It is so hard to write about regular stuff anymore. I want to, most of my life is still comprised of that regular stuff. But if my country is increasingly unrecognizable, shouldn’t I be screaming danger over and over and over, until someone listens, instead of blathering on about everyday life? But, you know what? The majority of human beings through all human time have experienced great changes, just as, or even more, dire than our own somewhat dramatic descent into fascism. I imagine they’ve experienced the same emotions—despair, resolve, fear, hope, disgust, pleasure—that we are going through on a daily basis (until one day, it’s all bad…?).

In the meantime, let me share a pleasant-enough story about a road trip my friend, Marge, and I just made to Taos, New Mexico. First photo up, my ear backgrounded by the glorious big blue skies of the high desert!

Marge, also known as Minnesota Marge, since I am New Mexico Marj, loves New Mexico (she once lived here) and usually visits every year. She has a timeshare so books into Santa Fe and/or another picturesque location, visits friends, and gorges on New Mexican food. This time, we agreed I would meet her in Santa Fe, we’d go up to Taos together and tourist for a few days.

Marge wanted to visit a few of her favorite sites, and wallow in the charms of art and enchiladas and personal history. I wanted to see if I still loved road trips and was as adaptable to different beds and food and simply hanging out as in the past.

For me, it turns out the road part was pretty much as pleasurable as ever. Except for being lost in Santa Fe for nearly an hour. But even google maps footnotes Santa Fe with a disclaimer about their information being correct! For Marge, the food was as fine as ever. Those giant plates of corn and meat and chiles called one thing or the other, including chili with an i.  

Our first treat was a drive out to Rio Grande Gorge, probably more special for me than for Marge—because I remember twelve years ago visiting that grand site and sight with the Stifani Brothers, artistic twins originally from Italy, visiting us to perform the most charming of dance/theater pieces, Twin Pleasures, choreographed by Philippe Blanchard and appearing at Global DanceFest. I missed them and dance and North Fourth Art Center a lot this time, but I took the above brilliant selfie of my ear in the great blue sky of northern New Mexico in remembrance of that day. And there’s a picture of the art crew 12 years ago (see granddaughter Teresa, the traveling art girl, on the left) and just the tiniest of shots of ‘old me’ below for comparison sake.

We managed a few perfect Taos hours. The small but impressive Taos Art Museum and Fechin House, the latter fascinating at several levels: The artist, Russian Nicolai Fechin is, in my always humble art opinion, a brilliant painter of portraits; his story of life in Russia and the U.S. is the stuff of world history: and the house itself worth a long imagination-filled wander, thinking of me back there and then and what might different lives have been like.

Not to be diminished as an experience was lunch at La Luna in the old La Fonda Hotel. I was so happy…not being a fan of the Great New Mexican Dining Experience in its usual heavy, greasy (and, to me, boring) version. I wasn’t expecting much since Taos Plaza is slightly run-down and the sidewalk in front of the hotel had that unsurprising, but always disappointing, pee perfumery. Marge ignored my mumbling ‘let’s go someplace else.’ And good for her. The food was honestly as good as anything I’ve eaten anywhere. The owner/manager/chief chef/inventor has labeled the style Indigenous World Cuisine: At La Luna at La Fonda, we proudly present an indigenous World Cuisine that honors the ancestral foodways of North, Central and South America. Our menu is rooted in the traditions of the land, highlighting ingredients that have sustained Indigenous peoples for millennia – from heirloom corn, wild game, and native beans to seasonal fruits, herbs, and spices.

I had Albondigas Vegan: Mushroom and pine nut meatballs served with zoodle squash and butternut sauce, topped with pumpkin seeds. And for dessert: Sweet Corn Crème Brulee: Fresh corn modified with sugarcane, served with dairy-free custard. May I just say…OMG, it was perfect.

End of story…almost.

Turns out Marge really cannot breathe at high altitudes anymore. And I no longer sleep well on murphy beds. A bit of a struggle was had by both of us. Marge at some point said sadly, “I guess I won’t be coming to Taos anymore.” I said, at various points, also sadly, “I may be mostly through traveling anywhere for the sheer pleasure of traveling.” Yes, I said that. And meant it. And still do, a week later.I have imagined this moment, with its sense of something so big in my life being over, for a while now. And here it is. All good things and all that… After all I’ve been traveling since what you see below was what hotel rooms offered in the way of cleansing and grooming. Almost.