The Road

My relationship with the road has evolved over years, just like any relationship does – it transforms to become the vague remembrance of what it used to be, despite our helpless and awkward denials and trying to fight it. I think it started before I was alive, all those many years ago, with my gypsy ancestors whose very home was the road …

For me, it started out back in the days of my school years and later, through college, learning the road and loving it in the only way you can learn it and love it – by walking it. I used to walk miles and miles, either with a purpose (to school, to my relatives in the mountains, from the train station towards their remote abodes), or without – just to get to a park, where I would walk some more …

Then, I started taking transportation (train and bus mainly) to get to other cities and countries. All this time, no matter what the means of transport was,  I noted the sights my eyes saw, the color of the sky, mostly, and the shape of the roads – winding, or straight, climbing or flat, potholes or just pristinely even …

Once I moved to America, the road was mine, ‘cause I could drive just about everywhere. That was after years and building up courage to test the interstate system. I would sometimes pick a spot in remote places with skinny, tiny roads that lead to it, just to see if I could make it. That could take up a lonely girl’s whole weekend.

Through it all, I kept a picture of the perfect trip in my head. Although I had never seen it, to me, the perfect trip would be somewhere in Arizona or New Mexico, in the desert, where the road looks endless and it touches the sky at all times. And where there is nothing, not a soul around, not a vague and lying promise of a settling in sight!

Today, I have the chance to drive the desert of Utah every day, if I chose to! It’s not Arizona or New Mexico, but it’s close. Today, my dream has come true, I could say.

I took these shots on my recent trip to Vegas, while driving. I hope you get a taste of the lonely, and yet very alive feeling you get by chasing that horizon, right here, in the desert. 

I love, love, love this beautiful big sky!

 

The colors of the desert against the sky are surprising and breathtaking ...

 

Sunrise in the desert ...

 

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.”
― Jack Kerouac, On the Road 

 

Sunset on the road ... 

 

Away ...

 

And till recently, I never knew what my road song was: it was this beautiful reading from Arizona Dream. When I first heard it, while driving, of course, it felt just like coming home. When I get sad or lonely, I play it over and over in my head, and it makes me smile with possibilities … 

Why I’ll Never Be My Dad

Whether they buy a fridge, or someone turns 50, my dad believes a party is on order for just about any occasion. I was really lucky to grow up with a man that really knew how to celebrate. Not just special events, but just life, in general. Just life, Sundays, a new car, sunny days when you can grill out, or just a new recipe that he found and wanted to share with people.Because partying always means food. Plenty and plenty of homemade food.

This continuous partying (and cooking) drives mom crazy, as she has to do all the cleaning. You see, in dad’s house, you make everything from scratch, and he does, but he (‘the man of the house’) doesn’t do dishes. So, mom is in a 3-4 day marathon of washing and cleaning while he uses every pot and utensil in the house making his masterpieces. The man has his rules!

To her, food is work. To him, food is love, joy, happiness, relaxing, beauty, pure pleasure. It's Bacchanalia! 

I love food, and I love cooking, and I love sharing food with my friends, over a good cup of gossip. But I don’t have the talent, the patience and the attention my dad has when it comes to putting a party together.

And for those of you who think I cook too much and that my food looks or is delicious … well, take a peek at my dad’s latest makings from this weekend and reevaluate, please. He threw a party for his sister’s birthday and these are just a few of the appetizers he served. Warm appetizers will follow, and then the main courses (yes, as in multiple courses), several desserts and a birthday cake, too. 

As I have said: I grew up with this. But it boggles my mind how creative my dad is, and how he makes new dishes with every new occasion, and how his repertoire never runs dry. It also amazes me, still, how much work goes into every detail and fold of the lettuce. We whine about how difficult Thanksgiving dinner is to cook! My dad cooks this every month, at the very least. If not every other week.

My own parties, in turn, apart from being rare, are also boring gatherings of culinary dullness compared to this. A far cry from all this plentifulness and beauty. If only pictures could satisfy hunger or at least, smell.

I will never be able to make as much food as he does, as pretty as he makes it look, as delicious, and as detailed in presentation and flavor alike. I am fortunate to have had the example and to always want to strive, but it will never happen …  In other words - I will never be my dad.

 The "meat" tray, as my husband calls it: a wide variety of smoked meats and sausages that he makes himself. He cooks them, then smokes them in his own in-ground smoker, that he built from scratch. 

 From left to right: mushrooms and onion in aioli; slices of veggie and meat roulade; corn salad

 

 From left to right: a tray of crudites and fruit; a brined fish tray, with  lettuce, and fresh green onions (on the glass)

 Seafood salad three ways: shrimp, calamari and mussels, with salmon and lettuce "decor" 

 The crudite plate, again, and 2 fish sashimi and raisins on orange slices

 Seafood in aspic (on either sides) and meatloaf slices (middle)

 

100% homemade, Romanian sushi - of various fishes, topped with roe. Morimoto would be proud to be challenged to this! 

 

Leave No Trace

 

They say religions are born in the desert. And you have to walk the desert to understand exactly why.

There is so much, amidst the so little out there. It’s vast, and dead silent. Scary. You’re constantly waiting for something to happen. To erupt. And make it all noisy. And you wait. And the vast of the desert answers – with yet another day (or night) of silence. It’s almost despair, this wait, in vain. But after a while you get it. You take everything in, and not only you start to hear the very life of it, the tumultuous-ness of it, but you also know that, in the end, that is the ultimate truth: “the rest is silence”.

After a while, you learn to listen to every small, needle-y leaf swish in the dry air; you hear the howl of the wind through the canyons, you watch the rocks fall, ever so slightly, into the sharp valleys. You hear the wolves. You see how the clouds and the sun change the shades of red on the rocks – almost with a “ta-da” noise, each time. And see the deer and the free range cows jump and perk up their ears. In the summer, you’ll hear the lizards busy body-ing through the boulders. It’s alive.

But the world wraps everything in a blanket of hush. And just for a minute you might have the illusion that you’re alone. With Him.

We drove down in the heart of the Utah desert (where that is, exactly, don’t ask me – the whole state is a diverse, colorful, immense sea of wasteland) the other week, to spend a couple of days in this small town, population cca 300, of Bluff. I found it quite by accident, while trying to see where we could stay overnight if I were to go visit Goosenecks State Park. Their site was mentioning that it’s closest to the town of Bluff – of which I have never heard. But if it has a hotel and a gas station, I am typically OK! Minus the constant scare that I might be shot and buried in the middle of nothing, of course!

I was a bit nervous to go that big of a distance away from any civilization (about an hour and a half from Moab), but I was hungry for silence, and hungry for beauty. And boy, did we get both!

On Saturday, when we got there, there were only two restaurants open in town: Bluff City Café – a very small, Native American owned diner, and Twin Rocks Café. Since our hotel lady told us that Twin City Café will be the only food place open on Sunday, we decided to have some variety and ate at Bluff City Café the first night.

I got the Navajo taco (of course), and it was delicious. It was cool to watch how they make the fry bread, from scratch, right there. No frozen nothing from a huge Sam’s Club freezer bag dipped in the fryer. I am not sure what will stick with me from this place: the enormous (think The Green Mile giant) Navajo owner, who towered over us, yet was so helpful and nice and gentle tempered?, the delicious beef and bean chili on the fresh fry bread?, the cute water jugs they had, in the shape of Indian boots?, or the fact that on a Saturday night we were the only people in the whole joint. Us, the Indian man and his cook – who looked more like a Turkish immigrant than an Indian, in the middle of the dead silent world. No, it was not scary. Just very, very welcoming and cozy! 

 

The cute bootie water jugs at Bluff City Cafe 

Sunday, we ate both the breakfast and the dinner at Twin City Café- as there was no other choice other than the beef jerky at the gas station! Everything we had was again, delicious. It all tasted homemade. I know my husband will say that the brisket he had there for dinner will be something he’ll remember, but I loved the chicken noodle soup. I have not had homemade noodles since before I moved to the US, 15 years ago!

Between the only hotel that seemed open (ours – Desert Rose Inn and Cabins), the only gas station and the only restaurant open, we just about acquainted the whole town and all of its handful of visitors in 48 hours – just about. It was that small, and that intimate. 

 Goosenecks State Park

On Sunday, we drove around, looking for photo opps, of course and just getting lost in the wild . We saw Goosenecks Park, first, this beautiful canyon where the San Juan River twists and turns and forms these “S” shaped valleys, really close to each other. We visited the Natural Bridges National Monument . We drove around The Valley of the Gods – which is so appropriately named it’s not even funny! It’s huge, overwhelmingly so, and it has beautiful rock formations scattered all around it  that change their color in the moving sun, during the span on one day, with every cloud that shades them – it’s breathtaking. You just know all this cannot be at random!

The Valley of the Gods vista

We then drove by the Sand Island Park, and saw the thousands of petroglyphs carved in the side of the rocky mountains – a living testimony of times past. And that’s another thing about these parts: you feel and hear the steps of what used to be: the Old West, head-full-of-dreams cowboys trekking across the land, in search of  their fortune: gold? Cattle? Land? Who remembers?! Just searching. You hear the screams of the Indians defending and losing their own. The cooing of babies in the wagons. The barks of the dogs sensing the coyotes in the distance, and the screech of the wood wheels against the hard rocky, yet un-carved paths through the mountains. I always feel so small and so humble to be walking the same trails as all that civilization. The petroglyphs bring that all back to your mind. And you shiver.

Sand Island Park Petroglyphs

On the way down, we noticed lots of places called “port of entry” – just a  reminder of where one county stopped and another began, back when boundaries were sacred. The stores are called “trading posts” to this day, and they still have the wooden railings in front, where you can tie your horse.

Outside this fairy land, we also visited The Hole in the Rock house and grounds – a freak in architecture, as these folks in 1950’s carved their 5000 sq. ft. home in the side of a rocky mountain, right outside Moab. Their yard and store is just a vivid testimony of everything Americana stands for.

We also drove the 14 miles on Hwy 128 in the same area, to go visit The Red Cliffs Lodge and Castle Valley Winery, along the Colorado river – a place where hundreds of movies have been shot; so many, in fact, it beckoned the place to host a movie museum on its premises. The Red Cliffs Lodge will probably be on our short list of places to stay when we drive down to Moab, again. What a beautiful, serene, forgotten, hidden place! The Moab red mountains around turn the grounds into just a cathedral under the skies, complete with a beautiful, sunken in pasture, horses and cozy small cabins strung like beads along the river. 

Nearing The Red Cliffs Lodge - Moab

It was a visual as much as it was a spiritual journey, all in all! We got closer to nature, God, our land, our past, ourselves and each other, just in the span of 2 days! The desert wind will cover our footsteps, but the vivid red rocks will forever be imprinted in our brains and hearts, as forever as they are in the wild. 

 

Click on this picture to see the whole album that captures this trip

Because Love Is Worth It …

“Love and intimacy — our ability to connect with ourselves and others, is at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing.

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a special Valentine's Day together. I look forward to spending mine surrounded by my amazing family.” (Dr. Dean Ornish, MD)

Some people make a matter of personal propaganda the fact that they do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. They wear the fact that they “think it’s stupid, commercial, dumb, useless” like a badge of personal pride and loftiness. They use that attitude as sort of a superiority mark against the rest of humanity, too low to be dumb, stupid and useless enough to celebrate it. 

All that makes me want to do is chuckle and sigh and pray  that they are going to snap the heck out of it, before their lives are spent. At least snap the heck out of thinking they are so right and the rest of the world is so wrong. 

I personally don’t believe we need a holiday to celebrate Jesus, either! I believe He should be celebrated every single second of the day and every day of the year, with every breath we take. And I definitely do not believe that we need to buy our loved ones millions of dollars of crap they won’t need in His name, around His holiday, either. And yet, on December 25^th we do just that! How is that less commercial than marking a day in the calendar to say to your loved ones “ I love you” on a special note, I see not!

I don’t believe, as Americans, we need any special holiday to say “thank you” for everything we’ve got on this beautiful land. To be appreciative for what our history and traditions have given us. I also don’t believe we should celebrate it with stuffing ourselves with turkey – why not chicken? Or mushrooms for that matter?! And yet, we do that. Every year. And that, somehow, makes us less commercial? And less “cheap” than buying a card on Valentine’s Day? Why?! 

I am grateful for my husband, and my family and Jesus, and His Resurrection and what America has given me every day of the year - sure. But I love the opportunity to stop, ponder and make a “big personal deal” about it at least once a year. I tell my husband “I love you” every day. But he only gets his favorite chocolates once a year. He’s a diabetic – and an occasion to allow that treat is welcome. I don’t wear it as a badge. I just see it as my personal choice. 

I hope you all enjoyed today – doing whatever it was you were doing. Not out of spite and self assurance, but just because it made sense to you. And along with Dr. Ornish said – I welcome one glorious day that reminds me why I love my husband and that this love leads me to healing, happiness, peace and wellness! Let this be my only sin, that I am loving celebrating love.

Five Things to Not Do in Las Vegas

I have lived in Utah for almost 3 years now (3 months short of 3 years) and I have been to Vegas that many times. Everyone I know that’s been born and raised around here has been there more times than they can count. Unlike the East Coast that has tons of fun places to visit within hours distance from anywhere you live, land is large and wide open here, Out West. Vegas is the one “fun”, big place that is drivable to, closest to Salt Lake, without having to jump on a plane or drive for 10 hours or more.

What I am trying to say is – a trip to Vegas might not seem as special to people who live around here as to those who plan their entire lives to make it there. However, I always find this trip special, despite my multiple treks there in a relatively short time.

There is almost nothing you can’t not do in Vegas (except for diving into the ocean, of course!). The amazing pools and spas it offers, though will make up for that! Your imagination is the limit in this town of lights, “sin”, money and fun. And you cannot possibly fit everything in the amount of several days – so every time you come, you should take a different bite out of its offerings – and this will keep the newness going for you.

The list of things not to do here is short, I guess, at least in my book. Here’s what I could come up with, from my experience there so far:

1.    Don’t go there solely for work. If your job requires you to be in Vegas for 3 days for work, take an extra day off to enjoy what the city has to offer! Whether you’re into gambling, watching shows, magic tricks, shopping, fooding, picture taking, drinking, crazy rides, spas – this city has all that and then some! Stay an extra day, on your own buck, if you have to, and make some time to take in the city! You will gripe less about the drive or the plane ride when you get back home, when you mix in some fun stuff with the serious stuff.

2.    Don’t plan to drive while in the city! Park your car at the hotel and forget about it for a couple of days! Parking is free. It is definitely a walkable city! And traffic is horrible and all it’ll do is make you mad! Pedestrians are slow, there are foreign visitors not knowing where to turn stalling you at every corner – stay happy and not frustrated with the driving! Walk, take the monorail, walk some more, take the cab, maybe. There is something to see, observe, learn from on every street – and there is no better way to learn a city and its soul than to walk it. You never feel unsafe – because there is so much foot traffic. And you can’t really say you’ve been there unless you have seen, smelled and tasted a place, and shaken hands with the street performers. So, walk and learn!

3.    Along the same lines – do not bring fancy shoes! Yes, I know you want to look just like a Vegas show girl when you walk down the avenues, with shortie short dresses and stiletto shoes. But trust me – leave that look to the professionals! Be comfortable and remember that you’re there to learn the city and see what the fuss is all about. Sure, if all you want in Vegas is hook up and have a one night stand – use the stilettos for one night at the hotel bar, to attract your prey. But do not walk down The Strip in them! There is nothing more painful to watch than a pretty girl in pain from uncomfortable shoe-wear. Relax, get a cocktail (which you can sip while walking about) and be comfy!

4.    Unless you want to see a show, there is not much planning needed to really experience Vegas! Everything it has to offer can pretty much be done on impulse – whatever you feel like doing you can pretty much do during your 2-3-4 day stay, as you run into it. Shows require advance reservations, for the most part. Do make a list of what you want to do, if you want, or if you walk by something that looks fun, jump on the opportunity and do it! There are things in Vegas that you cannot do back in your population 2000 small town. You never know when or if you’ll be back – so jump in, head first and do it now. Whether it’s a restaurant you want to experience, a drink you’ve never heard of, a game you never gambled at, a risqué show to watch – do it! It makes for good memories and stories. And there is no point in having any regrets! We all know the cliché about life being too short for those.

5.    And the very last and I think most important thing to not do in Vegas is worry about counting your money! I am usually careful with my spending and extremely budget minded – heck, some people that know me will even say I am a miser. But Vegas is designed around sucking the last penny outta ya! Whether you like it or not, if you breathe in Vegas, you pay!

Yes, they have coupon books and what not, but they cannot possibly have coupons for everything. You pay nothing for your drinks if you gamble – they are free, as long as you gamble, but if you want to eat, a burger will be $20! You want a side with that? It’s $8 extra. You want a nightcap at the hotel lounge, and you just played and lost your budget for the trip, so no more free drinks - $15 for a cocktail. There are resort fees, and fees if you want to move faster through the lines at the tourist attractions - $11 for the regular line which takes up to 30 minutes regardless of how long it is, or $14 for 5 minute waits. Everything costs! You’ll hear the “cha-ching” noise so much in this town, with everything you do, your head will spin! But you cannot know and live this city up, for even a day, without jumping into its heart and soul. If you want to experience Vegas and tell the world about it, do it – and work for the money to cover your fun later. Don’t get a depression over it – it’s part of the Vegas “charm”! One way or another, the house always wins, baby!

I have enjoyed this city more than once now, and I will be back. Gambling does nothing for me, but I have always found the shopping areas clean, beautifully designed places. As most of you know, I am a big window shopper. And for that, Vegas is my playground! I will be back also for a show or three, but that requires planning. Cannot wait for the next adventure, though.

To take in some of the sights of my latest trip there, click on the picture below, and enjoy:

 

 The city is the most amazing at night. So special, in fact, that to view it from the observation deck at the Eiffel Tower costs an extra $6 for night hours - in the slow line.