The last few days

Santa Fe was delightful.  I chose to drive up and spend a few days since I could. Being too available is not really working for me.  I limited my availability and it helped me feel liberated and free.  And a trip to Santa Fe is always welcoming.  I spent a few days reflecting on life and checking out the town.  I visit frequently and have dined at many of the restaurants.  I do the tourist thing, embrace the mystical vibe and leave wanting more.
This time, I went to a yoga class hoping that it would be excellent.  I am spoiled in Phoenix by the yoga community.  I attend two studios regularly and enjoy them, immensely.  One is more welcoming in the vibe of the studio.  The other one lacks in that part but offers more classes that I prefer.  I like a heated vinyasa flow with music.  The class in Santa Fe was mediocre.  I had a difficult time finishing the class due to the music selection and flow.  I was bored and then I get annoyed, angry, etc...very counterproductive to the practice of yoga.  I know.  It's just how I react.  I go for the physical practice and enjoy the spirituality, too, of course.  I like a challenging class is all I am saying.
I met my friend, Melody, for dinner at a new local spot.  She had suggested a few spots on her side of town and I wanted to accommodate her.  In the past, she has met me numerous times downtown.  And, I was interested in something new.  My only request was that a tv would be available.  I wanted to catch some of the basketball games.  Thankfully, the spot she chose had tv's and great food.  Nice selection of beers, wine and was lively.  The only negative was that it was too bright.  They should dim the lights and make it more inviting.
Prior to meeting up with Melody, I sat in the lounge and watched basketball.  I spoke to the bartender about her thoughts on yoga in Santa Fe.  I knew, from a previous visit, that she was an instructor.  I wanted to get her honest take on where she would practice yoga.  She told me that I should check out this gospel class next time I am in town.  Next weekend, I will try to attend the class.  This woman next to me was looking at her laptop, scoping out Sedona.  Eventually we started talking about travel, Santa Fe, yoga, mental illness. She was attending a conference about mental health in this country.  It was an interesting conversation and I enjoyed it.  I wish I had been able to talk more with this lady.   She had had an intriguing life.  I had plans, though, and rushed to meet up with Melody.
I returned to the hotel and slept.  The previous night had been fitful.  I couldn't sleep.  My mind raced and I knew that I would be getting up, early, to drive to Santa Fe.  Let's just say that it was a challenging drive.  When I arrived, all I wanted to do was take out my contacts and sleep.  My friend, Lisa, was in town working the market and I had made plans to meet up with her.  Sleep would have to wait.
We went to a few spots and had dinner at a popular tapas restaurant.  My first time to sample food there.  It was good and fun. Again, I was exhausted and so our night was cut short.  I returned to my hotel and crashed out.  As noted, I attended a yoga class to detox, reset, reflect.  Although I didn't exactly love the class, it did help me be grateful for my community in Phoenix.
All, in all, it was precisely what I needed to reset.  I am ready to have a great day of work, wine and basketball.  Life is grand.  Sometimes I need to be reminded of it by traveling to other spots.

Memories

Long day of basketball, heartbreak and then sadness.  Of course, I was scheduled to work when my team was playing.  Never a good thing.  I don't enjoy watching basketball while working.  I cannot fully watch it or enjoy the experience.  Mostly, I get upset when they make a bad play or lose.  Yesterday was a perfect example of why I do not relish watching my team while working.
The heartbreak is also associated with basketball.  I did not do a bracket this year.  Had I, I would have put KU as the champion.  I want them to win each year.  It is heart wrenching to watch the loss.  I know that I am not alone in this as a fan.
I finished work and considered a friend for dinner.  It was a thought but neither of us could decide on a place to meet.  I wanted mexican food and had a place in mind.  She was up north with her dogs and I did not want to drive to north Scottsdale to meet up for dinner.  We opted to take a rain check.  I made it home, in time, to catch the latest episode of the good wife.  I have watched that series from the beginning.  It's excellent.  The writing, acting, creativity.  I was waiting for my delivery to arrive when the episode ended in such a forceful way.  One of the main characters was killed off and it was shocking.  Seeing how the other characters responded to the death reminded me of what I went through with my own loss.  I remember meeting a friend for happy hour at this cute wine bar above a bookstore in Denver.  I would meet this girl, Nicole, randomly, for happy hour. She provided entertainment with her stories of men, work and friends.  I met her at the wine bar and she had this book with Bitch in the title.  We started talking and meeting for drinks after that encounter.
Anyways, we had met on a Tuesday for drinks and I was telling her of my recent fight with Brian and how we were now in a better place after fighting.  We wanted to have a future together--kids, a house, a future.  We finished and I went back to my apartment and waited for Brian to get home.  Instead, I got a call that there had been an accident.
Just like that, my world changed.  One moment everything was normal, with happiness and a future.  When I saw the episode last night, that's what I remembered.  In the series, they were making headway with a storyline where the two main characters were working towards a better place.  There had been a break and a lot of anger between them.  It resonated into hostility and was displayed, very well, by the writing and acting.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season develops.
I suppose it is nice to remember when things were beautiful and reflect on where I am now and where I am heading.  For me, all it is is different and constantly evolving.  Life is grand and I will always have the beautiful memories of my time with Brian.

My favorite wine

Recently I was asked what my favorite wine is....I don't know that I can accurately answer that question.  There is so much wine out there that I appreciate, enjoy and relish.  How could I narrow it down to just the one?  I suppose with more thought that a knee jerk reaction I could say my favorite wine.  For now, I want to showcase a few wines that are tattooed in my mind due to the memory associated with the wine.
The first wine would be Kunde Cabernet 1995.  My employer at that time felt it imperative that I have some way to relate to wine while talking to her customers.  She told me and my friend, Heather, to drink wine.  So, we chose a wine off of our by the glass selection to try.  We bought a few sugar cookies from this local bakery to try with the red wine.  They cookies were delicious.  The wine, well, it was tannic, tart, awful.  Heather and I both walked away with the notion that red wine was not the way to appreciate wine.  Instead we would start over with a more user friendly varietal at our next venture into the wine world.  Welcome chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling and yes, white zinfandel.  We had a brief flirtation with that wine that has staying power still.
Although I didn't embrace cabernet at my first tasting, I did walk away with the knowledge that wine would be in my world.  I enjoyed sampling the different varietals and sharing my finds with friends.  From Fifi's with Heather, to drinking Spanish wines with Sarah, college was full of wine inspired evenings.  My friend, Jean, Sarah and I would get together once a month and make an ethnic extravaganza.  We tried chinese food with plum wine and sake, Italian food with sangiovese and nebbiolo, and tapas (Jean's favorite) with tempranillo.  After college, I relocated to Tempe and worked in a beer bar.  I think that period of my life was cocktail driven.  Wine lingered but I enjoyed more vodka at that point.  I ran into an old roommate of mine at my retail gig and she said--oh, you would be perfect for this position....remember how much wine we drank as roommates?
Denver was home, for me, for ten years.  I bonded over wine with Sara Jo, Pocketsize, Brian, the Goddess, Maghan, Love Jones and a whole cast of characters in my life.  The glue that held most of that together was the appreciation of wine.  Once or twice a week I would meet friends and drink wine.  There was a point where Rapture, Michael David's wine, was a constant in my life.  Big, bold, delicious and found at one of my favorite eateries in Denver.
I will always have a soft spot for Tabali.  It was the last bottle of wine I drank with Brian.  We watched 24, he made chicken lasagna and we drank this incredible value wine from Chile.  It was our last evening together and I will always love that wine.
Currently, I appreciate pinot noirs.  It took awhile to see fully embrace this varietal.  I think I wanted to not like it since it was oversaturating the market.  Silly movie that captivated the nation and created a trend.  I do enjoy that movie however.  What a great flick!
Anyways, I have been gravitating toward pinots lately, nebbiolos and spanish wines.  There is fantastic value in Spanish wines and I have been enjoying them immensely lately.  Tempranillos, monastrells, Riojas, Priorat, albarino, verdejo, vino verdes....Amazing.
I know I should explain why I love these wines more fully.  I'm distracted.  I have yoga, some errands and I wanted to make time to think about my love of wine.  I can expound on this more later.
Til then, cheers!

compromise for Palm Springs

I'm on the fence with whether or not I should go to Denver for Opening Day, Sara Jo's birthday or sometime in May.  So confused.
Mostly, my schedule changes from week to week which enables a lot of time to think, plan, reflect.  I like the freedom of it, I do.  However, it allows me too much time to consider traveling and I want to make it happen.  So more structure would reign in some of desire to go gallivanting off in the sunset.  Or it might not.
Yoga inspired me to consider a trip to Santa Fe to meet Sara.  Her birthday trip to Palm Springs is out but a trip a few weeks later could work. It's Spring Break during her birthday and many of her colleagues have already requested the time off.  Sara took the high road and sacrificed our trip to Palm Springs.
Santa Fe could work and I told her to make it happen.  I could take care of the accommodation factor and make it work from my end.  I think she is on board.  It's a quick trip to meet there for both of us and we can celebrate her birthday then.  We visited the city in 2003 or 2004.  I cannot remember which year.  We stayed at the Inn of the Governors during Fiesta Week.  The reason that sticks out is that the pool was closed which did not deter us from sneaking into the pool with wine.  Obviously we were boozy since we thought no one would notice the wine or glasses while we "hid' in the pool.  They politely asked off to leave the pool area.  About fifteen minutes later they contacted us to give us complimentary drinks at their bar.  Of course we obliged.
I want to return, anyways, to spend more time in the city.  I am never satisfied with my time there.  I always wish that I had arranged more.  Last weekend, we dined at several great spots and there were quite a few more that I had wanted to check out.  I must make it happen.  Plus, there is hiking, yoga studios, massages....so many things to check out.  Of course, we will have to go to Ojo Caliente so that Sara can experience that awesomeness.  I am excited!
In some ways, I am bummed that I will miss out on attending Opening Day in Denver or the upcoming beer festival.  I know it is an exciting time to be in that city and there will be so many people in the industry that I know.  There will be other opportunities to visit is what I am telling myself.
Tiffany and Dan are in town until Wednesday.  I hope to show them a few other restaurants before they return home.  As noted, the other night, we checked out a wine bar, asian fusion and established place in Tempe.  Tomorrow, we are going to enjoy some nebbiolo, pizza and northern Italian fare.  It will be lovely.
I must head into work to finance my upcoming ventures.  Enjoy your Sunday~

Friends, dining, memories

Typical day, for me, lately, involves coffee, yoga, wine (not every day but most days) and meeting friends.  Since it's March, a bunch of my friends from Denver have been visiting to attend Spring Training games.  I am grateful to see them and show them my idea of Phoenix.  Yesterday, I took the lightrail downtown.  Excellent way to get around the Central Corridor.  I wish it included other areas of the city.  I listened to my ipod and zoned out.  It was lovely.
Began my catching up venture at a new wine bar.  It's gorgeous inside, casual, approachable and diverse.  The owner changes the list and keeps it fresh.  It's a little small and so we left as it began to fill up.  Next we hit the asian fusion place next door.  I have been there a few times and I want it to be a success.  There is just something that isn't executed--start to finish.  It feels forced.  I don't know.  We sampled shisito peppers, pork pancakes and octopus.  Of the three the octopus shined.  Delicious broth and well prepared.  The peppers should have been cooked longer and the pancakes were lacking flavor in my opinion.  We finished our culinary journey around Phoenix in Tempe.  Checked out a well established place and I am glad that I thought of it when planning this trip.  In the past, Tiffany, Dan and I have spent some time in Arcadia and Phoenix.  Last year the parlor wowed them and their additional friends.  I considered checking out a few other spots in Scottsdale this year but, not going to lie, if we returned to Tempe, I knew that I would get a ride home.  Lame, but true.
And the food was delicious.  Mussels, short ribs and a frisee salad enchanted us.  Furthermore the outdoor bar is beautiful and enhances the experience.  It was a memorable evening for sure.  Since it's Tiffany and Dan, they insist on paying for the tab.  It's almost impossible to take this from them.  I only agreed to letting Tiffany pay for the last tab if they met me for dinner on Monday.  There are a few other spots that I would like to show them before they return to Denver.  They might stop and stay in Santa Fe on their way back.  I had to put in my two cents on the dining scene there since I just spent four days in that lovely city.
On Thursday, I couldn't figure out whose birthday it was.  All day it plagued me....why do I remember this day vividly?  I couldn't place the birthday.  All I knew was that there was a reason that I remember March 6th.  Dining with Tiffany and Dan associated what the 6th represented.  Two brothers lost their mom on March 6th, 9 years ago.  Of course I remember and know how difficult it is to approach that day.  Similarly the 28th of February has a mix of emotions for me, annually.  I try to make it positive and celebrate Brian's life.  There is still so many feelings of loss, sadness, melancholy.
Today is a new day.  I have ample work and wine talk.  It will be great.  I think I will begin it right by finding a breakfast burrito.  If only I could find a Posas in Phoenix.  Great spot in Santa Fe with my favorite (currently) breakfast burrito.  Green chile, egg, bacon, potato--yummy!

Full of interaction Thursday

Yesterday was full of meeting with people.  First the coffee at the previous job, yoga, wine tasting, happy hour, dinner and then home.  Of course, I enjoy swinging by the old job and running into co-workers.  I like the majority of them and so it is easy to stop in and say hello.  I like the coffee factor, too; although, the decision to take a hot coffee into my heated yoga class was poorly thought out.  Talk about overheating.
I sampled a few Arizona wines that were new to me.  Earlier in the week, I had told a Rep that I wine tasted on Tuesday afternoons.  She showed up for a 2:30 tasting and I had two other reps already waiting to see me.  I felt awful about it and asked to reschedule.  Thankfully she was understanding.  Since I was meeting with her, I arranged a later appointment which was delicious. Gorgeous sparkling rose to begin, followed by a chardonnay, two bordeaux blends and a full bodied Napa cab to finish.  Glorious.  Definitely not a spit day.
I met a friend for happy hour at one of her accounts.  They offer several of her wines by the glass and so we enjoyed a glass of malbec before I met my dinner date.  Happy hour was fun and my friend is always entertaining.  However, at times, she is self-absorbed.  For instance, yesterday, I returned from the bathroom and managed to roll my ankle, drop my phone and when I told her about it, she didn't respond.  At which point, I said, well, I guess I am talking to myself....still no response.
Finally, she comes back to the conversation and still makes no effort to comment on what had happened.  She was preoccupied with texting and absorbed by it.  I sat there, in silence, and was getting annoyed.  Seriously.  Then, she goes--are you okay?  I'm sorry....
That is why sometimes (most times) phones should not be allowed when you are out in public.  They distract from the conversation at hand.  At any rate, I knew I was running late to meet my friend for dinner and I was annoyed by her desire to text.  We concluded the happy hour and I hurried to the next stop.
For the first time, ever, I arrived before he did. I sat at one of the remaining bar stools and waited.  I considered ordering a glass of wine but thought better of it.  I didn't know if he would want to share a bottle, have a glass or choose beer.  We met at a beer driven place.  They do have wine options but nothing was standing out.  Justin arrived 15 minutes later.  Traffic.
We ordered a few appetizers and caught up on our respective lives.  He's a great guy and we have dined together several times as we both have a love for food.  He's adventurous and willing to meet me at new places on a regular basis.
After a few beers and a few appetizers we conclude the night.  I look up and see two people that I work with.  They come over, meet Justin and say--I texted you to say that we saw you.  Since my phone was in my purse, I was focusing on the conversation at hand.
I arrive home and check my social media.  Lame, but it happens.  I saw that my sister's first dog had died. Kya was this hyper, spastic, fiercely loyal terrier.  The first dog that I watched while they would vacation.  I think they brought her home in 1997.  She was a great dog.
I commented on Jeremy's post and know that it goes against most of what I believe in.  It seemed easier, more convenient, to reach out that way than to try and call to express my sadness.  I had had a few beers and some wine.  I preferred the easy way out.
I do see a need for communicating via text, social media, etc.  I am guilty of texting while meeting people for happy hour, too.  I just try not to focus on my phone and make the time to enjoy the human interaction.  I'll get off of my soap box.  Yesterday was fantastic and I am thankful for the delicious wines I sampled.  Today is a new day and I am hopeful for the endless prospects it brings.  Yoga, coffee, seeing old friends from Denver and maybe a little work.  Life is grand~

Throwback Thursday

After yesterday's post, I did think about the popular trend of TBT.  When my dad turned 60 we compiled a commemorative DVD of his life and I scanned the majority of the photos onto my computer.  I had this handy dandy scanner which is now in the home of Sara Jo.  Moving always motivates me to give my stuff away.  I try to travel with the least amount of things.  Always, I have photo albums, books, clothes, some artwork and that is about it.  Every other thing in my life is either given to friends or good will.
I digress.  I was considering a TBT photo and found this little gem in my scan album.  Me, my sisters and grandmother.  1995.  Graduating and about to depart for a life unknown.  Delightful.
I am nostalgic for the freedom of being 18 with a full life ahead of me.  Starting over, beginning again with a clean slate of possibility.  Yes, that is a freeing, lovely experience.
I think of my sisters and how we all have chosen different paths.  Marriage, children, relocation, job change...of course we can still understand each other in ways in which other people will not.  Gotta love childhood to enable that.
I remember thinking I would conquer the world when I was 18.  In some ways, I have, in my own way.  Similarly, my sisters have achieved much success in their own way.
This photo illustrates how free I felt to be embarking on my adult adventure.  Happy days are ahead....

Throwback (almost) Thursday

Me. Brian.  Ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, 2004.  It was hot/humid and we had just left a shiity port city to explore Paradise.  Seriously, dirty, grimy, gritty.  We stopped at a pub to slam a beer and use the facility.  If memory serves correctly, there was a hole in the floor to do your business.
It was Brian's first time seeing the ocean.  Incredible to see his eyes light up and know that that would also be a memory for me, too.  We spent a little over a week in Costa Rica.  Montezuma was our first stop.  Delightful hippie town with a beautiful waterfall to hike too.  When we arrived at the destination, no one was in the water.  We were shocked since it was inviting and beautiful.  We asked why people were not enjoying the waterfalls and this guy explained that about 10 minutes ago a large yellow snake had entered the water from the top.  Brian looked at me and said, I'm going in...you coming?
Of course, I obliged.  If he felt secure with battling a 6 ft snake (according to the locals) I knew I would be safe.
We headed up north to the more resort driven coast.  One night in Tamarindo.  We found a cabina for $8 a night.  It was noisy with french tourists who had little regard for the fact that I was dogsick that night.  They played music all night while I complained of heat stroke, dehydration, misery.
The next morning, we got up, early, 5 am, and I made lots of noise to return the favor.  We drove to Manual Antonio and had a wonderful excursion.  I recovered from my dehydration by eating cuttle fish on the beach.  We swam, toured the rain forest, saw a ton of monkeys, sloths, birds.  We finished our Costa Rican Adventure in Hermosa, near Jaco, where Brian tried to surf.  I sat on the beach and watched him try to surf at the beach the locals told us to avoid.  There was a strong current, choppy waves and it would be challenging for a novice to get up and surf.  Brian was determined to do it.  Intent to conquer the wave.
I was fortunate to spend several trips with him and we had many many more planned.
I miss him more than I can express.  I celebrate his spirit, honor his love of food and enjoy trips with his mom, annually to remember this incredible man that I was fortunate to meet and love.
We celebrated in Santa Fe last week.  The Thursday meal with Melody and David was in true Brian fashion.  Full of great conversation, wine and laughter.  Have a wonderful day.  Create a memory~

The upcoming week

Dinner with friends...always a treat.  I had a blast in Santa Fe.  Spa, dinner, yoga...it was fantastic.  I returned to Phoenix and went to one of my normal studios that I frequent.  I had expectations of having an epic class since my experience in SF was mediocre at best.
So high expectations led to disappointment.  The music was terrible.  Making me crazy and the flow was okay.  I'm sure it was great but for me, I was bummed that the music was lacking.  I just couldn't shake that feeling and so I struggled to remain in the class.
Afterwards, I wine tasted.  It is a fun Tuesday tradition.  I was "good" as I had a wine dinner to attend and didn't relish the thought of showing up boozy and annoying.  I wanted to network and remain interesting.  I was seated with my rep that invited me and some other guests.  The meal, itself, was delicious.  We had foie, squab, sturgeon and steak.  My favorite course was the squab.  Espresso sauce, squab and mushroom.  Delicious.  The wine pairings were spot on, too.  I knew a few of the servers working the event and so I was given additional wine.  Loved that aspect of it, too.
I'm going to attend a different yoga class today.  The instructor has a dance background and so her music is always appropriate to her flow.  Plus, she changes the flow up and always challenges me.  Lots of inversions, balance, great pace.  I rarely am able to attend her class since she teaches mostly in the afternoon.  I am more of an early morning workout type of person.  Today will be the exception.
I have more friends visiting this weekend and look forward to spending time with them, too.  I might be able to attend a few baseball games between jobs.  There is always next week, too.
Hiking will be postponed til next week unless I can convince Brandon or Mini me to go tomorrow, early.  Mini has school and an internship and Brandon's schedule has changed which allows a hike after 10 am.  Parking becomes an issue and heat.  I do not enjoy hiking Echo Canyon when it is 80+ degrees.
Life is grand.  I have more wine tasting today, tomorrow and Friday.  I am considering a trip to Denver or elsewhere in the next few weeks.  I must return to my carefree livelihood.  It is liberating, for sure.
Until then, yoga will motivate my practice.

Celebrating the 28th

We spent the 28th in Santa Fe this year.  Always a treat to explore that city.  Shari offered to go there instead of Las Vegas (our original thought...however, we had spent a few trips to Las Vegas and so it felt like a substitute.  Don't get me wrong, I do love visiting Vegas.  Santa Fe felt more promising.)  We arrived at the hotel that I had arranged, parked the car, and waited to check in. I confirmed our dinner with Melody and started the adventure.

We had drinks with Melody at the Palace Bar.  My friend, David, joined us too and kept us entertained with his stories of travel, food, wine.  After the Palace, we went to Coyote and enjoyed delicious fare.  The meal was fantastic and the conversations made it preferable to the dinner I had set up on the 28th.  I'll touch base on that in a bit.
The first night was lovely due to the company.  Friday morning we woke up to a beautiful sky.  Found coffee, directions to Ojo Caliente and the mandatory breakfast burrito that was part of the trip, too.  Green chile, bacon and egg made for a lovely start to the day.  I needed it, too, after the previous night.  Wine never stopped flowing.
We soaked at Ojo and then had a massage, reflexology, hair treatment.  Super relaxing.  We were refreshed and grateful for our surroundings.  Brian would have loved Santa Fe, Ojo Caliente and especially the foie we ate at Friday's dinner.

Yes, it was, in fact, that delicious.  Along with truffled mac and cheese, frites, and a frisee salad that spoke to me.  We had no idea that it was restaurant week in Santa Fe.  We run into that problem in Denver, too.  It's a nice idea to check out restaurants and see some of their best creations for a more reasonable price.  However, I wanted to order off the menu and have an experience.  Not be rushed or overlooked due to the amount of people dining alongside us.
At any rate, dinner was delicious.  The food was exquisite.  They did not offer chocolate cake and we were unable to enjoy a glass of wine at another spot that we had on our must do list.

Saturday we met with Melody for an appetizer on Canyon Road.  Crab cakes and risotto spoiled us before she departed for a homecooked meal.  I knew it was still restaurant week and so we chose to check out a local spot that I felt would not be participating.  Thankfully, they were open, parking was plentiful (no valet needed) and we enjoyed chocolate cake (finally).
All, in all, the time in Santa Fe was fantastic.  I convinced Shari that we must do yoga and so we checked out two different studios in the city.  I realized, quickly, how fortunate I am to live in Phoenix and be part of its yoga community.  I am spoiled by the challenging instructors, music and welcoming studios.
It was still fun to try out.  I am thankful that Shari is adventurous.
We finished the trip with a meet and greet with one of my friends from high school.  Shari and Jennifer met while running the Las Vegas Half Marathon a few years ago.  We met Jennifer's fiancee and it was wonderful to meet him.  I had heard stories about him and see the photos on fb.  I am thankful that they were able to meet us before we departed for respective cities.
My flight left on time, Shari got stranded in ABQ and hopefully made it back to the airport this morning to board the 7 am flight to Minneapolis.  When my flight arrived in Phoenix, we were early.  40 minutes to be exact.  We sat on the tarmac for the next hour.  Let's just say I was pretty annoyed at that point.  I needed to pee and we were left, in limbo, not knowing how long we would be waiting to deboard the plane.
That was the only inconvenience of the last few days.  Truly, it was a lovely celebration and exactly what I needed to reset, reflect, remember.
Cheers to always making time to Taste Life~