Texas Tavern -- Deep in the Heart of Virginia

The Texas Tavern is an icon in Roanoke, Virginia, and about the last place name I expected to encounter on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Of course I had to know why.

I didn't find out why this sign was relevant but here's what I learned about the Texas Tavern.  It was started in 1930 by Nick Bullington, who, while scouting for Ringling Brothers Circus, ate some pretty good chili in a hotel in San Antonio.  Nick was from Indiana so he could have called his place Indiana Tavern -- but, face it, Texas Tavern was more euphonious -- and that was where he got his chili recipe.  It's been modified over the years for the more gentile Roanoke palates (less chile in the chili) but it's made with fresh (never frozen), lean ground beef and it's pretty darn good. 

A sign on the wall says "We seat 1000 people, 10 at a time."  That's how many stools there are -- and people are frequently lined up three or four deep to sit on one.  More than that and the line goes out the door!   Texas Tavern is open 24 hours a day every day of the year except Christmas.

The menu's up over the counter and the prices are astonishingly low.  Ads flank the menu items without regard to delicacy of placement!

With such low prices, you forgo the frills -- like plates.  But who needs one?  This is your basic $1.25 hot dog with chili, onions and Texas Tavern homemade relish (cabbage and mustard base).  Admit it, no matter how high-fallutin' your taste, you can't beat a great hot dog!

And a little eye-candy for dessert.  This is owner Matt Bullington, great-grandson of Nick, not only carrying on the family tradition but looking cute to boot.

Our group drove by at 11 one night and, sure enough, the Texas Tavern was still going strong.  Here's to another 82 years!

#lovePgh

 I just spent five days in Pittsburgh and I haven't been able to stop talking about how much I enjoyed my stay.  What was it about Pittsburgh?  I loved the city with its mix of old and new architecture.  I was impressed with the cutting edge attitude toward incorporating environmentally-friendly practices towards development and construction.  I ate fabulous food -- a great deal of it fresh, locally-sourced and organic.  I enjoyed a wide variety of cultural experiences.  But, thinking back, the icing on all this wonderful travel cake was the people of Pittsburgh.  In my part of the country, we pride ourselves on friendliness but I learned that we don't have a corner on the commodity.  The people I met in Pittsburgh were not only friendly, they went above and beyond to extend hospitality.  What great ambassadors for a great American city!  Here are just a few of Pittsburgh's best --

 Larry Lagattuta owns Enrico Biscotti Company.  Employed in the tech industry, Larry gave up a corporate career to embrace skills he learned from his mother, aunts and grandmother.  In addition to the bakery, he has a charming little restaurant (with a winery in the basement) in The Strip -- a warehouse district that has become a popular spot for its great ethnic shops and cool eateries.

 Cartoonist and collector Joe Wos turned his childhood passion into an attraction to share with the world -- the Toonseum.  Here he's sitting at a drawing table from Walt Disney's first studio.  It belonged to Paul Satterfield, animator, who was one of the directors for "Fantasia" and "Bambi."

 Now HERE'S a photographer!  Larry Roberts is a staff photographer and visual columnist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.  I caught him on the corner of Fifth and Smithfield photographing a group of Mennonite youngsters who were doing some street corner evangelism.  He was proudest of a great shot he got of several of the young women with their long skirts and neat caps being passed by a Muslim mother in her long, dark outfit and hijab pushing a stroller.  "They probably won't use it," he told me.  "They'll think it is too controversial."  He was right.  The next morning's paper had one of his pictures -- a group of girls crossing the street.  Good shot -- but not as interesting as the one he liked best.

Mancini's Bread Company was just steps away from my hotel and I stopped in to learn a little more about it.  Owner Nick Mancini Hartner told me he was a third-generation baker on one side of his family and fifth-generation on the other.  The family business was founded in 1926.  He turned the shop over to one of his assistants and took me down the street to Market Square to point out interesting and historic businesses there. His great-grandfather had had a bakery here.  Before I left, he gave me a wonderful loaf of bread filled with pepperoni and cheese and accompanied with a container of marinara sauce.  All my Weight Watchers' habits went out the window and the warm bread went right in my mouth!  Over the next day and a half, I ate the whole thing!  I stopped back by my last afternoon in Pittsburgh and got a pepperoni roll to take on the plane.  I'll be working off this particular orgy for the next couple of weeks but it was worth it!

This is just a small group of the great staff at the Fairmont Hotel.  You know you're in a great hotel when they anticipate your every need before you even have a chance to ask!  It's good to be home but I miss sweeping the curtains aside revealing a floor to ceiling view of downtown and the Monongahela River; checking out the New York Times and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and going downstairs to be greeted by name by some of the nicest people in town.  I know it's their job -- but I felt, like Sally Field -- they liked me!  They really liked me!  And I LOVED Pittsburgh!

P.S.  The picture at the top of the post -- taken from the Duquesne Incline.  That's the Allegheny River on the left, the Monongahela on the right.  And where they meet -- viola! the Ohio River.

You Are What You Eat

Lisa and Sam Bracken own The Canebrake, an upscale eco-resort on Lake Fort Gibson near Wagoner. They're not just hands-on owners -- like the hokey-pokey, they put their "whole selves in."

Jack and I were there this week as I was researching for an article in an upcoming issue of Slice Magazine. I'll be writing about the wonderful facilities, the spa, the yoga classes and much more there -- and I'll get to write about the food, too, but space for both text and photos is limited so I wanted to share what Sam and his staff prepared for us for our evening meal.

My favorite feature of the dining room was the open kitchen -- we sat at the counter where we could watch the action and visit with Stacy Jordan, the garde manger, Sarah Leavell, the sous chef and Chef Sam himself.

Sam graciously fixed us small plates of a number of menu items starting with a salad of chablis-poached beets, house pickled red onions, baby spring greens, carrot curls and balsamic vinaigrette. Stacy proudly told us, "I worked eight months perfecting the brine for the pickled onions!"

The Canebrake specializes in local and organic products and is vegetarian-friendly. The vegetarian soyrizo empanadas featured a veggie-based chorizo substitute and queso fresco baked in pastry accompanied by a grilled fruit-habanero salsa (with just the right amount of heat) and lime cilantro crema.

Rather than the regular ten-ounce serving of Oklahoma steak, Sam sized ours down! The meat, cooked just like we like it, was served on grilled asparagus with crispy, thin-cut pomme frites. That's not a slice of salami on top, although that was my first thought; it's a round of cabernet-roasted shallot butter, good on both steak and asparagus.

This was followed by a single lamb chop (an entree-sized portion features a whole rack of juniper-rubbed, roasted lamb), roasted sweet potato mash and crisp fennel and snow pea saute. Sarah put a new spin on the usual mint jelly accompaniment to the meat -- she created fennel and mint preserves, a fresh idea, great taste! Sam used the bone sticking out of the chop to serve as a skewer for some delicate, fried onion rings.

Stacy was responsible for the rich clover honey-pistachio tart and she garnished it with a twist of blood orange, fresh whipped cream and blood orange creme anglaise.

Since we were served different desserts, Jack and I split and traded so we each got to sample two sweets. His was an apple trio -- apple cider sorbet, warm apple cinnamon oat crisp and apple cranberry pie served with a butterscotch sauce.

We were full and happy campers -- until I hit Weight Watchers this morning. Even with small portions, the calories can add up! Even a taste goes to the waist! But it was worth every bite!

A Royal Winter Send-off for Spring Break

I'm loving the 70 degree weather, nodding daffodils and blue skies out my window. Meanwhile, my son, daughter-in-law and three grandsons are keeping their fingers crossed for great skiing in New Mexico

And it looks good. All four of the ski areas I visited last month are open now with ample snow -- all trails are open and no snow-making machines needed!

My family is headed to Angel Fire -- staying in the lodge. It's so convenient just to walk out the door and you're ready to go. Angel Fire has the easiest check-in of the four places. They have computer terminals to enter your height, weight, shoe-size -- and, if you're a regular -- that information comes right up.

I have to admit, my skiing days are now behind me. I discovered I could still ski a bit after a 35-year hiatus -- but the lift totally conquered me! I spent some quality time in the Stray Dog Cafe adjacent to the ski area and browsing in the gift shop in the lodge. I also toured the property -- there are some gorgeous homes here and, in summer, golf and horseback riding.

Ski Santa Fe has great facilities for serious skiers. I played around on the baby slope for a while -- but there were too many babies and not enough slope (and I'd given up on the lift by the time we got here -- our third stop). There were plenty of places to sit and watch the action and the facilities are expanding to accommodate more guests inside. This ski area is strictly that -- so if you're not a skier, stay in Santa Fe!

I loved Taos -- very European-looking! This was our last stop and I'd given up even pretending to ski and concentrated on apres-ski! The day was gorgeous and it was comfortable sitting in the sun and watching others negotiate the slopes. And I met this nice guy with the most precious little husky puppy!

I'm very nostalgic about Red River -- it was the last place my family skied years ago -- back when I could actually get off the lift by myself. And it was the first place we skied on this press trip. The first afternoon we took beginners' lessons and I was rockin'. It was the next morning when the lift was added that things began to look bleak for my career as an antique Olympian. I couldn't stand up fast enough. First trip up the lift -- pow, I hit the snow. The next few times, the instructor boosted me off. After that, I'd just shout at the attendant, "Watch out, here I come!" And he would grab my hand and pull me off. Humiliating! Fortunately, there are other things to do and the moonlight snowmobile ride we took was a super experience -- full moon and snow-covered pines looking like they belonged on a Christmas card. The town has such a great family feel -- very laid-back.

In spite of not being the skier I'd hoped to be when I signed on for the trip, I had a great time. Now I'm going to breathe deep and enjoy the pollen-laced spring air here in Oklahoma!

I'm SOOO Fond-a La Fonda

Santa Fe's historic La Fonda hotel is iconic with its pueblo-style architecture and Spanish Colonial decor. And I love it. So I was thrilled to find that I'd be staying there on my recent trip to New Mexico.

My room was in the La Terraza (concierge) section with a small balcony looking out on the Cathedral. My suite featured beautiful wood floors with woven Indian rugs, colorful tiles and painted furniture.

The wine, fruit and cheese was a lovely surprise.

Both Spanish and Indian themes blended nicely and appeared in creative ways like these cut-outs of corn on the closet door.

The hotel rambles all over the block and it's easy to get lost in the maze of hallways. I took a few unplanned detours myself but enjoyed it because on every wall and around every corner you'll find interesting touches like the stained glass and punched tin light fixture I found in a stairwell.
Of course I had to have huevos rancheros for breakfast -- it's my tradition whenever I'm in New Mexico. And La Plazuela, the La Fonda's charming cafe, made the perfect setting.

I loved my room; I loved my bed; I loved my breakfast but here's what put the La Fonda and its great staff forever in my heart. I was in a hurry to get dressed and packed and took my pearl earrings out of my suitcase. Before I put them on, I stopped to do something else and promptly forgot them. They're small and simple -- not terribly expensive -- but they had a lot of sentimental value to me. I didn't realize until we were in Red River that I didn't have them. I didn't hold out much hope for getting them back. It would have been easy just to sweep them off the table without noticing. I called the hotel -- as did my trip host -- but didn't hear back that day -- or the next. I had given up when I got the message that they had been found and had been put in the mail. They beat me home. Thank you, La Fonda, for a great stay and a happy ending!

Upbeat and Down Under

No, not Australia. I'm in New Zealand -- which I will never again think of as an appendage to the larger country. New Zealand may be smaller in size but it totally rules in beauty of landscape, variety of terrain and the kindness, generosity and friendliness of the Kiwis -- what the locals call themselves. And they have a cheekiness that is irresistible. New Zealand is the Michael J. Fox of nations -- not large but so appealing!
We've seen everything from glaciers to forest glades (where we had a proper tea), driven in one rushing river and jetboated up another one. Last night's Gala closing dinner for our Society of American Travel Writers Conference (why I'm here) was amazing and I have the pictures to prove it -- just have to get home and upload the 600+ photos I've taken in the last nine days. Shameless, I got down on the floor to get the right angle on the Black Tower of Isengard

and Jack and I posed (several times) with a couple of Orcs. If you're not a Lord of the Rings fan, this will mean nothing. If you are -- be damned impressed!

Yesterday was a wine tour -- and we also did an olive oil tasting. Lunch at the Coney Winery was superb -- needless to say, lamb here is excellent. The Martinborough Vineyard is noted for its pinot noirs -- but I was most impressed with the flowers, both wild and cultivated.

Tuesday afternoon we visited a spectacular garden -- 400 rhododendrons in bloom -- and me without a camera! I left the battery in the hotel room in the charger. RATS!
This morning the whole event was capped off with a champagne brunch sponsored by Air New Zealand. Wonderful food and the most delightful program by the "Cuddly Cook" Annabelle White. Talk about high energy -- and funny -- but you had to be there.

I'm going to miss New Zealand. There's so much we didn't see -- it would be worth the butt-busting trip to come back again -- but only if I can fly Air New Zealand!

My White Knight

Chivalry did not die with Don Quixote. If you read my blog a couple of days ago, you read about my losing my hat in a ravine. I took this picture the next day -- when it wasn't raining -- and you can see the bridge I was standing on and the gorge it crosses. I really hated losing that hat. Imagine my surprise the next day when we were about to get on the bus and leave; Richard Frisbie, who shall forever be my champion, presented me with the hat. It was totally soaked but none the worse for wear. Richard had gone for an early morning walk and climbed down into the gorge and retrieved it!

That was not his only act of kindness. Throughout the trip he was unfailingly cheerful and never lost patience when one or the other of us got a little tired and cranky -- or just plain diva-ish. Then at our dinner the last night, he noticed I was shivering because the private dining room where we were going to eat was chilly. Next thing I know, he's talked the waitress out of a tablecloth and is draping it around me. And I was cold enough that I wore it all through dinner. I have no pride where my comfort is concerned! I called Richard my knight -- but I was wrong. He's absolutely a prince!

Just Desserts

Oh, my gosh, I´ve just had heaven on a plate! The food in Spain is amazing and the quantities they are serving us would feed a small -- or maybe not so small -- army. We are in the parador in Almagro, a charming and beautiful town. For lunch we were served a local specialty for an appetizer -- pickled eggplant stuffed with pimiento and garlic. The dish dates back to the Muslim tradition -- the Moors occupied Spain for several centuries. The first course was cod topped with julienne vegetables and "foam of potato" -- sort of a thinned mashed potato thingie. Totally full -- and having left a lot of food on my plate -- I made the mistake of looking at our menu only to discover that a second entree was coming. The pork plate, with potato and vegetables, went practically untouched. I played with my food so it would look like I´d eaten some! Then came dessert -- fritters of Calatrava with bitter almond sauce and quince sherbet. It was fabulous.
We´re off to the town where it is tradition that Cervantes was imprisoned and where he began his masterwork. Bet I sleep on the bus!!!!

The Rain in Spain.....

Is not only on the plain. Yesterday it was in the hilly country between Alcala de Henares and Cuenca. I loved Alacala de Henares -- not far from Madrid, it was the birthplace of Miguel Cervantes. And the point of this trip is to follow the route of Don Quixote (which I am reading on my Kindle every chance I get). The weather was lovely the first day and our walking tour around town a delight. The parador is the newest of the 90+ paradors owned by the Spanish government. I´ve stayed here before and it was like going home -- to the most technically up to date, comfortable room -- except it´s built around a centuries-old convent.
Last night we stayed in the parador in Cuenca -- it, too, was a convent. While it has all the conveniences, the decor is more traditional and I felt like a Spanish princess when I opened the shuttered window to see, across a deep gorge, the "hanging houses" of the old city.
It rained most of yesterday -- the wind broke my umbrella and sent my rain hat (a special souvenir of a very windy day in Oxford) over the bridge and down, down, down into the gorge. Still, it was worth it to see this beautiful old town.
The rain stopped late in the day and the lighted, wet streets made colorful photos - which, since I left my large camera in the room and carried my point-and-shoot, will probably come out fuzzy. You´ll have to take my word for it.
The food ranges from excellent to "interesting" and there´s way too much of it. It´s going to be hard holding on to my old-girlish figure on this trip!
Must fly -- time and the bus wait for no one!

Grandmom-a-go-go

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged. (Though those of you who check my Traveling Teddy's blog -- www.teddietravel.blogspot.com -- know that the bear has checked in a bit more often.) I've been on the road BIG time. And I'm fixin' (that's how we get ready here in Oklahoma) to hit the highway again. So here's a quick catch-up on where I've been since the first of September.

Jack and I (with our dog, Roxie) made a road trip to Ennis, Texas to experience some Czech heritage. The picture above is a beautiful costume (called a kroj, pronounced kroy) at the Sokol Hall museum -- one of several Czech dance halls. And, of course, we had some great Czech food. Sweet kolaches and spicy klobase were big favorites.

The Travel Media Showcase -- a kind of speed-dating for destinations and travel writers -- was held here in OKC and I played tourist. We started with a trip to eastern Oklahoma to explore the Cherokee heritage there. In Tahlequah, a number of the street and road signs are bi-lingual.

At the Ancient Village at the Cherokee Heritage Center we watched demonstrations of native crafts and skills. Scott Ennis posed with Batman (yep, that's what the kids named the bear).

Jack and I made a quick but fun-filled trip to Fort Worth. We traveled down on the Heartland Flyer -- I heart the train. We had a great dinner with McKenzie Zieser at Reata.

We spent a lot of time on our feet the next day -- four museums after lunch. So I was ready for some pampering at the spa at the Omni. I'm getting my toenails painted with OPI's "It's Totally Fort Worth It."

Last week I spent four days in Florida. Though Apalachicola was the main destination, I stayed in a beach house on St. George Island. It was gorgeous -- right on the beach -- and I slept with the balcony door open so I could go to sleep with the sound of the surf.

The seafood in Franklin County is the best! I'm not a big raw oyster fan but I'll eat them here. They're unbelieveably fresh and good. It didn't do a lot for my appetite, however, when our guide at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve told us that the oysters are still alive when we eat them. Ugh, I ate that little oyster when its teeny heart was still beating! I had no such qualms when Chef Brett Gormley served bacon-wrapped grouper stuffed with fresh crabmeat.

It was wonderful to get up early and watch the sun rise over the ocean. I really like this shot -- I think it looks almost like an abstract painting.