WHEN ON THE ROAD, ITS ALL ABOUT THE FOOD

It's not really, but it is. In so many ways, food is how we relate to each other, how we experience local life, the reason/excuse/facilitation (your choice) for interacting with others, for learning. For satisfying our needs, our desires. Food is a source of pleasure, pain, disappointment, amazement.

Is there anything else that we look forward to constantly - at any age?

And so, here is the list of restaurants from my trip to COLORADO and CALIFORNIA (in order of appearance), along with a few impressions...

Au Bon Pain (PHL) - it's almost a tradition to grab a pecan roll before the flight

Peet's Coffee (PHL) - weak coffee of dubious quality and taste. At least it was less acidic than some but still, I threw most of it out.

Suki Thai (Boulder) - reasonable bowl of pho-like soup intended to fix the damage of the plane ride and fortify me for what was to come. Later in the week, I found their chicken pad thai tasty in spite of the way it was made. It went very well with Wild Turkey 101 10 yr.

Lee Yuan Chinese Cuisine (Boulder) - TOO MUCH mayonnaise and TOO LITTLE (as in none) Grand Marnier in the eponymous shrimp & walnut dish. Also, how fresh were those walnuts? None the less, Bob's asian noodles were pretty good. 

Carelli's (Boulder) - Three people ordered fish and chips (sweet potato fries, no less). Although F&C would be nice, NOT FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT. Fighting the majority, I ordered veal parm. All to go because Bob was feeling too weak.

Black Pepper Pho (Boulder) - my first banh mi - it was good if not dummied down. The roll was perfect.

Big Daddy's Bagels (Boulder) - egg bagel and free wifi. All-day heartburn was not on the menu but came at no extra charge.

El Indio (San Diego) - overrated and overpriced and now inhabited by so many tourists. Still, when I popped out of the rental car lot and noticed I was on India st., I had to grab a couple tasteless tacos before driving to the hotel.

CPK (LaJolla) - to me, the original CPK. Always crowded and walkable from the hotel.

Girard Gourmet (LaJolla) - the best little local nothing fancy place in LaJolla. Went for the cinnamon rolls and wound up eating breakfast. Enjoyed talking to Bridgett and the owner. I helped them understand what SCRAPPLE is.

Santana's (Yucca Valley) - In california, the burrito is the proper animal... no rice, no BS. Just meat or meat and beans - long stewed and flavorful meat. And a few options: guacamole, pico de gallo. Pour the salsa on as you eat it. The carnitas burrito was a tasty work of art, at least a pound and a half, and accompanied by 4 salsas, fresh made chips, beers - it took me until 12:30am to finish it. But the Phillies won, so it was all a lot of fun.

Sam's Pizza (Joshua Tree) - Anyone going here for the pizza just doesn't know better. Come here for the INDIAN food (asian, not western US - but you already knew that). Excellent !

Pappy and Harriet's (Pioneertown) - a honky tonk kind of place with live music only a few miles form the Yucca Valley. You can read the mixed reviews created from very subjective experiences that people get from the place. I don't know why you'd eat here, although it has a nice wood smoke smell when you enter. To me, what I found is what I expect from a place like this - lots of stuff on the walls and ceilings, character, dark, age, mid 30ish blonds in blue jeans behind the bar, somewhat insulated, but pleasant enough if you try to be cool and act local. Others at the bar, some wrapped up with their crowd, others easy to talk with. Overall, a hugely positive experience for me, especially when I was asked if my band was local ...but something not to be guaranteed at other visits.

JT Country Kitchen (Joshua Tree) - I feel like I discovered this place 20 years ago. Simple, small and good. The kind of place you can walk in and tell the waitress you want what he has (pointing to another table), and be told by the other diner what good taste you have. Don't miss the fresh made salsa for your huevos rancheros.

Japengo (LaJolla) - expensive place across the plaza and connected with the Hyatt in LaJolla that attracts many of the wrong kind of people - sales & marketing nitwits on expense accounts that order Miller Lite. The secret is happy hour - with a good selection of $3 pints (Fat Tire, Sierra, Guinness, Stone IPA and locals like Karl Strauss, etc.). AND FANTASTIC sushi... like the $5 Hawaiian roll: a California roll (west coast style, with real crab in a salad style), topped with spicy tuna, the mandatory toasted sesames, and a little ponzu sauce. Eat & Drink for 2 hours for under $30.

Barry's Pizza (HOU) - I'm in HOUSTON, so how come I CAN'T FIND ANY BBQ AT THE AIRPORT? As Eddie Pry would say, cheeze-o-wizz !!! I have to have a slice of pizza ???  a $5 slice of pizza, no less ???