redd granite

In our ongoing journey of fun things to do in the Lone Star State, today’s entry brings us to Luling, Texas and the famous Watermelon Thump.  What is a Watermelon Thump you ask?  Well, it’s a festival celebrating this small south-central Texas town’s agricultural roots of the watermelon.   The town was founded in 1874 as a railroad stop meeting one of the various cattle trails that made up the Chisholm Trail.  Oil was discovered in the 1920’s and today many of the still-producing pump jacks extracting the black gold from the earth are enhanced with whimsical decorations, such as a WW I biplane, a cowboy on a bucking bronco, animals and many others.  The Thump started in 1954 and draws people from all over Texas the last weekend in June and this year we were able to attend.  As we drove into the outskirts of this town of approximately 5,000, the first thing you notice is that several of the water towers have been painted to look like giant watermelons.  Nice touch.  The town is on the banks of the beautiful San Marcos river and there are several businesses dedicated to encouraging canoes, kayaks, swimming, fishing, etc on the river.  We arrived mid-morning just as the event was opening.  Indeed, we got to see about half of the opening parade as it wound through the city.  There is something about a small-town parade that speaks to the spirit.  The veterans’ marching, the 4H clubs, the high school marching bands with the cheerleaders on the back of a pickup.  Church groups, civic clubs, small-business sponsors all with decorated trailers or pickups proudly grinning at friends, neighbors, family, and gathered strangers lined along the streets.

From there we found our parking spot several blocks from the main area and walked past the farmer’s market with many sellers offering peaches, onions, garlic, corn, tomatoes, radishes, as well as the expected melons.  We quickly decided to window shop only, and do our serious shopping on the way back,  to make it easier  while we walked through the craft booths.  Going early meant that while some booths were still setting up, we were also beating the June Texas heat, that promised another 100 degree day.  We spent 45 minutes perusing the various craft booths and chatting with the owners.  While this event was perhaps smaller than several festivals we have attended over the years, it was just as much fun.  Unfortunately, the famous events such as the melon auction where prize melons can fetch as much as $22,000, the melon eating contest to see who can eat a slice of watermelon the fastest, and the incredible watermelon seed-spitting contest, were all to be held late afternoon and our schedule did not permit us to stay that long.  The Guinness Book of World Records lists the current record holder with 68 feet, 9 and 1/8 inches, set at the Watermelon Thump in 1989.  They have a building with stands set up inside to watch the attempts to set a new record.  There is also a large covered area where touring country bands perform at night.

From the craft booths we headed to an early lunch.  What do we look for at these great festivals we visit?  Why BBQ of course!  And Luling has been praised as having two of the top spots in the state:  City Market and Luling Bar-B-Que.  We headed to City Market first, but so did a large crowd of people, so we quickly stepped down the street to Luling Bar-B-Que.  Stepping into the old building, the aroma gets your taste buds drooling.  Though very crowded, we were able to grab a small table and stood in line while deciding what to try. As usual, I got the two-meat plate with brisket and sausage while my better half got the chopped BBQ sandwich.   Among numerous optional  sides we chose potato salad and Cole slaw.  BBQ sauce was not poured on the meat, but provided at each table for those that prefer it.  I am a sauce man myself but always appreciate the option of with or without.  The sauce was Carolina-style, vinegar based, with some spices we couldn’t indentify, almost a pale yellow in color and very good. The brisket was outstanding, extremely tender with a nice smoke ring and flavor.  The sausage was good, not greasy, with some unusual spices, and a little black pepper.  The casing was unusually easy to cut with the traditional Texas plastic ware. The chopped beef however was a disappointment.  The beef was more pureed  then chopped,  almost a soup with too much sauce.  We disagreed over the sides, I liked the Cole slaw, fresh and crunchy,  and thought the potato salad was bland, while “the boss” stated the potato salad was among the best we have had on the BBQ Road, but thought the Cole slaw was average at best.  We did agree the sweet tea was delicious.  Overall grade?  Luling BBQ gets a B+.  Great brisket, very good sausage, good sides, but the soupy chopped beef dragged the score down.  Would I go again? Oh yeah.

After lunch, we stepped back out into the Texas heat to head back to the farmer’s market area for some serious veggie/fruit/flowers shopping. While there were growers and vendors from as far away as the Houston area, we wanted a watermelon grown in Luling.  It seemed as if there are dozens of varieties of watermelons from round to the traditional shapes, patterns on the outside, textures with seeds or without, and color of fruit from yellow (which takes some getting used to but is quite good) to pale pink to red.  We settled on a “small”  melon about 10 pounds along with some luscious Stonewall (Texas) peaches and a couple of tomatoes.  Carrying these Texas-grown treats back to the car in the smothering early-afternoon  heat was a chore as we had several blocks to go.  Finally we loaded everything in the car, cranked up the AC and hit the highway for the 90 minute ride home.

Overall, we enjoyed the Luling Watermelon Thump.  The Texas heat can be an issue, so either go early, or come prepared with hats, sunscreen, patience and drink plenty of water.  We are already looking forward to going again next year.  After all, there is always “Thump-thing” going on in Luling!

Seems our rum swaggin low spending guy ended up in Las Vegas:

Just returned from 4 days in Las Vegas, my home away from home.    In this 24/7 city, there have already been changes made and changes started since my last visit in October.  First, arriving Sunday and getting the rental car, I drove to The Excalibur where we were staying this trip.  The Excalibur is on the Strip, right on one of the biggest intersections.  I was meeting my college-age son and his roommate who had never been to Vegas, and they decided to do a cross country bus trip…..hm, college kids)so we wanted the convenience of being right on the center of the action.  The other three corners are occupied by The Tropicana, one of the few remaining “old” Vegas properties, the MGM Grand with 7000 rooms and one of the largest hotels in the world, and New York/New York, with its distinctive architecture of the skyline of the Big Apple, a 3 story replica of the Statue of Liberty, a replica of the famous Brooklyn Bridge, and a roller coaster twisting amongst the architecture.  The Excalibur façade is a big castle, with turrets and a moat and its theme is tied to that castle: knights, kings, Merlin the Wizard, etc.  The rates were being offered were very good for Vegas about $45/night with the addition of the bogus “resort Fees” of $15 /day.  That is still a very good rate for anywhere in Vegas but especially the Strip.

After making a run through the Sports Book and getting some bets down, I settled into my room, took a nap then went to explore the hotel.  Why is this important?  Even though I had stayed there over 10 years ago, some areas had changed and been renovated.  The Excalibur has over 3000 rooms in four towers.  The casino floor is over 100,000 square feet.  Add in numerous bars, restaurants, many shops,  a downstairs ‘fun dungeon” with video games and carnival-style games this place is larger than large—it is humongous.  Very easy to get turned around and struggle to get where you are going.  It was not crowded.

Later that night, after picking up the guys from the Greyhound Bus Station downtown next to the Plaza (A 30+ hr bus ride—what fun) we settled in for a few drinks at one of the many bars.  Late dinner was at ABX (American Burger Works) a new chain.  Burgers and fries but with a myriad of dipping sauces. ½ lb burger was $6.99, so while expensive, it was cheap for Vegas standards.

The next day I let the guys sleep until noon (as they do anyway, but especially after little fitful sleep on the bus) we got up and started to cruise the famous LV Strip.  Next was to play the role of tour guide. First stop was the MGM Grand to see if the lions were awake in there indoor enclosed habitat.  Alas, the lions weren’t there—and neither was the habitat.  The whole area was under reconstruction, a common theme in LV.  I do not know if they will bring the lions back or not.  Onward to ever other casino on that side of the Strip-Planet Hollywood (with its modern design, very chic and sleek and well done)   Then past several shopping areas to Paris, Bally’s and then past Bill’s Gambling House to the Flamingo where we had decided to eat lunch at Margarittaville in the far end of the hotel.  Another change, the restaurant now has its own Casino, small, but tropical themed (duh).  The gift shop has been moved, the waiting area removed, but the bar with the huge margarita machine was still there.  As usual, I had a large Boat Drink (with rum and assorted fruit juices)no rum reviews here apparently, along with my “Cheeseburger in Paradise”.  The stage for live music is still there.  I would give Redd Granite’s left kidney to play there one night.  I would pay them to play there.  Yeah, the food is overpriced, the place crowded. Yeah it’s a tourist joint—I don’t care—gotta go.  After lunch, we purchased huge yard-long margarita’s to go.  Vegas is one of two cities (New Orleans being the other) that allow open containers up and down the street (if you are walking). So we took advantage of the opportunity. Note: do not let this opportunity go…..for all of the control our world tries to place on our behavior, this is a refreshing option in these two cities….God bless them both.

Next up was another change—The “old” Vegas place O’Shea’s (one of my favorite places to play) is gutted for a new property. Do not misconrue, this is the low budget guy, and O’Sheas was a place you could find $3 BJ tables on the strip.   Evidently Caesar’s Palace (across the street) bought it and is turning it into LINQ  and they are supposed to put a giant Ferris wheel, aka the London Eye on the roof.    We strolled past The Imperial Palace (a semi-dump) Low Budget Reviews guy’s kinda place….and Bally’s (my worst Vegas experience) to The Venetian with its Madame Tussaud’s  Wax Museum, (we took pictures of the guys with a wax The Rock).  The Venetian is one of the most beautiful hotels you will ever see.  Incredible murals on the walls and ceilings, impeccable marble floors and yes, a real canal inside the middle of the place.  A canal with real gondolas taking tourists (for a price of course) for a short trip.  Yes, singing gondoliers cost much extra.  We passed on that.  Although there were several more properties still on that side of the street, our fatigue was starting to show.  We had already walked several miles in 100 degree temps.  So we headed across the street, walked through the incredibly tropically landscaped Mirage then headed to Caesar’s Palace Forum shops , over 200 upscale shops, and restaurants all indoors with faux cobblestone steps, huge marble fountains, and lights that recreate full daylight to nighttime stars all in a 2 hr period.  We were fried by then, so took a cab back to Excalibur where the guys hit the pool.   Later that night, we migrated to the “Minus 5 Bar” in Monte Carlo hotel.  The Minus 5 is a bar with a unique twist.  For a fee (of course), you get a parka, and gloves and go into the bar area where the temperature is , you guessed it Minus 5.  As in 5 below zero.  Everything inside the small bar area is made of ice, the bar, numerous sculptures, the glasses for the drinks, tables, chairs, lounges—all made of ice.  They had faux furs on the seat.  Drinks were $10-cheap for Vegas, but small.  A photographer takes several pictures for purchase later.  There is no time limit inside but the bartender stated about 20 min was the average.  We had on shorts and tee shirts but were actually very comfortable.  We stayed about 45 min before our cold fingers and faces told us it was time to warm up. One of our party actually took a large bite out of his “glass”.  Amusing experience.  We stopped next door at Diablo’s  an open-are type bar/restaurant with an upper floor that overlooks the Strip, great for people watching. Alas, it was closed for a private party.  From there we stopped in NY/NY at the 9 Fine Irishmen pub.  This pub had been originally in Dublin Ireland and was dismantled and reconstructed here. Very cool place/dark Irish Pub vibe. We sat outside and had beers. I had a “Black and Tan” –half Guinness and half Newcastle’s Brown Ale.  It was good.    Back to Excalibur for dinner at their Italian restaurant a chain place called Buca De Bepo (or something) (Ed Note:  Actually that is Buca De Peppo, a chain BUCA is the stock exchange).  Huge portions, filling and acceptable even if not great.  Hit some slots then crashed.

The next day was the long day with many activities.  The first stop was the famous pawn shop for the hit show “Pawn Stars”.   As usual, there was a line to get inside, but we had less than a 10 min wait.  The place is smaller than it looks like on TV.  Alas, Chumley was not there.  Another change—the famous Jim Morrison painting was gone ($20,000). (And there was much weeping from
Redd Granite cause he let it get away) I don’t know if they sold it or just rotated to storage.  They had  another painting up instead.  In 10 min we were out the door and headed to In-and-Out Burger for lunch.  This west-coast chain offers nothing but hamburgers or cheeseburgers, fries and drinks.  That’s it.  The food is always incredibly fresh and delicious.  It is a must-stop at least once on every trip.  They have expanded into the Dallas area and eventually will be on the Austin area.  The Vegas ones are always packed regardless of time of day.  However, we drove right in to a parking spot, walked right up to place our order and snarfed it down.

Rejuvenated, we then headed out to Red Rock Canyon.  The Natl Wildlife Refuge is the setting for dramatic red rocks with layers of blindingly white rock formations on top.  Also, petrified sand dunes can be seen.  A favorite of hikers, bicyclers, rock climbers, the park has a one way 27 mile drive with numerous spots to get out a view the scenery or take a hike.  It is up several thousand feet in elevation from the LV Valley, so the temperatures are always 10+ degrees cooler.    Busy day so far, but not even halfway done!  From there we drove up to Mt Charleston, about 45 min away.  At 11,000 feet this mountain is remarkable in its scenery,  20 degree lower temps, pine and aspen forests, campgrounds, and at about 8,000 ft and cool restaurant and bar.  We ordered drinks and sat outside under an awning, enjoying the ambience and the view.   Unfortunately, the native-American ladies selling handmade jewelry were packing up for the day, so we didn’t get a chance to see what they had. (Sorry Redd).

From there, we now had the challenge of coasting downhill in neutral, to see how far we could go.  The Park rangers were out ticketing speeders, so I had to stay within the posted speed limit.  Nevertheless, I made it the 14 miles back to Hwy 95 before putting the car in gear.  Yesssssss! Quite a feat for LBRG since he drives like a grandma

Back to the hotel to take a shower, get a quick nap, and then off to the next adventure—Sunset and cocktails at the Stratosphere Tower, 107 stories up.  The drinks are not cheap $12-15 each, but you do pay for the location.  2 for 1 belvederes make this tolerable and a quick buzz. It is magical  to watch the sun go down and see all the fabulous lights of Vegas light up at dark.  Martinis and an appetizer kept us occupied for a good hour.   From there we drove to downtown LV to catch the hourly light and sound show of the Fremont Street Experience, a dynamic show on the ceiling on the downtown area, that stretches for blocks.  The shows last about 5 min and every hour features different bands.  The first one we caught was Queen, they did 3 songs.  The next one was the Doors.  After that we went to The Golden Nugget to see the huge gold nuggets on display and to grab a bite in their 24/7 Café.  While the entrees were close to $10 each, the portions were huge.  None of us could finish our meals.  After that long day, I was done.  Back to the room to crash while the guys went out to hit some bars.

My last day, we went to the Rio Hotel off the strip to the Carnival World Buffet for lunch. Should have skipped the buffet and headed to the Voo Pool.  In my opinion, this is the best buffet in Vegas,  Many, many offerings, great quality and quantity.  For about $20 a piece (for lunch) we stuffed ourselves, then wandered around the hotel.  Their pool area is very well done.   From their was went back to the hotel, and hit our pool for a while.  That night, we had tickets to the dinner show “The Tournament of Kings” a fun, family show with knights on horseback, jousts, hand-to-hand combat, wizards shooting fireballs, dancing girls, pyrotechnics….fun.  Dinner was soup, Cornish game hen, potatoes, biscuit, broccoli, served on plates with no silverware. Everything is eaten by hand (the soup was in a bowl).  Everyone is expected to root for the Knight representing the area in which you sit.  So there is much cheering, boo-ing, tacky comments, “Huzzah’s!!”  etc.

From there we walked down to the Bellagio Hotel, to watch the famous Fountains do their water dance to music, every 15 min.  Saw several of those, one of the top free things to do in Vegas.  Then inside to see the incredibly ugly décor and tacky carpet.  A visit to the Conservatory is a requirement on every trip.  This large room next to the check-in desk is themed to match the seasons, changed four times a year.  This being summer, there were huge areas of zinnias and marigolds among others.  There were two ladybugs made of flowers about the size of two suitcases, and there was a frog made of moss and lichen about the size of a small pony.  The Conservatory is always well done.

By that time, my energy and Vegas-tolerance was almost empty.  We trudged back to Excalibur, hit some slots, had one drink and I was done:  back to my room to pack and crash as I had a 4 am wake-up call the next day.  John and Galen were not leaving until Friday evening.  They were to have several adventures that perhaps he can write about at a later time.  They will have great stories to tell as years go by.

For closing notes:  In the empty lot across from Mandalay Bay, they have started construction on yet ANOTHER London-Eye size Ferris wheel, which will look down the Strip.  So eventually there will be two.  Anything worth doing is worth overdoing—it is the American Way.

And lastly, gas was anywhere from $3.96 to $4.06 a gallon for regular.  I just paid $3.39 here today. And what?  No report on your losses?

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

For those of you not in Texas….a quick run down about this post.  The state of Texas is large encompassing much land and different personalities.  The landscape varies from flat, to deep woods, to mountains (not the rockies, OK) to green prairies.  Its personality varies as well, but overall, this is a conservative state with people who spend much of their lives living in a box.  Enter Austin.  Full of lakes, parks, and the Texas Hill Country, the cities personality varies from every other Texas city.  Here the hippies roam with republicans, the street people tend to be young, pierced no futures on skateboards…the music scene is self pretentious on Austin and alive…….so here we go in with a brief on one of the crown jewels of Austin, Zilker Park

Recently, we had the idea to get a couple of our “Austin Bucket List” items marked off that list.  You know, those “one of these days, we need to…” moments.  Last Saturday was one those incredibly beautiful days I call a “Chamber of Commerce” day.  You know the kind of day the Chamber would love to bottle to advertise for the touristas to come and visit.  The morning was cool, upper 60’s-low 70’s, bright sunshine, clear robin’s egg blue sky, a little windy perhaps.  We drove to Austin’s Zilker Park, paid for entry (they now charge $5 to park on weekends and for special events).

Anyway, by 9:30 am the parking lot was already mostly full.  We then strolled past the incredibly cool children’s playscape,  past the children’s locomotive train loading up for the day’s first run, down the worn limestone steps and over to the boat rental shack.  The man in charge was a real Austin character.  Looking about 65, sounding like he was about 85 (ah, another Austin hippie with more miles on him than years), with a cheerful grin and some quick jokes about getting wet, he took my ID, directed us to the paddles, life vests, and a string of kayaks.  We debated on canoes, but my better, smarter half decided on a 2-person kayak.  She knew canoes can be easily tipped over by the novices that we were.  Plus, we had some experience with 2-person kayaks in Grand Cayman, and I had no experience in canoes.    We quickly dragged the bright banana-yellow heavy plastic kayak to the launching spot and off we went.  For those unfamiliar with Zilker Park and its environs, the park is home to Barton Springs, a large volume, clear, very cold (a constant 68 degrees year ‘round) springs that fills the Barton Springs Pool, then flows into Barton Creek and then into the Colorado River.  (For you non-Texans, our Colorado River is not The Colorado River that goes through the Grand Canyon, etc.  This is OUR Colorado River.  We are Texans, we can name our rivers anything we want but it’s kind of a long story.  But I digress….)The water was brisk, and for those of you with kayak experience, you know your butt and legs get wet.  But we were not uncomfortable.  Barton creek is probably 50 yards wide from the Pool to the river, extremely wide for a Texas creek.  There has been archeological evidence of people visiting the Barton Springs area for over 8,000 years.  (I wonder if they called it Barton’s Springs?  It is an old Texas name…hmmm…)

The current was very gentle, the tree lined banks sheltering us from the wind,  as we paddled lazily downstream, pointing out numerous turtles, fish (several quite large) ducks and other birds.  There were only a few other boats on the water but the famous Hike and Bike Trail ran along one side packed with people out enjoying the day.   After we reached the mouth of the creek/river, we headed across to the far shore.  The Colorado River is maintained by a dam so it flows gently and is really more of a lake than a river.  On the river, we saw several scullers,  solo, tandem, and teams racing by great speed, athleticism and energy.  We made sure we stayed out of their way as we meandered upstream a ways and then turned back towards the creek.  While on the river the wind picked up but outside of making me put my hat on my lap, it didn’t affect either the stability of the kayak or our ability to paddle.  Heading back up the creek, we passed by about a dozen 2-person kayaks, all filled with attractive coeds in bikinis.  Obviously a UT Sorority House.  As I said, a beautiful day.   As we brought the kayak up on the bank, paid the $12 for the hour we were afloat, we headed out noticing the deep green grass hillside across the creek had rapidly filled with sun-worshippers.  Austin, ya gotta love it….

We were not done, however.  We decided to grab a bite to eat at the Tex-Mex place called “Juan in a Million”.  This east of I-35 eatery had been featured on The Travel Channel’s “Man Vs Food” show and I had wanted to try their famous breakfast tacos for years.  However, by the time we got there (before noon) there was a large line already out the door.  Having little patience to wait, we drove over to the UT campus and The Drag (Guadalupe street).  From there we pulled into Dirty Martin’s, a famous UT hangout since 1926 still on the original location and another place on my “to-do” list.   Luckily, there were plenty of tables, so we downed some excellent cheeseburgers, great Onion Rings, and lightly fried pickle slices.  The waitress was friendly, helpful, and prompt.

Overall, a great Saturday, and two more items checked off the “Austin Bucket List”!

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!