We were invited to sample a brand new International Drive restaurant last week, and were wowed by the tastes AND style of Corazon By Baires, part of the impressive Mango’s Tropical Cafe development. You can read all about it in our latest blog for AttractionTickets.com on this link: https://www.attractiontickets.com/en/latest-news/orlando/dine-style-orlandos-new-latin-sensation
Seven months of busy travel had us longing for some time in one place, doing nothing. That, and we need to wait out winter a bit, since our return date to Orlando is May 14 and most of the country is freezing its whatsits off right now. Victoria Palms in Donna, Texas would be our first stop, for three (!!) whole weeks, and it made the ideal spot, with next to nothing that would tempt us away from “home.”
Here’s the short version of the blog:
Weeks 1-3: Did nothing.
For the longer version, keep reading.
We were given a free one-year Thousand Trails membership with Encore Resorts when we purchased Fati, and our membership was coming to an end. Donna and Harlingen Texas each have Thousand Trails Encore Resorts, so we headed on down to the state’s Southwestern corner, where we’d spend five weeks (including a week split between South Padre Island and Brownsville, not in the Thousand Trails system) relaxing, cleaning, and writing.
We did pop out for a hike at Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park where, if you’ve been following us on Facebook, you know we weren’t allowed on the tram with a dog (in spite of being told dogs are allowed everywhere) and we finally, finally saw Javelina. Eleven, in total.
We also paid a visit to Estero Llano Grande State Park for some high-level bird-watching, having so enjoyed our time watching the Sandhill Cranes in Willcox, Arizona. But no water means no birds, and this area of Texas was having a bit of a dry spell.
To make the trip worthwhile, we stopped at the wildly popular Nana’s Taqueria, (as recommended by everyone and their brother) not far from the park. This is a local hot-spot, but it’s tucked away just enough that you won’t find it if you’re not specifically looking for it.
We agreed to split a Nana’s Sampler of two steak tacos, one chalupa, and one ground beef loncha, while Simon ordered a Bohemia beer. There were seven Mexican beers on the menu, and we only knew what the Corona was like, so Susan asked our server which ones were not too heavy, and not dark. The server wasn’t sure, but said she’d ask the bartender, so Susan said, “Thank you! Just have them surprise me.”
Our server returned with chips, salsa, the Bohemia, and a Michelob Ultra.
Now, we have a rule in our house: if you’re going to drink, drink good. In restaurants, choose something representative of the place you’re in, and, ideally, opt for something locally made.
Only once in the last four decades has Susan endured a mainstream beer, and that’s when we were in Georgia. The day had been long and taxing, and when we asked our server at the BBQ joint which craft beers they had on tap, she said, “We got Bud, and we got Bud Lite. In bottles.”
With nowhere to go but up at Nana’s, we dove into our shared meal. There’s a reason this place is so popular, from the salsa’s fresh-from-the-garden flavors to the hearty chunks of steak and silky-smooth crema that topped it all off.
We gobbled like puercos (pigs), and when we were done we decided we weren’t done. Simon ordered the Tacos La Patrona, featuring three corn tortillas topped with fajita meat, queso panela, avocado, and chicharonne (deep-fried pork rinds).
Normally, Susan avoids pork rinds. Some things should not be eaten. But these…holy mother of gawd, they were SO delicious! None of that awful pig-in-a-barnyard taste, just a subtle flavor that made us feel like we were in someone’s abuela’s kitchen, eating food made by loving hands.
We’d had no breakfast that morning, and didn’t bother with dinner that night. We’d really only eaten the equivalent of one entrée each, but some food fills the soul as much as the belly, and nothing else was needed.
As our second week came to an end, an Arctic blast descended on the country, including southwestern Texas, and the bone-chilling cold made sure we spent three days tucked up in Fati, trying to keep warm.
We did venture out into the freeze to pick up some hot tamales from Delia’s Tamales in San Juan, Texas, not too far away. Everyone around here says Delia’s are the best, so how could we say no? You can only order them by the half-dozen or dozen, so we got three half-dozens (pork, beef, and spicy chicken in green sauce), and made them last for four meals each. A gigantic to-go cup of Horchata was enough for two. Score!
We’ve been enjoying the quiet time at “home,” doing a lot of writing (Susan’s writing a children’s book, Simon’s finishing the Africa book), so much so that we transferred our booking at a campground in Harlingen (22 miles away) and we’re staying another 11 days at Victoria Palms.
So our next blog might have more food in it, since there’s one more place we’ve been told we have to try, but really, it’s going to be, Week 3-5: Did nothing.
Tucson offered a smorgasbord of culinary delights after months spent in places where restaurants are few and far between, and where our lunches often consisted of nothing more than a chewy bar to hold us until dinner. These are the standouts that made us feel human again.
Note, we didn’t use our camera’s flash because we didn’t want to disturb other diners, so most of our photos are dark. Consider it “ambiance.” We’ve added some media photos when ours were just TOO gloomy.
With Ruthie in tow, our meal was taken in the lovely courtyard at the back of the restaurant, where lush greenery and live music took us from the dry desert to a place of relaxed enchantment. It really did feel like an oasis in which to enjoy a superb meal.
We started with cocktails – gin-based Occidental for Susan and Barrio Negroni for Simon – and paired them with a shared Oyster Mushroom Tempura, a plateful of big, beefy mushrooms with a delicate flavor, lightly coated in crisp-fried tempura, on a bed of pickled melon and green papaya salad.
Simon had the Herbs de Provance Crusted Sea Bass, featuring a lovely fish from the Sea of Cortez, with three sharp, briny mussels so soft they were almost like ceviche. Alongside was a single grilled corn panisse (like a polenta, deep fried and made with chickpea flour) which added a distinct, fresh flavor.
Susan opted for the vegetarian Glazed Delicata Squash, a succulent combination of one-half of the aforementioned squash, cut lengthwise and still in its rind, glazed with maple and pomegranate, generously topped with tiny black lentils and surrounded by a bed of red pepper ajvar and herbed lemon yoghurt. Half of a deep-fried artichoke heart added a crunchy counterpoint.
One of us can’t resist dessert after a great meal (Simon. It’s Simon), and in this instance he couldn’t decide between two: the Orange Date Cake (moist cake with a crumble top sitting on citrus cream, with smoked caramelized banana, and fresh fruits) or Every Part Of The Corn (pillowy corn flan, crisp blue masa atole, nixtamal cracker, caramelized corn silk, and mulberry gastrique), so he got both. Of the two, we agreed we could eat the Orange Date Cake every single day for the rest of our lives.
Simon loves a big breakfast. Susan prefers a light start to the day. Located in downtown Tucson’s Hotel Congress (built in 1919 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places), Cup Café delivered both, with reasonable portions of healthy food that didn’t overwhelm our digestive systems.
Susan had the Quiche du Jour, which delivered a power-packed punch of Mediterranean flavors through its blend of olives, feta, sweet peppers, onion, and spinach enveloped in soft, airy egg, with a crisp crust. Mixed greens in a tart vinaigrette, with sliced strawberries and slivered almonds, added a sharp contrast to the mellow quiche.
Simon opted for the luxury version of avocado toast with his order of Barrio Toast. Smashed avocado, grilled tomato, and two poached eggs topped toasted bread (locally sourced at Barrio Bread bakery), and the same mixed greens were served on the side.
We sat on the patio with our dog, but the restaurant inside is pleasant and sort of Aztec-ey. Under other circumstances, we would have planted there and lingered for quite some time.
When a restaurant’s signature dish is the Snickerdoodle Pancake, you know you’re in for some creative dining.
Simon went for the Classic Huevos Rancheros and Susan had another house specialty, Corned Beef and Eggs.
The corned beef was actual chunks of meat, not the shredded stuff with machine-chopped potato squares, proving it was made in-house with the kind of love and attention that shows in its taste.
Both dishes were so hearty we didn’t eat again until dinner at 7 p.m., and even then we only had bread and cheese. The breakfast of champions!
After recovering for a few days from all the great food we’d eaten, we ventured out to this delightful establishment, having skipped lunch so we’d be ready for a big meal. We sat on the patio, but had we been dog-free we would have dined in the elegant, busy dining room, with its air of refinement we’d been missing from home.
Susan uncharacteristically ordered a starter when the smokey Grilled Artichoke with aioli proved too tempting. It was so beautifully charred, the aioli was left untouched. Simon went for cold smoked salmon with chive crème fraiche and potato galette.
Pasta is pretty much a once-or-twice-a-year thing for Susan, but our server promised the Spinach Pappardelle (roasted chicken slices, melted tomato, pine nuts, grana Padano) would not be huge and overwhelming. Thank goodness, because, oh, the lusciousness of that nutty, tomatoey dish!
Simon was on a seafood kick, and chose Lemongrass Skewered Scallops on a bed of “forbidden” black rice, with sautéed snap peas and soy butter, which left room in his belly for sweet, silky Banoffee Trifle. We both left feeling we’d been royally treated.
Everything we’d eaten so far was excellent, but our final day in Tucson hit every “right” note for us. We’d been wanting something authentically Mexican, and with a line out the door, Seis Kitchen was the perfect choice.
Diners place their orders at a window, then they’re directed to a table in the courtyard. When it’s ready, their meal is delivered to their table and the joy begins.
It will be obvious to those of you who know us that we didn’t order all of the food we tried. Let’s just say some kindness came into it via Visit Tucson, and the restaurant pulled out all the stops to ensure we had a taste of what they do best (cue the Garrison Keiler phrase, “All the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.” Everything Seis Kitchen does is “best”).
House-made tortilla chips with two fresh salsas and guacamole kicked things off, and then plates of tacos began to arrive. We sampled sweet chili-marinated pork with pineapple; smokey chipotle chicken with avocado, crema, cilantro and queso fresco; and marinated flank steak with pico de gallo and queso fresco.
Three more tacos showed up, one filled with beer-battered avocado, cilantro, cabbage, and cheese (don’t argue with me; get this one no matter what else you try); slow-cooked pork with pickled onion and avocado salsa curd; and Mexican beer-battered fish with the same toppings as the avocado.
Strawberry-Lime Fresco and the creamy deliciousness of Horchata (with a seasonal Pumpkin Spice Horchata follow-up) washed it all down, the scrummiest churros we’ve ever had ended the meal, and oh my lord god sweet baby Jesus, did we enjoy every bite! If we lived in Tucson we’d each weigh five tons, because we’d eat there every day.
This is a long blog, and if you’ve made it this far you’ve done well. If you made it this far without heading to the kitchen for something wonderful to snack on as your belly rumbled, you’ve done even better.
Tucson is the place for a fine meal, and while our photos are lousy, our memories of those outstanding restaurants are brilliant.
Simon wanted to see Palm Springs because “it has a reputation as an iconic destination, like Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, and Manhattan, and it’s right in the middle of the desert.” Plus, it has a golf course that was featured in Walt Disney World’s former Soarin’ attraction at Epcot.
Susan had been before, in what feels like another lifetime. At that time, the experience was all about wealth and what it could buy. Staying in a home in swanky Rancho Las Palmas in Rancho Mirage, enjoying the finest dining, and having a BMW to drive around in. Would the city tucked into a valley with the San Jacinto Mountains as its backdrop live up to that glittering yesteryear now that self-indulgence was no longer on the menu?
Just 36 miles from the town of Joshua Tree, Palm Springs and our two-night stay at the pet-friendly Inn at Palm Springs was an easy drive. The Inn is a comfy boutique hotel on Palm Canyon Drive, the main artery that connects the north side of town with pretty much everything.
But let’s get straight to the food. Real food. Food that makes sense, wasn’t prepared in an Instant Pot or an air fryer, and had so much flavor we almost wept with happiness and appreciation.
Having spent the day in Joshua Tree National Park, we freshened up before heading to Trio for dinner. Their outdoor seating was perfect for bringing Ruthie along, with the added benefit of being right on Palm Canyon Drive so we could enjoy the evening ambiance.
We started with a perky Cucumber Gin Fizz for Susan and vodka-based Triotini for Simon, then moved on to the Sticky Pork Riblets appetizer, light-as-air Triangoli pasta with summery veggies and parmesan cheese for Susan, succulent Scottish Salmon for Simon, and the earthy deliciousness of Japanese Eggplant with White Miso Sauce to share.
(Apologies for the dark photos; it was dim, which is romantic, and we didn’t want to disturb other diners with camera flash.)
After a good night’s sleep, we refilled our half-empty stomachs with breakfast at Grand Central Palm Springs, which came highly recommended. Common sense won out over greediness, and we split a Morning BLT (bacon, tomato, baby arugula, poached eggs, and avocado dressing, served open-faced on sourdough, with house potatoes) and a Chocolate Hazelnut croissant, with tea and coffee.
Our visit wasn’t just about eating (although we did a lot of eating!), so after breakfast we poodled over to the Palm Springs Air Museum, one of the city’s major non-golfing/non-eating/non-shopping attractions.
Simon loves this kind of place; Susan thought she’d be bored stiff. But, like the GE Aviation Learning Center in Evandale, Ohio, where jet engines are the stars of the show, something unforgettable happened.
In Evandale, it was the cute little PR girl who said to Susan, “You’re bored, aren’t you? Well, I’m going to tell you, in just four words, something that will help you remember how every single engine works, and you’ll never forget it. Ready? Suck, squeeze, bang, blow. That’s how engines work.”*
The Air Museum wasn’t nearly as X-rated, but it was no less astonishing. They have an actual Stealth Bomber on display, and while aircraft and war are not Susan’s thing at all, being in its presence was hugely impressive. Discovering how something that big can be “hidden” from radar was truly fascinating.
Talking to the docents as we walked through each hanger, arranged by the wars each planes served in, made the whole experience come alive. Many of the docents are veterans, and we spent far more time at the museum than we thought we would because they were so eloquent in sharing their stories, both triumphant and heartrending.
All that patriotic fervor was thirsty work, so we made a stop at Shields Date Garden for sustenance. From the moment Palm Springs became a possibility for our trip, Susan had insisted Simon had to try a Date Shake. He needed no second urging, and was rewarded with a 21-ounce cup of culinary delight that starts with a subtle mocha flavor, although there is no mocha in it, then evolves into a deep, rich date flavor, with just a pleasing hint of grit from the dates’ rough skin.
The day was hot, so a visit to the cool breezes of the Salton Sea were in order as we brought our internal temperature down with our Date Shakes. It was a 120-mile journey, round trip, but we had no real plans and it’s an iconic part of the desert experience.
Susan remembered it as a place that absolutely reeked of dead fish, but that was 40 years ago. Things change, and by this time all the inland sea’s fish were probably long gone.
That part was true. If there were any fish left, we never saw them. What we did see was desolation, and a lot of Border Patrol cars. Once upon a time, the landlocked salty sea was an oasis that drew tourists from far and wide. Now, it’s a dying lake riddled with heavy metals, agricultural toxins, pesticides, and no cooling breezes. The small communities around it are dying, too.
Like Utah’s Great Salt Lake, Salton Sea is drying up. It’s a sobering reminder of what’s happening with the climate, and a warning bell that rings loudly when you’re standing shoreside.
Dinner outdoors at LuLu California Bistro that evening helped restore our mood. Simon ordered a Santa Fe Panini (the California version of a Cuban Sandwich) and Susan had the lettuce wrap appetizer, with a beer each to adjust our attitudes quickly.
On the way back to our hotel, we were on the lookout for Bob Hope’s house, high on a hill overlooking the city, which made a huge impression on Susan during her first visit, for it’s astounding roofline architecture that curves gracefully downward, practically covering the 24,000-square-foot residence within. (Click HERE for an insightful story—with interior photos! – about this building, describing its restoration and why its famous architect felt the original project was an “ugly, tough job.”)
We also detoured into an area called The Movie Colony, where many famous people live or lived, including Frank Sinatra, Leonardo DeCaprio, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, the Kardashians, and a list of other celebrities as long as your arm.
But it was the next day’s adventure that would prove to be the ultimate highlight of a trip that had many highlights. Simon had arranged to meet up with his childhood tennis buddy, Juan Carlos, during their time living in Botswana in the 1970s. They hadn’t seen each other in 48 years, but Simon still has a photo of the two of them, taken after the 1974 Botswana Boys Singles Final, which Juan Carlos won in three sets.
And what a reunion it was. Juan Carlos was accompanied by his lovely lady, Adrianna, and over the course of two hours, lively conversation closed the gap on those 48 years. Upon parting, the two recreated Simon’s photo from long ago, and we were left with the promise of a place to stay should we find ourselves in San Diego, while they have a room waiting for them if they visit Orlando.
Did our detour into Palm Springs live up to that opulent, cash-fueled visit all those years ago? It exceeded it by far, because this time it was all about the joy of being together, the simplicity of a full belly, and the bond of friendship that lasts a lifetime. Priceless.
*For those who also wish to never forget how engines work, they Suck fuel and air in, they Squeeze it down tight, it creates a big Bang as it burns, and finally it will Blow exhaust out. You’re welcome!
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