Kitty Deschanel | Food, Wine, and Travel Adventures Across the USA

We're back from our WOW Air vacation and we had a great time. Going to Iceland and Copenhagen in a single trip was a perfect combination because the two are such opposites - rugged nature and the big city. (To us Albuquerque folks, Copenhagen seems huge!) Quiet, friendly locals and hundreds of miles of solitude make Iceland an introvert's paradise. My husband and I have traveled the world, looking out over the Blue Mountains in Australia and hiking the Vallée de Mai in Seychelles, but Iceland tops our list of favorite travel destinations. With iceberg-covered beaches, cartoonish horses that jaunt happily toward you, and steam-filled valleys bathed in mist, it's unlike anywhere else in the world. Here are a few (you know, just 40 or so) Iceland photos to inspire your own dream vacation. Iceland November  21-25 I was only planning to share photos here, but have a quick story that's too funny not to share. Watch out for the horse...

Springtime in Albuquerque means only one thing. Miserable, butt-kicking allergies. Wait...it isn't even spring yet. Darn you, Albuquerque. We should dig up all the juniper and institute a state-wide ban against it. I'm too stuffed up and groggy to post anything new today. Here is an allergy post from seven years ago. It's awful every single year. You know, the allergies...not my blog post. Oh geez, I just realized my allergy post was originally published in May. Does that mean I have at least 3 more months of suffering? Blech. Funny Boss Quote of the Day My boss called me from her home and pointed out that it sounded like I was losing my voice. She proceeded to have me continue talking to her for the next half hour, concerned about my voice the entire time while simultaneously talking about nothing. She also gave me this little gem of allergy advice: "Take that ricotta candy from Switzerland, with the bee pollen, and it will cure your allergies." Her teena...

Blogger may have murdered yesterday's California blog post (I've been stewing and steaming with rage mulling it over ever since and it can't be user error, as Blogger automatically saves. This very post has been auto-saved twice already), but the Snowy Plover must be shared with the world, even if that means re-blogging the exact same content again and again. You will never get me down, Blogger! Just in case though, methinks I'd better back up my blog ASAP. Blogger = Google = All Knowing and All Powerful. We visited Surf Beach near Vandenberg AFB and the highlight was watching the near-endangered ("threatened", per the endangered species list) Snowy Plover frolic along the shore. Watch their teensie legs! If we moved to California, we could go to the beach to watch the Snowy Plovers all the time. We could even help protect them! Don't you want to save the Snowy Plover, Sexy Nerd?

I've been so tired lately. The last time I got a good night's sleep was...let's see...3 weeks ago? 4? I finally, finally scheduled an appointment to have a sleep study done. Hopefully, it will shed some light on my lifelong (yes, even as a baby) sleep troubles. Exhausted at work yesterday, helpful coworkers pointed out, "You look SO tired!" (I'd actually thought I looked pretty good.) Sexy Nerd was out of town on a business trip, so I decided to get to bed nice and early. No internet or TV, a comfy, cool room, despite the scorching heat wave we've been experiencing here in Albuquerque, and twice my usual sleeping pill dosage (don't freak out - I usually break the pills in half) meant I had a good chance of catching up on some desperately needed sleep. Or so I thought. Our dogs have a nightly routine which you must never  ever vary from, lest you destroy their little dog worlds. Even though I was getting to bed a bit earlier than usual, (like, an ...

Alternate Title: Invite Us Back, Dairy MAX (Pretty Please?) Last week, I was invited as a blogger to a fabulous 9 course dinner at the Casa Rondena Winery  in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, courtesy of Dairy MAX. The menu was created by Chef Caitlin from Cooking with Caitlin, featuring foods made with dairy that can still be enjoyed by people with lactose intolerance .  Homemade blue corn blinis, chile rellenos, lavender honey ice cream - everything sounded good that I couldn't help savoring what I was eating while simultaneously counting down to the next item on the menu. Lucky me, right? Well, fearing unknown and social situations, I nearly chickened out at the last minute. Sexy Nerd was no help. On the drive over, he suggested we skip the 9 course dinner and go to Texas Roadhouse instead! He's cute, but he's an enabler. Casa Rondena Winery Me at the beginning of the evening - a socially awkward, super nervous bundle of anxiety. Can you see it on my face? ...