Hello all!

In order to combat all the upcoming holiday craziness, I recently decided to get away for a mini-vacation. I took a long weekend, and paid my good friends Emily and Tucker a visit in Tempe. As I type this, it’s about 45 degrees in the Bay Area, and the newscast playing in the background is warning us of an impending storm. To say I miss the warmth and the sunshine is an understatement.

I was tempted to title this post “Oops, I’m in Arizona,” but I may or may not have already written that one. (Upon further investigation, I give you Oops I’m in Arizona, documenting last year’s travels. Am full of predictable nonsense, what can I say?)

I showed a friend of mine the above picture, and she said it seemed like I was really in my element, enjoying the sunshine. Having grown up in the Bay Area, I’m no stranger to cold and damp winters, but, if given a choice, I would certainly opt for summer all year round. So, when I found myself in warmer weather, I did what any normal person would do and refused to put pants on for the entire weekend. I also immediately regretted the amount of black, leather, and flannel clothing I had packed. There’s nothing quite like traveling to make you reassess your style choices.

Don’t get me wrong, my travels weren’t all about finding nicer weather. There was, of course, plenty of good food and drinks to go around as well. Should you find yourself in Scottsdale on a Friday or Saturday night, I highly recommend Counter Intuitive. Apparently the theme of the bar changes every few months or so, but we happened to catch it during an Asian-fusion period. Here, you’ll find everything from a tropical boba cocktail, to the “Six Demon Bag” drink, that contains “fire, and all that kind of thing.” This was my favorite, although I was sad to find out “fire and all that kind of thing” was not an actual liqueur, but a Kung fu movie reference. Aside from the fantastic food and drinks, we ventured out to explore nearby Tucson, which I would astutely describe as a sort of hipster, desert-cowboy-land. My favorite, and most random adventure however, happened to be our stopover at an ostrich farm just next to the I-10, on our way to Tucson. Yes…there were ostriches, but there was so much more! Donkeys, and goats, and lorikeets, oh my!

This is my friend Emily’s excited face.

Excited face #2

When I ran out of nectar…a bird decided to perch on my head. Perhaps birds are next year’s new fashion accessory?

Please note the sign. Apparently, I still thought it was a good idea to feed them directly from my hand. Fun fact: an ostrich’s eyes are larger than their brain. I couldn’t help but think they were eerily reptilian- like standing next to a dinosaur, really.

We topped off the day with giant, fluorescent margaritas at Guadalajara‘s in Tucson, where they make their salsa tableside, just as you like it! If you’re ever in the area, this is a must-see, either before or after wandering through the vintage shops lining 4th street.

 I’m very much looking forward to the next time I find myself packing a bag and leaving some of my worries behind, if only for a brief moment in time. There’s something about a plane ride that can feel like a reset; it’s perhaps not the most “magical” experience in and of itself, but the destination is always worth it. I have to admit, I’m very much looking forward to my next trip. I don’t go on adventures nearly enough! 
Until next time,

EVA♥