New Year's Day 2022

We had a free stay at a Marriott hotel that was going to expire so we decided to spend it at Residence Inn Boulder for New Years Eve and New Years Day. 

672231395405529088_0

672231395405529088_1

672231395405529088_2

It was a nice new hotel and it was snowing when we got there.

672231395405529088_3

We walked around in the snow a while before we went to dinner.

672231395405529088_4

We made reservations at Osaka Japanese restaurant that was right next to our hotel.

672231395405529088_5

We loved everything about this place! It is Japanese tradition to eat a piping hot bowl of soba noodle soup called Toshikoshi Soba. It is supposed to melt away hardship of the past year and welcome the new journey ahead.  We all ordered this bowl.

672231395405529088_6

We also had Sakara sencha tea which has a flowery taste to it and was so delicious.

672231395405529088_7

Lloyd and I drank a bottle of sake called Ryujin. Nama zume sake has a bright citrus aroma with an elegant sweetness. It has a clean, sharp after taste. There is very limited availability, even in Japan.

672231395405529088_8

After dinner, we talked about our New Years resolutions. Carly wrote hers down:

672231395405529088_9

Connor: Workout daily, Journal daily, Play guitar daily

672231395405529088_10

Camilla: Write a cursive handwritten letter once a month, keep under 4 hours of screen time daily.

672231395405529088_11

Me: Do 20 pushups per day, quit Facebook, eat less sugar, read 25 books this year, swim 4 times a week, and journal daily.

672231395405529088_12

On New Years day, we woke to over 8 inches of snow and decided to go sledding.

672231395405529088_13

It was so refreshing to see snow.

672231395405529088_14

It was only 7 degrees out so we didn’t last long but we had a lot of fun.

672231395405529088_15

672231395405529088_16

After sledding, we got some Starbucks to warm us up and headed back to the hotel for some hot tub time.

672231395405529088_17

Lloyd made reservations for Meow Wolf for the afternoon.

672231395405529088_18

Where did the name Meow Wolf come from? At the very first meeting of the collective in 2008, everyone present put two words into a hat. They then picked two random words out of the hat and got “Meow Wolf” and thus, this whole wild experiment was born!

672231395405529088_19

Meow Wolf is an arts and entertainment company based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

672231395405529088_20

They create immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration.

672231395405529088_21

672231395405529088_22

672231395405529088_23

672231395405529088_24

672231395405529088_25

672231395405529088_26

672231395405529088_27

672231395405529088_28

I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful Meow Wolf is.  The artwork, creativity, and structures were amazing!  I especially loved The Perplexiplex room.  The Perplexiplex becomes a surreal arboretum that you can discover and explore over the course of four scenes.

672231395405529088_29

We didn’t go far from home for New Years, but we had a lot of fun spending special time as a family and hoping for a great 2022.

672231395405529088_30

Sledding on Scott Carpenter Park in Boulder:

Walking through Meow Wolf in Denver:

Location: Boulder, CO, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isle of Palms, Charleston, SC March 17-23, 2025

Image
3/17/25 We arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, late in the evening on St. Patrick's Day. It was too dark to see much of the resort or beach, but that didn’t stop Camilla and me from exploring. Wandering along the shoreline, we were surprised by how many seashells we discovered in the moonlit sand. The rhythmic sound of the waves and the crisp night air made for a peaceful introduction to our stay. As we continued our impromptu tour, we stumbled upon the resort’s fitness center, a sparkling pool, and a rooftop bar offering glimpses of the ocean under the starry sky. Even in the dim light, we could tell this was one of the nicest resorts we had ever visited. Wild Dunes Resort is a premier oceanfront destination located on the northern tip of Isle of Palms, South Carolina. This expansive 1,600-acre retreat offers guests a blend of luxury accommodations, diverse recreational activities, and easy access to the pristine beaches of the Atlantic Ocean.  Wild Dunes Resort was alrea...
Read more

Lathrop State Park July 3-6, 2025

Image
Camping at Lathrop State Park: Beauty, Chaos, and Unexpected Moments Tucked at the base of the stunning Spanish Peaks and just three miles west of the nearly abandoned town of Walsenburg lies  Lathrop State Park , Colorado’s very first state park, established in 1962. Don’t let Walsenburg’s boarded-up buildings fool you—the park itself is a hidden gem. With two serene lakes (Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake) and 1,600 acres of space, it’s the kind of place that surprises you in the best way. I managed to snag a reservation at one of the park’s 103 campsites five months in advance, and it paid off. Our site was super private, giving us plenty of room to spread out. We brought three tents, but thanks to Arlo (our enthusiastic and overly curious dog), the biggest one now has two holes. A metal crate is definitely coming with us next time. Day One: Barking in the Bathroom The first night, I went for a solo walk with Arlo under a sky so dark I could only see by headlamp. Of course, I had ...
Read more

6/1/25 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

Image
Rediscovering San Francisco: A Journey After Two Decades It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 years since I last set foot in California and nearly 20 years since I’ve been to San Francisco. Seeing this city now, at this stage in my life, is a completely different experience than it was two decades ago. Back then, I thought of San Francisco as simply cold, windy, and crowded, with cool clubs lighting up the nights. Today, I find myself appreciating so much more — the stunning architecture, the vibrant wildlife, the incredible diversity of people, the amazing food choices, and the breathtaking landscapes that surround the city. After landing, Marion kindly picked us up from the airport, and we headed straight for lunch at Pacific Catch. Known as a West Coast Fish House, Pacific Catch impressed me with its commitment to sustainably sourced seafood and Pacific Rim–inspired dishes — fresh, flavorful, and perfectly satisfying. Thursday night took a lively turn at Jaxson, where we dove into some...
Read more