Casa de Chimayo

A few weeks ago, I headed up north. It was just for the day. To CSV Hospital. We were doing some "Career Connecting" activities. Trying to improve the health of our state. It was a nice change of pace for me. Something that I needed.

While in the glorious capital city, we hit our familiar road block. Where to eat? This happens all the time. I really need to become pals, with some of our pals to the north. Like usual we headed to Pascual's for breakfast. I can never get tired of this "hole in the wall."

For lunch, we usually head up to Tomacita's. Honestly, it's one of our favorites! Just a little local place. That used to serve up some delicious treats. I say USED TO, very sadly. The last few times we've been there, it has been pretty horrible. I don't know if it was sold recently. Or if the quality has just changed. I tell you, I need to become friends with some locals. They always have the inside scoop.

On a chance outing, Dr. M and I, ran into Casa de Chimayo. Hello! Did we just walk into mi tia's casita? It was so cozy. Cute. And delish!!! One of my new favorite places. If I hadn't been a rush, to get home, I probably would have had dinner there too. No lie!

The food tasted like something my family would cook. At home. The pure red chili. The incredible enchiladas. The frijoles. Holy frijoles! Just like home!!! The way I LOVED this comida, it's a good thing I don't live nearby. I'd be 100lbs heavier! In fact, I should probably go run 10 miles right now. ;)

But for reals, I need to find an amigo or 2, up north. I have a feeling, that I'm going to be working more and more, in our beautiful capital. And I really need to expand my stops in the capital. For the most part, I hang out, in and around the plaza. I'll stop by the outlets from time to time. And maybe, I'll look around the mall. I'm just not too familiar with this town.

I'm definitely not lying about this! I still go to that same Wendy's, that as a cheerleader, we would stop at before and after games. Same goes for the McD's, that we'd have breakfast at, when I was in Student Government. And let's just be honest, until recently, every trip to the capital, included a trip to Tomacita's. Locals, let me know where I should be stopping.

♥Besitos

Green Chili

One of the joys about living where I do...is the fresh roasted green chili. It makes this heat all worth it! Hands down, it's the best. OMG! And it's all I could smell as I ran into the hospital today.

I think I'm going to have to go buy some. More like, I know I'm going to have to go buy a sack or 2. :) Yum! I know I must sound crazy. But nothing beats it.

I enjoy everything about chili season. It doesn't help that the Ranch where I work, they also grow chili. It's all I can think of right now. And the song "Tantita Pena." Which isn't good. Because I need to work. I know that my patients would feel better if I could concentrate on them. But I can't help thinking about a fresh tortilla with some green chili. :) ♥Besitos

Yum!

This my friends, is one of my favorite "Mom and Pop," "hole in the wall" restaurants that I love! Doesn't hurt that I grew up less than 5 minutes away. Heck, it's about a 2 minute drive from my parent's house.



Just looking at this picture makes me hungry. For a tortilla burger. Or chicharrones. Even huevos rancheros. And I don't like breakfast. But this breakfast is amazing!



Just look at that plate! It makes me so hungry. Yes, I like to go eat there. After a yummy breakfast, you can walk across the street and spend a few hours at the Cultural Center. Which I love too! There may or may not be some pictures of me and my family there too... :)

But this is definitely one of my favorite places to eat. It just screams home to me. Probably because I have so many great memories of the place. I love going with my parents. And with my friends. We like to eat outside. We tend to be a little loud when we get together. Then we'd head down the road to a local music shop. Or head out to play gigs. Heck, I remember a handful of times my friends and I would go to the Zoo after a yummy breakfast.

And if you don't believe me, the place is always packed! During the week, business men come in, wearing their suits and ties. And a bib! You gotta make sure you don't get the chili on your work clothes. On Saturday mornings, the line is out the door. No lie! Those are probably the only mornings I get up early. Just to go have a chicharron and bean burrito. ♥Besitos

Last Day

Today was the last day of our Church Fiestas. Is it OK to say that I was disappointed? Over the last few years, it's been hit or miss if I come. I just have had so much work at the hospital. It's tough to get away. But this year, I really wanted to be here.

First the food wasn't all that great. It was much better last year. The fact that I needed a fork and knife to cut through my sopapilla, that was a bad sign. After all, it was drenched in chili and beans. And they ran out of so much early today. Like hamburgers, burritos, and snow cones. How does that happen?

The King and Queen...along with their Court, don't work half as hard as we had to. Do you know that I had to raise over $10,000 to be the Queen? We worked hard. For months and months! This year, they wrote a letter. Yes, a letter! And the committee picked the best one.

Then this afternoon it poured. In the middle of my dinner. Rain was coming in buckets! And there was a horrible band playing. We all had to pile up under the tents, water dripping everywhere. And listening to this band. It was so bad!

What happened to Red Wine? Or any of the good music? Because they were not here. Yes, last night, The Garrapatas played. And we're not even going to get into that. Maybe another day. But the music was amazing! I even got a free CD. I didn't steal it. One of the musicians gave it to me. With a little extra note inside... But today, the entertainment was horrible!

I guess I was just disappointed in the entire thing. We did enjoy ourselves. But you can see where lots of traditions are falling to the wayside. Oh, and our good friends didn't make it either. That was one of the main reasons I came home. I just hope they are OK.

In the end, it was a 50-50 deal. But I'm glad I got to come. I spent time with my parents. I saw family, that I haven't seen in forever! And I got to see some good friends. Oh, and my Mom and I won all but 1 of our Silent Auctions. So I guess I can't complain too much! ♥Besitos

Church Parade and Fiestas

Today, my parents and my aunt and uncle were in our Church Fiesta Parade. Something I did for a while. Because I was the Fiesta Queen. And for about 5 years, I had to be in the parade. Always a lot of fun. But now, my parents are in it. Because they have an old car. And they like to go to various parades and Car Shows.

Then we went to the Fiestas. The whole reason I came home this weekend. So much fun! I still wasn't feeling 100%. But I wanted a Fiesta Burger. Still haven't met a better burger than the ones from our fiestas. My Mom and I also bet on a few things in the Silent Auction. They are so many gorgeous things!

And we listened to lots of great music! Oh, we also shared a burrito. And some popcorn. Which was so yummy! So many friends were there. And we had a great time! Did I mention the music? Ya, it was really good.

But the highlight of my day, was seeing my 2 uncles. One of which, is not doing so well. And he was really excited to see my Dad. So that was good. Then my other uncle (who lost his wife, my Auntie, in March) was so happy to just be out of the house. We really enjoyed just talking.

So tomorrow, we have mass out in the Fiesta grounds. Then another day of the fiestas. I'm pretty excited! The weather has been holding out. So far! But it's supposed to rain tomorrow. ♥Besitos

Zumba

I get tons of questions about how I get into shape for my shows. To be 100% honest, it's constant up keep of my body. I cheered in high school. And I was used to working out for 8 hours a day. Hard workouts. Cardio, weight lifting, running, our routines, gymnastics, etc. It was tough. But we did it 7 days a week, for 11 1/2 months a year!

Then when I graduated, I started running. I've run at least 1 mile a day since. But lots of time, I run between 2-5 miles a day. Just depending on the day and weather. I don't run often on the treadmill. I'm not that coordinated. And I like to do a variety of workout DVDs. Mostly dancing.

Also, for my degree program, I have to go to the gym. I have a trainer. And I workout with him at least 5 days a week. For 90-120 minutes a session. Sometimes that can get boring. So I tend to spice it with various classes at the gym.

I like Pilates, yoga, and I've even taken some cardio pole dancing classes. So much fun! But my favorite thing to do is Zumba. I found this video on YouTube. It's a lot easier of a routine than I'm used to. My instructor is a lot like my high school cheerleading coach. And you leave there drenched in sweat.

My 3 biggest tips are to find something you enjoy doing, take your friends, and don't forget about what you're eating. I like to run. And I also like Zumba. About 6 weeks before big shows, I call up the girls, and we all take daily Zumba classes together. Nothing like laughing about the silly routines you're doing. And it makes the time go by so quickly.

But the biggest thing is, watch what you eat. I like to eat. A lot! But before a show, I change my diet a lot. I make myself eat 6-8 small meals a day. I pay extra attention to what I'm eating. And I make sure to limit my salt and sugar.

And you have to be consistent. If you're trying to lose weight, remember you didn't gain it over night. It's going to take a while to lose it. If you're trying to get into better shape, you need to just be consistent with your routines. You can't workout one week, and forget about it the next. Just find something you enjoy, and have fun! ♥Besitos