So a few of you have been asking me how my trip went. I have been unusually busy and will only get to get more so. So instead of giving you the one word answers and expecting you to run along. Well I'll share it with everyone. By the way the one word answer is "Amazing."
So my trip started in Phoenix, Arizona. It was my first stop where I visited a friend, Brandon, whom I know as a former co-worker here in Tahoe. Anyways, I stayed at the resort in which he was the caretaker. So this resort was out two hours outside of Phoenix and was solar powered and they grew a lot of their own food. How cool is that! A self sustainable resort. Needless to say after work and an exciting trip ahead of me a resort was just what I needed. He ended taking me to Jerome, AZ which according to Wikipedia (cause we know how reliable this is) it was once dubbed as the wickedest town in the west. Of course I would find myself here "accidentally" ;) . I also learned that this town was an old miners town. Which according to their history, the mines were eventually shut down and the town deserted. It has recently resurfaced as an artist community. Which is pretty insanely cool. Also this part of Arizona is an upcoming and rising wine country. So my culinary self's interest was piqued. This whole trip was very restful and full of interesting information. Thank you Brandon.
Moving on to Houston which was my next stop. In this leg of my trip I visited my friend Kelsey Young. Whom is extremely busy with PA school. Me and Kelsey went to college together as most of the rest of my friends that I will write about from here on out.
I have some interesting memories with Kelsey, for example running off 16 hours into Mexico on one of our spring breaks in college! Yes, yes back to the task at hand. I will stop reminiscing. HAHA. So here I got to be in Houston for the first time. I was picked up at the airport by Jonathan Sims. Another college buddy. He played as my guide for most of this trip. He so kindly took me and stayed with me while we went to the Houston Fine Arts Museum in which I stayed in mesmerized for hours! This was definitely a highlight of my trip since I got to see a lot of works by a lot of artists and painters I like and admire. He also took me to this Hobbit Cafe which is entirely based on Lord of the Rings. Awesome. Which by the way a girl there even came to my table and commented on my phone cover! Oh fellow geeks. How I miss thee.
Moving on. Kelsey had previously committed for me to do a dessert cooking demo for one of her friends birthday parties. I wasn't too stoked on the idea at first, since this is what I do for a living and this was supposed to be my vacation. Besides I am not too crazy about desserts and teaching a bunch of non-culinary people how to cook. Well that's an entire ball game all together. So we started that evening by having Korean BBQ (my first time!). I was thankfully seated next to someone I had met the previous day at church, John. Also according to John I masqueraded as a Quantum Physicist/Chef/ Concert Violinist/ Professional Interpretive Dancer. HAHA. Although he is happy to know that I have taken the interpretative dancer role seriously. I have even begun to practice at work, where there are a lot of sharp objects and fire. So needless to say I am ready to do some interpretive dance wherever and whenever the need arises. From there we headed to the house where the party was to be hosted and where I was going to do my demo. I thought them how to make a simple creme-brulee and a basic fruit tart. I had previously made a creme brulee so after I thought them how to make it I just took the other one out and ta-da! I know I know! This turned out to be a big blessing and I am really glad I got the opportunity to be a part of this as it also served as a gateway for me to play a role in this party other than not knowing anybody and standing around awkwardly. Everybody was really accommodating and thankful. So all in all it was a very good experience and I got to meet a lot of great people. Most of them Asians. Kelsey is a little confused sometimes. To answer Johns question again if I had had enough Asian presence. Well of course not. I did live in San Francisco!
The following morning I had convinced Kelsey to go to the Renaissance faire with me and Sims. His good friend Rusell drove us there. Texas Renaissance Faire! It was spectacular! In which I even formed a school girl crush on the fire whip guy! I mean come on the guy has a double degree in physics and math and he makes a living whipping whips. Tell me that is not cool. Fire, whips that sounds a little intriguing to me. Also we found out that the turkey legs that were being sold at the faire were really emu legs! So these things were huge! We ended the day by listening to Tartanic which is a bag pipe band. Yep. Bag pipes. I
loved seeing my friends again and was truly delighted to meet Kelsey's roomates whom were anything but nice to me and a large group of friends she has made in Houston. Thank you Kelsey! I love you and I miss you friend! We need to have another chick flick night. Please. I don't get those very often. hahaha.
Continuing on to the next leg of my trip, Dallas. Though I am too tired and drawn out of so much writing that I will have to continue this part of my trip until my next post! HAHA good night you guys.
Godspeed.
