On Leaving my Job...

                       

Bravery has been a recurring theme for me this year. The word was bestowed upon me in Costa Rica by my Intuitive Painting instructor and it has really resonated with my experiences thus far. I recently exercised my bravery when I resigned from my job. I have been contemplating this for a while now and never felt quite ready.

I knew I wanted to move on but feared what would happen. Work has been my security for years. Wine has been a passion of mine for years and it turned into numbers and conversions. The art was still there, but buried under sales goals and science. I surprised myself the first time I spoke to a client about chemical reactions in wine. I laughed at myself when I practiced saying the technical names of chemical compounds so I wouldn't mess up in a meeting. And then, all of a sudden, it became second nature and I found myself playing with wine. It was fun, messy and rewarding. I'm going to miss that the most. The magic enchanted me.

But, my soul has been urging me to move on. I'm not quite sure where I am headed, but I am not worried, my hope is strong. I know that travel is on the horizon and that is when I am at my best. I am going away for a month to sort some of this out and just relax. It's surprising how much space a job takes up in the brain. It will be strange at first to taste a wine without thinking about it technically. Most important, I will have time to travel to places I crave and stay home and solidify the life I have been creating. This scares and excites me at the same time. I am ready to venture into the unknown.

Farewell magical, technical and tasty wine industry. Thank you for expanding my brain farther than I thought possible.

In Catania: At Least the Food was Good

                                 

                                 

I travelled to Sicily with 2 dear friends before a work conference. We stayed in Catania and planned on walking around, sipping cappuccinos and eating delicious seafood. We were able to do all of these things, but not in the way we expected...

At the arrival gate, we searched for our names on the signs being held up by drivers. I had spent some time communicating with the hotel about our arrival and they assured me that a driver would be there to pick us up. I didn't see our names or the hotel's name on any of the several signs. We looped 3 times with no luck. However, the hotel did send me detailed directions for taking the bus just in case I needed them. So, we hopped on the bus and arrived a bit later only to be told by the front desk, that our driver was looking for us at the airport. We laughed an exhausted laugh and checked into our room to figure out dinner for the evening.

Catania is located on the Southeastern portion of Sicily and is a port town where seafood is abundant. We were told to go to a certain restaurant near the center of town for "amazing seafood". I think all of us were too tired to try to translate the Italian menu, so we had the waiter pick for us and soon we had Prosecco, oysters and bread in front of us. The more I ate the heavier my eyelids became and it was apparent we were not going to last much longer. But we wanted to toast our first night in Sicily together and found a wine bar and ordered Campari spritzers to commemorate our journey. Soon after the clinks of the glasses and a short cab ride, we were all asleep.

The next morning, the clouds had found a comfortable spot right above Catania and we decided to venture into the city for some shopping and lunch. Shopping was limited but we did find an amazing place to eat lunch. The sun started peaking through and we found patio seating and ordered arancinis. Arancini is a large fried ball of various flavors of risotto. They are delicious. We ordered 3 different flavors--eggplant, pistachio and spinach. All wonderful and savory. 

After lunch, we walked around the city and found that it is full of graffiti and litter. I was planning on taking pictures of history and found my camera roll full of graffiti instead. There were a few times when we felt like we needed to get out of an area quickly only to find ourselves in a likewise situation. It was adventurous and we were happy to hop on a bus back to the hotel.

That night, we decided to eat dinner near the ocean away from the city and hopefully redeem the day, especially since we were headed to work the next day. There was a lovely section near the ocean with a few restaurants and we found a table inside overlooking the water. Pizzas and wine were ordered as we watched the lights twinkle on the water. Our food was delicious and the wine paired perfectly. We laughed about our adventurous day and offered appreciation to each other for our ability to travel well together.

Smiling While Catching the Wind

There is a place in the middle of the sunburned desert of New Mexico where white gypsum dunes stretch out for miles. I have wanted to visit White Sands ever since I started working in New Mexico and finally had the time to visit this week. I didn't expect to find myself full of awe since I have lived near the ocean for most of my life. Sand in my shoes is a common occurrence. But, this place fed my gypsy soul as I found myself at the top of a dune filled with wonder.

My original plan was to visit after working one day, but a huge dust storm closed roads and left me planted near the hotel. The next day, the winds were not expected to pick up until mid morning, so I made my way there before work. It wasn't a very long drive, but the scenery was stark, with high, jagged sandstone mountains and a vast ruddy desert. When I arrived the contrast of the white sands against the burnt sienna desert was striking.

The dunes are bright bleached white and seem limitless. There are high dunes and lower ones that look like rolling hills. People were sledding down the steeper dunes. If it wasn't so warm, it could have been mistaken for snow. Yuccas and other desert foliage hang on to life against the strong, dry winds. The strong winds added an element of exhilaration as I ran up and down the dunes; I wished I had a sled. As I was driving through, the most appropriate songs played on my iTunes. Songs I have long forgotten, but seemed to have waited for this visit to replay. Each song mentioned the wind or the sun and I smiled at the serendipity.

This memory will remind me of how beauty remains after a storm. During the dust storm, visibility was low, everything was covered in sand and dirty. Roads were closed and it felt like the waiting would never end. The morning brought clarity and proved that the storm was temporary and the desert still hung onto its mysterious beauty. I read that the dunes have moved, naturally, from the high winds and storms. Storms in our lives move us and most times, we aren't in the same place after we have braved them. I'd like to think this is a sign of progressively moving forward towards the next great thing or the spot we belong in. My hope is that during the next storm I face, I can remember this day and know that there is something beautiful waiting to be discovered.

The rest of my day continued more upbeat because of my short adventure. Minor setbacks like a client being late and a plane change due to maintenance couldn't keep me from smiling. I was so happy that I was able to see something so beautiful after a day covered in dust. As I was sitting on the plane, the flight attendant placed a folded up napkin on the chair next to me. He asked me to read it and walked away. What he wrote in the napkin shocked and encouraged me at the same time. It was a lovely end to my day and reminded me that genuine people and random acts of kindness still exist.

My White Sands Playlist (I encourage you to click on each link and watch the videos, they're epically hippie)
Dust in the Wind-Kansas
Catch the Wind-Donovan
Poems, Prayers and Promises-John Denver
Blowing in the Wind-Peter, Paul and Mary

Best Laid Plans

I had plans to take the month of November off. I was going to head to Costa Rica for a month to explore, relax, write and try my best to speak Spanish. My plan excited me and has been something I have wanted to do for quite some time. Last year, I planned on going to Costa Rica but then my dear friend invited me to Bali. The trip was amazing and it felt great to be unplugged in warm tropical air. Every day was filled with writing, yoga, long walks and intense cultural experiences. Although it wasn't my original plan, I think it was exactly what I needed at that time.

This year, instead of laying on a hammock I am working and travelling for work quite a bit. I have 5 flights scheduled, a budget presentation and goals to be met. I am not looking forward to any of this and find myself wondering why my best laid plans didn't come to fruition. Costa Rica seems to always be just right out of my reach and I wonder why. I can't help but think about running late to work or a party and then find out if I was on time, I would have been involved in an accident on the road. There are all kinds of stories of near misses and possibly my plans fell apart yet again to keep me out of harm's way.

Then I think about being present and that there is a reason that I am here now...not because of a near miss. Being present is definitely a skill and with all the scheduling, goals, travel plans and relationships in life, there is a tendency towards distraction.

Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook fame said something that really caught my attention in her TEDtalk; she states: "Don't leave before you leave". Such a simple statement with a huge requirement. This can be applied to all facets of life. When I am with someone, I don't want my mind wandering to my to-do list or pending schedules. I want connection and to be present. Perhaps this is a tall order, but I think it is something worth striving for.

I'll admit, I haven't followed the above advice much this year. My mind has been all over the world and I am realizing that I need to practice being present...maybe that is why I am not in Costa Rica this month. I am sure I will know the reason in due time, but until then, I am going to try harder at being present and enjoying what is in front of me.

Unlikely Return

I left Seattle almost 5 years ago and never thought I would return. I quit my job, fell in love and moved all the way up the Western seaboard to begin a new life. We didn't work, we lived off our savings, explored the Pacific Northwest and attempted a relationship. It sounded like a really good idea, romantic really, but I was not prepared for it all. Seattle's sun hid after a month and the relationship's foundation wasn't very solid. The snow fell, hearts were broken, I sold everything that didn't fit into my car and left the Emerald City in tears. There was no way I ever wanted to return.

This past week, duty called and I found myself driving into the city with a colleague to work for a couple days. The sun was shining brightly, it was warm and unexpectedly I was okay. I was actually worried about returning, but as the day progressed, I became happy to be in Seattle. All of my good memories returned and I felt complete gratitude that I was able to live there and explore for a while. I reflected on how blessed I was to have a city as my playground and realized that I had created a very good sense of place there.

I guess that is what letting go/evolving feels like--joy and gratitude even when faced with bad memories. Now when I speak of Seattle, I need to replace my doomsday "snow and gloom" stories with the memory of love and exploration. I no longer need to refer to that move as my worst mistake, but as an amazing opportunity to be daring and carefree.

Mendoza: Day 1

I made it to Mendoza!!! The flight from Santiago to Mendoza is quick, but one of the most memorable flights I have had. The view is breathtaking...we were so close to the mountain tops. The decent was a bit bumpy, but I am thrilled that I don't have to get on another plane for a week.

Pretty fantastic view

 Upon arrival, we were transported to our hotel with 30 minutes to unload our things and go on our scheduled winery tour. We were all so tired but somehow found the gumption to complete 4+ hours of touring wineries and an olive oil producer.

Mendoza wine country

 Today was a bit hazy and this picture does not do the view justice...the Andes are spectacular.

Crazy traffic with a Yerba Mate to keep calm

In Argentina, Yerba Mate is a drink that is sipped on all day. Since we haven't had time to stop at a cafe, I was pleased to see that our driver had time to have his cup. This was an insane traffic jam that we somehow got through...maybe the Mate kept him calm???

Lovely old cellar

Today was a whirlwind. I thought it was Monday all day. I guess it is easy to lose track of time when you are on a tight travel schedule. I'm just happy that I am on the ground and get to explore a place I never thought I'd travel to.

Buenos Noches!

Sicilia

I had the pleasure of working in Sicily this week. My company is based in Italy, but our business is worldwide. So, this week, the International team met up at a resort in Trapani, Sicily. The team includes South Africa, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Argentina, Chile, China, Australia, New Zealand and USA. It was fun hearing many languages fill a room and meeting many wonderful people.

Sicily is a beautiful place. The people are friendly, the air is warm and breezy and the food is AMAZING! We spent time in Trapani and Marsala. The architecture mixes Roman and Greek influences and History runs quite deep there. I couldn't help but realize how very young the US is compared to this place. Time seemed to slip away and 24 hours wasn't enough to get my fill of Sicily every day. I can only imagine how much time I would need to explore the entire island.

Texas BBQ and Winery Time

 I was able to visit one winery when I was in Texas, Driftwood Winery. The wine maker invited trade show participants out to his property for wine tasting and Texas BBQ. I'd have to say, after having Texas BBQ, I don't think anything compares. They really go all out. For instance, the spread included ribs, beef brisket, pork loin and sausages...then all the side dishes. The Salt Lick catered the event. Yummy! There is no way you could be a vegetarian at this event.

Now on to the winery...

scariest sign I've ever seen at a winery!!!

The winery is set in the 'hills' near Austin. They are the 'only winery with a view'. There were 3 tour buses that picked us up at the convention center and drove us out to the winery. While on our trip, they served Texas wine. Texas is fairly new in the wine industry so, the wine was lacking a bit. I am excited to see how their industry grows and perfects their wine making practices.

We did have delightful wine upon arrival. They served their Chardonnay and Syrah. I thought the Syrah went perfect with the meal. Then one of their State Representatives spoke about winery funding in the state. Lots of applause and whistling.

They say everything is bigger in Texas. I'd say the sunset proved that. This picture does not even described the light and span of color. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Buffalora

I left Milan on Monday and headed to Trecate, where our office is located. The company decided it would be smarter for me to stay closer to the office and I stayed in the quaint town of Buffalora. This town is filled with little streets paved with bricks, small alleys, a town square and a canal, designed by Leonardo da Vinci runs under the bridges. One of my colleagues was very informative and always gave me the history of where we went. She told me that the Navigli was created to transport materials to Milan for the Duomo. Fascinating!!

My accomadations were amazing as well. I stayed in Suite Manzonni in adorable room; it was like a home away from home. I must say, this has been one of my favorite places to stay. There is a fantastic bakery right around the corner where I ate some of the most amazing foccocia and pasteries...thank goodness they aren't near my home!! I would recommend staying here to anyone travelling in Italy. However, make sure you have transportation because there isn't much around.