Colorado

We officially live in mountain time now.  This is the view from our local rec center.

Before this went down though... quick recap.

2 visits to Indiana.  A drive to the Upper Peninsula.

Mackinaw City 

Painted Rocks

This path looked like something out of a movie.  I half expected a kodama to rock up and start rattling its head at us.

An adventure to Missouri to meet my new adorable nephew and bestow sumo monkey upon him.

 

Also,  Botanical Gardens and Ted Drewes, because it's not a trip to St. Louis without a concrete (or two).

Cahokia Mounds

Botanical Gardens

In the first week of July, J and I packed a rental truck and drove from Michigan across the country to Colorado.  Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, grass, corn, more corn, hills, more grass, a few beautiful sunsets, and finally mountains.

We've managed to squeeze in a few mini-trips, hikes, floating down Boulder Creek, and a farmer's market or two.  Boulder and Fort Collins have lured us several times each, but we have yet to properly delve into Denver.

Garden of the gods

Hiking in the Flatirons

Muri is settling in as only she knows how.

J has started teaching, and I'll be starting work in a few weeks with a new company, and getting some great use out of my cookbooks in the meantime.  Next post may be from Southern California!

The Grass Is Always Greener

Back less than 24 hours to Michigan.  J laughed at me on the way home as I marveled how green everything was.  Granted, I left in the middle of winter, when all was cold and grey.  The lilacs are blooming, the college kids have all but disappeared after commencement, and there isn't a whole lot here to complain about.  Just quiet, warm, green midwest.

Walking to work on my last day, I tried to take in as much as I could.  This trip marked the first time in nearly 10 years I had made it back to NYC, somewhere I always imagined myself living.  I'm truly grateful for the opportunity and am happy to be home, but echoing my roommates words, "I don't feel like I'm finished with this city yet..." 

I'll be back, be it for a stopover or whatever it takes.  (I even have Ganesh to help me out)  Don't know where we'll end up next, but Indiana is on the list for this week. 

Don't have too much fun without me, NY!

New York

Long time no word!  I've been working as a travel expert for the past 10 months, and in January there was a great layoff in my company.  Sadly, our Michigan office went under.  In happier news, I got a great opportunity to move to New York for 3 months.  Can't complain about living in the middle of Hell's Kitchen and working in the East Village. 

New York is one of those places that no matter how long you are here, you feel as if you didn't do enough.  Museums, galleries, Broadway, parks, bars, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc.  I'm heading back to Michigan in a few weeks and am trying to pack in as much as possible into these remaining days. 

So, why am I writing now, after so long?  This was meant to be a way to update, to journal, and to talk about travel.  This city is as close to leaving the US as possible, but also is many people's only view of the US.  People come in droves and leave imagining the rest of the country is like this.  It makes me remember the first time I ever came here, in high school.  The memories are still fresh, especially when I have to shouldercheck my way through hoardes of high school kids waiting outside Phantom of the Opera on the way back to our apartment. 

Next on the horizon is a possible move to Colorado.  So, Dave and Kaoru, if you still read this long neglected blog... we might descend on you soon!  If not Colorado, then we will likely fly off to the Pacific Northwest.  J even has a prospect in Forks, Washington where we can pretend we're sparkly vampires, and go surfing in the cold cold ocean.

It's an exciting time, but a little scary jumping into something new again. 

Before all that, I am heading to help my friend Alexandra open her new yoga studio in Astana.  A month in Kazakhstan sounds like a great way to spend the summer.  Now, if we can only figure out how to bring J over with me.

Off to enjoy more of New York!