A Celebration - The Greatest Steak Of My Life

 

Song:  Nothing Else Matters Medley

Arranger / Pianist:  Joslin

My life took another leap today...

as it smoothly tracks upwards and forwards once again...

and so...

I just had to celebrate by going to a steak house in Cripple Creek...

not even 20 minutes from home.

I had always wanted to try it...

and on this evening...

try it I did.

Shortly after exiting my mountain ridge road...

there was this small herd of deer crossing the road...

and so...

I stopped to let them cross as I took some photos.

The wildlife is used to people...

and so...

they amble about without a care.

I continued on to the main road on the way to Cripple Creek...

and to Saltgrass Steak House in one of the casinos in town.

The restaurant is at the end of one of the hallways in the casino.

I had never before been here...

but I had heard good things about it.

This was near the restaurant entrance.

As I waited for a seat...

I took some pics inside the rotunda.

I first received some complementary fresh and hot bread with creamy butter...

along with my Raspberry iced tea.

And from my seat in a booth...

I just started taking more photos all around me.

My appetizer arrived...

battered mushrooms with Ranch dipping sauce.

I loved these.

They were just so tasty...

and had arrived quite fresh and hot.

I then had a Caesar salad.

And then my delicious 21 0z Porter House Steak arrived (.60 kilos).

OMG!!!

I had bitten into steak heaven.

It was so juicy and well spiced...

as I chewed...

some of the meat juices actually spurted out my mouth!

There was absolutely no need for any supplementary sauces...

as the steak was so perfectly cooked and just filled with juicy goodness.

You can see the meat juices on the plate.

The outside flame sear added such flavor.

It was the best steak I have ever had in my life.

And...

this restaurant is less than a 20 minute drive from home.

On my way back home...

with a full belly...

with the wind in my hair...

with a song on my lips...

and with a smile on my face.

I was about 10 minutes from home here.

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My life is steadily falling into place...

with even more heavenly things to shortly come.

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I am so full...

so deeply satisfied...

that I am going to bed early...

to just watch some DVDs until I get sleepy.

Life is so sweet...

just so wonderful.

This is how life is supposed to be.

Another Late Night Taco Run

 

Song:  Legend of a Mind

Group:  Moody Blues

As I was relaxing in bed at 8 PM...

I suddenly got a craving for tacos.

I wanted to try another new place...

and so...

I decided to drive to Colorado Springs...

as they had restaurants which didn't close until much later 

than the nearby restaurants to me.

The temperature was in the low 60s F when I left.

On my way to the main road shortly after reaching the main community road...

after just exiting my mountain ridge road.

I was just a few miles down the main road to town when the sun began to set.

I had never before been to Dos Santos.

As it was near the downtown district of Colorado Springs...

I hadn't realized that it is more of a date night place...

as there were a lot of young couples there.

I also hadn't realized that the fire pit area belonged to a different restaurant.

And so...

I had just sat down at one of the tables there...

when one of the waiters from Dos Santos told me that I was in the wrong seating area.

I sat at one of the Dos Santos' outside tables...

since it was warm with a slightly cool breeze on this night.

As I looked at the menu...

I had seen that it was filled with specialty items not normally associated 

with a standard Mexican restaurant.

So...

I ordered a shrimp and avocado appetizer...

...and one shrimp...

one fish...

and three beef tacos.

These had unique sauces and ingredients...

and while they tasted okay...

I like the more traditional Mexican style food much more...

but these had satisfied my craving for the night.

These were more like "Fusion" tacos.

My favorite taco restaurant is still in Cripple Creek...

but it isn't open late.

After finishing my meal...

I saw this late night ice cream shop just across the street.

It still had customers at 10 PM.

I had gotten myself a coffee milk shake...

which was very good...

and I sipped on it on the way home.

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I have a great love of food.

It is one of the great simple pleasures in life...

and one of the adventures to be had in retirement.

To have a great appetite for food...

is to also have a great appetite for life.

Devour both with the voraciousness of a tiger.

It is the only way to live life.