Thursday, July 25, 2013

Be Right Back

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I no sooner get back to blogging.. and I'm off again. 

I will be back on Monday with stories and photos to share from a long weekend in Salt Lake City. For now, I am on my way to the International Head Quarters for Children's Miracle Network for the 2013 Dance Marathon Leadership Conference. (You can follow along on Instagram!)

This year I will be serving as graduate advisor to the Lobo Dance Marathon executive committee, helping to prepare a dedicated group of students in hosting their first ever Dance Marathon. And so, we are starting off the year, together, with more than eighty other colleges and universities.

I've never been to Salt Lake City - I'd love your suggestions! Things to do? Places to eat?


Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Ten on Tuesday | Moorea Seal

For some of you, this may be old news.. but, yesterday, blogger and jewelry maker Moorea Seal opened a new curated online retail store featuring jewelry, accessories, home goods, and art work. While you are able to find some of Moorea's own jewelry (see no. 7), the shop also features the work of  a multitude of other fabulous, talented women. You can read more about each designer here
While the shop is full of beautiful, beautiful things, my favorite part of the store has to be it's mission
"Here at Moorea Seal, we believe that with the more that one may gain, the more a person is responsible for doing something good for the world with what they have. This motivation to not only do great as a store but to do good for others at the same time is the essential factor to our business. Something really special about our site is that not only is it full of gorgeous products but there is meaning behind what we do, beyond the beauty and practical needs of the store itself. We care about bringing good into the world and my closer communities. We care about working hard, taking the hardships of life and using them as motivation to do better and be better, to do great things. Our staff and site motto is 'Do Good, Do Great.'"

7% of every purchase is donated to a non-profit organization for children's needs, caring for animals, protecting our planet, health+wellness, or women's causes. The designers were able to choose the cause of their choose and the featured non-profit will rotate, allowing the women to benefit more and more individuals. So, in addition to being able to shop by category or by designer, you can shop by social cause, too.
You can shop some of my favorites here:
 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Where We Ate | Season's Rotisserie & Grill

Seasons-2Seasons-1Seasons-3

As self-proclaimed foodies (my other half is a chef, after all), Trevor and I really enjoy trying new restaurants - whether it's chosen from a friend's recommendation, a magazine article, or just on a whim. Now, living in a tourist-driven area, there are more than enough great restaurants to choose from. I know that when we travel, I hunt out reviews of the best restaurants in the area - after all, you only have so many meals to eat in one place. I thought that this new feature "Where We Ate" might help anyone visiting the Albuquerque or Santa Fe areas - besides, it's a good reason to go out more. (Isn't that right, Trevor?)

Lately, I have been spending far too much time in Old Town - more on that later this week -  but I decided to go back once again when Trevor suggested a spontaneous date, on a Wednesday none the less, to Season's Rotisserie & Grill.

Some of the things we loved about Seasons?
The open kitchen.
They take food allergies seriously.
Their seasonal menu - with fresh seafood!
(And that you can add two diver scallops to any meal for $10!)
Their polenta. You have to try it. 
Their use of fresh, local vegetables.
That strawberry vanilla infused mojito.
Those flowers.
They have gluten-free dessert - a chocolate torte with a creme brulee top. So. Good.

And while we choose to eat in the restaurant, I've heard that Season's second-floor outdoor bar is pretty great during the summer - they even have live music.

As hard as this is to believe, I'd give Seasons a 5 out of 5.

While the prices are a little higher than you might like a weeknight dinner, they are comparable to restaurants of the area and the food quality makes it worth it. We had no complaints about our dinner, our drinks, or our dessert - and the atmosphere and service were right there too. We will definitely be back. (And this time, I'm ordering the scallops and polenta)


Seasons-5
p.s. Trevor got a smart phone and I'm not sure if it's the best thing or the worst thing ever.


Monday, July 15, 2013

Little Bird, Little Bird




Knocks on our front door are rare and yet, predictable. Predictable in the way that unexpected and unsolicited knocks are. The balance of trying to keep Buddy in the house while somehow controlling his bark. The shuffle of finding shoes, adjusting my hair and preparing an excuse to turn the person at the door away.

But tonight's knock was met on the other side with pajama'd neighbors and distressed faces.

"We didn't know what to do, but we know you work at an animal hospital."

On the driveway next door, a baby bird huddled in under his own feathers, attempting to disappear into the pale concrete. Trevor, not worried about the tiny beak's bite, moved toward him just as he shuffled away. Unable to fly, unsteady with his wings.

The tiny bird hopped left to right, teetering back and forth, across the pavement.

Terrified of the people surrounding him, likely too aware of the calls from the birds above, the tiniest bird froze. Once in the shelter of Trevor's palm, he held on tight, unwilling to fall again. Tiny claws wrapped around not-so-tiny fingers, little feathers shaking in the quickly-cooling breeze, a tiny beak opening and closing without noise.

The situation was quickly assessed - three nests found in just as many minutes. In the first, the lowest, the most accessible, baby birds with beaks peeking above the edge. The next, up the tallest tree possible. The last, even further above the last. From the ground, all that could be seen were less-than-sturdy branches and discarded feathers clinging to brown nests, despite the wind.

An extending ladder from across the street. An old gray t-shirt from Trevor's immense collection. A brave climb to the top of the tree. Held breath while the ladder rocked and the branches creaked, with my love balanced against them, far enough above the ground.

And a baby bird once again safe and sound, perched high above the dangers of our human world.