scottsdale, az

Last weekend I went on a trip with my friend Sam to Scottsdale, AZ. If you follow me on Instagram you might have noticed all the color that was popping up in my feed. Well that’s because we were staying at the awesome Saguaro in Scottsdale. You might be familiar with her sister in Palm Springs, but the Scottsdale location has all of the same bright character and great design too.

What I loved most about the Saguaro was all the pops of color just hidden around every corner. I’m not usually a huge color-lover, but this place does it right. There’s plenty of white and natural plants to balance the bold color all around.

After Sam and I checked into the hotel we took our time exploring and walking around. It was really nice to go on a trip with someone who has a similar travel style to my own. We both were down to roll into Scottsdale without a specific plan or agenda. We just knew we wanted to relax, sit by the pool, enjoy the weekend, and eat as much tasty food as possible. Oh and daily hotel-robe naps with trash TV.

Speaking of the pool, we enjoyed all day Saturday laying out under the shade of bright cheerful yellow umbrellas and floating on Ice Cream Sandwich floaties. It was so relaxing to sit back and roast in the sun – absorbing as much of the hot weather that was left for the end of summer. With life as busy as it is these days, those quiet fully content moments are few and far between. But in that afternoon, lazily sipping iced rosé and floating under palm trees it doesn’t get more content than that.

In true Arizona style we didn’t just sit around by the pool the whole time. We made sure to get at least one good round of golf in. The weather was just perfect. We had an early morning tee time and it was 75 degrees out. If you’re a golfer you’ll know how wonderful that was, especially in August! We golfed around the TCP Golf Course which was gorgeous and well maintained.

We also made sure to check out the local modern art museum. I really enjoyed the simplicity and calm beauty of the exhibits that were featured at the time we were there. Especially Sama Alshaibi’s exhibit. She had such an alluring style to her iconic work.

We enjoyed our slow days and didn’t rush around trying to fit in a ton of adventure. It was just what I needed. A little culture, a little outdoors, a ton of relaxing fun pool time, plus plenty of eating. I was blown away by how amazing the service was at the restaurants and bars we visited in Scottsdale. Each and every waitstaff we met were soooo nice to us, they each went out of their way to give us recommendations or have some special conversations.

The best part about not having a specific plan when you travel is that you can find the best experiences, just because you’re more open to things. We left one bar and spotted a big scene happening at the rock bar and decided to check it out. We were both up for anything.

So we got in without a cover after chatting up the bouncer (again super nice!) and saw a great live show that was absolutely packed! It was a great night with funny memories and moments throughout. My body is still sore from dancing so much.

It was a really great trip through and through. I’m glad I got to share it with my good friend and get away for one last hurrah before the end of summer.

roundup

I don’t usually put together link roundups, but this week I found a few things that I was loving far too much to not share with you. If you’re state side I hope you have a great 4th of July weekend full of fireworks, grilling, and sunshine. It’s suppose to rain on and off here in Denver, so let’s hope I get a good patch of weather to soak it up with you.

• Of course this shop has the best playlists to scour
• Summer means day drinking, and I’ve been pacing myself with these
• I would love to go to Marfa
• Megan (Fresh Exchange) turned me onto this face cream and I’m obsessed with the packaging
• I’ve been looking into getting some new utility items lately and am digging this one in particular
• Have you ever thought about visiting Chattanooga? Me either, until I saw this
• This mouth-watering bowl is on my list of recipes to make this summer

on the road to santa fe

If you follow me on Instagram you already know that about a couple months ago I embarked on a solo road trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Around the beginning of the year I was really longing for some time to myself. I had been going through a lot emotionally and wanted some space to sort through things and understand where I was at. So I thought a little mini retreat sounded like the best idea for me. Plus getting away to warmer sunny weather and delicious Mexican food wasn’t too hard of a sell.

I took an extra day off work and made a quick plan of where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see. The minute I hit the open road I felt excited and a little bit nervous. It had been a while since my last solo trip and I had forgotten how it can feel when you first start out. But the feeling quickly subsided as I set into a nice rhythm on the road (and of course had all my favorite junk foods and an audiobook ready).

Denver to Santa Fe is only about a 6 hour drive one way. And for such a short distance it’s really quite a beautiful place. I decided to split my trip into more of road trip on the way down to Santa Fe, and then drive straight back on the way to Denver. On the way down I meandered around the High and Low Roads to Taos, stopping at a few select spots along the way.

The first few hours of the drive were full of stark desert landscapes, where the brutal sun beats down on the pavement leaving cracks and tumbleweeds everywhere. I love the desert, so this exotic scenery always nurtures my soul. The landscape started to change once I started cutting west into the Taos mountain range and further into Carson National Forest.

The mountains were snow peaked and rolling foothills butted up right against the desert terrain. As I drove the back roads and deserted old highways there were more signs of wildlife. Tall prairie grass, old hewn wooden fences, and abandoned adobe settlements dotted the journey. It felt similar to Colorado but more rustic and wild.

My first stop was at the Rio Grande Bridge. While not massively impressive in scale, I did appreciate the sensation of standing on the bridge’s edge and feeling it sway as cars drove by. The sun shining and air whipping around felt clean and fresh.

Afterwards I decided to stop a mile or so down the road at the sustainable architectural project called Earthships. I was way more impressed by this community than the bridge I had just came from. Everything ran on renewable energy and each home grew it’s own food and recycled all of it’s own water.

Even though it was blisteringly hot outside, inside the Earthship was cool and damp almost like the feeling of being immersed in cold earthy clay. What I also loved about the homes was the unique shapes and materials that they used, which wove a tapestry of visual interest across each area of the building.

After the Earthship, I decided to drive down to Ojo Caliente, a beautiful spa and resort tucked away along the foothills of the mountains. Once I made it down to the spa I paid the day rate and immediately had to check out the mud pool.

Like the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, they say the Ojo Caliente mud pool has restorative powers and is great for the skin. While I can’t say if that’s true, it was so novel to get slathered in mud and then to let the sun bake the clay until it was hardened. It basically felt like a giant face mask, and I kind of wanted to do it over and over again.

There are so many different natural springs at the resort I decided to jump in a few different ones. Once I grew tired of hot springs I snagged a woven hammock and lazily swung in the warm evening sun.

As the sun started to set over the mountain face, I decided to get back on the road and make another pit stop along the way at a small church in Chimayo. Winding through Chimayo it looks like any other mid-size desert town. Until you reach El Santuario de Chimayo which felt almost like a Catholic fair or park. Every street is full of vendors, snack carts, and religious shrines. The church itself is humble but raw and beautiful.

While I’m not a religious person, I was touched seeing all the prayer candles flickering and the pictures of those who needed prayers lining the tunnels. I said my little version of a prayer to many people I saw, and felt gratitude at being able to be where I was.

After El Santuario de Chimayo, I had to make it to my AirBnB at a decent time so I didn’t get to check out Ghost Ranch, which I’m a little sad I missed. But once I got to Santa Fe I was immediately happy that I had chosen the room I did. Even though I only rented a room and not the entire house, my listing had a separate area to myself during the trip and I absolutely loved my hostess. If you visit Santa Fe, I can’t recommend staying here enough (or here, or here).

The next day after a delicious breakfast at Modern General, I decided to get a head start and check out the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument bright and early.

About 40 minutes outside Santa Fe, the trail is a good hike up to the top of an overlook that showcases these amazing formations, called Tent Rocks. The trail was relatively easy until it reaches overlook, but at the top you can see the entire horizon. That part was more strenuous and required a bit of climbing. But every minute of the hike is worth it, including winding through the tight slot canyons on your way to the top.

Just as I made my way back down the trail it began to get rainy and cloudy. Once I made it back into Santa Fe it was actually pretty dreary. Most the shops were too quiet to warrant being open, but I did manage to sneak into Santa Fe Vintage Outpost.

Once inside I imagined all the ways I could excuse myself to blow my savings on every item I touched. Each piece was unique, full of western character, and had a supple texture that I love about vintage ware.

There are lots of shop on the main downtown square area, as well as plenty of art galleries. Since the weather that day was a bit rough I didn’t get to truly experience the shopping available. But what I did see didn’t really impress me since it all felt very similar from shop to shop. There are a few secret gems hidden throughout Santa Fe, you just have to do your research before you go.

While I didn’t do a lot of shopping, I did get my fair share of food in. Besides Modern General, I also ate at some really great Mexican restaurants. And when I say Mexican, I don’t mean Tex-Mex or American-Mexican, I mean truly authentic Mexican food. I recommend Casa Chimayo or La Choza for dinner, and Tune-Up Cafe or Cafe Pasqual’s for brunch. Just be forewarned that New Mexican food is spicy!

While the stores were mostly empty, the restaurants were always packed. Some places I tried both nights to get into and both times there were waits even to sit at the bar. One spot literally had a chalkboard for people to put their names on a bar waitlist… are you joking?  And yes, I put my name on it. So the moral of the story? Make reservations! Or be prepared to seriously pay for it.

I also checked out Shake Foundation for their original green chili cheeseburger… delicious! I also stopped in at Whoo’s Donuts, and the Kakawa Chocolate House for foodie must-sees. Out of the three, my favorite had to be Whoo’s Donuts. I got my hands on some blue cornmeal and red chili chocolate flavors and they were absolutely delectable.

On my last day I decided to stop at the Pecos National Historic Park along the way back to Denver. Pecos National Historic Park is mostly a short trail that loops around an overlook and the remains of an ancient Native American settlement. The park maintains what’s left of the settlement so it’s not necessarily the original materials, but it helps solidify the history with tangible and beautiful architecture.

The park was absolutely breathtaking and desolate. There weren’t many other people at the park making it very peaceful to explore and walk around. The settlement itself was full of interesting historical tidbits and stories of the tribes that lived here before Europeans laid claim to the land.

It was spooky to stand under the beams of where the church had been built and again destroyed during a native uprising. The fact that you can also climb down into one of the kivas was beyond awesome. Having visited the Anasazi settlement in Mesa Verde, this had a very similar feeling in historical importance.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful. Long highways full of truckers, mini-vans, and all the not-so-exciting towns from Santa Fe to Denver. But the whole ride home I thought about my trip. What I loved the most, what I wanted to learn more about, and what I was taking away from Santa Fe.

Honestly I loved the actual areas around Santa Fe more than I thought I would. I didn’t have high expectations, and thought it was going to be a quiet and simple weekend. Surprising places like Tent Rock and Pecos National Park truly impressed me. My hostess and all the vendors at the farmers market, made me feel welcome and warm. I left knowing Santa Fe was a place to stop and take note of.

I felt the allure of the town and it’s small artsy culture. With weather similar to Colorado, I could see so many things we had in common. While no where near as modern or trendy like Denver is these days, I could see the starts of promising roots taking hold.

A younger generation is getting involved in the local art community, and the food scene is expanding outside it’s traditional Mexican background. There are nearly seven, yes seven, national parks and sites just around the city. And after only tapping a small fraction of what there is to explore in New Mexico, I know Santa Fe will definitely be a place I visit again.

what is a blog anyways

Well hello stranger.

It’s been far too long since I’ve written anything for this little corner of the internet. If we scroll back a bit you’d see I haven’t said much since March, to be exact.

And as life goes, it feels as if a lot has happened since then. I’ve gone on a solo trip, moved into a new place, and made some big changes to some things in my personal life. It was a time to pause and reflect on where I truly was. Anything that distracted from that energy (like blogging) felt unnecessary and trite. When I would sit down to start a blog post I got this gut feeling of “meh” instead of the “yasss” I used to have. Anything I started writing felt so off.

So instead of forcing it, instead of pushing through, instead of just pressing publish anyways… I just stopped. I went with the path of least resistance and took an indefinite break from it all. And it was marvelous. For a moment or two I even contemplated never coming back. Not blogging became this sort of the feeling you get laying under the hot sun on a far-off exotic vacation. The hot sun is seeping into your bones, warming you from the inside. You lay back, shut your eyes and soak up the simplicity. No mental deadlines, pressing blog drafts, or “must-dos” to disrupt your bliss.

But like laying under the sun for some time, you start to feel burnt and slow. You get tired, lazy, and find it a bit… well, boring. Staying away from the blog not only gave me respite from the monotony I had let it become, but on the flip side it also dulled my creative sharpness. Writing and designing for the blog was a constant creative exercise that forced me to push through. It was a space that was set before me and demanded to be filled. Some days I hated the things that I made. Other times I would become giddy with excitement at each new idea I had. Either way, you find that the more you do it, the more creative you feel.

So now that I’ve taken my sabbatical I’ve spent some time reflecting. If I am going to pick this back up, how is it going to be different than it was in the past? What’s going to make me keep doing this? And once I answered those questions I had to form a vision for the path before Observant Nomad. Do I want to go back to blogging in the traditional sense? With a calendar, content schedule, set topics and columns. Or am I more interested in something that is undefined, fluid, changing, and ambiguous.

When I first started this blog all I set out to do was to capture my life as it was happening, in more depth and exploration than social media could do. I wanted to make sure that when I looked back I could remember all the details and special moments of my adventures. And share them with you all too. That’s where my compass has always pointed, and I’ve just forgotten that.

I want to only curate posts that I find interesting or nourishing time and time again. I want to share my personal style, exploring my design taste, and create what I love. I enjoy reliving my adventures, sharing my experiences, and exploring my creative passions here. That’s what I’ve always loved most about blogging. So I hope to continue to keep the blog in this spirit.

I want to keep it open, interesting, and always evolving. Sometimes that might be a recipe I am loving, advice on travel, or a roundup of my favorite summer hats. But other times that might also mean interviews with local independent business owners, a photo journal of hiking the Colorado rockies, or waxing poetical about life itself.

It’s about changing “meh” into “hmmm I think I’m onto something…”

5 inspiring reads for creatives

If you’re an avid reader raise your hand. Me too. But I haven’t always felt that I had enough time to read as consistently as I wanted too. Maybe you can relate. It wasn’t until I started making a conscious effort to reshape my daily habits that I realized that wasn’t true.

During the last couple months I’ve slowly been re-shaping my daily routine. And with that I’ve made sure to incorporate more time to read more. One of the ways I’m doing this is by setting aside time each morning for reading. Instead of scrolling my iPhone when I wake up, I try and get out of bed to heat up some green tea. Then I spend the next 15 minutes or so with an inspiring book.

Being a night owl, I like that this short amount of reading helps me wake up slowly and on a positive note. I’ve decided that in the mornings I’ll only read either creatively or spiritually inspiring books. I save the night for my guilty pleasure reads, like lengthy sci-fi and fantasy novels.

If you’re interested in starting (or ending) your morning this way too, here are some creatively inclined books on my current reading list…

So far I’ve finished Creative Confidence and man, it was chock full of useful exercises and motivating stories. So useful for flipping the switch on your perspective of work and creativity. I’ve also read the Crossroads of Should and Must, but I do feel like it’s such an important message, so I like to re-read every so often to keep it top of mind.

Next on my list is one from the 99U series, Manage Your Day to Day. I’m excited to see if there’s any new tips or ideas on how to structure my days to get more out of them.

These are just the five creative books I’m planning on starting with, and soon I’ll supplement these with some more spiritual feel-good stuff too.

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use these links to support your local bookstore

01 Creative Confidence by Thomas Kelley & David Kelley / 02 Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert / 03
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna / 04 The Artist’s Way
by Julia Cameron /05 Manage Your Day-To-Day from 99U / 06 Art Before Breakfast by Danny Gregory