Yago Road Warrior Journal
California
Los Gatos
Walk up and down historically rebuilt Los Gatos just a few miles outside of San
Jose. Parking can be a little difficult, but the attempt is worth
it. This town was hit hard in the 1990 earthquake. Most of downtown
had to be rebuilt. They did a great job, the shops that line Santa Cruz
Ave. are very diverse and make a great way to kill an afternoon/evening.
Located at 130 N. Santa Cruz is the Los Gatos Brewery - casual
dining in downtown Los Gatos. Los Gatos Brewery serves an excellent
variety of micro brewed beers and has a very good wine list to boot. They
have a good variety of brick over pizza with spent grain dough, they are
excellent. The other items on the menu looked very good, but were not
tried.
If you are a cigar smoker and know that in CA, you cannot do that, there is a tobacconist just around the corner that has good prices and a smoking room for your indulgent pleasure.
Just down the street at 15 1/2 N. Santa Cruz is the Los Gatos Bar and Grill. This local hangout is located upstairs and has a great bar with a varied cliental, Connie may have been young, but she knew how to make a perfect martini! If you are a visitor and are having dinner, request a table by the window, you have nice view of the people walking up and down the street, plus a great view of the mountains. The night I was there, the moon was rising over them to give a great effect. Bruschetta (sp) appetizer was excellent. Varied menu and all was prepared perfectly.
Porterville
If you are traveling in the Porterville area, you must find some Armstrong
Olives. These are the best olives I have ever experienced. Armstrong
packs about 20 different kinds, up from the eleven when I discovered them.
I was driving through the area and had run out of olives for my martinis.
Saw a sign for fresh packed olives and stopped the van. WOW, what flavor,
couldn't have made a better martini if I had pressed and fermented the juniper
berries myself.
San Jose
Home to Fry's Electronics. If you like computers or electronics, then you
must make a visit to Fry's. They have more computer sales persquare foot than
Best Buy, CompUSA & Circuit City combined.
Just down from Fry's at 525 Almaride Dr. is the Elephant Bar. If you are looking for a happy hour in this part of town, you just found it. This place is packed, but worth the trip. Drinks are generous and bartenders sure take care of you. I had the fish sandwich with seasoned fries. It was superb.
1812 Hillsdale Ave. is Flames Coffee Shop. The breakfast menu looked tasty, but I could only get there by lunch time. True diner/coffee shop format, lunch was great and portions were very large. If I had room, I would have tried a slice of pie, but had no room left. Pies and pastries were made fresh every day and looked like the best thing there.
Gordon Beirsch is located at 33 E. San Fernando, downtown San Jose. Good local hangout, but limited variety of hand crafted beer. I tend to judge a brewpub on their use of the spent grains in their bread and their brick over pizza. Pizza was good, but there was a waste of spent grains here, they were not using them in the breads. Cheese fries were almost as good as Eskimo Joes, www.eskimojoes.com in Stillwater OK. Gordon Beirsch is a chain so you know what to expect at the next one you find.
When traveling in the San Jose area and are looking for a great radio station, check out 107.5 KPIG or listen here on your computer at www.kpig.com
Colorado
Denver
2220 Blake Street - Breckenridge Brewery- just down the street from the home of the Colorado Rockies. Great place to grab a few good brews before heading to the game. Typical brew pub environment with a pre-game crowd while I was there. Very festive, but services was very good as were the appetizers before heading to the game for a ball park frank. Good variety of excellent locally brewed beers.
Downtown Denver is the Brown Palace Hotel located at 321 17th. St.. An elegant old hotel that is worth a visit even if you are not staying there. The lounge has the old library style feel with wing back chairs and deep seated couches. Great selection of single malt Scotches as well as their own private humidors for their regulars. If you didn't bring your favorite stogie, they have an excellent list to choose from if you so desire.
Connecticut
Mystic
A visit to the old seaport is a must with a visit to Mystic, but in addition to
the seaport is a great aquarium. Being a resort town, there are many
dining establishments, but if one is looking for a great place to have a special
dinner, you must try the Bravo Cafe at 20 East Main Street. Reservations
were made, but due to a wreck on the interstate (not involving me) we were over
30 minutes late, but they still held our reservations even though they were
turning away patrons at the door. I got to celebrate my 40th birthday at
this place and could not think of a better way to do so. Since I was
traveling with my brother on this trip, as I parked the car he ordered me a
martini. In lieu of an olive, they came with a caper berry. My first
experience with one and not to be the last. I like my martinis better than
most, but this was an excellent one and the caper berry really set it
off. This place was noisy and crowded, a sign that it was the place
to be. I ordered the catch of the day and it was prepared to perfection
with what else as a garnish, but caper berries! Forget Mystic Pizza, rent
the movie and eat here!
Illinois
If you have to fly through or even travel through Little Egypt and end up in Marion, IL, you must dine at the restaurant in the Marion Airport. The night I was passing thought there, they were taking reservations for the SR. Prom. A good indication that it was one of the best places in town. Not a bad place to have a flight delayed.
Michigan
Kalamazoo
The Corner Bar located at 1020 E. Vine Street. This is a converted bowling
alley, great B-B-Q and great customers. If you are there on Monday night
during the winter months (most of the year), it's cigar night. They have
their own walk-in humidor in the back. Very good prices and great
selections for a bar. Then you can sit down with the proprietor, have a
drink and talk cigars. What a way to spend an evening.