Looking ahead to all the places we can see in 2016!

It’s been a great year for us, albeit a quieter one in terms of travel.  But any year with good health, connections with family and friends, and a few getaways is a good year for us.  At the top of our travel list were short, local trips with our granddaughter to new-to-her places right here in Knoxville.

We appreciate your continued support of our blog.  Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing what you’ve seen with us.  The interaction means a lot.

Plans for 2016?  More international travel, we hope.  We’re  intrigued by photos of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, so that’s on the list.  And then there’s Alaska — a state we wanted to see last year, but just didn’t.  The National Park Service Centennial makes us think we need to stay in the states — and fill those blank squares remaining in our Passport to the National Parks book.  But wherever we go and whatever we see, we’ll be sharing with you, our readers.

Favorite quote we ran across this past year while looking at cards in a shop:

“The world is not going to come to you.

The sooner you realize this, the more time you’ll have to pack.”

Leigh Standley

May the new year bring you good health and the drive to accomplish any goal you set.

Happy 2016!

— Bert and Rusha

No mater where you choose to go, go boldly!

Sometimes I buy postcards to send to friends and relatives, write them in the car while my husband drives, and then search for the nearest post office so that folks get correspondence stamped from the state I’m visiting.  And that’s what happened as we were in way northern Idaho almost to Canada.  Bert, I said, pull over here!

We found ourselves in Moyie Springs, Idaho, in the post office mailing cards.  But when we came out, we saw logs.  Huge logs.  Stacks and stacks of logs.

Now, for those of you who live in Idaho, you probably don’t even see logs since they’re part of your everyday experience.  Kind of like not seeing wheat fields or potato farms or screaming tall evergreens.

But to two folks from Tennessee, this was picturesque.  One of the major industries of Idaho right here near the Moyie Springs PO!

And the best surprise came when I got up close to take the picture and noticed what was looming on the horizon.

So, chalk up another tiny experience that gave us pause.  And much pleasure.

If you live or travel through Moyie Springs, Idaho, enjoy the scenery.  It’s what we’ve come to love about the Inland Northwest.

For more posts on the Inland Northwest, click on the page at the top of this blog.  And leave us a comment, especially if you’ve been there and loved it, too!

We’ve just returned from a trip of a lifetime — a Viking River Cruise appropriately named Imperial Jewels of China — with an itinerary spanning several cities from Beijing to Shanghai including sights and sounds we had only hoped to see.  In the next few weeks, we’re posting highlights of the trip and our impressions of the scheduled tourist destinations. But we’ll also be telling you about the people and places of this faraway land we discovered on our own. We hope you’ll join us!

Because we arrived one day early, we headed to the Beijing Zoo for a hoped-for morning glimpse of a Chinese panda who, we were told, might only be visible in the cool early hours of the day.

Panda attire was everywhere — the children mostly (but adults, too) wore hats, shirts, even shoes with pandas to show their love of what must be the official Chinese mascot.

Some posed for my pictures, gesturing with their hands and smiling adorably.  And almost everyone looked happy.  After all, it’s a day at the zoo!

Parents and grandparents interacted as families do, leading their children to the “best” spots to get the “best” views of the “best” animals . . . just as we do in America!

Visitors poured in, crowding the entryways in order to get there in time. They, too, had been told to move close to the pens where pandas dine heartily on bamboo shoots before going in for a nap.

Once we found the panda section and then the back side of the pens where the green areas were, we moved in close to get a good shot. The pandas, however, were elusive, not in the least interested in performing for tourists from Tennessee . . . or China.  We started watching the people also, because wherever there was a large gathering, we knew we might have a chance at a glimpse.  Sure enough, it worked!

We crowded in with a lot of other people holding cameras and then it happened: we spied our first panda!  He was sitting pretty far away, but within our range of visibility, eating nonchalantly and ignoring the excited visitors, not realizing how energized the crowd was to see him (or her) outside munching away.  And to that panda, nothing else mattered.

After watching the panda from the side, we were graced just briefly with an almost frontal view, and the crowd got more fidgety and noisier, getting closer to the fence to take a better shot. Well, so did we! We were like excited children seeing this sight!

Our faces were flushed, not just from the heat.  This was big.  Really big.

One panda dipped into cooling waters and playfully entertained us with brief pats on the surface.

And then the first panda said Enough  . . . and sauntered back inside to the quiet (and privacy) of his domain.  That was it.  Our first — and only — glimpse of the Beijing pandas.

We moved on, satisfied that we had seen pandas in China, even if only for a brief moment or two. Looking down the pathways, we watched families snapping pictures of little ones posing in the way only children can do.

Then we ducked into a gift shop where panda-monium broke loose! From umbrellas on the ceiling to purses, key rings, stamps, books, and backpacks on the shelves, panda souvenirs reined supreme.

We didn’t, however, see anyone asking to try on these hats — not in the 95-degree heat, I guess. But they definitely had the cute factor going for them.

In this heat, we mostly saw lots of ice cream eating . . .

and posing for pictures on the beautifully landscaped grounds of the zoo.

Seeing a Chinese panda at the Beijing Zoo — it doesn’t get much better.  Or does it?  We headed through an arched walkway searching for other animals before negotiating the real zoo for us — the Chinese subway and other adventures in Beijing!

If you’ve been to the Beijing Zoo, tell us what you saw.  And if you’ve been to China, we’d love to know your favorite spots.  It’s an adventure, for sure.

For more information . . .

Viking River Cruises http://www.vikingrivercruises.com

Beijing Zoo — http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/30963.htm

Disclaimer:  I’m looking out of a window, and not a very clean window at that!  But these images still attest to the power of The Golden Hour.

My first glimpse at morning in Shanghai from our hotel window.

Within minutes, the sky turned various shades of pink contrasting with the silhouettes of the buildings.

Shortly thereafter, the darkness above highlighted the white clouds beneath.

Here, just a small bit of light turned those upper dark clouds to pale gray.

And then the golden hour morphed into full daylight.

Down below, the day began for all who worked and vacationed in Shanghai, and the little dome glowed all on its own — at least for a few brief minutes.

Since we live in Knoxville but sometimes want to fly Southwest, we head to Nashville International Airport (BNA) and board a plane to wherever that economy airline will take us.  And if you’ve visited the Southwest terminal lately, you may have noticed a little bit of country right there in the airport!

It was this first sign we saw after check-in that reminded us of how long it had been since we’d had a Goo Goo Cluster. (We chose to remedy that situation . . . fast.)

Dubbed the “world’s first ever combination candy bar,” Goo Goo’s (named for the first words a baby speaks) are a yummy combo of caramel, marshmallow nougat, and roasted peanuts covered in rich milk chocolate.  What’s not to like?!! Tennesseans are accustomed to seeing Goo Goo’s in gift baskets or the logo on t-shirts, mugs, and the like — just like we saw at Nashville Star in the airport.

Moon Pies, iconic marshmallow sandwich treats from Chattanooga, lined the shelves, and now come in more flavors than just the original chocolate, banana, and vanilla.  New to us were Peanut Butter Moon Pies (We’re taking these home!) and Mint Moon Pies which the saleslady at Nashville Star declared taste just like those Thin Mints the Girl Scouts sell! 

T-shirts touted the cultural offerings in Nashville.  We saw printed wearables that said Welcome to Nashville Music City, Country Music Hall of Fame, Bluebird Cafe, Ole Smoky Moonshine (See? I told you this was Tennessee!), and our favorite one from the Loveless Cafe right here in Nashville.

Sitting beside it were products from the Loveless (a tourist court turned family-style restaurant and place to spend the night) like this jar of picalilli relish — a mixture of green tomatoes, cabbage, corn, and heaven only knows what else.

A t-shirt from Loveless that we could use in Knoxville during the Biscuit Festival stole our heart for saying what we all know makes for good eatin’ around here:

You can get barbecue sauce at the airport, too, from Chef Tony Neely of the family on Food Network’s “Down Home With the Neelys.”  Or you may want to visit their restaurants in Nashville, if you’ve got some time on your hands for slow-cooked, savory ‘cue that’s hard to beat.

In this terminal, however, you don’t have to walk far to sample Whitt’s, a delicious barbecue from a franchise developed by Bill Dean, former scientist.  The heading of a poster caught our attention — Barbecue? Being rocket scientist helps! — but we were really more interested in our heaping plates of oozy, saucy meat and two sides!

If music’s your thing, spend your layover at Tootsies — the little bar and music joint that faithfully mimics the downtown venue — Tootsies Orchid Lounge — right down to the live music, lavender color scheme, and back wall plastered with music memorabilia.

Or if you like making music of your own, head to the Gibson Cafe where you’ll recognize fine “gee-tars” (made by Gibson, of course) hanging overhead.

Maybe you’ll just have to have this t-shirt if you’re hanging with the hundreds of thousands of music fans that swarm the state in search of the best in country music– or any kind of good music, for that matter — every year.

So, come on down to Tennessee and stay a while — or just hang out at the airport.  We’ve got culture you can get into.  And you can take a little Tennessee goodness to the folks back home!

We’d “lak” that, too!

*Note to those of you who don’t speak East Tennessee:  “lak” is how we say “like” in these here parts!

Nashville International Airport (BNA) — 1 Terminal Drive, Nashville, TN; 615.275.4311; www.flynashville.com

Nashville Star — http://www.hudsongroupusa.com/store_nashville_star.php

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — 222 5th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203; 615.416.2001; http://countrymusichalloffame.org

Grand Ole Opry — 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214; 615.871.6779; www.opry.comOle Smoky Moonshine — 903 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738; 865.436.6995; www.olesmokymoonshine.com

Loveless Cafe — 8400 Hwy. 100, Nashville, TN 37221; 615.646.9700; www.lovelesscafe.com

Tootsies Nashville Airport — http://www.tootsies.net

Whitt’s Barbecue Nashville — http://www.whittsbarbecue.com

Goo Goo Clusters — www.googoo.com

Moon Pies — www.moonpie.com

If you missed Part One of this blog (Seven swanky lobbies to see: Vegas hotels), click here. (We had to separate the posts since there are so many pictures.)  We hope you enjoyed the four hotels in Part One.  And now, to finish the seven, our top three places to go lobbying!

Our third favorite: The Venetian

3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South; 702.414.1000; http://www.venetian.com

The towering structures surrounding the Grand Canal invite you to leave The Strip and come to Italy.

 The Venetian had us — and we weren’t even inside.  With exacting details like the recreation of the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal, we were hooked on the Venetian experience. When we went inside, however, we were struck by the beauty of the ornately painted ceilings and marble floors of the elegant interiors. The Venetian really is a don’t-miss place in Vegas.

Ceilings in The Venetian.

To say the least, the hotel is an amalgamation of luxurious accommodations and fascinating details in the architecture and artful design.  Running through the complex is the canal surrounded by shops made famous for high-quality goods like Italian glass and haute couture, as well as inviting waterside restaurants.   Painted ceilings are delightfully deceiving — the whole place feels like a European shopping plaza or a side street in Venice.

But there’s also a lot going on. At Christmas, we applauded traveling performers.  On a more recent visit, we smiled as we watched people mistake this mime for a statue (surprise!) and then ask to take pictures to email back home.  (Were you fooled a bit, too, when you saw the picture above?)

Of course, you might not want to miss one of the most popular activities of all — a gondola ride navigated by a singing boatman.  You’re in Venice, right?  Or is this just Vegas?  Whatever or wherever — it’s fun.

The Venetian will host Carnevale 2013 from May 27 to September 8, a celebration of music, food, and culture.  Wouldn’t you just love to be there? (Click here for more info.)

Coming in second: Wynn Las Vegas

3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South; 702.770.7000; http://www.wynnlasvegas.com)

Taking its cue from the shimmering copper and gold exterior, Wynn Las Vegas offers an elegant interior of warm browns paired with reds and ivories.  Rich chocolate-colored walls greet you whether you enter from the front door or the free parking area between Wynn and Encore. You know you’re in a luxury hotel, but one that offers something for everyone.

We love the mosaic floors of stylized flowers that add color but keep the hotel fresh and new, not stuffy.

Even the areas reserved for serious poker players (right past Ferrari Store!!) carry out the richness of the brown interior and lead you into the casino area and its signature floral carpet.

Delighting most visitors are the two tree-lined walkways featuring tiny white lights and real-flower spheres that change with the seasons.

The Wynn offers unique dining, too. According to the web site,  “Wynn and Encore have more Forbes Four Star award-winning restaurants than any other  resort in North America.”

We love coming down the escalator into Parasol just for the sheer joy of all that color.  Then we head out to Lake Side to watch the free hourly show on the water and sit in one of the comfy banquettes.  But, upon your request, you can dine even more privately in a tented alcove at Bartolotta’s. Ahhh, for those quiet moments in Vegas.

Entering Parasol on the way to Lake Side.

Dining beside the lake at Bartolotta’s.

To our delight, however, Wynn Las Vegas is a mixture of luxury AND affordability.  During March Madness, bets came in hot and heavy at Wynn’s Race and Sports Book (You can always stand in the back free!), and we dined affordably at Zoozacrackers Deli while watching the fashion show go by!

Lining up to cash out are these now-calm participants at the Wynn Las Vegas Race and Sports Book.

Best of all, we enjoyed Le Rêve — The Dream, a Cirque du Soleil spectacular performed in, on, and over water.  (Click here for ticket information.)

Although pictures aren’t allowed during the performance, we could snap this one at the end: enormous lighted flowers hovering over the circle of water.

Our favorite hotel lobby in Vegas: The Bellagio

3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South; 888.987.6667; http://www.bellagio.com

Walking through the lobby of The Bellagio is one treat we give ourselves each time we’re in Vegas.  It’s just that nice  — and always changing.  You can stand outside the hotel and enjoy the fountains during the day and every fifteen minutes during the evening hours.  As a side benefit, you can also hear several languages as people from all over the world share their love of the dancing waters and familiar music.

But the lobby, too, is overwhelmingly beautiful.  Our favorite part is the ceiling sculpture of over 2,000 hand-blown flowers by glass artist Dale Chihuly.  We just stand in awe — and then we have to take pictures!

There’s even Chihuly at Bellagio, a place where one-of-a-kind art is for sale to grace your home or office.  (But if you’re like us, you can take really, really close looks for free!)

I’ve written before about The Bellagio as I’ve been to Vegas for work since October 2013. (See below for links to those posts.)  And I have to admit, next to the Chihuly sculptures, it’s the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens that beckon me to return each time.  These exciting, masterful exhibits change with the seasons, and each one has brought forth new designs and creative ways to incorporate fresh flowers into the sets.   Technology, too, plays a large role in involving guests:  From winding miniature trains at Christmas to the “Pupa Emergence Display” this spring, the Conservatory always offers something of interest for young and old.

The current installation, a tribute to Andy Warhol, is delightful: Dutch shoes, a house-size windmill, white-flower swans, hundreds of forced bulbs, and a miniature greenhouse where butterflies come to life — literally. (The 2013 Spring Celebration ends May 11th.)

Life-size greenhouse in center of Bellagio’s Conservatory

So, if you think Las Vegas is all casinos and cheesy wedding sites, think again.

Vegas hotels live large — beautiful surroundings, graceful interiors, and something for everyone to enjoy.   Come see for yourself.

Click here to read Bellagio Conservatory and Gardens celebrate Chinese New Year in style!

Click here to read Picture Perfect: Christmas 2012 at Bellagio

Click here to read Fabulous Fall at Bellagio: It’s Vegas, Baby!

P. S. Would love to hear about your favorite hotels in Vegas.  Leave us a comment!

]]> https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2013/04/06/seven-swanky-lobbies-to-see-vegas-hotels-part-two/feed/ 12 2005 https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2013/04/02/something-new-at-least-to-me-at-las/ https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2013/04/02/something-new-at-least-to-me-at-las/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:03:53 +0000 http://ohtheplaceswesee.com/?p=1974 On my fifth trip this year to Vegas’s McCarran, I saw something I hadn’t seen before.  Not at McCarran.  Or any other airport, for that matter.  But it’s probably been there all along.  I may have been too busy watching luggage spin around on those carousels to even notice.

No, it wasn’t the artwork I’m so fond of seeing in airports.

No, it wasn’t the slot machines.  Not even Wheel of Fortune that gets you to come over with that methodical TV kinda voice:  “Wheel. Of. Fortune.”

The slots at Vegas. Even at the airport.

And no, it wasn’t all those ads for the headliner shows or even the banner for the Chippendales. (After watching Amazing Race, I always look for Jaymes and James.)

It was something quite simple . . . practical. . . workable — a sign that a chauffeur or greeter held up to indicate who he was looking for.

I’ve seen dozens of these signs, but they were always printed on card stock or affixed to a clipboard.  Not the one held by this man (and lots of other guys at McCarran).

In fact, almost all the meeter/greeter folks were holding iPads boldly showing the name of the intended connection on a bright background.  New to me.

New to you?

Just a little something unexpected you get to see when you travel!

Lately, I’ve done a lot of flying.  From Knoxville to Vegas to Michigan to Maryland.  A lot of flying.  I may even be identifying with George Clooney’s character Ryan Bingham in the 2009 hit movie Up in the Air — almost comfy in the confines of an airport.

Not only that, I really love grazing and shopping while waiting for yet another take-off.

Cityscape in Chicago’s O’Hare

Today’s airports are different. Long gone are stark terminals lined with boring rows of seats and filled with the sounds of those blaring Charlie Brown-type announcements.   (Well, mostly.)

Airports today — at least the big ones — are havens for gourmet foods in take-home packages, upscale restaurants bearing the names of chefs we’ve seen on TV, and power-up centers for tech-hungry travelers.  Case in point:  Chicago’s O’Hare International.

Painted window by students in After School Matters

I’m actually happy when I change planes in O’Hare (Crazy me.)

But long layovers mean more time to watch people sprinting (roller bags in tow) to their next departure point. And more time to admire the art.  And sample the food!

On display near Terminal 1.

O’Hare International was named in honor of Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare, a Medal of Honor WWII fighter pilot whose Black Panthers fearlessly stormed the skies. In 1949, the field and airport known as Orchard Depot was renamed O’Hare International Airport.

In honor of Butch O’Hare

But not even O’Hare could imagine what the terminals of this second busiest airport in the U. S. and the world would look like today.

“Songs of Chicago.” Mural by teens in After School Matters.

Passing through the domed glass corridor leading to Terminal 1, you can delight in the art of teens engaged in a program called After School Matters.  Teens paired with professional artists have created art — benches, murals, painted windows and walls, glass sculptures, etc. — that deserves a closer look.

One of the creatively painted benches lining the corridor leading to Terminal 1.

But from there, the shopping begins in Terminal 1.  On this cold, cold Friday, lines at Starbucks meandered through the corridor. Patrons craving something hot to sip checked emails while waiting for lattes, talls, or the new Blonde Roast.

Heads down, texting and waiting, at Starbucks O’Hare

I passed by Vosges and kept my chocolate passion in check since it’s still January and you know how those resolutions are!  Begun in the kitchen of her Chicago apartment, owner and chocolatier Katrina Markoff relied on her training at El Bulli restaurant and her international travels to launch a “veritable chocolate revolution,” according to the website. I can give it this: simply divine packaging and product, if you can judge just by looking!

A clerk straightens the artisan chocolates at Vosges

If an ordinary Montblanc writing instrument won’t satisfy your desires, check out the Writers Edition Carlo Collodi limited edition.  Honoring the creator of The Adventures of Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi, the pens are a tribute to the author’s creativity.  A dark brown cap bears pictures of animals like the loyal cricket and the shady fox while the cone resembles Pinnochio’s legendary growing nose. It can be yours for approximately $1000.00. So? It’s a limited edition, after all.

On display at Montblanc, the Carlo Collodi Limited Edition writing instruments

Diners at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant have front row seats where layover travelers can watch the on-the-move travelers go by.  Well, some of them watch, I guess. Mostly, though, people that day were focused on their smart phones, or that’s what it looked like to me.

We’re a nation of email checkers, for sure!

Garrett popcorn, to my delight, also had a presence at O’Hare.  They sell my favorite freshly popped corn by the bag or by the tin.  If you’ve never had Chicago Mix (a blend of CaramelCrisp® and CheeseCorn®), you’re missing out.  Order online if you have to, but there’s nothing like getting it fresh, even at 8:00 AM!!!! (http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/tin-builder/)

Chicago-themed tins ready to be filled with Garrett’s popcorn

My picture of the Field Museum Store doesn’t do it justice.  Loaded with little take-home gifts, especially for children, the store is neat and engaging, even if it is overshadowed by the ceiling-tall replica of a dinosaur skeleton. And if you weren’t traveling, you could go to the real museum to check the rest of ’em out!

Look behind to see the towering dinosaur skeleton behind the Field Museum Store.

Oakley was busy selling sunglasses the morning I was there — maybe to travelers needing eye protection at the ski resorts or in the Midwest where looking at snow can make you squint, for sure!

I spy someone peeping through the Oakley case!

As if the Vosges chocolates and Garrett popcorn weren’t enough temptation, there was always Eli’s Cheesecake, recently famous for creating the celebration cheesecake for President Obama’s Inauguration!  What’s not to like about that?

You can get a boxed-up, ready to fly home cheesecake from Eli’s!

Ooooh! Salted Caramel Cheesecake!

Rick Bayless’s Tortas Frontera lured travelers with the sight of freshly baked loaves of bread stacked up in the window and the smell of tortas — griddle-baked Mexican sandwiches filled with chipotle chicken!

Posted on the website is a quote from the Chicago Tribune: “Finally, a reason to get delayed at O’Hare”! I agree.

Loaves of bread invite shoppers into Tortas Frontera

But movement and tech were as important as food and art that day.  Lined up at charging/working stations were travelers catching up and powering up. . .

Hardly an empty seat at the charging stations!

while outside, taxis lined up to move people — wherever they needed to go.

Taxis don’t sit long at O’Hare

At the end of the terminal, however, it was hurry up and wait.  And talk.  And check that email one more time.

Read. Reply. Text. Repeat.

After all, that’s what travel is today!

See you in the terminals!

Chicago O’Hare International Airport, ORD

http://www.ohare-airport.org

Beautifully carved columns frame one of the porches at Blue Lake Ranch. (Photo from Website: http://www.bluelakeranch.com)

The second day of our New Mexico journey took us from the Casa Blanca Inn  in Farmington to the town of Shiprock on the Navajo reservation where I conducted a workshop for teachers. (Click here for post on Casa Blanca Inn.)

Wanting to combine work with pleasure, my husband and I booked the second of the Three Sister Inns owned by David and Shirley Alford and found our favorite by far — Blue Lake Ranch in Hesperus, Colorado — only 30 minutes away from Mesa Verde National Park.

View from the Cabin on the Lake

Marked only by a small lighted mailbox on Highway 140, Blue Lake Ranch is unknown even to most locals. But the ranch is a wonder with 230 acres of natural vegetation, trout-filled lakes, and spectacular gardens bursting with color from heirloom flowers and over 10,000 irises.

You may find yourself wondering if you’re in the right place as the winding  road (newly paved, by the way) meanders to the front door of the main house.

Although winter gardens offer little in the way of color, the entrance still beckons travelers to a lovely Southwestern hideaway.

We stood in awe of the elegantly furnished Southwestern living room. (Just typical good taste, Alford style, like the Casa Blanca Inn, I suppose.)

Alexis, the inn’s new manager, opened a scrapbook to reveal a picture of the abandoned shell of a homestead that Don found and developed into a property now celebrated as one of the best “hidden getaways” in the U.S.

Humble beginnings of Blue Lake Ranch as found by Don Alford

Impressive to say the least.  Not just for the property turnaround but also for the grounds, casitas, cabins, and main house appointed with collections gathered over time.

With an expanse of windows to catch the view, the living room is always open to guests.

You may think that Tuesday night in November is not the ideal time to sink into a luxury B&B, but there are some advantages:  We had the place to ourselves and our choice of rooms.  Lucky us.  Just upstairs with a balcony facing the sunset over Blue Lake, we settled in to the La Plata Vista Room with comforts we were becoming accustomed to on this Three Sisters Tour!

Carved headboard and sink-in bed linens typify the sleeping area of the La Plata Vista Room.

Providing ambience and warmth were Navajo rugs, hand-painted pottery, rough-hewn furniture, and, for the second night in a row, our very own Kiva fireplace.

We’ve come to love Kiva fireplaces. Doesn’t Tennessee need to know about these, too?

Southwestern touches extended to the sink area with copper basin and personalized punched-tin light fixture.

Unique lighting above the mirror and basin of the dressing area.

Satiny sheets and lofty down comforter enticed us to linger in bed, but not for long.  We wanted to see the inn in the early light of day and sample what we knew would be a breakfast to remember.

Personalized Louisville Stoneware mugs stand ready to hold the morning java.

Downstairs, hand-woven baskets lined up over doorways . . .

Navajo baskets circle-up above the doors.

and Indian figures stood guard on the mantel.

Lined up in native dress, these figures stand tall at Blue Lake!

A watercolor of the main house faces the coffee bar . . .

leading us to the buffet set just for us.  We placed an order for eggs over-easy, then grazed accordingly on granola and yogurt, sausage patties, and homemade bread with house jam — Blue Lake Ranch Peach & Raspberry — sold in the gift shop. (Note to readers:  Unless you want an airline dude to get the breakfast you dreamed of having back home, do NOT pack jam in your carry-on bag!)

Breakfast buffet ready for the taking!

At Blue Lake, people make the difference.  We listened with interest as Alexis told us of her personal cross-country journey in her own RV (alone!), and then heard how Maggie became involved with the properties, too.  In fact, Maggie said she had booked a night at the Don Gaspar Inn, the third of the Three Sister Inns, in Santa Fe, the following Friday – the same night we’d be there!

Maggie poses in the Gift Shop

For dinner, Alexis recommended Kennebec Cafe & Bakery.  We expected a Mom-and-Pop meat-and-three, but what we found was a gourmet experience due in part to the creative chef and gregarious waiter who treated us like locals.   If you go, try flatbread with mushrooms, asiago cheese, asparagus, arugula, and crispy prosciutto — if the chef’s of a mind to offer that as one of his nightly specials!

Alexis, the lady who traveled the US in her own RV, makes the best dinner reservations!!

Saying good-bye was difficult, so we took out time driving the property, scoping out the other cabins available for nightly or weekly stays.

Porches like this are meant to face the great outdoors and Blue Lake, and we dream of returning some day, rocking in the chairs and waiting for the sunset while nature unfolds in this heavenly retreat.

A porch on one of the rental cabins faces the lake and invites total relaxation!

Enjoying a few last leisurely moments in the sun-filled breakfast room at Blue Lake Ranch. And then off to Mesa Verde!

It’s not too late to take advantage of the Three Sisters Road Trip.  Stay in all three inns and receive a discount — all three times!  (http://www.bluelakeranch.com/summerspecials.htm

Note: You’ll find the address on the Website for Blue Lake Ranch as Durango, Colorado, as well as Hesperus, Colorado.  So just call Alexis for directions.  You can’t get too lost, unless you want to . . . right there on the property!

Blue Lake Ranch

16919 Hwy 140

Hesperus, CO 81326

970.385.4537 (8-6pm MST)

www.BlueLakeRanch.com

Commissioned banner hand-made for the owners of the Casa Blanca Inn.

When a business opportunity training teachers in Shiprock, New Mexico, opened up in November, I jumped at the chance to work and then sight-see in this state that has always been on my Bucket List.  I searched the Internet only to find that Shiprock lacks accommodations, but, lucky for me and my husband, we found the Casa Blanca Inn in nearby Farmington. 

The beautiful Casa Blanca Inn — picture taken from website: http://www.4cornersbandb.com

And what a find it was!

Greeted by a friendly night watchman who immediately grabbed our suitcases, we passed by what he called a frozen wedding cake — a three-tiered fountain in the middle of the courtyard caught by a sudden drop in temperature!

Casa Blanca’s frozen fountain

In searching for places to stay, you may have experienced the same hesitation that my husband Bert and I do: Do the lovely website pictures translate into picture-perfect rooms and experiences? Really?

But when we checked in, all doubts were removed.  We were greeted by a group of people playing bridge in the sunny breakfast room (the innkeeper among them) and a well-appointed upgrade room filled with Southwestern decor and collectibles we had never seen before.

The Chaco Suite at the Casa Blanca Inn, Farmington NM

When we entered our room — the Chaco Suite — we were immediately struck by the smooth adobe walls, colorful Navajo rugs, wall hangings, and collections of pottery and baskets throughout.  We could have stayed a week with the more-than-ample kitchen (stove, refrigerator, dishes, and great selection of coffee and tea) and an eating area that could double as an office! (Which it did!)

With a mixture of textures and international styles, the suite held items acquired by the owners, David and Shirley Alford, who have been adding their decorative and personal touches since 2003 when they acquired the Casa Blanca Inn.   For example, the hand-painted headboard of this sumptuous king bed (love the down comforter and luxe linens!) reminded us of travels in the Far East, while other decor elements like Navajo rugs, baskets and plates blended to make it all work together.

Featuring an international blend of colors and design elements, the bed offered a luxury spot for sleeping.

The bathroom, too, held decorator touches — framed artwork, painted sink, and folk art bowls in addition to the amenities we enjoyed — walk-in shower and Jacuzzi tub. Best of all, we loved the heated tile floors!

Design elements add interest to the sizable bathroom.

Detail of the beautiful bathroom sink in the Chaco Suite.

On the wall in the bedroom, this composition of plant materials caught my eye. As I looked more closely, I could see that each piece on the board was a source for natural dyes. The woven piece in the middle held strands from each dye lot, linking to the source. 

Central weaving with dyed yarns attached to plant sources.

Of course, I had to have one to take back home.  And I found one — made by a Navajo woman from Shiprock at a downtown trading post. (Later, I realized that trading posts are  sources of great deals throughout New Mexico, so I was ever watchful for the next great post in sight).

Another find is a Kiva fireplace, something we definitely don’t see in Tennessee!  Regulated by a thermostat, the gas fireplace provided the only source of heat we needed on a fairly cold night, so we snuggled up with Southwestern magazines and travel literature before hitting that king-size bed!

Two comfortable chairs face the Kiva fireplace – a romantic and practical source of heat!

The main house held other objects of affection, collected over time

Living room of the commons area at Casa Blanca Inn.

— like this grouping of painted gourds on the dining room buffet.

And this line-up of quality hand-made pottery showing geometric designs wrought by steady hands.

Although I had to leave early for my Shiprock training session and miss the breakfast, Bert reported that it was outstanding:  granola and yogurt along with huevos rancheros.  And rich, black coffee!

Detail of pottery on display at Casa Blanca Inn

As advertised on the Internet, you can stay at the Three Sister Inns (Casa Blanca in Farmington; Blue Lake Ranch in Hesperus, CO; and Don Gaspar in Santa Fe) and save 10% at each.  So, on to Blue Lake and our next adventure.  Be sure to check our next post to read about this tucked-away gem of an inn with a marvelous sunset view!

If you’re in Farmington, consider the Casa Blanca Inn for a night or two.  It’s luxury . . . Southwestern style!

The owners’ collections take center stage in commons area of the Casa Blanca Inn.

Casa Blanca Inn

505 East La Plata Street

Farmington, NM 87401

1-800-550-6503

http://www.4cornersbandb.com/index.htm

Have you traveled New Mexico?  Tell us what you recommend.  We may make a return trip armed with your ideas!