Ranch Market!!

If you don't live in Arizona... Im sorry. You see you will never be able to experience they wonders of Ranch Market!!!

What is it??? What is it you ask....

is it a ranch? is it a market? or is it Mexican food heaven?

Yes!! Its Mexican food Heaven and i have fallen in love with it... maybe a little more than a gringo should.


At the restaurant i work at the cooks are always bringing in different things to cook with. See they often prepare a family style meal that all of the back of the house employees share after the bulk of the shift is behind them. And becasue they are all Mexican, well not quite one is from Puerto Rico and one New Mexico, but close enough..., they are always bringing in ingredients suitable for cooking Mexican food.

The thing is, is that they are not run off the mill ingredients, we are talking about things that you would only find in Mexico.

Tamarind, jamica, cactus leaves, masa, hand made tortillas, dried peppers of every variety, queso fresca, marinated meat in a bag, tomitios, plantains, banana leaves, Banana water, guava and many many more...

Every time they brought something new in i would ask them where they found it. The answer was always the same. RANCH MARKET.

I had to go. I had to visit this mystical Mexican oasis were the air smelled of Churros, the water tasted of banana, the floors were paved with tortilla and everyone spoke... well... Spanish. So i asked they guys where ranch market was, whether or not they would speak english and then inquired about what to expect. I was ready to go.

That night i came home from work, anticipating the following days adventure . I told Shea of the plan, and although not as excited about the trip as i was, she gladly agreed to using part of our rare day off together to shop for some south of the boarder deliciousness.

I insisted we bring the Camera. She laughed at me but obliged. I wish i had gotten more pictures but after taking only two pictures a security guard came over and told me i couldn't take any more photos (a little racial profiling if you ask me!!) Here are they two that i did get.



The first is of the outside of the store, The second is the first thing that you see when you walk in. Mexican pastries, and lots of them.

What you dont get to see are all the different specialized departments.
They have a ton of different "stations"...

-water (a bunch of different flavored waters that they make fresh everyday.)
- Food court (just think any kind of mexican food you could want... they have it)
- bakery (some of the most beautiful cakes and pastries i have ever seen in a store)
-Dairy (cheese, yougourts, milks....)
-tortillas (they make their own, both corn and flour, we picked some up that were in packages and they were still warm!)
-Candy (mostly things i have never seen before)
-Fresh fish (if you want to by carp this is the place
-Meat (so much meat! so may diffirent kinds)
-Produce (fresh and cheap)

It was Mexican food Heaven.

I know i'm forgetting a bunch, but all joking aside, we really felt like we were in a Mexican market. It was so cool. Shea and i had so much fun looking around thinking about the possibilities for food. and it was so cheap! We got a ton of food, enough to probably feed 20 people dinner and spent less than $50.

I told the guys at work how much i loved it and now they have taken to making fun of me... but i dont care i loved it.

I'm looking forward to going back to have lunch in the food court and maybe to try a few more of the flavored waters they had.

If you live in the area, and you like food, go! its a must... even if you are a gringo.

I'm not smart. Not even a little.

So we have been living without an oven for the last year and a half.

As a matter of fact I have never been able to use our oven because it's been broken since I moved in. This for me presents a slight problem because I love to bake.

When I first found out it was broken I was bummed but soon turned my baking passion into a candy making, doughnut making, breakfast making, anything made on the stove top making frenzy. You see, although the oven was out of commission the stove top was working great. Well, at least three of the four burners.

This frenzy soon waned to the occasional omelet, or maybe even a pancake here and there but for me did not hold the same excitement that i get from pulling a fresh baked loaf of bread from the oven, and the anticipation of waiting to cut into it to see if the crumb is exactly as i had wanted or if the crust would be beautifully brown and chewy like the perfection only artisan bakers can achieve...

....and even though i had made some new confections on the stove top i was still left with a broken oven; no smell of freshly baked bread, and not even the possibility of the perfect crumb.

We have talked about getting a new oven, but with the expense, and that fact that 95% of our meals are eaten at restaurants (at work or otherwise) we just never made it a priority.

One day off about 3 months ago i had a "man moment;" i decided i was going to fix the oven!!

I looked things up online, i pulled the oven out from the counter, shut off the power to the kitchen, unscrewed things, jiggled wires, tapped on things that i had no clue of what they were, looked over the wiring diagram (it might as well have been written in Japanese) on the back side of the oven, screwed things back in, and finally after and hour of MANLY oven fixing i had...

...a broken oven.

So for the last three months its been sitting, broken, taunting me.

When Shea and I went to RI to visit my family i got a chance to bake a few things. It felt good to feel the smoothness of the dough as i kneaded it, benched it and smelled it as it baked. The passion was still there. I needed an oven!!

So today i got on Craig's List to look for an oven that would not break the bank, but that would bake the bread. As i looked i came across this one.

This one looks a lot like the one we have only as i looked i saw that ours had more nobs than the one in the picture... Ours had a nob that said "off" "bake" "broil" "clean" which needs to be turned on in addition to the thermostat in order for the oven to work...

So i tried it... and guess what... It works.

Clearly, I'm not smart, Not even a little.

Save a life, or three.

The other day I did something i have never done before... save a life.

Well truth be to told im not sure if i did actually save a life, probably not, but there is a good chance i helped someone in need.

I gave blood.

The other day was driving Shea to work and we drove by the United Blood services building in Scottsdale. I started thinking about how easy it would be to do, and wondering 'why have i never given blood before?'

It as a question i couldn't answer... Its not like im opposed, or afraid to do it, i just never really thought about the importance of it. I never thought about the fact that people might need my blood...

I asked Shea if she had ever done it. She had, but not in a long time. We talked about if for a bit and decied that we would do it the next day. And we did.

Here are some photo's to prove it!!



See that's me out front. And then there is me right before i got light headed and almost passed out... but it was ok, i didn't.


Below is my arm with a much lager needle than i had expected sticking in it. And thats Shea giving blood with me.




All in all it was a good experience. They say that you can save up to three people with one pint of blood. Now that's amazing.




If you've never done it. Give it a shot...

save a life, or three.

A better place to by your groceries.

It's not very often that you get excited about a grocery store. Ok, fine. So i might get excited about them more than most but still not all that much.

We have a Bashas (some of you might not know what this is but its your typical neighborhood grocery store) literally less than 400 steps from our front door. We go there when ever we need to pick up food or drink, but I have never really liked it. Its just kinda tired, and doesn't have the nicer things that I like to eat and cook with. (i.e. Freshly baked breads, a nice selection of imported cheeses or a good selection of meats and fish.)

But because its extremely close to home we go there almost exclusively.

Not anymore...

Today I was out picking up the dry cleaning and decided to stop at Fry's (another brand of Neighborhood grocery stores) to pick up a few things.

I didn't remember until I walked in that they have been undergoing a renovation since January- the place looks and feels amazing.

Its bright, all the shelves are full and perfectly organized, and it has an amazing selection of food, wine and beer.

But more importantly to me was the number, quality, and hospitality of the staff. They were everywhere and they were all busy doing something; smiling, laughing and willing to answer whatever question you might have. They brought so much energy to the store that it actually made me feel good just walking around looking at what they had to offer.

It was a grocery shopping experience.

As it turns out, their grand Reopening is tomorrow and everyone in the store was getting ready for that, but if it continues to have that energy and friendliness every time I walk through the doors they will definitely be getting my business, even if it is a little further away.

And now I'm looking forward to my next grocery shopping "experience."

Flat Tire on the way to Fat tire.

So some people rent cars so they can get around while they are waiting for there cars to get fixed, so you might think it safe to assume that you should not have any car trouble when you rent one... Yeah, not so much...

So to let you know the context...

Shea and i went into Denver to eat at a few restaurants on our two days off last week, (i know i say that like its just something we do, you know, on occasion when we get the time and even though i would like to think it is, its not. Well maybe it is...but just a little. It just happened to be something that we did on a whim, kinda, anyway... we went to denver) and as it turns out it turned into a Colorado Restaurant/Brewery tour. And even though we had less than two days there we, as we always seem to do, fit so much into our short trip.

We had lunch at the new Houston's (which was actually the primary reason for going out there) and at the not so new J'alaxanders. Walked around Cherry creek. Explored som shops. Drank amazing beer at the second largest brewery in Golden, which turns out its about the size of our condo, (this is the town where Coors is brewed which is obviously huge). Had dinner at the Cherry Creek grill. Rubbed shoulders with the folks in the concierges lounge at the JW Marriot. Had breakfast a Panara. Visited and art gallary Played with some random starngers dog on the street. Ate at the rock bottom brewery. Visited New Belgium brewery (Home of Fat Tire) and yes... Got a flat tire on the way...

So on our second day we decided to go two Fort Collins, which is where New Belgium is, about an hour north of where we were sataying for a quick tour and a tasting of the Home of fat tire. The timing was important becasue we wanted to hit up the new houstons for dinner before heading to the airport for our 9pm flight back to Phoenix (the last flight back that evening) So we left a little earlier than need be.

About 30min into our trip, while we were singing along to the music, we heard a lound hissing sound. It scared us both but about ten seconds later after nothing had happened and we were still in one peice we figured it was coming from somthing other than our rented Car. 10 seconds after that althought still not feeling anything different about the way the car was driving we were feeling a bit uneasy and dicided to full over and look over the car to mak sure everything was ok.

It wasn't.

Our front right tire was almost compleetly flat, and what air was left was not staying around long.

After pulling off the road and putting on the ever trustie Doughnut we were back on the road. We brought the tire to Discount and it turned out to be unrepariable defect in the tire!!! In othere words... we were driving at 50 miles an hour for the rest of our trip.

Even though we got a Flat tire on the way to Fat tire we still had an amazing time and gained a new respect for what the folks at new belgium do at there brewery. If you ever get the chance, go.

Because we had a flat tire, and in the spirit of new belgium we decided to bike ride home...


















Just Kidding, it would have been a long ride.

Orange in the Air

On my drive home every night i pass by on orange tree grove. At this time of year you can smell the Orange blossoms. Every night i am surprised by how amazing they smell is, and how strong the sent is.

I love it. It is one of those smells that i know, for the rest of my life, will bring me back to this time, driving home late night after a long day on the 202 between Val Vista and Greenfield...

An unfinished Story... Sorry

So i wrote this months ago with the intention of blogging it, but half way though writing it, i got sidetracked (i know, i know... me sidetracked, hard to believe but its true) and never finished it. So i apologize in advance... but i have not been inspired to finish it and to be honest, as the story starts, the details have once again slipped away into my unconscious.... so anyway, its been sitting saved on my desktop for a while not getting finished, so i thought it better off being blogged unfinished then never blogged at all. and if you disagree... sorry.

here it is.

~~~~I had to write it down, you know, before it became that thing that I remember happening that one time, but then could’t remember all the details… so here, ill give it my best shot before it slips away into my unconscious once again…


I don’t remember feeling like the three men on the corner were much out of the ordinary smoking there cigarettes, at least one had just lit up a Marlboro light, the kind my father smoked when I was a kid (ill never forget that sweet tobacco smell that only his cigarettes carried) I guess I just figured they were all taking a break, relaxing and blowing off steam. Sure it was a little colder than the average Tuscon evening, and the rain was out of the ordinary but like for most in Arizona, the rain was a change of pace and brought out the smell of wet dirt and dust that could only be savored a few times a year in this part of the country. So, as I waited for the white light of the walk sign to reflect off the wet pavement I nodded a hello, keeping my hands deep in my pockets and turned away. No cars passed as I waited, the night was still except for the chatter of the three behind me, and the sound of the rain pattering in the streets.

I did not notice him behind me until I had come to the next corner, but when I turned and looked towards him, I could see the group of three in the distance was now only two, so I could only assume he was their third member heading home for the evening. It was odd, the thing he said to me, it was simple enough, yet still sent chills down my spine.

“It always starts out warm, but turns cold before he dies”

For whatever reason ‘Blood’ is what popped into my mind, and as I turned, not quite startled but not exactly feeling comfortable I said, “Excuse me?”

“The rain… It always starts out warm, but before the storm is over it always turns cold. Your not from around here are you?” he added.

“humm… no I’m not…” I responded, thinking that it had been cold when it started raining, and was still cold now. I kept walking, trying to figure out how I was going to keep from having awkward conversation with a drunk, meth addict or possibly just lonely sole in the middle of the night in a place I was not exactly familiar with. But as I walked he said nothing. I turned left at the next street. I hoped and thought that he might have gone in another direction but as a passed a closed store front I could see his reflection only a few steps behind my own. This was the first time I felt scared. It was not so much that he was still behind me, or that he was so close. It was that I could not hear his footsteps behind my own.~~~~~


yup. Thats as far as i got. I told you. sorry. If you have not gathered, it was a dream i had one night that stuck with me for a few days. It was vivid, i remembered feeling the rain, being cold, the smells, glare of light off the wet pavement... everything. I don't usually remember my dreams very well so it stuck out.

I know i did not finish it, and truly now i dont remember everything, but if your curios as to what happened in the rest of the dream here is the basic, not detailed ending. its kinda disturbing.

---the guy that was following me, continued to follow me and when i went into a nearby apartment complex to get away he attacked me as i was going up a flight of stairs. He was using a big knife, which i took from him after he stabbed me once in the Back and I killed him with it. (i know very symbolic of something im sure, i just dont know what) I called the police after it was over and they came and took me to jail and then to a trial. at the trial i was let free.

So thats it... i know, an odd post, but at least its something.

H o p e . . .

So we have a new President.... and if you ask me that's pretty cool. I'm really excited about it, more excited than I would have thought...

The other day Shea and I even got up early (8am... i know, i know, you don't think that is early but when your average bed time is between 2am-3am it is!!!) to go to an inauguration party. One of our good friends cooked breakfast and we just sat and watched CNN and felt like we were part of history.

And I guess we all are. Its good to see America excited about America. I'm excited.

Its Flying Men.... no really, flying...

Hey all I know, it been a long time... Im really not very good at this blogging consistency thing... but i thought this video was amazing and maybe you think it is too. Of course you have to watch it to find out. So watch it. :-)


wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.