News
ENLARGE
After spending about four years in western Colorado the time has come to move on and, in the process leave some things behind that became local favorites to me. Things I shall miss, so to speak.
There was a time when nothing would have made the list. But things change, and the list grew during the course of my years in the area as I found places that appealed to me for a variety of reasons — some more obvious than others.
The list is dominated by brewpubs and drinking establishments. That should not surprise those people closest to me. But, there is also an entry noted simply because of its impact on my family.
• No. 12: 1533. That is the not-so-secret store number for Safeway at Patterson and 29 roads in Grand Junction. It was also the first grocery store I shopped at after arriving in town, and the place where I unknowingly bought 3.2 beers. Here's to some of the crew — Brian, Chris, Cynthia, Jess, Joe, Mark, Marlene and Sam.
• No. 11: The Blue Moon Bar & Grill on Seventh Street in downtown Grand Junction. The Blue Moon made the list for a number of reasons, chief of which because it features Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap and a terrific happy hour.
• No. 10: The Breckenridge Ale House on 12th Street in Grand Junction. The place, or should I say the beer, inspired me to visit the main headquarters in Breckenridge.
• No. 09: Los Jilbertos on North Avenue in Grand Junction. The Mexican restaurant, more affectionately known as “LJs,” corralled more of my dollars than any other eatery in town, largely because of my affinity for its carne asada burritos.
• No. 08: Lincoln Park driving range on Gunnison Avenue in Grand Junction. It is tough to pinpoint how many hours I spent hitting golf balls at the range, and it is equally difficult to gauge whether it helped. But, it was fun.
• No. 07: Grand Junction Regional Airport. I spent almost as much time at the airport trying to dig up stories as I did hitting golf balls at the driving range. I was somewhat successful on the story side with much thanks to Rex, Amy and Eddie.
• No. 06: Grand Junction Free Press. The paper just missed the top five, but it did make the list. Best wishes to the crew at Fourth Street and Rood Avenue as well as the gals in Gypsum who helped me out every week — Afton, Malisa and Michelle.
• No. 05: The hospitable nature of the people in the Grand Valley. That extends to Tim Harty for giving me a place to stay when I arrived in town in fall 2006 to Mark Abbott for finding me a home and the Mehmedbasich family for being a fair-minded landlord.
• No. 04: My drinking buddy — Priscilla Mangnall. We wore out happy hour in downtown for many months before wrapping things up with a sweet going away dinner at her home last weekend. Thanks for the steaks and beer.
• No. 03: The folks at St. Mary's Hospital with special mention to Dr. James Narrod and his crew for taking care of business.
• No. 02: Fatso, Pluckey and Codo. Should they read this they shall probably express alarm at the ranking, but they are likely to understand given my top pick.
• No. 01: Smuggler's Brew Pub on U.S. Highway 6 & 50 in Grand Junction. The beer, which is brewed and trucked in from its main pub in Telluride, is really good. The beer along with the many folks who have worked there, and were good to my family and me are the reasons why I kept coming back. Cheers!
There was a time when nothing would have made the list. But things change, and the list grew during the course of my years in the area as I found places that appealed to me for a variety of reasons — some more obvious than others.
The list is dominated by brewpubs and drinking establishments. That should not surprise those people closest to me. But, there is also an entry noted simply because of its impact on my family.
• No. 12: 1533. That is the not-so-secret store number for Safeway at Patterson and 29 roads in Grand Junction. It was also the first grocery store I shopped at after arriving in town, and the place where I unknowingly bought 3.2 beers. Here's to some of the crew — Brian, Chris, Cynthia, Jess, Joe, Mark, Marlene and Sam.
• No. 11: The Blue Moon Bar & Grill on Seventh Street in downtown Grand Junction. The Blue Moon made the list for a number of reasons, chief of which because it features Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap and a terrific happy hour.
• No. 10: The Breckenridge Ale House on 12th Street in Grand Junction. The place, or should I say the beer, inspired me to visit the main headquarters in Breckenridge.
• No. 09: Los Jilbertos on North Avenue in Grand Junction. The Mexican restaurant, more affectionately known as “LJs,” corralled more of my dollars than any other eatery in town, largely because of my affinity for its carne asada burritos.
• No. 08: Lincoln Park driving range on Gunnison Avenue in Grand Junction. It is tough to pinpoint how many hours I spent hitting golf balls at the range, and it is equally difficult to gauge whether it helped. But, it was fun.
• No. 07: Grand Junction Regional Airport. I spent almost as much time at the airport trying to dig up stories as I did hitting golf balls at the driving range. I was somewhat successful on the story side with much thanks to Rex, Amy and Eddie.
• No. 06: Grand Junction Free Press. The paper just missed the top five, but it did make the list. Best wishes to the crew at Fourth Street and Rood Avenue as well as the gals in Gypsum who helped me out every week — Afton, Malisa and Michelle.
• No. 05: The hospitable nature of the people in the Grand Valley. That extends to Tim Harty for giving me a place to stay when I arrived in town in fall 2006 to Mark Abbott for finding me a home and the Mehmedbasich family for being a fair-minded landlord.
• No. 04: My drinking buddy — Priscilla Mangnall. We wore out happy hour in downtown for many months before wrapping things up with a sweet going away dinner at her home last weekend. Thanks for the steaks and beer.
• No. 03: The folks at St. Mary's Hospital with special mention to Dr. James Narrod and his crew for taking care of business.
• No. 02: Fatso, Pluckey and Codo. Should they read this they shall probably express alarm at the ranking, but they are likely to understand given my top pick.
• No. 01: Smuggler's Brew Pub on U.S. Highway 6 & 50 in Grand Junction. The beer, which is brewed and trucked in from its main pub in Telluride, is really good. The beer along with the many folks who have worked there, and were good to my family and me are the reasons why I kept coming back. Cheers!
