Denver - Day 3

Aloha ~

So in yesterday’s blog, I forgot to include a picture of our “fearsome five” group.
I have had some fun times with these people. We have worked together, traveled together and even survived being in New Orleans for Mardi Gras and the Saints winning the Super Bowl together. I have some great memories with these friends and I am happy that we have the opportunity to create more.

Now, on with the vacation…

Today was a low key day. After meeting up with my uncle for breakfast, we headed into downtown to Stranahan Distillery for their free tour.  

  

 

Stranahan’s is the first Colorado-born Whiskey. My biggest complaint of the tour was finding out that, currently, you can only get Stranahan Whiskey in Colorado. Their production is small and they have decided to limit distribution to their home state. It’s a shame but I guess it just means I will have to come back to buy it here.

Other than that disappointing news, the tour was excellent. Our tour guide, Kelly, was very knowledgeable about the distilling process and all things Stranahan Whiskey.

She took us through their brew house and explained their small batch process.  I have to say that other than the tasting room, my favorite part of the tour was the barrel room. That musty smell combined with the oak always means there are good things happening in the room. Because of the dryness of Denver, Stranahan keeps their barrel room at the same temperature and humidity level year round.

After the barrel room, Kelly took us into the bottling room. I found it very interesting that there bottling is all done by volunteers. As long as you are over 21, you can sign up to be on their bottling crew. When the whiskey is ready to be bottled, volunteers are randomly chosen from a very long sign up list. The volunteers work side by side with the staff to bottle, cork, cap, shrink, and box the whiskey. Payment consists of a meal and one bottle of Stranahan Whiskey that you bottled to take home. Sounds fair to me.

Kelly then took us back to the tasting room where are tour began. After hearing about the process and all that goes into distilling the whiskey, we were all eager to sample this Colorado Whiskey. I must say, it did not disappoint. If you are a whiskey, scotch or bourbon drinker you know that when it’s good, it’s good. And Stranahan Colorado Whiskey is GOOD!

So, the next time you are in Denver I would highly recommend catching the Stranahan Colorado Whiskey Tour. Even if you are not a whiskey drinker, or don’t like alcohol at all, it is so interesting to hear about the process. It truly is an art form.  

Denver – Day 1 & 2

Aloha ~

It's been a while since I posted but I hope you will enjoy my current adventure. Some great sights and wonderful food.

Day 1
I flew into Denver yesterday evening for a little vacation. I have not been here is over 29 years and I was just a child then so my experiences were limited. The best part is I get to spend a couple of days with some of my favorite people. We all used to work together in Orange County, CA and are now spread out throughout the country. This is the first time in 3 years we have all been together so I am really looking forward to spending time with them.

We went to downtown Denver and had dinner at Watercourse Foods. It is a vegetarian restaurant with wonderful atmosphere. While we were told the wait was one and half hours we definitely did not wait that long. They have a café counter in the front with wonderful looking pastries and a wide variety of teas. I had the Pomegranate White Tea while we waited. It was very tasty.

It is not secret that I am a meat lover. I could definitely not go vegetarian. However, the nice thing about Watercourse is they have a variety of items on the menu to please everyone. I had the Monti Pasta – garlic and shallots sautéed in olive oil and tossed with penne pasta, smoky Portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts, broccoli florets, and brie cheese. It was served with garlic focaccia bread and the meal was delicious. I am sorry that I don’t have a picture to share. I was so hungry and it looked so appetizing when it arrived at the table, I dug right in and ate every last bite. You will just have to trust me that it looked and tasted amazing.

Day 2
I am staying with my friend in Golden, Colorado for the next couple of days. What a beautiful place. The weather is crisp and clear.

After our simple breakfast at the house, we headed back out to the airport to pick up the fifth member of our “fearsome five”.  All together now, our goal was to spend today in nature. This is easy to do in Colorado. We took off to Kenosha Pass (Elevation 10,000 ft) to check out the Aspen trees. They were all shades of yellow and orange.

 So Beautiful

Brilliant color against the blue sky

 

 Our trip back to the city included a stop at Al’s Pits for Jerky...

Side of the road pit stop

 

Lots of options (Buffalo, Venison & Elk Jerky)

…and then Red Rocks Amphitheater. I have heard from friends that this is the ultimate venue to see your favorite musical artist and after seeing it in person I don’t doubt it.

Red Rocks Amphitheater

 

I definitely need to schedule a trip back for a concert next summer. The incredible rock formations are the perfect setting. 

Imagine the acoustics in this place

 

The high altitude and fresh air make a person hungry. So we had to decide where to have dinner. While there are lots of options in the Denver area, we took a suggestion from one of my favorite TV Shows (Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) and headed into the Highlands neighborhood to Tocabe. The cuisine is American Indian and with options for both meat eaters and vegetarians. Turns out my friend has eaten here before and was more than happy that it was on by “DDD Must Try” list.

 

Guy's Menu at Tocabe

 

I remember watching this episode of DDD and Guy raving about the Bison Ribs with Blueberry Barbecue Sauce. It is served with fry bread and a side. I love blueberries so how could I resist this opportunity and let me tell you I was not disappointed. The bison was tender. The blueberry barbecue sauce was sweet yet tangy (and it was purple). Once again DDD did not let me down. Next time you are in Denver you should put this on your list of must eats.

 

Bison Ribs with Blueberry Barbecue Sauce

 

And after such a filling dinner there is only one thing a girl can do…go out for ice cream. Also located in the Highlands neighborhood is Little Man Ice Cream. A cute little spot on the corner it offers both ice cream and gelato.

A little history on Little Man Ice Cream

Milk Can Building - Little Man Ice Cream

 

Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup

 

The Salted Caremel Peanut Butter Cup ice cream came highly recommended and it did not miss the mark.

The perfect end to a perfect day…



 

 



 

Dodgers Spring Training - Day 1

Aloha ~

Today was the first of three games that we will be attending on our Spring Training Mini-Pack. What better way to spend St Patty’s Day then with the boys in Blue---or in this case Green.

The Dodgers make a big celebration out of St. Patty’s Day. They put on the green uniforms and have green shirts and hats for the fans to purchase. I, of course, got mine.

My new shirt and hat

and from the back

They encourage the fans to get into the spirit of the season. Some fans are a little more spirited than others. It took me a couple of tries to get a picture of the leprechauns. They don’t usually like to be photographed on account of I might try to steal their pot of gold.

Me Lucky Charms

Obviously, all the green brought good fortune and a beautiful day at Camelback Ranch Baseball Facility in Glendale, AZ.

Great crowd for Spring Training...8,743 tickets sold

The View from our seats

The day was made even better when the boys in Green won, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 11-1. What a great way to start.

Cheering for the team really builds up an appetite so afterward we decided to head up to Scottsdale to Pinnacle Peak Patio Steak House. We were not disappointed.

When you drive up, it looks like an old western town just out of the movies. It is a huge facility. According to their website they can seat 1,800 people. During the summer months when the patio is open the number goes to 2,000. That’s a lot of food to be serving --- and serving well.

 The Sign Says It All 

This is one of those great places that play by its own rules. One of the rules is that if you wear a tie into the restaurant, it will be cut off. Evidence of this is found by looking up…

 Tie Anyone?

The theme is carried out throughout the restaurant. When asked where the restrooms were so we could wash up before dinner, we were told to simply follow the horseshoes.

Follow the Trail

Upon first walking into the restroom, I thought all of the stalls were taken. (In a way they were.)

Sorry to disturb. I will just go wait over here...

I just love how they have truly embraced the old west feel and run with it throughout the building. If you are someone who loves old west memorabilia, you could spend hours in there just looking at the decorations.

The menus is relatively simple…mostly steaks! They do have chicken and salmon but as the saying goes “When in Rome…”

I decided to go for the Baby Back Half Combo---a half rack of baby back ribs and a steak. I am so glad that I did. The steak was so tender and full of flavor. It practically melted in my mouth. The baby backs were done to perfection, falling off the bone. Their barbecue sauce is described as a “spicey-sweet/prickly pear chipotle”. It was very good.

 Doesn't that look yummy?

And don’t forget the dessert. We shared the Apple Pie A La Mode (Dan would not move it away from him so I could get a clear shot at a picture) and the Cowpie---warm brownie topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

 There may have been some fighting over this one

It is a wonder we were able to walk to the car after all the food. There was so much of it but it was so good. All four of us went in ordering big thinking we would take some back with us for lunch tomorrow. Only one of us actually stuck to that. The other three of us ate until we just couldn’t do it anymore. But it was just too good to leave on the plate. Oh well, food coma is not fatal---although it may feel that way at times.

I will definitely be adding this place to my list of restaurants when I am in the Phoenix area. Great atmosphere and great food. How could you go wrong?

Oh, I plan to!

Well tomorrow is another day and another game.

Until the next time…



Road Trippin to Spring Training

Aloha ~

I have never had the opportunity --- or invitation --- to go to Dodgers Spring Training. So when a group from work started talking last fall about making a pilgrimage to Glendale, AZ, I said I was in. While I am a life-long Angels fan, I am always a baseball fan. I would rather go to a game than no game at all, doesn’t matter the team. So the six of us decided to make a mini-vacation of it and hit the road.

 

Leaving a very cloudy and overcast Orange County, CA we headed east to Arizona. Some people may not enjoy the desert but I have always thought that while it can be remote, it is absolutely amazing that life can continue to exist (and thrive) in that heat.

                  It's like two Table Moutains

So Amazing to think this was formed by nature

                                                                              I think I will call this Devil's Range

We stopped for lunch in beautiful Blythe, CA. Since pictures cannot do justice to this small desert town, I opted to let you just imagine my appreciation. (Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?)

We did stop to gas up just over the Arizona border and I got my close-up photo of cactus. We played a little hoops in the parking lot but had to stop when we lost our ball. Still not sure what happened to it. Oh well, on with the drive.

I hate it when this happens?

Now settled into our hotel, it was time to find out where things happen in beautiful Glendale, AZ. We headed to Westgate Entertainment District. I was excited to see where the Phoenix Coyote’s play. (Again, I am an LA Kings fan but you have to appreciate all sports teams). Apparently everyone else decided this was the place to be tonight as well. Reminded me of home….an hour plus wait to be seated at the restaurants. The shortest wait was at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaretville so that is where we ate.

While sometimes you sacrifice quality of food at a theme restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised. Wish the same could be said for the service but I digress. Of course, we started with cocktails. I ordered a Ragtop Day. It included Effen Cucumber Vodka. ..sounds interesting, no?

Ragtop Day  (see below for ingredients)

 I also ordered the Fish & Chips which were very good. I would recommend them on your next visit.

I love good beer-batter fish and chips. None of that breaded stuff. The coleslaw was also very good. Almost a cross between a mayo based and vinegar based recipe. It was a good balance. And of course, gotta love the fries. It you like tartar sauce, try dipping your fries in it next time. It's very good.

Desert Sunset

As the sun set on our first day, we are all excited about spending the next 3 days cheering on the boys in Blue!

Until the next time...


Ragtop Day Ingredients

Effen Cucumber Vodka
Monin Watermelon Syrup
Pineapple Juice
Cranberry Juice
Splash of Soda Water

Skillet Lemon Chicken

Aloha ~

It has been a while since my last post. Amazing how time flies.

I am making a bit more of an effort to cook dinners at home and thought I would share. Like a lot of people these days, I look for new and interesting recipes on Pinterest and then make them my own.

Tonight, I tried a Lemon Chicken Recipe in my cast iron skillet. I made a couple of adjustments from the original recipe and was very happy with my efforts. Next time I think I will put the lemon slices under the chicken instead of at the bottom of the skillet.

So here it is...

Lemon Chicken Skillet

2 lemons, thinly sliced
3/4 lbs trimmed green beans
8 small red potatoes, cut in 1/2 slices
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts - sliced in half
       (or 10-12 skinless bones chicken tenderloins)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper and minced garlic. Coat cast-iron skillet or large baking dish with 1 tbsp of olive oil mixture. Arrange the potatoes on bottom of skillet or dish and then flip each slice over to coat. Next, arrange green beans on top of potatoes. Top green beans with layer of lemon slices

Place chicken in olive oil mixture and toss to coat. Place chicken in skillet or dish on top of lemon slices. Pour any remaining olive oil mixture over chicken.

               Ready for the oven

Roast chicken and vegetable for 50 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into chicken to make sure it is cooked through. Once chicken is done, plate into 4 servings. I would suggest plating chicken first and then placing some of the lemon slices on top for presentation. Then plate potatoes and green beans. Serve immediately.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Until next time....

Safari Adventures

Aloha ~

This will be my final entry about Africa...

After the emotional goodbye from our build site, we took off on a 4 ½ hour bus ride to Mvuu Camp in the Liwonde National Park. We arrived at about 5:00pm, got checked in and headed out for an after-dark safari. Our vehicle reminded me of the Indian Jones ride at Disneyland. We were able to see warthogs, baboons, antelope, bush babies, mongoose and most importantly elephants. At one point we stopped to get a close up look at 3 elephants. They were on my side of the car and were about 15 feet away from me. It was awesome! I opted not to take pictures for two reasons. First, they wouldn’t turn out very well being that it was nighttime. Second, let’s not startle the really big elephant that is within charging distance of the car. Just sayin’!

Our accommodations at Mvuu Camp were wonderful. Everything you would picture on your safari vacation --- including animals walking through the camp. During the daytime and early evening there were warthogs wandering throughout.

 Warthog by the lake

After the sun went down the fun really started. We had both elephants and hippos go through camp during the middle of the night. In fact, the next morning the staff of the camp were repairing fencing that was destroyed by one of the elephants. And just on the edge of camp was a hippo sleeping under some bush. I only remember the saying “Let sleeping dogs lie” but I think that also applies to Hippos.

Shhhhh....The Hippo is sleeping

We ate breakfast and then headed out on a boat safari.

Our 3 hour tour ended much better than Gilligan's 

(Photo by Clay Henderson) 

Our tour guide, Jimmy, went over the rules of the boat cruise reminding us to keep our hands and arms inside the boat at all times as the water does tend to have crocodiles. Well you didn’t have to tell me twice and seeing them laying on the banks of the river were a great reminder.

Crocodile on the Banks

  
Jimmy then took us up river and I was able to get a closer look at the crocodiles. They are such fascinating looking animals. Their prehistoric look is a reminder of how long they have been on this earth.

 Smile for the Camera...

...Or not 

There were plenty of hippos in the water as well. Not everyone is aware that the hippo is considered the most deadly animal of the Africa Big 5. They don’t look like they could do that much damage but looks can be deceiving. I did make a comment about watching for wiggling ears as that was a sign they were about to attack. My group looked at me with puzzled expressions on their faces. Apparently many of them had not been on the jungle cruise at Disneyland and they were unaware of that warning.

Just hanging out on a beautiful Saturday Morning 

Most of the time the hippos just stand in the shallow waters of the river. Apparently, hippos do not swim very well as they are not very buoyant. In deeper water they sink to the bottom and walk on the floor of the river. They can hold their breath up to 8 minutes before coming back up for air. That can be very tiring for such a large animal.

Is he yawning or just showing his teeth...I prefer to think yawning
(Photo by Clay Henderson)

Both sides of the river had packs of elephants. The adult elephants all help take care of the younger ones. A baby elephant does not get it’s tusks until after the age of 3 years old. We saw lots of youngsters both on our evening safari and during our boat safari.

Elephants taking a bath 

We were able to get relatively close to the elephants but they did not seem to want to be on display. They turned around and walked away. It was interesting the way they lined up to leave.

I guess they don't like bath time interuptions

Fortunately, there was a pack right behind us as well so we just turned the boat around.

 I am ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille

 I just kept humming "Baby Elephant Walk" by Henry Mancini

Some elephants are more shy than others. I know it is hard to see but can you find the elephant in the picture?

Can you see me...cuz I think I'm hiding?

Our next adventure was back into the land vehicle in search of the great black rhino.

Laura sitting in the jump seat and ready to go

The black rhino is on the verge of extinction and the Liwonde National Park is trying to help increase the population. Currently they have 35 black rhino living in the park’s sanctuary. Unfortunately, the only black rhino we were able to see was on the sign for the sanctuary.

Black Rhino Sanctuary

We did see lots of Sable, Antelope, Baboons and more warthogs.

Adult Male Black Sable

 Young Sable running - they get darker as they age

We also so the elusive Zebra. There is something to be said for camouflage. The zebra were very hard to spot and we actually almost missed them all together. Thank you to my buddy Clay and his camera lens. He was able to get a great shot of them.

 Zebra in the trees

(Photo by Clay Henderson)

After our safari, we loaded on to the bus and headed out on a 3 hour drive for our final night accommodations on Lake Malawi.

 Lake Malawi - The mountains on the other side are Mozambique

Anne and I even got to stay in a tree house. It was so cool. We had screens on all the windows and curtains. It was so nice to sleep with a fresh breeze at night. 

Probably the best tree house ever

What a beautiful way to spend out last evening.

This is my postcard moment --- "Wish you were here"

It was truly and amazing trip and a vacation that I will always remember. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my blog. I appreciate your interest in my adventures.

Zikomo Kwambiri  (Thank you very much)