Monday Morning In Springer - Just past Noon

She, Frances, the owner, shrugged her shoulders and said, "Noon." when I asked about check-out time. It's now 11:52 a.m. and I just emerged from my baahth and finished arranging my pills for the day. I could feel Michelle's urgency when she asked if I was through -- a rare sensation coming from her -- but I had no idea it was so late.

The night seemed fairly average to me...I'm comfortable wherever I am, but Michelle had it rough. It wasn't HER BED and she misses Trixie, the cat.

We roused ourselves around 9:00 with the motivation of Dairy Delite, a local restaurant that's part Dairy Queen and part Frontier Restaurant. 

(The Frontier, on Central Avenue across from the University (in Albuquerque), is world-renowned for its food and art. The walls are covered, salon-style, with original paintings by famous artists from the last 40 years or so and their cheese enchiladas, roasted green chili, and fresh-squeezed orange juice, set the standard for the Universe.)

We ordered Belgian waffles and breakfast burritos. The waffles weren't bad but the burritos were outstanding! Every ingredient, eggs, potatoes, (ham, bacon, or sausage) tortilla, tasted fresh, distinct, and delicious! $4.25...and with "heft" besides; a meal in themselves.

A large mirror in the dining alcove (of the AirBnb) let me know I really need to go about as a pumpkin...or Humpty-dumpty. I'll try and attach the video of Anand complaining about HER inability to exercise. I chalk it up to figuring I'll drop at any moment and it really doesn't matter, but it's still a shock.

62 miles to Trinidad, Colorado: our destination for the day. (Update 10/1/20 -- We arrived Trinidad  promptly at 7:02 pm, five and half hours later. 62 miles/5.5 hours = 11.2 mph)

The Frontier Restaurant - Albuquerque

Along with Turkey Day, this day often inspires thots of gratitude. The folks who've owned and operated The Frontier Restaurant for over 40 years come to mind.

Please let me know if you know who took this photo so I can give credit. 

In addition to several of the other buildings nearby, they also own & operate three or four Golden Pride chicken and burrito places.


It's on Central Avenue across from the University and is the hub; every University student, likely every politician, and even one world-renowned movie mogul (Michelle and I took her there) has, at one time or another, eaten at The Frontier.

They, along with the owner of Saggio's Pizza (across the street) kept an artist employed for several years painting murals on the outside of the buildings (and the inside of Saggio's).

Their social consciousness includes the food and packaging. Signs attesting to the Certifiedly Humane source for the chicken recently appeared near the door at the Golden Pride locations. A couple of days ago I got a burrito and noticed the bag.

Sustainable Forestry Initiative

While all the above is well and good, there's more. Over 20 years ago a woman three blocks over who ran a used bookstore was gonna have to close when her rent went up. I happened to be on the Central Avenue Business Development Committee at the time so was privy to the action. The Frontier folks  offered her, at a reduced rate, a building they owned a few doors down from the restaurant. She's still there.

There's a rumor the two head cooks, who've been there for decades, are paid somewhere over $100k/year.


They were a couple. I haven't seen the woman in several years, but she used to stand at the pickup counter (where you get your food when it's ready) and give a rose to everyone on Valentine's and Mothers' Days. The man still works behind the counter...alongside all the others.

The food is excellent and reasonably priced. It's the hub of The Universe and in spite of all my disparaging remarks about the town, it sets the standard for quality and kindness and what I like to think all of us, at this time of year aspire to.

M E R R Y     C H R I S T M A S

Redeeming Qualities - Albuquerque

When we had a national show of feminist art several of the artists flew to Albuquerque for the reception. One is now Associate Director of an art museum, another was then (still is) a V.P. at Paramount Pictures. As we discussed  places to dine, I asked if they wanted ambiance or good food. Good food was the easy winner.

That was years ago, but then as now  The Frontier, on Central Avenue (2400 Central SE 87106) across from the University of New Mexico serves some of the finest and, subsequently, is, as it has been over the decades, still the hub of the universe for artists of all types, politicians, and, of course, students. Their roasted green chili is the best in town (available for take-home in 8 and 16 oz containers) and their fresh-squeezed orange and/or grapefruit juices are non-pareil. The steak dinner competes with any you'll find elsewhere and their enchilada plate and huevos rancheros set the standard for the rest of the nation.

Another restaurant that helps redeem the town is The Kasbah. Tucked a few feet back from Central Ave on the East side of Monroe, it's easy to miss. Dad cooks and at least one of the daughters waitresses. They're from Tunisia so you're getting the real thing. Awesome doesn't begin to describe the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Two others are: Los Cuates -- we frequent the Lomas or Menaul Blvd locations -- and a new vegetarian place that is, like the above,  outstanding...An Hy Quan Vegetarian at 1404 Juan Tabo NE. Hy Quan is the proprietor's mother's maiden name. She is the chef.

Once you're taken the tram to the top of the Sandias and seen The River, you'd do well to mosey on. The place is rife with criminals and other than the Guild Cinema, there's so little culture it's not worth the risks.

So why, you may ask, do I go there at all? I return to paint the pickets in the fence of an LTR; I leave as soon as possible.