Cornerstone Bakery & Cafe

Now I know there are other places to eat, especially breakfast, but to us.

NAW!

We found the Cornerstone Bakery & Cafe several years ago and it's the only place we'll eat breakfast!

The food is beyond good, it's great. The portions will make you say "I'll need a take out" even before you start eating.

This time, we were in Ruidoso, New Mexico, for five days and ate breakfasts there everyday.

Their Huevos Rancheros....it's the best I've ever eaten, bar none!

Of the four of us, none of us had anything that wasn't equally enjoyable.

       
                             Two of the 4 of us: Kenneth and Carolene Poole

Deserts. Oh my!

I'm one of those "eat desert first, cause you never know what tomorrow brings" and their PIES, are, as the old saying goes....."TO DIE FOR."

Not only is the food great, the staff is friendly, quick, and make you feel like you're part of the family.

                           L-R: Debbie Gomez, Nickie Doth, Steven Gomez

Steven J. Gomez is the owner and his personality fills the room like a sunrise that touches everyone who comes in.

                           Give Steven a call or send him an email. Tell him HI!


If you want to be a "food HERO", when you're in Ruidoso, make sure you go there. You'll thank me and everyone with you will thank you!

They have an excellent variety of coffee, home made bread, coffee cups, tumblers, and don't forget to look at the COOKIES!

The Cookie Monster would love them....believe me! I'm related to the Cookie Monster so I can speak for him.

No, really, I am.

We can't wait till our next trip to Ruidoso and the "CORNERSTONE BAKERY & CAFE!"

It's a 3 Motorcycle and a  5 Star place to eat.

John and Judy Madden
Kenneth and Carolene Poole

Other Places We've Eaten Along the Road

I'm way behind in listing "Places To Eat," due to health challenges. So today is kinda of a make up day for not doing it then.

                                     Houston, Texas:

                                                            Miller's Cafe

Miller's Cafe, 6560 Fannin Street, Scurlock Tower. Very good food (hamburgers and sandwiches), fair price, and great atmosphere. 1-713-791-1717

Cliff's Grill at 6605 S. Main Street, is a small, eatery, with good food and a pleasant atmosphere. We've eaten there several times, when in Houston, and it's always been very enjoyable.

                               Glenrio, New Mexico:

   Russell's Truck

and Travel Center 

                                                              Entrance to Museum


Russell's Endree Truck and Travel Center , 1583 Frontage Road 4132. Glenrio, NM 88434, (I-40 : the old Route 66) is priced right, large servings, and an extremely enjoyable atmosphere (looking at all the trucks above the counter and the museum). Again, we've eaten there several times and the reason we stop is because of the last time we stopped.

Good food, service is great, atmosphere, and it's a good place to catch your breath, so to speak, on a long drive in New Mexico and Texas. 1-575-578-8700

(Eating is an "Individual Sport." Participate with gusto and enjoyment.)

John Madden
2012

The EGG and I

On a recent trip my lovely wife, Judy, and I came across an excellent place to eat. We were looking for a place to have our CD drive checked, in Leander, Texas after visiting with family.

Following Judy's GPS, in her phone, we found the place it told us to go to wasn't there. At least anymore.

We had driven by this unusual place called "Egg and I." It was near lunch time so we decided to check it out.

                                                     

                                                         14005 N Hwy 183, Suite 500
                                                              Austin, Texas 78717
                                                                1-512-250-3447


At first glance the menu seemed a tad pricey. But, hey, we were hungry, it started to rain, and we decided inside was a lot better than outside.

The food was "beyond good, it was GREAT!" The size was awesome.

Just look at that plate. a biscuit with gravy (with sausage in it), two sausage, three eggs, and potatoes. I couldn't eat it all. And that my friend, is very, very unusual. Oh, I also had two pieces of wheat toast and it was the best toast I've EVER had.

Judy had the same and the same problem I had, she couldn't eat it all.

I took a piece of toast and a sausage with me to eat later. It was as good if not better three hours later.

The staff was extremely friendly and service was 5 Star. Our waitress, Jana Creel, was the nicest lady we've had the pleasure to meet in many a meal.

Look at that SMILE....isn't she a beautiful Lady!

I also loved their sign. My mom and grandmother said that many times. As a result, I'd rather eat breakfast three times a day.

We found out their corporate office is in Denver, they're growing slowly, service and quality food are certainly their standard.

"The Egg and I" is a  FIVE STAR  place to eat.

You'll be very happy if you find them and try them.

Kristle Thacker is the General Manager and Abe Mujica is the Kitchen Manager at this "The EGG and I." Be sure to say"Hi" to them and to Jana Creel. Tell them, John Madden's Travel Blog said "HI."

We'll look for them as we travel!

John and Judy Madden

Up and at em! Pow wow photos taken on May 15th

A photo taken by Judy, of my good friend (Kenneth - KP- Poole) and I at
the Comanche Little Ponies Pow Wow, in Lawton, OK, May 7, 2011 in Lawton, OK.

KP is wearing the black baseball cap and there is a young man between us.

We are Gourd Dancers ( http://library.thinkquest.org/3081/gourd.htm )

My first outing since surgery last year.

The black shoulder strap is for a "wound vac" that helps heal from
surgery.

It was a good weekend.

Ahoe,

John

I'm still standing!

Hello from the depths of my Heart,

After a long bout of ill-health I'm back. It's been a long stretch of bad road - but I'm on the mend and ready to get back to blogging.

Life IS GOOD !

John

Las Vegas, NV

My very good friend, Kenneth Poole ( KP ) and I combined a working trip to Las Vegas with a few rounds of golf.

The weather was wonderful, our golf was....well less just say we had a good time.

We also visited one of our favorite places to eat. Hooters.

We figured, this is Las Vegas, the town of beautiful women, showmanship, glamor, top rated shows and if any Hooters would be a showcase Las Vegas was it.



What a joke!

It was in the Hooters hotel/casino all the way back in the corner.

You know those white tops the ladies wear, how bright they are, how nice all the ladies look and how the ladies flow with confidence? Wrong!

This was not the case at the Las Vegas Hooters. The white tops were dingy, I mean it looked like they needed to be washed in bleach more than once. The ladies looked like they needed to get their hair washed and the "make over" class had been missed.

It was nothing like we've seen in all other Hooters.

The majority of the crowd, yes we know we were a part of it, looked like they had just got out of detention. Where were the yuppies, bikers, college students, and families? Had we walked into a "twilight zone" and not know it?

The food was okay but not like we're use to.

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest....we give Las Vegas Hooters a 3,5.

Okay, enough about the lack of Hooters grandeur.

We played two "links" courses. That was a first for me and while I only have these two under my belt, they're not my favorite gold course. I like seeing a fairway, grass, green if in season, some idea of where the green is other than....over that way somewhere.

The first one was the Callaway Golf Center at 6730 Las Vegas Boulevard South.



Their web site shows this beautiful tree lined, grassy fairways and sand traps. We didn't see it....no beautiful trees or grassy fairways. It's an interesting 9 hole links course. The club house is great with a golf shop, friendly restaurant and bar.

The carts are gasoline powered and the course is well laid out. It's well laid out, a championship par 3 course, nine hole with holes from 110 to 185 yards.

We rented clubs, for $20 I think, cart for $10, round of golf $19 and off we went.

I had a brain freeze that day and forgot to take my camera. How in the world does a professional photographer forget to take his camera with him?

The staff was great, very helpful and we'd go back in a heart beat.

Next we had two days at the Revere Golf Club, 2600 Hampton Road, Henderson, Nevada.

It's a 36 hole course that will challenge you, delight you, and bring out all your golf emotions. It's a blend of fairways, desert, lots of sand traps, rocks, rolling hills, rolling greens and staffed by some of the nicest people you'll meet.

Club rental was $65 and that covered both days. Don't remember the cost for a round or the cart, but they were much higher Calaway.

The view of Las Vegas and surrounding area was awesome and worth the trip itself.







KP doing his best.



This is another course we'd go back to just given the chance.

Golf is a new experience for me. It's a long time passion for KP and together we kid, encourage, torment, and have fun.

John Madden

McBride's Steak House

If I'm in Wichita Falls, Texas, have any time, this is my place to eat. The steaks are truly mouth watering, tender and a meal you'll remember.

The menu is small, service is great, price is right, parking can be a problem, it's a quiet, family and friends type of restaurant.

I take anyone who is with me there and they are always thankful. They always want to go back!

The photo above is a pencil drawing near the cashier....check it out. It shows how the early Native Americans referred to the area, the water and their enjoyment of it.

PS...they have mints at the cashier that don't cost anything and for some reason they always taste better than anywhere else I get them.

John Madden

I rate it as high as I can!

Mamma Mia!

We have season tickets to the Broadway shows that come to Amarillo, Texas and this was one of the very best.

For me going to shows started in college, at Eastern New Mexico University, in Portales, New Mexico.

Every since then I've enjoyed plays, concerts, live entertainment (including ballet...Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov...folks these men were as atheletic as anyone I've ever seen on any field of sports) and seeing people dedicated to their dream and craft.

We, Judy, KP, Carolene and I saw the movie. It was outstanding.

The play was just as outstanding in a new and extremely entertaining way.

See if you can get in on season tickets of or for plays, concerts or any entertainment. The arts are called "arts" reason.

Artists are working at the art they love.

John Madden

Larry The Cable Guy

KP (Kenneth Poole) and I went to see his Hero....Larry The Cable Guy.

I'll admit I wasn't looking forward to this that much. Even thought it was my idea when I saw he was going to be in Amarillo.

KP is not only a good friend, but we enjoy doing things together. After talking to his wife, Carolene, I got the tickets and began wondering what had I got myself into?

We had floor seats, not bad at all. However the seating gang at the Amarillo Civic Center did not have their stuff together, as to where what seat was...with reference to where seat number 1 was and number 18 was.

We were seated at one end, told we should be on the other end. Moved, only to be told, we were told wrong and that we'd have to move.

Come on folks....let's get our stuff together, okay?

The show was great! Yes, I was surprised and really enjoyed myself.

Two couples (they were not what one might think of as "redneck" by any means) in front of us were as much fun as the concert. The two ladies laughed more than their men.

I became a Larry The Cable Guy fan, bought the hat, the CD and look forward to next time.

If you want to be entertained (disclaimer: some language will hit you as foul...it is...deal with it or don't go!)

This guy is FUNNY....

John Madden

The Gatlin Brothers

A blast from the past. It has been years since the Gatlin Brothers music was out and about, so to speak.

They were in Amarillo recently and our group (Kenneth and Carolene Poole, Judy and I) got to see them.

Larry is an ENTERTAINER! He interacts with the crowd, jokes with his brothers, in a humorous way draws attention to anyone coming in late, laughs, talks about his past challenges and thanks those who encouraged and helped him along the road and makes it an evening you'll remember for a long time.

His brothers are great, they're full of fun, humor and musical talent.

Their show is full of gray headed, super intelligent, appreciative, sing-a-long fans who can be heard saying, as they leave the show "money well spent."

Do yourself a favor, check them out if you get the opportunity. You'll be glad you did.

John Madden

Coyote Bluff Cafe, Amarillo, Texas

Located at 2417 S. Grand St., Amarillo, Texas 79103, (806)373-4640.

Tuesday - Saturday

11:00 AM - 2:30 PM

5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Food: American (Traditional)

No credit cards.

Casual dress

Alcohol: Beer and wine only

No reservations.

Price range: good

We came across this via a gentleman who told KP (good friend Kenneth Poole) it was recommended to him by a local hotel.

We decided to give it a try on our Wednesday night "Hamburger night" (not always a hamburger, but a good excuse to eat out).

The service was good to very entertaining. We enjoy being waited on by someone with a sense of humor. It's well and alive here!

Food was well worth the drive across town.

It's not fanciest place you'll ever go to but it's one of the neatest, has a great atmosphere, not a lot of room, but people line up to get in.

Give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

John Madden

Gabriel's north of Santa Fe, New Mexico

* Atmosphere

* Good food: food of the Southwest and Old Mexico

* Great service

* Tableside guacamole : made right in front of you.

* Ease of access: exit 176, Hwy 84/285

LINK

* Five miles north of the Santa Fe Opera

Every time we're in the area, we go here to eat. The food is great and we love watching them make the guacamole at our table. Unlike so many restaurants, they give you enough for four people to eat and not have to worry about everyone having enough.

The chips, which is an important part of a mea are fresh, crispy and never ending.

The atmosphere is casual to as formal as you want. We're seen people in tux, cowboy, hippie, slacks to t-shirts and shorts.

The service is very good and right at your elbow when you want a refill.

There is an art studio next to the restaurant, but we've never been there early enough to go in. It's on our list of things to do.

If you want an pleasant evening, good food, good service and an enjoyable atmosphere this is your place.

Gabriel's is a four motorcycle hands down.

John Madden

Landmark Grill at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, NM

This is a must.

We were told there was an hour and a half wait. It was only fifteen minutes.

The wait is after you're seated, a waiter/waitress appears, you see a menu, order food, watch other people (we love watching people) and then get food.

That's the 90 minute wait!

The food is well worth the wait.

Our waitress, Stacy, was also well worth the wait. She was friendly, outgoing, funny, and has a personality that lights up a room.

She's a student at New Mexico Highlands University, in Las Vegas। She's also a member of MARIACHI VAQUEROS de la SIERRA that performs at many functions.

The evening was well worth the drive from Pendaries (check blog for eating experience at the Lodge)!

Per a quote from their website:

"Unparalleled in service and delicious food, the Plaza’s own Landmark Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week in an elegant yet casual Victorian dining room. The Grill specializes in charcoal-broiled steaks and chops, New Mexican, and the occasional alligator on the menu!"

To eat here is for the eating experience, food quality, good service as well as atmosphere. It's not fast food by any means. It's quality with a touch of lace boarded by Old West History.

We were not interested in the alligator. The steaks were mouth watering as was everything else.

The price is a little on the high side, but all things considered, it's not bad. Even for a couple of tight wads like KP and I.

It's an evening out, not just a meal and a four motorcycle rating.

John Madden

Pendaries Golf Course

Pendaries is a beautiful course!

The course is open from April 15 to October 15. Mark your calendar, check out your GPS, head to Pendaries for clean, fresh mountain air and outstanding golf.

It's at 7,500 feet, 6,080 yard from championship tees and 5,060 yards from the forward tees.

This is a great outdoor experience!

All around you are trees (ponderosa pine, aspen and others) cheering for you to have a great round of golf.

The staff is friendly, a fully stocked Golf Shop, snack bar, a modern fleet of golf carts, the view is inspiriting, course is challenging, homes in and around the course are spectacular, view of the mountains is limited to a few holes, view of the sky is everywhere and a bad day here is better than most great days elsewhere.

Deer are part of the gallery. Deal with it. You'll enjoy their comments.

Like water, you'll not only see it but be challenged by it.

Homes to wish for add to the glamor of the course.











Makes me wonder if God plays this course.


My very good friend and the man responsible for me taking up this game....Kenneth Poole.

Thank KP and looking forward to many more rounds of golf at Pendaries.

John Madden

Hermitage Golf Course, Nashville, Tennessee

My second golf outing while in the south was at the Hermitage Golf Course

Our youngest son, Shane, and I got lucky and on the day we had a tee time the rain stopped.

The humidty was so thick it looked like fog। "Pops, when it heats up it'll burn of" Shane told me.

The course is so beautiful, lots of trees, sand traps, water opportunities, more green grass than all of Amarillo, Texas, but very little breeze. A little breeze would have been welcomed, to say nothing that a wind of 10 or more miles per hour would have helped.

My past experience with heat and humidity was heat caused humidity to acellerate, not burn off.

After five plus hours and 12 holes it had burnt off so much we gave up and went to look for air conditioning, something cold, with lots of ice, shade, no heat and no humidity.

By the time we agreed to call it quits I looked like a drowned Grandpa.

The course is extremely beautiful and challenging. Which I don't need at this point in my attempt to learn the game of golf. I'm enough of a challenge to contend with.

So much water (trying to figure out how to pipe it to West Texas without it costing anything - water seems to have a magnetic pull on my golf balls), lots of sand opportunities, trees with targets on them and enough grass to cover all the yards in Amarillo.

The staff was great, especially the three Southern Gentlemen who prepared and took care of the carts.

We had a great conversation with them.

Two had severed in the Air Force (our Dad spent over twenty years in the Air Force, which makes my brother, Lynn, sister, Candy, and I AFB's - Air Force Brats).

We are proud of that honor.

The other gentleman wished he had been physically able to serve। He works with prison ministries.

That threesome show up as "Assets" to everyone they come in contact with.

Thank you gentlemen for making our Pops and Son golf outing an even greater experience.

John Madden