She Had to Leave Los Angeles Roadtrip: Moab, UT, to Como, CO

I start day #2 at the Apache Motel in Moab, UT. It's the first of my Native American-themed hotels on this run. The Apache's claim to fame is that John Wayne stayed there many times while he was shooting westerns in the area. There is even a John Wayne Suite, although I did not get to see it. I was in Moab primarily to see Arches National Park. My take on the geological story behind Arches is that the foundation of the structures is salt-based, which can't support the heavy rock structures. Crumbling rocks, wind, and water combine to create some amazing scenery.

Broken Arch is pictured above.

Super-zoomed picture of Delicate Arch.

Windows Arches.

As you can see, some of the Arches you can walk right up to, and others are far away from easy access. But it's good, because far away equals better protection for these awesome natural resources.

After several hours driving around the Park, it was time to head the Mini toward my brother's house in Como, Colorado.

In Grand Junction, CO, I stopped at the Village Inn, a old-school-looking diner. I couldn't decide what I wanted, until I saw that I could get a half Reuben sandwich and a small Southwest salad combo. Yum!!! (I got an apple pie to-go to share with my brother, and I can tell you it was delicious!!)

I made it to Como after dark, and you'll get to read about that adventure in tomorrow's post.

Click here for Apache Motel's website.

Click here to go to Arches National Park's website.

Click here to go to Village Inn's website.

She Had to Leave Los Angeles Roadtrip: Los Angeles to Moab, UT

Yes, I had to leave Los Angeles! I'm heading to Estes Park, Colorado, for a piping competition, and I've planned quite a roadtrip to get back and forth. Thanks for joining the fun!

First stop is Alien Fresh Jerky in Baker, CA, about an hour outside of Vegas. One thing I've learned about the Mini is that I need to take stretch/restroom breaks much more frequently than I need to gas up. Alien Fresh Jerky also provided me with a slice of cheeze. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for the opening of their UFO Hotel! Recognize the Bun Boy's thermometer blazing in the background? It is screaming at 93 degrees.

Black Bear Diner in St. George, UT, was my first real stop for food. Can I tell you about the hot, parmesan-cheese scattered, fresh kettle chips? They were so good that I didn't even notice until the last few bites that the Tri Tip Dip sandwich pictured here is not the sandwich that I ordered? Anyway, it was deeelish!!

All along this route there was beautiful scenery that made we want to take another look at my geology textbook.

These two were from the same pull-over spot.

This one was about 30 miles later. Such majesty! After this stop, it was pedal to the metal to get to Moab and the Apache Motel.

Click here for Alien Fresh Jerky's website.

Click here for Black Bear Diner's website.

Taco Spot

I'm coming back from bagpipe class, and I've got the taco craving for lunch. I really wanted a crispy shell with the shredded lettuce and cheese; soft tacos with fancy fillings were not on my menu for today. Then it hit me - Taco Spot in Eagle Rock!

This is a combo plate, with one pollo and one carnitas taco. DEEEELISH, with big full-of-flavor chunks of meat on both. They have probably six or eight salsas and other sauces to select from to further enhance the flavors. Everything tasted so fresh and handmade. YUM!

Taco Tuesday, anyone?!

Click here for Taco Spot's website.

Idle Hour

This week's favorite new joint is Idle Hour, at the Vineland/Lankershim intersection near NoHo. I love it! Not only is it some classic 1940s programmatic architecture (it was then a taproom) that has been preserved and reconfigured, but they serve up some awesome food! The guy in this picture was super excited, as he was waiting for his first day to begin. He happily told me the history (I already knew the stories!), and I shared I had already enjoyed the Idle Hour and was back to get an exterior shot. And, I'll be back many more times!

I met a friend there, and we started with these roasted Brussels sprouts, further enhanced with citrusy bits and pepitas. YUM!!

And this is the Idle Hour Burger, with arugula, tomato, fried shallots, garlic aioli, and aged white cheddar. WOW, such flavors!!

We lingered as long as possible on the lovely outdoor patio, before ceding the spot to other diners. Be sure to comment here on the surprise animal who is sharing the space when you go.

Click here for Idle Hour's website.

The Copper Q in Big Bear Village

I made the drive to Big Bear to practice piping at elevation. See, I have a competition in Estes Park, Colorado, in a few weeks. Estes Park sits at about 7,500 feet. My usual piping at the Sepulveda Pass only takes me to about 1,100 feet; Big Bear lands me closer at about 6,750 feet.

Luckily, I'm not as concerned about breathing as I am about piping. Remember my trip to Denver (click here for post), which included visiting the Hoosier Pass at 11,539 feet? I did fine at the altitude. But, I'm admitting here, piping is HARD even at sea level!

So, I get to Big Bear, and the first thing I need to do is find some food. I strolled around the Village and decided on the The Copper Q. I thought the classic Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato-Avocado on croissant would provide a good balance of carbs, veggies and good fats to help with the acclimation. YUM!! The blackberry Italian soda was a tasty treat, too! The Copper Q has a cool cooking demonstration area, and I wish I had time to check it out on this trip. But, I'm here for a specific reason.

Properly fueled up, I found a trailhead on north rim of the lake and blew my lungs out! The hikers were a bit surprised to hear me there, but everyone was cool with it. And, I have a good idea of what I'm up against in Estes Park. Stay tuned for the full report!

Click here for The Copper Q's website.

Baby's Badass Burgers

I'm in Century City to see X - yes, X! - and Dwight Yoakam play a free show on the grassy area near the Annenberg Space for Photography. I know!! In case you've forgotten, I got to see John Doe perform at the Grammy Museum (click here for the link) back in 2011. Then, I raved about John and his early influence on me and my musical tastes. Now, I'm getting to see John and Exene perform live, playing all their classic/punkish hits!

But, before this can all happen, I need some food. After a quick scout of the food trucks, I went with Baby's Badass Burgers. One of my colleagues has been raving about Baby's for awhile, and now I totally get it. This is the She's Smokin! burger, with smoked cheddar, barbecue sauce, crispy onions, and bacon. Woot!! The fries were sprinkled with a particularly firey-flavored spice mix, too. Deelish!!

And can I just say that X brought it!! What a fabulous show! It was super cool to see all ages fist pumping to "Los Angeles" together!! Dwight was fun, too, all twangy and sparkling. So get out there and here some music and eat burgers, my friends!

Click here for Baby's website.

Donut Friend

There are definitely perks to having days off during the week, including making donut runs without all the riffraff.

Today was a donut kind of day. And I'd been hearing some buzz about Donut Friend on York Boulevard in Highland Park. Specifically, how they are a "have it your way" (I'm flashing back to Burger King's 1970s commercials) donut shop. In spite of the gazillion pending decisions, I took one for the team to try them out.

Luckily, they also have a fine selection of pre-mades, including the Drive Like Jelly at bottom (peanut putter and strawberry jam), Joyce Lavender upper left (lemon rosewater glaze and lavender flecks), and Polar Berry Club top right (lemon glaze, fresh berries, and mint). All yummy, and my Luster Ware plate was clean by the time I finished sampling them.

If you decide to go the DIY route with your donuts, I recommend checking out the menu beforehand.  They have four donut bases, then a slew of fillings and toppings to personalize your version.

Click here to go to Donut Friend's website.