4 feet 2 mouths

walking and eating our way around the world

Archive for the category “United States”

09 Aug 2012
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Nebraska Corn, Family and More Corn (by Nathan)

The rolling hills of corn

One of the best opportunities of taking a year off to travel is that we have the chance to visit so many places, and sometimes off the beaten track places that are part of few vacation plans. We wanted to go to the rural Midwest; we wanted to see some of the big agriculture that feeds the world, and most of all we wanted to see family.

The three of us enjoying a laugh

I last visited my Great Aunt Bea when I was sixteen years old; it had been too many years since I had seen her. My Aunt Bea is the most wonderful and inspirational woman. At ninety-two years old she is witty, funny and entertaining. She delighted us with conversation and guided us through the Nebraska countryside. She is an unstoppable woman, and very easily kept up with the two of us in the humid heat and all the activities we could fit into four short days.

Grand Island Women’s Club

So, we found ourselves in Grand Island Nebraska, the third largest city in the state with a population of 50,000 people. As expected with a town this size people tend to know one another; and everyone knows Aunt Bea. Bea taught elementary school for forty years. She devoted herself to the children, their families and the communities around Grand Island.

Everywhere we went, the people wanted to talk to Bea. My favorite was a woman walking with a cane through the local farmers market. She pauses, recognizes Bea, and then lights up with joy. They recount the story of the fourth grade class that they shared together with Bea as the teacher and then the woman informs us that she just had her eightieth birthday. Bea was teaching fourth grade in 1941!

Huge stalks of corn

Bea, Carmen and I explored the local farmlands with our informal historian as our guide. The little Fiat we rented stood out, but we had fun zipping around and between corn farms. Corn is king in Nebraska. The fields of corn extend for miles and to the horizon in all directions. The corn can get very tall too; at seven feet tall the irrigated farms already had what, to me, looked like an amazing crop. The farmers that were not irrigating, well, their three foot stalks were dwarfed by comparison. We meandered through the Grand Island county fair petting the sheep and calves. Bea took us for a walk in Cairo, a kolache in Dannebrog and a drive through St. Libory and Wood River. In each place we learned about the history of the town, the people she knew and the memories she had growing up and teaching in these areas.

Pizza at the Danish Baker in Dannebrog

My favorite of the small towns was Dannebrog. At three hundred people they have been named the Danish capital of Nebraska. The town is small and picturesque with hundred year old ranch homes, a mill and silos that tower on the town’s edge and people that are friendly and welcoming. We liked it so much that we came back for a second trip. One restaurant is named the Danish Baker. On Thursdays they put together a one-of-a-kind pizza. The pizza here is more of a pie, but not like a Chicago pizza, but a pie stuffed with inches of meat and veggies and encased in thick cheese as an attempt to hold it all together. On slower nights the owner will come out to the main dining room to play his guitar and sing folk and rock songs.

My great great grandparents and my great grandfather Lou on the left

One of the most exciting reasons for returning to Dannebrog was the chance to see another one of my Grandma’s sisters. Merna and Paul welcomed us into their home, enticed us with heaps of cookies and engaged us with family history that I never knew. It turns out my great great grandparents arrived from Scotland to start their family and farming in the fertile lands of Nebraska. My family tree is complicated, too complicated for me to even understand. A succession of divorces and re-marriages separated my grandmother from her roots in Nebraska. Decades went by without contact, but over the years we have reconnected and rejoined the relatives that have lived in Nebraska for five generations.

My ancestors

Our time with Bea passed by quickly. From early into the morning to late into the night we were locked into conversation. There was so much to learn from her and she continued to surround us with perfect life lessons:

  • Give back and help others, because no one got where they are at without receiving a helping hand.
  • I can handle it, I’m tough. I’m a country girl.
  • Oh, I could have stayed out later, but I saw that you were getting tired so I thought we better head back.
  • Find your passion and do what you love.

Camping at Hall County Park

At night we camped at a regional park on the edge of Grand Island. We were surrounded by swaying green trees and soft grass to place our tent. In the morning we were woken up by flocks of wild turkeys that weaved in out of the brush gobbling and pecking at one another for territory.

Fighting wild turkeys

The drive back to Omaha was sad. We found this beautiful church on the side of the road, but the architecture was less exciting because we missed Bea. We missed all of her stories and the cheeky, prudent and generous personality that we love so much. Who knows when we will be back in Nebraska. It is an emotional feeling to see family that we so deeply love. The memories here were different from other trips, but most of of I learned a little bit more about myself through the stories and experiences of my relatives.

Holy Family Shrine

Posted in Midwest, United States and tagged , ,
05 Aug 2012
4 Comments

Bringing the Heat to Chicago (by Carmen)

Me and Cloudsrest aka The Bean (2011)

Nathan in the Windy City (2011)

Chicago is a place of extremes, at least when it comes to weather.  Nathan and I last ventured to the Windy City in March 2011. It was cold. Freezing cold.  The kind that turns your nose bright red, makes your fingers ache despite the gloves, creeps up through your shoes to numb all your toes. This summer our 4th of July trip to Chicago coincided with a heat wave.  It was hot. Sweltering hot.  But I much prefer heat to ice so I was happy.

Beach off Oak Street

I have a ton of family in and around Chicago so most of my visits center around winter holidays.  It was a treat to come during the warmer months and we tried to take advantage as much as possible.  For example we went to the beach right in downtown. Lake Michigan might not have waves but it is refreshingly cool on a day that is over 100 degrees.

In front of the Monadnock Building

Model city at Chicago Architecture Foundation

Even without the beach downtown Chicago is one of my favorite places to be.  I love the high rise buildings, which I appreciate even more after taking numerous walking tours over the years from the Architecture Foundation.  On their skyscraper tour I learned that the elegant Monadnock Building, completed in 1891, was built using tried and true brick instead of new at the time steel construction methods.  In order to reach 16 stories, the walls at the base are 6 feet thick!

Carbide and Carbon Building – my favorite

On another tour I found my absolute favorite high rise – the art deco Carbide and Carbon.  It is simple and classy but stands out due to its unique colors.  Grey granite, slate green, copper, gold, silver all come together beautifully.

View from the Chicago River

The Tribune Building

This time we took the Architecture Foundation’s boat cruise up the Chicago River. We learned about the huge mix of styles along the water; from early 20th century beaux arts to modern Greek revival; from the Sears Tower (once the world’s tallest) to the new Trump Tower.

Frontera Grill

But let’s be honest. The real reason we are in downtown is to kill time between meals. Particularly meals at Frontera Grill.  This is Nathan’s all-time favorite Mexican restaurant. Owned by the Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayliss it serves up some scrumptious Mexican fare. This time we ate sopes, queso fundido, grilled spring onions, and stuffed jalapeños.  As usual, it was all delicious.

Xoco

Bayliss’ food is so popular he has three restaurants on the same block! For a more casual experience than Frontera we head to Xoco.  It offers sopas y tortas (soups and sandwiches) that are to die for. Nathan and I shared a cochinita pibil (slow cooked pork) sandwich and pickled pork knuckle sopes. Another specialty of Xoco is thick hot chocolate – you can watch them grind the cocoa beans right in the front of the shop.

Deep dish Chicago pizza

Another regular stop for Nathan and me is Pizzeria Due.  Deep dish pizza is a very personal choice for any Chicagoan.  Everyone has their favorite. Pizzeria Due wins points in my book for the crumbly cornmeal crust.  But while their sauce is good, I think certain San Francisco pizzerias have them beat.

Pierogies at Staropolska

Moving out of downtown gets you to some of Chicago’s ethnic neighborhoods.  The city has the largest Polish population outside Poland. This means some damn good pierogies (potato, cheese, meat and/or cabbage dumplings) are to be had.

Smoked pork butt at Laschet’s

Over in the German neighborhood, my cousin introduced us to Laschet’s.  This is what you think of as a homey Midwest beer hall – fake wood paneling on the walls, old fashioned stained glass dome lights, thick dark carpeting. We had a feast of traditional German foods such as schnitzel, spatzle, potatoes, sauerkraut, etc.  We washed all this down with some smooth pilsners.  Fortunately, none of us came down with what the restaurant name indicated.  Even when Nathan ordered the smoked pork butt.

Bread pudding at Floriole

Chicago has more than just heavy meals.  Over in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, we found a sweet little cafe serving light sandwiches and salads.  We treated ourselves to a tasty bread pudding. It tasted very familiar to us.  Turns out that the owners used to work at our favorite San Francisco bakery, Tartine!

Goose Island Brewery flight

Another treat was a brewery tour of Goose Island.  This company makes some delicious custom brews for Frontera Grill so we knew we were in for some good stuff.  Their actual facility is rather small, so after the 15 minute explanation of the brewing process, I was wondering why the tour cost me $10.  Then we walked into the banquet room.  Two long tables were lined with 5 tasting glasses at each seat.  It was great to taste a range of their beers, from pilsner to IPA. The most interesting was a gluten-free beer that was made from quinoa, resulting in a pinkish color.  It tasted something like a cross between beer and sparkling wine.

The best hot dog

I made you wait for this last food picture.  That’s because we always have to wait for it.  The line for Hot Doug’s seems to always be minimum 1 hour. We’ve done the wait twice, once in 20 degree weather!  So is it worth it? The answer is yes. Their version of the classic Chicago hot dog is sublime. The dog, poppyseed bun, mustard, relish, spear pickle, onions, sport peppers and celery salt all come together in a beautiful medley. Feeling adventurous, like we always are, then try a foie gras hot dog or one from alligator meat!  Add duck fat fries and a variety of sausage alternatives to choose from and you understand why it’s worth the wait.

Nathan, Lucy and Albert

This trip to Chicago is made possible through generosity of my cousin, Tracy, in hosting us in her home.  Also, special thanks to Lucy and Albert for making room on the couch for us.  Until next time, Chicago!

Chicago sign at hip salvage store

Posted in Midwest, United States and tagged , , , ,
01 Aug 2012
5 Comments

Putting the Fork to the Pork in New York (by Nathan)

Did you hear that? Of course you didn’t, my stomach just grumbled.  And my stomach always grumbles at the thought of New York City.  If you have not eaten yet, then I suggest grabbing a snack because our recent trip to New York had the objective of FOOD.  New York has it all: wonderful international restaurants, majestic sights and an accessible urban landscape; there is everything to satisfy any insatiable appetite.

All this walking around is hard work and all this eating takes some serious coordination.  Our first trip to New York made a minor dent into a long list of places we wanted to try.  This trip we needed progress, so Carmen got to work weeks ahead to make a map of all the restaurants.  The days were planned to visit the sights nearest the places we wanted to eat, simple right?  To make this trip successful we needed to create more meals, and thus, the addition of “pre” and “li” into our vocabulary.  For example, preakfast=pre-breakfast and linner=late dinner.

Brooklyn Bridge

As a repeat of our last trip we stayed with our good friends Taylor and Andrew in Brooklyn.  Their apartment is perfectly placed between multiple subway lines and the Brooklyn Bridge is just a jog away.  They are amazing hosts are an enticing reason for Carmen and I to Move to New York after the trip.       

Court Street Bagels

The classic New York Bagel is an essential start to any day.  The bagels are pillowy and bulbous and the typical shop has an overwhelming number of spreads to choose from.  We grabbed a few for preakfast on our early morning arrival.  I am still of the opinion that Montreal has the best bagels that are baked over a fire and served to you crispy and hot. But to avoid a fist fight I held my lips tight.

Doughnut Plant’s PB&J, Banana Cream, Blueberry and Crème Brûlée

The lower east-side of Manhattan contains a plethora, yes, a plethora of restaurants.  We find ourselves in this area for meals and drinks throughout all hours of the day and night.  For breakfast we hopped over to Doughnut Plant.  We ordered up peanut butter glazed and boysenberry jam filled square monster and a few smaller delights.  A few blocks away was BabyCakes, the unmatched delicious and vegan bakery.  We had to visit it on a separate morning.

Magnolia Cupcakes

For lickfast (late-breakfast or lick-fest) a few cupcakes are essential.  Time it right and a trip to Magnolia Bakery is smooth like frosting.  Time it wrong and the packed  counter is a scene of elbow-throwing cupcake-grabbing madness.  Unscarred, we made it out with some treats to bring back to Brooklyn.

Best Street: Kati Roll, Bao-B-Q and Mamoun’s Mabrumeh + Falafel

Walk to the east and there exists the best street in Manhattan!  MacDougal between 3rd and Bleeker in Greenwich Village has everything and more so arrive hungry.  We came here on our last trip because of a recommendation from our friend Manish.  The food is so good that it was the first stop on the agenda when we arrived in New York.  First off there is Mamoun’s Falafel dishing out pita falafel sandwiches for $2.50.  A few doors down is a hopping NYC pizza joint named Artichoke; further on Kati Roll assembles phenomenal street wraps.  Across the street Bao-B-Q puts together a sweet and spicy pork sandwich on a steamed bun.  I am sure there other delicious restaurants within five steps in any direction, but we were excessively full and needed to waddle our way to another area of Manhattan.

Carmen relaxing on High Line Park

A beautiful day from High Line Park

Typically, we then walk of our large prunch from MacDougal St. at High Line Park.  I say “typically” because I have successfully accomplished this twice.  High Line Park is one of the perfect gems of New York City.  The abandoned elevated rail line was converted into a meandering vibrant pathway for strolling, people watching and enjoying the fresh air.  We walked through the flower gardens; we stopped to relax, talk and gaze out into New York’s colorful architecture.

Szechuan Gourmet

One thing that I loved about China, and a reason why I am going back, is the food.  The cuisines across China vary as much as those across Europe and Sichuan Chinese food is the cuisine that most tingles my tongue.  The food is smoky and spicy and they use small peppercorns that physically numb the tongue and mouth.  Since we were feeling snacking, our love of those flavors brought us to Szechuan Gourmet.  We ordered two classics – dan dan noodles and home-style tofu.  We left the restaurant with our mouths still sizzling and a deeper craving to travel to Asia.

BBQ Pork Belly Bun at Momufuku

An essential restaurant for every visit to New York is Momufuku.  There are three different Momofukus, try them all, but do not escape without eating in at least one.  The Korean fusion fare is succulent and bursting with flavors no matter what is ordered.  This time we went to Ssam Bar.  We ordered up an array of deliciously simple roasted pork belly buns and spicy noodles.  The juices subtly squirt out with each bite and the indulgence is completed with a sucking of the fingertips.

Statue of liberty from Staten Island ferry

Hundred year old house of my grandparents

We did see more than just restaurants.  Alongside thousands of other tourists we boarded the Staten Island ferry.  We said our “hellos” to the statue of liberty and grabbed a bus to get us into the interior part of the island.  Walking through the historic neighborhoods we found the house where my mom was born.  It is fun being in a place where my relatives played in the streets.  I imagine my grandparents, whom I never met, and their little German community sixty years ago.

Nathan enjoying a “cococone”

New York is hot in the summertime, ice cream is cold.  And what is cool is a saucy man driving around in his big gay ice cream truck.  We first heard about this truck while at a street food convention in San Francisco.  The owner described how and why he started his business and when in New York we had to try some.  He serves up basic soft serve with a twist.  He creates his own toppings, such as salted caramel then dipped in chocolate or wasabi pea dust.  We ordered a toasted curried coconut, a unique flavor combination with soft serve but it really worked.

Spaniards frolicking in the fountain

We slipped into a bar for drinks and the final match of the Euro Cup.  Hundreds of Spaniards and hispanophiles descended onto Washington Square to jump cheer and celebrate in the fountain.

$3.50 at Prosperity Dumpling

For prinner we headed to a dumpling shop in Chinatown.  At Prosperity Dumpling we ordered pork and chive pan-fried dumplings and veggie soup dumplings.  We made the mistake thinking that the dumplings would be Shanghai style, with soup inside, but in fact they arrived to us in a soup broth.  At $2 for 10, this restaurant turns out thousands of these delicious pot stickers.

Xi’an Famous Foods

Dinnertime: a few blocks away is a restaurant that we had to return to for a 2nd meal.  Xi’an Famous Foods serves Muslim Chinese food.  They hand-pull all their noodles and their cumin-rich lamb burger is exceptional.

Pudding at Rice to Riches

Everything you can imagine exists in New York.  Case in point: a restaurant that only makes rice pudding.  There are twenty-five flavors, toppings and cheeky quotes that make up a fun atmosphere. Next time you are in New York try Rice to Riches and as stated on the wall “order the large, you are fat anyway!”

Reuben at Katz’s Deli

Next we strolled over to an institution that has perfected the pastrami sandwich.  Yes, Katz’s Deli smokes and carves a meat that is really special and celebrated by the world.  This trip we ordered it as a Reuben that adds Swiss cheese and sauerkraut to an already great thing.  The sandwich is huge, bring a friend and split it.

Spicy Totto Ramen

Still hungry?  Ramen is the perfect late night supper.  Toto Ramen served up a spicy and rich broth that is some of the best we have ever had.  The wait was well over an hour, but worth it.

Typical eye-pleasing NYC street

One thing that every tourist can agree on in New York is that there is too much to do.  There are many sights and neighborhoods to explore.  A day can be filled wondering the streets and peeking around the brick and mortar buildings.  Every block has something special to see and every building has character and history to its presence.    New York is calling us, inviting us to live and explore more intimately, but now is a time for travel.  Goodbye NYC until next time.

Carmen and Nathan at Clove Lake Park

(Note: Ok, we didn’t actually consume all of these dishes in one day – it took about a week! But what an epic day that would be. Talk about food coma)

Posted in East Coast, United States and tagged , , , ,
30 Jul 2012
4 Comments

Remembering NYC 2011 (by Carmen)

Chrysler Building

I had to go back to New York City.  After having visited many of the major cities of Europe and Asia, it was a shame to have missed out on New York.  So last August, Nathan and I made time to visit friends and family there. And it was awesome.  This post is about remembering the good times we had last year and naming the reasons why we simply had to return during our year off.

Grand Central Station

Beautiful Brooklyn Bridge by night

First of all, there’s the transportation.  Most of the United States is fully reliant on their cars to get anywhere.  But NYC is one of the few places where transit takes over.  It’s wonderful to see the diversity of people on the subway and buses. Another great thing is that all of these people are unafraid to walk.  In the US people generally don’t like walking more than 5-8 minutes to get anywhere.  New Yorkers walk for miles, and quickly too. Nathan was loving the famously fast pace of New York sidewalks – which is really what he considers to be his relaxed stroll.  Together we joined the walking masses, from Lower Manhattan to Midtown, from Chelsea to Lower East Side.  One of our favorite walks, though, is across the Brooklyn Bridge.

A classic lox bagel

Awesome burger at Prune

Handmade noodles at Xi’an Famous Foods

Nathan enjoying his paleta at High Line Park

Then there’s the delicious food.  New York is known for having any cuisine you can imagine being served within its limits.  We hit just a small sampling of its restaurants and street snacks.  Some of the best eats are highlighted in these pictures: 1) a lox bagel at Russ and Daughters, which Anthony Bourdain recommended as an absolute must try in New York (we agree); 2) a perfectly cooked burger and sandwich at Prune, owned by the author of the great memoir Blood, Bones and Butter; 3) eastern Chinese style handmade noodles in a spicy beef broth at Xi’an Famous Foods; 4) Nathan relaxing with his mango and chile paleta (popsicle)  served by the La Newyorkina in High Line Park.  There were many more great things we ate but we knew we were only scratching the surface.

Times Square at dawn

Car free Park Avenue on a Summer Streets day

Flatiron Building – one of Nathan’s favorites

And, of course, the architecture was everything we hoped for.  The famous high rises stacked against one another.  This density of brick, iron and cement opens up into little breathing pockets in the vibrant plazas and parks dotted around the city.  Every other block had some interesting building to look at.

The new $10 bill

On top of all that, New York offers a ton of cultural experiences – music, theater, galleries, museums. On this trip, Nathan and I took advantage of the museums with visits to the Guggenheim, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of the American Indian, and even small exhibits such as that of Trinity Church on Wall Street.  At the last one, they had this ten dollar bill cut out that Nathan proudly took his portrait with.  This picture just hit my funny bone.  I could not stop laughing!  So much so that the security guard came over to check things out.  It still makes me giggle – I think it’s the ‘stache : )

Andrew and Taylor showing us Central Park

Sheep Meadow in Central Park

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park

Biding time during a tough game of Settlers of Catan

But the best part about New York is the friends and family who live there and welcome us with open arms.  Andrew and Taylor showed us such a great time with a walk though Central Park, drinks at cool bars and chill nights in playing boardgames.  The trip would not have been the same without them!

Coney Island

Me and Adri on High Line Park

And my dear cousin Adri, who is teaching while getting her master’s degree (wow!) was game enough to travel all the way to Coney Island to dip our toes in the water and eat Russian dumplings.  She even shared her mango flower she bought on the boardwalk.  That’s love.

the bottom line

So what I’m really trying to say here is that last summer Nathan and I joined the millions in saying, “I ♥ NY.”  We couldn’t resist a second trip, which Nathan will cover in the next post.

Posted in East Coast, United States and tagged , , ,
27 Jul 2012

Lake Powell and Layover Las Vegas (by Nathan)

Stepping away from the Grand Canyon was a difficult task for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the Grand Canyon.  We enjoyed brutal heat and shaded strolls; we camped in the valley and on the cliff’s edge; and in total we covered over fifty miles of beautiful canyon lands.  We packed up our tent and sleeping bags, we gazed one final time out from Cape Final Point and we walked away from the Grand Canyon.  Of course there will be a next time, but our tour of the Southwest went in search of another thing- water.

Green sage and coral sands of Page Arizona

We drove north and descended four thousand feet into the desert.  We cruised through the canyons and sand fields admiring all the beauty around us.  The pastel green sage brush flourishes on the coral colored sand that stretches forever into the desert.

Horseshoe Bend

Then we met up with a seemingly impossible and striking section of the Colorado River called Horseshoe Bend.  The meandering of the river has slowly carved out these drastic curves into the rock.  Eventually the two ends of the horseshoe will meet and only a column of rock will remain.  This section just above the Grand Canyon is the last remaining visible portion of Glen Canyon.

Red rocks of Upper Antelope Canyon

Glen canyon has all sorts of controversy around it.  The upstream section of the Colorado River carved out numerous fingers into the bright red Navajo sandstone.  The beauty and richness of the colors was supposedly unmatched by even the Grand Canyon.  John Powell fought to conserve the canyons, but a dam was built, the lake filled and it was named after the man that tried to prevent it.  The beauty of the canyons was transformed into a vast, but narrow lake of crystal blue waters.  The lake intertwines in and out of ancient canyons leaving just a hint of the red and white rock exposed on the surface.  The lake is beautiful in its own way, but different from the natural canyons that remain beneath the surface.

Sunset camping on Lake Powell

When we finally arrived into Page, Arizona the only thing on my mind was to find a way to go swimming.  The temperatures teased around one hundred degrees and the locals kept telling us that it does not get really hot until September. Nevertheless we found a spot for our tent that doubled as a place to swim.  We could sit with our feet in the water next to our campfire and only a few short steps away from tent. 

Rainbow of canyon colors

A trip to Arizona and Utah would never be complete without a slot canyon.  Slot canyons are narrow sections of rock where the water has carved out a passageway three to five feet wide.  One of the most beautiful is the Antelope Canyon.  The area is controlled by the Navajo Nation, and the tourists have arrived in hoards.  The immense beauty is worth the shoulder to shoulder grappling for the perfect picture.

Illuminating light rays

Light and shadow of Antelope Canyon

The Upper Antelope Canyon is roughly 100ft deep and entirely navajo sandstone.  The light of the sun reflects of the red rock creating a rainbow of textures and colors.  The formations communicate an ever-present flow of time and erosion.   The most spectacular phenomenon occurs when the sun aligns perfectly into the depth of the canyon.  A little dust in the air creates a magical light beam that illuminates and intensifies the beauty.   There was only enough time for a few quick photos before we were rushed out of the canyon into the sun.

Four boots and Lake Powell

Carmen in route to a swimming hole

There was another great location to swim in Lake Powell just to the northeast of the dam.  A short walk along the striped rock, boots removed and we were diving and jumping into the cool waters.

Glorious grilled cheeses

In ten days we had camped on cliffs, under trees and in the desert heat.  Our legs were tired and our clothes dirty, but that was no reason to stop us from having a little fun.  A key tradition of any road trip is a visit to In-N-Out.  A read of Fast Food Nation and a taste of their legendary sandwich and anyone would agree that it is the perfect conclusion to a rigorous vacation.  Carmen and I do not even order the burger; the grilled cheese with extra veggies is amazing.

Las Vegas Strip

The fun continued with a layover in Las Vegas.  When given the choice of driving eleven hours straight to southern California or spending a night in Vegas, the decision was easy.  We plopped our dusty packs into the air-conditioned room and we were on the streets taking in all the craziness.  Stepping into casinos and the commotion of so many tourists was a shocker after spending so many hours isolated in the wilderness, but there were so many ways to be entertained!

Feaux Eiffel Tower

Inside the Venetian

We decided to see a Cirque du Soleil show and we found ourselves at the box office ten minutes before show start.  Lesson learned, smile and always ask for a discount!  The kind woman worked with us, found us great seats and we saved $50 each.  In seconds we were running up the stairs and watching the wonderfully done LOVE acrobatic show.

Stripes and weathered sandstone of Lake Powell

Our thrilling trip to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Las Vegas came and went in a rush of excitement.  I was constantly stunned by the detail and intricacy of every rock formation and I am amazed that Carmen and I were able to explore so much of it in so little time.  These areas are a unique portion of the world with a beauty that is rich, vibrant and essential to any world traveler.

Posted in Southwest, United States and tagged , , , | Leave a comment
25 Jul 2012
1 Comment

The Cooler Side of Grand Canyon on the North Rim (by Carmen)

The open road

Rim to rim, the Grand Cayon is eight to ten miles wide as the crow flies.  But as our car drives, it is a 200 mile route that takes 4.5 hours.  That’s because you have to drive to the very beginning of the canyon, where it becomes narrow enough to create a simple bridge over it.

Striped hillside along the route to the North Rim

But it is a beautiful drive.  We were making our way at sunset which gave the landscape a golden glow.  I couldn’t help but think that this what American road trips are all about.

View of the mighty Colorado River from the bridge

We eventually crossed the bridge and headed just a few miles north of it, to Lee’s Ferry.  This is a historical site that marks the first ferry crossing in the area.  It was created in 1871 by a mormon family to help other mormons settle what is now Arizona.  These days it is the launching point for the thousands of adventurous souls that raft down the canyon each summer.  We took advantage of a small campground there to take refuge for the night.

Historical fruit orchard

The next morning we explored the area where there are still some cabins built by the original settlers.  They even have a small graveyard for all those that perished in the settlement or while crossing.  Another one of their legacies is a beautiful fruit orchard that stands out like an oasis in the red desert.

Nathan with a rock formation

There are also these funky rock formations that are the result of a rock slide thousands of years ago.  As the softer ground erodes away around the boulder, it forms a sort of tree shape.  It was a reminder that this area of the southwest is truely a geologist’s dream.

View from the North

As we made our way to the north rim, the landscape changed dramatically.  Tall pines and aspens took over the red dusty earth.  There were grassy meadows and small ponds.  The North Rim is actually closed October to May due to snow.  It was amazing what 1500 feet in elevation could do.  This limited access also meant that fewer people visited the North Rim, which made for a calmer, more tranquil visit.  If I could only visit one side, I’d opt for the north.

Aspens above our camp in the Kaibab National Forest

The aspens were particularly pretty.  They were particularly prevalent because of a massive fire that swept through the area 20 years ago.  The aspens are the first to recover and provide shade so that the baby pines can grow.  Eventually the pines will become taller than the aspens, which will die out from too much shade.

Picnic table at Tiyo Point

View from Tiyo Point

After our arduous hikes on the south side of the Grand Canyon, I was ready to take it easy.  But, of course, Nathan had other ideas.  He was already ready for more hikes and backpacking.  So we compromised with an overnight backpack trip that was 12 miles out and back to Tiyo Point.  The hike did not dip into the canyon and instead remained on the rim.  Therefore, it differed from inner canyon hike in three glorious ways: it was flat, shady and cool.

Clouds over Cape Final

Tent on the edge

On our last night in the canyon, we made our way to Cape Final.  This was a special campsite, only 4 miles out and back.  It’s a popular day hike but for an even better experience it has just one little campsite sitting on the rim.

Nathan cooking up some din-din

We cooked our dinner (indian curried veggies with couscous) right on the point.  Meanwhile, we struck up a conversation with a day hiker who told us his inspiring stories of hiking in Nepal.  Someday…

Me doing a morning stretch with my oatmeal

Our last morning we woke up with the sun and watched it rise over the canyon with no one else around.  Spending a full week in the canyon was a wonderful opportunity, but it was time to move on north for more adventures.

Nathan couldn’t get enough of the Grand Canyon

Posted in Southwest, United States and tagged , , , , , ,
23 Jul 2012
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Getting Down Deep In Grand Canyon’s South Rim (by Nathan)

Hiking shadows on South Kaibab Trail

The best way to describe the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in summer is HOT. The heat that collects in the valley billows over the rim in waves of hot air. The dryness creates a landscape that is seemingly bleak and lifeless. But then I when we peer down into the deep abyss, into the alternating colors of red, orange and white, we see the Colorado River. In total this artery to the region channels water for 1,500 miles acting as the lifeblood of a complex ecosystem. Thick pine forests meet the rims edge, and desert cacti cling to the valley sands. The waters were once colored red with silt, but are now blue and cold from dams upstream.

Grand Canyon from Monument Creek vista

We arrived just after dusk and pulled into a car camping spot just outside of the park. We woke at sunrise to go and see our first views of the canyon. We were immediately awestruck by the beauty of the canyon. The colors are bright and omnipresent; slowly the light brightens, our faces become visible and the glow fills the valley. We picked up our first set of permits at the back-country office and we were ready to begin our hike the following morning.

Carmen hiking on the South Kaibab Trail

Skeleton Point on the South Kaibab Trail

We had the afternoon free so we grabbed our water bottles and made our way to the South Kaibab trail. We traversed down the steep switchbacks and made our way deep into the canyon. This trail is exciting with steep cliffs on both sides and stunning views throughout its length. We walked along the ridge line soaking in the afternoon sun. Our final stopping area and snack break was at Skeleton Point, a saddle at the tip of the ridge before the trail breaks off into more switchbacks to the Colorado River. Rejuvenated from a short rest, we turned around and ascended the 2,000ft (600m) back to the trail head. As we climbed our way back up the mountain the sun began to disappear beyond the cliffs. Slowly the grey shadows began to darken and the blackness crept its way up the canyon.  We setup our tent and cooked dinner that night in the darkness of the South Kaibab National Forest.

Nathan making his way to Salt Creek

The sunsets in the Grand Canyon are beautiful, but it is at sunrise that the park becomes a scene of magic and changing light. Our hike into the canyon began early at 5am. We hiked down the switchbacks in the usable twilight of dawn. Slowly the canyon changed shape and color as the planar greys disappeared with a new day’s sun. The sunlight first touches the upper limestone of the rim in every direction. Slowly this bright golden light drips down the cliffs illuminating the entire canyon.

Carmen the morning hiker on Hermit Trail

Perfectly shaped yucca

The shadows disappear, the heat engulfs us and we continue our walk in the full sun. The hike planned was a three day, two night, 30mi (48km) loop starting at Hermit’s Rest and returning from Indian Garden up the Bright Angle Trail. It was going to be very hot in the valley so we tried to get a jump on it. Water was also scarce so we carried one gallon each to safely get to our backcountry campsite with a natural spring.

Monument rock pillar

By 11am we had made it to the campsite at Monument Creek. No one else was there (because it was too hot) so we got the pick of the campground. Our camp overlooked intricate cliffs of vertical red rock. One column of rock, the “monument” of our camp, stood prominently 150ft (45m) in the air in the creek bed.

Granite rapids of the Colorado River

We took a siesta in the shadows of the vertical rock. After 3pm the canyon began to cool down and it was safer to explore and hike around the area. Our camp was on the Tonto formation which is an enormous ledge that wraps around the entire canyon. The Colorado river sits another 600ft below. We walked along the dried out Monument Creek until our voices were drowned out by the roaring Granite Rapids. A small hike upstream and the water was still and frigid enough to make me yelp when I plunged in head first. Refreshed, we made our way back into the depths of the canyon.

Red rock cliffs

Walking from the river out of the canyon is a powerful experience. The dark black gneiss at the water’s edge is two billion years old; the age of the earth is five billion. The history of the world was everywhere around us.  We climbed over boulders and river rock to return to our camp, but we were also climbing back to the future. We walked from a time when volcanoes created the base of the canyon, and then alternating layers of sandstone and limestone as the landscape was created under large oceans hundreds of millions of years ago. Magnificent cliffs towered above us as we walked, but we remained careful of every step spending most of our time watching where we were going.

Three rattlesnakes and a lizard

We encountered three rattle snakes in the first three days of visiting the Grand Canyon. In all cases the snakes were curled up in defense as they had heard us coming. To our benefit we walked with hiking poles that led us along the trails and river banks. With each discovery of a snake, it was fascinating how the colors varied and each was so remarkably camouflaged into its surroundings. A rainbow colored lizard insisted on hanging around our camp, he was plump and bold. He’d stare at us, and, when he knew we were watching he’d start a series of pushups then move a few inches and begin another set of pushups.

Indian Garden on Bright Angel Trail

Textured cliffs of Indian Garden

Our second day of hiking was brutal. The hike itself was mostly flat as we traversed along the Tanto Trail that followed the steady, but exposed rock formation. The challenge was that by 6am we were already walking in the sun, temperatures quickly reached 100 degrees and we had six more miles to go. One step at a time we slowly and carefully made it to Indian Garden. This lush valley had been used for thousands of years for seasonal agriculture by the Havasupai tribes. Today it is filled with non-native cottonwood trees, water-filling stations and many back-country campsites.

View from Plateau Point

Dinner at Plateau Point

For dinner that night we decided to hike out onto the plateau point about a mile and a half from camp. From there we watched the sunset, and cooked up one of our standard back camping meals of sautéed tuna, onions, carrots and garlic over couscous with lemon. We could see the Colorado River from our little perch and quickly the sun faded away leaving us to walk in the dark back to our tarp.

View from Hermit’s Point

Ideally when we backpack, Carmen and I carry a tent. The lower elevations of the Grand Canyon were so hot that we left behind the extra weight and instead slept with only our silk sleeping sacks and the footprint of our tent. In the end it was well worth the 5lb savings, when we were also carrying 8lbs of water. That next morning we awoke again in the darkness to set out on our ascent out of the canyon. By 8am we had climbed 3,500ft (1,050m) and we sat at the Bright Angel trail head, catching our breath, finishing off our morning snacks, and gazing out into the morning sun lit canyon.

Native American building ruins

Indigenous tribes lived throughout the Grand Canyon for millennia. Evidence of their presence is well hidden, but everywhere. Only 5% of the national park has been surveyed and over 4,500 archeological sites have been discovered. It is estimated that there are over 50,000 sites in the park that contain, rock paintings, building ruins, burial sites and agricultural plots. Only the most elementary of this archeology is shown to tourists, but it is possible to bushwhack through the forest and come across, a circle of stones that once built a village, or hand painted pottery that is centuries old. Archeologists have found parrot bones in these areas, which proves that the Indians here traveled and traded with tribes in Central America. In the watchtower that was built on the eastern edge of the park there are some beautiful re-creations of Hopi Indian paintings.

Modern Hopi painting

Our first four days in the Grand Canyon took us to phenomenal vistas, dizzying temperatures and eye-opening history. The south rim is the most popular place to visit for tourists, many of the best lookouts are accessible only a few steps from the public tram. A ten minute walk along any trail and the canyon begins to engulf and encapsulate with spectacular colors and unimaginable verticality. We would hike for hours without seeing anyone and each shadow and niche, each boulder and ledge was only for us to see that day. Very quickly I felt alone, not in loneliness, but more so as an explorer seeing a magical place for the first time. During our hikes we descended into the depths of the canyon, touched the water, traversed the cliffs and climbed back out. We descended into a prehistoric era and climbed back into the present to realize that the Grand Canyon has been one of the most beautiful places on earth for the last five million years.

Posted in Southwest, United States and tagged , , , ,
21 Jul 2012
7 Comments

What Now? (by Nathan & Carmen)

Returning to San Francicso

Nathan’s favorite restaurant: Sol Food in San Rafael

When we initially thought of traveling for six months to a year the idea was more of a dream than a reality.  Traveling internationally becomes an addiction, some call it the travel bug, but our need to travel became a living necessity after our first trips to Europe.  The symptoms are rather subtle at first: excitement to review photos, enthusiasm when returning to our jobs and enjoyment to fall back into the routine of ordinary life.  Fast forward a couple months and the restlessness initiates the ideas of another big trip start forming.  We typically settle the anxiety through a scattering of weekend trips and hiking adventures.  Eventually the urge to travel becomes so intense that we busy ourselves planning the destinations of our next multi-week exploration.

Carmen on Barcelona steps (2006)

Returning to California meant some big choices.  While there were seemingly endless possibilities of what to do next, for us, it really came down to two.  Option 1 is to settle down somewhere and start job hunting.  “Somewhere” is still to be determined which is both scary and exciting.  Option 2 is to keep going and take the full year off to travel, explore, meet new people, hike, and eat delicious foods.  After much thought, financial analysis and discussion, we decided there was really only one responsible choice.  We simply had to find out what was behind door number 2.

Carmen enjoying a rosé and a perfect lunch at Prune in NYC (2011)

New York street art and bicycle (2011)

So we finally committed to a full year off.  Woo hoo!  Then the challenge was to figure out what the rest of the year includes.  First we made a fantasy list of all the places we would ever like to go if money and time were no object (i.e. the fun part). Next we cut down that list to what we could realistically do (i.e. the less fun part). Now we are in the midst of doing all the planning required to make the dream come true.  The rough itinerary for the rest of the year is as follows:

  • Summer 2012 :: USA
  • September – October 2012 :: Europe
  • November 2012 :: India
  • December 2012 :: Southeast Asia
  • January 2013 :: China

The blog continues! And we will be sharing and documenting the details right here for everyone to enjoy.  Here is a teaser of the things to come:

Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park (2010)

In 2010 we hiked embarked on a week-long expedition into the canyons of Southern Utah.  We discovered majestic scenery and seemingly painted landscapes.  Our enjoyment of the canyons of Cafayate and the beautiful rocks of our Salar de Uyuni adventure enticed us to go and see one thing – The Grand Canyon.  There will be more hikes, more food and more red canyons.

New York density (2011)

Chicago highrises (2011)

Our United States tour will continue from vertical cliffs to vertigo skyscrapers as we explore New York City and Chicago with friends and family.  From there we trade in the tallest buildings for the tallest rows of corn, Nebraska here we come!

Hiking with Manish in Muir Woods (2010)

Having a laugh outside Bouchon Bakery

We return for the best of California summer where we will be posting about the best spots in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  You can expect hiking and all of our favorite restaurants.

Gaudí’s Casa Batlló (2006)

The real excursion happens in September.  With our passports in hand, clothes freshly laundered we will be climbing aboard another jet plane for another five months of adventure.  First stop Spain.  There are just some activities that would never happen unless we took a year off to travel.  Thus, let’s put a our four feet to the test as we will be walking 500 miles across northern Spain on the Santiago de Compostela trail.

Nathan on the Thames (2010)

London’s historic architecture (2006)

Spain is not the only European place we want to see.  We’ll tie in our favorite city, London, France, Germany and some great wine excursions along the way.

Indian lunch while in Singapore (2009)

But nothing will be as bustling and exciting as what we expect to find in our next country.  We are both excited and almost giddy to begin our exploration of India.  We can’t wait to experience the intense flavors, markets and crowds that are unlike anything we have ever seen.

Thai cooking by 4FEET2MOUTHS (2011)

Our love of Thai food and our love of our Thai friend brings us to this beautiful country.  From boat-side street food to dancing octopus we will be trying to stay cool while eating chilies in Thailand.  Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will conclude our exploration of the Indochinese peninsula.

Shanghai nightscape (2009)

Pan-fried Soup Dumplings at Yang’s in Shanghai (2009)

Asia would not be complete without seeing more of the wonders of China.  Carmen and I fell in love with the authentic and varied cuisines during a vacation in 2009.  From then on we have been obsessed with Sichuan cuisine.  We are looking forward to hardcore negotiating at the markets, mouth numbing delights from street side vendors and, of course, much hand waving and pointing.

Hong Kong density (2009)

Dim sum craziness in Hong Kong (2009)

We could not forget Hong Kong!  This city packs a punch with more fifty story buildings than anywhere else, delicious food and a perfect blend of East and West.

The Great wall of China (2009)

How about that for a year of travel?  We will explore four continents, over sixteen countries, all the while creating profound memories.  As much as possible we are going to try to meet up with friends along the way.  We will walk, we will eat and 4FEET2MOUTHS travels on – see you on the road!

Forbidden city cauldron handle (2009)

Posted in Berkeley, China, Europe, Great Britain, India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Southwest, Spain, Thailand, United States and tagged
09 Feb 2012
3 Comments

Southern Migration (by Nathan)

The Andes between Santiago and Buenos Aires

Finally this day has come- the day where my feet leave the ground in California and touch down on the other side of the world.  Today I am in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has been a migratory event in some sense, a need down through my core to get out of town and see the world. Not just the travel itch, but a gnawing at my inner being to grab a hold of some culture and consume it, devour it until I was satisfied.  This must be what birds feel too, a calling and a deep need to fly south, a need to voraciously flap their wings for weeks straight to be there to consume the ripest fruit.  This year the world would not ripen without me being there to eat it. 

I was quite lucky that Carmen felt this too.  No wings, but this year you will find us walking and eating our way around the world. Not physically walking around the world, but our 4 feet and 2 mouths will travel to destinations that our inner being wants us to explore.

Berkeley was an amazing place to live.  There were so many aspects to Berkeley that touched my core values in architecture, food and the outdoors. The Bay Area allowed me to design amazing buildings, hike in beautiful mountains and enjoy farm-to-table meals everyday and all year.  But…in many ways the lacking public transit and small ethnic neighborhoods were not enough.  There are only so many times that a Bart ride to the Mission or Chinatown would satisfy my desires to travel.  And there were those times that while eating dim sum at Dol Ho where I experienced the crazy cart-driven yelling that I enjoyed so much in Hong Kong.  If I liked it so much then why not go back to Hong Kong?

And friends! I have some truly amazing friends in the Bay Area.  I have friends that like me, think a perfect day is a farmer’s market, shared bottle of wine and a Cheeseboard pizza. I have friends that time and time again feed me, educate me, entertain me (sometimes a little to much), and even nurse me back to health.  I drool thinking of our dinner parties– potlucks to an unprecedented gourmet level.  I will miss all of these friends and they know that they are always welcome to visit and stay with us at our home.  That is, when we finally get a home somewhere.

That’s right, we are homeless.  Carmen and I gave up 70% of our stuff and moved out of Berkeley.  It is a crazy feeling purging everything you own to the last morsels of what you think is important.  The sentiment is the worst for me- both getting rid of things that emotionally tug at me and the things that I think have some actual value.  The end result: I sold a few things on Craigslist, gave away a lot of stuff and trashed quite a bit too.  No turning back now, I’m glad I did it.  I’m still impressed that I fit all that 30% in my little Nissan truck.

BA Architecture

Stepping onto the Buenos Aires streets created such a fantastic sensation throughout my body.  It was as if my soul was tingling- reminding me that this is happening, this is really happening.  No job, no apartment, no bills, just Carmen and I, a camera and our backpacks and four months to explore South America.  The rest of the year we’re traveling too. Where should we go?

Posted in Argentina, Berkeley, Latin America and tagged , ,
08 Feb 2012
3 Comments

A new chapter (by Carmen)


Two roads diverge in a wood, as Frost wrote.  In my life, the traveled road is on the right.  This is the one where I’m supposed to find a good job and save up for a house and get settled in. On the left is the less traveled road.  It’s hazy; I can’t tell exactly where it goes.

The majority of my adult life has taken place in the San Francisco Bay Area – from college to my first long-term job to grad school.  It has all been a somewhat logical path to follow.  But now the future holds a big question mark.     ?      Should I search out fellowships, look for jobs, just travel?  Where? For how long?

What I do know is that I booked tickets to spend four months(!) in South America.  This trip is kick starting this new chapter in life.  With it, I want to start a new project – this blog.  For me, the blog will be a centered way to document my travels, food, thoughts, adventures and just life in general.  Actually, it’s not just mine.  It’s Nathan’s adventures, too.  He’ll be giving his own posts with his point of view on things.  That way, all our friends, family and travel enthusiasts can come to one site to get the latest update on us.

Over the next few months we will be posting about our experiences in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Peru.  Our travel style generally involves us walking around until our feet hurt in search of awesomely delicious food and drink, hence the name of this blog.  Expect to see some parrilla in Buenos Aires, capirinhas in Rio, saltado in Lima, wine tasting in Mendoza, and more.  We will also throw a bit of history, culture and architecture into the mix.  Ooh I’m getting excited!

The previous post was about feeling grateful for the life I’ve led so far.  This post is about embracing the future and all the uncertainty that comes with it.  It may be somewhat cliche but Frost’s poem makes me feel ready to take on the world.  Let’s go.

Posted in Berkeley, United States and tagged

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