Mother's Day Sunday Brunch

The final surprise of our Mother's Day weekend visit is Mother's Day Brunch at 103 West.

Since it’s a huge buffet, CJ puts three samples of each offering on plates and we each sample one.  He repeats this each time we’re ready for another few courses as we slowly work our way through the menu.  The food is good but not great like the other restaurants in the group; then again, it is a buffet.

 

 

 

When it comes time for desert mother is having none of this have CJ select and fetch desert stuff.  She is suddenly mobile enough to head to the far end of the room and its desert table on Helen power. She returns with her own plate leaving CJ to make another trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After brunch we relax the remainder of the day.

Mother's Day Friday

Following complimentary breakfast in the concierge lounge, we head out or mom's second surprise. First an incline and now a train ride.  We're off on the Missionary Ridge Local which runs from the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum Grand Junction Station through a pre-Civil War tunnel to the restoration yard and turntable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second surprise of the day and third of the weekend is a visit to Gibb's Gardens. On the first visit this year, Daffodil's were the attraction.  This time its roses.  We've missed the azaleas and rhododendrons.

 

 

 

Tis been a long hard day, particularly for someone, 92. We'll figure out dinner at home with a beer.

Mother's Day Saturday

After incline rides, train rides and garden touring today is a day of "rest". Carol gives the interior of the house a good cleaning while CJ works computer issues, washes down the porch, cleans out the garage and axes roots attempting to destroy the garage floor and driveway.

A beer is in order.

Dinner is at Maru Sushi, one of the best sushi restaurants in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. We stopped in on Wednesday and put in a special order with Sonhee. When we arrive, the special tuna nachos are on the menu and two orders make their way to our table.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 Yes sir.  That's mother eating with chopsticks!



Mother's Day Thursday

We've told mom she's going to have a weekend of surprises.  First stop, Lookout Mountain which happens to be located in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

We take the World's Steepest Incline to the top.  Nearly impossible for her to get out of the car since the end is the steepest part. There are three separate pitches on the incline.

 

 

 

 

 

After the incline we drive to the top.  Who knew there as a small town up there; one with very expensive houses and mansions.  There is also the Civil War park and great overlook of Chattanooga.

 

 

Following a tour of the museum for the battles of Chicamunga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, we settle in for the evening at the Marriott.  Their evening fare in the concierge lounge is complimentary and we make the loaded potatoes dinner.

 

 

 



Denver

We arise shortly after Kim and Crystina depart.  It's still dark when we get our final look at the village from our condo.

We bid adieu to Snowmass and begin the trek to Denver International Airport (DIA)

It's a beautiful sunny ride to Denver. Red soiled with green brush hills alternate with brown soil with the bright sun enhancing the beauty. The ride through Glenwood Canyon has to be one of the prettiest in the US.The next time we drive through it in good weather, we mount a Go Pro to the windshield.

Probably owing to the holiday on Monday, the traffic is extremely light for a Saturday. We stop in Frisco for coffee/tea.  It's a picturesque little town.

We elect to check in to our airport hotel and return the rental car. Since last year train service between DIA and Union Station had begun. It was supposed to be $9 per person each way but we get a all-day senior ticket for $4.50 per person.

 

 



We had intended have lunch at Stoic and Genuine but Carol craves a hot dog (this only happens when in Denver) and the power goes out at Union Station/Stoic.  An uni appetizer and Cersei's Revenge made with Naveran Cava, Salerno blood orange liqueur and black pepper and blood orange granita specialty drink passes as the starter course.

 

It's in the sixties in Denver and outdoor dining is preferred on this February winter day.  On the way to our main course this gull-wing stretch BMW pulls up to deliver a bride followed by a stretch Chrysler 300.

 

Carol would like them to turn this building into condos.

Eight blocks away, the main is served up at Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs translated as the best dogs on the planet. Carol has her usual wild boar with apricots, cranberries with cream cheese and caramelized onions. CJ can't choose so selects both and removes as much of the good roll as practical.  He begins with his usual the elk jalapeño cheddar dressed with tomatillo green chili salsa, sriracha lime mayo and smoked bacon bits. His other selection is the special of the day: southwest buffalo glazed with hoisun sauce, tangy mango salsa and sriracha. There just aren't better dogs, ANYWHERE!

 

 

We Uber to Epic Brewing where we find the tap room overrun with millennials and a draft list not to our palate.

The train returns us to DIA where we catch the Marriott shuttle back to the hotel