Basically with this sickness and a recent move I haven't been in the kitchen as much as I'd liked to. Figures, the thing that makes me happy is really hard to do when you feel like death. I did get a little date time with my dear friend Doxey last eve and I decided to take him to a staple in the Townsend family dining world, Gray Cliff Lodge, located up Ogden Canyon.

Rayce (the father) got his start there in his late teens/early twenties so we've known the owners forever. It's a completely charming, yet creepy (haunted I kid you not) place that's basically hidden unless you know where you're going. I don't get out there as often as I used to but it's nice to know they still recognize my face when I do show up.

You know how Olive Garden says 'when you're here, you're family?' Screw that, that's Gray Cliff for me.  So much that Rayce has several haunted stories about "Spargo" the ghost that is known to haunt the attic.  I actually used one of his stories to win an autographed Roswell script. It was magical. I always feel like the ghost is just hanging out, smelling steaks all day. Not a bad life.

Now this place has always reminded me of my favorite movie The Shining. There is just some old vibe to it. It basically used to be a house, still has the layout of one, and it hasn't changed decor in the 30 years I've been visiting. It's kind of great that way.

Another Townsend thing that originated at Gray Cliff is the game we play when ordering. You try to get the waiter or waitress to not have to ask you any follow up questions. So my perfect order went as follows:

Fruit cup (other option, tomato juice), salad, bleu cheese (other option, soup of the day), filet medium rare with steamed vegetables (other option, potato, fries, rice). That's it. I nailed it. So did Doxey, but only because he copied my order.

I legit love how the fruit cup comes with a cracker. It makes it cute.

I like to get my bleu cheese on the side so I can hoard it for the steak. Also, these cinnamon rolls, winning. As Rayce would suggest, get them with a scoop of ice cream.

Now I'm typically a ribeye only gal, but my choices here were New York or Filet. Usually, I go with the New York but I decided to up it and try the bacon-wrapped filet and I'm pretty glad that I did. And I'm also pretty glad I hoarded that bleu cheese.

The dinner comes with dessert so the carrot cake was a must have. It's just so festive.

I'll try my best to cook something this week, depending on how I'm feeling but honestly, even documenting restaurant experiences is something I'm going to do as often as I can.  Sometimes you can just find hidden gems up the canyon.  Well worth the drive.

Basically I have the plague this week so cooking has been kept to a minimum. I've decided to utilize this time to figure out a layout and exactly what I want to do with this blog. So here is hoping some progress comes from my misery. In the meantime, someone please have a glass of wine for me?

*I realize it's Thursday and I'm late. Whatever.

Not to be a cliche, but it's wine Wednesday. NO, I will not do a wine post every Wednesday because that would be lame, but since it's kind of a 'get to know me' time on this blog here, I figure we'll discuss my history (not all of it) with wine.

I started as a young gal appreciating how great White Zinfandel was, probably before I should have. I would sip on the parents if they allowed me to and it was my first purchase as a legal adult. Funny thing is that I wasn't even carded on my 21st birthday as I walked into the downtown Salt Lake City liquor store with one of my boss's who I'm fairly certain the cashier thought was my sugar daddy. I'm still upset about that. I gave up wine basically most of my 20's. I partied with beer and Long Island Iced Teas and such, like you do. I didn't give wine another shot until I was probably 26 or 27 and it was a sweet reisling. It was very, very sweet, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Then I went to a wine party. Then a co-worker, Karie, told me about Malbec.

So, I'd dabbled in reds a little, but really couldn't find one I could connect with. I liked a nice Cabernet, couldn't really do Merlot, Pinot was alright. I did have a thing for House Wine and still do on occasion. But it wasn't until I was told of the lovely Malbec that I really decided it was for me.

Red Rock became a quick favorite. I tend to buy based on label design (if affordable). I have really no other system. I liked the design of this with the cute, red, rock. Somehow it stuck and I got my mother addicted and the rest is history. When cooking, it's my wine of choice. Always.