redd granite

Recently an opportunity arose to travel to Atlanta to watch an Elite 8 Regional basketball as part of the NCAA tourney.  I had traveled to Atlanta several times previous on business, but never for just pure pleasure. As this city regularly competes for convention business, it ends up being a destination many of us go to but rarely get a chance to spend significant personal time exploring.  Enter the regional.  With an opportunity to see my team in the Elite 8, I could not pass a chance to go.

Atlanta is a true southern city with the southern charm, if you are into that sort of thing. The city is serviced by a strong public transportation system which even feeds all the way to Hartsfield International Airport. Very convenient if you are not looking to rent or save on taxi fees.  Sure, the stations can get a little creepy at night, espeically the underground ones, but all in all, they seem fairly safe and for the most part, well used.  Atlanta has several distinct districts in the city. The older of these entertainment district is the Atlanta Underground, basically under central city.  This was developed as an entertainment district, but in the later years has lost a lot of its popularity to more trendy destinations like Mid Town.  Another district I had been previously was Buckhead.  This is further north of central Atlanta and severla years back had many nice restaurants and clubs.  Some of the clubs could be a bit wild as well.  While I did not get out to Buckhead this trip, I am told that the clubs are largely gone.  They had been run out with rents in an attempt to cater more the the higher end restaurants in the area.

The area we stayed was Mid Town. This is become a trendy part of Atlanta more recently.  Looking to avoid the standard hotel chain, we choose the independent Artmore Hotel. Upon first impression, I was a bit concerned with the clientele as it looked like it may turn into a hip hop party. Not the case.  The Artmore is well appointed and anchored by a great bar where the bartender knows how to mix a great martini. The Artmore also has a great court yard where you can take your drink and smoke a cigar. Rooms are well appointed, fairly spacious and for the most part quiet.

One of the noticeable things about Atlanta and it being in the deep south is the number of restaurants with grits on the menu. All kinds.  A normally bland dish, the Highland Bakery in mid Town dresses them up with various tastes offering them with several of the interesting breakfasts at the small establishment. Hard to find, it is a small walk up service eatery at the base of a professional building.  There are a few tables outside that make this pet friendly, if you are not in the middle of summer anyway.  Great unique breakfast offerings.

Another great eatery just down the street from Highland Bakery is South City Kitchen.  Also serving breakfast, but here, you will want to struggle through the waits for their fried chicken.  This is marinated in a buttermilk concoction for over 24 hours, then fried with a tasty crust, but leaving the chicken inside tender and moist. This eatery brands itself as new southern cuisines. Not sure what that means, but what I found off of the menu was very creative fare that I would like to come back again and again to try.  I had the crab cakes in hollandaise sauce.  Excellent.  Tender and tasty fresh crab served over cheese grits and hollandaise…….absolutely wonderful. This will be a must for a return trip to Atlanta (who hosts the final four next year)

As for the basketball……it was held in the Georgia Dome. A decent venue, again, served by the rail line.  I was not impressed with the facility or the surroundings due to lack of good places to eat immediate within walking distance.  It too is in a neighborhood that you must be careful after dark.

Overall, Atlanta was pleasant.  It was March Madness, and spring.  It may be a little different visiting in the summer, as it is hot and humid in this southern city

On a recent trip to visit relatives I was able to spend a few days on the Mississippi Gulf coast.  This area had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina a number of years ago, but has really pulled itself together.   We are focusing on the Biloxi-Ocean Springs area specifically on this review.  On the way there, however, we made a short stop in Lake Charles La. at L’auberge Hotel and Casino.  I had seen numerous ads for it, so we ran by.  This is a beautiful property, fronted by an immaculate golf course.  The hotel has approx 700 rooms in 26 stories and dominates the landscape.  Inside, the floors and walls were dark wood and stone, some modern-art type decorations, several huge gas-log fireplaces inviting you to sit for a while on this chilly early spring day.  Early afternoon on a Saturday, the casino was packed—all table games were at least $10 min but the casino was large, a little smoky.  The staff were all friendly.  The hotel lobby was more of the same décor.  There were several restaurants, alas, all with Vegas food prices (that is NOT a compliment).  We loved the pool area, with wooden decks and a “lazy river” to float around on an inner tube.  It had a swim-up blackjack table and swim up bar.  Very nice place but a little pricy for the “Low Budget Review guy”.

Onward to Biloxi, et al.  The 11 hr drive was taxing, but no pain, no gain.  After a few days of family business, we were able to hit the beach in Biloxi.  That area has miles and miles of (man-made) white sand beach.  The beach was in great shape, clean, soft, relaxing.  The BP oil spill mess that had gotten so much press last year or so did not affect Biloxi beach—no oil , no tar balls. They were fortunate.   Although the beach was clean, the water is not pretty.  This is not Cozumel/Cancun or even the Florida Gulf coast.  There are numerous rivers within a 50 mile radius and that brings a lot of mud, wood debris, etc.  The water is usually a dusky brown and visibility is maybe 4-5 feet.  It was still pretty cold in mid-march, but just strolling up and down the beach in calf-deep water was actually very pleasant.  If you are looking for wave-action these beaches will disappoint.  There are a string of barrier islands a few miles off the coast and they absorb most of the incoming waves-by the time they get to Biloxi beach the waves are less than a foot.  However, that is one a several reasons why generations of people have brought their families to the Biloxi-Gulfport beaches.  It is a perfect beach for smaller children.

We found plenty of parking at the parking area at the historic Biloxi Lighthouse (predates the Civil War).  The long wooden fishing pier with several covered nooks for getting out of the sun or rain, had quite a few folks there trying their luck.  We had a great afternoon, soaking up rays, chatting with beach walkers, throwing a nerf football.  Living in land-locked central Texas, it is a true joy to listen to the waves gently brush the shore, smell the salt and sea-wrack, listen to the greedy gulls all shouting, “Mine. Mine!”  Later we just drove up the beach road, looking at the rebuilding slowly coming back along the shore.  The hundreds of mom-and-pop- motels that sheltered families for 60+ years were mostly wiped clean from Hurricane Katrina, along with the funky souvenir shops and local dives, bars, restaurants.  Dozens of houses, some over a century old survived, but many were lost along with massive oak trees that were hundreds of years older or older.  Still a beautiful drive though.

   Later in the visit we took lunch at “Mary Mahoney’s Old French House”. The brick building, while expanded over the years, still has most of the original house built in 1757.  Amazing.  A huge squat oak tree shelters the entryway where a sign states the tree is over 2000 years old.  Hard to believe.  Mary Mahoney’s was for many years THE upscale dining spot between Mobile and New Orleans.  Now that the many Casinos have arrived, there are a number of other highly-reviewed dining options, but Mary’s is still near the top.  The female greeting staff were all in dresses, the wait staff in professional waistcoats and long sleeves.  The staff is attentive without being intrusive.  My impression is that to apply for a wait staff position, many years of experience is required.  The food was wonderful.  The menu tilts towards seafood, as it should being literally about 4 blocks from the gulf.  I had a wonderfully lightly fried chicken breast with hint of spice and pepper, delicious.  Other dishes ordered were crab cakes, shrimp pasta Alfredo, and fried shrimp.  All were beautifully presented and exquisite.  Bread pudding or sorbet was the desert of choice and is one of their “claims to fame”.  I highly recommend this restaurant.  Lunch prices were quite reasonable for this upscale restaurant.

     Later that night we made a visit to The Palace Resort and Casino.  This Casino has recently completed a major upgrading and it shows.  The decorations, carpet and design are all first class.  They are also the only smoke-free Casino on the coast. The difference is palpable and very much appreciated.  We hunkered down at the sports bar, playing video poker and drinking the free booze.  My companion had much better luck, but it was very fun.  I can heartily endorse the Palace.   The menu at the sports bar is not vast but offers several enticing options.  I hear the Shrimp Po’Boy is the best on the Coast.  Several other Casinos were visited during this trip as well. Most were bigger but certainly not better.  The exception was The Beau Rivage.  This upscale casino is reminiscent of The Wynn in Vegas, and as well it should, as it was originally designed, built and owned by Steve Wynn.  The decorations, the restaurants, the location on the water, all make this a true destination resort.   However, the prices also reflect that in food, rooms, and table minimums.  Expensive, but worth a visit even if just to walk around.

The next day I decided to “walk the bridge”.  The original bridge having been destroyed by Katrina, a new beautiful soaring bridge has been constructed across Biloxi Bay from the small art community of Ocean Springs to Biloxi.  This bridge strongly reminded me of the bridge to Coronado Island in San Diego, though not as tall or as long.  The distance is just under 2 miles, and along with two lanes of traffic each way, they have a pedestrian/bike walkway.  It is quite popular to “walk the bridge” at all hours of the day or night.  So, being dropped at the Biloxi end, we headed towards Ocean Springs.  About every 1/10 of a mile, a beautifully crafted 3-D bronze art piece is embedded into the bridge side.  These pieces depict coastal animals, such as crabs, gulls, shrimp, dolphins, and includes scenes of fishing, etc.   While walking, one can easily see the shrimp boats, oyster boats, fishing charters, and pleasure craft coming in and out of the Bay.  Just a mile or so away lies Deer Island, which has always mysteriously called to me to come explore.  It beaches are pure white, the pine trees rise tall, and the lure of “Buried Treasure” calls.   Alas, it would require a boat, kayak, or a swim to visit.  One day perhaps.  Our hike to Ocean Springs came to an end too soon.  On that side is a new fishing pier, and wonderfully creative tile murals decorated the side.  Well done.  I would walk it again, but slower perhaps to enjoy the gulf view and cooling breezes.

Our time was rapidly coming to a close so we elected to not try our golf skills at any of the several dozen challenging (and expensive) courses in the area.   We did have one more experience not to be missed:  The Shed.  The Shed is a BBQ “joint” in the best sense of the word.  It is deliciously obvious that the owners take their ‘cue seriously, having won numerous awards, regionally and nationally over the past few years.  Unfortunately, a fire destroyed most of the dining room/shack.  The pits were not harmed (thank goodness) and they quickly reorganized by bringing in some food trailers, set up about 20 picnic tables, some with shade and some not, and are smoking away.  They offer live blues music several nights a week, and if you aint there by 5 on those nights, you aint getting in.  Many different varieties of cold beer are available.  Cold beer and BBQ—does it get any better?  I don’t think so.

On this visit, we were picking up to-go.  Their brisket wasn’t ready yet, so we settled for other offerings.  This being east of the Mississippi River, most BBQ is pork.  And I am OK with that, though being a Texas BBQ aficionado, I prefer beef.   Getting a sampler plate, I had outstanding pulled pork and wonderful, meaty, smoky, Pork Ribs slathered in sauce.  Previous visits have brought me the best BBQ chicken I have ever had.    The coleslaw was fresh, tender but crunchy, sweet with a tang.  Well done.  The potato salad may be the best I have ever had anywhere.  It is harder to describe, with flavor-bursting texture. A true classic.   I would love their recipe.  They are located right off I-10 on exit 57 (Hwy 57),-The Shed should be a “ must-do” experience for anyone who loves BBQ.

In summary, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is a different destination, but well worth the visit.  Lots to do, lots to see, lots to experience.  I will be back soon….

For many years running Kansas City MO. has hosted the Big 12 Tournament. This year was no exception.  However, this year proved a bit more interesting in the Big 12 as the University of Missouri leaves for the SEC conference next season. Take away one of the primary schools in this region, couple it with the fact that Kansas City is in the state of Missouri, and no Missouri team will be in the Big 12 next year…..well, put on your political hat, and I think you know the answer as to the future of the Big 12 Tourney in Kansas City. Actually, the Big 12 Men’s Tourney is under contract to return next year. But that will be all she wrote for KC.  Too bad. This sleepy midwestern city, come to find out is anything but.

In reality, this city is bustling with entertainment, clubs, bars and restaurants. Quite contrary to the branding most outsiders place on this city. The center piece of this entertainment is the Power and Light District, pictured to the left. (thanks to whoever I stole this pic from). This district is adjacent to the Sprint Center where the Men’s Tourney takes place.  Here there are numerous bars and restaurants.  Many surround an inner courtyard which is anchored by a stage, a main level on the ground with balconies surrounding the main area. Eateries such as McFaddens and Maker’s Mark restaurant turn into terrific places to hang pre and post game to get you drink on. It gets quite crowded during events, so one must be prepared. But the vibe is unmistakable.  Music fills the center court. Many nights there is live music on stage. Parking can be difficult and so can navigation.  For events like the Big 12 tourney, they block off many streets around the sprint center….you will pay $30 to park adjacent to all the action.  But there is really no need to park that close.  While the Men’s tourney was held in the Sprint Center, the women’s Bit 12 Tourney was held in Memorial Auditorium, about 6 blocks away and an easy walk. Parking at Memorial was $10 for garage and safe parking.  The walk was nothing.  But for those who may have an issue walking this way without a break, there are many bars and eateries in between the two venues to take your break at. Around the Sprint Center, there were the restaurants I mention, 801 Chop House to get your steak on and lighten your wallet a bit, a Gordon Beirsch brewery restaurant……too many to remember or discuss here. Whatever your taste, it is offered in this area.

Most of the lodging in this area is high end and high priced. We stayed in the Plaza area.  I was previously familiar with this area from days of a career in telecom sales selling to Sprint. This is a separate entertainment district with a distinct upscale fell to it.  It is due west down Main Street about 4-5 miles.  Once again here is a collection of great restaurants, anchored by Plaza III…..one of my favorite upscale steak houses in the nation. A return to Plaza III did not disappoint.  But there are many other good choices. There are a few chain eateries, such as PF Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory, but one thing I was most impress with in Kansas City was the lack of chain restaurants.  Most are individual or limited, local chains. We tried to support these as much as possible.  Further, between the plaza area and central KC, along Main Street and several adjacent streets, are different neighborhoods that each have a feel of its own and a bevy of restaurants and bars with personalities to match the area.  Many of these were in transition type neighborhoods, mixing together various economies and people. Also in these neighborhood were the corner bars…the kind we have written about here on redd. Places like Danny’s, or Partners…..you get the picture.  A great place for nothing other than a good ole Old Style or the like.

Power and Light District

Various eateries that we tried were in these type of neighborhoods. WE will provide reviews of the restaurants in the coming posts.  But for now, lets just say that our down time at the tourney was spent at the Tannin Wine Bar and Kitchen.  This was about 4 blocks from the Sprint Center…..far enough to get away from the crowds, close enough to get there quickly without getting into a car.  The restaurants we will review in future posts are the above, Extra Virgin, PizzaBella, and Oklahoma Joe’s…….(its KC, had to try the BBQ, since we reguraly review BBQ joints on this site).

WE are quite bummed that the Big 12 Tourney will not be in KC in the future…..all due to the decision of a state school to chase TV revenues and become an also ran in the SEC conference. Good riddens.  But to KC, this is big business that is lost in their future. They have an incredible amount of public facilities that have been erected with their 10.35% sales tax (yes you heard that right….I did not calculate, but this was told to me by a manager at Plaza III).  The revenue contributes to keep a clean city, and largely a safe city.  I will miss going to KC for the Big 12 Tourney. Unfortunately, I have no real other reason to go there given its locale to Texas.  So I say farewell, and if you ever travel in the central US, stop at KC. There is so much unique entertainment (yes, you gambling addicts….they have casinos)

The experience at KC is top notch, the food top notch, the watering holes top notch.  Look for reviews in coming posts on Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ, Extra Virgin, Tannin Wine Bar and Kitchen, Plaza III, and Pizza Bella. These post will drive our content for the near future…..its generally that good.

Peace

Seems Low Budget Review Guy got off his duff and took a vacation.  Always some interesting tidbits for those of you looking to learn about different areas of the country

Part I

For our annual trip to Las Vegas this year, my wife and I decided to take a few extra days off and visit some National Parks I had never been to.  So flying into Vegas, we rented a car and off we drove to St George, Utah.  This town of roughly 65,000 is approx 2 hrs drive due north on I-15.  We had decided to make that our base of operations for the first few days.   Checking into our Hampton Inn, we got some very helpful suggestions from the desk staff.  I am a fan of Hampton Inns, big rooms, fair price, free hot breakfast every mornings, usually a pool and Jacuzzi.  Not for the Low Budget Traveler, but a good value.  Even though it was after 2 pm, we decided to drive up to Zion Natl Park from St George.  It is a scenic 45 min drive through towns such as Hurricane ( In Hurricane Valley—really? what is the origin of THAT name in south Utah?) and Springdale.  Both of those cities were larger than I had realized and both offered what would have been very acceptable lodgings, and much closer to the Natl Parks.  If we go back again, we will stay in one of those vs. St George.

Zion Natl Park was nothing like I had imagined.  It is a deep river valley surrounded by towering cliffs of red, white, buff colored rock formations.  I am not a geologist, although I know a few very well, but I will not attempt to talk about the age of the rocks, the type of formations—the science of it.  From a esthetic viewpoint, though,  it was breathtaking and the whole valley gave off a Zen vibe of cosmic one-ness with the universe.  The name Zion is derived from a Hebrew word meaning something close to “sanctuary”, and indeed it felt as such.

The river itself is mostly shallow and less than 20-30 feet wide in most places.  While  appearing calm and peaceful, during spring run-off and flash-flood rainstorms it becomes a raging animal ripping huge boulders and large trees out of the ground and carrying them downstream.

To control traffic and pollution, visitors are required to park in one of several places and ride free park-owned shuttle buses up to the end of the canyon and back.  There are about 13 total bus stops where people can get one, get off, hike a trail or hang out, and wait for the next bus which will arrive in about 10 minutes.  The bus sound system will talk about the next stop, what to expect, which hiking trailheads are there, etc, so it was educational as well.  To go up and back to all stops, takes about 80 minutes if you stay on the bus through each stop.  We got out at a few to take pictures and just enjoy the sights.  Even though it was only about 3-4 pm, the steep cliffs were already in shadow on the west side of the canyon, while the east side was brightly lit with the sun.  It is a landscape where one could spend all day at one place and take the same picture two dozen times and get two dozen different views because of the angle and intensity of the light.  It would be a painter or pro photographer’s heaven.   The next day we came back to hike two different trails, one, the Riverside Trail  was about two miles roundtrip.  Our hike ended at the river, where we turned back.  A mile or so upstream, after wading the river, the canyon narrows to places where the opposite walls of the canyons can be touched by extending out both arms—very narrow, very cool.  We were not prepared for getting soaked, so we turned back and later took another trail with more elevation climb to the lower Emerald Pool. That hike, a little over a mile round trip, had more elevation change but was worth the effort.    Zion is an amazing place.  By then it was almost 2 pm and we decided to drive to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, as I had been to the South Rim, but not the North.  This was a 2 and a half hour drive, the first 30+ minutes were driving up a steep, twisty, switchback road out of Zion.  For a person with high anxiety, such as myself, this was very nerve racking.  Driving southeast to the Canyon, we drove through the Kaibab Plateau, a beautiful high-country forest with pines and Aspen trees.  The aspens were mostly bare, having lost their incredible golden leaves a few weeks before.  There were a few stands still magnificently shining like electric gold, including one stand near the South Rim Visitor Center.   The Visitor Center was closed for the season, but no worries, we just walked a couple of trails along the rim, just an hour before sunset.  The North Rim is very different than the South, being higher, the nearby rock formations have more vegetation, more greenery. Still awe-inspiring when one thinks of the time represented by all those formations.  While my spouse went further out to a point on one trail, I wisely just stayed put.  Beautiful yes, scary for people who don’t handle heights well, very much yes.

The next day we drove to Bryce Canyon Natl Park. Due to some road closures due to rockslides, the trip took almost two hours going a longer way.  Worth the effort?  Oh yeah.  The rock formations, mostly caused by freezing/thawing carved fantastic towers, windows, columns with hard rock capstones on them—what are called Hoodoos.  The Park itself is not that large but the elevation rises to well over 9000 feet.  The temps were chilly but not cold. After the brutal Texas summer, it felt great.  We had light jackets and baseball hats and were quite comfortable.    With approximately 13 scenic viewing stops, it took us several hours to get a hike in, listen to a Ranger talk about the geology, and take  a gazillion pictures.  Wildlife seen in Zion, North Rim and Bryce included numerous deer, gray rock squirrels, chipmunks, fat Ravens, and a Mountain Jay (think Blue jay on massive steroids and a dark blue—very cool).

This was a great 3 days for me, as I had never been to these great western icons before.  If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Zion, I would go back there again in a heartbeat.  Being October, crowds were small,  mostly retirees or foreign tourists, and some Utah folks.   All 3 Parks are well worth the time to visit.

End Part I—

Part II—Viva Las Vegas!

Las Vegas has an incredible amount of choices for fine dining. Gone are are the $3.99 surf and turf buffets where you consumed rubber on the cheap. With the annual trip out, I decided to embibe in one of the truly high end steak houses in Las Vegas. CUT Steakhouse is in the Palazzio Hotel and Casino. It is truly on the high end of steak houses, at least price wise, in Las Vegas. This is one of the many Wolfgang Puck restaurants in Las Vegas. I believe this means very little, as he has just become a branding instrument for the marketing machine. That said, truly, most of the restaurants branded with his name are usually very good.

CUT Steakhouse is an interesting offering. The owners spared no small detail to make this a swank surrounding for you to drop your average of $150 per head. You know it is impressive when credits are given to the design house for the restaurant on the menu. It is truly impressive. I love the ambiance of this establishment.  But did the steak live up to the billing?

In the end, you first must understand the CUT approach.  This is a steak house. The menu is very limited, limited to steak, more steak, and then some. There are three other menu offerings that are not steak.  So clearly, they separate themselves from the typical high end steak joint (think Morton’s, Capital Grille, Ruth Cris’) as they do not serve a bevy of fish plates or lessor plates for those who are too cheap to really be in such a establishment (think chicken offerings).  Enough thinking. The first thing they will try to sell you is their Waygu offerings.  The lower end, with a paltry price of $84 for a 6 ounce filet comes from Idaho and grass fed cows. And I thought the cows in Brehnem, Texas were happy making Blue Bell.  Silly me. For $30 more per ounce, you could up that order, for you behemoth Buffalos out there,  Also on the bill was Australian Waygu, for a mere $150 for 8 oz. Now, for you confused readers, Waygu is close to Kobe beef. Those who have ordered this at this restaurant generally love it.  The steak is supposedly like butter. I opted for the 16 oz. bone in filet.  A bargain at a mere $68.

Now for you readers out there, please note:  I am a high end steak house junkie.  Most of the $$ I have spent in these establishments were on expense account, granted, but I still go on my own nickel as well, as we did tonight. CUT prepares their steaks a bit different than most high ends. They grill the steak over charcoal and wood (type of wood, undetermined), then finish the steak in the broiler at 1200 degrees. Interesting approach.  Ordered medium rare, my steak came out medium rare plus….I guess no big surprise since those of you who are experts at cooking steaks realize that the steak still cooks after you have removed from the heat. CUT claims they let every steak sit for 10 minutes after the 1200 degree scorching. Bottom line, you have to plan carefully. My steak came out rather dry. Slightly overcooked according to order, as mentioned before, it was only reasonable in texture in taste. My companion had similar issues.  Medium rare, in her case, was more medium and dry as well. All in all, the cut of meat (dry aged for 21 days) was OK, but not prepared to the expectations I would expect from a steakhouse such as this. The cut of meat equaled that from a Captial Grille or Morton’s, it just cost 30% more. And, if I were a betting man, Allen Brothers out of Illinois is their distributor, just as it is for Morton’s and many others. The extra 30% clearly is not justified.

For sides, we ordered the Brussel Sprouts with bacon, and the Macaroni and Cheese.  The Sprouts were disappointing as well, dry and  and fairly tasteless.  The M&C was very good.  I felt compelled to finish it. So overall, the meal, which cost us roughly $140 for the two of us, including the sides….was fairly disappointing. I have had great experiences at high end steak houses that charge 30% less much more regularly.

We ordered a bottle of wine with dinner. The wine service was exquisite, as was the wine.  The wine list is rather limited, but truly offer selections you do not see in most restaurants.  Ours was a bottle from Italy, the D’Alba region, for $99/bottle. It was worth every penny. Speaking of service, this is where this restaurant shines. They have a bevy of personnel attending to your needs. While intimidating at first regarding the ambiance of the establishment, you end up feeling more comfortable as you hear rock music piped in, I mean, I am talking trailer trash rock like White Stripes. Go figure.  So do not be intimidated.  They will be happy to take your money, jeans and all. I also order a martini (Belvedere call…see vodkafacts.com  for review) which was pricey, but expected at $14.

I do not think CUT is a bad place, but I believe they likely shine on the high revenue items, such as the Waygu beef.  Read most reviews on Yelp,Open Table and others that cater to restaurant reviews,  and people have orgasms over the Waygu.  In fairness, I cannot comment on that.  They do the Morton’s like presentation for the Waygu at the beginning….not a hard push, but a sales pitch none the less….but in the end, I just cannot recommend CUT if you are not a Waygu spending person.  For a regular great filet in Las Vegas, try instead Vic and Anthony’s downtown in the Golden Nugget, or Capital Grille in Fashion Mall, or Rosemary’s (off the strip at about 8500 Sahara, and do not let the restaurant fascade fool you), or Delmonico’s in the basement of the Venetian….you will be much more satisfied forking out 30% less for a great steak……..peace

After our 200th post, we seem to take a long vacation.  Trouble is, we stayed home.  Good thing Low Budget Review Guy did not. Read on.

A recent 5 day weekend presented itself and we immediately thought of escaping the brutal Texas summer.  With 40+ days over  100 degrees, ( now well over 50) we longed for cooler climes.  The first idea was Vegas, my favorite vacation spot, but temps there were almost as hot as home. It is August after all.  So we quickly decided on Ruidoso, New Mexico.  Why? Well several reasons, but we had heard great things about it from friends.  The forecast was ideal—mid-80’s during the day and high 50’s at night.  After years of saying, “one day, we are gonna visit”, we said, now is the time.  So grabbing our college-age son and his roommate, we rented a huge car and off we drove, “West, young man, go West”….

Now if you like to drive, this is the trip for you.  Me, I’m not as crazy about it, but , no pain no gain.  The cool, clear mountain air was calling to us.  After zigzagging through the TX Hill Country, we finally met I-10 a few miles outside of Junction.  The bad news—we still had a gazillion miles to go—the good news—the speed limit from there going west is an almost-unheard of 80 MPH.  So, aiming the massive landing-strip of a hood of the Grand Marquis (*good God, how old are you?) toward the horizon, I slapped the cruise-control on 82 and slipped into a mind-numbing stupor, watching the gauge reading the outdoor air temperature climbing higher and higher, and listening to the music in my head, playing “Roadhouse Blues” over and over….about 2 and a half hours later, and well over 230 miles down the road in Fort Stockton we made a quick drive by to waive at Paisano Pete, the World’s Largest Statue of a Roadrunner (Beep-Beep…where’s that damn coyote) we stopped for a sandwich and back in the car.

For those of you who have never been to Texas, or who have spent most of their lives driving I-35,  this is real Texas, the take your breath away, horizon to horizon, miles and miles of miles and miles of Texas.  Dust Devils, 18-wheelers driving slower than you, dry washes, massive wind power turbines waving slowly in the hot air, places called , “Mosquito Lake” and “No Trees”….Texas goes on forever…..we had been in the car for 6 hours and we still hours away from the state border.  To due west was El Paso, about 250 miles away, but now we turned north, towards New Mexico—still several hours away…sigh….Oddly enough, though there were few towns, the traffic was more frequent then one would think.  There are “oil bidness” service trucks and tankers, everywhere.  Lots of Pump Jacks to the left and right of us, drawing that oil  from the ground like a high-school student sucking on a cherry-coke at Dairy Queen….through Pecos, home of the world famous Pecos Cantaloupes, we finally crossed into New Mexico, the ground  rising like the breath of a baby, softly and slowly.

We drew within about 25 miles of Carlsbad Caverns and decided on a side-trip to that National Park.  The last entry to the cavern is 3:30 and we were worried about making the cut-off time, but were saved by the time change—NM is an hour earlier than us.  Taking a poorly marked short-cut that had me almost holding my breath, because we were unsure if it was going to get us lost, we arrived at the world famous caverns.  Wildfires had charred the surrounding desert terrain, almost up to the Visitor Center.  NM is in a drought as well as Texas.  We then took the elevator down 76 stories to the massive Big Room for the 90 min self-guided tour.  I had been there when I was a small child, and had taken my wife and child there almost 10 years ago, but it still is an amazing  place.  A true underworld fantasy-land.  One of those places that most Americans have not seen, but everyone should see.  The temp inside was 68 degrees, but a little humid.

Our leg-stretching break now over, we were back in the car, up through the city of Carlsbad—Note: the highway runs straight through the main street of town.  Main street is under massive construction from one end to the other—it took us almost 45 min to get through the stops, potholes, construction cones—not fun.

On to Roswell, a cool-vibe kinda place—with some interesting sounding restaurants and bars. Driving past the UFO Museum,  it was closed for the day, dang it, that would have been a hoot.  Finally, we turned west again, 70 miles to go.  After driving over a ridge, we found ourselves in a beautiful river valley, green fields and large trees in contrast to the brown hills and grass scrub we had been traveling through.  Passing several small towns filled with cherry orchards, strawberry and raspberry farms we finally arrived in Ruidoso, just after night fall.  It was 78 degrees, and drizzling rain.  Awesome!

Finding our chain motel perched on a mountainside, I just stood in the rain for a few minutes blissfully enjoying the cool air and moisture.  After getting our suitcases unloaded in our large comfortable rooms we went looking for dinner.  Being 9 pm at night in a small resort town, we were not looking for fastfood, but didn’t know what would be open.  On most vacations we try to avoid chain restaurants once we reach our destination, instead opting for local spots.  You may get a clunker or you may find a gem, that’s part of the fun.  However, due to fatigue, we decided on K-Bob’s, a family steak chain, 3 blocks from the hotel.  They were still open and the place was packed with folks in traditional western wear of worn jeans, snap-button shirts,  cowboy hats and boots.  After filling up on very good chicken-fried steak and steak kebabs, we headed back to the hotel to unwind.  The hotel had two separate covered outdoor areas with tables and chairs and we took advantage to sit in the cool, dark, 75 degree temperature and let the long day dissipate.

Sorry, LBR Guy Did Not Take This, I Stole It Off the Web. Hey, Its fucking 107 Degrees In Texas

I am an early riser, so next morning, I was up to see the sun rise over the mountain across the road.  Watching  the swallows and Blue Jays dive around me, I savored the 60 degree weather. What a break from the 100’s we had in Texas.  Letting the college guys sleep, my wife and I made a drive around Ruidoso, to get our bearings and the lay of the land.  The city is about 8000, but there are several cities all but joined at the hip, so the total population of the area is about 21,000.  Traffic was light.

Late morning, we gathered everyone together for a short 20 min drive over the mountains to Bonita Lake, a small mountain lake surrounded by tall, pine tree covered mountains.  This lake was low due to drought conditions, but due to all the rain they had in the past several weeks, the fire danger was “minimal”.  The area around the lake is a nexus of numerous hiking and mountain biking trails.  We stuck to a trail around the lake, going perhaps two-thirds of the way around before heading back keeping an eye on the dark clouds  looming.  This is usual for August in NM, as it is their rainy “Monsoon” season.  Just about every afternoon, rain clouds build up over the mountains, it rains for 30 min or so, then clears off.  Sometimes another batch of rain clouds will follow an hour or so later.  Driving back to Ruidoso in the rain, we discussed various options for lunch.  Once in town, we chose The Lincoln County Grill, more or less at random.  In an old house, the place has a very funky, fun feel.  The staff, and owner were friendly, outgoing and helpful.  Given we were in New Mexico, I just had to try the Blue Cheese with Green Chili pepper Cheeseburger.  With an order of Green Chili cheese fries.  Spicy foods often give me issues, but I was determined to try these and enjoy the best I can, and later take lots of antacid.  The Cheeseburger was delicious, not spicy, but the flavor of the chili peppers mixed beautifully with the beef and Blue Cheese.  The Green Chili Cheese fries were simply addictive.   All of us agreed this place was a true winner.  Lots of options on the menu.  From there we drove a few blocks to the city’s public parking and walked off lunch by browsing the shops in town.  Picked up a few souvenirs before heading back to the hotel and a nap.

   Refreshed after the break we decided to go one of the local Casinos.  “The Inn of The Mountain Gods” is owned by the Apaches and rests on Tribal Reservation land.  Having visited some less than stellar Native American Casinos in the past, I was very pleasantly surprised by “The Inn…” It is large with several hundred rooms, large gaming floor, several nice restaurants, a sports bar, and outside huge picture windows lay a golf course that looked fantastic.  Inside, the complex had numerous striking artworks and sculptures, including a beautiful fountain that looked like a huge hand-made pottery bowl.  We hit the casino buffet for dinner.  It was very good, if unimaginative except for Apache Fry Bread, which everyone agreed was delicious.  After dinner we hit the casino, playing  some slot machines.  The live Blackjack tables (one $5 table, the rest higher) and the craps table were very crowded.  We noticed that there was no free booze being given at the casino.  A roaming beverage cart circled among the slots offering soda, water and coffee, but no booze.  The sports bar didn’t allow booze to leave the bar area.  Interesting.  From there we retired to a very nice bar area, dark wood tables, dark wood bar, overstuffed chairs.  For his birthday, I ordered my son a Vodka Martini, made with Belvedere Vodka.  He is a vodka drinker, but being a poor college age kid, drank only the cheap stuff, so I wanted him to try “real” vodka.  The martini was stout, a little too much so for him. Maybe he wasn’t used to quality.  My wife helped him finish the drink and remarked how smooth it was. She had never tried one before (she drinks VERY little) and liked it.  The rest of us just sat there with our jaws on the floor.  Too strong for us, but the lady was smoothing it down. Hilarious!   Back to the hotel,  and my son and I sat outside in the dark picnic area, enjoying the 75 degrees, drinking a beer and watching a lightning display going on down the valley.  Very cosmic.

   The next day we decided to drive a 90+ mile scenic byway.  Heading down the Hondo Valley about 20 miles, we then turned north to the town of Lincoln.  Lincoln is famous for being the center of the “Lincoln County War” back in the late 1870’s or so.  This is Billy The Kid country, and his famous escape from the Lincoln County Courthouse has been featured in countless movies and TV shows.  Lincoln is small, but has many buildings left from the infamous era, including the courthouse, which is now a museum.  At the time of the Lincoln County War, the President of the United States called Main Street in Lincoln, “the most dangerous street in America”.  The Wild West indeed.  From there we headed to Fort Stanton.  This Fort was established to protect the area settlers from Mescalero Apaches.  It changed hands during the Civil War.  Later it became a hospital for Merchant Marines who were suffering from tuberculosis.    During WW II, it was an internment camp for German sailors who were stranded in the US just before war was declared.  The Fort is in beautiful condition, the many buildings look in great shape, although we only had access to one, where the museum was.  This was a personal visit for us as well as a tourist spot, as a cousin was the Fort Commander  from 1862-1865.  It was a gratifying experience to walk the parade ground and up to his quarters, knowing he had walked these same steps.  From there we journeyed to Capitan, the small town that has its own claim to fame: Smoky Bear.  The real, original Smoky Bear was found as a small cub in the aftermath of a large fire nearby.  The crew chief of the firefighters took Smoky home and his wife and little girl bandaged his wounds, fed him, and watched him grow to be an American Icon.  For children of a particular age, we grew up with the Smoky motto in our heads.  He was taken to the Zoo in Washington DC, where he finally died at age 26 in the early 1970’s.  The Smoky the Bear  Museum and gardens out back include his final resting place, looking at the mountains where he was found.  It was well worth the visit.  Trying to leave Capitan, we were suddenly hit with a large, loud thunderstorm, including small-marble sized hail.  We drove next to a house that had several large trees branching over a street and parked for 15 minutes or so, until the hail was done.  Driving back to Ruidoso in light rain, the view of rolling terrain and large mountains in the background was very soothing.  That night for dinner the restaurant was , “The Cattle Baron”.  The wait was long, but worth it.  Very good Prime Rib, a huge salad bar, with large blocks of cheese, delicious steaks.  The wait staff was very good, if perhaps a little overworked.

Our last day in town was slated for one of the biggest tourist attractions in town: Ruidoso Downs.  This horseracing venue is perhaps best known for the quarter horse races, including The All-American Futurity, in which winners make huge stakes.  Quarter horses  do not run in a circle like the thoroughbred horses do.  These horses generally run a straight-arrow sprint just as fast as they can.  I had never been to the horse track before so it was all new.  We got there a few minutes early, went over my racing guide and placed several $2 bets.  We purchased some reserve seats under cover  and watched these magnificent animals run their hearts out.  These horses are smaller than the big name thoroughbreds, but are extremely competitive.  The races are quick, often photo-finish.  There is about 20 minutes between each race, which enabled me to go cash in my winnings.  That’s right, first time at the track and I won small amounts on the first four races.  They had some thoroughbred races in between the others.  Alas, my luck ran out the next 3 races, including losing by a nose on a controversial photo-finish. I ended up down $1.75 on the day.  We ended up grateful  for the covered seats as there was a very heavy thunderstorm for almost 30 minutes.  After a small delay, the horses ran in the rain and mud. Great fun!  Free parking, cheap concessions, free admission if you want to watch by the rail,  a super day at the track!  Watching by the rail is exciting as they horses can get very close, and you can hear their hooves thundering toward you like an avalanche.  The heavy breathing and snorting of the animals, the jockeys talking to them, the crack of the riding whip on the horses flanks, make for a great multi-sensory experience.  The downside is it is very hard to judge who is winning, and closing fast and who crosses the finish line.  You are simply too close and they are too fast to grasp it.    After a short afternoon nap, we went to try the better known Italian restaurant in town, Michelena’s.  Although crowded, we were immediately seated.  The tables are small and cramped, the service good, but a little slow.  We were not overly impressed.  Would try someplace different next time.  After dinner we played miniature golf at perhaps the hardest mini-gold course I have ever played.  The fact that I had a huge lead after 9 holes and then coughed it up and came in second is not the point.  It was hard!    As we spent our final night time enjoying some cold ones in the picnic area reveling in the cooler mountain air, we decided that it would be a place worthwhile to come back.  Still a lot of restaurants to try, and hiking trails to take, and cool breezes to enjoy.  We knew that although we had a long hard drive the next day, it was worth the visit.  I recommend Ruidoso, New Mexico!