Professional Eater, Storyteller, and Wine Traveler
Will I go through or just stand there?
I received a birthday wish yesterday from an author whom I respect and admire. On my 41st birthday I was feeling a little low and under-accomplished for a man of my age. When I received this short note I knew that I must have gotten the attention of this titan in my field and I felt enlivened and a bit proud.
Photo by Juliet Housewright
To celebrate the end of a formidable week and the beginning of our final two weeks in Colorado, Juliet and I decided to make the drive into Denver last night and partake in one of our most exciting and relaxing endeavors; fine dining 
Since our trip to Hong Kong and Vietnam in March we tend to have rampant cravings for Asian food and Asian decorum. [Read more...]
The Dining Room - Closing Time (we were still there)
Two weeks ago Juliet, myself, and our intrepid friend and travel machine Ned Clark enjoyed a gorgeous evening at Frasca in Boulder.
On this occasion we enjoyed the famously polished service of the restaurant staff and an enormous amount of personal attention from Sommelier Benjamin Richardson. We all dove in for the fixed price menu and put our wine care in the hands of Benjamin. [Read more...]
Outside our front door
After nearly 6 months of sunsets in Colorado I remain in awe of our almost daily pyrotechnics over the mountains and just outside our door.
On my way to pick Juliet up from work yesterday I was greeted with sky bowls full of orange sherbet and fiery lemon light over the front range.
With the below 10 degree weather and snow coming tomorrow we are making the most of our final days of tolerable weather in this stunning state of beauty.
Enjoy a few photos
Carving the 2009 Boneless Mortadella Stuffed Turkey in Puglia
For the first time in 40 Thanksgivings I will be the primary cook for the great American Feast. My grandmothers, mom, and step-mom have been at the helm for my entire life. Now that we are in Colorado and hosting our first TG, I am charged with preparing the meal (along with enormous assistance from the lovely Juliet). [Read more...]
Anticipation
Tonight, Juliet and I along with our great friend Ned are doing Boulder and the amazing Frasca. As many of you who follow food know, Frasca is one of the finest Italian restaurants in America, and the wine list is fascinating like a dinner party that includes Abe Lincoln, Richard Pryor, and Bill Shakespeare.
This evening commemorates 1 year since we first visited Boulder and enjoyed this world-class dining experience.
The talented Jeremy Parzen wrote a lovely post on Frasca a few months back and his article inspired us to make this dinner happen. Hopefully Frasca will become an annual dining tradition.
Here is a link to Jeremy’s Post and below are some of my photos from last year’s amazing dinner. Special thanks indeed to BJS for donating the bottle of Conterno to our dining cause!
Stay tuned next week for our report from this year’s event!
Always with me
Early this morning I took Juliet to work
It was 5:15am today as she had a very early case
Typically it is difficult to sleep once she leaves
I don’t know, it is always challenging to be completely at ease when she is gone
Today I managed almost 2 hours of strange dreams and some panic
When I write, read, photograph and open myself to what the universe shows me
Sometimes the images are painful even more often than they are sublime
Today the dreams shook me and I lay there dry-mouthed and gulping at my water
I managed to pull up enough to see my phone only to feel a sting in my neck
I knew something was new and old
Me
I made it out of bed and into the closet
Where I was met with the warm scent of Juliet
Her hair, her neck, the pristine sense of clean and enveloping love
The dreams; I forgot and it felt like the very first time I saw her place
5 years ago
That mid-rise place so neat and so Juliet
Sense of smell
Powerful
Buona Domenica followers of Bliss! I want to let you all know that The Blissful Adventurer is now available at the following domains:
Here are some Blissful Shots and Haiku to ponder:
Winter came to Parker
The Halloween decor was in full-swing
I just wanted stir-fry [Read more...]
This is Part 2 of How I became a passionate traveler. If you missed Part 1, click here :-)
The Island
After dinner the first night I walked around the central Plaza. I was not sure what to expect, but the charm of the buildings, the distant sounds of the Caribbean, and the fact that I was left to my own discoveries made this night very appealing to an independent spirit. That same disheartening spirit that led me to quit every dinky summer job was now a quiet awakening of wanderlust. I strolled through the streets uninhibited by friends at home, girls that wanted nothing to do with me, and the fact I possessed absolutely no money but the few pesos my Dad had given me for soda. I was truly surprised and filled with joy at the simple feeling of walking and not knowing what lay around each corner.
My Dad Has This Book
In 1988 I had never left the state of Texas, nor had I ever been on a plane. My father was an assistant scuba diving instructor and he traveled often to Belize, Honduras. and Mexico. In fact, my father traveled so frequently that I thought it was his job (and in some ways it was).
It came as an enormous surprise when my father approached me that summer and told me my step-mother accepted a summer teaching position and could not go on their planned trip to Cozumel. He then asked me if I would like to go. I was overwhelmed and I remember calling my Mom to ask for permission (even though I did not need permission to travel with my Dad). [Read more...]
