Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a very Happy New Year. If you are so inclined, read our online holiday card and let us know what you have been up to!
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a very Happy New Year. If you are so inclined, read our online holiday card and let us know what you have been up to!
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Happy Holidays from Vegas!
It's that time of year again and we are sending out a greeting from the desert! We have posted our annual holiday letter so if you want to know what the highlights of the year were you can check it out. Happy Holidays to our friends and family!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
The End of the Road
It is hard to summarize all that happened during the course of two weeks and over 5,000 miles of driving, but I guess this sign outside Club Tap gets the story rolling.... There are lots fun memories from our road trip to Wisconsin for the holidays: Aaron having marshmallow wars with the kids, Zambuca shots on Christmas Eve, grlling ribeyes in the snow (only in Wisconsin), Danny's face when he saw the Twain Harte spider, exciting news about a new addition to the Wieselman clan, and slamming back a couple of Schlitz, followed by a few Blatz at the legendary Club Tap. And that is just the part of the trip in Wisconsin!
It was great to walk into taverns that we've haven't been into in two years and see Bill, Bob, Bruno, Adrianne, or even that rude women at the Speedway and feel that people remember you from the old days and want to hear how things are going. We really enjoyed catching up with friends, old co-workers, and family as well as our favorite bartenders- but truly, if you're going to Milwaukee, you have to have a special place in your heart for the local taverns.
On New Year's Day we hit to road back down south. Illinois was like an ice-skating rink, with about 30 cars in the ditch along the 300 mile stretch into Missouri. I don't know if it was the new tires or just good driving but we couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with all these people. At a rest area along the way I talked with an older women that I assumed to be an avid RV'er, as she looked the type. As we were washing out hands and discussing the 10 degree temperatures and wind she said, "You know, I love the road, but sometimes I just wish they would have finally figured out that teleporter thing!" So true!
We stayed in Springfield, MO that night and then busted out a long 13-hour day of driving into Taos, NM. It was worth it. If you have never had the pleasure of visiting New Mexico, you better get it on your list. Especially if you like food. "Life without green chile is no life at all!" Taos is, of course, where we got married and has special meaning for us. This trip we stayed at the Laughing Horse Inn bed and breakfast that used to be an old commune and is dog-friendly and full of interesting people. It is under new ownership and despite our worried that everything would be changed, the place looks good: preserving the old charm and adding new energy. The new innkeeper is a total trip (former stuntwoman that is a multi-talented painter, writer, musician and mother!) Taos truly is a creative magnet for people like that. It was particularly cool that while we were there the innkeeper was hosting a meeting for the Old Spanish Trail historical society and was willing to partner with the group to work on promoting the trail (which just so happens to run in front of the Inn!) Very cool! We got the sauna room and slept in the rustic bunk beds with Pocky chilling out on the lower level. We also made a visit to KTAO solar radio, which is our favorite source of eclectic music while experiencing the Taos vibe. The trip would not have been complete without a couple margaritas at the Taos Inn where we got married. I absolutely love the Adobe Bar and the night we were there we got to hear a local bluegrass singer who managed to pull out a couple favorites, including Iris Dement and "Lakes of Pontchatrain". Excellent. BTW, I send my regards to the guy we met after my third margarita, I don't remember much beyond the fact that you are getting married in the spring. Cheers!
Before we descended back into the Las Vegas valley, we made one more stop in Arizona's Navajo country. We visited our friends, Darrell and Madiria and their son Ethan at their house in progress that Darrell is building just north of Show Low, AZ. It was great to visit and hang out and Ethan was a real cutie. We also swung through Petrified Forest National Park on the way home and got to see some reallyy cool petrified logs. Don't steal these pretty pieces of wood or the NPS will fine you something fierce!!!
The trip ended with a huge downpour in Kingman and fog into the Hoover Dam. We arrived safely back at home and enjoyed sleeping in our own bed and finally finishing the third season of Lost. It is good to be home, but as Aaron said yesterday, "I miss the road already!"
It was great to walk into taverns that we've haven't been into in two years and see Bill, Bob, Bruno, Adrianne, or even that rude women at the Speedway and feel that people remember you from the old days and want to hear how things are going. We really enjoyed catching up with friends, old co-workers, and family as well as our favorite bartenders- but truly, if you're going to Milwaukee, you have to have a special place in your heart for the local taverns.
On New Year's Day we hit to road back down south. Illinois was like an ice-skating rink, with about 30 cars in the ditch along the 300 mile stretch into Missouri. I don't know if it was the new tires or just good driving but we couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with all these people. At a rest area along the way I talked with an older women that I assumed to be an avid RV'er, as she looked the type. As we were washing out hands and discussing the 10 degree temperatures and wind she said, "You know, I love the road, but sometimes I just wish they would have finally figured out that teleporter thing!" So true!
We stayed in Springfield, MO that night and then busted out a long 13-hour day of driving into Taos, NM. It was worth it. If you have never had the pleasure of visiting New Mexico, you better get it on your list. Especially if you like food. "Life without green chile is no life at all!" Taos is, of course, where we got married and has special meaning for us. This trip we stayed at the Laughing Horse Inn bed and breakfast that used to be an old commune and is dog-friendly and full of interesting people. It is under new ownership and despite our worried that everything would be changed, the place looks good: preserving the old charm and adding new energy. The new innkeeper is a total trip (former stuntwoman that is a multi-talented painter, writer, musician and mother!) Taos truly is a creative magnet for people like that. It was particularly cool that while we were there the innkeeper was hosting a meeting for the Old Spanish Trail historical society and was willing to partner with the group to work on promoting the trail (which just so happens to run in front of the Inn!) Very cool! We got the sauna room and slept in the rustic bunk beds with Pocky chilling out on the lower level. We also made a visit to KTAO solar radio, which is our favorite source of eclectic music while experiencing the Taos vibe. The trip would not have been complete without a couple margaritas at the Taos Inn where we got married. I absolutely love the Adobe Bar and the night we were there we got to hear a local bluegrass singer who managed to pull out a couple favorites, including Iris Dement and "Lakes of Pontchatrain". Excellent. BTW, I send my regards to the guy we met after my third margarita, I don't remember much beyond the fact that you are getting married in the spring. Cheers!
Before we descended back into the Las Vegas valley, we made one more stop in Arizona's Navajo country. We visited our friends, Darrell and Madiria and their son Ethan at their house in progress that Darrell is building just north of Show Low, AZ. It was great to visit and hang out and Ethan was a real cutie. We also swung through Petrified Forest National Park on the way home and got to see some reallyy cool petrified logs. Don't steal these pretty pieces of wood or the NPS will fine you something fierce!!!
The trip ended with a huge downpour in Kingman and fog into the Hoover Dam. We arrived safely back at home and enjoyed sleeping in our own bed and finally finishing the third season of Lost. It is good to be home, but as Aaron said yesterday, "I miss the road already!"
Friday, December 28, 2007
The Frozen Tundra
Get your snowsuits ready!
Here's your dispatch from the winter wonderland of Southeastern Wisconsin in December...
We are here in Milwaukee and enjoying all the fun of the holidays. It is quite a different scene than the Mojave Desert, with 3-5 inches of snow expected today and more to follow. There is nothing but fluffy whiteness covering everything in sight. It's a good day for me to finish reading, The Kite Runner or for a day-long marathon catching up on last season's Lost episodes. You don't feel guilty lighting the fire and sitting back with a blanket and a cup of tea when it is snowy and blowy outside. I am going to soak it all in before we have to hit to road back to Vegas. 2 days of driving through Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and then Nevada lies ahead for us and I can only hope we find a clear window to make some miles westward. Before we go we will have burgers and custard, hit a local fish fry, and visit lots of local taverns. But, most of all it has been fun to catch up with family, relax and kick back with some board games (or poker?) and re-aquaint ourselves with the joys of the frozen tundra!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Happy Holidays from Vegas!
It's that time of year again and we are sending out a greeting from the desert! This picture isn't of our tree, we aren't even getting one this year, but it kind of sums up what it is like to have Christmas in the desert! Hope you are all well and we will keep you posted on our long journey to the frozen tundra!
We have posted our annual holiday letter so if you want to know what the highlights of the year were you can check it out. Happy Holidays to our friends and family!
We have posted our annual holiday letter so if you want to know what the highlights of the year were you can check it out. Happy Holidays to our friends and family!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Tis the Season
Maybe, the final straw was at Best Buy when they sold out of my carefully chosen, methodically compared, and finally decided-upon holiday gift. Or maybe it was the six hours spent shopping online to purchase a unique special gift, and then finding out that the very same item was available two blocks away. Anyway...I think it's time to consider another holiday tradition- drinking. I have been half-heartedly following the trendy cocktail culture resurgence (Trader Tiki's Booze Blog, Explore the Pour, and Rejiggered are some examples) because I like the aesthetic, I enjoy mixing it up from the usual beer or glass of wine, and I think its kind of fun to concoct things.
A while back I started reading the magazine, Imbibe: The Ultimate Drinks Magazine. This is a great place to start if you plan on doing any holiday entertaining because there are amazing recipes and lots of cool ideas for all manner of beverages; including coffee, tea, beer, wine, spirits, and more. There are often regional articles on coffee shops and bars and there are always very complicated, but delicious-sounding cocktail recipes from leading mixologists. While not everyone really sees the necessity of a driinks magazine, I think it is fabulous and would make a great gift for that special someone who likes to throw a few back.
Last week, I re-vamped my Yahoo page and added a bunch of new content, including the New York Time magazine and the NYT Dining and Wine section. Recently there have been two really cool articles, one focusing on bourbon and the other on the detective work one tiki bar fan went through to discover the original recipe for the Zombie cocktail. Once again, maybe it is the stress of the season, but I seem to really be able to relate to these lighthearted stories that also come with encouragement to try a frosty beverage.
Interestingly, as I sat down to write this blog entry my husband asked me why the heck I was writing about cocktails in my blog. I mean what do I actually know about cocktails? Well not much, but after hearing my better half talk about the origins of the cocktail during Prohibition (and after verifying it in Wikipedia), I got intrigued. You may be wondering where the word "cocktail" comes from, as I was. It may have come from the tailings from the stop cock of the cask in Colonial taverns, or from the fact that cocktails were traditionally drunk in the morning (when the cock crows)! Apparently, one of the earliest cocktails is the Sazerac, consisting of Cognac and bitters and coming from New Orleans.
Which leads to a side mention of absinthe...yes, you have probably heard all about the romantic notion of artists and writers drinking the greenish anise-flavored concoction, "The Green Fairy". Because of the hallucinogenic properties of wormwood (another ingredient), it is banned for import into the U.S., but it's often sought out in Europe and overseas as a popular gift to bring home. But, I have heard the stories and I'd be careful when experimenting.
There are tons of really cool retro cocktail books out there, check your local rummage sales and thrift stores for some cool graphic design and tons of recipes to experiment with. There are also lots of resources online. If you are more into the history of the cocktail there are a couple good books I have seen: And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails and Imbibe: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash.
Well, before I head out the door to do some more shopping, I did attempt to look up a little bit of info on the soon to open (or is it already there?) Trader Vics at Planet Hollywood on the Strip. Unfortunately, real estate is so chaotic and establishments change names and locations so fast in Las Vegas that I can't actually determine if Trader Vics exists. Is it not yet open? Open and just not mentioned on the Planet Hollywood web site? Or opened and closed already?
Well, if nothing else, I can hit one of the world's best places to sink into a booth for a long night of drinking, making goo-goo eyes at a crush, or reminiscing about 50's lamps. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the south side in Bay View is the wonderful, amazing, impossible to describe... At Random. It's the kind of place guys used to go to cheat on their wives in big dark booths, and where a ancient, white-haired cocktail waitress finishes off your Irish Coffee with a flourish of whipped cream and a cigarette hanging out the side of her mouth. Truly open at random, they serve every kind of cocktail found in their encyclopedic menu. You can have a flaming tiki love bowl, a dry martini, or a yummy Peanut Butter Cup (what could be better than ice cream, chocolate syrup, and vodka?).
In a time of constant flux, there is something very comforting to me about the long history of drinks as a social phenomenon and minor culinary art. Even if some of those traditions have funny names, involve three kinds or rum, six kinds of fruit, and arrive in wooden hula girl glasses with a paper umbrella.
If Christmas isn't your thing, and (hey, I don't blame you if it's not) you could consider adopting a new drinking holiday and nostalgically express your Constitutional right to tip a few back. Celebrate Repeal Day on December 5th (the anniversary of repealing the Eighteenth Amendment)! This monumental day ensures that we all have legal permission to seek out new cocktails, self-medicate after trips to the mall and generally drink ourselves silly if the occasion dictates! Cheers!
A while back I started reading the magazine, Imbibe: The Ultimate Drinks Magazine. This is a great place to start if you plan on doing any holiday entertaining because there are amazing recipes and lots of cool ideas for all manner of beverages; including coffee, tea, beer, wine, spirits, and more. There are often regional articles on coffee shops and bars and there are always very complicated, but delicious-sounding cocktail recipes from leading mixologists. While not everyone really sees the necessity of a driinks magazine, I think it is fabulous and would make a great gift for that special someone who likes to throw a few back.
Last week, I re-vamped my Yahoo page and added a bunch of new content, including the New York Time magazine and the NYT Dining and Wine section. Recently there have been two really cool articles, one focusing on bourbon and the other on the detective work one tiki bar fan went through to discover the original recipe for the Zombie cocktail. Once again, maybe it is the stress of the season, but I seem to really be able to relate to these lighthearted stories that also come with encouragement to try a frosty beverage.
Interestingly, as I sat down to write this blog entry my husband asked me why the heck I was writing about cocktails in my blog. I mean what do I actually know about cocktails? Well not much, but after hearing my better half talk about the origins of the cocktail during Prohibition (and after verifying it in Wikipedia), I got intrigued. You may be wondering where the word "cocktail" comes from, as I was. It may have come from the tailings from the stop cock of the cask in Colonial taverns, or from the fact that cocktails were traditionally drunk in the morning (when the cock crows)! Apparently, one of the earliest cocktails is the Sazerac, consisting of Cognac and bitters and coming from New Orleans.
Which leads to a side mention of absinthe...yes, you have probably heard all about the romantic notion of artists and writers drinking the greenish anise-flavored concoction, "The Green Fairy". Because of the hallucinogenic properties of wormwood (another ingredient), it is banned for import into the U.S., but it's often sought out in Europe and overseas as a popular gift to bring home. But, I have heard the stories and I'd be careful when experimenting.
There are tons of really cool retro cocktail books out there, check your local rummage sales and thrift stores for some cool graphic design and tons of recipes to experiment with. There are also lots of resources online. If you are more into the history of the cocktail there are a couple good books I have seen: And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails and Imbibe: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash.
Well, before I head out the door to do some more shopping, I did attempt to look up a little bit of info on the soon to open (or is it already there?) Trader Vics at Planet Hollywood on the Strip. Unfortunately, real estate is so chaotic and establishments change names and locations so fast in Las Vegas that I can't actually determine if Trader Vics exists. Is it not yet open? Open and just not mentioned on the Planet Hollywood web site? Or opened and closed already?
Well, if nothing else, I can hit one of the world's best places to sink into a booth for a long night of drinking, making goo-goo eyes at a crush, or reminiscing about 50's lamps. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the south side in Bay View is the wonderful, amazing, impossible to describe... At Random. It's the kind of place guys used to go to cheat on their wives in big dark booths, and where a ancient, white-haired cocktail waitress finishes off your Irish Coffee with a flourish of whipped cream and a cigarette hanging out the side of her mouth. Truly open at random, they serve every kind of cocktail found in their encyclopedic menu. You can have a flaming tiki love bowl, a dry martini, or a yummy Peanut Butter Cup (what could be better than ice cream, chocolate syrup, and vodka?).
In a time of constant flux, there is something very comforting to me about the long history of drinks as a social phenomenon and minor culinary art. Even if some of those traditions have funny names, involve three kinds or rum, six kinds of fruit, and arrive in wooden hula girl glasses with a paper umbrella.
If Christmas isn't your thing, and (hey, I don't blame you if it's not) you could consider adopting a new drinking holiday and nostalgically express your Constitutional right to tip a few back. Celebrate Repeal Day on December 5th (the anniversary of repealing the Eighteenth Amendment)! This monumental day ensures that we all have legal permission to seek out new cocktails, self-medicate after trips to the mall and generally drink ourselves silly if the occasion dictates! Cheers!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Happy Holidays from Vegas!
In case you didn't get a card in the mail, I'll sum up the year's events here and send out my greetings for happy holidays!
Hello from Sin City. It is month eight in Las Vegas, Nevada. The holidays are gonna be rough this year with no family near by and no snow to frolic in. The library is going to be closed so we may head up the road towards Colorado or we may take a trip to Death Valley (doesn't sound too merry does it?) and camp out for a few days. We also found a new yoga studio so it is possible we might just go on a week-long yoga binge during the week I have off. This is a slow time for the casinos, but I hear things pick up for Christmas Day and through New Year's.
I am still enjoying the job. By the end of the year I will have launched my first digital project at UNLV (Showgirls) and that is exciting. Aaron is keeping busy and he has been assiduously studying the world of homeowners associations. Here is his current reading material: Privatopia
There may be a lawyer in him, yet.
Pocky loves the exploring around here and has made lots of friends at the Desert Breeze dog park. We take him into the desert quite often and he loves to boot around in the wide open spaces. There is supposed to be about 6 inches of snow up on Mt. Charleston this weekend, so we will have to arrange a pilgimage up to roll around in the white stuff and dream of Colorado and Wisconsin.
We have been looking into the real estate market and planning our next move in April. We will either rent a house in order to get access to an actual yard and area to grill in, or we may explore the housing market. Since, I still can't imagine actually becoming a real resident here it has been hard to look at houses. Plus it means agreeing to life "behind the walls" in a gated community which makes me sad to contemplate. Downtown Vegas is more arsty and hip, but there are still too many shootings down there for me to be completely convinced about becoming an urban pioneer.
We've made friends with lots of folks from the library and their families and it is great to have others around who understand the culture shock we are going through. We have taken some camping trips, hikes, and hit a few of the local bars. Check out the Freakin' Frog : it is the closest Vegas comes to a beer lover's oasis.
Hope you are well and that the holidays bring out the best in everyone. We miss our friends and family, we remind you to got o your local library, and keep in touch!
Hello from Sin City. It is month eight in Las Vegas, Nevada. The holidays are gonna be rough this year with no family near by and no snow to frolic in. The library is going to be closed so we may head up the road towards Colorado or we may take a trip to Death Valley (doesn't sound too merry does it?) and camp out for a few days. We also found a new yoga studio so it is possible we might just go on a week-long yoga binge during the week I have off. This is a slow time for the casinos, but I hear things pick up for Christmas Day and through New Year's.
I am still enjoying the job. By the end of the year I will have launched my first digital project at UNLV (Showgirls) and that is exciting. Aaron is keeping busy and he has been assiduously studying the world of homeowners associations. Here is his current reading material: Privatopia
There may be a lawyer in him, yet.
Pocky loves the exploring around here and has made lots of friends at the Desert Breeze dog park. We take him into the desert quite often and he loves to boot around in the wide open spaces. There is supposed to be about 6 inches of snow up on Mt. Charleston this weekend, so we will have to arrange a pilgimage up to roll around in the white stuff and dream of Colorado and Wisconsin.
We have been looking into the real estate market and planning our next move in April. We will either rent a house in order to get access to an actual yard and area to grill in, or we may explore the housing market. Since, I still can't imagine actually becoming a real resident here it has been hard to look at houses. Plus it means agreeing to life "behind the walls" in a gated community which makes me sad to contemplate. Downtown Vegas is more arsty and hip, but there are still too many shootings down there for me to be completely convinced about becoming an urban pioneer.
We've made friends with lots of folks from the library and their families and it is great to have others around who understand the culture shock we are going through. We have taken some camping trips, hikes, and hit a few of the local bars. Check out the Freakin' Frog : it is the closest Vegas comes to a beer lover's oasis.
Hope you are well and that the holidays bring out the best in everyone. We miss our friends and family, we remind you to got o your local library, and keep in touch!
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