Tag Archives: Eat

Ruby Snaps: Magical Cookies from Salt Lake City

6 Replies

I’ve established pretty well, I believe, that I really love good food and finding interesting food venues whenever and wherever I travel.  For the last year or so I have been traveling frequently to Salt Lake City for work.  In one of my first trips to SLC I was tooling around the downtown area when a little, brick, cookie shop called Ruby Snap Cookies caught my eye.  Having a mighty large sweet tooth I had to stop and check it out.  I was smitten at first bite.  Since this first encounter I have purchased enough Ruby Snaps to feed a small village.  Whenever I’m in town I have to make to make several pitstops to satisfy my Ruby Snap cravings.  I also started purchasing these cookies to bring to my client accounts.  You would be amazed at how many doors were opened or relationships forged as a result of me presenting my clients with these cookies.  Ruby Snap Cookies

These cookies are moist, flavorful treats in traditional and unique flavors.  The cookies are named after 1940’s girls’ names reminiscent of those images painted on the sides of fighter planes.  Penelope is the best peanut butter and chocolate cookie you will ever try, Vivianna is mango and chocolate, Margo is a chocolate cinnamon cookie with a molten milk chocolate center, and Judy has velvety orange cookie dough topped with cream cheese frosting.

You know that five second rule with food?  For these cookies I would extend it to the five minute rule.

If you can’t get yourself to SLC to enjoy these freshly baked treats, don’t panic.  The good news is that Ruby Snap does have a website where you can order frozen cookie dough in numerous flavors.

When riding around on The Life Bus, you always need to have some good sweet snacks close by.

Miguels Chile Rellenos and other Mexican Fare … Todos Santos Baja Mexico

Leave a reply

After a spectacular seven days sea-kayaking the Sea of Cortez (more on that in another post), Todd and I decided to see all that the southern most portion of Baja Mexico had to offer.  That’s how we found ourselves bouncing down the Carretera Transpeninsular headed from La Paz to Todos Santos in a tiny, rented tin can.  From what I understand, the highway has since been widened to 4 lanes.  The fact that there are no shoulders and that detours and / or road damage can occur with almost no warning apparently hasn’t changed.

Although Todos Santos is tiny, it’s one of those artist and surfer communities that is coming into its own where you can find galleries and eateries in neat old buildings.  Given the fact that Todd is really not much of a shopper, I don’t have much commentary on the galleries.  We did have some fun food pit stops here, however.  The food find that really stands out as a Life Bus moment is Restaurante Miguel’s.  If I could have designed my perfect rustic, Mexican, beach restaurant, Miguel’s would be it.  Thatched palm roof, dirt floor, no real walls … just thatched half walls and great chile rellenos … and beer!   A relaxing, Jimmy Buffetesque kind of place where you can kick back, enjoy a good meal, and soak in your Mexican vacation.

Todd and I also enjoyed an excellent lunch at Cafe Todos Santos.  The building is an eclectic old structure with lots of open, airy seating.  We had some great salads and they actually bake all of their own bread and cookies here.  Although we didn’t stay at the Todos Santos Inn, I wish we had!  This is a great, small inn housed in an old authentic hacienda.  The location in town is great and it is a beautiful, quiet property.  Todos Santos Inn

So, when exploring the Baja Peninsula, make time for a pit stop in this artisan community.  I think you’ll enjoy it!

What’s Not to Love about Pearl Street – Boulder, CO

Leave a reply

Sometimes I think Boulder, CO gets a bad wrap….people think it’s full of liberals, trustafarians,  and hard ass rules like “no sofas allowed on your front porch.”  All of these things are true, but if you venture to this cool, funky college town without having a good time – we need to talk.

Pearl Street  (Pearl) is one of the main shopping and dining areas in this city of ~100,000.  I am unsure of how many (if any) of the ~30,000 college students at Colorado University (CU) are included in the population count.  As a side note – It kills me when I see freshman students in a Sushi restaurant.  Good lord, all I could afford in college was a $2.00 burger and fries combo at the Dixie Chicken and if I was lucky, a sliver of beef jerky.

If you find yourself in Boulder on a weekend, and I highly recommend you do, spend a luxurious night at the St Julien, a modern hotel with great views of the famous Flatirons if you get the right room.  Not to mention, it is located just a steps away from Pearl.

After you rise and shine, head to the West end of Pearl for breakfast at Spruce Confections where they serve up some tasty mouth watering scratch-made muffins, scones, croissants, danishes, etc.   There is a little open courtyard next to the main storefront where they occasionally have live Jazz music in the summer to help kick start the day.  Bring your pooch if little Fifi or Daisy has separation anxiety.

Plan on spending the rest of your day slowly meandering up and down Pearl where you will find a plethora of shops and restaurants.  Shops typically open at 10:00 am on Saturday and 11:00 on Sunday so plan accordingly.

I have SO many favorites it is hard to narrow them down but I managed to list a few. Note, these are all locally owned shops, but certainly there are chains such as Chipotle, Starbucks, Cheesecake Factory, etc.

Shopping: Women’s

Knit Wit – If you are looking for one of a kind pieces, this is the place to go.  Keep in mind, the owners do really well so they have the option of closing on Sundays.  This small, quaint store is slightly off the beaten path on Broadway.

Outdoor Divas – Those obsessed with outdoor gear and clothing will greatly appreciate this little gem.  You will find modern mountain chick options that will have you feeling cute and charming whilst traipsing about the outdoors.

Holiday & Company – Looking for affordable, chic clothing?  Look no further than H&C.  I don’t always find something to buy here, but when I do, I am happy as a clam as the quality is good and the price is right.

Shopping: Specialty

University Cycles – This bicycle shop has 100’s of bikes for sale from cruisers to high-end road bikes.  If you are looking to rent bikes, shop for a new jersey or buy the perfect sumo wrestler bell, this is the place to go.  (I personally go in to drool all over the cruisers.)

Peppercorn – If you are a self described gourmand, Peppercorn will have your head spinning.  This store has everything you need to whip up a special meal and then serve it up on a gorgeous platter.

Boulder Bookstore – Avid readers will find a wide selection of books, many of which are used.  It’s cozy atmosphere and book organization makes it WAY more interesting than Barnes and Noble.

Art & Soul – Art enthusiasts and jewelry aficionados will love this store full of high-end art and bright, shiny objects to pine over.  If you are familiar with Anne Sportun and Me & Ro, you understand my obsession.

Restaurants:

Pasta Jays – YUM.  This great little home-town Italian joint, has open air seating and serves up some pretty good pasta and pizza.   If you dig garlic, I would suggest the House Salad – the dressing is to die for – make sure your partner orders one as well, else there will be no kissing for about 24 hours.

Frasca – This is a MUST try if you are celebrating a special occasion or have $100 bills flowing freely as it is quite expensive.  Frasca is an award winning Italian restaurant on the East end of Pearl.  The food here is some of the best in Colorado and the reservation list shows.  It can be difficult to get in, so call way in advance or plan on an early dinner.

The Rio Grande (the Rio) – Admittedly, Colorado is not known for it’s Mexican food, but the Rio delivers some pretty good Tex-Mex.  My favorite things about the Rio are the margaritas and the roof top patio.  They have water misters to keep you cool on a hot summer day and the views of the Flatirons are fabulous.  I always feel as though I am on vacation when I am hangin’ at the Rio.

Best Place to grab a cuppa Joe:

The Cup Espresso Cafe (The Cup) – This cool little East end coffee shop prides itself on serving Fair Trade, Organic coffee, homemade pastries and coffee cakes and other snacks like salads and sandwiches.  It makes for a nice break before you head back West to the St. Julien.

In case what I described above does not resonate with you, never fear.  An excellent website that provides more information on other stuff you may find interesting is Boulder Downtown.  I always love my days spent on Pearl in Boulder, CO and I hope you do as well.

Beachfront Oasis in Tulum, Mexico

4 Replies

[slideshow]

The first time I vacationed in the Cancun area was in 1990 and I had just broken up with a boyfriend. I knew back then I was not a fan of Cancun – not really sure why, as I had not been anywhere interesting at that stage in my life. Then again, it could have been influenced by the break-up – it totally sucked.

Back then, Tulum felt like a VERY long drive away from Cancun and seemed way beyond my reach. I was too chicken to rent a car and drive South on a solo expedition – if only I knew then what I think I know now. Fast forward many, many years and Greg and I pay a visit to Playa Del Carmen.

We thoroughly enjoyed Playa, but in typical Life Bus fashion, we were in search of an adventure. We took off in our rental car and headed South to Tulum to find one of the famous Cenotes to explore and see some ruins. I had nothing with me except my phone camera, a towel and a bathing suit. We drove for a couple of hours without incident and found ourselves in downtown Tulum. I could not for the life of me figure out what was so exciting about this town. I knew there was something else around the corner – I could smell it.

After circling around some back roads of the downtown area and discovering an amazing old cemetery, we found a sign that pointed to ‘la playa’. We took the turn and headed along the coastline. OMG – the experience was night and day. All of the lodging along the Boca Paila Rd. towards Punta Allen consists of small, interesting non-chain bungalows and 98% are located on the beach front. The range included all the way from very basic to the very posh.

We came across an obscure lodging option called the Encantada Beachfront Boutique Hotel, fairly close to the end of the road prior to reaching the Punta Allen State Park. You cannot see anything particularly special from the road, but, the signage for the hotel was lovely and seemed to be very upscale. I convinced Greg to stop and take a tour of one of the open palapa style rooms. It was love at first sight. Next thing I knew, we booked a night at the hotel, ordered up some margaritas and enjoyed a cool beach breeze on our private deck.

The hotel is one of my all-time faves. The details the San Francisco based owners put into this resort are UNBELIEVABLE, all the way from the fresh water jug in the room, to the shower tiles, deck chairs, beach lounge chairs, bedding, and the outdoor lights in the trees around the property. An added bonus provided by Mother Nature is the sand on the beach – white and as fine as powdered sugar. The water temperature and the waves are completely enjoyable and oh so addicting. Any time I feel stressed I imagine my experience in this little oasis – a lot of sunshine, soft sand and pure relaxation.

To top it off, the food at Encantada is de-lish and is served in very large portions – easily shared between 2 people. The room rate comes with a great breakfast of fresh local fruit, pastries and yogurt – the good stuff, not yoplait.

There are a total of 8 rooms with 4 directly on the beach front. I would do my best to secure the beach front rooms as you are nearly guaranteed to have a lovely ocean breeze to keep you cool. Warning: This is an eco-friendly hotel so they do not have A/C. It could be hot and humid in the dead of summer so take that into consideration when booking a room.

Some how I managed to live without a toothbrush and in a wet bathing suit for about 24 hours. It was worth the fuzzy teeth and butt crickets. I absolutely cannot wait to go back and enjoy some tasty food, margs, waves and a fine sand beach.

A Pie Worth a Trip to Otis

2 Replies

To understand just how good the pie is at the Otis Cafe and why it merits its own pilgrimage to Otis,  you have to know that you are going to Otis exclusively for the cafe.  Otis is basically an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, OR.  It is one of those places so small that it has been put up for auction with a starting bid of $3 million dollars.  Included in this fire-sale were such items as:  the gas station, mini grocery store, Pronto-pup corn dog stand, two houses, the Otis post office, the Otis Cafe, an auto-repair garage and … well you get the idea … a very small place.

Have I mentioned before that I love food … very high on that list of favorite foods is strawberry-rhubarb pie.  In fact, Todd and I make it a goal to try to find some form of this tasty treat on every trip we take.  So when we heard about the Otis Cafe and its pies there was no doubt that we would have to make our way to Otis.  The gods were smiling on us that day.  To date, this is still the best strawberry rhubarb pie we have ever experienced.  The cafe is a quintessential, quaint roadside diner that epitomizes a road trip pit stop.  There wasn’t anything we had that wasn’t amazing.  And if strawberry rhubarb isn’t quite as much your thing as it ours, never fear, there are numerous other pie options to delight your tastebuds.  So please, if you’re driving along the Oregon Coast, do yourself a favor and veer off the road to the Otis Cafe.  Enjoy!!  And, as always, if you try Otis Cafe out, let me know your thoughts.

The Golden Farmer’s Market

Leave a reply

[slideshow]

I am a firm believer in supporting local businesses and I don’t mean the Home Depot or the Starbucks down the street….absolutely love to do it…..makes me feel as though I am part of a community and that I am taking care of those who make my small town interesting and fun.

One of my favorite things to do in Golden, CO, is to visit the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings.  I bought a bike 2 years ago for the sole purpose of riding to and from the market – have I ridden said bike even once?  Nope – I need to get off my rear-end and make it happen.

Admittedly, back in the day (8 or 9 years ago), I remember thinking how sad the Golden Farmer’s Market (GFM) was….a few booths with the standard fruits and veggies and Mary Kay Cosmetics.  No offense to MK, thanks to this multi-billion dollar company, pink Cadillacs can be seen all over America’s roadways – where would we be without them?

Over the years, the city of Golden has been able to attract some pretty cool vendors who are bringing excellent product and more appealing store fronts.  You can find an interesting variety of fresh pastas from Tony at Pappardelle’s, organically grown fruits and vegetables from a variety of local farmers, soft serve ice cream (breakfast of champions on a Saturday morning), and locally roasted coffees from the Table Mountain Roasters, just to name a few.   Don’t expect to find dream catchers, American Indian prints in black velvet, or cheap arts and crafts – if this is what you are looking for, the GFM is not the place for you.

The crowds here are manageable and family friendly – feel free to bring your pooches and kiddos along.  After an hour or so of picking the perfect bag of fruit, sampling unusual foods, and suffering from brain freeze from your ice cream cone, you can take a stroll along Clear Creek.  If you want to get really ballsy, rent an inner tube and float down the river.

When to go?  Every Saturday 8 am to 1 pm from the first weekend in June until the first weekend in October. Jump on the Life Bus – do something new and crazy and make the 17 mile drive to Golden (from Downtown Denver)!

Great Food in Coral Bay St. John’s USVI

2 Replies

So ya’ gotta eat while you are on an adventure, right? My friends routinely tease me because I vividly remember meals I have eaten on my travels. What can I say, I am a devoted foodie. I was blessed to have a mother who was an amazing cook and food was a big part of our family and our travel experiences. It isn’t typically super fancy food that I love, however. I am usually a sucker for the local watering hole with simple local specialties. Two tiny restaurants in Coral Bay, where I can remember each morsel I ate, are worth mentioning.

Miss Lucy’s is a tiny restaurant where your dinner table is practically sitting in the waters of Coral Bay. I can’t imagine many better places to enjoy a meal than looking out over the Caribbean with your toes almost in the water. Sometimes, the setting of a restaurant can compensate for a lot when the food is merely mediocre. This is absolutely not the case with Miss Lucy’s. If anything eclipses the fabulous setting it is the pina colada pancakes. These were LOADED with pineapple, coconut, and banana chunks and the fluffiest batter I’ve ever tasted. Todd and I also ate dinner and lunch at Miss Lucy’s. All of these other meals were very good as well. It is the pancakes, however, that I continue to dream about!! [slideshow]

Donkey Diner with kick ass food was another culinary highlight. Exactly what you’d want on a Caribbean adventure. Total boho vibe with amazing food. Todd had the stuffed french toast with mango pineapple chutney and I had the burrito special. Both meals were amazing and the staff was great. You can see that I really do vividly remember every great meal experience. So when the Life Bus takes you to Coral Bay, make sure you check out both of these places for your meals. Great locations, great vibe, and great food. What more could one ask for?

24 Perfect Hours in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Leave a reply

When I was 17 years old, I took a road trip down the California coast with my best friend’s family. It was the first time I had experienced a road trip not jammed in the back of a Stay-Wag with 3 older siblings torturing me along the way or a car full of cigarette smoke with the windows rolled up – it was actually an enjoyable experience.

We started in San Francisco and made it all the way down to Redondo Beach outside of Los Angeles.  One of our pit-stops along the way was Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA which is located 120 miles South of San Francisco.   In 1982, I remember feeling as though Carmel was one of the most beautiful places in the world. We happened to pass by the Tickle Pink Inn which is perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific ocean.  I swear it was pink at the time and I remember thinking – “It would be really killer to stay there some day.”

Fast forward 30 years later and Greg and I are on a road-trip passing through Carmel via Big Sur. I did some research on hotels via Trip Advisor and found that the Tickle Pink Inn is ranked the #1 spot to stay in the Carmel area. (You have to get over the name, it really is a beautiful place.)  I quickly got on the phone with the hotel and reserved a room for the night – with an ocean view – happy early birthday to me. And by the way, If you have never been to Big Sur, it is incredible and a must see.

This boutique hotel is a great buy.  It is somewhat expensive i.e, $250 + range but, you get all sorts of free stuff and free stuff = good stuff.    There is an excellent wine and cheese reception that is really nice AND, you are presented with a complimentary bottle of champagne when you check in.   The risk here is that you get so loaded you can’t drive to dinner and they don’t have a restaurant on site.  Continental breakfast is included in the rate. The breakfast is a little on the cheap side with what appears to be a bit of Costco ilk, however, it is free and they will deliver to your room.

Key Tip:  Request a room with an ocean view and a private balcony.   You will be completely fulfilled waking up to the sight and sound of waves crashing along the shore line. This means paying a little more, but it is worth it. Beware of overly healthy seagulls attempting to infiltrate your room if you leave the sliding glass door open too long.

If you feel the need to get out and burn some calories while you are in Carmel, check out the Point Lobos Reserve www.pointlobos.org.  If you follow the North Shore hike, you are guaranteed to spot some gorgeous harbor seals lounging around on the rocks along the coastline. Look closely as they sometimes blend in with the colors and patterns of the rocks.  If you are over 40 and have younger kids with you, have them spot those wonderful creatures. These trails are great for trail running if hiking is too tame for you. Also, you can get a nice 1 mile run/walk on the beach which you can easily access via Ocean Avenue in downtown Carmel.  If you are into golf, you will have a nice view of Pebble Beach.

Boutique shopping in Carmel can be quite fruitful.  I found some amazing Frye boots (my new faves) at Lloyd’s shoes – they also have brands like Stuart Weitzman and Tom’s.   Paloosh next door had some great stuff and carries brands like Ella Moss, Joie, and Splendid.  They get a bad wrap on Yelp because of customer service, but I had a great experience.   Girl Boy Girl (GBG) is another upscale boutique that may be considered one level up on the cost scale from Paloosh.  They sell brands like Haute Hippie, Rebecca Taylor, and Trina Turk.

As far as restaurants are concerned, if you are into Sushi, we found Sushi Heaven to be a great value and of excellent quality. The Carmel Valley Roasting Company is great for a cup of coffee, and the quaint La Bicyclette Restaurant  was excellent for dinner www.labicycletterestaurant.com. The menu changes nightly and the food is crafted with fresh local, organic ingredients, much of which is supplied by a local Middle School.

Carmel, is still a gorgeous place and will always hold a special place in my heart.  All I have to say is THANKS to Raleigh and Judy for unknowingly introducing me to the life bus in 1982!