san miguel de allende wedding

Back in March, Jevan and I went to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for our friend's, Meggan and Beau's, wedding. I, somehow, let four months slip without sharing anything with you about this incredible place. Incredible in a perfect weather, Mexican food, tequila, all your good friends in one place kind of perfect. My ideal perfect, in case you are wondering.

The wedding was held at the Hyder House, a seemingly unassuming place from street side. As are most places in San Miguel. Once inside the massive wood doors and beyond the story and a half stucco walls, a series of three different houses were unveiled, all with elaborately decorated rooms full of antiques. The wedding was a fiesta of a wedding and a perfect place for Meggan and Beau to celebrate a new beginning together. A new beginning in more ways than one. For those of you who aren't familiar, the two quit their jobs just prior to the wedding and are now traveling for the next year to begin a business together. Inspiring to say the least.


If you are interested in seeing more photos of the wedding, be sure to check out the photographer's blog. Meggan and Beau also have some photo's up on their blog, the World Effect. Check back later this week for my interview with the World Effect to really get the details on what they have been up to post wedding.

moments before the wedding

domingo, our tequila donkey

photos: the 1st and last 2 photos are from the wedding photographer, Anahi Navarro Photography.

santa fe, nm

welcome to pasquals

I recently took a long weekend trip to Santa Fe with some friends. We arrived in snow and left to the most perfect blue skies. While this phenomenon is somewhat of a regular occurrence in the west, it still has this Southern girl in awe when there are 12 inches of snow to drive through in the middle of April. Either way, it didn't hold us back. We had one goal in mind once we reached Santa Fe; to eat and drink our weight in green chile and tequila.

the shop of the rainbow man

paper flowers - the shop of the rainbow man

catrina dolls - the shop of the rainbow man

Santa Fe has a tri-cultural feel. Blending traditions, styles, colors and menus of Native Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians. This melting pot makes for the best New Mexican style food and art. Even a new way to order green chile. Christmas style. Yeah that's right, you get both green and red chile on the plate. Perfect for reaching the green chile goal.

Centered around the main plaza are small streets full of restaurants and shops. Some touristy, others unique. Here are some of the ones we checked out:

The Shed: 1131/2 East Palace Ave P. 505.982.9030; classic New Mexico food-historical building. Try the green chile stew.
The Shop of the Rainbow Man: 107 East Palace Road; Santa Fe, NM; P. 505.982.8706. Here you'll find vintage clothing, jewelry and artifacts all mixed with Native American style Pendleton wool blankets, Catrina dolls, iguanas and a large collection of Native American art.
Pasquals: 121 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM; P. 505.983.9340. This is a Santa Fe landmark and place not to miss. Be prepared to wait but it's well worth it. They even have their own cook book and art gallery.

At the center of the plaza underneath the overhang vendors line up daily to sell authentic handmade Native American jewelry and small crafts. If you are looking for turquoise this is your spot. Be prepared to bargain.

Just a short drive from the main plaza you'll find:

Maria's: 555 West Cordova Road; Santa Fe, NM; P. 505.983.7929. A modest and unassuming white building from the outside. Something one would easily drive past without a second glance. Fortunately the food is so good we heard the rumors and made the trek. The service is straight forward, meaning someone will tell you which tequila to order for the tasting flight, trago anejo and two reposados that I can't seem to remember the names. Yes, I blame the tequila. Also served, are warm sopapillas with honey. Oh and I almost forgot, the menu boasts over 100 kinds of margaritas.

Another great place to check out is Ten Thousand Waves, a unique mountain spa resort near Santa Fe, New Mexico that feels like a Japanese onsen. For less than $20 you can soak in the communal bath for as long as you like. Clothing is optional during the day but after 8:15PM bathing suits are required. A rule I don't completely understand.

Tesuque Village Market is located at the junction of Bishops Lodge Road and NM 591. P. 505.988.8848. Go on a sunny day and sit on the patio. Then be sure to work off some of the green chile you just consumed with a walk through the Shidoni Sculpture Garden: 1508 Bishops Lodge Road. P. 505.988.8001. Located 5 miles north of Santa Fe and worth the drive winding drive past rural adobes.

mustang at the shidoni sculpture garden

This by no means is a comprehensive list. Just a few highlights from a recent trip.

san miguel de allende

A little R&R is on my agenda this week. I'm heading down to Mexico for a wedding fiesta. I love friends who get married in beautiful places and invite me! Expect to see a full update on San Miguel de Allende in the coming weeks.

photos: san miguel hyder house, ny times; hyder house bad mitten court, ny times.

i ♥ crested butte

I don't know about you but I don't like sharing all my secrets. Especially those that include my favorite snowboarding spots. There is something about being on the mountain with a sea of people that just doesn't cut it for me. Or even worse, going to my favorite run only to find others beat me to it. I've known about Crested Butte for a while and have been riding there annually for at least five years. If memory serves me, I first heard about the town when I was in high school. It was one of those lazy days and I was scanning the television for lack of better things to do and came across a documentary featuring Crested Butte. Who knows, it could have been E and they could have been showing the wild and crazy apres ski scene that goes on at the end of the season. But for now, let's think of it as an informational documentary. Only because it could be an underlying reason as to why I moved to Colorado. And I don't want you to think of me as a lush. One that note, I think it's time to divulge. At least a little. 

Crested Butte is one of Colorado's best kept secrets. It's steep, the snow is always good and there are no lift lines. Whatever it is you are thinking, don't. It isn't an Aspen or a Deer Valley. You won't find fancy cars with tinted windows or Prada. You won't be seen by anyone and you likely won't see anyone, unless you count Heidi and Spencer. Not you either? It's just not what this mountain is all about. It does however boast the most lift serviced extreme terrain on this continent. Such intense terrain calls for a very laid back lifestyle. It's a place to get away from it all and that's what I love most.

I make the 4 hour drive about once a year. When I do get there I have a short itinerary. They all involve snowboarding, eating and drinking and sometimes all of the above. Remember, shopping is not what this town is about unless you are into souvenirs and trinkets. And in this economy, that's the last place I'm going to spend my money. 

First up is the Secret Stash. It's a pizza joint but not just any pizza joint. It offers some of the most creative pizzas I've ever tasted. It's tucked away at the end of Elk Avenue in a cozy two story rustic Victorian. The interiors are eclectic to say the least. The inspiration is pulled from the owner's travels throughout Asia. You'll see photos from Vietnam and sculptures of Ganesh. Tibetan prayer flags are draped across the ceiling and cozy seats on the floor with lots pillow. As for the food, I recommend the Notorious F.I.G and the Havasu Pie. The F.I.G is a proscuttio, fig, and a blend of mozzarella, asiago and blue cheese pizza drizzled with truffle oil. Yes, truffle oil. The Havasu Pie is red sauce based and covered with black beans, corn, roasted potatoes, red peppers, jalapenos, cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro. Plan to wait for a table during peak season as well as wait for you pie. There's no sense of urgency here. 

camp 4 coffee - off elk avenue

For breakfast before getting on the mountain I don't miss Camp 4 Coffee. They now have a few locations; one in town, one at the base of the mountain and another at the top of painter boy lift. They just recently started taking credit card and offer drip coffee but I always go for an Americano and Biscuit with sausage, egg and cheese. Being a Southerner, I'll take any opportunity I can get to eat a biscuit.

And last but not least is Django's, a small plates wine bar at the base of Mount Crested Butte. It's new to town as of this summer and named after Django Reinhardt, a prominent European jazz musician. The owners, Chris and Kate Ladoulis, came to Crested Butte via NYC. She's the executive chef and French trained. He runs the front of the house. The restaurant interiors were designed by yours truly with my current design gig and feature a modern, simple take on the dining experience with the focus on the food, wine and the people. 

The menu changes seasonally. Sometimes more often if Kate is getting bored and wants to mix things up a bit. Look for items like crispy duck confit with pear mustardo, rosemary salt and greens for $10 and baby wild arugula with dried white turkish fig, parmigiano reggiano and white balsamic dressing for $7. The wine bar offers a well rounded wine list and quartinos, 1/3 a bottle option, instead of wine by the glass. Because one glass is really never enough.

photos: crested butte, tom stillo. the secret stash, www.thesecretstash.com. django's, tom stillo.