Regular Joe's Guide

First visit: Jun 2023 Yep - you guessed it - we should have come here. After leaving High Side, we walked along the river to Salida Brewing. I just presumed this was a little microbrewery, but we came to find out it's the house beer for Boathouse Cantina. Unlike the mostly empty High Side, Boathouse Cantina was very busy. And the food coming out of the kitchen looked delicious. Boathouse is a very large restaurant with multiple rooms. We sat at one of the two full bars and enjoyed a beer with a cider for Mrs. RJG. For certain we're beelining here next year. Salida will be a new destination spot for the RJG's starting next year. And with that - I'm finally caught up! It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Normally I would be able to keep up real time in Santa Fe, but the work week made that an impossibility. The trip to Boulder was also jam packed, so the updates started to pile up. I'm determined to keep up with this blog and not let it rot as I have in the past...

First visit: Jun 2023 We enjoyed a nice morning drive and arrived in Salida around 10:00 or so. Did some thrifting, and then decided it was time for lunch. Drove into town. Much has changed since we were last here 20+ years ago. Salida is really a happening place! It's also discovered, so no deals on housing it appears. But it's easy to understand why given its beautiful mountain setting on the river. We both thought maybe we should have considered Salida for our summer townhome way back in 2009 rather than Denver. It was more isolated from family, and I had to work from there, so it may have been just a fantasy thought. The country wasn't as wired as it is today. And that's where we ended up eating, right along the banks of the river. That's what the High Side refers to. High Side is a somewhat typical mountain town eclectic American restaurant with a full bar, and outdoor seating. The taps were surprisingly lacking in local product, so we stuck with water. They mu...

First visit: Jun 2023 The primary destination for our trip was the Windsor Hotel. This is a beautifully renovated mid 1800s era hotel that you just don't see too much here in America. The look and feel is that of an old European hotel verse the renovation that the major chains bring to the American old palaces. But this is locally owned, and the vibe is wonderful. Of course the queen bed is cramped, and the walls are thin, but it's all part of the charm. We slept through the night, and the morning felt fresh. A place like this isn't going to offer a coffee bar (it feels more like you're staying at someone's old mansion), so what do we do? We go next door to Raisin' Rye, that's what. This charming little (micro) bakery is run by Amish (or similar) just like we see in Westcliffe. The blended coffee was excellent. I had the bourbon caramel sea salt, and Mrs. had porter mocha. And no - we didn't get an early start on the liquor, these are alcohol free. Hones...

First visit: Jun 2023 From Quincys the plan was to drive back to the hotel, and then walk over to Three Barrel, Del Norte's contribution to Colorado craft beer. They're not a brewery we can get here in the Springs, but I have found their beers in Pueblo, so we've tried a couple anyway. Of course the brewery offers far more. We could have eaten here, as the food looked good to us. But we're super glad we went Quincys instead. Once again, the brewery was packed (quite the opposite experience we're seeing everywhere else). But we were able to sit outside under the canopy, as the sunset was very bright. We enjoyed a couple of beers (cataloged in the Bier Reise above) while watching the human parade and cars go by on the US highway. A wonderful close to a great day. 6/18/23 (new entry)

First visit: Jun 2023 Now comes the Juneteenth holiday, and this is my first time to be able to take advantage of the 3 day weekend. Last year, as noted recently, I was still in the process of looking for work. Mrs. RJG suggested we take a quick overnight road trip. She never does that! I proceeded to offer up a drive through southern Colorado. It was impromptu, but we had the freedom to do so. Our first stop was a place that I say every time we pass through it - we should go here! But it's never convenient. On this morning, we made it the destination for breakfast. Not only the small towns of Colorado City and Rye, but specifically Three Sister's Tavern, which is considered one of the best restaurants in the Pueblo region. If you didn't know any better, the restaurant seems more like it's in Texas than Colorado. Pretty ladies in tight jeans with cowgirl hats waitressing the tables, country music is blaring, and the dark wood paneling reminded us of Hoffbrau's Steak...

First visit: Jun 2023 (Boulder) I wisely planned to take a day off after the meetings, knowing full well the final night would be designated for partying, and all of my predictions came true. I'm an old wet blanket anymore, and usually dead asleep by 9 in the evening. But I knew full well I wouldn't be afforded that opportunity, so I just nursed my last glass of red wine for hours until we could get back to the hotel. But at least I didn't have to get up for anything! After a good night's sleep, I grabbed a Starbucks from the lobby and headed back. The original plan was to run a local trail and sweat out some toxins, when I realized I forgot my running shoes. Nice work dummy! Oh well. For this visit, I stayed at the Marriott Courtyard, which are normally pretty boring. The first morning I couldn't appreciate it, but now that I have a full day to myself, I realized they have a patio and a balcony. You just don't see that too much anymore. So I went outside on thi...

First visit: Jun 2023 Rosetta Hall is a unique concept that houses multiple restaurants similar to a mall food court, except the offerings are much more upscale and interesting than Chick Fil-A and Sbarros. They have various food types, but since my diet was wrecked by the lunch debacle, I really wasn't all that hungry for dinner. Options that I normally would have taken a shot at like Thai or Mexican just didn't sound too appetizing. I needed something very basic. Like steak. That's what Flatiron offers. Not so great really. The steak was tough and the service seemed to be purposefully rude. If you're going to do this, they should take the time to do it right. I suspect the other vendors were all better than what I had. Oh well. And unlike West End Tavern and Cosmo's, this was a fair assessment, because I ordered for myself and had the food served fresh. We started our Rosetta Hall experience by visiting the rooftop bar (I sense a theme). Beer selection was uninspi...

First tried: Jun 2023 (Boulder - 28th St.) The next day was something of a cluster when it came time for lunch. No plans were made, and our group was too big, and we were too remote, to go out for a quick lunch. Obviously I was not in charge, or all of this would have been accounted for. So I ate some Kind bars to survive the morning. Fortunately I did not run that morning or I would have been eating the meeting table. Finally someone says we should bring in a pizza. Our office manager suggested Cosmo's. It was early in the afternoon (ugh). This is my first encounter with the chain, and I have to say these are the biggest pizza pies I've ever seen! I had two slices - and I was way too stuffed. My metabolism was completely ruined. Probably added 5 pounds just sitting there. Once again, to-go pizza is not the best way to judge a restaurant. By the time I had my first slice, it was pretty cold. But it tasted awesome. And they use unique and fresh ingredients. This is a place I mus...

First visit: Jun 2023 After the half day of meetings, it's time to congregate the group at a local restaurant. Hosted by one of our partners, they selected West End Tavern. Nice large place with an indoor rooftop patio where we gathered. Nice selection of craft beers (and a full bar that most folks dived in for) and buffet barbeque was on offer. I'm always reticent to judge a place based on a outing such as this, but I had enough to know I'd like to go here again, preferably in a more quiet setting with Mrs. RJG. The meats were very good, but a bit tough, not surprising given how it was served. West End Tavern has quality written all over it. A good choice from our partners. 6/22/23 (new entry)

First visit: Jun 2023 Once we crossed Raton Pass (a beautiful drive BTW - done it many times now), we decided on an ice cream dessert. Google Maps suggested Little Rox's. This is a new place that sits adjacent to a boutique vintage store owned by the same person. The ice cream comes from Blue Mountain Creamery here in Colorado Springs, which we've been meaning to get back to for some time (and is yet in the RJG). So for us, stopping at Little Rox's was unnecessary, but if you live in Trinidad, then this is your way of getting Blue Mountain, which is excellent. The owner, by the way, was a delight to talk with. Support her if you can. Perhaps they'll make their own ice cream at some point? And that concludes our trip. Just in time for the next one... 6/3/23 (new entry)

Last visit: Jun 2023 (Raton, New Mexico) First visit: Jul 1983 (Abilene, Texas) I hadn't quite finished writing about our last trip to Santa Fe. Now it's the final day and we're on our way home. The plan all along was to enjoy a lunch in Raton. We had great success with the Ranch House in Santa Fe, so let's try our luck at another steakhouse. This is only my second time to K-Bob's, the last almost exactly 40 years ago! Which is probably a record for the RJG in between visits. I was with my parents and we were heading to Lubbock for summer orientation for my freshman year at Texas Tech. Dad had some business in Abilene so we went that route instead of the usual TX-114. Wow - so long ago. There was a time when K-Bob's had ~100 locations throughout the south, and their heyday was in the 1980s. This K-Bob's looks all the world like an early 80s steakhouse. Wood paneling, and a "salad wagon". In the old days the salad bar would come with your meal, but ...

Latest visit: Aug 2025 (Monte Vista) First visit: Jun 2023 (Monte Vista) ---8/7/25 update (Monte Vista) We are back to the original scene of the crime at the Monte Vista Quincys. Less crowded than on our Father's Day visit, we were seated in a nice quiet space in the back of the middle row. Nothing has changed as far as menu size goes. It's Filet Mignon, or Filet Mignon. Choose. We'll go with Filet Mignon, which comes with the wedge salad and baked potato. With the limited selection, the kitchen has complete focus and the food is delicious. While still no doubt the best bargain around, prices have gone up significantly. I even noticed the bill was higher than the menu (by 50 cents, not to make a federal case out of it). So even Quincys is not immune to the high costs. Labor being top among them. Regardless, if you like steak, and you're in one of the towns the restaurant exists in, then you'd be insane for not going to Quincys. Most of the negative reviews I read ar...

Maclovia St. @ Cerrillos Rd. First visit: Jun 2023 It's Friday afternoon, and I was done thrifting and record shopping. I didn't have near as much time to shop as in years past, as the work week ended up picking on me. Oh well, they don't pay me to not work right? Sometimes it's just the way events go. Gotta take care of business first. And I did. Which made me appreciate the free time that much more. Why don't we go back to what we used to do in old times. Grab a beer at happy hour to celebrate the oncoming weekend! I'd tried one Rowley beer when we were here in early 2021. But that was a pint can from a liquor store. Otherwise, you don't see this brewery's offerings much in New Mexico. Part of that is that they are specialists in what are known as Farmhouse Ales. Or Saison's if you prefer. They're very yeast heavy ales and appeal to a certain seasoned palate. The RJG's don't possess that, but fortunately they do at least make IPAs for u...

First visit: Jun 2023 Continuing on with our latest trip to Santa Fe... It was time for dinner and we needed a break from New Mexican styled food. Breakfast was at the New York Deli, and we were very hungry by dinner time. How about a steak? Now that's something we never do when traveling, but a wholesome piece of meat and a side of potatoes sounds damn good. But we're in Santa Fe, probably they're all $100-per-person kind of places that we don't particularly enjoy that much. Nope. Right across the street from our hotel is The Ranch House, and the prices look reasonable. Let's try it! Finally a regular restaurant with parking spaces (it's not like Santa Fe has an amazing public transportation system either lol). The building is in the Santa Fe adobe style, and is very large. And popular. Even though we got there around 5, it was fairly crowded. Not too many restaurants can claim that at the moment. Filled with locals too. Even though they tout BBQ as their prima...

Latest visit: Oct 2025 (Santa Fe) First visit: May 2023 (Santa Fe) HQ: Albuquerque (Founded: 1991) ---10/16/25 This time I tried the breakfast burrito (Christmas). A good rendition though the red and green chile wasn't as distinctive as I prefer. The green was better and spicier. Location update: 13 total. Same as 2023 except El Paso is now closed. ---6/5/23 review As surprising as it may sound, this was our first visit to the venerable chain from Albuquerque that started back in 1991. You can't miss it, sitting at one of the busier intersections in Santa Fe. And with lovely grounds to boot, filled with trees, flowers, bushes, and other greenery. For whatever reason, I had it in my head that Weck's was more like a Denny's rather than an indigenous New Mexican breakfast house. A bad assumption. The problem is - our Santa Fe restaurant dance card is all filled up! Even some favorites from the past don't get a visit from the RJG's these days. Places like Maria'...

First visit: May 2023 (Albuquerque - Uptown) In following the same pattern as the day before, we wanted some ice cream for dessert. Let's stop back in ABQ on our way to Santa Fe. It's not too far of a diversion, and it's always good to stretch the legs. Uptown is an outdoor shopping center that is a shrine to 90s styled consumerism. If you can think of a retail chain that became famous during the decade, then it's likely to be here. With a handful of 2000's creeping in. It's quite refreshing from the usual smelly 70s & 80s indoor malls, that are mostly rundown today. And no big box discount stores to ruin the experience. The Sheraton hotel we stayed at is part of this development. Unfortunately there were very few people here on this sunny Memorial Day. No one can afford to go here anymore, so it won't be long before the lavanderia's and cash-now shops appear. I really miss the optimism of the 90s as we are slowly declining into a 3rd world country. ...

First visit: May 2023 We can't seem to stay away from Socorro! We had originally planned to have breakfast in Las Cruces, but since we didn't go for a run in the morning, we weren't particularly hungry like we usually are. And we knew to lay off Mexican food since we'll be eating plenty of that once we arrive in Santa Fe. Let's just hit the road. About the only excitement on the route are the large pistachio tree farms that dot the highway, though mostly that is between Socorro and Albuquerque. Oh - and the Border Patrol checkpoint on I-25. That's a weird one - you drive through very slowly like a car wash, with camera's everywhere. And that's it. Very Orwellian. They're looking for certain things and have the equipment to do it. Guessing then that our big old orange blanket covering our suitcases and Mrs. RJG's extra shoes weren't of concern lol.  Now once again I was circling El Camino Lounge, but they aren't open on Mondays. And this M...

First visit: May 2023 (Las Cruces - Roadrunner Pkwy) Locations: 5 (3 in Las Cruces, 1 in Alamogordo, and 1 in Roswell). Got ahead of myself here. Before going to Lorenzo's, when we first arrived in Las Cruces, we decided an ice cream treat would be in order. Caliche's showed up quickly on our app and off we went. Caliche's was founded in 1996 in Las Cruces by renovating an old burger place and converting it to a frozen custard stand. They even admit that "concretes" were a new concept for the area, much more known in the Midwest. They offered sundae's and other large treats. But if you just wanted to try the custard and one mix-in, it doesn't appear they offer that. We don't have the appetite to eat large meals with a Blizzard like dessert, so we each settled on 2 scoops of simple custard - chocolate and vanilla. Excellent flavors for both, though I could have used a little espresso syrup :-) Caliche's goes for the 50s retro look. You can walk-up (...

First visit: May 2023 The RJG has been pretty much everywhere in the United States, but never the southern part of New Mexico. Once we drove south of Albuquerque, it was all new to me, including the aforementioned Socorro. Many years ago, way back in early 1988, I had traveled to El Paso with my dad not long after graduating from college (and still looking for work). And honestly Las Cruces is like a smaller version of El Paso. If you go to Google Images, the mountainous backdrop is quite stunning. Even on this day in May, the temperatures were already soaring into the 90s. I do not miss the heat of Texas for even one second. Nice to get my second reminder in the same month (the Austin trip being the other). Also New Mexico State is located here, keeping the town young and vibrant. We stayed at the Best Western Mission Inn, which was a blast from the past. My dad loved places like these with "down and out" rooms where he could bring all his stuff inside including his infamous...