The sock is Lichen Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks. I followed the pattern as written but went up to size 3 needles for a more man-sized fit. The yarn is Regia 6 ply in "Crazy Midnight." I do not have enough of this yarn to make the second pair because I was stupid and thought that one skein was enough to make a pair of man-sized. Booo! Does anyone out there have this yarn in this colorway? I don't even need a full skein, just half, just half!

Veronica sent me this Japanese knitting book as part of her Freebie Friday. See!

I have my eyes on the sweater pictured on the right, without the wrist-warmers. It's an intriguing capelet/sweater hybrid, and I likes it. I'm thinking of using Rowan's new Tapestry, but first I need to figure out what the yarn and gauge specifications are for this sweater. Are there any Japanese readers out there who could help me out?

And has anyone had a chance to use Tapestry? If so, what are your thoughts?

***

We just had Cultural Weekend this past weekend. On Cultural Weekend you visit museums, visit national parks, visit pueblos, eat new cuisine, and burn to a flaky crisp! This weekend there was not a single cloud in the sky, and the sun was all ARRRRR! and my skin was all SSSSSsizzle!

We drove to nearby Bandelier National Monument on Saturday.

Cliff-dwelling Indians used to live here, all high up in the rocks. We were able to shimmy up a series of ladders, up 140 feet, to see where and how these people lived. I didn't really shimmy up though, because that implies speediness. It was scary, even though these national park-sanctioned ladders were made of sturdy logs/branches and tied/nailed securely against the rocks and I dared not to look down.

Back in the day they probably made ladders out of twigs and twine and just propped them casually against the wall, and went up and down on them all day long carrying boiling water and elk horns and other sharp objects. Is it any wonder that they're extinct.*

One thing is for sure, if I were them I would not have survived long. I would not have been able to climb the ladders fast enough to escape the grasp of a hungry cougar, and I would not have climbed down the ladders fast enough to escape any errant fires running rampant from the kivas. I would be doomed.

* Heh I kid around. I speak callously and ignorantly only to express my own irrational fears of climbing ladders. Along a sheer rock cliff. On a windy day.

The views in Bandelier were really spectacular, and even though I was a big chicken when it came to climbing the ladders, it was definitely a really cool hands-on experience. And did I mention the views were amazing?

So imagine my confusion and anger when back at the visitor center, I read these consecutive entries in the park guestbook:

"We paid $12 to get in, and were charged another $1 for the guide. Robbery?"

and underneath that

"Not worth $12."

WOW! WTF? What were these people expecting, a laser light show? Mr. Toad's Wild Ride? Bon Jovi?

The following are most definitely not worth $12:

1. Renaissance fairs
2. an evening showing of Hope Floats
3. any John Tesh CD

all which these hags have probably paid for.

And by the way, the entrance fee was per car, not per person. Whoever wrote those entries were older women (flowery, cursive handwriting as proof), were probably friends, probably came in the same SUV, probably with their husbands, so really they paid $3 each.

So nonsensical. I mean this is nature! Beautiful, soaring cathedral cliffs millions of years in the making, ancient carvings and dwellings you were actually allowed to climb into, the great outdoors! Trails were clearly marked, facilities were clean, guidebooks were informative!

And there was this squirrel that looked like a baby werewolf, all chubby and black with a white underbelly and tufted ears and claws and the bushiest whitest tail you've ever seen! I'd pay another $12 just to see that squirrel again!

Duck wrote his own entry underneath theirs. He called them idiots. No he called them idiots. Out loud, under his breath, he called them much worse.

Anyway. Don't listen to those old bats. Bandelier rocks, and is 120% worth it.

On Sunday we visited the Pecos Pueblo. I have no pictures to post of that visit because I am too anxious to talk about this instead:

Hello, I am Sopaipilla! Eat me! I am delicious!
Taken at Guadalupe Cafe.
We've been here twice already and so far it's my favorite place.

I was wondering why at each New Mexican restaurant we've been to, every table had a squeeze bottle of honey, next to the usual salt and pepper shakers. It's for the sopaipilla that comes as a side with your main dish.

SOPAIPILLA! My new best friend, if you are so inclined to eat your best friend. If you've been to any American state fairs, it is like the unassuming but delicious fried dough. If you've been to New Orleans, it is like the beignet. It is very much like the beignet actually, in that it is crispy on the outside, chewy and doughy along the edge, and hollow on the inside. However the sopaipilla is lighter, fluffier, and is eaten with generous drizzles of honey instead of confectioner's sugar. I LOVE IT! I could eat them all! And it nicely cools your palate after a spicy plate of enchiladas.

In fact, I will be eating them all again, tonight. Can't wait.

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Filed Under: Japanese knits | Socks | Travel | Santa Fe