Re: Vera's Place ... and Kelly's

Hi, Rich -
Just yesterday evening - after posting my previous response - I read of Vera's passing in the C&TS newsletter. She really WAS an institution in Chama, and will be greatly missed - even by us old farts who don't get there as often as we used to.
She told me last August that she had reduced her hours at the restaurant quite a bit, but I got the impression that her family was taking over and would keep it open. I'm sorry to learn that it's closed and up for sale.
- Russ
p.s. It was at Kelly's that I learned that even three beers isn't enough to quench the fire of what, by New Mexico standards, is considered MILD chili. In spite of my warnings, two kids from Thailand that I took there in the early 1970's ordered the HOT - and then surprised me when they exclaimed, "Oh, Mr. Sperry, first time since we come to America we have good food!!" Oh, well - to each one's own!