Moving Furniture.... To Make Room for MORE Furniture

So this whole moving in thing is ramping up to full gear... or for my more geeky awesome friends... Warp Speed Ahead! M and I have officially started moving furniture around.

We have decided to move the office furniture into the dining area, splitting the dining area into a dining/office space, and leaving a room free for an awesome movie space! I guess if we were really rich we'd call it our "Media Room".

Somewhere between this....

And this...

I'm also getting my Christmas present from my grandma and Pawpaw delivered tomorrow.... my own swivel chair where I can curl up, blog, internet, and crochet!

The movers will be arriving at my apartment in 2 weeks. I leave my job in one week. That gives me several days to frantically dump everything into boxes, cursing the fact that I own tons of books, and run to the liquor store, AGAIN, for more boxes. The bad news is this move will cost me almost $1000. The good news is I won't have to move any large furniture! That is for the movers to do :-)

So, in two weeks, I'll officially be living in Carlsbad!

From Texas, and LouisianaMississippiAlabamaTennesseeKentuckyWestVirginiaMaryland, to Virginia! - Pt 1 Louisiana & Mississippi

Disclaimer - This trip is fuzzy in my memory... R and I were both under some stress from moving so far away for the first time... and its the ONE trip I didn't journal.

R and I had almost 2 weeks to report for work in Virginia... and many states to get through before then. We loaded up both of our vehicles to the brim and headed east. I had bought little walkie talkies for us to use on the road. (before great cell reception and waaaaaay before texting...) We very quickly learned that our walkies would pick up every vile foul thing truckers were saying to each other, and to the 'ladies' who worked the truck stops. Ew....

Our first stop was in New Orleans. I'd been there several times before but never without family, making my own decisions on what to do and where to go. We stayed in a nice high rise hotel on Canal, at the intersection of the French Quarter and the medical district. Basically tourist central... I remember our hotel had no 13th floor.... if you didn't know, they're pretty superstitious down in the Big Easy.

After a good night's sleep, we set out to explore the town. We took the Saint Charles streetcar all the way to the levy where it turns around. Its open air and slow moving, so its a great way to get a look at the city. One of the most notable things about the streetcar system is that the drivers are extremely friendly with each other. Imagine taking a cab ride in NYC, only to have the cabbie stop the car everytime he passed a cabbie friend. This is what happens in New Orleans. Our operator woman stopped the streetcar at least twice when a passing streetcar was driven by a friend. Their conversation was what you might hear in a hair salon... A five minute discussion of who's doing what, with who, and when. Very much a laissez les bontemps roulez attitude. (translation: Let the Good Times Roll). I have a feeling that Mexican time can't compete with New Orleans time... R and I didn't mind the stopping. It was a great taste of the local culture, and gave us time to take a better look at the surroundings.

Tracks are spaced close enough for streetcar operators to
discuss their day as passengers wait, and wait, and overhear
intimate details of these strangers lives. Fun! - ummm not my image...

Inside of streetcar - again, not my image. I can only hope that
this is during Marde Gras and this person is heading for a truly good time!

At the end of the line, the streetcar literally turns around. Everyone on had to get off and stand to the side as the track spun in a circle, then they let us back on and off we went. R and I got off at the garden district and walked to Garden District Book Shop. I'd read online that there were free walking tours given by local old men most mornings. This was intriguing, and in hindsight I wish every city on the planet would do this! The book store was this cute little shop directly across from Lafayette Cemetery #1. Our guide was an old creole man that I can only describe as "jolly and also a bit curmudgeony". He took us and 5ish others out to walk the Garden District. We wandered through the cemetery and learned the history and culture of the Lafayette cemeteries.

none of these are my photos...

there are 5 or 6 Lafayette Cemeteries spread around New Orleans

Crypts are above ground due to the low lying land, beneath the water
table. Galveston Island does the same thing...

The idea behind the crypts is that each one is owned by a family. When someone dies, there body is placed in the crypt, either in the center slab or off to a side slab. Nowadays coffins are used but before the 1940s, the bodies were simply placed on the slabs. Its so very Buffy the Vampire Slayer in there. Once a family dies out, the crypt is put on the market and a new family will take over. I have no idea what the new family does with the old families remains....

cheaper crypts... not family owned

These 'condo-style' crypts are usually owned by the city or a mortuary. These are much more interesting. Our guide told us that they don't use coffins. The interred body is allowed to stay there for at least 366 days, or a year and a day, to rest. Then if the crypt needs to be used again, the body is pushed to the back where there is a large enclosed hole that goes down to the ground. There would be piles of bones 8 feet high as more and more people are 'buried' here. Super interesting!

Walking through the cemetery was a bit unsettling. An underground burial is so easy to dismiss and these crypts are so visual, so many of them are beautiful, and you realize that you're looking at, what is essentially, a house of bodies. LC#1 is the most famous, being the oldest, and has been the setting for many books and movies. We were there in 2002, so a lot of talk revolved around Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire.

After leaving the cemetery, we walked into a neighborhood of Garden District homes. These gorgeous homes have survived centuries, first built as home, slave quarters, and stables on each block. As we evolved and no longer used slaves, those grounds were filled with more homes and stables, doubling the population density. Then as cars took over and the stables weren't needed anymore, these stables became smaller garage apartments, increasing the population density even more. An aerial view of the district now would show a haphazard, scrambled collection of properties. An urban planner's nightmare.

Every house that we walked by was gorgeous! Most were painted white, all were surrounded by picturesque Live Oaks, the air was humid and quiet, with birds chirping everywhere. Our guide took us by Trent Reznor's house (frontman for Nine Inch Nails) and the home that Anne Rice lived in while writing her Vampire books. We also learned that most Garden District homes have the ceilings of their porches (big glorious wrap-around porches!) painted a pale blue to keep bees and wasps away. An old antebellum trick that really works!

Before leaving our tour, we asked for a restaurant recommendation in the French Quarter. Our guide gave us a name of a restaurant and the owner's name, saying 'he'll hook you up'.

The next day R and I hit the French Quarter and Jackson Square. Now I remember Jackson Square from when I was a kid. There are face painters, sidewalk painters, buskers, etc. My parents had friends in New Orleans so we went there often. I even have vague memories of the 'family' Mardi Gras parade. I say 'family' because the French Quarter will forever smell of stale beer and pee, and the exotic bars all advertise with pictures of each of their dancers. I spent a lot of time asking my parents why the women had black bars of areas of their bodies... hmmmm.

Jackson Square was gorgeous the day R and I went there. The square was built in 1815 and named after future President Andrew Jackson for his heroism during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. We visited St. Louis Cathedral and Cafe du Monde. We walked down Bourbon Street and I was able to reminisce about my childhood thanks to the stale beer/pee smell. :-) The architecture of the buildings is pure French and gorgeous. We found the recommended restaurant and had a great meal - I don't remember the place or the dish, but I remember it was great!

not my image... but everyone who visits takes this same shot... 

After visiting the Garden District and the French Quarter, we'd seen what we wanted of the Big Easy and so we took off towards Mississippi for more adventures. But first we had to cross Lake Ponchartrain. I remember a huge traffic jam that caused us to sit on the bridge for an hour. Fine by us - great views and the feeling of the bridge swaying were enough to keep us occupied. (I remember later telling my parents about this and making my dad very uneasy... he hates big bridge, especially if they sway!) 

In Mississippi we stopped at Gulf Islands National Seashore for a quick visit... Its RIGHT off the highway. We didn't have time for a hike or beach visit. We simply stopped at the visitor center at the Davis Bayou section of the park. Gotta get that park stamp!

We also detoured down to Pascagoula and Moss Point. I'd spent a Thanksgiving holiday there one year and fell in love with the drapey Spanish Moss that is everywhere! One road in particular that we needed to go back and photograph. (and of course I don't have the photographs anymore. boo)

Onward to Alabama and Tennessee to the Jack Daniels Distillery!
To Be Continued....

Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust

No travel blog is complete without a travel movie list!

A good travel movie is hard to find, but when you find one, it inspires the traveler's soul deep inside of you. This list is compiled from my hundreds of travel movie experiences to bring you the very best. These are in no distinct order, simply the randomness that is my mind....

1. The Way
   
   Filmed entirely in Spain and France along the Camino de Santiago, this amazing quiet jewel of a film makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you want to fly off to Europe and start walking the Camino immediately.
   
   
   
   
   http://www.theway-themovie.com/film.php
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Into the Wild
   Say what you want to about a spoiled city kid who recklessly travels into the wild only to (spoiler alert; but who hasn't heard this story!?) die in the wild; this movie speaks to the very soul of wanderlust. Just try not to eat the wrong shit and die alone. 
   
   
   Oh! And the soundtrack heavily features Eddie Vedder and his hauntingly poignant call-of-the-wild vocals. If you don't have it, go get it now!
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. The Art of Travel
   Finally a travel movie that my brother and I can agree on. Seduced by the title, this movie was a lucky find on Netflix one night. This movie is set in the Darien Gap (a place I'd never heard of), an undeveloped swamp and forest region of Panama and Colombia. The story is wild and adventurous; the landscape is harsh and beautiful. Plus, the last scene of this movie is the best thing ever!
   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448993/
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
   
   Proving that adventures don't have to stop once you hit your senior years, this movie is set in the most photogenic place of all, India. I had to watch this one - it had all the elements of a good movie - India, Dame Judy Dench, romance, India...
   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412386/ 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. The Long Way Round
   
   Two famous actors take their love of motorcycles and traveling on the road as they attempt to drive from London, heading east to New York city. Impossible you say? Watch the movie; learn of new cultures; see beautiful sights.
   
   http://www.longwayround.com/
   
   
   
   
6. The Long Way Down
   
   They loved it so much, they did it again! Ewan and Charley head from the northern tip of Ireland down to Capetown, South Africa. Never has Ethiopia looked so incredibly beautiful!
   http://www.longwayround.com/journeys_long-way-down.htm 
   
   
   
7. 180 Degrees South
   
   I first ignored this one thinking it was a surf movie. Then at the suggestion of a coworker, I looked again. This movie is so visually appealing, it brought me to tears. Watch it and learn some fascinating facts about the men who pioneered the art of rock climbing (I bet you own their gear....), and then sold it all to help a nation and the whole planet. Easily one of the most underrated travel movies, watch this one ASAP.
   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1407927/
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Before SunriseThis is easily one of my all-time favorite movies, and its set in the oh-so-photogenic town of Vienna, Austria. (Completely random sidenote.... My mother claims that if you want to see European castles, you MUST hit Austria and Germany.) This movie was literally filmed while walking the city streets at night. It has taught me many things, but the most important one is that sometimes you need to simply walk around and soak in a city when traveling. Its not all about tourist traps. Pick up a camera, grab your favorite person, and start walking around your town. See what you see.
   
   

   

   Ugh, who doesn't love this?!

   
   
   
   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/
   
   PS - open 2 bottles of wine with your best girlfriend, and watch Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and soon Before Midnight (coming any day now to DVD!)
   
   
9. Out of the Wild: Venezuela
   
   Ok, so not a movie.... this one is a reality show. But it seriously rocks! Watch it and be amazed! Because of this show I now want to trek across this region of Venezuela.
   The first 2 seasons of Out of the Wild are in Alaska, and they are just awful. Don't waste your time...
   
   This is a Discovery Channel show and for some reason it has no website. Whatever... Here's a kick ass photo that offers the feel of the show.  
   
   

   

   and I don't know who took this pic... I got it here - http://imgur.com/gallery/z2wcy

   
   
   
10. Out of Africa
    
    
    
    A classic, this movie very slowly builds Africa as a character to fall in love with. For a film starring Robert Redford (love), to fall in love with the continent before the leading man is almost unimaginable.
    
    Now if only I could visit colonial Kenya in the mid-1900s with a guy who flies his own plane, I'd be set for an adventure!
    
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089755/
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Away We Go
    
    Guaranteed to make you cry, want to marry Jim from The Office, and go in search of your soul's home. OH! and it has a fantastic soundtrack. Buy it now, thank me later.
    
    
    
    
    http://www.focusfeatures.com/away_we_go
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. One Week
    
    In all honesty I don't remember this film, BUT I gave it 4 stars on Netflix so it's gotta be good. Check it out and get back to me.
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104806/?ref_=sr_1
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Kon Tiki

          M and I stumbled upon this on Netflix one evening. We had no idea what we were in for, having       never heard of either the explorer, the book, or the original movie that won an Academy Award 50+ years ago. It was amazing! Basically a story about an explorer who floats a raft from Peru to Polynesia to challenge conventional 1940s wisdom that Polynesia was discovered by Asians. I haven't seen the original movie, but this 2012 remake is great. Its full of gorgeous ocean scenery, very tanned blond Nordic men with increasingly bushy beards, and great animal encounters.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1613750/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm

I'm sure I'll think of more later, and I can't wait to add new movies to the list as they're released. Come on, Focus Features! Get creative!

Anyway, when wanderlust strikes but your budget is small.... stay home and watch a good travel movie. :-)

50 Awesome Cover Songs... Because This List Needs to Exist!

Alright, as several of you know, I have a deep and abiding love of cover songs. Not the crappy cover bands that dress up like Kiss or only sing Foreigner's greatest hits. I'm talking about really good re-interpretations of popular songs.

I was prowling Google the other night searching for new cover songs and was very disappointed. The only legitimate list I could find should have been titled "The No-Shit Cover Songs". They added songs that we all know. There was nothing new or interesting about it. Maybe a coma patient who'd slept for the last 40 years might have appreciated this list, but not me. So, I'm making my own list!

(I've added links so that you can see each song on YouTube... not all of them are visually interesting so just close your eyes and dive in.)


The Lennings - You're the One that I Want
This Austin band has covered one of the cheesiest songs from one of the cheesiest movies (Grease - which I LOVE) and has transformed it into an amazing ballad of love and devotion. (I'm totally jealous of my best friend who told me last night that she ran into them at the Austin airport a few weeks ago. They were performing this song!)


Ziggy Marley - Drive
Ziggy took an 80s staple and refined it in such a way that I want to lay in a hammock on a private beach every time I hear it. Come to think of it, I always want to lay on a hammock on a private beach somewhere.


Imogen Heap - Hallelujah
Never thought that anyone could surpass Jeff Buckley's depressing quality, but Imogen's version is even more haunting and beautiful. Then again, what Imogen song isn't haunting and beautiful.


Iron & Wine - Wild Horses
Iron & Wine stays pretty close to the original Rolling Stones track but its still fantastic.


Karl Wolf - Africa
Ignore the typical rap video ridiculousness... its a fun song.


Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby / Too Cold
Vanilla Ice did what few artists do and re-released his own one-hit-wonder in an entirely different style. Bonus: for a laugh and a trip down memory lane... Ice Ice Baby


Limp Bizkit - Behind Blues Eyes
Um... everyone has remade Behind Blue Eyes. It seems to be a rock concert favorite. I love this version mostly because its an unexpected departure from L.B. usual annoying craziness.


Linda Perry - Baby, It's a Wild World
LOVE all things Linda Perry!


Marilyn Manson - Personal Jesus
A totally rockin version of a Depeche Mode classic. Anyone want to discuss the vjazzling on his cheeks?


Marilyn Manson (again!) - Tainted Love
Another totally rockin version of an 80s song. Loving the "goth thug" in this very video that revisits the fantastic spoof "Not Another Teen Movie". This is definitely in my top 10 favorite videos.


And..... one more from Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams
If the Eurythmics and Ozzy Osbourne had a demon child, it'd be Marilyn Manson. Just as smart as Annie Lennox, just as fucked up as Ozzy and his whole family.


Natalie Merchant - One Fine Day
I have a special soft spot for covers of do-wop 50s groups. They sung most songs so happily, no matter what the subject matter. Natalie's version of The Chiffon's classic is heartfelt and honest. Simply wonderful.


Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins) - Never Let Me Down Again
Another cover of a Depeche Mode song. They must know how much I love Depeche Mode. Billy sings this one as if he is the one taking a ride with his best friend... if his best friend were heroin. Whatever.. no judgement. This one is great.


Wheatus - A Little Respect
These guys are the reason I have a playlist on my iPod lovingly called "Annoying Boy Music". They rock this 80s pop song! (RIP Britney Murphy. Clueless wouldn't have been the same without you.)


Taken By Trees - Sweet Child of Mine
This chick takes one of the most iconic songs and really makes it her own. Well done!


Lady Antebellum - Learning to Fly
Great cover of a Tom Petty classic. Bet their video has a lot less skateboards.... Ahhhh the 80s.


Wyclef Jean - Stayin' Alive
Ok, not a surprise but he rocks this. Plus, bonus points for his sweet disco-esque dance moves.


Radical Reinterpretations - Never Again
These people cover everything but this Kelly Clarkson cover is my favorite. I don't even like the original version but I stumbled across this one night and its been a favorite ever since.


Bina Mistry - Hot Hot Hot
Who even recorded the original? Doesn't matter - sometimes I watch Bend It Like Beckham just to jam out to this. I found the DVD extra video on YouTube.


Muse - Feeling Good
The name says it all!


Chris Cornell - Billie Jean
Awesome gravelly voiced Chris brings out the meaning of the lyrics in a whole new way.


The Donnas - Dancing With Myself
Yes, that is what the song is about. Yes, girls do it too. I heart The Donnas. Stay bitchy, ladies!


Rachel Stevens - Knock on Wood
Club anthem! I can frequently be found driving the highway and dancing to this one.


Dixie Chicks - Landslide
This song was my soundtrack for 2 years when I was living in the Blue Ridge Mountains. So heartfelt and amazing.


Alex Parks seems to only do covers yet she does them well so I'm not complaining. She was on Britain's Fame Academy and has recorded a lot of covers. These are my faves.
Mad World
Yellow


Save Ferris - Come on Eileen
Remember ska bands? Where did they go? Anyway, thank god someone covered the second most annoying  song produced in the 80s (right behind Walking in Sunshine, bleegghh).


The Birthday Massacre - I Think We're Alone Now
An ok cover of another, way more fantastic, cover - Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now. Ladies, go ahead and sing along to Tiffany. You know you want to.


Ryan Adams - Wonderwall
Screw Oasis. They don't do the song justice. Ryan Adams does.


Ben Lee - Float On
I simply love this song.The fact that he left in the mistake towards the end just makes him, and the song, that much more endearing.  :-)


Wyclef Jean - Your Love
Yet another great remix of a fun 80s song. The 50 First Dates soundtrack is filled with cool reinterpretations of popular songs. Check them all out sometime. I won't add them all here but they are great. For now, have some fun and dance along.


311 - Love Song
I love the Cure's version and 311 stays pretty close to the original style, with a bit of island feel thrown in. Another great hammock song from 50 First Dates. Adele also did a very cool version.


Shiny Toy Guns - Stripped
Originally recorded by Depeche Mode (love it!), this version is more electronic and has more of a driving beat. Plus the addition of a female lead singer really pulls this version ahead of the original.


Cary Brothers - Something About You
Loving the Cary Brothers! They are great and their versions of some great 80s tunes are a welcome addition to my driving playlist.
If You Were Here This cover of the popular Thompson Twins hit makes me wanna cry from the moment the melancholy guitar opens. I love singing this at the top of my lungs when driving (alone of course. M wouldn't appreciate it).
As I was looking on Youtube for the video, I came across another cover they did... a cover of Duran Duran's fabulous Ordinary World. I'm now buying it on iTunes. :-)


Starfucker - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Ignore the name of the band.... this song is fucking great. The original was great and this boy-led version does Cindy Lauper proud. (p.s. got this version from M... love it when guys have great music!)


Cowboy Junkies - Blue Moon
Remember how I said that these 50s bands sung everything all happy? Yeah, that theory came from hearing this cover back in college. Thank you Cowboy Junkies! They also did a great Patsy Cline Walking After Midnight.


Audra Mae and the Forest Rangers - Forever Young
This cover is so amazingly beautiful, both the acapella and the full band version. The full band version is off the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack. The acapella is simply a gift from Ms. Mae. This is the song I want played at my funeral. Feel free to sing along.     <goosebumps>


The Gourds - Gin and Juice
I NEVER liked Snoop Doggs version, but this bluegrass one is infectious. Turn it up and enjoy this guilty pleasure.


Flo Rida - Right Round
We've all heard it. It rocks and it was the best part of The Hangover. Its on my workout mix.


Anberlin - Enjoy the Silence
One of my all-time favorite songs by Depeche Mode has been redone with a harder edge. Perfect for those driving playlists.


Bran Van 3000 - Cum On Feel the Noise
From the 90s, this cover of the lovingly cheesy 80s hair-metal anthem is a great electronic pop song.


Katie Melua - Just Like Heaven
The not-so-great chick flick Just Like Heaven did one great thing.... it introduced me to this sappy amazing girly version of one of my favorite songs by the Cure.


Matisyahu - Message in a Bottle
Another song for the Hammock playlist. Great reggae-ish version of the Police classic.


The Raincoats - Lola
As M says - this version of Lola is a bit of a gender-bending brilliance. The Raincoats keep that gritty quality that made the original Kinks version so great. A great song to end the list on.


Hope you enjoyed it. I didn't even cover the Frank Sinatra covers - Brian Setzer Orchestra, Michael Buble, Harry Connick, Jr. - they are all great but so common that they just don't fit this list.

I also didn't include the great punk rock bands like The Clash, The Ramones, and Cheap Trick.

Feel free to add your own favorite covers.

Please let someone cover anything by Garfunkel and Oates! I Don't Understand Job :-)

Reluctantly I Headed to D.C. (And Had a Pretty Good Time!)

Last week I had to take a trip to Washington DC for work. I LOVE traveling, but traveling for work isn't nearly as fun. I wasn't really looking forward to the trip - on top of having a cold, I was going to be engaging in 'team building' with 40 strangers. Ick!

At the El Paso airport, I discovered that TSA is doing extra-special 2nd base checks... The TSA lady ran her hands down my sternum and around my ribcage, multiple times. I boarded my tiny puddle-jumper to Denver to enjoy having the whole row to myself. So I took advantage of the No Seat Belt sign and gorgeous day and took lots of photos (with my cell phone so the pics are crappy).

We flew along the Permian Reed, with El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak out my window. I waved down to my boyfriend as we passed Carlsbad. Northern New Mexico is pretty cool to see from the sky. Its all desert plains and huge mountainous patches of black rock left, remnants of 10,000 year old lava flows. (geology nerds rock!) 

To the west, the Sandias and Jimez mountains were capped with snow. My first snow of the season!

Wow! Southeastern Colorado is boring! I was hoping to see Great Sand Dunes National Park but no, just flat, brown, agricultural fields.

The front range of the Rocky Mountains is pretty amazing to see. Just imagine those poor pioneers, after thousands of boring flat miles of Kansas and Missouri, to be hit with this site. Little did they know the landscape would be rocky and mountainous all the was to the Pacific. Awesome!

Even the Denver airport has some snow-capped peaks.:-)

Inside the airport I encountered some local wildlife.... a flock of sparrows flying around the terminal eating crumbs off the empty seats. Once on the completely packed plane, I discovered more wildlife.... our pilot had a very strong, very cliche New Jersey accent. Just what I need, the Jersey Shore cast piloting my jet across the country.

At Dulles I was surprised to find some super-helpful airport workers (take notice, Houston Intercontinental bitches!). I thought they were extinct! A very nice eastern African traffic director noticed I was lost and pointed me in the right direction, even stopped traffic so that I could get across. Then a west African shuttle driver helped me find which bus I needed to get to my hotel. It was 11pm and I'd been traveling for 12 hours. My brain was fried.

The next two hours consisted on a random midnight tour of Georgetown, where all I could think about was The Exorcist, and cleaning all of my 'fancy office clothes' in the hotel sink. My shampoo exploded and the freezer bag I had packed it in was open.

This is only the 1st day and I'm already exhausted. Seriously not looking forward to this trip.

The rest of the week was a blur of meeting rooms, new faces, and Team Dimension profiles. However, we got a lot of sight-seeing done too!

The White House!

Washington Monument, cracked and broken
so nobody can go inside

The Navy Memorial Museum - where they were
practicing for a Pearl Harbor memorial event

Very cool statue at the Navy Memorial
Museum reminded me of my grandfather

Ford's Theater - the box where Lincoln
was assassinated

From the top of the Old Post Office tower -
Looking up Pennsylvania Ave towards
Capitol Hill

Christmas Tree Concert at the White House

Oh yeah, we also got free tickets to the White House Christmas Tree Celebration - it was freezing, I'm not into crowds, and I STILL had a cold - but I went nonetheless. When the Deputy Director of the National Park Service gives you free tickets to a White House event, you go.

It was a star-studded concert, with Neil Patrick Harris
hosting, and the Obamas reading
The Night Before Christmas to us all

It was an awesome evening!

Things I learned from my trip to DC?

1. City life is fun but ultimately not for me. All that walking and concrete and traffic and noise? Ugh!

If you have enough money, you can
afford your own tiny spot of
nature, on a roof

2. When standing with 8000 strangers in front of the White House, no amount of bandwidth will allow you to access Facebook to brag or text photos of Phillip Phillips to your best friend (who LOVES him). So I'll post a quick video here :-)

Yes... that's me screaming throughout the video.
(try my YouTube page if you can't get the video to play here)

3. Getting kicked out of your meeting space because the President of the United States (or POTUS) needs to talk to 150 leaders of Native American tribes is pretty cool.

4. Introducing non-city people to Tapas is both interesting and amusing

5. Room service and a bubble bath make for a damned good evening

6. The Secret Service have traffic stops down pat! They can get VP Biden from his house in Georgetown to the White House with only minimal disruption to us commuters. ps - they will wave at you if you wave at them (not the snipers, never wave at snipers)

7. Even a reluctant work trip can have some pretty awesome adventures attached.

Flying over snow-capped Rockies is gorgeous!

Traveling Ancient Roads in New Mexico (or Our Urination Vacation) Part 1: Classic 1950s Chic

As much as I've traveled in my life, I've come across some nerve-wracking experiences; none as truly nerve-inducing as traveling with someone else for the very first time. Questions ranging from "will we get on each others nerves after a constant 4 days together?" and "will my need to control the radio on road trips ruin our relationship?" to "OMG, can I get away with a murder if forced to go to Branson, or will a jury be sympathetic?" start to pop into my head. Well, last month, my boyfriend M and I went on our very first road trip together. (Don't worry, he's still alive, I swear.)

With only 2 days to plan our trip, we had decided on a road trip to Chaco Culture National Historic Site. Chaco has been on my life-list, and M's life-list, ever since I first heard about it. I immediately began planning; our hikes, our food, our route; our playlist. We originally decided to try and take in a few sites up near Santa Fe, as well as the Gila Wilderness, until we realized that this would become a very long week trip and I only had 4 days. One of the most important things I've learned while traveling the world is you MUST be flexible, so we settled on the interstate over backroads, and speed over winding mountain roads. (That "avoid interstate routes" option on a GPS is one of my favorite things.) As we were discussing camping options on the way up to Chaco, M mentioned that Truth or Consequences had some hot springs. Hot springs?! Yes sir, I am interested in that!

I found a hot springs' adjacent motel in TorC for the same price as a boring highway motel. TorC's hot springs district is "historic", which can sometimes mean shitty, old, decrepit, or non-existent. Fortunately for these two travelers, we have open minds and adventurous spirits! Our motel, described on their website as a "classically charming 1950s motor lodge", was the perfect thing for us. It had been remodeled and reopened by two gentlemen with unique style and fabulous taste.

Let me just set the scene... We arrive in TorC after dark, following some not-so-great directions to the motel, and park at the front entrance gates. Walking into the courtyard, we were quickly plunged into darkness. There were no outdoor lights on and only a small amount of light could be seen from behind a few curtains. I guess I should mention that the two fabulous owners had emailed me saying that if we arrived after 6pm not to worry about going to the main office. We would find our key in the open door of our room #8, titled "The Morning Glory Room". (Bone-chilling flashbacks to scenes from Hostel or Wrong Turn began playing in my mind. Every person watching a movie version of this trip would be screaming at the screen "don't go in there!")

The room numbers were all but impossible to read in the dark so there I am, walking up to each door and searching for a room number by the light of my phone! I found that most of the rooms were not only vacant, but the doors were open. M was not happy with me as I entered each one to see if it was ours. After a few minutes of searching, we finally found our room; door open, key on table, lights out. M swept the room like an FBI agent, opening each door and peering around corners, before he finally settled down and we turned on the lights. The minute the lights were on, I was in love with the place!


Super-cute homemade pillowcase reused as a curtain



painted trim on wooden mirror - kudos on
the wall color too!



Hot springs tub big enough to hold a small
swingers party... or just me and M.



My favorite part.... petroglyphs drawn
into the bedroom wall!



Wondering what to do with all those pesky wine bottles left
behind when guests check out? Make a garden wall!



Fabulously friendly cat who sat with me for coffee in the morning

After an interesting night's sleep (the hot springs had a narcotic amount of lithium in them and we passed out immediately after our soak, with the bed spinning and a glorious sinking-into-the-mattress feeling), we got up and walked over to the local breakfast spot....


not our car... but it is M's photo so no stealing!

 ... and then on to a very funky weird packed used bookstore. I've been looking for a lawyers' bookcase for years and now I know where they've all ended up - at this bookstore! Bookcases were haphazardly stacked on top of each other to the ceiling with no concern for gravity. Each room of this house was a different topic and once I found the travel room and the archaeology room, I was hooked! In the end, I found the companion book to my copy of an archaeological record of rock art in New Mexico, with whole sections dedicated to Chaco.

Maybe its the magical waters of TorC, or some kind of New Mexican vortex, but finding that book would prove to be the perfect beginning to the drive to Chaco.

A List of Random Things You May or May Not Know About Me

• I only need about 10 minutes of Justified-watching before my southern accent comes on thicker than cold molasses.
• Speaking of Timothy Olyphant, can we all just agree that he should only ever wear a wife-beater (look it up!) or appear shirtless?
• If I were a water-molecule on a highway, I'd prefer to be run-over by an AquaTread tire.... the idea of shooting down the middle tread like a flume sounds fun.
• I've been named the VOOP... the official Voice-Of-Organ-Pipe. Call Organ Pipe Cactus NM and listen to the voice on the phone tree. That's me!
• My toes are double-jointed..... freaked out my parents when I was young.
• I love those gross late-night surgery shows that are on Discovery Health.
• I guess you've already read how I have an odd belief that bodies are going to float up beneath me when I'm sitting in a body of water. No? Read it here....
• The first bottle of wine I ever opened was tough to get into but I managed to work the corkscrew. Upon showing my parents the fruits of my labor, they laughed and pointed out that it was a screw-top bottle....
• I love period-films but anything involving amputation scenes is unacceptable.
• Severe Roach Phobia
• I enjoy crosswords mainly because it involves placing letters in tiny neatly arranged boxes
• I can't stand to watch, or be watched, people brushing their teeth. The beginning of Stranger Than Fiction was tough for me.
• If I ever have a child, I want it to be a girl so I can name her after my grandma. Little baby Evelyn... I'm sure I'll regret my desire as soon as she hits her pre-teens.
• One year for Christmas I gave my father a box of bat-shit... he's a gardener.
• And then one birthday, I received my father's ponytail in the mail.
• I was a twirler... and was offered a scholarship for it.
• I'm the first born in my family  



my 1st birthday

• My favorite time of the year is Fall. I love the changing colors on the trees and plants; I love the crisp fall air; I love baking fall treats.
• I broke my foot but demanded a walking cast only because I was planning to visit Big Bend NP and wanted to be able to hike.
• I've recently discovered that most of my travels are to the same places as my grandparents. Very odd...
• I took, and taught, photography in college.
• I busted my tooth on my swingset in elementary school

see the pull-up bar on the left...
it will forever have a dent from my tooth!

• I love architecture!
• I've been vegetarian for many years and am embarking on veganism.
• I was the last of 4 grandchildren to get a tattoo.
• I was pretty terrified of everything as a child. Sometime in high school that all changed and my life of adventure began.
• I've taken road trips my entire life; with my family as a child and with friends, or alone, as an adult.
• I've used the excuse "but I'm from out of town" several times after driving the wrong way down a one-way road.
• I'm named after my mother's maiden name, and I share my middle name with her.
• There are 2 people in my family with my exact name - first and last - and spelled exactly the same.
• I have never mowed a lawn... and i hope that will remain true forever.
• I have eaten lichen.
• I've also eaten guinea pig, snails, and frog legs.
• I developed a pork allergy from a tick in the Appalachian Mountains. True story.
• I wish someone would invent some type of garbage disposal for the shower drain. Someone with long hair - go! Invent! Become a millionaire!
• My favorite movie is 50 First Dates.... followed closely by Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I think its partly because Hawaii is so relaxing, and partly because I'm a mushy romantic at heart.
• I have a huge girl-crush on Pink.

Alright, I feel like this post is becoming an exercise in narcissim, but please excuse me because I'm sick and bored on my couch.

Running Away to the Mountains

I had a quick 3-days off last weekend and decided  I needed to run away to the mountains. I used to run away every weekend, driving until I was tired and then sleeping in the back on my car. (Learned that from a close friend who shares my name.) Now, I have responsibilities... named Lennox and Chicory.... and can't run away last minute all the time.

I aimed my car east and headed 2 hours to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Guadalupe Peak is the highest peak in Texas and visible for an hour or two away. The peak is located in an ancient underwater reef system that is responsible to world-class fossils and world-class caves. Carlsbad Caverns is also in this reef. The Guadalupes rise straight up out of the flat desert ground, creating a most amazing view from far down the highway.

One hour away and already taking my breath away

To the west of the mountains the park is all salt flats. It
creates a very striking and blinding landscape to drive through.

Guadalupe Mountains rising thousands of feet above
the salt flats. And yes, I'm photographing while driving.
Kids, don't try this at home.

Almost there! This is my favorite part of the drive... You
get the best view of El Capitan rising straight to the sky
over on the left.

I've never been to this campground and was delighted to find a great little walk-in tent section. The only thing I hate about camping in national parks is noisy families and slamming car doors.... This had none of that. I picked the only tent spot left, way in the back (read: quiet).

View from my tent....

more glorious view... not a person in sight!

The only thing wrong with this spot was the lack of any type of shade. It was late afternoon and the desert heat was getting up there. Luckily, being the outdoorsy chick that I am, I was prepared. I grabbed Lennox's blanket out of my car, spread it down in front of the tent and spent the afternoon reading in the little shade that the tent provided. (I also listened to some Keith and the Girl.... I guess you can take the girl to the wilderness but you can't take her away from Keith and the Girl!)

View from the other side of my campsite

As I lay outdoors, and stared at the bluest possible sky, watching fluffy white clouds drift by, I could feel my stress dissappating. This is what this weekend was all about... no trail warrior, no crazy adventure, just relaxing in nature and chilling the fuck out. Check!

And by "chilling" I mean escaping the dreaded 100s and 90s
of El Paso. Thank you 88!

As I lay in my tent that first night, I stared up at the brilliant night sky. I was eager to see my old friend, the Milky Way. Haven't seen her in a year or so. She comes out late so for the time being I settled for the rest of the universe. Saggitarius, Arcturus, and 3 shooting stars could be seen from my pillow. Just as the Milky Way was making her appearance, a storm moved in and I had to close up my rain fly. Lots of thunder and lightning, followed by a small bit of actual rain. I spent the rest of the night listening to the wind howl while covering my head from being pelted by my flapping tent. Not a restful night...

The next morning, after waking at 6am for a quick trip to the bathroom, moving campsites (shade!) and coffee-brewing, I fell back asleep until 9am. Its vacation and I can sleep as late as I want. As I napped, it rained again. There is nothing quite as soothing as napping in a tent while it rains. I highly recommend it.

After waking the second time, I stopped by the visitor center to say hi to the awesome rangers there and then hit the trail. I choose an easy 5-mile loop.

Perfect.... blue sky and an open trail stretching out
before me.

The halfway point for the trail was an old ranch, Frijole Ranch, and was a superb stop. A spring brings water running through the yard, which is full of huge shade-bringing trees. The water, the breeze, and the trees created an intoxicating cool spot that I had to go lay in for a long while...

My view...

Frijole Ranch house... Sometimes open to the public, but
not today.

Leaving the cool shade behind, I headed back out into the desert. The trail wound across arroyos and then up to the foot of the mountain. There wasn't another human in sight. I wasn't alone though. Two redtail hawks hung out with me for an hour or so. They were probably hunting but they were having fun in the breeze and every so often one would call out to another. Remember the opening credits for Northern Exposure... that awesome bird screech was a redtail. It is easily my favorite sound in the wilderness. (Young people, Northern Exposure was an awesome 90s show, featuring such lovely scenery as wild Alaska, and a wilder young John Corbett. Google it!)

One of the red-tails flying overhead...

Texas madrones stand out along the trail.

The last hour or so of my hike was a hurried one, as two amazing thunderstorms were converging overhead. Not only was I one of the taller things on the trail and therefore a lightning hazard (I have a history with lightning.....), but I really didn't want to get caught out in the rain. I made it back to my tent just in time!

Just missed me!

I spent the rest of the afternoon reading in my tent and then laying on the table, watching the storms hover over the valley, dumping tons of much needed water onto the desert.

Hooray for shade, and for the rain, that made my
afternoon fantastic

That evening, after a sketchy camp dinner that expired in 2008, I met up with a very cool ranger who took me hiking to a super-secret place. I got to see some amazing rock art (rock art is my passion and this ranger knew just where to take me. Most rock art sites are super-secret because too many dumbasses try to deface them.) We hiked out to a great view, and watched the clouds, light, and landscape create some amazingly beautiful scenery, we headed back for a late dinner, great conversation, great tunes, and possibly a bit too much wine. ( Ya'll know me, I'm a cheap date. I kinda tripped my way back to my campsite...) That night, with red wine running through my veins, I yanked the rain fly off and just stared up at the night sky for one last evening. I fell into a deep sleep with the whole galaxy just overhead.

Perfect.