In the winter, as folks fire up their furnaces, the warm smell of piñon pours out of chimneys and lingers in the adobe streets. It follows us as we make our way through the alleys, to the plaza, and past the city’s ancient cathedrals. The sweet, woody scent is pervasive throughout Santa Fe. Before I … More Santa Fe
New Mexico is known as the land of enchantment. Nowhere is this more evident than north of Santa Fe, on the road to and beyond Taos. New Mexico’s geography is both beautiful and puzzling. Sometimes the land looks flat, a plain stretches hundreds of miles into to the horizon, and then seemingly out of nowhere … More Taos and the Land of Enchantment
There’s a gazillion ways to do the holidays, but everyone has their favorite. One of mine is an annual ugly sweater party hosted by the lovely Robles family. The event features Mexican staples served to ugly-Christmas-sweater adorned guests. The centerpiece of the evening is a big steamy pot of menudo soup — a Mexican holiday … More Ugly Sweater Fiesta
I darted straight for the musubis as we made our way to the food tents at Sand City’s Westside Festival. There were plenty of other food vendors to choose from, but some delicious spam wrapped in sushi rice and seaweed was the perfect thing to hit the spot after a night of cocktails. Sand City, … More Sand City
My mom and I set off to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands on Thursday in mid October. We flew from San Jose to Long Beach. I lugged my work laptop along with me, seeing as my work would be going on vacation too. In the days prior to our trip, I was so occupied with … More To the Equator: part one
Between the golden pastures of California and the desolate deserts of Nevada, deep in the Sierra Mountains sits Lake Tahoe. It’s been there since before the Donner party and the settlement of the West, and it will be there long after we’re gone. Until then, the people who know it will do everything in their … More Tahoe’s Winter Wonderland
Penned by Alina K. A. 