And...I'm Back!

Hey hey! It's been a while. (Yikes, more than a year.) Sadly, there doesn't look to be another amazing road trip in my near future, but I'm officially back to blogging and looking forward to posting about the everyday things that make my world go 'round -- design, art, architecture, fashion, food and travel. As you can see, I've changed my blog name to "Materialista" to reflect this more general direction.

Check back for updates on NYC life, as well as special trip reports from around the world!

Goodbye! But Only for Now...

Thanks, you guys, for following along and reading my blog all these weeks!! It definitely got lonely on the road sometimes so all the feedback was comforting and much appreciated.

Now that the trip is over, I guess I'm officially done blogging. But I'll be keeping this URL to post (less regularly) on the things that interest me more generally. The name might change, but the URL will stay the same. So I hope you'll come back to visit!

Thanks again and see you soon!!

Best Travel Companion

No further comment needed.

Best Overall Day: Marfa

Marfa was absolutely once-in-a-lifetime. The art at the Chinati and Judd Foundations was amazing, but what made our one day in town even more special is that we got to chat with locals and have several pretty pleasing meals (dinner at Maiya's, above). All in all it was a satisfying and unforgettable day.

Best Hotel Breakfast: Holiday Inn Express, Carlsbad

I don't know about you, but I really like to chow down for breakfast. I need my starch (bagels, toast, cereal, oatmeal) as well as protein (eggs, sausage), and I need salty things as well as sweet. Surprise! We got all of this and more in the FREE breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express in Carlsbad, NM.

Kaii hypothesizes that there is a free hot breakfast war going on among the mid-size chain hotels -- like, who can draw in the most customers with the promise of the most amazing hot breakfast ever?? If so, HIE would be just one step ahead. Their signature cinnamon roll may not have smelled great as a lotion, but it sure tasted good.

Best Hotel Decor: Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental, Austin

The Intercontinental in Austin wins the hotel decor award on account of its sophisticated -- and consistent -- stylings. From the lone star emblazoned on everything from the wallpaper to the carpets, to the cowhide & leather armchairs, everything was extravagantly Texan, but not in a vulgar way. Extra points for the fancy curtain valance over the shower.


First runner-up: Holiday Inn Express, Cortez, CO. Again, I was impressed by how this hotel took a decor theme -- in this case, the American Indian/Southwestern theme -- and maxed it out. Kokopelli (the dancing flute player) and other petroglyph figures appeared everywhere from the room number plates to the bathroom mirror.


Second runner-up: Hampton Inn, Savannah, GA. Kudos to this mid-range hotel chain for such an elegant outpost in the heart of the old South! The spacious breakfast room, with its Louis XIV chairs upholstered in rose and mint, was particularly charming.

Best Natural Attraction: Carlsbad Caverns

Another really tough category here. But Carlsbad Caverns was simply out of this world.

Runner-up: Monument Valley.