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  • Tag: Arizona

    • one down

      Posted at 8:00 am by jasminedesirees, on December 5, 2016

      screen-shot-2016-09-12-at-6-13-44-pm

      I kind of can’t believe it, but I just finished my first semester of grad school.

      That’s actually not true, I still have one more paper to write, but all of my big projects were due on Friday so everything after that feels kind of anti-climactic.

      Here are my two big final projects if you want to check them out, one on the differing experiences of refugees and undocumented immigrants in Arizona and one on the history of racial disparity in Arizona.

      I have a few weeks off over the holidays and I’ll be going back to the Bay for most of it. I’m thinking SF for New Year’s Eve, I want to make a trip up to Bend to see my girl, and I’m hoping to sneak off to Big Sur for a few days. I’ve been dying to go camping there ever since we moved to California 5 years ago, but it just never happened.

      It might be totally freezing in December, even with the sub-zero sleeping bags we bought on the way back from Montana this summer. Our only chance will be to huddle together for warmth. I, for one, choose death (Without A Paddle? Anyone? No?).

      I’ll be working over the break too and I already have reading assignments for next semester so I know the time it’s going to fly by.

      Posted in Arizona, life, other things | 1 Comment | Tagged Arizona, ASU, cronkite, education, grad school, journalism
    • the wright house

      Posted at 8:00 am by jasminedesirees, on May 2, 2016

      For the last few weeks, the David and Gladys Wright house, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, in Phoenix has been offering free yoga classes.

      Right now the house is still a private residence (Frank Lloyd Wright’s granddaughter lives there) but they are working to turn it into a museum. The vote is in December, so they are trying to give the community as much access to the property before that, through events like this, so that people will vote to preserve it.

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      The classes are offered by different yoga studios throughout the valley and there are usually a couple hundred people there. Not only were the yoga classes free, but they also had a bunch of free stuff for people who attended, including t-shirts, tote bags and yoga mats.

      We had been arriving about half an hour before the classes started so we could go through and tour the house. I went to two different classes, the first time I took a bunch of pictures, but they were all on my Snapchat (jasminedesirees). I thought I would remember to download them the next day but I didn’t, and I lost all of them. But luckily I was able to go again and take some more pictures.

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      The first time I went through the house, they had a “docent” there to answer questions about the house and the family, and it was really interesting. The house had been slated for demolition in 2012, but the wrecking crew showed up to tear it down, and called the city to make sure they were really supposed to.

      The city stopped the demolition, put protections on the property, and arranged to have it sold at auction. It was bought by a private citizen, who still owns it today.

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      Sarah, Frank Lloyd Wright’s granddaughter, lives on the property because it’s still zoned as a private residence, so in order to have events like yoga classes or anything else, someone has to live there and invite everyone in.

      Last week was the final yoga class, but it was such a success that I’m sure they will do it again. At the end of the last class they played a Frank Lloyd Wright monologue where he discusses creativity. It was a very fitting end.

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      david and gladys wright house

      If you get the chance to go check out this amazing property, definitely do it. The house is amazing (I love the wooden ceiling inside!), and the views of Camelback and the sunset are worth it even if you don’t get to go inside. I also want to go here as soon as I have a free afternoon.

      david and gladys wright house

      Posted in Arizona, art, other things, USA | 0 Comments | Tagged architecture, Arizona, art, david and gladys wright, frank lloyd wright, yoga
    • new house

      Posted at 8:50 am by jasminedesirees, on December 15, 2015

      arizona

      We bought a house! I’m not sure why we thought buying a house the week before Christmas when we aren’t even going to be home was a great plan, but here we are.

      We got the keys last weekend (I was still in San Francisco) and started demoing right away.

      Our goal is to have all of the flooring ripped out, the carpet replaced and the entire upstairs painted by Thursday because we have to move out of our rental and have it cleaned by Friday so we can leave for San Francisco on Friday night.

      So my days recently look like this:

      1. Wake Up
      2. Work out. Only 10 days til the beach!
      3. Pack things, then realize I packed all the bowls and can’t eat breakfast
      4. Work all day
      5. Make something for supper, then head over to the new place
      6. Paint/do things for 3 hours
      7. Go home, shower, watch Homeland, go to bed

      Which is really funny because previously after working all day I thought going to the library, which is like 3 blocks from my house, was too arduous a task to even consider.

      I guess that’s why they say if you need something done, ask a busy person?

      I’m really excited about the new place, the best part by far is the front porch, pictured above.

      I plan on spending 98% of my time out there reading and drinking tea, and hoping I don’t get hit in the head by a golf ball.

      Posted in Arizona, life, other things, USA | 1 Comment | Tagged Arizona, DIY, moving, renovation
    • the grandest canyon

      Posted at 7:44 am by jasminedesirees, on March 5, 2015

      On the way home from Page we decided to take a spontaneous detour to the Grand Canyon, because that’s what you do when you’re only an hour and a half away.

      grand canyon

      DSC_6174

      It was one of those days where it looks really beautiful outside, but then as soon as you step outside the car it is freezing and you wish that you weren’t wearing shorts (every.single.time).

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      The view was gorgeous, and amazing, obviously, but it was weirdly bigger than I remember? I’ve been there a few times, but I think I’ve always visited different parts along the canyon, so this was my first time at the South rim.

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      There was a viewing tower there which was cool, it had lots of neat paintings and carvings inside, and provided a great vantage point, and a welcome respite from the icy cold wind.

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      grand canyon

      We are planning on going back to the GC over the summer with a group of friends that go every year. They spend a few hours picking up trash along the rim, and then camp overnight. It sounds really fun, and like a great way to spend some time out there and really enjoy the view.

      grand canyon

      grand canyon

      grand canyon

      So far life in Phoenix is pretty great, and I’m especially enjoying all of the interesting places that are just a few hours drive away.

      grand canyon

      grand canyon

      grand canyon

      I have a road trip to L.A. planned in a couple of weeks, and then I plan on visiting White Sands, Arches National Park and the Kartchner Caverns whenever we have a free weekend.

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      DSC_6214

      Posted in Arizona, USA | 2 Comments | Tagged Arizona, exploring, grand canyon, roadtrip, southwest, travel
    • lake powell

      Posted at 8:49 am by jasminedesirees, on February 26, 2015

      A few pics of Lake Powell from our road trip last weekend. The lake is so gorgeous, with such a unique landscape around it.

      I can’t wait to go back up in the summer when it’s too hot to wear clothes and float around on an air mattress with a twisted tea.

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      lake powell

      Posted in Arizona, USA | 0 Comments | Tagged Arizona, lake, lake powell, page, southwest, travel
    • horseshoe bend

      Posted at 8:24 am by jasminedesirees, on February 23, 2015

      While we were on our road trip up to Page last weekend, we stopped to check out Horseshoe Bend for sunset.

      horseshoe bend

      horseshoe bend

      It’s only a few miles out of town, there is just a tiny little sign but there is a parking lot so it’s easy to find.

      horseshoe bend

      horseshoe bend

      It’s about 3/4 mile from the parking lot to the edge of the cliff, not very strenuous, but there is no sign, or fencing or anything, so you are just kind of walking along and all of a sudden there is a massive drop off.

      horseshoe bend

      horseshoe bend

      There were quite a few people there when we were there, so it was easy to see where the cliff was on the walk over.

      horseshoe bend

      horseshoe bend

      I’m not afraid of heights at all, but there were a few people there that were definitely making me nervous. There was a man out on this tiny, jutting little ledge with his one year old daughter balanced on his shoulders, which was horrifying.

      horseshoe bend

      horseshoe bend

      And then there was a woman getting maternity pictures done. She must have been about 8 months along, and was wearing a long maxi dress and balancing on the very edges of the cliffs, I had to go stand somewhere else because watching her was giving me a stomach ache.

       

      DSC_6161

      The view was completely gorgeous, we were there really early because we didn’t really know what to expect, so we found a comfy spot on the edge of the rocks to hang out and people watch and wait for sunset.

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      It was basically the best Valentine’s date ever.

      horseshoe bend

      DSC_6101

      Posted in Arizona, USA | 2 Comments | Tagged Arizona, desert, horseshoe bend, page, roadtrip, southwest, sunset
    • antelope canyon

      Posted at 8:05 am by jasminedesirees, on February 16, 2015
      antelope canyon

      This last weekend we took the first of many planned roadtrips to check out our new part of the world. We drove up to Page on Friday night, and spent the next two days creeping around and exploring.

      It’s about a four hour drive, but I downloaded season one of the Serial podcast to listen to on the drive up, and the whole thing pretty much flew by.

      DSC_5885

      DSC_5890

      We were up early on Saturday, and our first stop was the Lower Antelope Canyon. I have a charming (probably) tendency to see something, or read about something, and then want to go off and do it right away, without doing a ton of (or any) research, which is usually fine, but sometimes it means we end up stranded in the Sydney airport, or spending 3 days in Mataram for no reason.

      DSC_5895

      DSC_5896

      In this case, it means we drove up to Page, and then I started reading about the Antelope Canyon, and how maybe if you are claustrophobic, you shouldn’t go in there. Errrrr. Also, it said the best time to go is March to October because that’s when the famous “light beams” are most prevalent.

      DSC_5901

      DSC_5907

      I read from a bunch of places that Lower Antelope is better, and less crowded, and also read that Ken’s Tours was the best company to go with for Lower Antelope (you have to go with a guide), so that’s what we did.

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      The tour was $28/ person, and lasted about an hour and a half. It’s only about a half mile total, so not super strenuous, but definitely wear running shoes because the stairs to get down are kind of steep, and it’s a bit narrow in places.

      DSC_5988

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      DSC_6001

      It was seriously worth the drive and the price, it was so amazingly beautiful in there. I took about 1000 pictures, I couldn’t get enough of it. Our guide was really nice, and she showed us different places to take pictures right up against the rocks to get a certain image with names like “Rocky Mountain Sunset” and “Sand Wave”.

      DSC_6021

      DSC_6027

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      Also it turned out that the best time to visit Upper Antelope is in the summer, but the best time to visit Lower Antelope is actually in the winter, so we did get to see some light beams. I told you it usually works out fine.

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      If you are going to visit, make sure to check the weather forecast (I never do) but if it rains the canyons are closed because they fill up with water quickly and it can be very dangerous.

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      Also, bring a light jacket, because it gets chilly down there. By the end of the tour I couldn’t unclench my hands. And maybe don’t wear shorts. I will never learn, apparently.

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      At the end of the tour, you climb out of a little slot in the rock (watch your head) and when you turn around and look behind you, you almost can’t even tell there is anything there, it just looks like rocks and desert.

      DSC_6075

      antelope canyon

      Posted in Arizona, exploring, USA | 7 Comments | Tagged antelope canyon, Arizona, exploring, Lower Antelope, page, road trip, serial, slot canyons, southwest, travel
    • very superstitious

      Posted at 8:40 am by jasminedesirees, on February 2, 2015

      Last Sunday we took a much needed break from unpacking and trying to get our lives organized to actually go outside and enjoy life for a few hours.

      We went over to check out the Superstition Mountains at Lost Dutchman State Park, about a 40 minute drive east of Phoenix.

      We did the Treasure Loop Trail, about 2 miles in total, so not very ambitious, but there are a bunch of different trails, so we’re definitely going to go back and check out as many of the other ones as we can in the next few months.

      Apparently come June Arizona turns into a terrifying hell-scape of venomous rattlesnakes and 120 F temperatures.

      So not exactly peak hiking conditions, you might say.

      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains
      superstition mountains

      Posted in Arizona, exploring, USA | 0 Comments | Tagged Arizona, fitness, hiking, Lost Dutchman State Park, superstition mountains
    • moving day

      Posted at 8:24 am by jasminedesirees, on December 22, 2014

      As I already mentioned in this post, we are moving to Arizona! Today actually, errrr.

      D will be finishing his degree at ASU, and is starting in January, so he flew out last week and found us a place to live near the university. Also, it has a pool, which is amazing. I was so spoiled to be able to go swimming almost every day when we were in Indonesia and I loved it, plus I’m starting to train for the Honolulu Triathlon again, so it’ll be super handy.

      I’m applying for jobs in Phoenix, and I’m also applying to ASU for the fall to finish my Master’s degree. I started in Hawaii a few years ago, and was accepted to SFSU to continue when we got to California, but apparently San Francisco is a pretty crowded city and it can take a really long time to get to the other side, even if Google maps says it’s only 5 miles. Who knew? (Anyone who has ever spent 10 minute here, probably).

      So I’m pretty excited for that, but mostly I’m excited to move to a new city and have a whole new place to explore. Arizona is so beautiful and sunny, and there are so many outdoor activities and hikes within driving distance, so that’s what I’m most looking forward to, especially the Grand Canyon, the Kartchner Caverns and the Supersition Mountains.

      I’m also excited to be away from the crazy traffic of the Bay. I love San Francisco, and will definitely be coming back to visit often, but working in the city and living in the East Bay means spending a lot of hours commuting, and I can absolutely think of better ways to spend my time.

      So now I just need to find some friends in Phoenix (if you know anyone who is looking). So far my plan has been to creep around for the first few weeks wearing only my Canada shirt/ other GWN paraphernalia, I always meet other expats that way, without fail, whether I’m in a grocery store in the tiniest town in California or riding a mid-island bus to Wahiawa.

      canada

      Posted in Arizona, USA | 1 Comment | Tagged Arizona, ASU, Canada, grand canyon, moving, Phoenix
    • camelback

      Posted at 8:43 pm by jasminedesirees, on May 21, 2014

      Just a few shots of the time we climbed Camelback in a rainstorm.

      Since we weren’t planning on spending a lot of time in Phoenix, I really didn’t have anything planned, and had no idea what we were going to do with our three full days in Arizona.

      DSC_0903
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      DSC_0921

      I asked friends for suggestions, and one of them told me to hike Camelback, so we decided to try it out, bright and early on Saturday morning. It was kind of cold out, and a little grey, but I figured that was just because it was so early, and we set off.

      The hike itself was fun, a bit steep in parts, but the view was beautiful.

      DSC_0925
      DSC_0923

      Unfortunately, the higher we climbed, the worse the weather got. It was super windy at the top, and as we were shinnying across a very narrow bit of rock with sharp drops on either side I was pretty sure we weren’t going to make it. Right when we got to the top it started pouring and made the rocks slippery and even more treacherous.

      Also, nobody was going down the way we came up, and we knew there was more than one way to climb the mountain so we decided to follow another group down.

      DSC_0920
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      We didn’t realize until we were half way down that it was taking us to the opposite side, and we didn’t feel like climbing back up and over again, so we ended up continuing down that way, and then walking three more miles around the base to get back to our car.

      We did get to see some diamond back rattle snakes on our slog back to the car though, so it wasn’t all bad.

      DSC_0907
      DSC_0915

      Posted in Arizona, exploring, travel | 1 Comment | Tagged Arizona, camelback, hiking, Phoenix, travel
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