Taos 2014

For us, Taos isn't just like any other weekend getaway. We look forward to Taos ALL YEAR. Fall starts with our trip to Taos. I took a lot of pictures this time to remember everything we did, how we felt, and the laughs we had. This may be our last Taos trip, we aren't sure yet. I'll get into that a bit later. This year there were four of us that went. We almost had a fifth. Man how I wish my best friend in the whole world Dilshani could've gone but it just wasn't in the cards. That's the other reason I took so many pictures. She couldn't be there with us so I wanted her to feel like she was a part of what we were doing. The four of us that went; me, Mom, Aunt Betty and Frankie. Frankie flew in from California to be with us on this trip. 

There are so many aspects that you take in on this trip. The scenery, the Rio Grande, The Gorge and how it just slices through the earth in such a spectacular way, the flowers, and the nature all around you. The food of Taos. My God the food. We went to a new place this year that was so incredibly fabulous. Our manager/concierge of our hotel Ruben who made so many wonderful suggestions to us for places to eat and what to eat at specific restaurants. Ruben was awesome. We are sending some thank you cards to certain people this year and I think one of them is going to go too Ruben. Our hotel. We have been staying at the same hotel in the same suite for five years now. Upon check out each year we make our reservations for the following year so we are sure to get the same room. We stay at the Old Historic Taos Inn in what Ruben referred to as their "presidential suite." We love the old adobe walls, the whole place is just dripping with charm and history. The time we all have together knitting and talking and munching on the stuff we take with us. This year we took this...


Auntie brought a giant bag of Veggie Straws, fruit and nut trail mix and four bottles of wine. We were set for our munching. Its traditional that whatever is brought back is divided amongst all of us. 

**Disclaimer** Many of you who follow me in my group on Facebook these pictures may all look familiar to you. But at least now you get the background scoop and stories that go along with those pics.

We loaded up the car and left at precisely 10:30am. This was to ensure that we would arrive at Joann's Ranch O Casados in Espanola at lunch time. We go to Joann's every year on the way to Taos and on the way home. We have gotten to know Joann over the years and each time she sees us we get a really cool pen with her info on it. Well, this year she gave us a little pocket post-it booklet that has regular size post-its and the small ones, and the one with arrows on them! SO cool and totally useful. Mine went right into my purse. Joann is so awesome. Here's Frankie and I in the back seat with our knitting ready to go!


When we got to Joann's we all ordered 1/2 size lunches because her portions are so unbelievably huge. I had a half chimichanga and Aunt Betty had my posole because I don't care for it. It's like wet popcorn, I don't get it. Anyway, this was lunch...


At Joann's I always get beans on the side because almost all their dishes are served with posole. We finished our lunch and it was on to Taos. Our next stop would be the Gorge rest area. We always stop there, take a few pictures and so on. We this year I think I took the best Gorge pic ever. Its a quad selfie and its really good of all of us!


This is the pic that we will print and enclose with our thank you cards this year. I absolutely LOVE this picture! 

Once we got into our hotel we sort of collapsed until dinner. Our hotel concierge Ruben turned us on to a new restaurant. The Love Apple. We decided to go and check it out and man, we weren't sorry at all that we did. We had a ball. We laughed and noshed and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Their menu is available to view online. Go check it out. Then find your way to Taos to go have dinner there. Absolutely fabulous! I didn't take pics of dinner as we were seated outside and the light was lost fast. After dinner we returned to our room, I went to find Ruben to tell him how wonderful dinner was and to thank him for the recommendation. Once back in our room we all changed into jammies and we munched on our munchies and knitted until late. It was wonderful!

Saturday morning breakfast is always had at The Bent Street Cafe which is across the street from the Hotel. There are always beautiful flowers to look at along the way...


Once inside and seated coffee arrived rather quickly. I didn't even need to look at the menu, I always get their special, cinnamon roll french toast. It is AMAZING!

 

After we finished this amazing breakfast we meandered our way about 1/2 block down the street to Mooncat Fibers, a new shop that had just opened up just before last years Wool Festival. We knew that Michelle Berry of BCY or Berry Colorful Yarning was going to be doing a trunk show and we really wanted to go see her and support her. Little did we know just what we would be walking in to. When I saw her she was slumped over a bin full of yarn and I said "Michelle?" and she said "yes." I said, "Claudia..." and she jumped up and said "CLAUDIA!!!" And she gave me a big hug. We'd been communicating via Facebook and Ravelry for quite some time, this was the first time we had met in person. This is me and Michelle...


A bit of a fuzzy pic, I know. Sue me. I was excited! What the owners of Mooncat Fibers have done with their shop in just a year is absolutely incredible. This little tiny shop is full of BCY Yarns, Crave yarns, soon to be Wooly Wonka, Prism, some incredible hand spun from Michelle Widersham who is sold exclusively at Mooncat, and so much more. They have taken great care to provide tons of incredible local fiber. The owners of the shop are so much fun! It is so easy to spend time there as time somehow seems suspended while in their shop. Talking and laughing with everyone, it was wonderful. Cathy and Martha are invested in each one of their customers that walks through the door and you really feel that from them. Cathy's husband is a silversmith and makes unbelievably incredible shawl pins. Mom bought a new one and it is a beautiful work of art. It has a slice of a geode at the top...so pretty...


Everything about this shop is what you would be looking for in a good yarn shop. Fantastic yarns, beautiful shawl pins, and wonderful personal service. This is Cathy and Martha...the look on Cathy's face says it all...


After we were done at Mooncat we went back to our hotel to drop our purchases and head to Kit Carson Park which is wear the Wool Festival is held each year...


The weather was absolutely gorgeous. The best weather we've ever had for the Taos Weekend. We enjoy ourselves in the sun slowly walking from vendor to vendor, mostly walking by and not stepping in to take a further look. We have a good time while at the same time actively trying to ignore the politics behind why we no longer see some of our favorite vendors anymore. We can no longer see or buy from Galina Khmeleva of Skaska Designs or Sherry Brooks of Brooks Farm from Texas. Robin Pascal was also "uninvited" a couple of years ago despite her beautiful, all made in New Mexico hand dyed fibers and spectacular buttons. Yes, these folks are friends of ours. The reason behind why they were uninvited remains a mystery to most of us. Sure, they'll tell us that its because this persons yarn contained viscose or tencel...yet other vendors that remain are permitted to sell this same blend. I don't get it. Its more than political. I feel its personal. Either way, Taos to us isn't what it was a few years ago and we are considering relocating our weekend adventure to Estes Park, Colorado where we can and would see the vendors we are missing. We would truly miss Taos which is why I say we "may" be done we may not be. We may not be ready to give up the other factors that make ringing in the fall season with Taos such a great thing. Okay, rant over.

At the end of the day, this is what things looked like...


Sunday morning came too soon for all of us. Soon we were packing up the car and heading out of town. Before we headed back towards Albuquerque we headed just a little further out of town to the Taos Gorge Bridge. It had been years since I'd seen it and really wanted to again. Although my knees, feet, and calves and still screaming at me for climbing down that rock hill to get to the bridge, I had a good time. Frankie went with me. Betty stayed with Mom up at the handicapped parking area. These were my first shots....


I took a selfie of me and Aunt Betty...


Then Frankie and I walked down the rock hill (I have no earthly idea what the hell I was thinking doing that. I have trashed knees, both of them are very bad). Frankie helped me in a couple of spots. We got down and the view from the bridge was incredible....


When we were done on the bridge Frankie and I called my Mom at the top of the hill and asked her to come and get us. Getting down was one thing....there was no way my knees would survive a walk up to where the car was parked. So while Frankie and I waited....


I adore this pic of the two of us. Our hair is all messed up from blowing in the wind but that wasn't the point. Just being together and having an awesome weekend. I love this pic. Mom started down the hill, we could see her car coming...she stopped and we hopped in for our trek back to Albuquerque. There are a few pullouts along the Rio Grande where we always stop for a scenic moment, listen to the Rio Grande rushing...


And one of my favorite pics of the whole weekend...


 Moving right along, a stop back in Espanola at Joann's was in order for some lunch. This time on the way out I got a few pics. A really bad one of me but a really good one of Mom and Joann...


We love this woman! And this year she had her hair died red like mine! It was fabulous. I slept half of the way home, I was tired. Soon enough, we were home again. As soon as we got home, we all pulled out what we bought to look at it again. I pulled mine out to photograph it for y'all! From BCY, Berry Colorful Yarning I bring you...


This is her MCN in the colorway Thicket. And might I say, it is THE softest MCN I have ever had my hands on. For Real. Not kidding. You must get yourself some. In the colorway Lantana...


I made sure to get 2 skeins of each so I can design shawls with them. The next skein I got for some fingerless mitts in the colorway Grizzly....


This skein has so much depth to it it's crazy. Folks, I'm telling you. Go to her Etsy shop. Buy some of it. You wont be sorry you did. You may end up broke but not sorry. The next 2 skeins I got from the only tent we really spent any time in for yarn. The tent was Dazzlers Best and the yarn has an MJ Yarns label on it. Anyway, their colorways were fantastic. This was where we got Dilshani some yarn for not being able to be with us. Dilshani's color is green so we got her some beautiful yarn in the colorway called Green Dragon. It was fabulous. It had greens of all shades and even some purple in it. It was perfect for her! I didn't take any pictures of it because I wasn't sure when she would be getting it versus when this posting would go out. So you'll have to do without that. But mine was in the colorway called Mice and Men...


Isn't is wonderful?! I already know what I'm going to do with this one. I don't know yet what order things will get knitted up in yet. I cant wait to get my hands into Michelle's yarn. But this colorway, I already know what I'm going to do with it. It will be a simple shawl designed to show off the colors. You can see my problem right?! Maybe the fingerless mitts should come first since winter is right around the corner and I don't have any brownish mitts. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I would love to know what you think I should knit up first.

No one was happier we were home than Miss Audrey Grace. She purred and loved each one of us separately to let us know she was glad we were back. She even posed for a beauty shot later that evening...


It is rare that I get good shots like this. She just doesn't seem to care for the camera all that much. Every time I'm trying to photograph her she turns away right at that moment I click the button. I caught her this time! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying yourselves wherever you may be. We are definitely enjoying the cooling temperatures! Until next time...Knit On!

Comments

  1. Glad you had such a wonderful time in Taos! I went to Estes Park's wool festival about 8 years ago and had a wonderful time. If you have not been there, perhaps you'd enjoy checking it out. The "Grizzley" mitt is beautiful.

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