We have a busy week ahead of us - family and spiritual company are visiting for a cultural exchange in the traditions of Eastern Philosophy at the college my husband teaches at, Eastern Wyoming College.
So our first step (after many steps of scrubbing and organizing our house from the top down and a day's worth of grocery shopping for five adults for five days) is to drive to Denver, Colorado to pick up our speaker and guests!
We picked up our fleet vehicle from the college - and while this is no ad - holy heck! I want one. Whatever this is, I want one. So comfortable!
This is Wyoming. Bluffs and prairie - surprise!!
I can't be the only one who does this on long drives. Shoes off, legs crossed... Show me the world!
Oil rigs are sporadic on this stretch of highway, but they are out there.
Good music, loud singing, hubs and I are Brooks and Dunn in the car.
Pit stop - bathroom and fuel.
Halfway there!!
After picking up my mother-in-law at the airport we headed out for lunch while we waited for our speaker to arrive.
The Vine Street Pub and Brewery is delicious and the atmosphere is intimately lively. Great service, crafted food.
Oh look! Another pit stop. We don't have Starbucks in our little town so I tend to take advantage when I'm within proximity of one. I have Starbucks-radar.
Chatting up a storm and waiting for our second set of companions. It's been a year since I've seen my mother-in-law. Only a few months for my hubs. I'm looking forward to showing her a little of our world out here on the plaines. Bigger tasks are ahead though as we help our speaker with his presentations and day to day routine. There will be conversations potent with depth to come.
After taking some time to catch up (and for hubs to grade papers) we headed back out to the airport to pick up the rest of our troop.
And then stood around waiting... Some more. The Denver International Airport can appear chaotic and compartmentalized, but it's really rather easy to navigate. Godspeed in the parking garage though.
Located, collected, and ready to roll out!
Downtown Denver passed by as we drove the interstate around on our way to dinner at City o City.
Babaji and Annapurna were travel weary, but ready for the week to come. They flew in to San Francisco from Hawaii last night and now to Denver. You'll read more about them on Tuesday.
Parallel parking is a gift, finding room enough for a giant SUV in downtown Denver takes an act of God, but we did it. This little quote made me giggle. Good people must live there.
Just down the street from the Capitol building.
I'm a sucker for murals. I can't help it!
So first of all, here is the website that lured us to this restaurant:
Super clean, crisp, seemingly low-key. The menu was vegan/vegetarian which is important to our group, and it looked delicious. So we went!
Our first impression upon entering was something around "oh-my-gawd!" Loud music, dark lighting, cluttered walls and environment, the works. The only plus at first glance was the array of live plants scattered about.
We debated it, but eventually decided to give it a shot. My husband's face kind of says it all, while the waiter's face walking by is lost completely (also indicative of where we ate.)
I couldn't stop laughing at the fact a waitress was walking around in ripped up jeans with half her butt hanging out. I mean it. Full cheek showing.
Well, thankfully, the food was incredible. Prepared with respect to the craft and with taste in mind. It completely redeemed itself.
Then I went to the bathroom.
I've concluded that I'm simply not urban and hip enough for this establishment. A girl shouldn't have to worry about contracting tetanus from a restroom.
And then I started laughing - imagine it, if you will... You've taken your priest, your preacher, your bishop, guru... Someone very important to the spiritual community to a place like that. It's hilariously awful! I'll say it again, thank God the food was good.
After what seemed forever in a land of cosmopolitan chaos, we exited and walked back to the car. Fresh air and a bit of quiet.
And now we're headed home, in a sleeping, quiet car.
Good night and have a great week, everyone!
