For those of us ex-Californians in New Mexico needing their fix of an In-In-Out Burger, they will be be able to partake in Albuquerque next year.
One store is slated to open next year and two more are planned for Albuquerque.
Here a video from KOB Channel 4 News:
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| Above, a Blake's Lotaburger in Gallup, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Fast food chains are not created equal. Some are better than others and some are more RV-friendly than others (parking-wise).
RV Travel posted an article on the best regional fast food chains in every state. For New Mexico, Blake's Lotaburger is their pick.
The article begins with:
Sometimes, when you’re on the road and in a hurry, fast food is the only option. But did you know that regional fast food chains often offer better options than the big national chains?
In the video down below by Mashed [5.46M subscribers, 2.16B views], you can see their picks of each state’s best regional fast food chain.
To read more, go here.
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| Above, shorts, flip-flops and deck shoes in a Norwegian Sky restaurant. |
Two years ago, a friend and I took a cruise to the Bahamas aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky. I packed only shorts and no slacks on that cruise.
Aboard ship, we were able to dine in casual attire (shorts, flip-flops and deck shoes) in the ship's restaurants. It appears that Norwegian is changing their restaurant dress code and now is being slammed by its customers.
According to the New York Post:
That ship has sailed.
Norwegian Cruise Line is facing a torrent of backlash after appearing to tighten its once-laid-back dining dress code rules, which some furious travelers declared “idiotic.”
Passengers hoping to dine inside six of the ship’s ritzy restaurants — Palomar, Ocean Blue, Onda, Cagney’s, Le Bistro and Haven — are banned from wearing shorts and flip-flops, according to its policy page.
The popular cruise line, which expects to host 3 million guests across 34 ships in 2025, champions a “freestyle cruising” culture where travelers can wear casual attire at certain restaurants. [I think they meant to say 2026. - A.]
To read more, go here.
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| Above, the lobster tails I had aboard the Norwegian Sky two years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Outside of hanging around a cruise ship's pool area, using exercise rooms or drinking adult beverages, cruisers main activity is eating.
Most cruise ships have several restaurants or other eateries on board to choose from.
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| Above, a friend and I dining aboard the Norwegian Sky. |
Travel + Leisure posted what they consider the seven best cruise lines for the "foodie set" of travelers.
None of the cruise lines I've cruised with made the list.
They start it with:
While cruise ship cuisine used to get a bad rap, a lot has changed over the years. In fact, today, some onboard culinary programming can rival what you’d find on land in any major food city. Moreover, many cruise lines are taking food seriously, partnering with Michelin-starred chefs and the James Beard Foundation, using regional ingredients, and bringing respected land-based restaurants to sea. Some have reworked the traditional cruise model, folding what once counted as specialty dining into the base fare; others up the ante even further with culinary excursions and themed sailings spotlighting local flavors.
From mainstream brands to small-ship luxury lines, we take a closer look at the cruise companies that are truly delivering when it comes to food, with insight from cruise experts.
To read more, go here.
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| Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
When I visited Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in 2016, the Elvis Presley's Memphis Museum complex was still under construction.
I stayed at the Graceland RV Park & Campground across the street from the mansion and I cooked my own meals at my RV.
But those who now visit Graceland can find several restaurants in the vicinity to dine at.
MSN has posted a slideshow of eateries.
They begin it with:
You can't call yourself a true Elvis Presley fan unless you've been to Graceland. This 120-acre institution in Memphis was once Presley's private home and is now a major tourist attraction. Presley bought the mansion in 1957 when he was just 22 years old and it was his home base until his death in 1977. Today, visitors can tour the mansion, see Presley's former jets, and view exhibits and artifacts at Elvis Presley's Memphis museum and entertainment complex. There are also plenty of restaurants on and off the grounds where you can fuel up before or after all that exploring.
If you want to feast like the King of Rock and Roll did, you'll find several dining venues on the Graceland grounds. You can grab some of Presley's favorite Southern comfort foods like grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches and meatloaf along with Memphis-style barbecue, sweet treats, and coffee. The Guest House at Graceland also has inviting spots where you can grab cocktails and tasty bites. Head off the estate and you'll find more enticing eateries within walking distance. If you're planning a pilgrimage to Presley's former home, this is where and what to eat when you're visiting Graceland.
To see the slideshow, go here.
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| Above, the Waffle House near the Albuquerque Sunport. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Last month, I stayed the night in Albuquerque near the Albuquerque Sunport as I had an early morning flight to Des Moines, Iowa.
While there, I ate at the local Waffle House near the airport. I went there for dinner and breakfast.
RV Travel has a poll asking, Have You Ever Eaten At A Waffle House?
It begins with:
Think back to your last road trip. Maybe it was late at night, maybe you were hungry, maybe the neon lights were calling… If there’s a Waffle House nearby, maybe we can always find you there. For today’s poll, we want to know: Have you ever eaten at a Waffle House?
For some of you, the answer is an easy yes. Waffle House is a roadside institution, especially in the South. Did you know there are more than 2,100 Waffle House locations across 25 states?
To read more and take part in the poll, go here.
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| Above, a hot-air balloon as seen from an Albuquerque Cracker Barrel. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
I've been to the one in Gallup, New Mexico. I've been to two in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And, I've been to one in Kingman, Arizona.
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| Above, the fireplace at an Albuquerque Cracker Barrel. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, an Elvis Presley gospel CD from Cracker Barrel. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, the Gallup Cracker Barrel fireplace. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Cracker Barrel has been making a lot of changes lately, and many of them aren't landing well with longtime fans. Most recently, the chain of restaurants and retail stores removed Uncle Hershel from the logo and received backlash for it. Last year, the chain modernized the interiors of the restaurants, and that, too, came under scrutiny. The old-fashioned interiors of Cracker Barrel restaurants held a lot of nostalgia, so it's not surprising that diners didn't like it when the look changed so drastically. It turns out that the restaurants are just doing a little refresh and, in response to a viral TikTok video, they assured patrons that the old-timey decor would be back on the walls sooner rather than later.
What you may not know is that the old decor actually holds meaning. Every single antique that decorates the inside of a Cracker Barrel is real and was at least inspired by local history. It all started with the first restaurant-store that opened in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969. Founder Dan Evins enlisted the help of Don and Kathleen Singleton, who owned a local antiques store, to come and decorate the interior to feel like an old country store.
As Evins opened more Cracker Barrels, the Singletons came on board as full-time designers, setting up the decor for each location. In 1979, after Kathleen got sick, their son, Larry Singleton, took over. He retired in 2018 after almost 40 years. Joe Stewart, who worked with Singleton for 33 years, is now the decor manager.
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| Above, Russell Azbill and Larry Lucier getting their orders taken at the Gallup Cracker Barrel. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, the old logo is staying. |
Cracker Barrel made a big "about face" and reversed course yesterday when they announced that they will drop the new logo and retain the old one.
NewsBreak reported:
Cracker Barrel announced Aug. 26 that it is dropping its much-criticized new logo and returning to the "Old Timer."
"We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have," the company wrote in a statement provided to USA TODAY. "Our new logo is going away and our 'Old Timer' will remain."
The nationwide restaurant chain and country store, which is known for its comfort food and nostalgic atmosphere, unveiled a new, simplified logo with the launch of a fall menu campaign on Aug. 19.
The "enhanced brand look" was intended to modernize the company's brand, executives said. The intent includes moving its restaurants away from nostalgia-rich decor to something more contemporary and less cluttered.
The change drew sharp criticism from customers and politicians, with both President Donald Trump and the Democratic Party decrying the change.
Unless Cracker Barrel decides to retain the decor that people love, it is too early to break out the champagne bottles.
To read more, go here.
Cracker Barrel has responded to the massive uproar over their rebranding of their logo and the interiors.
To me, it is nothing more than B.S. and a feeble attempt at damage control. As one person responded, "You wrote all that just to basically say “screw you, deal with it.”" Another wrote, "The biggest insult to your customers is acting like you hear them but doing the complete opposite."
The rebranding isn't "woke", it is their behind-the-scenes leftist practices as was exposed here. The rebranding just made everything come to light.
Oh-oh! It looks like Cracker Barrel has been far left woke longer than we've imagined.
An insider investigation exposes the company's practices that will leave your head spinning. Check out the comments after seeing the video.
James Woods weighs in on Cracker Barrel's CEO Julie Felss Masino. She's either delusional or just listening to her own little bubble.
Honestly does anyone believe her? I’m not calling her a liar, I’m just asking if any single person in his or her right mind believes her. https://t.co/Pag1oyFjLs
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 23, 2025
I spotted this over at X a few minutes ago.
Do they really want to know?
The new Cracker Barrel looks like a car dealership. https://t.co/QxFcwmmFLb
— Carol M. Swain, PhD (@carolmswain) August 22, 2025
Yes, it does look like a car dealership instead of a Cracker Barrel restaurant
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| Above, the Cracker Barrel fireplace we know and love. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Some people seem to have very short memories.
Remember when Bud Light and Target department stores "went woke" a few short years ago? Most of us do remember and are reminding Cracker Barrel's CEO Julie Felss Masino and her board of directors.
Remember, too, how stocks in those companies took deep nosedives. This is now happening to Cracker Barrel.
From CBS News:
Cracker Barrel shed almost $100 million in market value after its stock plunged Thursday following the release of a new logo. The new design eliminates a longstanding drawing of an overall-clad man leaning against a barrel, in favor of a cleaner logo featuring just the chain's name.
Shares of Cracker Barrel fell $4.22, or 7.2%, to $54.80 in Thursday trading, shedding $94 million in market value. The stock had dipped to a low of $50.27 earlier in the day, representing a loss of almost $200 billion in its capitalization.
Wall Street's reaction to the logo redesign comes as Cracker Barrel has been working to refresh its image through new menu items and redecorated stores that eschew the 55-year-old chain's old-timey approach in favor of a more modern look.
To say that the "fit hit the shan" (cleaned up version) with the public is an understatement.
Go woke, go broke!
To read more, go here.
Apparently, so does Cracker Barrel.
With the announced change in Cracker Barrel's logo and the remodeling of their restaurants to a brighter and bland decor, the Democrat Party and California Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in.
They actually agree with the conservative detractors of the changes.
According to Fox News:
The Democratic Party and California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office's X accounts joined the backlash against Cracker Barrel after it released its new text-only logo earlier this week.
The company unveiled the new logo on Tuesday as part of its new branding campaign for the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurants. The campaign eliminated the image of a man resting on a barrel in favor of a text-only logo for the first time since 1977.
While conservative critics have piled on the new redesign, both the Democratic Party and the liberal governor’s media team put out tweets Thursday calling out the Tennessee-based restaurant chain for the change.
Will wonders ever cease? It must mean that the changes are so bad that they, too, don't like them. Welcome aboard!
To read more, go here.
I would have posted this earlier, but after sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 45 minutes on Interstate 40 in the heat, I had to take a nap.
Now that I am awake, I can post this.
Cracker Barrel stock lost 55% in value since their woke wacko CEO Julie Felss Masino started destroying the Cracker Barrel brand.
This was easily predictable (just look at Bud Light's experience).
Again, here's The Benny Show's new video (thanks to my Honorary Sister Diane for passing this along):
A lesson for other corporations: don't let liberal women become your CEOs!
GO WOKE, GO BROKE!
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| Above, the Las Vegas Strip in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Las Vegas appears to be losing its appeal.
Visitation and hotel bookings are down. Some say this is a harbinger of a looming recession.
The reason is obvious. Las Vegas is no longer the top place to gamble. Casinos are sprouting up in several states, mainly on Native Americans lands.
Las Vegas hotels are not cheap anymore. They used to be affordable. Hotels charging resort fees are also turn-offs to people. Food is also more expensive. There was a time when great deals at restaurants could be easily found. Frankly, Las Vegas was more affordable and a lot more fun when the mob was running it.
According to Travel and Tour World:
Las Vegas is experiencing a significant downturn in tourism due to a combination of rising hotel prices and growing concerns over bedbug infestations. The city’s once-thriving tourism industry is being hit hard as visitors are deterred by the increasing costs of accommodations and reports of uncomfortable pest-related experiences at major resorts. As a result, many tourists are choosing to stay away, opting for alternative destinations that offer better value and peace of mind. This decline in visitors is further compounded by the negative impact on the city’s reputation, leaving hotel owners and businesses struggling to adapt to these new challenges.
Las Vegas is facing a significant downturn in tourism, with new figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) revealing a sharp drop in visitor numbers this summer. June saw only 3.1 million tourists, a marked 11.3 percent decline compared to the same month last year. This decrease is contributing to wider challenges within the local travel industry.
The bedbug infestation is another major crimp. Who wants to get married in Las Vegas and spend the honeymoon night with bedbugs?
To read more, go here.
Since the local Denny's at the Flying J Travel Center in Jamestown, New Mexico changed their menu, our group has decided to hold our Saturday breakfast/coffee gatherings at Grandpa's Grill in Gallup instead.
Denny's eliminated the senior menu and raised their prices.
We spend about half of what Denny's charges for breakfast meals at Grandpa's Grill. For example, the large breakfast burrito at Grandpa's Grill is only $9.50. Whereas, Denny's charges about $12 to $15 for anything roughly comparable. And, coffee is a lot cheaper at Grandpa's Grill.
Here's the gang at Grandpa's Grill this morning:
Going out to dinner in Lake Havasu City, Arizona on Christmas Day is not exactly a great idea.
For one thing, very few restaurants, fast food and sit-downs, were open. I far as we were able to tell, only Denny's, McDonalds, Carl's Jr. and Black Bear Diner were the ones open. We went to Black Bear Diner. To say that they were busy would be an understatement.
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| Above, Holly and Mitch during the wait outside. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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| Above, the holiday menu showing a nice plate of turkey. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
Unfortunately, Mitch's turkey dinner did not look anything like what the menu showed. The menu had a photo of a turkey dinner with several slices of turkey that appeared to be a quarter inch thick. What he received looked like thin slices of deli turkey meat. Plus, everything was cold. It definitely was not worth the $25.99 price.
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| Above, this is what was brought to Mitch. It didn't look anything like what was advertised. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky. |
Well, Holly talked to the manager about the service (she felt the waitress had an attitude) and the poor quality of the meal Mitch received. Our salads were just fine, no complaints.
So, it is probably not a good idea to go out on Christmas Day for dinner in Lake Havasu City since there were so few eateries open. Lesson learned.
KOB Channel 4 News posted the following video of the new eateries at the Albuquerque Sunport.
It looks like travelers will get more choices for food while at the airport.
Unfortunately, the Rio Grande Brew Pub will not be back. According to sources, it is permanently closed. It was there that I discovered Alien Amber Ale.
Here's the video:
