Day 2.26: Santa Fe Day 1

We got up in time to get breakfast, which is now no longer always complimentary at the Hyatt Place but had been included with our rate when we booked it. It was quite impressive, featuring seasoned scrambled eggs, multicolor potatoes, very tasty make-it-yourself waffles, greek yogurt, and more. We chatted with a couple visiting from outside of Denver who had come in just to try all the chiles we were so desperate to avoid!

We came upstairs and worked a bit before heading to the gym for twenty minutes on the treadmill. Arielle even managed to do a few laps in the pool before we hurriedly showered and then left miraculously on time to head to The New Baking Company. We met Joy, the education director from Temple Beth Shalom, and a number of board and community members for a great lunch. Arielle loved the Mexican hot chocolate and got blue corn pancakes with piñon (aka pine nuts) and Abe got a vegan bowl, hold the chiles of course. Arielle enjoyed getting the third degree from everyone and was excited that she was able to answer their questions.

We got gas right by the hotel and went back to our room to keep working and preparing for the weekend. Later, we left to drive to Temple Beth Shalom, which was only about 15 minutes away, and enjoyed a wonderful service led by the musical director because the rabbi and cantorial soloists were sick. Arielle lit candles with Joy, and we were both called up as February and March birthdays to get a special birthday pen, which was a nice tradition we hadn’t ever seen before. Arielle got up to talk and did a spectacular job regaling the community with an introduction to how she got into the work she does and the relationships she had with her grandparents, the first part of her role as scholar-in-residence for the weekend. We stayed for the oneg, which was quite lavish, with vegetables and fruits and cheeses and drinks. Many people wanted to talk to Arielle, including Rick, who Arielle had met at the Chevra Kadisha conference and who lives in Santa Fe. We closed up the joint and even took a few snacks home with us, of course. We made a quick stop on the way home to pick up a few items and relaxed at the hotel before going to sleep.

Approximate number of miles covered: 15