Wednesday, October 27, 2004

like...totally

get out there and check out the total lunar eclipse. it'll be the last (total) one until March 2007. it's going to peak from 8:23 PM until 9:45 PM for those of you in the Mountain Time Zone...

gonna be that spooky red color...just in time for Halloween!

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

like a morgue...

in here. sorry about that. you guys didn't miss much anyway ;)

yes, we did go to Santa Fe and returned through Monte Vista. a quick couple days, but well worth it.

on saturday night, Antonio wasn't available so we hung out in the room for a bit and watched a dog show on the telly. i think it was like the Eukanuba nationals or something. geez, it was long - 3 hours. we only watched the first two hours and finally headed out for dinner at Castro's.

ha...right.

before we set out, i checked the phone book for their phone number...(505)438-0146...and address...997 W. Rodeo Rd.

and that's where things went wrong.

i called to see how late they were open - 9PM - giving us roughly 50 minutes. however, trusting the yellow pages listing, i didn't confirm the address, which is really 3512 W. Rodeo Rd.

yep. i drove for nearly twice as long, looking for the wrong address. by the time we called them (and they answered), they were 15 minutes from closing. we relented and ended up eating at a Carrow's (a Denny's type joint with better food) on the way back to the motel.

grrr...of course, i had jotted down the correct address in a notebook that i had brought, but left in the car. talk about adding insult to injury.

so, it wasn't meant to be. the next day, when Antonio returned our call, we found out that Castro's was about a ten minute drive from the motel. we even passed by it! but look at the numbers...Rodeo Rd. runs east/west, so we were looking for the restaurant on the north side, since it ended in an odd number...when its location is on the south side of the road (3512). ah well, Antonio told us that it still may have been hard to find because they don't always have their sign on...

even screwier is that Yahoo! has Castro's listed at the incorrect address as well. i found the correct address before we left...on Mapquest.

anyway, we did hang out with Antonio for a few hours on Sunday. he stopped by the room and we chatted for about an hour before we headed to Guadelupe Cafe (since Castro's is closed on Sundays), in downtown Santa Fe. not as good though, even though you would think so since we waited a half hour for a table. the red chile, while HOT as hell, didn't have much depth. it was just extremely garlicky and pure fire.

Cindi, we did pass by yer favorite place though. Antonio said he had never been to Tecolote's, but that he'd try it and update me ;)

Friday, October 15, 2004

sleepy...

no, make that downright snoozy. i really should be getting to bed, but i also need to blog...even if it's gonna put you to sleep too.

the past few days have been both up and down...

wednesday started out on a good note. went to Mervyns for some jeans and came out with three shirts and a fleece blanket as well. dontcha love it when you go into the store for one thing and come out with three or four more bags of groceries? or isn't it always you go expressly for that item and inadvertently forget it. happens all the time, eh?

anyway, it was after i got home from shopping when the rollercoaster ride started. i had received a somewhat cryptic call from a friend of a friend. jane, a friend of karneko (pseudonym), had called and left a message asking me to immediately call karneko. of course, when i called karneko's number, jane answered and informed me that karneko had died over the weekend. wow...i was not expecting that.

stunned, i called mutual friends, the whole time sharing our total devastation over her passing. it was not a pretty scene. for the first two friends, i stayed composed and explained what had occurred - she passed in her sleep. however, by the time i called the third friend, Cindy (the one that i see $.50 movies with), my voice was cracking...completely breaking down when she let out a wail and started bawling on the phone.

isn't it strange when unexpected deaths arise? terminal illnesses are one thing - you just endure and keep the rosy outlook...but the healthy (or seemingly so) ones who are there one day and gone the next...sigh...talk about throwing you for a loop.

well, an hour after my conversation with Cindy, i had a pizza date. this time with a Cindi :)

the rollercoaster car had definitely zoomed up from its nadir. the couple hours spent with Cindi were great. we talked about everything from our blogs to family to occupations to movies to travel; just about everything under the sun. she is SO cool...so down-to-earth...and has a beautiful smile. it's kinda funny, but after reading her blog for a year, Cindi is what i imagined her to be...really. i can't wait to meet again over a yummy meal ;)

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

cleaning house...

not literally though. even if it sure could use it. no, i'm talking about changing my daily blog reads. there are a couple blogs on there that are now officially dead. i guess the blog fire has been extinguished for them... look for a couple new ones in the next few days; as soon as i get permission to blogroll them.

i probably should add some links too. although none of you may find the sites that i visit very interesting, it may provide a little more insight to my surfing habits.

glad to see that Cindi has a clear schedule this week. we can finally meet for pizza!!! yay! it is such a guilty pleasure for me since lois' self-control is much stronger than mine. you would not believe how she can swear off things; you never have to twist my arm.

so how does tomorrow look, Cindi? i'll be sending you an email here shortly.

been checking out accomodation prices in Vegas for the end of december. lois' good friend, Peggy, is staging a 50th birthday party for her husband at the CharliePalmer Steakhouse (in the Four Seasons Hotel...right above Mandalay Bay). we're not gamblers, but it would be nice to get away for a couple days...and i have some friends who live in North Vegas.

anyway, the celebration will be on the 29th...and it looks like hotel rooms are still relatively reasonable on the 28th and 29th. of course, for the brave souls who choose to pay exorbitant prices for the 30th through the new year, good luck to them. most of the prices along the strip for those dates are in the $269-$500 range. ha! right... you're talking to people who pay $20/night on average in Latin America. you know how far $500 will go for us there :P 10-15 days, baby.

since the bash will be on the south end of the strip, i'm considering the monte carlo (which is low key nice), the luxor, and mandalay. all three are in the $85-$120 a night range. of course, i've always been intrigued by Treasure Island's Tower Suites, which are 900 sq. ft. and have two marble baths, whirlpool, walk in closets, etc. during slow times, these go for $175/night - not bad...considering we've stayed in teeny 100 sq. ft. rooms in Spain for $95/night. i think it'll be worth it to drop $235/night for the suites on the 28th and 29th... i may just surprise lolis and book it...even if it is at the opposite end of the strip.

the Orleans casino is a longshot consideration. supposedly, all their rooms are 500 sq. ft. suites and generally go for less than $100/night. the only problem is that it's off the strip, giving rise to the transportation issue. we like renting a car, we just hate the traffic congestion of Vegas. i believe the city needs to calibrate its system of traffic lights. the last time we were there, we timed the lights at one major intersection and noticed that the north/south light was roughly green for 45 seconds, while the east/west light was double that. no wonder it takes forever to drive/take a bus or cab along the strip; you could almost walk faster...

regardless, we'll work it out and make it to Brian's 50th. now, it's on to finding a cheap fare...

btw, if anyone is considering going to vegas, i did find out that the Orleans has rooms for $20/night for the few days before thanksgiving and xmas...wotta deal.

on a roadtrip this weekend. we'll be going south to EspaƱola, NM to see our friend Antonio. i think i've mentioned him before. he's the curator of ethnology at the museum of indian arts/culture in Santa Fe. a LONG time ago, he and i were washing and cataloging pottery finds...digging in mexico...drawing soil core samples in colorado...and drinking bars dry ;) you would not believe the money we started saving the day he moved back to NM for a job at the School of American Research...

it'll be great to see him. i think it has been at least a year and a half since we last saw him. if there's one sure thing, we're gonna go to Castro's and feast. i swear by this restaurant. it is absolutely one of the best joints in Santa Fe. their red chile is sublime...

Cindi, your eyes are getting very round...like pepperoni.