tracks and Route 66. Just across from Brown Mug. Lunch at Brown Mug It was too early to check in, when we arrived at 1. No problem killing time. We left our car in the hotel lot and crossed Route 66.  There seemed to be quite a few vehicles parked near Brown Mug. That's always a good sign.  Another sign on the building let us know we had lots of options. Navajo tacos, menudo and chops! Booths & Counter Once inside, we were welcomed by staff and invited to seat ourselves.
There were about 10 booths. Luckily 2 were empty, since the available stools at the counter looked a little cramped. Chips & History As soon as we climbed into our cozy booth, we were given chips, salsa and menus.  Cheers for a menu that includes history! There was more to this little place than I would have guessed. Lucy & Joe Joe & Lucy Ono were the original owners of this business. I found a photo of them not far from our table. Their granddaughter Paula and her husband run Brown Mug, today.  It sounds like Joe & Lucy were a hardworking team. Joe used to work the graveyard shift for Santa Fe Railroad. He finished up just in time to head over to get the restaurant prepped so Lucy could open at 6 for breakfast. Before 1958 I haven't had luck finding info on the internet about this little building before Joe and Lucy started their business in the late 1950s.  But the story in the menu tells us there was a Chinese restaurant at this location. It was owned by Henry Woo until 1958. Long before that it was a saloon, in the late 1890s. Hard to picture that. Maybe this is a newer building, on the same property. Food! Our server couldn't have been more pleasant. We were clearly the only non-locals in the place and she was very patient with my wishy-washy ordering.  I finally decided on the Chile Rellenos for a mere $10.50. A delicious pick! I was surprised to see our little feast came with a basket of sopapillas.  I don't believe anyone else in the cafe was being given instructions on how to eat them. But our server seemed excited to give me tips. Don's Chimichanga Plate was a very decent choice for $12.75.  Don can be picky about chicken, but he had nothing but good comments about the meat. We both liked the beans and the rice that looked like a giant meatball. Sticky Good I didn't clean my plate, since I had to save room for the sopapilla experience!  The fried pastry was still nice and hot. I made a mess and loved every bit. Quick Call? I finished up and headed to the restroom to wash my sticky hands.  I wanted badly to make a call, since we see fewer and fewer payphone these days. But my hands were sticky and I had no coins. Enjoying the Decor The lunch crowd had sort of disappeared, so I took my time returning to the table.  I enjoyed some of the art. Bullfighters! I believe one was a velvet painting. There were quite a few sombreros on the wall. Most were wrapped in clear plastic.  A couple at one table saw me taking a photo and called me over. Famous Diner The gentleman could tell I was a curious tourist. He wanted to point out a photo above their table.  It was hard to see the photo clearly, but the words were easy to read. "HARRISON FORD SAT HERE"  I was amused! What a hoot to see this photo of a slightly younger Harrison Ford, dining at Brown Mug Cafe. I had to learn more. When we paid our bill, I asked Carrie about the famous dining guest. She laughed and said "That was a long, long time ago!" I'm guessing that meant, before she was born.  Carrie obviously wasn't around on the day that the Star Wars actor walked into Brown Mug. But she knew that he'd flown his plane into Winslow that day, because he needed gas. Why didn't I ask who the man was next to him? Good Stop So glad we gave this little cafe a try. The staff couldn't have been nicer. The food hit the spot and the prices were very reasonable!  What a treat to have this retro diner, just across the street from our historic hotel. That convenient location was handy later that night.  We finished our dinner at La Posada's Turquoise Room. We wandered the grounds a little before turning in to our room. Then I remembered the sign. I wonder what it looks like at night? Is it still lit at nearly 9 pm? I dashed to across the hotel's parking lot and peeked across Route 66. The brown sign was glowing red! Cheers to Brown Mug Cafe!
Lunch at the Museum I have a few fond childhood memories, of lunches in museums. Dining at the Detroit Institute or Arts seemed pretty darn classy, when I was a young girl.  I'm sure it still is. But the museum wasn't in Paris. And that museum (and all others I've ever dined in) was not housed in a former rail station! Gare d'Orsay... a Train Station I love art museums and I love old train stations!  Double Dining Adventure for a lunch outing, in a museum and a 125-year-old train station. Musee d'Orsay in 1999 Since I was 6 my dream was to go to Paris. Probably inspired by the Eloise in Paris book. (same Eloise who lived at the Plaza, in NYC)
I was over 40 when I finally traveled to Paris with Don. I remember posing with Degas' Little Dancer... in my hideous overall-jumper. And I remember eating ice cream in a magical cafe.  No photos of my ice cream, but I took one of Don, that I've always loved. He wears the chandelier so well! Cafe Campana in 2023 25 years later, we returned to Paris and toured Musee d'Orsay on a chilly November day. It was lunchtime when we exited the Impressionist Gallery and spotted this intriguing cafe.  What fun to dine near the giant clock window, beneath whimsical golden bells! But we both were eager to return to the main restaurant, that we remembered. Le Restaurant There are at least 4 places to dine at the museum. We of course chose the one with the simple name and the grand decor!  It looked as I remembered! Soaring ceilings, tall windows, marble and gold, crystal chandeliers. No way do you mess with altering that kind of decor. Tables & Chairs Well, some things had changed. The rattan chairs from a quarter century ago, were gone.  The dining section in back (with cool fireplace!) was closed. I took advantage and snapped a photo of a few unoccupied, colorful chairs.  These crinkly plastic chairs cracked me up! Did they forget to remove the cellophane after shipping? I was reminded of some "mod art" I used to make in the early '70s. We bent pieces of wire and dipped them into a can of liquid plastic, called "Fun Film". It was indeed fun. Fingers Crossed! There was a short wait for a table and I hoped beyond hope for a window view.  Clearly there were no bad seats. Marble Statue Maybe we'd be seated beside the marble statue.  Chances were even better we'd be seated beneath a lovely chandelier.  There must have been a dozen at least. Frescoes The lovely wall and ceiling frescoes (by Gabriel Ferrier and Benjamin Constant) could be spotted from any table.  Like I said. No bad tables. Better Table There were no bad tables, but there were better tables. And we got one!  How is that possible that we lucked out? Similar It was extra fun that our table was very similar to the one we had in 1999.  You can see the nude statue over Don's left shoulder in both. Less Lucky with Waiter We did not luck out with a kind, or fun, or gracious, or entertaining waiter. But who cares. We weren't there for the service.  Our waiter did not attempt English and we fumbled with a little French. I managed to ask which desert was best and he pointed to the menu. More to Observe I hoped our server would be slow delivering our food. There was so much to absorb around us.  The view with rooftops and clouds, was entertaining enough. But I also just enjoyed staring at the fancy metalwork. Yummy Stuff to Pour Don and I both ordered good stuff that involved pouring!  Don ordered the special of the day. It was a meat pie with Beaujolais sauce, served on mixed greens, with dried fruits. This guy is usually pretty adventurous with dining, but he seemed a little concerned about what kind of meat was inside his triangular pie.  I sampled a little and the crust was flaky and festive. There was sort of a meatloaf texture, but the flavor with sauce was delicious flavor. Do note the bread on the side of the table. So tasty I tossed one in my bag for later! Ice Cream! There was nothing to worry about with my order. I had dessert for lunch!  I ordered Affogato-Glace trois vanilles... which is "3 vanilla ice cream, drowned with signature coffee and praline" I felt like a chemist as I poured 1895 Lavazza coffee from a beaker, into the clear glass container that held my ice cream.  My photo doesn't capture the little reaction that happened when the warm coffee hit the ice cream. No photo of my little reaction when I tasted it, either. Heaven! So Happy We left happy! A great museum experience, followed by a magical little feast.  I peeked in the big doors before we headed downstairs. What was in this space back when the building was filled with rail travelers! What a fun thought before we departed. Good-bye Beautiful Museum We headed off with more good memories. No posing with Little Dancer this time. I had a better camera this time and captured some of those memories! No cellphone cams back in 1999!
Lunch at the Date Garden At the end of this past April, Don and I were headed for Palm Springs.  We timed it so we could have a late lunch at the iconic Shields Date Garden, in Indigo. Roadside Don and I knew all about date palms and date shakes, from when we lived in southern California in the '80s. We had our favorite roadside date shacks. None had grand signs like this one.  We'd heard great things about the iconic place on Highway 111, just 20 miles from Palm Springs. But we'd never been. Summer of 2020 5 years ago, Don and I were making the same TX to CA trip, when we detoured to check out the giant knight, pointing towards the old white building.  The fancy sign and the building came to the property in 1953. That was 29 years after the company was founded by Floyd and Bess Sheilds. Curbside Back in 2020 Don and I were craving a date shake, during our pandemic roadtrip! We threw on our masks before heading in. That's when we noticed parking spots, for Curbside Delivery. The nearly 100-year-old date farm biz, was clearly adjusting to 2020 pandemic practices.  But the shop was open and we were dying to peek at the inside. We headed inside to place an order to go. Counter Seating I could picture folks in the '50s sitting on those stools, sipping date shakes.
The stools were off limits for health reasons, but the date shake makers were at work! Unofficial Drink of Coachella Valley We actually just ordered a large to share! This fabulously sweet concoction has been popular in the area since the 1920s. Shields' shakes are different than some. They use date crystals, which are dried date particles, sweetened with date sugar. A paste of crystals and water is then blended with other ingredients to make an insanely sweet beverage!  Sipping this thick, nearly chewy drink brought back memories. I didn't feel a bit guilty about the calories...  The drink is high in fiber, potassium, iron and niacin! Cheers to that! Return in 2025 This past April, Don and I took the same route from TX to CA!  Once again we pulled up on a sunny blue day, to the old white building. This time we were coming for more than a shake. Shopping? They do have a lot of merchandise! We could have.  I regret not buying a can of date sugar, sold in containers that look like cans of paint.  But it was expensive and I'm honestly not sure what I'd do with it. History? Yes we did come for a bit of history. It's intriguing to picture Sheilds Date Palm Orchard back in the '20s, when the whole date industry was new.  These displayed photos were pretty fun. I've seen sugar coated dates in boxes. I've seen date palms...  But these 2 photos reminded me of what dates actually look like, on the palm or after being picked. Romance? No, we were not stopping by for romance.  But I remembered being amused by this vintage poster 5 years ago. On this visit, we had more freedom to peek around and see what this place was all about. "Romance & Sex Life of the Date" In the back of the big shop, I found an amusing sign above 2 wooden doors.  There was a glow and muffled sound beyond those doors. The little theatre was sure enough showing a film to any folks who had a few minutes to be educated about this sexy date business!  Evidently Floyd was pretty proud of his work with dates. He bred a number of his own hybrids and varieties, including the "Blonde" and "Brunette" varieties. To help promote his exotic and complicated fruit, he began presenting lectures to his customers... then came a slide show and then a 39-page booklet! Today visitors can enjoy a modified presentation in the funny little theatre. Sadly we did not have time. Dash to Lunch I was sorry to miss the show, but lunch was only served until 2.  We headed outside to the walkway, that took us beside the grand date palms, back to the dining patio. Inside Cafe A small building held some booths and tables for inside dining.  It might have been a good option on a hot or rainy day. But it was a beautiful April day. Dining Patio Don and I were excited to dine on the spacious patio.  There were many tables beneath a large canopy.  But we (and others) were drawn to the tables that were shaded by date palms...  ... and colorful umbrellas.  I was sort of delighted about our chairs, with palms on the back! I loved the casual formality. A whirling fan kept flies away. Tablecloths and cloth napkins made us feel a little classy.  We ordered a date palm shake right away. (When in Rome) and studied the menu.
Dining at Sheilds' wasn't an option back in the '20s or 50's or even '90s. The cafe has only been serving food for about 15 years. "Date Me Omelet" How could I resist ordering a meal, with a name like this?  Red bell pepper, bacon, ham, onions, feta cheese and deglet noor dates!  Honestly it was just amazing! I wouldn't have ordered an omelet. That's more of a Don thing. But I was giddy over every sweet and savory bite. Who would have guessed dates and eggs could taste so yummy?  Don went with crab cakes, served on a bed of greens. We both enjoyed our meals and our server. Afraid I did not catch his name, but he was as nice as can be. "The Walk at Sheilds" After finishing lunch, our server encouraged us to enjoy the garden pathways behind the patio. We were a bit surprised to learn there was something else to enjoy on the property, besides date palms. 23 biblical statues to be specific. They moved to Shields in 2012, to create a biblical garden! Hmmm? A biblical garden sort of sounds like something Floyd and Betty might have been up for back in the day. They had some gimmicks after all. But Sheilds Company changed hands some years ago and the business changed. The dates no longer come from the palms that surround the sweet white buildings. The 17-acre property is now a garden with paths. But who added the biblical part? Well, the statues came from Canada. William and Lillian Vanderzalm owned a biblical garden in Vancouver and they needed a home for their statues when they sold their property. The statues were welcomed at Sheilds, just over a decade ago. Pretty sure there must be more to this story.  We had a nice and a curious time, walking in the orchard, all to ourselves. I think I worked off a fraction of the date shake calories!
|
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
October 2025
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed