The Most Friendly Hurricanes

Mondays are becoming my favorite day of the week. Not only is Monday the only day I have off but the past two Mondays I have had to take my friend Steve to work at the diner/drive-in Hurricanes.

Steve started working at Hurricanes back in 2007 when he had dropped out of school and was looking for a job. Back then Hurricanes had two locations - Lomas & Washington, and Eubank & Candelaria. He worked at the Eubank location, getting the job through his neighbor who was a cook. Six months after starting Greg (the owner of Hurricanes and the most dedicated worker, hands down) shut down the east location and transferred the workers to the "main" location on Lomas. Memories have been made!

Hurricanes has been featured in about three films. Whenever I go in there always seems to be at least one regular - morning, midday, or evening. I've befriended nearly the entire wait staff and the cooks always say hello when I go in. For a while, in my egotistical mind, I thought it was just because I was Steve's friend but as I become more familiar with the regular faces I see that it's not simply that. The entire staff is just so friendly and welcoming that it's no wonder Hurricanes collects such active and friendly regulars. It's very tight knit but not necessarily exclusive.

Not only is Hurricanes frequented by friendly people and staff, the owner himself has shown exemplary character as both a manager and a person. I'm not that familiar with Greg, to be honest. I've not really sat down and talked with him about his business. I've just heard what Steve has told me. How Greg will work from 4AM prepping to open the restaurant until 2PM when the evening staff arrives. He's been patient as a boss with his employees, I feel, when there were a few months that Steve relied on me to take him to work and we were always just on time or sometimes late (not barely late, either. Very late.) When Steve moved to Denver Greg assured him he'd have a job when/if he returned. A month later, having grown exponentially and realized where he truly felt at home, Steve returned to Albuquerque and Greg held true to what he said. When customers complain Greg is there to rectify. From everything I've heard about him, he's a man of truly good character and has a real dedication to the business he runs.

Of course, you don't really ever go to a restaurant because of the people. You go for the food! Hurricanes offers a variety of food - true, blue American food and entrees only familiar to the taste buds of New Mexicans! I'm prone to the Two Egg Special myself (there are days when I walk in, sit down, and the waiter or waitress simply says, "two egg special, sunny-side up, hashbrowns, no meat, wheat toast?" and I nod eagerly.) I enjoy the #2 Burrito with cheese, French Toast, coffee and a slice of pie from time to time. And the milk shakes, too! I do enjoy the milk shakes.

Now, I know this seems like just a big advertisement for a local ABQ diner... and in a way it is. To be honest, I also wanted to say how at home I feel whenever I go to Hurricanes. Not just because my friend Steve works there as a dishwasher and cook, but because it gives me a sense of normalcy that I don't usually feel anywhere else. Because now, on Monday mornings I take Steve to work, sit at the bar, order a coffee and food. I engage in pleasant conversation with Frank (who makes the best coffee, by the way, just strong enough I can drink it black and I'm usually a two-creams-lots-of-sugar type of person.) I say hello to the cooks. Enjoy the morning sun and then head home to sleep. Quite honestly, it's just the perfect way to end my 12-hour graveyard shift. It puts me in a very pleasant mood.

Now, usually, I'm not an advocate for routine. I enjoy improvisation and unpredictability. Day to day is work and wherever the road takes me. But Mondays... Mondays are relaxing, normal, and happily accepted. A moment of home, really feeling like home in this city enjoying a cup of coffee at Hurricanes. A break from adventure.


Plus, it's really awesome that Amped Performance Center is just a minute walk away so when I'm at a show I can pop over to Hurricanes, say hello to the wait staff, grab a milk shake and be back before the next band plays!



Nny