|
April 5, 2008
I'd like to introduce you to a friend of ours, Bharat
Chhabra. He has leather goods: wallets and purses and such -
excellent quality for low prices. visit his website at www.bullcanyan.com. He is
located in Paramount, CA or you can see him at events around the
Western states, often the same shows we work.
June 5, 2007
WOW! We just discovered a store to die
for! It's called Tai Pan Trading Company.
It's located on 9000 South, just West of I-15, in the Salt
Lake City area. This store is big and wonderful. They
have tons of items for decorating your home and garden. Many have an
old-world look, or shabby chic. the styles of furniture are
unique and very appealing. They also have hundreds of the
nicest quality baskets I've ever seen, some in styles I've
never seen. There are dried and silk flowers; china or stoneware,
open stock; wrought iron for indoors and outdoors; clocks and
candles and much more! Oh, by the way, the prices are insanely
low! You gotta see this.
June 4, 2007
I ran across a store, today, in Draper, Utah. This is a
furniture store, primarily, called Downeast Home.
It's located on 12300 South, just East of
I-15. They have great beds and bedroom sets, sideboards, dining
tables, hutches, wardrobes, etc. in great, heavy styles.
Leather furniture is great quality. All prices are
discounted. There are also lighting fixtures, drapery rods,
assorted very high-quality cookware, bedding - all with very
discounted prices. Don't miss this, if you travel to the Salt
Lake City area.
Nov 4, 2006
A few weeks ago, we became aware of a place on Highway 60, south
of Wickenburg, AZ. called Western Trails
Ranch. This place looks really cool - western
buildings, teepees, etc. I learned that they have more than 50
acres here. Currently, they have a tavern, a restaurant (sort of -
you eat the food outdoors), and three stages for
entertainment. Every few weeks, they have an event. On
Nov 4th, the bands are Shut up and Drive, a local band, and
Starship! I heard that the plan is to make this THE motorcycle
event venue in the phoenix area. Keep your eye on it at www.westerntrailsranch.com
September 28,
2006
Here's a website you need to
see. This guy, Donovan, is a vendor we met at Street
Vibrations. He is a most remarkable guy! He is a poet and an artist
and a showman extraordinaire (not to mention: a
very special individual) I'd like to see someone
sponsor him and see to it that his work is seen and appreciated! Click here to see
some of his artwork. Click on the individual pencil drawings
for samples of his poetry!
February 26,
2006
Okay, Sue just
couldn't resist posting pictures of her granddaughters:
   
Anna Megan
Emma Evelyn
November 22,
2005
I just
borrowed my daughter's new Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner. Wow!
I have an older model, in storage since it's too big for our
trailer, but I hadn't used a Rainbow for about 8 or 9 years.
If you are in the market for a new vacuum cleaner, get a Rainbow
demonstration before you decide! This thing picked up the pile
on my trailer carpet (you have no idea what a feat that is).
It freshens the air while you use it, while other vacuums make the
room smell like an old bag of dirt or a dirty, wet dog. The
dirt you pick up is trapped in water, not a bag, so it can't get
back into the room. Check it out at www.rainbowsystem.com.
Newport, Oregon. We
were in Newport last
week visiting with my son and daughter-in-law, who met us
there. We found some great places:
Shirley's
Restaurant. Wonderful food!
Shirley's is on the Bayfront, the first restaurant as you enter the
area. Be prepared for LOTS of food. If you go for
breakfast and you want an omelette, take a friend and share.
These pricey wonders are big enough for at least two
people!
The Shark.
Another (very small) great
restaurant. It's across the street from shirley's. Their
Cioppino is pure heaven! You can order a regular or large
bowl. The regular size is probably enough for just about
anyone, if you're planning to also have a
salad.
The Rogue.
Excellent, locally produced
beers. Beware the Dead Guy Ale. It's very tasty, but
you'll be wise to have only one. This is a very pleasant place
to be - nice people, quiet enough for
conversation.
**************************************************************************
I met some very nice people at an event in Tempe, AZ recently. They
wholesale the most unusual collection of items I've seen in a long
time. These are beautiful carvings, albums, bowls, vases,
etc. All are hand carved or crafted in wonderful woods and
fibers. The albums are especially beautiful and
intricate. I was particularly enamoured by the soft
shades of green in some of them. I bought a hand-carved bowl
with a woven edge and a cat which sits on a shelf, peering over the
edge inquisitively. You really should look at them. Go
to www.sensesgallery.com. If you get the
chance, go and see them in person! Photos just don't do them
justice. For more information, email Itala Steinwald at SensesinLV@aol.com.
Salem, Oregon. We happened across a tiny Italian restaurant in Salem
tonight, called Gepetto's. It is in Lancaster Center at 616
Lancaster Dr N.E. We were intrigued by the name at first, then
by the appearance of this place: just a small door in a painted
brick wall. No windows, no flashy sign. Inside, we found
a cozy little interior and Monica, our waitress. Monica was
very helpful and pleasant. Dave ordered a combination dinner
of ravioli and lasagna. I ordered canalloni with a creamy
tomato sauce. Both of us chose minestroni. We were not
disappointed, to say the least. Dave let me try his ravioli
and I was impressed with the incredible meat sauce! Wow!
I'm afraid to order spaghetti in a restaurant. My brother-in-law,
John Tringali, makes such amazing sauce that nothing else will do -
but THIS sauce, at Gepetto's is wonderful! The next time we
go, I have to have some. Dessert was Tiramisu to die for,
accompanied by some of the best coffee this coffee-hound has ever
experienced.
Don't
miss Gepetto's! 616 Lancaster Dr N.E. in Salem,
Oregon
Two-Bit Street
Club Cafe. We were in Ogden, UT today, having some
work done on my van. While we waited, we took a walk to Ogden's
Historic 25th Street. There you will find antique stores,
specialty shops, taverns and restaurants. All are in
wonderful, old buildings. We stopped to have breakfast at The
Two-Bit Cafe. Inside, on one side of the building, is a
quaint old pub - very pleasantly preserved- with tables and
a great, old bar ca. 1930. The proprietor, Jim, seated us
at a table outdoors - one of several, which are surrounded by a
wrought iron fence in a charming sidewalk cafe. He took our
order, then, after some fun conversation, cooked our breakfast
himself. It was a fine meal at a great price. I looked
over the menu and decided that we'd have to go back for
dinner. The roast pork sounded excellent! In addition to
great food, there are a number of domestic and imported beers,
outstanding coffee and Europe drinks.
On the other side of the
building, is an antique store with an abundance of very old clocks,
some jewelry, music boxes, etc. Nicely done!
Thanks, Jim. We'll be
back.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to introduce you
to a couple of artists we met at the Pasadena (TX)Strawberry
Festival this year. They do outstanding work. Go to
www.topnotchdrawings.com to learn
about them. They were doing caricatures. Did a fine job on
ours!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOW!
We recently discovered a wonderful
Italian restaurant in Houston,
TX.
This is a family-owned restaurant, in
an old building, with hokey decor, great staff and incredible,
homemade Italian food. When you go to Franca's Real
Italian Restaurant, on Nasa Rd, just East of El Camino Real,
ask your waiter what's available that isn't on the
menu. We had beef tenderloin medallions in an amazing sauce
the first time we ate there. The second time, we had a stuffed
tenderloin steak with mushrooms and cheese and, again, an
awe-inspiring sauce. It was served with pasta Alfredo to die
for. Don't miss the Tiramisu for desert. If you don't
have room for it, get some to go!
*********************************************************************************
ANOTHER HOUSTON AREA WINNER!
Saltgrass Steakhouse 20241 Gulf
Freeway (I-45) on the Northbound frontage road, between the
Bay Area Blvd and Nasa Rd 1 exits.
Dave and I both had babyback ribs and
scampi - just one of a number of yummy-sounding combos. At
$16.99, it's a real deal!
We mentioned, to the waitress, that we
hadn't been there before and that the Scampi is the Scampi of Dave's
dreams. A few minutes later, the manager came to welcome us
warmly. Very nice touch!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The best Oriental food
(buffet) in Houston, TX:
Oriental Gourmet-Ultimate
Asian Buffet
16602 El Camino Real ph:
281-280-8662
Take Bay Area Blvd east from
I-45. Turn left on El Camino Real 1 block.
Turn left at the light and left again,
into the parking lot behind the restaurant.
......................................................................................................................................................
If you like palm hats - the
western style ones - you can have one perfectly custom fitted while
you wait (about 5 minutes!)by Kactus Rose Hats & Horsehair. You'll
find them outside of Wickenburg, AZ, in
front of the Horspitality RV Park on Hwy 60, on the way to
Phoenix. If they aren't there, they're at a nearby
event. Call (480) 818-1825 or (928) 231-0715. Tell
"Kactus"and Rose that you heard about them here.
.........................................................................................................................................................
RENO,
NV
Our favorite restaurant of all time is
La Strada. It's
inside the Eldorado Casino. This is beyond
Italian! Don't waste time on spaghetti and meatballs - if you
can't read Italian, ask your waiter to recommend
something. Try the mushroom ravioli, the house
salad (way more than any "house salad" you've ever tried), don't
forget the Tiramisu and Cafe Eldorado. Be prepared - this is
no $8.95 blue plate special. Although it's a beautiful
restaurant, you don't need to buy a new dress for this. You'll
think you're in your Uncle Guido's villa, surrounded by family! Have
a look a their menu!
Our favorite waiter, from La Strada,
moved to another Eldorado restaurant, The Roxy.
I have to say that it is very good and beautifully
presented. When you go there, ask for Jeff. Take a
virtual tour with this link
Don't miss Brew Brothers Pub, another
Eldorado treat. See it here. When you go there, order the
Chicken Fried Steak - it's unlike any you've ever had!
YUM-MMY
| 
