Southwest Travels Part Duex (2 of 2)

Friday 11/1 marked a new month and the beginning of an action packed adventure weekend! Tess and I had a late start to the day but we headed up to Jerome, AZ around 12:30pm so we arrived shortly before 3pm. We realized, upon arrival, that most of the shops closed around 5pm we busted arse through town to check out all the cute shops and galleries, of which there are many. Luckily we are power shoppers and not only did we get some great stuff, but we did almost all our shopping before the shops closed! We also had photo ops of the views and some unique things we saw about town (like a crumbling jail!) Once we checked in and got settled in the Connor Hotel, we headed up to the Asylum restaurant at The Grand Hotel at the very top of the hill (the entire town is built into a side of a mountain, about 5300 feet elevation and used to be a copper mining town). 

The view from Jerome

The Connor Hotel - our crash pad

Selfie with Jerome behind us on the mountain

The Asylum was still gruesomely decorated for Halloween. It was definitely spooktastic. We got seated right away and enjoyed a two hour fancy meal with a side of awkward winking from the waiter. Hahaha!

We intended to maybe go listen to some live music but I was so overly full from dinner it was all I could do just to get my home. It was good, though, because Tess and I just sat and talked for hours. Finally I could not keep my eyes open a minute longer and around 11pm I was out like a light. 

Saturday we packed up and had breakfast at the Mile High Café. It was really very good and we finished a bit of shopping we didn’t get to hit the day before. Around 11am or so, we headed out of town toward Sedona. The road out of town was so windy that it took us 30 minutes to go only 10 miles. AND come to find out, we were heading south (when we should have been heading north) so we had to turn around and go back through Jerome and down the mountain and finally headed toward Sedona. We got to Sedona around 1pm. The original plan was to have lunch there and head straight to the Grand Canyon but we were both enjoying Sedona so much that we decided to enjoy the afternoon there and hit the canyon in the morning so not to be rushed or miss out on anything. We spent a good chunk of the afternoon walking through an art fair where I proceeded to spend more money than I should have on gifts and goodies. 

Beautiful red rocks everywhere

Just one of many amazing outcroppings in Sedona

 We headed out of town around 4:30 or so and luckily made it through the curviest part of our drive before dark. We got to our hotel around 6:30 and had some grub at the hotel restaurant. Afterwards, we moved to the lounge area and ordered several rounds of wine (beer for Tessa) and taught two Australian couples how to play Yahtzee. 

Yahtzee lessons proved fruitful as the blonde kicked all our arses

We had decided to watch the sun rise at the Grand Canyon so Sunday started for us at 5:05 AM and we were on the road by 5:20 toward the Canyon. We really had no idea where we were going but luckily we got to bypass the park entrance fee and we found a great view point right away. It was dark and FREEZING and we had to wait about an hour for the sun to fully rise but it was amazing and incredible. There ended up being a huge busload of other people there, but despite that, Tessa and I enjoyed the serenity of the moment.

Sunrise at the Grand Canyon

Sunkissed

amazing

The canyon in full morning light.

We found breakfast down the road at El Torvar Lodge which was quite lovely and then back to the hotel for a 2 hour nap (luckily we got a 1pm check out). Then up, shower and it was time for Tessa and I to part ways as she headed back down home to Phoenix and I headed northwest to Las Vegas.

On the way to Vegas, I did stop at the Hoover Dam and although I did not drive all the way through it, I’m glad I stopped. I also loved the viewpoint over Lake Mead. From there, it was only 30 minutes to Layne’s house…

Welcome to Nevada and then reminder to turn my watch back an hour!

Lake Mead lookout

And the rest is yet to tell! Have a wonderful week everyone!

Southwest Traves Part Duex (1 of 2)

And so the adventure continues! ….. I arrived in Phoenix around 5pm-ish on Saturday 10/26. I had just enough time to unload, settle in for a bit and put on my borrowed Halloween Costume. Tessa (my hostess who so kindly let me crash her pad for the whole week) and her boyfriend Esteban had plans to go to a Halloween party so Tessa loaned me a costume, we grabbed a sushi dinner and to the party we went! 

There is a new sheriff in town!

The Penguin and the Sheriff

The party was HOPPING and there were tons of great costumes there, but we didn’t know too many folks so we didn’t stay too late. It had been a long day for me anyway, being as I was only in Palm Springs that morning, so I did get tucked in for my beauty rest by 11pm, which I was appreciative for.

Sunday (10/27) was my visiting with friend’s day. I met up with one of my best friends from high school in Central Phoenix and we had an amazing meal at Chelsea’s kitchen. I had lost and regained contact with her so many times since high school with this last bout being at least 8 or 9 years. I was SO happy to see her! She looked SO amazing and exactly the same. 

Susan

Combating bright Arizona sunshine (the anti squint faces)

 We sat and caught up for hours and I was so sad when I had to leave her, but alas… I had other plans that afternoon in Scottsdale. I met my mentor, Deborah, at Houston’s in Scottsdale and enjoyed a wonderful snack with her and her fiancé, Carlos. I worked with / under Deb on several projects during my early career with my company and she had (and still has) a great influence on me. I am very happy I got to see her during this visit. 

The lovely Deborah and her fiance Carlos (and me)

Monday I did have to work but Tessa put me up in her office so I had a quiet and bright place to hunker down during my week days, which I was eternally grateful for after working from bed with a nasty cold most of the week before. Tessa has 3 pugs so it was hilarious to see which one wanted to come and sit at my feet during the day, to watch the puppy wrestle with the others, and listen to the biggest one snort and snore. They were definitely entertaining!

Monday evening, Tessa took me to The Music Man in Scottsdale. We had no idea what to expect and when we noticed that the theatre was tucked away behind a strip mall, we were nervous. When we walked in and saw several “actors” none of which were over 17, we were officially skeptical. But, much to our pleasant surprise, we were genuinely entertained by the show and the cast and had a wonderful time laughing and singing along. 

Tuesday, Tessa and Esteban took me to my first NHL hockey game (AZ Coyotes against the Los Angeles team). We were about 5 rows down from the very top, but we could see all the action just fine and, even though it was freezing in there, it was a good fun time.

Bundled Up - BRRRRR

 Wednesday and Thursday were more mellow days. Wednesday Tessa and I went and had 90 minute massages and met up with Esteban for a late dinner where we feasted on chicken wings. Thursday was Halloween, so we carved pumpkins, handed out candy to trick or treaters and played Yahtzee. It was a wonderful night!

I'm a traditionalist

And on that note, I’ll save the next phase for the next blog. My time in Phoenix was better than I could have imagined and I was so happy to see old friends and do such fun and interesting things with Tessa and her boyfriend!

Southwest Travels Part Uno (2 of 2)

So picking up where I left off….

Thursday 10/24 I was starting to feel a bit more recovered from my cold. I was definitely still very congested but my energy level seemed more in line to normal. I had a dinner date with my long lost friend Hedieh-Jan (jan means “dear” in Farsi) in Torrance so I headed down to Redondo Beach in the early afternoon to nosh on some lunch, work, and hopefully set my eyes on the ocean for a little bit. The weather on Thursday was LOVELY until I was off of work and then by the time I made it to the ocean, it was overcast, windy and FREEZING! If I wanted those things, I’d go to the Oregon Coast! It was lovely nonetheless, but I didn’t withstand the weather in shorts and a short sleeve top for more than 20 minutes before I moved on.

Redondo Beach - a cloudy sunset 

I met Hedieh at a casual Persian restaurant in Torrance and when she walked in I could barely contain my excitement! I stayed with Hedieh the first several times I came down to L.A. to visit after graduate school and we’ve always gotten along very well. But we had lost touch for a few years until I found her on the Facebook. There was so much I had to know about what had been happening in her life (she’d gotten married!) but had been waiting for an in person interview to get the dish. We had a nice meal and talked for about two hours before I, regrettably, had to leave to make the 1.5 hour drive back to West Hills. It was so amazing to see my good, dear friend, though, and I feel confident that with social networking such as it is, we will not lose touch again J

Hedieh and I at Fanoos restaurant

Hedieh-jan

 Friday I had SO much to do. I had to get up, finish packing, say my goodbyes to Sayra and her family, and head east to San Bernardino for an 11:30 lunch date with my old professor and thesis advisor, Mark.  I had to stop at Rosa Maria’s anyway (outstanding burrito stand) so I met Mark there for lunch. Again, SO much to catch up on. Did I mention it’s been FOUR year since I’ve been down to SoCal? In the four years since I’d seen Mark, he’d gotten married and had two lovely boys. It was wonderful to hear about his life and his continued work at the university. It was a great visit!

Rosa Maria's - amazing food!

My professor from Grad School - Mark

 After lunch, I was feeling sentimental so I drove my old apartment and drove up to the university to check it out. I didn’t park and walk the campus, just drove up to the turn around and turned back. After all, I had a date in Palm Springs!

That bottom corner unit used to be mine!

The center of campus - the San Andreas fault right behind it

 I could NOT believe that Palm Springs is only about an hour outside of San Bernardino. So I was there in a jiffy. As soon as you pull into Palm Springs, it’s like you’ve pulled into an alternative universe. It’s a little oasis in the middle of the desert. Not only is there plenty of green, but it’s BEAUTIFUL! I didn’t much time to explore, but I checked into my hotel and as soon as I saw the pool, I knew I was going to spend my extra time right there. The hotel was called Skylark and it’s only been open since September and it’s a wonderful cross between 1960’s retro and modern décor. I LOVED it! The hotel manager walked me to my room, showed me where everything was, made sure I knew how to work the air conditioning. And it used a traditional key with one of those triangle fob thingies attached? Omg, I loved it so much! So I immediately got into the pool to kill some time. It was absolutely divine.

My room at the Skylark hotel

Skylark from the outside. Renovated motel = SO CUTE!

The pool.  The floaties have smiley faces on them! <3 td="">

My feet and the jacuzzi

 After the sun started to set, it was time for me to get ready to go see Jayme. I hadn’t kept in touch with Jayme since graduate school so it had been 11 years since I’d seen or talked with her (other than some very basic and generic greetings on the Facebook in the last year). Jayme was one of my very dearest and closest friends in graduate school. I definitely spent most of my time with her as we lived the closest together. I met her about 45 minutes away from Palm Springs in LaQuinta at a fancy little Italian restaurant that was super busy and cute. Afterwards we went to a Piano Bar we could walk to and listened to some music, had an adult beverage, and kept talking. We certainly had plenty to catch up and we talked for just about three hours before I had to part ways to make the drive back to Palm Springs to rest up for the night…. I had a long drive ahead of me the next day so I wanted my beauty sleep J

 

Jayme laughing at the Sandbar Piano Bar

Jayme and I

I got a slow start on Saturday but I was finally up and heading out of town by noon. I stopped at In N Out burger and had me some lunch and then hit the road to Phoenix! The drive was relatively unspectacular but I had great tunes and loved looking at all the rock formations. It was 97 degrees out and blue skies as far as the eye could see.

My first In N Out burger in 12 years!

I-10 East to Phoenix

I did stop at this Jerky spot just past the border into Arizona to pick up some jerky for my love. It was in a total po-dunk down and the man working at the shop hit on me! Like… blatantly. Not just flirted with me. I almost never get outright picked up on. It was very flattering and totally amusing, even while he helped me pick out hot sauce for my sweetheart. Hahahaha

More on Phoenix adventures to come! J

Southwest Travels Part Uno (1 of 2)

I consider myself a moderately adventurous person. I like trying and doing new things and going new places. But the fact is... I haven't been all that many places. I have never been to Europe or Asia or South America. Or even Mexico. I have never traveled more than 8 days somewhere. So even though I'm 10 days into a 21 day trip, I'm still in shock I'm here. I'm so proud of myself for letting go enough to just pack up and ditch town. 

And it has been amazing. 

I arrived in Los Angeles last Saturday (10/19), picked up my rental car and head straight out to Sayra's house in West Hills. Sayra is someone I knew in high school. We weren't particularly friends, but we weren't NOT friends either. We didn't stay much in touch but we found each other back in the MySpace days and before I know it, we've developed an amazing real life, adult friendship and I see her at least once a year when she comes to Portland to visit her family (sometimes I get lucky and see her twice a year!). I was even honored to have attended her wedding in 2009 in Malibu. 

So I get to Sayra's and I hunker down for the next 6 days. I got to spend so much time talking with my dear Sayra and being amused by her firecracker of a 1 year old, Maggie.

Me with Sayra and Maggie

  

Sayra was an incredible hostess and I was so thankful for the time I got to spend with her and the opportunity to  have her home as a jumping off point for me to visit friends from graduate school who live in L.A. 

Sunday 10/20 I ran some errands and lounged about a good chunk of the day with Sayra and Magster but headed up to Westwood in the late afternoon for dinner with Lisa. I had invited almost everyone I knew to the dinner but the universe conspired to give Lisa and I our alone time together to catch up on the last several years since I'd seen her last. We had an amazing Persian meal accompanied by wine and 3 full hours of conversation and laughter. Every time I see her, I feel like I get my future told. She is such an intuitive energetic force field ... and I am continuously in awe of her amazingness.

 

Lisa and I at Shamshiri Grill in Westwood, CA

 

Sunday after dinner it became apparent I was getting a cold. But I had plans Monday night for dinner, dang it, so I was able to keep the cold at bay enough for me to spend the afternoon in Studio City where I had a late lunch at Aroma Cafe (lines around the block!) and working before meeting up with Kevin, another grad school peer, at The Salsa Bar.

My lunch at Aroma Cafe, Studio City, CA

Kevin at Salsa Bar, Studio City, CA

 

Tuesday I was officially down and out with a cold and I spent all day in bed working and blowing my nose endlessly and feeling awfully sorry for myself. I did manage to get up and out in the evening and saw Gravity in 3D which was amazing. There were full on recliners for seats and only THREE other people in the huge theater. 

Wednesday 10/23 I spent the day feeling all that much more sorry for myself that I was still super sick and phlegmy (yuck). I did, however, get lucky enough to score a dinner date with my hostess, Sayra. We went to a restaurant called Red Ginger in Woodland Hills where they serve sushi and Thai food. The food was incredible! The sushi was top 3 best I've ever had, it was so fresh and amazing. Unfortunately I did not get pictures of our cute selves that evening... despite the 4 previous days of chatting and talking, we just had too much conversation to be bothered with the camera. We did try to take ourselves out for FroYo at a place called yozen frogurt (say that 10 times real fast!) but we were too full so just took it home to eat later. It was a wonderful night and I'm so grateful I got a couple of hours of one on one time with her. She is so amazing and lovely and talented.... I'm constantly reminded how blessed I am that we have become and remained such good friends. 

And on that note, I will continue the rest of the week in another blog! More to come soon! :)

Foundation of Awesome

I was reflecting today on how people change over time. How experiences, happiness, heartache, therapy, huge life events.... all have the potential to prompt us to make shifts in our demeanor, our attitude, our view of our world and others.

I was attending a class-like thing today and in listening to the material, I saw that it was geared more toward folks who maybe didn't have that much confidence. Who didn't have well developed life skills. Which, shockingly, many people don't have! ANYway, afterwards, I was thinking "how did I get this awesome?" Almost my entire young adulthood was full of academic achievement, sub-par relationships/ friendships ... fast-tracking to "spinsterhood" with moderately severe social anxiety. In looking back, I can so easily identify the major contributors of what tore my walls down and changed my perspective.

Firstly, although it didn't really happen to me right away when I did it, when I was in graduate school and I felt absolutely terrified of life (can you believe it?) I put a post it on my mirror in my bedroom that said "do not be afraid to live life." Again, it took a long time (several years) for me to really feel that way, but it worked. A message reminding me every day that I can make a choice to live a life gifted to me to its fullest or to let it pass me by in a haze of fear, anti-depressants and yearning with no real drive to go after what I want. That message, however simple it seems, made a powerful impact.

Secondly, about six-ish years ago, I had a short term passionate love affair with someone I was very close friends with in high school and part of college, but had lost touch with for about 10 years. While the official end of the relationship happened during a morning conversation, it took nearly a year to break away from him. I was totally addicted. I didn't want to be without him (but eventually didn't want to be with him either). I couldn't let go. I started seeing an amazing therapist who changed my life forever. Through her suggestion, I started going to "Adult Children of Alcoholics" (ACoA) which took only a few months to then lead me to CODA (Codependents Anonymous) where I found a home. I spent a year religiously going to meetings and working the 12-steps and getting to know who I was not in relation to someone else. I got over the relationship. I got over all the relationships I'd ever had that ever put me in a position of not being good enough. That led me to be taken advantage of. That were with men who weren't kind, weren't giving and weren't ... well... awesome. Through that work I finally started to see myself as a worthwhile person.... as someone who, just by being here, deserved the best. That my life was my choice and within my own hands to make of it what I want. And so I have... and do. Again, it's not something that I woke up one day and said "wow, I think I'm great!"... it was a gradual change in how I treated and talked to myself. Less negative self talk, more surrounding myself with supportive people (more on that later), more self care and less self destruction. And then you have little "ah ha" moments like I did today where I looked around the room and saw everyone looking downcast while I couldn't help feeling perky and alert and happy. That's powerful stuff, let me tell you. Powerful stuff.

Lastly, in the last several years, I have solidified several relationships that have shown me that it's okay to trust. Not just trust, but to forgive when trust is broken. To move on when you are disappointed in someone. I feel that in both my romantic relationship and with many of my friendships I maintain, I have found such value in coming from a place of love and acceptance versus fear, judgement and selfishness. While I feel that my true understanding and value of what friendship meant happened for me in graduate school, it was in my ability to be utterly open and vulnerable with my more adult friendships that have shaped so much of my view on relating with people. I feel SO blessed to have friends and family who, even sometimes to my surprise, are truly unconditionally supportive and loving toward me. It is so easy for me to pick out the people who cannot interact with me in a manner in which I deem appropriate (immature, etc), therefore to keep them at arms' length if I must have interaction with them. I have more fun now in my life than maybe ever. I have a lover who sees all of me and finds less fault in me than I can in myself. Who loves me in a way that makes me feel full and satiated. I have friendships that have cast a wide, loving, warm net so if/when I fall, I know someone will be there to catch and hold me. I am... eternally grateful... for the abundance of love I have in my life.

I love my life. I love my love. I love my friends and family. I love reminding myself to live with a heart full of love instead of fear. When I enter into any and all interactions with empathy and care instead of fear and judgement, no matter what the outcome is, I'm a better person for it.

Thank you, everyone. Just.... thank you.

Something miraculous this way comes

Something in my mind has been changing. I was taught at an early age to give a lot of attention to the number on a scale. On the size of my ass, the size of my belly, the size of my clothing. I have spent my whole life following that lead. I exercise and eat ONLY as a means to an end. Or don't exercise or eat because I say "eff it" and am frustrated and emotionally stuffing that frustration.

About 6-7 weeks ago, I hired one of the most amazing women I know to work with me a couple of times a months on personal training. Her work outs are hard but I build up to them and they feel good. Her positivity and encouragement have rubbed off on me and I work out lately because I WANT to. Because I can see the shape of my thighs change as I do 60 lunges in a work out 2x a week. Because I feel stronger and sexier and leaner. Because she believes in me and she's right... I CAN do it!

I haven't lost a pound or a single inch. And I don't care right now. I'm focusing on maintaining healthy habits. On how I feel in my skin. And things are feeling a bit more homey lately.

I could be eating more consistently better, but nothing is too crazy. I don't feel my best self when I eat carbs or sugar, but my calorie intake isn't off the charts, either, so I'm not worried too much about it. I've had some digestion issues (infection maybe?) as well that has made eating not sound all that awesome, but I'm hanging in there.

As of right now, I have detached from the outcome, something I've been trying to do for SO LONG! And the second I stopped trying so hard and started eating to fuel up (and have some fun now and then, too) instead of focusing on if this bite or that bite will get me to my goal and exercise for the sheer joy of of it.... somehow I find myself way less focused on those numbers (scale/inches/size, etc) and focusing more on just doing it each day. On moving my body on purpose and trying to eat food that makes me feel energized.

I'm sure I'm not "cured", but these things are good steps and it's something I've never really noticed myself doing before (not obsessing so much about food/exercise). Hopefully some weight will come off. Maybe it won't. I'm going to just live each day the best I can and try to continue to let my mind have some brain space for other things other than if I look good in that dress or not.

Make it a great weekend, everyone!! **SMOOCH**