Yesterday...I hitched a ride into town with Anna, her sis, and her friend to meet with Allie for lunch.
Allie is my cousin Aimee's friend who happens to go to CSM, an engineering college here in town.
Allie's roomie joined us too, and we went to one of the top picks in Golden: D'Deli! It's so nice to be meeting all these friendly faces so soon after my arrival!
After lunch, I set out to explore the town a bit more.Stop 1: Coors Wellness Center. Yes, when you walk into the wellness center- they have a tiny beer garden with Coors on tap. So I got a tour of the old grocery store gone fitness facility, and I even got to meet their current intern from summer. (I scanned the intern for any dangerous warning signals; I couldn't check her vitals, but all appeared to be ok.)
Stop 2: Golden Public Library Located right next to a busy section of Clear Creek and the Fire Dept. I was on a mission: Get library card. What better resource to have in a new town?Behind the library.
The librarian even asked me which card I wanted- wait, I get options here? There were pictures of nature, wildlife, sports, lots of CO things... However, I chose sea glass. You got it, sea glass. Hmm. I guess that's just the Florida girl in me : b
I went home in the late afternoon and rode the bus back into town that eve. I rode down to 10th & Washington where Parfet Park is located. Also, where they show free movies in the park on some Fridays during summertime.
It was packed!
This Friday's viewing: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! Lying back and watching that big screen in the dark, I looked up, hopeful to see more of the meteor shower. I saw 2 shooting stars! & a really cute movie.
Boo! Okay everyone, try not to get too scared now ; b
I guess I'd have to say that my Friday the 13th started off beautifully, since I began watching the Perseid Meteor Shower early this morning. (around 12:30 a.m.)
After exploring the downtown area of Golden for the majority of the day I arrived home to a BBQ! There was much to be seen around the town and I got to meet some locals. I found out about a lot of upcoming events.
Tonight: Free movie in the park- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Tomorrow: Farmer's Market in the park. Sunday: Yoga in the park.
Clear Creek runs right through town; you can jump in for a chilly swim, tube, swim, or go on some rapid adventures!
I got home and was cheerfully greeted by all of the house members & some co. The grill was ready to go. There were kids running & screaming in the backyard. We ate, drank, and laughed : D
My sleepy self had wandered back upstairs and was contemplating the beginning of a full night's sleep...and then I was summoned to get my butt out of bed and hike.
We hiked up to the top of the mountain we live on. Like 2 blocks up the road and then a ways up a bumpy, rocky, dusty trail to the top.
Blanket for lying: Check. Pillows from couch: Check. Light pollution: Avoided! Meteors: Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.
It became a game of who could see more and then it just became to fantastic to itemize.
After some weird growling, chirping, and other sounds that I may or may not have imagined at 2 in the morning it was time to head home for bed.
During my final 24 hours at home I learned that Danielle was in town.
Not from a call or a text, oh no. I saw it on her mother’s facebook page…
So, I got a hold of Princess D and got to say another farewell to a close friend.
(But only after her dad made us delicious diet Coke & Malibu melon mixed drinks. Hehe.)
The following day was off to the ATL, where my new roomie, Anna, would be picking me up/meeting for the first time. The flight was quick & once en route we headed straight to The Fox & Hound- a bar to meet up for a goodbye with some of her friends.
I learned two new dart games that night (and succeeded at 1 of them!).
Then we headed to her home where I met her family, crashed for the night, and then come morning time we were back into the fully loaded car.
Leaving at about 8 a.m. we made it all the way to Nashville, TN for lunch.
We ended up on Broadway Street there and ate some Mediterranean fare right next to the Hard Rock.
Back on the road our first stop and destination was Shawnee, Kansas. We were scheduled to stay with Anna’s Aunt that evening.
I knew we were getting close when I first saw this:
The St. Louis Arch-->
We made it in for the night, talked for a few hours with her Aunt and cousins over a glass of vino, and then recharged ourselves with some long due sleep.
First day driving total: 13.5hrs.
The second day was a shorter drive totaling at 9.5 hrs. We said an early farewell and set out for our final destination: Golden, CO.
The land was flat and I saw something very cool and very new to me.
Shadows.
Yes, shadows. You can totally think Peter Pan here.
But, have you ever seen a shadow like this?
I swear it’s breathtaking.
A top all of that rolling green, and all the cows- just a big black shadow from a white puff of cloud.
If you thought I got excited for cloud shadows, just wait till you hear about the Rockies ; D
This was my first distant view of them:
<-- Just squint, that's them out yonder!
This brings me to the final arrival to Golden. We arrived about 2:30/ 3:00 p.m. Mountain time. Got to my new four-plex home, unloaded the car, and set out for a hike.
Molly and her boyfriend, Zach, allowed for me to join them on a lovely hike that is just 2 minutes away from our home.
We didn’t see any rattlers ….this time.
I went to a dinner with Anna and Molly at their boss’ home- and it was amazing! I’ve never had such a grandly prepared meal of vegetarian fare! BBQ Portabellas, Seitan kabobs, sundried tomatoes & raviolis, orzo pasta with spinach, mixed greens salad. I mean…YUM!
(All of the dinner guests were either mechanical or chemical engineers so the dinner topics were very proficient.)
After dinner we all went back home, and then the liquor store (they don’t sell beer or wine in grocery stores here), and down the road to Clear Creek. The creek was bubbly, there were drunken tubers floating by, Molly brought her hula hoop and banjo, and there was a playground.
So for the past 5 or 6 years it's been a birthday tradition for mi madre and I to celebrate via Mexican food.
The usual restauranté of choice: Mi Pubelo! OLE!
On the menu for the 21st year... drum roll please... A MAHHR-GAHHHHH-DIIITTTTAAAA! (and they didn't even ID me...really people!?)
The typical birthday meehhicaahnnno experiencé goes something like this: Friends. Food. Fun.And.Then.A.BIG.Sombrero.filled with lice.On.Yo.Head!
Me, Mom, Maria, Marsha, & Vicky.
Dinner was a blast & delicious :D After dinner Marsha, Mommy, and me headed over to Manasota Beach to search for shark teeth. I hadn't done that in years!
There was a lovely sunset to be seen (see above). And mommy and I got to talk about ...life!
Thank you all for a wonderful end to my 21st birthday celebrations!
Granted, it was only a week long trip- but, boy time sure flies when you're having fun (and spending time with your adorable 2 year old cuz)! So I arrived to New York on the morning of the 29th for a day in the city. We stayed at Lisa and Jack's lovely apartment with their two boys, Dylan & Jake. We wandered a bit during the day, E.O. had his first ice cream cone, we went to Lincoln Square to catch some free tunes.
Deciding what is liked, Doing what is liked, and Loving what you're doing!
The following day, Leslie and I were able to slip away- leaving E.O. with Jolly- so that we could squeeze in some yoga! We went to PURE- if you're ever in the city...GO! It was such a fun, simple, urban design in there! Plus they have 6 different studios after you descend their stairs from the entrance and down to the front desk to check in with a "yoga adviser." Stacey picked us up and zoom- away we went to Goshen, NY. Her in-laws had the sweetest farm there that had been in the family for generations. Highlights here were:
A namesake horse named, Saige!
A dinner with all the freshness of a farm: corn on the cob, tomatoes, blackberries.
Picking some of the freshest fruits and enjoying their deliciousness straight from nature : D
A tire swing.
Bails of hay.
An old piano.
Two more adorable kids added to the camper crew: Max & Madison.
We got to the campsite after sunset and Stacey's macho-hubby, Rich, set up the GIANT tent that the first 7 campers to arrive crashed in. Even with all the body heat, it was a very chilly night...
The next morning we awoke early and began out breakky feast! Homemade (gluten-free) oats with banana, raisins, almond slivers, cinnamon, and a few blueberries. Some eggs fresh from a neighborhood coop were cooked up too! Then we began out 2 hour hiking adventure! The kids were great, and E.O. even squeezed in a nap. We got back in time for lunch and the rest of the gang to arrive. Stacey's cousin Wendy came, Lisa, Jack, Jake, and Dylan came in from the city, and Susan & Joel came as well with their precious daughter Talia in tow. (Talia is the "younger woman" in E.O.'s life. She lives in California, but his love makes the distance work.)
There was another feast prepared for lunch and dinner as I recall. With some wonderfully fresh ingredients : b Somewhere in between all that nourishment were some very fun-filled activities, such as:
Biking.
Kayaking.
Swimming.
Lounging on big rocks & reading a book : D
Laying in the hammock and reading more book! hehe.
Photographing- Nature & Cute kids!
Frisbee, Green Grass, Sunshine, S'mores, and Vino!
The following day we had campers scattered between two sites, and could stop for breakky at either one to energize us for camp deconstruction. Then we rounded the troops...I believe we're up to the grand total of 15 now, and set out on another hiking expedition. There was some more playtime in the afternoon, before we all had to bid each other adieu. (By the way, these ladies are my Aunt's friends from college. What a cool reunion!) The cars ventured on different path's and the Prius route sent Leslie, Ethan, Stacey, and I to Long Island. We got there in time for dinner, where Stacy prepared a scrumptious baked quesedilla of cilantro hummus and roasted red pepper. Did I mention she serves her meals with homemade pickles, as in she picks the cucumbers fresh from her garden and makes her own delicious brine for them to soak in! How cool is that!?
There was some play time in the back yard, some phone calls to the family not currently in NY, and then a few final hours with Leslie and E.O. before I headed to Port Jefferson Station. Christian arrived in the eve, once all the kids were sleepily tucked in...except Ethan, who had napped the entire 3 hour drive to the island.
It was a short ride to Port Jeff filled with some belated birthday surprises from Aunt Bunny and Christian : D Yes, he got me the loveliest earrings in the entire world for my birthday. They are very much my taste and style! I'm such a lucky gal : D The next day we played with Rhino, got NY egg sandwiches, went down port, climbed a tree, looked in shops & galleries, had some ice cream, "littered" in the trash can, hiked up a treacherous sand mountain, saw a topless tanner, stopped into Tequila Jacks and had a Lemonade cocktail (because we're 21 now and can do these things!), went back to his mom's to make some fish & asparagus on the grill, then Nicole picked us up to go to Randall's and meet up with Eddie too.
The four of us sat out back on the patio and the conversation went to this- "if necessary, call off work tomorrow because we're going to six flags in NJ!"
So at 12:30 a.m. it was decided that we would all venture out to The Garden State for some roller coasters. We went, we rode, I screamed...a lot!
We got back to Port Jeff at 1a.m. and realized that my plane ride back to the Fort was the next day. So after debating planes, trains, and automobiles, Christian & I ventured out in the 1990 Lexus...haha to JFK. Saying farewell at the security sent me back to the reality that I leave for CO in 4 days now! Ay caramba! But, since I currently have the time I tapped away on my keyboard long enough to leave you folks with some evening reading : b
I'll be in THE BIG APPLE in just three days. I leave at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. Whee! I'll be flying Jet Blue for the first time- and I am definitely looking forward to a plush flight!
The apartment is almost fully disassembled. I just have to lug all this "stuff" home now.
Things to look forward to in NY: 1. A day spent in The City; hitting up a museum or two. 2. Camping in the Catskills for two days. 3. Seeing Christian when I got to LI. 4. The extended birthday surprises that await me : D
Front row Fido.
Money can't buy happiness, but $14 can buy a lot of nifty things ; b
Front row Fido.
Money can't buy happiness, but $14 can buy a lot of nifty things ; b
