Post by Dennis on Oct 14, 2009 15:10:29 GMT -8
Having returned from four days of vacation in Durango, Colorado, this past Sunday, I have given some thought to eating habits while away from home. The first thing that comes to mind is that when staying in a hotel that was built in 1889, the current owners decided not to install those small refrigerators that you find in today's modern hotel rooms. (This is in keeping with their successful attempt to mostly maintain the hotel in its original condition, the ubiquitous television set notwithstanding.) Not having a fridge or even a pantry removes the sources of most of my between-meals snacking, and I found my eating habits much improved out of necessity.
The Strater Hotel does match modern establishments in providing a free breakfast bar for its residents, and the choices (sadly) match the quality and quantity current in said establishments. The bright side is that I found I ate less than I would have in any modern restaurant, where I find that I get too much food for the too much money they charge.
Lunch for my wife and I was...well, the first lunch time we had (Friday) found us at Mesa Verde National Park, exploring ancient cliff dwellings, driving along canyon roads and seeing many more cliff dwellings in ever more spectacular settings, and walking through an extensive museum that admits it has more questions than answers about the builders of those cliff dwellings. Short version: We skipped lunch; we were having too much fun! Lunch on the following day proved to be light fare, as we attempted (successfully) to stay within our allotted daily budget.
Supper found us at the dining room/restaurant in the hotel the first two nights, a very enjoyable experience with decor and furniture true to the 1880s and live music in the form of soft piano and guitar favorites. Prices were just this side of steep, and the size of the portions served were a bit on the small and fancy side. Which is a good way to eat smaller portions. We even skipped dessert those first two evenings.
Saturday evening we decided to eat in the saloon, which was located directly below our hotel room. You have not stayed in an authentic 1880s hotel until you have fallen asleep to tunes played on a honky-tonk upright piano by an accomplished piano player in the saloon below! Meals were served from the same kitchen that served the dining room mentioned above, except some of the fancy extras were not included. Prices reduced accordingly. I might mention that the gentlemen at the next table were Buffalo Bill Cody and some desperado named Duster. It seems that Joan and I decided to vacation in Durango the same weekend as their celebration of their Heritage Days. Guests from as far away as Wyoming, Texas, and even the Prescott (Arizona) Victorian Society were in town, in full regalia, to help the locals celebrate. We even had (fake) six-gun shootouts in the streets.
My conclusion, then, is that if you budget your vacation down to how much you will spend each day, including meals, and stick to that budget, you may find your eating habits actually improve. I know ours did.
The Strater Hotel does match modern establishments in providing a free breakfast bar for its residents, and the choices (sadly) match the quality and quantity current in said establishments. The bright side is that I found I ate less than I would have in any modern restaurant, where I find that I get too much food for the too much money they charge.
Lunch for my wife and I was...well, the first lunch time we had (Friday) found us at Mesa Verde National Park, exploring ancient cliff dwellings, driving along canyon roads and seeing many more cliff dwellings in ever more spectacular settings, and walking through an extensive museum that admits it has more questions than answers about the builders of those cliff dwellings. Short version: We skipped lunch; we were having too much fun! Lunch on the following day proved to be light fare, as we attempted (successfully) to stay within our allotted daily budget.
Supper found us at the dining room/restaurant in the hotel the first two nights, a very enjoyable experience with decor and furniture true to the 1880s and live music in the form of soft piano and guitar favorites. Prices were just this side of steep, and the size of the portions served were a bit on the small and fancy side. Which is a good way to eat smaller portions. We even skipped dessert those first two evenings.
Saturday evening we decided to eat in the saloon, which was located directly below our hotel room. You have not stayed in an authentic 1880s hotel until you have fallen asleep to tunes played on a honky-tonk upright piano by an accomplished piano player in the saloon below! Meals were served from the same kitchen that served the dining room mentioned above, except some of the fancy extras were not included. Prices reduced accordingly. I might mention that the gentlemen at the next table were Buffalo Bill Cody and some desperado named Duster. It seems that Joan and I decided to vacation in Durango the same weekend as their celebration of their Heritage Days. Guests from as far away as Wyoming, Texas, and even the Prescott (Arizona) Victorian Society were in town, in full regalia, to help the locals celebrate. We even had (fake) six-gun shootouts in the streets.
My conclusion, then, is that if you budget your vacation down to how much you will spend each day, including meals, and stick to that budget, you may find your eating habits actually improve. I know ours did.