Restaurant review - Whitewater Bar & Grill, Canon City CO

I've decided my blog needs to have a restaurant review!  When we moved to this tiny little town, we knew there was a Chili's, McDonalds (etc) and the Belvedere.  But little did we know what other fantastic places there were...and I think others who are traveling through need to know so they can stop and enjoy!!!

Now just look at this.  OK, look at the regular sized 16oz plastic cup and that will give you an idea how large the plate is!!!  This is a "Texas baked potato".  Cheese and brisket.  I've ordered it on 3 occasions and each time, I've taken home enough leftovers for 3 more full meals!!!  And if I recall, it is $9.99.  And it tastes great.  I mean, this is really good food!!!  Thats a side of baked beans - just toss them on top the potato for an even better meal!!!

Fun decor inside.  From the highway, you wouldn't guess it's this big.  There are big screen tvs on the other wall and you can spend hours looking to see if your photo is up there.  

A gazebo out back.  My personal preference is to eat on the back deck - which I didn't photo.

things for the kids to do

Volleyball courts

and you can actually make this an all day affair - you can river raft, zip line, eat, drink, and most weekends, there's a pretty good band playing in the evenings.  I don't like loud bands, but this place has the bandstand out back, so if you eat on the back deck, the sound isn't bad at all!!

but you have to go inside to find all the hidden treasures as it just doesn't look like much from the highway.

but the view looking west is spectacular, some of the best sunsets ever.  Back in the early 1970s, I lived in a tiny little house up on the top here that's now yet another river rafting business.  I really did love living up here!

You can't miss the sign or the place, about 8 miles west of Canon City on highway 50.  On the north side of the road before you get to the turn off to the Royal Gorge.  There's a helicopter ride place just before it if you're up to that!

Kerry and I were laughing because of the marketing genius of this place. All they need to do is to have a campground and they would keep you for a week.  Then we saw a brochure on the table where they offer overnight stays at 3 local homes.  I guess they have thought of everything!!!

So, if you head west and you want good food for your money, this would be my top spot in Canon City.  In the weeks to come I'll be blogging other great places we've found.  Hope you will give them a try!

Good food!

I do like to eat! But I also like a place that has good service along with good food. So here's one more review for San Diego - off the beaten path, out in Santee, a place called "The Omelette Factory"



Yep, it's breakfast all the time and ask for Barb when you go in! This is Barb and I tell you, she is the best waitress ever. And she is a scrapbooker! LOL!



Leave it to me to find a waitress who scraps! I've been visiting the omelette factory for at least 15 years now, maybe more. Went there when I lived there and have been going back every trip out. They must be doing something right to keep customers that long!



Nope, I don't eat the omelettes! I order scrambled eggs, bacon, country potatoes and flour tortillas and make the best breakfast burritos ever! I was just there Monday morning and I'm hungry for it again! Well, now you know where you can find me next month when I come back out!

7941 Mission Goge Rd, Santee CA 92071 619-596-9686. No reservations needed!

Ranger Ink and me

Someone asked me why I had not done a review of Ranger's Ink. I said, "I don't have to...I love it so much, I wrote a poem about it

I love Ranger Ink

It's in my hair and on my clothes
In my shoes and on my nose
My husband thinks I'm the color of cream
So why does it shock him I appear to be green?
It's in my fingers, up under my nails
It's on my toes and the stairway rails
I dream in colors, bright and bold
My pillow cases have all turned gold
It's everywhere I look, it's all that I see
Ranger Ink...it's all over me!!!



This started as a sheet of white glossy cardstock. A black and white photo. A stamp done with black ink on white paper. And some printing on white printer paper.

ALL of the color is Ranger. WOW!!!! Who needs a review on a product this fantastic? You don't review it...you just write poetry about it!!!

Under the photo of my sister, Colleen, it says: "Now age 54, Colleen still has this very same smile, and she still loves elephants! The self that she has created is my best friend, my confidant, my inspiration, and through all these years, my sis has helped create the woman I am today."

And yes, any time I use this much ink on something, I really do end up with it all over me. But I don't mind at all...it's just so much fun!

One must eat in order to create!

I don't know about you, but eating has always been a big part of my life! Usually 3 meals every day. Once in awhile, though, I get so involved in what I'm doing that I forget to eat. But trust me, one look at me and you will know that's a rare day! LOL! We need to feed our bodies and our brains fuel so we can be the artists that we are.

Not too long ago, Kerry and I wandered into a neighborhood bistro. Nestled in between the local liquor store and a cigar shop (can I say gorgeous cigar boxes for just $2.00 each? Makes my day!) A little Italian bistro named Zamparelli's. Now, we are usually pretty quiet people when we go somewhere to eat....just order, eat and leave. But from the first moment, we absolutely fell in love with this place. And we started going back almost once a week (ok, we do love to eat out!) We are by no means on a first name basis with the owners, but they often chat with us...I think because they see us so much! I heard from the cigar shop that they were a couple of 5 star chefs who lived in New York City and wanted to "get out of town". I had to laugh. Lafayette, Colorado......slightly "out of town"!!!

Tonight, we had the BBQ pizza that doesn't have any red sauce on it, but a very sweet BBQ sauce and red onions. Oh my gosh...just divine. But then Kerry reminded me that it could be the Blood Orangecello Cosmos (yes! that is plural!) that made the pizza taste so dang good! Oh! ha! I swear...I have found a new drink....it just goes down so smooth but I do have a "2 drink limit" on this one. How do I know it's time to stop? My entire nose, cheeks and mouth go numb and my toes want to curl! LOLOL!!! I seriously do not drink....but I may have to change that statement after tonight! By the way, they make their own Blood Orangecello on site!

If you live anywhere in Colorado or Wyoming, you must stop in....at Hwy 42 and Arapahoe Road in Boulder County. Just tell them JLo sent ya and they will look at you like you are insane! Be sure to try the cheesey garlic bread with marinara sauce. The garlic soup is great as a dip for their bread. Oh, I do love their meatball sandwich and on occasion will just buy the rolls to bring home. I am not a fan of ricotta cheese at all, but they made me a calzone with just mozzarella, chicken and ham...oh! just to die for!!! I dare you to eat the whole thing...I just don't think it's possible!

I'm taking all 10 gals from my 3rd Thursday group there this month...we'll stop next door and buy cigar boxes to alter and then have a great lunch! If you are ever close by, just call...I'll be more than happy to drop what I'm doing and join you there! Of course, I have to tell you about the cheesecake. Imported from New York City....it's true cheesecake at it's best!

It's a good thing I'm stuffed or I'd have to go back!!! I should be ready to create all day long tomorrow!!! But how fun that we can live right here and experience food from New York City! It really is a small world!