MY DATE WITH JAN

by Dan Price

The holidays are in full bloom, with images of snowy winters and sleigh rides appearing on social media, reminding us Texans that shorts are not the norm for holiday weather wear. But I always get excited for the holidays and the upcoming new year. What new adventures will I have? What opportunities will come? And what stories will I have to tell from those moments in time?

Case in point! Not a Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa or even New Year's Eve-related story, but it happened not long after the new year had passed in 2025. Celebration Senior Travel took a 2-week cruise through the Caribbean with 8 stops along the way. It was an incredible trip on the NCL Prima. One thing that I planned on that trip that no one else was able to do after we got back to land… I went to the greatest place on Earth. No, not Disneyland. The OTHER greatest place on Earth – The Taqueria Del Sol in Houston.

Before you begin with the questions, let me drop a little background information on you. Myself, Debra (you know Debra), and Greg (you know Greg) are all former Houstonians (go Astros!) and grew up going to this very personally historical restaurant. Seriously, I started eating there religiously at age 10 and have enjoyed it ever since. Now, I live in Austin, but I have worked for Celebration for 13 years as of October. I work from home, but travel with Celebration Senior Travel about 4 times a year. In January 2025, Debra recruited me to do the 2-week cruise with the group travel crew, which I was all for because, come on, my job is awesome!

Since I live in Austin, Debra suggested I drive down and meet the travel group at the Galveston terminal. Because I was driving in, that meant I was driving out. And that means awesome Mexican food at the Taqueria on disembarkation day. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation.

Upon my arrival, I was given a task: to find Jan. Jan, a longtime Celebration traveler, lives outside the metroplex, so she had traveled in on her own and Uber'd to get to the terminal. She is so used to the travel game, it ain't nothing to her. I've been to London, France, Spain, Canada, and all over the Caribbean with this woman, and let me tell you, funnier they don't make. Seriously, after they made Jan, they broke the mold. She is one of a kind.

The trip was excellent. Great food, great company, great service, and the entertainment was spectacular, to boot. It was time to get off the ship, and Jan was initially going to take an Uber to the airport, but there was a slight mishap on the go-kart track. Yes, there was a go-kart track on the ship, and about 30 of our travelers took to the streets in an all-out race for track dominance. Well, while Jan was deep into Turn 3 of Lap 2, her phone went flying!

How do you cheer up someone with a broken phone? With Oaxaca Chile Con Queso and Tampiqueña Tacos, of course. Instead of her taking an Uber to the airport, I took her to lunch and dropped her off at Hobby Airport, just 10 minutes away from the restaurant.

There is nothing better than this food. I dream about it. I want my ashes scattered in the parking lot of the restaurant. I love that place so much. But a close second is watching my friends eat there for the first time. Watching dear Jan enjoy her meal was one of those moments that I will never forget.

We drank Mexican Cokes from the glass bottle, delighted in the table salsa and fresh corn chips, and scarfed down some serious grub, laughing and joking the whole time.

This queso has the most incredible cheese pull you have ever seen. It would get 2,000,000 views on YouTube in about an hour, and the comments would be hilarious. With roasted poblano peppers, onions, tomatoes, and more, it's so unbelievable. To watch Jan's face, the cheese kept pulling and stretching; it was hilarious.

The Tampiqueña steak, cooked to perfection, dances on your tongue as you chew, savoring each bite of flavor. It's something I'll tell my future grandkids about. But to watch Jan's face as she took her first bite, like the moon landing, was a great moment.

The anniversary of that luncheon is approaching quickly. Thank you, Jan, for the great day and the incredible memories. You are the best!