Whidbey Island via Fidalgo/Similk Bay - 3.22.22
People connections are high on the list for me on adventures… and all of life. The benefit of staying at a B&B (besides the snacks) is meeting the hosts and other guests. This Fidalgo Island morning wouldn’t disappoint. The hosts, Yvette and Derek are former aerospace engineers. They have artist retreats and workshops at their fairytale like home on the beach in Padilla Bay. Yvette, from South Africa, is an artist and Buddhist and can talk like nobody’s business… I actually had to tap out at one point. Tap out! I mean, this coming from a guy that chats it up using 17 tangent stories before circling to back to the original thought, if I circle back at all. Kind of like this story.
So… here come the tangents; While the hosts, a baby boomer couple and the other guests, a millennial couple, politely listened to each other’s comments on generational dynamics… the solo and mostly single genX (kick ass generation… no arguing) guy was entirely fascinated by the eggs in front of him. They had green chili on them. Not entirely unusual but it reminded me of a conversation I had the other day in Taos with the girl of 10,000 questions (recently ungraded from the girl of 1,000 questions) about the “New Mexican Style” option in food.
You see… in the New Mexico, they put the green chilis on everything. EVERY-TING! EVERY damn Thing! I’ve seen it on menus… “New Mexican Style”.
“Hamburger New Mexican Style” put the green chilis on it.
“Eggs New Mexican Style” put the green chilis on it.
“Turkey Rueben New Mexican Style” OK… stop! That’s not a Rueben, and yes they put the green chilis on it. True life moment.
“French Fries New Mexican Style” put a shit ton of green chilis on it.
“Cereal NM Style”. Yup!
“Ice Cream” they’ll put the MF chiles on the ice cream!
“Eye drops” they will totally ask you if you want your eye drops with or without the green chilis. (mild speculation on this last one)
Anymoo, they were good eggs and I packed up my things and made my way South… alllllll thee way through Whidbey Island. Rain delay stop at Whidbey coffee in Oak Harbor. A warm fire on the feets and truly the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had. Beautiful long hikes in the forest at Fort Ebey State Park , followed by more and never tiring beach/sea time. Two dudes were surfing. Ummm brrrr. A wee stop and fascinating pic of a phone booth at Whidbey State park. When’s the last time you saw one of those? I didn’t wee in the phone booth for the record, which may be traditional in some American cities. Finally, a rush to the Clinton Ferry to get me back to the main land. I was so disappointed that everyone around me was not genuinely excited about having their car ferried on a big ass boat thingy over the sea. I reside in landlocked places. Fun stuff people.
All of this green chili talk is making me hungry. I head back to Denver today. I had planned on hanging with Wes this morning but I’m beat… I‘ll go take pictures of the gum wall, eat some “Seattle Style” snacks and turn in my lovely, brand new Honda HRV rental that cost me less than an Uber ride to and fro the airport… which is a tangent story for another time. Lucky you.
And this is where you tap out…
