The Fabulous Vacation!

The weather is warming across the country, except for those hold out areas that still have to get a few freezes and snow storms in before Spring swings in full tilt. Those snow storms just make us hanker for sunshine even more and fantasize about warm beaches and turquoise water. Last April we had the pleasure of visiting one of the most diverse islands in the world. Maui has much to offer those seeking The Fabulous Vacation. From high end retail shopping, food experiences galore, to the laid back slow paced side of the island where you see one or two people in a few hours. Glorious beaches, crystal clear blue ocean water, whale watching, blowhole spraying, sun like crazy and just a chillaxin way of life. You want to slow down - this is the place to do it. The locals are so friendly and warm. They make you feel to welcome and have this "surfer dude" way of just spreading the "No Worries Dude" approach to everything. The two words you will use often are "Aloha" which are used for hello and goodbye and "Mahalo" which means thank you. So get them down, cuz it's fun and it's polite. When in Rome.....
More on Maui later...

Ya gotta hankering for some great pizza pie? Well, if you are ever in Santa Fe New Mexico, you must make a stop at Upper Crust. Right off the Plaza, this place has Fabulous Pizza and Salads. The dough is amazingly thin and crispy w/ a soft and bubbly crust. The large Meat Combo is a great choice along with the Spinach Salad and enough to feed 4. Good atmosphere and reasonably priced, make sure to visit Upper Crust!

Harry’s Roadhouse in Santa Fe New Mexico


Located at 96B Old Las Vegas Hwy about 8 miles out of town, you will find a truly Fabulous eating experience. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, locals and tourist alike find eating at Harry’s a delicious experience. American and Southwest fare will tempt your tastebuds. The baked goods are a special surprising treat. Displayed in a case to get your attention, you can’t help but try a sampling. On our date we tried both the Pecan Pie and Chocolate Cream pie. Very tastey indeed. Our entrees that night included The Roadhouse Tostada, Blue Corn Turkey Enchiladas and the kid’s Grilled Cheese. All delicious and different from the average fare you find anywhere else, Harry’s puts their twist on each dish. For breakfast we tried the Miga’s, Chillaquiles and Chocolate Chip pancakes for the kiddo. All delicious and a super friendly waitstaff. A must try when you are in Santa Fe. Photos below tell the story of our two visits to Harry’s. Enjoy!

Skiing Santa Fe in the Spring is a smart move and has the makings for a Fabulous Vacation.  One would think that during Spring Break, it would be mobbed, but they would be wrong.  The sun was shining and the snow was hanging on for a few more weeks of fun on the hill.  No waiting in the lift lines and plenty of room to tear it up on the slopes.  Adult Lift tickets are $29 for half day and $58 for full day.  $22 rents your gear for the day.  The days of cutie pie snow bunny are over as many of us have  become sensible and wear helmets.  They aren't great for the hairdo, but are so worth the safety they provide.  Snowboarding has made helmets even more cool, so get one on your little noggin.  It's the smart thing to do.  You can rent them for $8, but I highly recommend purchasing your own.  I'm a germ freak and I like knowing only my head has been in that helmet.  

After searching around for something to do for Spring Break, we finally settled on Santa Fe New Mexico.  We didn't want the crowds nor the cold.  But also thought it would be fun to ski a little.  Santa Fe's weather this week is amazing.  Beautiful blue skies and mid 60's.  Can't beat it.  Head up the mountain to Ski Santa Fe and the temp drops to mid 40's.  Perfect shortsleeved Spring skiing.  Crowds aren't heavy and the snow is hanging on for those final runs.  I've skied in blizzards and though that makes from some fun and challenging skiing, there is nothing like Spring skiing.  One could almost wear shorts.  Who says you can't get a great tan in the mountains.  Just don't forget to remove the goggles every so often so you don't look like a raccoon.  I'll blog again on the specifics regarding Ski Santa Fe in a few days, so check back.  

The food in Santa Fe is great.  Lots of diversity to choose from.  First on the agenda was some chow.  We headed to Maria's.  I would rate this experience marginal.   We hit them in between lunch and dinner and were only serving appetizers, which suited out needs.  Now I have spent many years in the San Antonio area, so I have a high standard when it comes to Mexican food.    So Maria's was marginal at best.    I had read in reviews that Maria's had the best Guacamole.   I should preface this by saying humbly that I do make the best Guacamole this side of the Rio Grande.  So again, I have high standards.  A huge plus for Maria's is that they give a man's sized portion of Guacamole.  Not those meezly little tablespoon helping.  For $6 you get a full heaping lunch plate of this mighty green stuff w/ chunks of tomato and onion.  They even sprinkle a little grated cheese on top for fun.  The taste was pretty good and I'd say that the average joe would love it.  Again I'm biased.  We also ordered the Combination Appetizer for $9, which came w/ Maria's specialty BBQ beef ribs, two minis tacos, cheese nachos and a oversized pork tamale.  With the complimentary chips and hot sauce, we had plenty of food for the 3 of us.  It really could have been enough for 4.


 

For lunch the next day we went to Yummy Cafe.  I had read online that this was a local place with great Chinese Food.  My online search paid off.  This place was so cute.  Clean and charming, the food was fantastic.  Udon Noodle Soup, Moo Shu Pork, Fried Rice and Potstickers where on our table within a short amount of time.  Great service, so friendly.  Lots of local art on the walls.  Just a great place.  Highly recommend.