La Posada, Winslow, AZ

Night 1 – La Posada, Winslow, AZ (bjg)

I’ve already broken my sunglasses and lost 2 pairs of reading glasses. But a hotel stop helping to buoy the spirits.

An old railroad hotel, a Harvey House, has been restored and is back in business as part historic hotel and part museum/art gallery. Not exactly deluxe (nor was the price) , but very nicely done. Elegantly rustic.

The winning civilized touches were a large bottle of Pert shampoo in bathroom to use at will, and bookshelves in the bedroom, well stocked – from Foreign Affairs Magazine thru The Life of Pi and Al Franken to Tom Clancy and everything in-between.

We sipped margaritas while sitting on the platform by the RR tracks, counting Maersk freight cars and imagining life on the rails. Thank you Warren Buffett.

There were signs everywhere prohibiting the bringing of one’s own snacks – but in waiting for our late dinner reservation, we were feeling peckish…..so raided La Donna’s pantry and wine cellar…. and surreptitiously snacked while playing dominos.

Food Review

Dinner was “fancy food “ very good but a little precious. The chef uses local ingredients (doesn’t everyone claim to?)

Tapas were 4 bite-size nibbles –a spoonful of gazpacho, sardine caponata -like thing on toast and a green thing and a saffron laden shrimp.

We passed up a churro Lamb (Navajo) for antelope tenderloin… we will learn someday that the exotic does not necessarily mean tasty – a bit dry and tasteless , at least the demi-glace was interesting….bacon fat, jalapeno – and the wild rice was cooked with generous amount of sage, a charred squash slice alongside.

Our other entrée was a seafood paella – not exactly local ingredients, but I could smell the saffron when I entered the dining room and would consider nothing else. They had used shrimp shell broth which gave it a strong iodine taste…too strong. And mixed with a generous saffron dose, it had a vague medicinal taste that and got overwhelming.

Chocolate covered Strawberries around a mound of whipped cream and almond slices.

And a Madonnella to watch over all.