Colorado

Colorado proved to be quite the adventure.  Not even 24 hours after arriving, I broke my wrist in what is best described as a momentary lapse of gracefulness.   However, with a trip to the ER behind us, the week continued.  Comprised of sunrise drives to ice covered lakes, soaking in the views from the tops of mountains,  and discovering a slew of warmth in nearby sulfur baths, it was wonderful to get some R&R in with friends.  

And to make things even better, Colorado was such a vision.  Specifically the drive from Colorado to Utah (the next stop on the trip), in which roads wound through national parks, up toward mountain peaks, and around snowy cliffs.  It was breathtaking. There was even a moment when I declared that I would turn the car around just to do the drive all over again. 

Marfa, Texas

This past weekend, I returned home from a whirlwind two-week trip out west.  A trip that was supposed to begin in Los Angeles saw a very last minute change and ended up beginning in Texas.  I had tried to work Marfa, Texas into the original plan but was unable to.   So when Austin became the first stop on the trip, I couldn't help but make the six hour drive from Austin to Marfa for a 24 hour adventure.

Marfa, Texas feels more art installation in the middle of the dessert than small town.  Walking around on a Sunday afternoon, I felt like I was in a modern day ghost town.  The majority of stores and restaurants were closed, with plans to only open a couple of days a week at best.  However, despite feeling a little out of place, I took advantage of the quietude and walked the entire town at ease.  In hindsight, it was perfect.  Just as I would love to enjoy a museum or art gallery with little distraction, that's how I was able to enjoy Marfa.   Along the way, I took a dinner break at Pizza Foundation, a pizza joint with a gallery behind the kitchen (because, of course), visited the car repair shop turned Big Bend Coffee Roasters for an unexpected lesson in roasting, and started off Monday morning in what felt like someone's kitchen at Marfa Burrito for a breakfast burrito unmatched, in the best way, to any I have had in the past. 

Other highlights: Chinati Foundation's 300 acres filled with art installations, Fat Lyle's food truck for the brussel sprout sandwich, Marfa Contemporary gallery, the gallery/boutique Wrong Store, artists Elmgreen and Dragset's Prada Marfa, and the minimalist person's dream place to stay: Thunderbird Hotel

A Foggy Morning on the High Line

New York has been seeing some of the most beautiful foggy mornings as of late.  And in an effort to see more of the fog for myself, coupled with a recent effort to be more conscious about seeing the city by foot, I opted for a walk on the High Line on my way to a meeting uptown this week.  It was stunning.  There was a blanket of fog and the sun was just peering through enough to create the most beautiful colors.  On top of that, at 9am there were only a handful of people walking the trail.  Needless to say it made for a very peaceful morning in New York City, and that's hard to come by. 

Side note: This walk briefly paused when I popped into The High Line Hotel for a quick coffee.  I highly recommend the Intelligentsia inside the hotel to anyone who's ever looking for good coffee in the area (10th ave and 20th st).  

Upstate New York / Woodstock

Without fail, every time I go to upstate New York, I wonder why I don't make the trip more often.   In just a short train ride, you can arrive in a place that is such a huge contrast to New York City.  And it's this contrast that makes the experiences so special.  On this particular trip, we took detours, explored foggy roads and ponds and the woods behind our house.  We ate icicles like popsicles, sat in front of the fire for hours, and made huge meals together, all eleven of us.  It was peaceful and refreshing and incredibly fun - just what we all needed.  Below are just several snaps from our weekend in Woodstock.

The High Museum

On the last day of 2013, a friend and I took a trip to the High Museum in Atlanta.  While its collection of art is incredible, it's the architecture that really caught my eye that day.  From the street, its white exterior makes quite the statement among the cityscape.  And on the interior, it's hard not to take note of the smaller details - the openness, the use of natural light, the beautiful incorporation of something so seemingly mundane as handrails and ramps, even the placement of walls and columns is eye-catching.  In the words of the architect himself, "I believe that architecture has the power to inspire, to elevate the spirit, to feed both the mind and the body" - it's hard not to agree with his words after paying this place a visit.