New Mexico Underground

During preparations for our trip to London, it occurred to me that New Mexico could really expand public rail transportation, now that the Railrunner Express is running between Los Lunas, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe. For just a few billion more dollars, we could build an underground rail system to connect many of the smaller towns and villages to Santa Fe, the state capitol.

While engineers are working on the easy part (the tube map), I've already developed signage for some parts of the system (shown below). When I return from London, I'll try to set up a meeting with Governor Richardson, who made the current rail system (fabulous but limited) a reality.



If this plan doesn't fly, we can go to Plan B: put tube signs in all towns so it looks like we have an underground rail system. That will encourage people to visit when they see photos or tourism ads that include tube signs. T-shirt and coffee mug sales should cover the cost of the signs.

It's up to you Uxbridge, UK!

(to the tune of New York, New York)
These Santa Fe blues, are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it - in old Uxbridge
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you Uxbridge, UK!

A very famous local song that was modified and ripped off years ago by Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, and others. You'd never get away with that kind of plagiarism again in this Internet age.

But to the point, Robin and I leave for London Saturday afternoon. We'll make our way to West London and Brunel University (one mile from Uxbridge) where Robin has been accepted and will be working on a Masters degree.

Even more to the point, I'll be blogging as often as possible, depending on how many pubs are within walking distance of the campus. I'm not a big drinker, but I like pub food. And ya gotta wash down pub food with something. Preferably something that commemorates your visit to England. Oh yeah.

As you can see from the image below, Uxbridge is a tube stop (the last one to the west of London) on the London Underground system, so we'll be using it for getting around, along with the spiffy buses that have Wi-Fi connections and leave every 10 minutes for London, 24/7.

If a blog doesn't appear as often as it should, we're OK, just having too much fun.

Blog you soon,
John and Robin

Secrets of the Masters, with Craig Srebnik

While in a local art supply store (Artisan Santa Fe) a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a schedule of "art talks" posted near the check-out counter. I decided to try the one called "Secrets of the Masters." I didn't recognize the name of the presenter, but that doesn't mean much since I'm not very familiar with the traditional painting world.

Although tempted to cancel at the last minute, I went and was treated to a fantastic presentation by a fabulous artist, Craig Srebnik. Craig has moved his studio and painting school from Boston to Santa Fe. When his studio opens in June, it will offer fee-based 3-hour night classes (10-week sessions) and free studio talks on Sundays. If you want to attend one class instead of the 10-week session, there's a separate price for that.

Craig is inspiring, knowledgeable, and a fabulous painter. During the 2-hour demo, he started with a blank canvas and transformed it to the portrait study shown below. And at least half of the time he was talking instead of painting. I'm not sure if I love him or hate him.

See more of his work at csfineart.com

Chocolate pie & Hamlet

Harry's Roadhouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has a pretty good reputation for great desserts. However, four out of five times that I order their chocolate pie, the chocolate filling is just a small fraction of the pie. One time I put in a special order for an entire pie, waited days for it, then took it home and discovered it was 90% whipped cream topping.

OK, I'll grudgingly admit that they've probably added a week or two to my life by not giving me as much chocolate as I want, but, to paraphrase Hamlet:

How weary, flat, and unprofitable
Seems to me this chocolate pie of Harry's!
Fie on't! ah, fie! Fie on thee chocolate pie,
That it should come to this!

Return to Santa Fe from Cornville

Friday, February 27. We departed Cornville and made our way back to Santa Fe. There's a Stop sign a couple of blocks from the rental house in Cornville, and another Stop sign twenty minutes away where Cornville Road joins Interstate 17 (the highway to Flagstaff). After that, there's not a Stop sign, Yield sign, or traffic light until we get .8 miles from our house (that pesky Stop sign at the dead end of St. Francis Drive).

We arrived 8 hours after leaving Cornville. However, we did stop a couple of times -- for gas, for a Route 66 dining experience, and for photos, below.

Sedona area and the Grand Canyon -- a pretty dang nice, easy trip.


The Cholla Power Plant (coal powered) between Joseph City and Holbrook, Arizona. If it weren't for the steam, there wouldn't be any scenery at all. On second thought, this area is fabulously scenic compared to driving across Texas. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.


We took the Holbrook exit, looking for a late breakfast, and found the famous Wigwam Motel, on Hopi Street.


I'm guessing it would be fun to stay here one night. Maybe "fun" is a careless choice of words. How about "interesting"? Maybe even "horrible"? Looks like some guests checked in and never checked out.


We decided to go for a real Route 66 experience and pulled the SwanMobile up to Joe & Aggies Cafe. For truckers who are lost, there's a map painted on the side of the cafe showing how to get from Chicago to Los Angeles.


Robin enters the historic Joe & Aggies Cafe.


The historic interior. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Thank goodness.


The good news is, we didn't get sick. The food was really OK. It just would have tasted better if we hadn't seen the cook enter and leave the restroom (and knowing that the restroom didn't have soap or paper towels). But hey, that's the price you sometimes pay to eat at a place with signage this cool.


Our last stop before getting home was for gas at the Route 66 Casino, about twenty miles west of Albuquerque. It's a nice place. The diner was empty, but it looked nice. The casino looks pretty cool, but we were in a hurry and didn't go in. I'd rate it as first-class if they didn't leave arrows laying all over the place.

Red Rock State Park, Kurt’s Mainstreet Grill, and the Javelina Leap Winery

After a slow, lazy morning we drove to Sedona. Stopped at Red Rock State Park on the way. Grabbed some photos there, then continued on to Sedona.


Rock formation in Red Rock State Park.


Robin takes a photo of Louise.


The drive into Sedona.


Entering uptown Sedona.

A couple of days ago, our Grand Canyon tour bus driver had recommended a new Sedona restaurant named Kurt's Mainstreet Grill. We decided to try it, and I give it a rating of 9 (out of ten) javelinas. Delicious and huge servings.

If you're in Schnebly -- I mean Sedona (see the "A Grand day" blog, 2/24/09) -- put Kurt's on your dining places list. It's on the south side of 89A, next door to the Super 8 Motel.


Look for this sign if you're hungry.

On the way back to Cornville we stopped at the Javelina Leap winery for a wine tasting. According to the server in the tasting room, the same guy that started Stagg's Leap and Frog's Leap wineries in Napa Valley also started the Javelina Leap winery here.


It's not Napa Valley, but has a charm all its own. I suppose.

Since John McCain's ranch is somewhere here in Cornville, I'd like to see a Republican Leap wine. Speaking of being in Republican country, the TV here shows a lot more Republican-biased, Democrat-bashing TV commercials than we see in Santa Fe. I hope it doesn't start to brain wash me. Oh, gotta run. It's almost time for Hannity and O'Reilly.

Yet another Zoomify Grand Canyon panorama

Click the photo. Drag in the Zoomify window that opens, or use the controls that appear below the Zoomify window.