Dumbo never fails to satisfy. As a neighborhood set directly across from the water from Manhattan, it not only offers impeccable views, but wonderful restaurants, waterfront parks, and a very relaxed atmosphere. On Saturday, some friends and I set out to enjoy the northern grade pop-up shop happening in the area and then opted for some wandering, ending our day with bloody mary's at Colonie. It was nice.
During a January trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, my friend Mary Dea and I found ourselves with a free day of nothing planned (which is becoming a recurring theme in my travels). In the pursuit of adventure, and at the recommendation of our hotel's concierge we drove an hour west of Santa Fe to Tent Rocks. The rocks, formed over six millions of years ago by volcanos, are cone-shaped and offer up a view and experience that feels out of this world. We wandered through the narrow nooks and crannies, eventually meandering upward to one of the peaks where we were met with views of Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia mountains and the Rio Grande Valley.
Cusco sits in a valley of the Andes mountains. And while hidden between mountain ranges, it has such a striking presence. With many of the structures, streets, and plazas having been around since the fifteenth century, the city is overflowing with culture and history, thus possessing an incomparable authenticity. Street vendors fill the city plazas and sit on every corner selling fresh watermelon or coconut milk, tamales or roasted guinea pig (yes, we tried it!). And many of the women can be found wearing colorful clothing representing the indigenous culture. We even scored some Peruvian treasures of our own: this Peruvian rug that I will forever treasure, alpaca blankets, and colorful sweaters.
Having just returned home after a whirlwind eight day trip to Peru and Ecuador, South America has been on my mind constantly. It was my first time to both countries and hopefully not my last! Two friends and I threw the trip together fairly last minute and initially, we were going to skip Lima, Peru having seen it described as "strange and sad". However, despite that, a last minute decision (and a cancelled flight to Cusco on Monday) put us there for two days - two days that we were all very thankful for.
Lima's Miraflores and neighboring San Isidro District is like one giant botanical garden. Whether or not one is naturally drawn to flowers, it is almost impossible to turn a blind eye to them. Flowers are crawling through gates and standing high over walls. If there was one hanging plant there were probably nine more surrounding it. They are bright. But they are pleasant, adding just the right amount of color to the simple and modern architecture that we found ourselves among so many times. On Sunday morning, we woke up to the floral beauties at our hostel, El Patio. We walked among them on our way to the Miraflores beach and again through the residential streets of San Isidro. It was such a juxtaposition to the way Lima was originally described. It was wonderful.
An oasis of family heirlooms, greenery, antiques, and charm, The Surgeon's House bed and breakfast sits beautifully atop a mountain in the small but bustling art community of Jerome, Arizona. Originally built in 1916, the house has seen a slew of different owners, changes, and additions. However now, almost 100 years after it's conception, the home possesses just as much character as the woman who lives there: Andrea Prince (who I am proud to call my aunt). With a heart of gold and a penchant for creativity, Andrea has poured her heart into creating a beautiful place for her guests to visit. And bonus: she serves one hell of an incredible breakfast every morning.
