My family traditionally spends Thanksgiving at Pinkham Notch, at the base of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. We hike, eat a meal prepared for us by the lodge staff, and enjoy the rustic comforts (read: reading by the fireplace). This year, icy alpine roads and distance from Boston physicians were not exactly favored criteria for the holiday weekend, no matter the other qualities.

Our menu was as follows:

• Beet Soup
• Biscuits
• Herb Butter Turkey
• Whole Pumpkin, Stuffed with Rice, Kale, & Cheese
• Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Vinaigrette
• Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Cranberry Relish
• Turkey Gravy
• Mushroom Gravy
• Llajwa
• Duckhorn 2006 Napa Valley Merlot
• Apple, Pear & Cranberry Crumble Pie with Whipped Cream
• Coffee

I would say we did stupendously, for my family being a bit out of practice. Have I mentioned that my favorite color is beet soup? Have I mentioned that I adore food? Have I mentioned that I am living on the East Coast through the end of the year? Wow.

The last time I spent more than two weeks in Massachusetts was the summer of 2001, having returned to live at home after my first year of college. How old was I? 19? Yes, 19. I will go ahead and call this, now, the first time I will have lived in Massachusetts for a significant period as an adult. I am not sure what to expect from this time.

Well, for one, and most importantly, I will become an uncle. Nicole and Mark are less than two weeks away from welcoming Blueberry into this world. Our family is getting bigger! I suppose our family is already bigger by virtue of Nicole's belly enormity. I love you, Nicole, and this is the best ever, but your belly is huge. You were always little Colie—once I got taller than you at least—but you're little Colie plus a watermelon now.

Tell me, again, how we became adults and this all happened?

Truly, I could not imagine being away during this period. Blueberry is coming! I need to be here to see Blueberry! I am so thankful for my present circumstance, that I can pick up and fly to Boston to be close to family. The religious or spiritual connotations of the word are not my favorite but allow me, please, to say that I feel blessed. Lucky is hapless and banal and I do not feel lucky. I feel blessed.

Etymologically, blessed is consecrated by blood. Allow me to redefine to suit my purposes: blessed is made dear by family.

Blessed is having been raised well, loved and cared for, in a warm family and home where hugs were given and hot food was served (however infrequently it was turkey). Blessed is the camaraderie, support, roofs, and shenanigans offered by that larger family, my friends in Seattle and San Francisco and everywhere.

Blessed is experiencing the wide world. Blessed is receiving an education, an inquisitive and critical mind, and the means and confidence to make my own way. Blessed is making that way, losing that way, and accepting that lost and found are all part of it. Blessed is knowing that I am never truly alone.

Blessed is returning home to my family glowing, reunited all about Mark and Nicole in this new consecration. Blessed is goofing in the kitchen and playing dominoes after dinner.

Blessed is love, blessed we be, and blessed be Blueberry. Thank you.

We stayed in Portland at Claire's parents house; George and Hansine were most gracious hosts, as always. Our time was spent seeing friends and family, drinking wine and beer, watching World Cup—¡Que viva España!, eating delicious food, and playing lots and lots of cornhole. And I suppose Whit and I worked a good bit.

Of particular note, we caught with Hannah and Ryan; Giselle and Gavin; Kelly; Hilary; and Spencer, Michaela, and Sebastian. The last two are Spencer's twins and Whit and Claire's niece and nephew: super adorable.

Portland has a few favorite spots and revisiting them did not disappoint. We met Giselle at Bridgeport Brewery: their beers and happy hour food were so great on a hot afternoon. My first time here was with Dave, following some Portland summer Ultimate tournament.

Whit, Claire and I ventured to Powell's bookstore, where I wandered around in a happy daze and finally purchased four titles: Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, Manhood for Amateurs, The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis, and a novel for a friend.

Hilary, Hannah, Ryan and we three ate lunch at Pok Pok, which is likely my favorite Thai restaurant. Their chicken wings are incredible and we also devoured a summer special: fresh corn-on-the-cob cooked and glazed with coconut milk. So good!

So that's what I've got for now! Off, I think, to find some San Franciscan lunch and then keep on the work.

Sucre was gorgeous and peaceful and just right. I stayed in a little hotel called Hostal de Su Merced and drank fresh orange and carrot juice every morning at breakfast. I worked from my hotel room and from cafes. I wandered the lovely city and met two new friends from New York City.

I ate well in Sucre. El Huerto offered a peaceful courtyard dining experience and perfect renditions of typical Bolivian dishes—I had Picante de Pollo. La Taverne was a welcome dining contrast, being the restaurant run by l'Alliance Française. For 42 Bs ($6), I was nearly defeated by a veritable tower of filet mignon wrapped in bacon, with mushroom and wine sauce.

At the other end of the spectrum, at least by price standards in Bolivia, were Pension el Marfil and Siete Lunares. I happened upon the pension one day when I was quite hungry and yearning a bit for the Cochabamba family lunches of soup and segundo. For 12 Bs, I received soup and a drink, then rice, potato, beet salad, steak and a fried egg. Naturally.

Still, one of my favorite lunches in Sucre was even simpler. Chorizo. Sausage... and some bread and salad and a passion fruit soda. So greasy, so authentic, so good. Siete Lunares is particularly well known for their chorizo and they did not disappoint at all. Furthermore, they sit just outside the market, so I completed the meal with a fresh chirimoya juice from within. Yum.

Sucre has an interesting balance of culture and people. Founded by Spain in 1538, Ciudad de la Plata de la Nueva Plata was the original home of the rich and educated who moved away from the mines in Potosí. The city was eventually renamed for revolutionary hero Antonio José de Sucre and served as the home of Bolivian independence. In fact, Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia, although no significant business is done there now. Still, the combination of universities, historical significance, natural and architectural beauty, and Bolivian prices draws in a fair number of foreign students and travelers. Having lived only in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba prior, I was surprised by the volume of gringos.

But no doubt existed that I was still in Bolivia. To wit, I was lucky to be in Sucre when the entire youth population turned out to celebrate the arrival of Don Bosco's remains—he is venerated for having revolutionized the education system in South America. People go NUTS.

Yes, that is a glass coffin. And, no, I have never seen so many people in a church.

I visited La Casa de la Libertad and was offended by (1) the guide's repetition of everything in Spanish and English and (2) his tendency to touch, repeatedly and consistently, all the historical artifacts. Still, here was the the birth of the nation!

I worked well in Sucre, whether in my hotel room or on Joyride Cafe's ("No solo para gringos") faster connection... or with no connection at all, above the city at Cafe Gourmet La Mirador, off La Recoleta. I sat outside in an uncomfortable wooden folding chair at a thick slab of rock (also known as a table) and ordered espresso and licuados and eventually beer. I considered the city and I pecked away at code on my laptop.

I won at life. Ahhh...

I am pictured above on the morning of my departure from the United States, on January 4th, 2010. My mother took this photograph in our house in Hamilton, Massachusetts.

I appear to have many possessions with me—two bags-full, in fact—and such is true. I had to choose those items such as socks, shirts, books, electronics, etc. that would last and satisfy me throughout journeys somewhat indeterminate. Do you know how many awesome t-shirts I have, not to mention button-downs? It's a bunch, for serious, and it was no simple task to elect apparel companions for my southern sojourn.

In other news, and themed similarly, I made a few changes to the website here and added a little view of my time abroad, titled "Morning Carlos." Here's a hint: if you want to be happy, look for some happiness, and click on it. (It's up there at the top! It's a SMILEY FACE!) So far, I have only missed documenting myself one morning since I began the trip. I will do my best!

Return home in a taxi. Turn on Paul Simon's "Graceland." Drink some mango juice.

Chop up a whole load of garlic and ginger. Mix in a bowl with a half a cup or so each of lime juice, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Chop up and add four or five canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Lick delicious looking adobo sauce off finger only to recall that it's super spicy. Drink more mango juice.

Rub marinade, by hand, all over three bigass flank steaks. Wash hands. Cover steaks and refrigerate.

Convince Bailey that he should use the quickly over-ripening banana to make a smoothie. Success!

Chop two pounds of tilapia into bite-sized pieces appropriate for ceviche.

Chop eight cloves of garlic, one half cup of red onion, one cup of seeded tomato, and just a smidgen of super hot serrano pepper. Add all above to the fish along with two teaspoons of salt, a bit over one cup of lime juice and two teaspoons of white vinegar. Mix well. Refrigerate.

Success, again!

This evening, we will be grilling the flank steaks along with a few other tilapia filets. Accompanying steak, tilapia and ceviche will be rice, tortillas, cabbage and cucumber salad and red wine (from South America, claro). If I don't die from being too awesome in the kitchen, I'll report back on all the deliciousness.

I would not, by any stretch of a cheese string, claim that I am through and done processing my time in Seattle and my departure from its rainy but dear embrace. And I do not hope to here and now offer some curt summary of that time and departure. Instead, and without significant fuss, I will collect the vague details of a few memorable meals I have shared in this super crazy month.

Breakfast with Trina Stout at Silence Heart Nest on December 5, 2009
I cannot remember if I discovered this delicious breakfast spot with Claire Fisher Scott (in Seattle for a business trip) or if I found it with Trina and took Claire there later. Regardless, back when I first lived in Wallingford, I loved Silence Heart Nest, no matter its confusing spiritual ground, and frequented the spot with Trina and sometimes Amber and AC as well. Trina and I went together for one last breakfast there, splitting two old favorite dishes—Southern Swing and Western Roundup—and discussing respective plans for South American travel.

Dinner with Charlie Ellis on December 7, 2009

I shopped, at the Capitol Hill Farmers Market on the Sunday prior, for local ingredients for a simple meal to cook with Charlie. I was excited to share a bottle of Cabernet I had "cellared" for over two years.

• Pan-fried Rib Eye Steak from Olsen Farms
• Boiled Potatoes from Olsen Farms
• Mixed Braised Greens
• Compound Butter with Parsley and Thyme
• Duck Horn 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The steaks were delicious, and a strong recommendation for continuing to purchase local, sustainably raised beef. The meal delivered, for sure, but the wine came up just a bit short. The Duck Horn was eminently smooth, balanced, drinkable—and I suppose it stood up to the steak—but did not have much spice or spark to elevate it (at least as far as my taste for wine goes). Thank you, Charlie.

The Best Americano Ever on December 8, 2009
My car, SparkleMotion was hit-and-run the night before while parked near Charlie's condominium. The next morning, after delivering the Sparkley to the body shop, I arrived to work at Victrola Coffee and requested of Steve, as a means of coping, The Best Americano Ever. This cheery, bearded barista delivered, crafting it carefully and with only single origin espresso from Ethopia. I will miss my coffee shop, and I will be back.

Birthday Breakfast at Café Presse with Sarah on December 9, 2009
Coffee; Oeufs plat, jambon, fromage for me; Chocolate croissant for Sarah

Birthday Lunch with Eric Mattson and Afternoon Snacks at Oddfellows at December 9, 2009
Coca-Cola and pork sandwich for Eric; Hot cider and market salad for me
Molasses cookie and Buffalo Trace hot toddy while I worked there for the afternoon

28th Birthday Dinner on December 9, 2009

• Homemade flatbread, boursin and marmalade (Ross-Viles)
• Mixed greens salad with apple, avocado, chevre, nuts, etc. (Coleman)
• Shepherd's Pie (Ross-Viles)
• Bourbon Cake with Lemon Frosting (Zucker & Ross-Viles)
• Casa Lapostolle 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Tamarack Cellars 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Clos de los Siete 2006

I fear that I am forgetting a bottle of wine from this meal. Hrmph. Regardless, I had a lovely and relaxed evening with these dear friends. They toasted and feasted me perfectly, and all I had to do was be born and then put on a totally gorgeous tie. Oh, and I brought down my stuffed animals for Micah and Eli: I recommend highly saying "llama llama llama" while rubbing Eli's head with a stuffed version of the aforementioned camelid.

Breakfast with Charlie Matlack at Volunteer Park Cafe on December 15, 2009
We discussed life and love and the week he will come to Costa Rica. Additionally, Charlie delighted me with news that he hoped to join me in hiking Machu Picchu sometime this spring. Volunteer Park Cafe disappointed me with an overly salty quiche. I will see you soon, Charlie, and twice!

Lunch with Brooke and Jack at Java Love on December 15, 2009
This Tuesday was my final Tuesday of its sort, working and laughing and eating burritos with Brooke and Jack down on Beacon Hill. As a weekly occurrence, such has been a bright spot, something to which to look forward and certainly something to energize me. We did not take a working lunch as we usually do, bringing burritos back to Rao & Pierce, but sat at Java Love and just ate and laughed. I will miss you, buddies, and I will miss our working time together.

Neva Cherniavsky Sushi Dinner at Chez Korb on December 15, 2009
Neva visited Seattle for a few nights in the midst of her whirlwind reunion tour of the States. Liz Korb hosted a homemade sushi party for a good group of us to see and celebrate our friend. The responsibility (and prize) of finishing the final few rolls fell to my insatiable sushi appetite. I did not disappoint.

Sandwiches at Meza with Alex Wells on December 16, 2009
I have been lucky enough to share many a sandwich with Alex, who considers that food somewhat of a focus and ongoing mission in his life. Meza is a new Venezuelan restaurant on Capitol Hill, and one recommended for its pork sandwich. The Havana was excellent and definitely their flagship sandwich: braised pork, ham, caramelized onions, cheese, banana peppers and fresh aioli. I was so happy to share one last sandwich (and some sangria, and some appetizers) with this dear Claremont, Seattle and DarkHorse compatriot. And Sam and Ashley joined us later for a spot of talk and munch.

Final Cooked Dinner at 1710 #9 on December 17, 2009

I love my wine, or rather I loved it, and I love my lasagna recipe, adapted and perfected long ago in my first Seattle apartment. Living with Sarah, I was not generally the cook for dinner parties but I managed to take the reins for this, our final cooked dinner at 1710 #9. Dave and Natalie joined us, and I pulled out a favorite wine and an even more favorite wine. We started, while cooking, with the Abbot's Table: the closet-aged 2007 was far better than the 2008 bottle I drank at Thanksgiving. Well kept, well savored.

We drank the Duckhorn Merlot with dinner. Wow. I drank a bottle of this back when I was buying them (read: back when I had a full-time salary) in October 2007. I was impressed then and I was impressed again. The Merlot was velvety and rich with good fruit and spice but no strong acidity to finish. My friends may have claimed that the lasagna was even better than the wine. I'm not so sure but I do appreciate the compliment. And, yes, my lasagna is friggin' fantastic.

Of note, I used our final (and finest) serving of homemade tomato sauce from the great tomato bounty of October 2008. Sarah and Dave posited that this use of the sauce elevated the lasagna to a new level and I could not disagree.

• Antipasti of Prosciutto, Cheese, Olives and Pickled Asparagus (Ross-Viles)
• My Perfect and Decadent Two-Hour Lasagna (d'Avis, duh)
• Owen Roe 2007 Abbot's Table, Columbia Valley
• Duckhorn Vineyards 2004 Napa Valley Merlot
• Whidbeys Vintage 2007 Washington Port

We finished the night with an emergency port run by Dave and Sarah, drinking the port and then heading out for an evening of Neva-inspired dancing on Capitol Hill. Yes, this was a Thursday, I know. Yes, I'm really super great at life, I know.

I cannot believe that my list continues unflaggingly but here I am. And on we go...

Hanukkah Latkes and Roast Chicken at Chez Zucker on December 18, 2009
Dave hosted a good little (or not so little) crew at his condo for the final night of Hanukkah. Jared and Dave are old hats at frying and these offerings stood the test of potatoes past. Sarah came in with her mother's roast chicken recipe, repeated and perfected weekly for years of Sarah's childhood. The latkes were crispy and oily and great, the chicken was succulent and flavorful, the company was warm, and the menorah candles burned. I have been so happy as an honorary Jew on the holidays, living with Sarah: the food is brilliant. And I even forgot to mention the apple cider cinnamon doughnuts Sarah made for Hanukkah the weekend previous. I just keep on winning.

Brunch with Amber, AC, Zak and Autumn at Coastal Kitchen on December 19, 2009
I was deep in packing and moving (into storage) and so these old friends (and new—hi, Autumn!) were kind enough to drive the great, great distance from Fremont to Capitol Hill. We reminisced, all the way back to 2000 when I met Zak and AC, and enjoyed delicious brunch typical of Coastal Kitchen. I was particularly pleased with my prosciutto and sun-dried tomato risotto with poached eggs and toasted focaccia. Another few wonderful friends and so another heartfelt and difficult goodbye.

GRE Celebration and Departure Mourning at Poppy on December 19, 2009

My dear friend and Triumvirate cohort Faye Ziegeweid took the GRE earlier this day—well, actually, she kicked it in the keister. And I was leaving, as previously discussed. What choice did we have but to go out for another super fancy, super delicious dinner? We were six: Faye, Nick, Natalie, Dave, Sarah and I. We were wearing ties (of course), carried with us a bag of spare Value Village ties, and managed to get one around the neck of our waiter, if only briefly. She should have kept it on: the tie totally matched her shirt.

Anyway, we ordered cocktails to start—I loved my Papi Delicious of tequila, curacao, red bell pepper, jalapeño, lime and mint. All of the cocktails were great although, from shared tastes, I would say I found The Lookout and Bourbon Sour particularly good. Now, to the food! For appetizers, we enjoyed:

• Eggplant fries with sea salt and honey
• Lightly fried mussels with dill aioli
• half-shell shigoku oysters with lemon verbena ice

We ordered two meat thali and one vegetarian thali for the six of us. The amount of food was perfect, and the actual food, in its flavor, temperature, texture, and presentation, was even more perfecter. Well, the beets may have been a bit over-bitter but whatever. Seriously, whatever! Look at this menu, which I now include via image because I am lazy:

I happily avoided ordering at all, trusting to my wise foodie friends, and they did me no wrong. The scallops and short ribs were especially excellent. However delicious all the food, and however satisfying the complex array of flavors, Faye and I were not dissuaded from dessert. GRE! Departure! Of course we needed dessert:

• Dark chocolate terrine with ginger, pistachio and sesame
• Pyrat's booty (rum) ice cream
• Selection of thali-sized dessert morsels

And so were sated, and so we were wearing ties, and so we headed to Erika, Jennifer and Peter's holiday party way way out in Ballard. We drank and laughed and dispensed ties and played foosball, and I mused from time to time on the meal recently consumed and said more goodbyes to friends in Seattle.

Final Dinner in Seattle at Chez Zucker on December 22, 2009

I packed and cleaned and ran errands right up to the moment, right up to a few hours before I drove the airport. Those few final hours, that poignant smidgen of time, I spent with Dave and Sarah and Natalie over salad and chicken soup. Dave cooked down the carcasses from Hanukkah—no, not human latke-overload victims but rather chicken remains—and made a perfect, classic chicken soup. The broth was rich and flavorful but not too salty. The bread was toasty and crisp for buttering and dipping in broth.

We drank Fin du Monde beer.

Sarah and I remembered and mused a bit as to how we ended up living together for two and a half years—what fate and chance led us to this great friendship, and how such led us along to Dave as well. Natalie apparently did not have swine flu and apparently did not infect us with anything. (Yay!) We opened Patagonia bounty. I did not cry.

I said goodbye to Natalie.

Sarah, Dave, my six-months possessions and I loaded into SparkleMotion and headed down on I5. I cried. I skipped the music along from Peter, Bjorn and John to Mika and Regina Spektor as I held Sarah's hand, sitting behind me in the backseat of the car.

I hugged my two friends at the curb and set off with heart heavy and stomach full. I love you, and I'll be back for seconds: I promise.

Smoked salmon over rosti served with a sour cream wasabi sauce and salad bouquet
Rincon Famoso Blanco (Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay), Argentina

Tomato cream soup
Macabeo Chardonnay, Paredes, Spain

Fettucine with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, olives and black mussels
Rosso d'Umbria Beccoditalco (?) Italy

Grilled beef tenderloin with a champagne mustard sauce served with au gratin potatoes and vegetables
Vistamar Grand Reserva Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Maipo, Chile

Banana fritters with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce
Reserva Privado Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc de Concha y Toro, Maule Valle, Chile

Digestif: Marc d'Adoracion, Propiete de Monsieur Auguste Moreau a Beaune
I have no idea what this stuff was—a brandy or cognac of some sort? The bottle was incredibly old. At this point in the evening, all the other customers had left and the owner, Carolina, was talking and laughing with us, so pleased that young tourists were truly interested in her food and wine and story. She brought out the Marc as a treat, I think, and offered us Scotch, as well.

And, when we left, we were delighted once more to receive a bottle of wine from Carolina as thanks for our great enjoyment of their hospitality. (Take a lesson, United States!) Hey... where did that bottle of wine go? I believe it is in Seattle, and I will do my best to find it before I leave.

I ate four apple cider doughnuts on an achingly autumn afternoon with my father Federico and my mother Melanie and my sister Nicole and my brother-in-law Mark. Not pictured above are the wedding I attended the day before in Gloucester for Amy and Don or the striking colors of my first return to October in Massachusetts since 1999.

I took a Tuesday lunch at home as a challenge and constructed my finest sandwich in recent memory. Highlights include the first bite, the second bite, the last bite, and all those other scrumptious bits between.

I revisited fully, every page and word, the Lord of the Rings for the first time since having seen the movie, as evidenced by a particular Saturday afternoon at Volunteer Park Cafe. In the books, the women receive less attention and the men are all more obviously in love with each other, though less annoyingly so. I'm not sure Sauron has ever had Côtes du Rhône wine or bacon-chevre-chanterelle quiche, but maybe if he had he wouldn't have been such a jerkface.

Showered, breakfasted, and happily outfitted, I spent the morning at Victrola. The Americano was delicious, as always, and one of the baristas called me 'Dapper Dan.' Silly! My name is Drew (sort of), not Dan! But I'll take the Dapper anyway. I worked on a fun project and I worked on real (read: paying) projects and I tore through my email, with a particular focus on securing a house for January in Panama. There may have been a chocolate orange cookie in there at some point for refueling.

Did I mention that I can walk now? I've been over a week without crutches but, regardless, the Victrola staff felt inspired to congratulate me on my mobility and normal walking. More sun shining on me!

And then I needed a change of scenery. So I walked down the hill to the park and, without guilt, parked myself in a bench for a lovely, leisurely phone call with a friend. Of course! Why not? It's the 9/9/09, and I'm wearing a tie! I can do whatever I want!

I proceeded to lunch at Oddfellows, ordering a ham, cheddar, and tomato panini. When the cashier asked me if I wanted a beverage, I knew I didn't need more coffee yet so was content to stick with water. But why go content when you can go big? So I had an Abbey Leffe Belgian blonde beer with my lunch, sitting in the sun by the open windows and reading up more on Panamian surf.

I suppose I kept working after the lunch, and I suppose I had another Americano? Seriously, I was actually productive, even with the beer. I was satisfied just after 5pm and closed up shop (read: closed my laptop). I headed back to the park bench for another lovely and leisurely chat, this time with my sister, Nicole, far off in Boston.

I reached home, eventually, invigorated by the walk in warm breezes. I itched for activity but didn't even stop to yearn for an impossible distance run. I changed right into my board shorts and drove to Madison Park. Ankle be damned! Setting sun, you can suck it, too! I went swimming, sharing the rather cold Lake Washington with only two others, both of whom were training in swim caps, goggles, and triathlon wetsuits. WIMPS. I totally looked more hardcore than they did, what with my shivering bare torso and numb feet. But truly, my body was exultant in exhaustion… yeah, and also super duper cold.

So I made soup. Because I'm so good at life! When you're cold, and your roommate brings home limes from Labor Day, you make coconut curry lime vegetable soup, or that's what I've heard. And I improvised some coconut curry lime chili chicken that came out bangin' as well. And now I'm in bed and full of delicious food, and I'm totally going to go to sleep and dream about high-fiving Obama and baking cookies with Jenny Lewis. But I won't remember the dreams in the morning: I'll be way too excited for my next cup of coffee.

Half of a Weekend (or a Little More, Maybe)

January 23, 2009

• 5:05 PM Sunset run on the beach followed by ocean dip and drinks
• 6:00 PM Depart Tamarindo in 7/8 full Toyota Prado with one 40-ounce of Imperial
• 6:01 PM – 7:29 PM Pass around a million cars
• 7:30 PM Stop on side of street to buy two bottles of vino de coyol (palm wine) for $2 each
• 7:33 PM Stop on side of street 100m later para cenar at a tiny family restaurant
• 8:00 PM Discover that palm wine does not actually cause the advertised blindness
• 9:30 PM After some moderately difficult uphill dirt roads, discover at bar, with swim-up service and sign offering "Informacion de Monteverde," that we are actually still quite far away
• 9:33 PM Turn up nearly hidden dirt road next to church for 45-degree incline rocky dirty joy
• 9:45 PM As the road winds and climbs and climbs and climbs, begin somewhat nervous but mostly manic and joyful laughter. Increase volume on music.
• 10:15 PM After climb has leveled out, stop on ridge and turn off car lights to consider amazing vistas and stars and to pee.
• 10:55 PM Reach Santa Elena and Hotel de Sueños to reunite with Slepak of Safety 3rd fame
• 11:15 PM Head out into the nearly dead quiet Santa Elena to find a bar and a beer
• 12:00 PM Beer success! Then! Sleep!

January 24, 2009

• 01/24 7:00 AM Good morning!
• 7:15 AM Breakfast at the Hotel
• 8:00 AM Depart Santa Elena in 8/8 full Toyota Prado to Selvatura Park.
• 8:30 AM Begin zip-lining at Selvatura. See Quote #1.
• 9:00 AM Did I mention we were zip-lining? High high above the ground through a rainforest? Amazing.
• 9:30 AM Arrive at "la sorpresa." The surprise was, somewhat unsurprisingly, a Tarzan-style swing from a huge-ass platform.
• 10:15 AM Finish zip-lining with a few last nice rides.
• 10:30 AM Early lunch at Selvatura restaurant.
• 11:45 AM Head off hiking in local nature preserve
• 12:30 PM Climb closed-down observation tower for more amazing vistas of surrounding jungle
• 1:45 PM Become disgruntled with constant, sticky mud and its propensity to detract attention from surrounding flora and fauna
• 2:30 PM Complete hike, return to car for drive to Monteverde village
• 3:00 PM Shop for arts and crafts in Monteverde with way clutch coffee and peanut butter brownie refueling
• 4:45 PM Depart Monteverde and begin drive back to Tamarindo
• 4:46 PM Be convinced by three passengers in extremely tight back back seat that we should take the slightly less scenic but far less treacherous and bumpy route home
• 5:30 PM Stop at roadside of low ridge to watch the sunset and polish off the palm wine
• 7:30 PM Dinner in Cañas at seafood restaurant. Ceviche = good; sopa negra = not so good
• 9:00 PM Very nearly completely memorized Track #6
• 9:01 PM Finally stop listening to Track #6
• 9:45 PM Arrive home in Tamarindo, unload car, jump into our pool
• 10:15 PM Start playing Siete-Once-Dobles
• 10:17 PM Remove shirts and don sunglasses to increase Siete-Once-Dobles skill
• 10:33 PM Stop game after finishing five 40-ounces of Imperial between six thirsty, road-worn men
• 10:40 PM Remove sunglasses and don shirts; head out to Babylon for drinking and dancing
• 11:00 PM Cerveza! Bailando!

January 25, 2009

• 1:00 AM Más cerveza! Más bailando! See Quote #2.
• 1:30 AM Unquotable, indescribable moment(s).
• 2:00 AM Walk home on the beach, stopping to consider stars.
• 2:30 AM Arrive at home
• 3:00 AM Bailey makes scrambled eggs with extreme difficulty cracking egg shells on plastic bowl: nearly fall asleep with face in plate of aforementioned delicious eggs
• 3:25 AM Sleep! Wow!

Driving Playlist (On Repeat: We Only Had 1 CD)

1. Led Zeppelin – Over the Hills and Far Away
2. Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
3. Us3 – Cantaloop
4. Jurassic 5 – Concrete Schoolyard
5. Arrested Development – People Everyday
6. MIA featuring Bun B and Rich Boy – Paper Planes Remix*
7. Kanye West – Homecoming
8. Vampire Weekend – Cape Code Kwassa Kwassa
9. Regina Spektor – Hotel Song
10. Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
11. Old Crow Medicine Show – Wagon Wheel
12. Modest Mouse – The Good Times Are Killing Me
13. The Who – Baba O'Riley
14. Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime
15. The Moldy Peaches – Anyone Else But You
16. Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 – I'll Be Missing You

10 Simple Rules of Siete-Once-Doble

1. Stand around table with two dice, one shared cup for beer, and beer source.
2. Roll dice, taking turns and passing counter-clockwise.
3. If one rolls a seven, eleven, or double, assign the (quarter- to half-)cup of beer to someone else
4. As soon as assigned drinker touches cup to start drinking, roller tries to roll another seven, eleven, or double.
5. If the dice settle with one of the combinations before the drinker puts down the empty cup, the roller refills the cup: return to Step #4 with same drinker and roller.
6. If the drinker puts down the empty cup before one of the combinations is rolled, the roller refills the cup and the dice are passed to the next player.
7. At any time before the drinker touches the cup, any player can steal the cup from the drinker and become the drinker. The same rules apply to the new drinker for finishing the beer before a siete-once-doble roll.
8. If the roller touches the dice before the drinker touches the cup, the roller must finish the cup and the dice proceed to the next player.
9. Do not wear a shirt (optional).
10. Wear sunglasses (not optional).

Food I Have Eaten

• Casado de bistek
• Casado de pescado
• Casado con chuleta
• Gallo pinto con huevos
• Gallo pinto con queso
• Gallo pinto con bistek
• Tostada
• Pizza Selvatura (chicken, olives, anchovies, and eggplant)
• Every fruit
• Every fruit, in juice form

Quotes from the Weekend

• "I'm just playing with my equipment." "Somebody's got to do it."
• "You can dance near me, but you can't dance with me."
• "It's cold today: I'm glad I wore a shirt."
• "Her name is Beretta and she's m-----f---ing crazy."*
• Yeah, I think I should stop sharing these…

Wow, yeah, that was quite the weekend.

* At the point on the drive home at which we'd already listened to the whole CD numerous times, we decided to memorize the lyrics to the Paper Planes Remix. Queue repeat. I'd say we did pretty amazing but we did mess up a few lines. For example, apparently it's not that "you need more than a helicopter to stop us" but rather "a million cops." Who knew? Additionally, if you undertake such a task, the hand motions on the chorus are absolutely vital.