Nine 75 North: Not your Mama's Meatloaf

I am a fine dining aficionado so this blog will contain restaurant reviews. I tend to rate restaurants based on their service, ambience, appetizer, entree, wine, dessert, and coffee. It is rare that a restaurant does well in all these categories and their score can be dependent upon selections. Nine 75 North is only one of two places in the last two years that managed to score a 100 in all these areas. The other was the Charles Court in the Broadmoore hotel in Colorado Springs but that is another review.

Nine 75 North is located in Westminster of all places. Westminster is not known for its dining options, so the discovery of this restaurant was a delightful surprise. It is a new building with a tan rock interior covered in oil paintings of rock stars. The booths are black and contain a unique lumbar support pillow that all restaurants should adopt immediately. The human body is not formed into a right angle even if our chiropractors and pilates instructions tell us it is possible. The other cool feature of the ambience was the curved glasses on the tables and the strawberry cucumber water in them. It is nice to see a restaurant that did not buy their glassware from an antiques road show reject auction. The bar is in the middle of the restaurant and there are windows running 280 degrees around the outside. Some contain distant views of the mountains, flatirons and accompanying sunset.

I ordered the chipotle lobster tacos for an appetizer. These were dollhouse miniature perfect tacos three to a plate with about two bites per taco. They sat on dollops of guacamole and were refreshingly fun to munch. Next came the meatloaf. Being more of a food snob, I can truthfully say I have ignored all mention of meatloaf on every menu I have ever seen but this time it caught my eye. It was billed as containing both ground sirloin and pork with crispy onions. I decided to step out of character and take a chance. I was not disappointed. The meat was not a pre-fab slab but had a random shape that was far more appealing. The mashed potatoes had a nice bite to them and the onions were not greasy. I rounded out the evening with the Nine 75 twinkie cake which despite its name was a moist pound cake layered with butter frosting and rolled then covered in a Grand Marnier whipped cream sitting on some drizzled carmel sauce. The coffee was illy coffee and it was great. I am not a coffee drinker so coffee that does not taste like coffee is right up my alley.

I am looking forward to going back to Nine 75 North to try the osso buco, baja tacos, or miso marinated black cod. Rather than list everything on their menu, visit their Web site. Check back because unlike mega chains, Nine 75 changes their menu periodically.

George Washington

Alexander Hamilton, a founder himself, one remarked that the thought of seeing George Washington naked was unimaginable, so even in his own day Washington was already a myth. Forget the cherry tree but accept the notion that Washington was born fully clothed, with powdered whig, and stoic gaze. Yes of course he was a man, presumably handsome and slave owning but I can't get beyond the life-sized cardboard cut out I almost bought for last years 4th of July party. Washington is frozen in time and although I try to envision him talking to his cabinet during the first Presidency or encouraging the troops at Valley Forge my mind cannot animate his god-like image. This does the man an injustice because if there was ever a profoundly great man it was Washington and the American soul could certainly use a boost of American greatness right about now. To highlight how low the United States has sunk in the mind of the world, note that while in France last month a local asked me where I was from and when I said I was an American he said he would pray for me! I think we have forgotten what it is that makes a great President. Let us remember for a moment our history and dream idealistically of a better future.

During the era of the Founders, political office was meant to be a burden, a service, and only undertaken when personal interest was eliminated. Washington exemplifies this ideal. He resisted every office to which he was appointed and only after agonizing reflection, did he accept them. His voluntary, if not desperate, desire to leave the Presidency after two terms established the precedent that held until FDR and removed forever the very real threat that the United States would devolve into a monarchy. This is truly remarkable given the political environment of the day, but most of us forget that Washington actually gave up power twice. The first time was after the end of the Revolutionary War in which he symbolically handed over his commission to Congress and trotted dramatically home. This act alone prompted George III to remark that Washington was the greatest man who had ever lived. Certainly Napoleon was not so disinterested nor so virtuous.

Washington was no intellectual, a fact that embarrassed him his entire life, but the man knew how to make a decision even if it was politically unpopular. He was adamantly against political parties and perhaps naively assumed there was one direction for the country. He warned against getting embroiled in foreign wars and surrounded himself with great intellectuals. Uniquely perhaps, he actually listened to them.

Would listening to Washington, if such a feat were possible, bust my bubble of adoration? Would he stutter or drool or inappropriately grab a body part. Somehow I doubt it. Everyone who knew Washington was in awe of him. Awe is not a word I tend to use when think of our current crop of politicians. Thinking of George Washington brings to the forefront of my thoughts just how much we have lost since 1776.

Interested in learning more, try "His Excellency: George Washington" by Joseph J. Ellis or "Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different" by Gordon S. Wood

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Eccles Pass

Distance: 9.5 miles RT
Elevation: 9,100 to 11,900 ft
Elevation gain: 2,800ft


Looking north from Eccles Pass
In July I won the lottery with a perfect "chamber of commerce" day in Summit County for a hike up to Eccles Pass. The trail was steep and very rocky right from the start and spends a good deal of time in the trees for the first three miles or so before opening up into wide meadow with peaks all around. The hills were green, the skies were blue and a light breeze blew in from the east. On days like this I pity the tourists who have to spend their vacation dollars to come here. Colorado is a wonderful place to live! Across the meadow, our destination was in view. It looked trivial to ascend to the pass, but after already completing significant elevation gain and distance get to this point, that last bit was steeper than it looked from below. Isn't that true for most things? The reward for that last up was well worth it however. The view over the pass toward the Gore Range is mythical in scope.


Looking up at Eccles Pass from meadow
The valley below is dotted with small tarns and one or two trails disappear into the distance enticing the hiker onward. It is possible to ascend to that valley from Silverthorne or do a shuttle route which could be very appealing. To the right of the valley I could see the route as it ascended through the trees, guarded on both sides by steep walls. The entrance framed the far slopes across from Silverthorne. Every tree on that distant hillside was dead from the bark beetle. The contrast was striking. Here was a pristine view and there, inscribed in Dante's prose, was the gate to a more hellish Colorado. I wonder how long it will take for every beautiful spot is consumed by the rust colored hues of death by Nature's unrelenting petulance? I stayed on the pass for an hour or so before commencing the grueling trek down. Why is it that the last two miles of a long hike seem so long? This is where a nice trail refuge with some refreshing snacks would have really boosted the spirits.

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