16 November 2013

Rituals

Rituals have a variety of value, ranging from goofy to completely essential. I have no idea where the little ritual that Eric and I have developed falls, but it seems to be somewhere in the middle.... approximately categorized as "fun". Our ritual? Sit down at a huge breakfast and dive into the Wall Street Journal. I remember taking this paper back when I worked in insurance during college and started my mornings off with a tea and either a huge omelet or my biscuits and gravy...depending on whether I stopped at Acapulco Joe's or Le Peep's on my way between the car park and the skyscraper that stole my soul for four years, but I was all right with it.

Now that we have an official nest, it seemed only appropriate to re-build such a ritual. I have the subscription digitally too, but it's so much more interesting with the physical paper, right down to the paper delivery missing our porch by yards every morning. Not only do we get to criticise, empathise, and jabber about world politics for 30 minutes each morning, but we get starter for our fires as well. Difficult to beat.


Today's commentary included new heaping mockery and overall humour with the ObamaCare update that the President is losing his own party with this debacle that any insurance OR technology professional saw coming miles away. As I muse about the insane system meltdown the insurance companies are experienced based on my own four year dedication to  the hellhole of insurance, Eric spent his time rambling about "this is why Agile must be embraced at the enterprise level ... just teams won't cut it....." There was more but I think I was only half listening. Or maybe not at all.

More commentary involved sniffing haughtily at the wine recommendations for the holiday (ALL from California....really?), rolling eyes at the Methodist Church for thinking technology can solve the attrition issues for church membership, smiling hugely at the child who got his wish from Make A Wish Foundation that turned San Francisco into Gotham City as he played his Batkid role, feeling miserable about the Philippines' situation, and actually feeling empathy for the poor President, who really just wanted his name in history as the lightening rod for providing health coverage for every American, but simply didn't understand the economics and systems involved. Hopefully his motivations will get some recognition beyond the rather massive errors made once the dust settles.

Breakfast over. 

11 November 2013

Posh Dining ... Brought to you by Posh!

There's no question, Posh's improvisational cuisine is one of my absolute favourite personal indulgences in Scottsdale. After the Waldolf-Astoria, in fact, our 2014 anniversary is already planned with a repeat of such wonderful hotel luxury for the weekend sprinkled with dining at places with fond memories. Anyway, I digress. Let's begin the entourage of glorious food.....

Tasting....prosciutto with some insanely amazing sauce that sounded complicated.

Salad...before this, I had no idea endive salad could be 1) so amazing and 2) so beautiful.

Uni...otherwise known as sea urchin. My big risk and frankly, something that I'd rather not repeat. Waaaaay too rich for my blood.


Ahi Tuna...reasonably convinced that you can never, ever go wrong with this dish.

Goat...with the most ridiculously amazing couscous on the planet. I have no idea how they did it. Anyway, the goat was good. It's also a bit rich for me, but something very enjoyable on a limited level.

Flourless cake with cinnamon ice cream and chocolate wedges? Seriously? Did they confuse me as an individual with a party of four to share? Wow. It was SO amazing but impossible to finish.

My deepest appreciation for any place that has a hunk of cheese this size laying about the kitchen.

05 November 2013

Arizona

I love a place that gives me extremes. I can hang over a cliff at the Grand Canyon one day, sit by a crater made by a meteor another day, stare at a tonne of petraglyphs and ancient ruins yet another day, and finally, not least of which can one soak the joys of high end shopping in downtown Scottsdale.


You can feel like an ancient explorer, and then quickly transition into flitting between Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada, stopping for a Prosecco and oyster lunch. That, I believe, was the major enjoyment and attraction for me while living here, and this return trip has confirmed it.

However, the real draw, I now remember, are the animals and plants. The cactus is simply amazing to me, and always will be. It was frustrating to not be able to buy more and bring them back with me. At the various places we stayed across Arizona, we saw wild pygmy rabbits, white-tailed antelope squirrels, collared peccaries, mule deer, desert spiny lizards, and pronghorns. The list of birds unique to the area is pretty long, but especially frequently sited included a ridiculous amount of quail, black-chinned hummingbirds, steller jays, roadrunners, thrashers, and waxwings ... and those are only the ones identified. Holding really still in the desert certainly brings focus on the wildlife in a beautiful way.

Here are some photos and videos of specific areas we experienced on different day excursions....

Fort Apache

Desert and Wildlife Museums

Pima Air and Space

Tombstone / Ghost Towns

Tonight is a very special night though, as it is the official gourmet splurge at Posh's improvisational cuisine. Tell them what you don't like or can't eat, and then they make up a menu specifically for you. Just a LITTLE excited..........!

02 November 2013

Practices of Luxury

It's important that when you plan a trip to the desert to search out ghost towns, hike dusty trails, discover amazing ruins, enjoy wonderful food, and struggle through wine tastings, that the evening oasis' are selected with care. The Tucson adventure, for the past week, had evenings spent at the JW's Starr Pass resort with a fantastic view of Tucson below on one side, and Saguaro National Park on the other side. Absolutely zero complaints as it always nice to indulge in special treatment. Now I sit in North Scottdale's Waldolf Astoria resort realising that my expectations in travel spoils have been brought up another notch while I plot my next visit. Next week's paltry resort down in Tempe is technically a very nice condo, but.... but.....

Anyway, I'm spoiled freaking rotten to get these opportunities, and I'm excited that I get to share the experiences with friends :) So far the ones with me seem very happy and are enjoying the scenery, experiences, and treats.

Onward to champagne in a huge comfy leather chair in front of a gorgeous fire with the door open to the stars that I think can be touched!

(It's important to understand that reality is not required until November 11....and there it will wait...)