Rustler's Rooste

My friend Cathy and her husband have been staying with us since last Tuesday. A quick review for those of you that don't know or don't remember: I did a one semester exchange program my junior year at the University of Arizona.  I spent the fall semester as a student at the University of New Hampshire.  Cathy was a freshman at UNH that semester and lived down the hallway from me in our dorm.  We both find it remarkable that 18 years later we are still friends and she is not just " a girl I used to know from one semester in college."  This was Cathy's third visit to see me in Arizona.  It was her first time bringing her husband Mike, because they weren't married and he wasn't her husband yet during the previous two trips. 

I worked the day that they arrived.  Michael was responsible for picking them up from the airport and delivering them safely to our house. He was successful.  I was not as successful using the three hole punch at work and gave myself a minor flesh wound.

After I got home from work we took them to Rustler's Rooste for an authentic cowboy experience.  This restaurant is a Phoenix area classic and has been around since the early 1970's.  I didn't take these pictures.  They were all borrowed from Google. 

Outside

Inside

You walk in to the restaurant from upstairs and the dining rooms are downstairs.  You can either walk down the stairs or take the slide. 

Kids can also play on the slide while you're waiting for a table. 

The outside of the restaurant has a big light pyramid that you can see from the freeway.  When I was a kid I used to always wonder what this magical place was.  It's slightly disappointing knowing the truth as an adult.  It's not nearly as magical as what I had always hoped. 

Ok.  I did take these pictures.  I didn't find a picture of Cathy and Elliott at Rustler's Rooste on Google. 

This was the beginning of Elliott's obsession with Cathy.

The whole gang.  

Mike, Cathy, Elliott, Natalie, Michael and Spencer. 

You get free, complimentary cotton candy at the end of every meal. 

After dinner we went outside on the huge patio to watch the sunset. 

I thought this huge tree was noteworthy. 

Up next: I was a tourist at home for four days.