October 12, Silver City, NM-

Silver has a shot at glistening.  I came away from a visit to this town, far from its neighbours in southwest New Mexico and southeast Arizona.  Silver City has a character similar to artsy towns like Bisbee, Cottonwood and Prescott, AZ; Silverton, CO or Pioche, NV.  It is not the least bit upscale, which I find a definite plus.

The lure of Gila Cliff Dwellings, and Gila Hot Springs, is enough to draw visitors into the town itself, and here are some reasons why I will return to Silver City, which is officially a town.

I always like pied downtowns.

Dedicated art spaces are essential to the quality of life, in a modern town.

This establishment, alone, would bring me back.

I have mixed feelings about Javalina (pronounced JAVA-leena).  The fare is as good as any in the desert Southwest, and the patio’s ambiance is potentially relaxing.  The drawback is, from the time I entered until I had left the area, the barista, her boyfriend and the shop’s owner were watching me, very warily-even monitoring as I took a couple of photos of the mural across the street.

Here is the scene, across from Javalina, that caught  my attention.

This patio is a welcoming place for lunch (11-2) and dinner (5-9).  I happened by at 4 pm, and opted to dine across the street, at the unassuming, but satisfying, Silver Cafe.

A short, but pleasant, Riverwalk, behind the business district,was a sweet after-dinner diversion.

Like all old mining towns, Silver City has its Victorian hotel.  The Palace dates from 1887.  The ominously-titled Hang ‘Em High has nothing to do with Spaghetti Westerns.  It’s a frame shop!

One of these days, I will visit friends in Deming, and make another foray up to Silver. Maybe the folks at Javalina will have gotten over whatever mood they were in, by then.