Denver, Moab [status, art, food]
Jul. 1st, 2024 11:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rebeccmeisterSo much has happened over the last couple of days. It has been a rich time.
Denver:
-Finally getting to see Meow Wolf - Denver. Are there people who declare, "I don't know how to describe it!" ? I'd describe it as one large installation art piece. So, as with many such pieces, there are a lot of components from it to explore and think about. But I'll have to save the questions and pondering for some other time, or I might not get to them. I'm still currently writing on borrowed time.
-We managed to go to Domo ("Japanese Country Food") for lunch after Meow Wolf, which was an amazing contrast in experiences, and absolutely phenomenal. If it's the consolation prize for not getting a lottery ticket for Casa Bonita, well, it seems like Casa Bonita will continue to be around for a long while yet, and Domo will be much more of a gamble. Wow. Anyway, if you find yourself in Denver and have a chance to go to Domo, you should, not just for the food but for the entire cultural and aesthetic experience. And be respectful of the opportunity; from what manintheboat tells me, the chef/head is not interested in restaurant fame or wild financial success, so he will close things down as he sees appropriate.
Then it was time to get on the road over to Moab. I learned more about changing gears for big climbs on that part of the drive, heh. The shame of driving is that you can't ogle the rocks as much as you can when a train passenger. It's still beautiful, of course.
When I asked on social media elsewhere about recommendations for accommodations in Moab, my brother and sister-in-law both said, "Look up your cousin T." (technically first cousin once removed). So in typical me fashion, I procrastinated until 2 days before, but when I finally contacted her she said, "Yeah, I'm around and have a guest room, you are welcome to stay with me." I have so much gratitude for my family members who understand how other family members work, heh.
We needed to do over a decade of catching up. In that timeframe, her mother died in a horrible, sudden, and tragic incident when she was thrown from a horse, and then my dad died in a more predictable manner from cancer. So we needed to have some conversation around that. It was something of a relief for both of us to be able to acknowledge that the huge family gatherings on that side of the family were more of a discomfort for us and less of a celebration. I think that side of the family may have something of a binary divide between those who want all of the people together in one place, and those who are introverted and die inside when that happens, but still feel obligated to be present (=my dad). In great contrast, one-on-one time together for the two of us was amazing. I think we've known we are kindred spirits, and fairly close in age, but have only had limited chances to actually connect. I have a lot I need to unpack from that conversation, because her mother's death is not the only family drama she has had to live through, and we each have many other things going on in our lives to discuss. The internet isn't the appropriate forum for that particular thinking work, but in the bigger picture what I can say is that our chance to connect was affirming. And an unexpected gift from just the journey itself, let alone arriving in Arizona.
And now, Tempe! But only briefly. I will abscond with my advisor to Elgin tomorrow. She is fully in support of my goal to work on academic writing, although also fully aware that it is a tricky and ambitious goal.
Also, I love driving across the Navajo Reservation. Google took me the back way around Monument Valley, which was slightly disappointing, but I still have a lot of gratitude for everything else I was able to see (with the continued caveat that one can only see and experience so much when doing the driving itself).
Denver:
-Finally getting to see Meow Wolf - Denver. Are there people who declare, "I don't know how to describe it!" ? I'd describe it as one large installation art piece. So, as with many such pieces, there are a lot of components from it to explore and think about. But I'll have to save the questions and pondering for some other time, or I might not get to them. I'm still currently writing on borrowed time.
-We managed to go to Domo ("Japanese Country Food") for lunch after Meow Wolf, which was an amazing contrast in experiences, and absolutely phenomenal. If it's the consolation prize for not getting a lottery ticket for Casa Bonita, well, it seems like Casa Bonita will continue to be around for a long while yet, and Domo will be much more of a gamble. Wow. Anyway, if you find yourself in Denver and have a chance to go to Domo, you should, not just for the food but for the entire cultural and aesthetic experience. And be respectful of the opportunity; from what manintheboat tells me, the chef/head is not interested in restaurant fame or wild financial success, so he will close things down as he sees appropriate.
Then it was time to get on the road over to Moab. I learned more about changing gears for big climbs on that part of the drive, heh. The shame of driving is that you can't ogle the rocks as much as you can when a train passenger. It's still beautiful, of course.
When I asked on social media elsewhere about recommendations for accommodations in Moab, my brother and sister-in-law both said, "Look up your cousin T." (technically first cousin once removed). So in typical me fashion, I procrastinated until 2 days before, but when I finally contacted her she said, "Yeah, I'm around and have a guest room, you are welcome to stay with me." I have so much gratitude for my family members who understand how other family members work, heh.
We needed to do over a decade of catching up. In that timeframe, her mother died in a horrible, sudden, and tragic incident when she was thrown from a horse, and then my dad died in a more predictable manner from cancer. So we needed to have some conversation around that. It was something of a relief for both of us to be able to acknowledge that the huge family gatherings on that side of the family were more of a discomfort for us and less of a celebration. I think that side of the family may have something of a binary divide between those who want all of the people together in one place, and those who are introverted and die inside when that happens, but still feel obligated to be present (=my dad). In great contrast, one-on-one time together for the two of us was amazing. I think we've known we are kindred spirits, and fairly close in age, but have only had limited chances to actually connect. I have a lot I need to unpack from that conversation, because her mother's death is not the only family drama she has had to live through, and we each have many other things going on in our lives to discuss. The internet isn't the appropriate forum for that particular thinking work, but in the bigger picture what I can say is that our chance to connect was affirming. And an unexpected gift from just the journey itself, let alone arriving in Arizona.
And now, Tempe! But only briefly. I will abscond with my advisor to Elgin tomorrow. She is fully in support of my goal to work on academic writing, although also fully aware that it is a tricky and ambitious goal.
Also, I love driving across the Navajo Reservation. Google took me the back way around Monument Valley, which was slightly disappointing, but I still have a lot of gratitude for everything else I was able to see (with the continued caveat that one can only see and experience so much when doing the driving itself).
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Date: 2024-07-02 04:18 am (UTC)I have one of your shirts. It's a blue undershirt. Do you want me to mail it to you?
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Date: 2024-07-02 01:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-02 08:17 pm (UTC)It has been raining here more than further north, and is a bit cooler. Quite a lovely area. :^)
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Date: 2024-07-02 08:23 pm (UTC)I have no idea if you drink but if you happen by Sonoita Vineyards, try the peach sparkling wine, especially if they have the candied hibiscus blossoms to go in it. :)
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Date: 2024-07-02 08:24 pm (UTC)I love the sky islands near Portal! I don't know if I'll make it over there on this trip since I'm supposed to behave myself and work on writing papers. But as we drove down here we were definitely talking about how amazing AZ is for the range of fascinating places across the state. It's fun to be back for a while.