Pretty Muddy 2014

You may remember this post from 1.5 years ago, when Annie and I participated in the first ever mud run for women only in Chicago.  What a fun and different thing to do with a great friend on a Saturday morning.  I was most impressed that the event was so unintimidating and encouraging to women of all sizes and athletic abilities.

 

I am thrilled that the nice people of Pretty Muddy have asked me to be a part of the Team Pretty Muddy.  I want to encourage other women to get out of their comfort zone, have some fun and get fit.

 I've decided I would like to put together a team of women interested in a non-competitive 5K run/walk.  I'd like the group to encourage beginner run/walkers through the obstacles, support each other and have a whole lot of fun.  If you'd like to join my team in Chicago on August 16th, I can offer a 10% discount off registration!   Email me at codebrowndr@gmail.com if you are interested in being a part of our team.

Even better, I have one free entry to offer one of you.  Enter your name and why you are inspired to get fit in the comment section below.  I will randomly select a winner!

Santiago, Chile

 From Patagonia we flew back to spend our last few days in the warm and sunny Santiago.

Santiago is a city of more than 5 million people.  Much like big cities in the US, there is a wide variety between different parts of the city.  We did our best to explore as much as we could in the short 48 hours we were there.  I think we walked more of the city in one day than most people do their entire life!  

We had rented a condo through VRBO in the trendy Providencia neighborhood.  We were on the 20th floor of a 21 floor building.  We had a rooftop pool, 360 degree view of the city and the metro directly out our building.  The price was reasonable and I strongly recommend to this condo if anyone is headed to Santiago.

Among our favorites while in Santiago was exploring the history of the city.  Pictured here is the Palace.  We also visited the Cathedral, the Central market (a fish market), a museum and some historic spots for empanadas.

After taking in all the history, we moved on to Barrio Bellavista.  This is an artsy neighborhood by day and club area by night.  We explored the streets, had lunch, took the funicular to the top of Cerro San Cristobal to enjoy the view of the city before ending with an afternoon beer.

We also had the opportunity to have lunch with a family friend who lives in Santiago.  We met her at her home and she showed us around her neighborhood before we headed to lunch.  She ordered us some decadent appetizers and we enjoyed a lot of laughs eating in a table shaped like a boat. 
A perfect end to a perfect trip.

More Patagonia: Torres del Paine National Park

From Punta Arenas we headed on a 5 hour van ride to our next destination, Patagonia Camp.

When we started planning this trip, our goal was a trip that was in South America and had great hiking.  We went back in forth between Machu Picchu and somewhere in Patagonia. 

When I saw Patagonia Camp, the decision was easy.

We planned the entire trip around availability at Patagonia Camp and it was the best decision.

Patagonia Camp is an "all-inclusive" glamping experience.  It consist of 18 private yurts along side Lago Toro, just outside the national park.  I had requested the closest to the lake which was so beautiful and remote. 

Each day, you can choose between three different excursions the camp offers.  You are set up with a driver, an english speaking guide, a packed lunch and head out for the day.  I was impressed with the guides' flexibility and strong desire to keep everyone happy.  Jason and I arrived at the same time as 3 other couples who were not as interested in strenuous hiking.  I was worried we wouldn't get the chance to have the excurtions we had hoped for.  In fact, the opposite was true.  Two of our three days we had completely PRIVATE treks.  Just Jay and I and a guide!  The other groups were happy, as well, they went horseback riding, fishing, on wildlife hikes in addition to trekking.

Even though it was just the two of us, they still set us up a fabulous picnic between our two hikes each day.  Wine, cheese, sandwiches, soup, dessert and an entire cooler of soft drinks, beer, water. 
This is my kind of trekking.

 Don't let me fool you.  These hikes were no joke.  I could barely walk by the end of our third day.  I was panting, sweaty and sucking down the water on the way up each of the climbs.  The reward was unfathomable serenity at the summit and a great feeling of satisfaction.
I found myself trying to memorize every single moment of each day and each detail of what I was taking in!

Day One we planned the Lago Grey walk and were hoping to take a boat ride or kayak along the glaciers.  The hike was about 1.5 hours in total and flat.  It was super windy and rainy, so still somewhat treacherous.  It was so worth it to see my first iceberg.  Sadly, since the wind was so strong, the kayaking and boat trips were cancelled.  Our guide, Rod, let us pick what we would do for the second activity of the day.

We decided to hike to Salta Grande, which was a beautiful waterfall.  It was so windy, I honestly thought I might fall over the edge.  Rod had some chocolate candy for us and breakfast bars for snacks, which was a fun surprise.

The second day was insane.  We again had a private guide, by luck.  We found out later it was because no one else was as crazy as us to try one of the two "high" difficulty hikes in the park.  I don't know who I thought I was.  Mirador Ferrier was 700 meters verticle in just 2 hours of hiking.   Imagine the most steep mountain side you can.  This was worse.  But it was AMAZING and the 2 hour decent was much less stressful and allowed for taking in the view all the way down.

After a nice picnic lunch we headed to Lago Pehoe for the Condor lookout.  This was about 2 hours total.  It was not nearly as steep.  We saw condors flying and gaunacos wandering around.  From the top we had an excellent view of the perfectly still turquoise lake surrounded by mountains.

The third day was the grand finale.  The Base of Torres del Paine.  This is the main hike of "The W" that people come to the park to hike.  It is 8+ hours in total, so no nice picnic that day.  We carried sandwiches and water in our backpack.  This day we had a group of 8, the youngest a 13 year old boy from Santiago, the oldest a 70ish man from England.  They both kicked my butt.  We hiked up a steep mountainside, through a forest and then above the treeline.  Above the treeline the "path" was really a bunch of unsteady boulders on the side of a cliff.  It was an experience, that's for sure.  But I never felt unsafe.  And when we reached the top and found this, it was well worth the journey.

I should mention that the end of each day of hiking we returned to the dining area, celebrated our accomplishments with pisco sours before sitting for dinner.  We made great friends with the 3 couples who arrived the same day as we did, I hope we will stay in touch.  We also met a group of 6 Americans and 2 British people, after dinner we stayed until the bar closed each night and had one hell of a time.  I don't think Patagonia Camp had bargained on our group when the said "all inclusive."

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to experience this portion of our trip.  I have a feeling these three days will always be among the best memories of my life.

Punta Arenas and The Straits of Magellan

From Mendoza we flew through Santiago and down to Punta Arenas.

Punta Arenas is a sleepy city on The Straits of Magellan.  You get the feeling that once upon a time this was a major stop for the shipping industry and sailors alike.  Most people we met spend a night here before and after their long treks in Patagonia.  We decided to spend 3 days here, relaxing and exploring.  Two would have been plenty and after seeing Puerta Natales, I wish we had spent a night there.

 The most memorible part of this portion of our trip was visiting Isla Magdalena to see the penguin colony.  This little island is home to between 150,000 and 300,000 penguins.  We took a two hour boat trip, one way, through Comapa to get there.  We were not disappointed.  Since it was Feb, the penguin couples had already had most of their babies for the year; so there were 300,000 penguins when we visited.  The baby penguins were learning to swim and it was quite entertaining to watch.  

The penguins are fearless and walk right past you, as if you are not even there.  You watch them guard their nests, make mating calls and generally just look funny walking.  I'm so glad we took this trip!

We absolutely loved the bed and breakfast we stayed at Hotel Ilaia.

The minute you walk it you are immediatley at ease and relaxed.  The rooms are modern and spacious.  You can walk just about anywhere easily.  But the overall vibe here is hard to explain.   Sayings about happiness, travel, opening oneself to the universe can be found everywhere.  Home made chapati, avocado, fruit, and yogurt served with a smile at breakfast.  Hot tea any time of day.  And on the top of the hotel is this adorable sitting room with a great view of the city.

We spent the rest of our time here wandering.  We loved the street art which covers most buildings.  We ate out several meals and didn't really have a great one.   Most restaurants play a hilarious compilation of American music from the early 1990s.   Enjoy the pisco sours, visit the fish market and relax!

Mendoza: Where the sun, wine and meat are in perfect harmony.

We flew from Chicago to Miami to Santiago to Mendoza before arriving at our adorable boutique hotel Club Tapiz.

Club Tapiz is a converted old estate from the late 1800s with only 11 rooms.  It sits on a 22 acre vineyard.  The rooms were fine and our air conditioner was "broken" but I would still recommend it to anyone hands down.   The staff was unbelievably helpful and kind.  The common areas are so charming.  The pool, hot tub, work out facility were excellent.  Every night there is a wine tasting of Bodega Tapiz wines (LOVED the Malbec Rose) which was a fun way to meet other travelers.  The on site restaurant was excellent, and a full breakfast is included daily.  We ate dinner here one night too, Jay loved to goat, I stuck to fish both were outstanding.  And the three hotel dogs are so adorable that I was sad to leave them.  I loved the quiet location in Maipu,  a quick taxi ride into the city of Mendoza if you are looking for a night life.

Our first day we rented bikes through Bacchus bikes.  SO FUN.  They give you a comfy bike and a map of vineyards in Chacras de Coria.  They recommend times to stop by each for tours/tastings.  We followed the recommendations for a few and then went rogue to other vineyards and for some gelato.

Chacras de Coria is the cutest little neighborhood, I swear I said at least 10 times, "We could live here, right?"

We visited Bodega Carmello Patti.  Bodega Lagarde, Bodega Clos de Chacras  and Bodega Pulmary on our journey.

All except Lagarde were very small "boutique" or family run bodegas.  I adored Clos de Chacras and Jay loved Pulmary.  Both you can just tour the winery, eat lunch in the sun and just hang out and enjoy great wine.  I don't have many photos (hey we were riding bikes) but I will say we went home with a bottle from Pulmary!

Jason digging into lamb (his meal of choice in Argentina) at Clos de Chacras

The following day we had booked a driver to take us to Uco Valley, Miguel, which was an excellent decision.  Miguel speaks perfect English and is one of the most experienced and well known drivers in Mendoza.  I had my heart set on two vineyards after doing my research (Salentien and Catena Zapata).   Miguel suggested we add Pulenta and La Azul to our schedule; he was right on.  Those two were our favorite stops of all 8 vineyards we visited.  Miguel made all the reservations for us in advance, which you need in order to do a tasting or a tour.  This is a bit different than Napa Valley, but most places in Mendoza you actually need a reservation.

Tasting Room at Pulenta State.  This winery has a beautiful view of the Andes.  The people here are so creative and friendly.  The tour is excellent and if you are a car person, they have Ferrari engines and Porsche has a special bottle from Pulenta that they give you if you purchase a Porche in Argentina.  The design of the common areas is sleek and modern.  The winery is progressive with a experimental room for winemakers and scientists!  We went home with a bottle from here too.

 Cave at Salentein.  This was the most impressive winery we visited.  Excellent tour, perfect wine, beautiful wine cave and tasting rooms.  This is a big deal vineyard but worth the stop.

Don't miss this, seriously.  And since it is right up the street from La Azul, it's worth taking a trip to see the two of them.

Catena Zapata.  This was the most expensive tour and really not all that fantastic.
The view from on top of the pyramid like building is breath taking and the wine is excellent.  If you drink Catena Zapata wine in the USA, then it's fun to see the building featured on the label in person.  Otherwise, do yourself a favor and skip this one.

Lunch at Azul.  I can not describe the beauty and perfection of this place enough to do it justice.  Situated in the middle of a vineyard you will be served the most savory 5 course meal with wine pairings to boot.  A view of the snow capped Andes mountains from your table and the owner of the vineyard as your waiter.  He is, by the way, not stingy with his pours.  After the meal you can taste wine straight from the barrel with him.  Seriously.

For our dinners we ate at 1884, Club Tapiz and Florentino Bistro  All of which were good, our meal at Club Tapiz was the best but the al fresco dining at 1884 is tough to beat.

So to recap.

Best large vineyard: Salentein 

Best medium vineyard: Polenta

Best boutique vineyard: Clos de Chacras or Pulmary
Best lunch and overall experience:  La Azul

Two Weeks in South America

 We just returned from a spectacular two week journey to South America.

Our journey was really complied of three very different adventures which we put together after endless hours on Trip Adviser, Fodors, Lonely Planet and of course blog searching.

I loved reading other people's blogs about where they stayed and what they did.

Over the next few days, I'll do the same for our travels.

First Stop: Mendoza, Argentina

 Second (much longer) Stop:  Patagonia region, Chile.  

Punta Arenas and Torres del Paine National Park

Final Stop:  Santiago, Chile

If you think you ever might want to visit these places, come back this week for details of what we loved.

Kohler Weekend

This weekend Annie and I squeezed in a quick trip to Kohler, Wisconsin for a spa getaway.

When I say "quick," I mean it.  We were there for less than 24 hours, but we left feeling 100 percent revived and relaxed. 

*photo from Kohler Water Spa

Annie drove up from Chicago and met me in Milwaukee.  45 minutes of fast past talking and venting later and we arrived at The Kohler Spa in The Carriage House.  Still on turbo speed, we walked in and people were talking into a lovely space where people were talking in soft voices and guests wandering around in bathrobes.  Exhale.

*photo from Kohler Water Spa

We were escorted downstairs to the Kohler Water Spa.  People were lounging around on chairs reading, drinking tea.  Soaking one of many pools, hot tubs, steam rooms.  This place was perfect.

We quickly changed and started with our TWO HOURS of planned services.
We had choosen the citrus revivor, which was an experience like no other.  Laying on a heated, water bed like massage table, being scrubbed from head to toe with citrus body scrub all while under a crazy Vichy water spray hydrotherapy.  A-MAZE-ING.
Then onto a 50 minute massage in a quiet room complete with a fireplace.

Dinner at Blackwolf Run

After the spa we checked into our room at The Inn at Woodlake.  The frozen lake had an ice rink and curling.  People were snowshoeing and cross country skiing.  The Kohler resort has so many fantastic restaurants and you can take shuttle anywhere in the resort.  We felt like a casual dinner so we headed over to Blackwolf Run.  Delicious and loved the northwoods ambiance.

After dinner we took the shuttle back to the American Club and explored.  This place is packed with history.  Every place you turn is a new treasure.
An old library now bar, a greenhouse now turned coffee/sweets shop and a number of "jacket required" dining options.  We wandered around and found a room tucked in a corner of the second floor.  The lights were off, but we turned them on and discovered THIS.

Sunday morning we enjoyed the most difficult yoga class I've ever been to at Yoga on the Lake before packing up and heading home.   Next time we will make time for the museum, the fitness complex and maybe some golf!

Yoga on The Lake

Twenty four hours well spent. 

The majority of December was particularly rough for me.  

I haven't felt like blogging or really even talking to many people.

Work has been frustrating me on many levels and left me doing some serious soul searching.

The best part of my day has been the moment I walk in the door from work and get one big and understanding hug.  Jason's support carried me through 3 weeks of stomach churning anxiety.  I am eternally grateful for his sense of humor lightening my life.

The year ended on a brighter side with a week of wonderful family time over Christmas and ringing in the New Year with life-long friends. Things are looking up!

 

Then, during our Mad Men marathon on New Years Day, a quote slapped me in the face. 
Don Draper asked his cardiothoracic surgeon friend about the responsibility of his job.
"It's both an honor and a privilege to be trusted with such a responsibility."

And that it is.