Hard Rock Novato. There is a particularly colorful storefront on the side of 101 traveling through Novato that I've had in my mind to try. So try it I did with Dad the other evening, and had a bit of a surprise. One typically associates Mariachi bands or similar sound to be found in Mexican restaurants, but entering the doors of Maya Palenque, I was quite surprised.

The entry to the restaurant is through the bar, which is roomy and stretches across the whole of the front of the building. Hard rock music blared as I opened the door, and continued to fill the restaurant space the entire time we were at the restaurant. It was old style 'Smoke on the Water' type driving rock. The bar was crowded with the majority of the men wearing jeans with black t-shirt with various graphics and artwork on them, but still BLACK. It was definitely a retro crowd, a head without a gray hair nary to be found, unless it was hairless. The women were in theme as well, not only with the hair (although they all had some), but with the dress - a kind of hippy peasant look in common. Although the back of the house where the dinner seating was situated was also quite large, there was only one other party besides Dad and I, and a huge Hi-Def TV screen dominated the room (although it couldn't be heard above the din of the rock music).

Some chips and salsa were promptly served.

Dad enjoyed a chicken tamale combo with rice, beans and mixed green salad, which he enjoyed, polishing off the entire plate.

I likewise enjoyed a combo which included a shredded beef taco and mini-tostada with chicken. Fresh and nicely prepared.

Today would have been quite a day for my late mother, as it would have been her 90th(!) birthday. Happy Birthday Mom! At least it's the one she celebrated. My mother had unusual confusion about her birthday. She was born in rural Kentucky and the story was that her birthday and her neighbor's were mixed up -- June 12 is the other date. The doctors didn't record births right away like they do today and most babies were born at home. When my mother was in her 60s she found out that in fact, her birthday wasn't mixed up, it is actually June 12th, but there was a dispute between her father and mother about what her name should be... so her father secretly slipped to the courthouse and changed her name on the birth certificate! This was according to her great-aunt on her father's side. My mother changed her name anyway, so it really didn't matter, just a little twist on family history.