I got lucky—my parents will be in Taipei during our visit. Christmas this year will be spent with a confusing but exciting mix of my parents, Roy’s brother, and our Taiwanese sister-in-law. Naturally, I made a PowerPoint.

Below are a few slides from said deck, complete with family-specific inside jokes that will mean nothing to anyone except my mother (hello mommy)

In the throes of the green card process, we cannot leave the country. But you truly don’t have to because New Mexico feels like another fucking planet. We had a magical, serene, wonderful little vacation and if I can shout into the vortex, it will be to encourage anyone to replicate this trip.

The basics!

There is no good flight path from anywhere. It was as expensive and inconvenient as a trip to Europe. Whatever. Do it anyways. There are enough pictures of that Hilary Duff fountain in Rome.

New Mexico was a gut buster. We struggled to find menu items that didn’t feel like a blowout. There’s so much deliciousness to be had but the portions are huge and it was hard not to feel physically overwhelmed. Bring tums.

Time of year: we went in April and it was perfect. Ski season was over (not bothered), so no crowds and it wasn’t hot and it was just so perfect.

DAY 1: Arrive hungry

Arrive HUNGRY to Albuquerquee, head straight to the indian pueblo cultural center for lunch and a look. Skip the kool-aid pickles. Get the prime rib fry bread dip. Yum.

Have a wander around the museum and acquaint yourself with Pueblo culture. Leave with a new appreciation of New Mexico that will grow exponentially. Not to be a twat, but acquaint oneself with Pueblo culture, the people, the land will make everything else on this trip hit a little deeper. Plus we gotta walk off that fry bread.

Check in to the Hotel Zazz. It’s modest but adorable. We told the front desk we were celebrating our first anniversary and ten minutes after we checked in, there was a knock on our door. They brought us chocolates and a hand-written congratulations card. Swoon. We took a quick little dip in the pool before heading out for adventure in Old Town.

We came for the rattlesnake museum. I also bought some sage -scented soaps that perfumed my suitcase for the rest of the trip, adding a dreamy touch to every stop. We had a late afternoon white wine in the square then went back to the hotel for a costume change.

Hotel Zazz has an incredible on-site cocktail bar. I had a coconut milk clarified punch with tequila that I still think about.

For dinner, we drove 20 minutes across the Rio Grande, to a James Beard–nominated Oaxacan spot: La Guelaguetza (816 Old Coors Dr. SW).

• Decor: dentist waiting room

• Service: caring but criminal. Everyone was so nice in there, but the food took 90 minutes and the chairs sucked. Roy threatened to bounce twice.

• Food: best meal of the trip. We ordered the specialty: pizza birria—basically a giant $22 quesadilla topped with guac, sour cream, cilantro, and a side of beefy jus.

It was transcendent.

Okay! Day 2! We’re going to space. Drive to White Sands 3.25 hours.

We left at 8 AM and got the first pastries at Ihatov: green cheddar croissant and a sourdough cinnamon roll. We laughed out loud when we bit in. They were so ridiculously good. The music was bopping and the views on the way out of town were unthinkable– huge blue sky and expanses. Vacation activated.

Got a coffee in Truth or Consequences because I love oddities. It was a pretty normal town, surprisingly.

We stopped in Hatch, New Mexico, the sacred home of the chile that brought us to New Mexico. We grabbed veggie enchiladas at a forgettable Mexican spot, then hit up one of the roadside shops for Hatch chile merch. I’m going to say it: Hatch chilies are my favorite vegetable.

White Sands was mind blowing! It felt like outer space with miles of white sand for the eyes to see. We did the Dune Life Nature Trail, a 1.1-mile loop and the Interdune Boardwalk, which is 0.4 miles. Short show, but it was HOT and the sand was like hiking on powdered sugar.

The White Sands National Park has one of the best gift shops. Roy didn’t let me buy the Pendleton White Sands blanket, but he probably won’t notice it folded on the edge of our bed later. We love you, Roy!

Another 1.5 hours in the car. We listened to Case 63 with Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac which made the drive fly by. The story is surreal and futuristic, which paired perfectly with the stark, otherworldly landscape. It was truly a perfect match for the scenery, which— meet me in the next paragraph.

The views were shocking. I can hardly muster a description beyond ‘stunning’. I don’t have the verbal tools. Vast expanses of jaw-dropping flats, rocky mountains covered in succulents and sage bushes. I was totally flabbergasted. I had a frame of reference from previous trips to the American Southwest but watching my husband’s little English mind explode over and over again was one of the trip’s treasures.

Arrived in El Paso at a spendy hotel right in town. Walked down the street for a big, spendy Texas ribeye at Weso. Turned the A/C way down, put on the hotel robe, and fell asleep watching Adult Swim commercials.

If I had more time, I’d hit up the Luchesse outlet to meet my buddy Juan in person. Shout out to Juan, who sells me outlet boots over Facebook.

If I had more energy, I’d have made Roy take me line dancing.

Day three! Guadalupe National Park and a really fun night in Carlsbad.

Hit the road early. The best part of hiking is getting on with it and getting over it. Starbucks egg bites and backpack jerky sufficed after that piggy dinner I ate. Piggy.

2 hours of more gorgeous scenery and audio delight to Guadalupe National Park.

Originally, we wanted to do the El Capitan trail, but a lazy morning, a sneaky time zone change, and a very serious Park Ranger warned against a late start so we pivoted. I’ve seen too much true crime to disobey the ranger.

We did the 4 mile Devil’s Hall trail instead. It was SO GOOD. Rocks are sweet, dude.

Finish it.

40 minutes and some Case 63 plot twists later, we arrived in Carlsbad. This hotel was in a beautiful, historic bank.

We wandered over to this brewery, where an Irish gentleman was reading out loud as part of some adult story hour. We got to chatting with the owner, who works during the day as a geologist. (Rocks are sweet, dude!)

Down the street, Yellow Brix had an incredible hatch chili fettuccine. After the hike, the socializing, and the heavy feed, we slept hard.

Day 4: Caverns, aliens, 5.5 hour drive. Carlsbad to Taos

2 hour drive to Roswell for the ALIEN MUSEUM. I won’t deign to review it here and color your experience. Suffice to say it is unmissable. Get a taco salad in town and swing by the UFO Wal-Mart if you need provisions.

Back on the road for the longest haul of the trip—Roswell to Taos. This was hands-down the most dramatic, scenic drive we had.

Desert flats became rivers, creeks, and mountains. The colors changed with the elevation. The sky did some true New Mexico magic. I may have overpacked this trip itinerary in hindsight, but the drives themselves were part of the experience. With a great podcast playing, it felt like what I’m now officially calling Drive-By Cinema™. (Aubrey, hush)

Taos is gorgeous. Julia Roberts has a house here.

We got upgraded to the Southwest Villa at HACIENDA DEL SOL and cried a little watching a beautiful sunset. We went to the grocery store for some wine, and pick up a sesame-crusted pizza at Pizza Out Back.* We lit fire, did some laundry and watched a scary movie for the best night of the trip.

In the morning, we got straight into the hotel hot tub with a coffee before its in-house breakfast service and cried a little more for the sunrise.

*Note: clearly by this time I am in vacation mode, but I swear this was the best pizza of my year. We were living in Brooklyn. It was so nutty and wonderful and crunchy.

Ojo Caliente! Day 5 is lush

Start the day with a shop in town. Given it’s an anniversary, we got some grown up art to commemorate the trip from a real gallery. We also got some grown up gummies for later.

Taos Pueblo was unfortunately closed, but I’d have loved to see it. We breezed through the Earthship Biotecture. It was cool! A little stinky.

We had a goooood long marvel at the Gorge.

We got some veggie sammies on the way to Ojo Caliente.

Ojo Caliente. Holy shit.
Yummy. Sexy. Meow.
This place.

We started with massages to shake off five days of road trip tightness. The scrub included blue corn and prickly pear, which felt both sacred and brunchy and totally of its place.

From there, it was a full surrender to the pools.

Each spring is fortified with different minerals, offering various supposed healing benefits. The best was the iron pool, which is 103 degrees and carbonated. Thrumming bubbies.

This was a heavenly day. We spent all day in the pools. We only got out for white wine and truffle fries at the hotel restaurant. We got straight back in and stargazed from the hot springs. Yum yum yum.

Day 6: Stay until Ojo Caliente kicks you out. On to Santa Fe.

Aubrey wakes up and goes to the 9 AM mindful morning yoga and has never felt more relaxed

We hit up Joseph’s Mine Trail. The trailhead was on the resort. It was 5 beautiful, flat miles of juniper bushes, succulents, then like— a cave made of sparkling pink granite.

It was like a quartzy dance room. Total magic.

We had a goodbye dip in the hot springs before driving to Santa Fe.

We got the Kachina Suite. It had a private garden and a gooood bath tub because there’s no such thing as too much soaking.

Hit the town!!!

Georgia O’Keefe museum. Roy bought an incredible suede embroidered jacket. I almost bought these but the husband/suitcase wouldn’t allow.

We went for dinner at Geronimo from coworker suggestion. It was splurgy and nice but not…well… I’d save it for tomorrow at Sazon and do something low-key in town instead.

Another day in Santa Fe.

But you’re at a culinary hotel! There’s a tasting menu breakfast. We fully went for it even though we had a lunch reservation. We spaced it out plenty.

We went back to the room to bathe (again) and read in bed. And then—it started snowing. Out of nowhere. A full, delicate snowfall through the window on what had been a normal spring day. Just one more little miracle in a trip full of them.

We rolled into our reservation at Plants of the Southwest. an open barn structure in the back of a native-plant nursery with a set menu lunch. It was so fresh and wonderful– we could watch them make it while we sat. The juice was incredible.

We had an afternoon at Meow Wolf, an alternative art gallery with over 70 rooms of immersive installations. It’s surreal, chaotic, and designed to make you feel like a curious little kid in a dimension built by eccentric geniuses. NEat.

Straight into a rooftop happy hour in town before Sazon.

The mole sampler was divine. The black bean soup was the best of my life. It is really a celebration of New Mexico. Truly a perfect place. I’d go back over and over again.

Last day in Santa Fe

Hotel breakfast. Swoon.

One last soak. Book in at Ten thousand waves spa for a day pass.

We booked a private hour and a half in a soaking tub for $75 for 90 minutes. There was the hot tub, a cold plunge, a giant sauna, and a shower and changing area in a private little terrace. It felt like Japan.

We ate some skewers and drank tea at the izakaya restaurant.

We hit Canyon Road in town for the last bit of shopping and sightseeing, then stopped in at the Rosewood Hotel for a happy hour.

I can’t remember what we had for dinner, which means we should have tried to go back to Sazon.

Last day. Head to ABQ for some last magic.

BALLOON RIDE. Albuquerque is famous for its hot air balloon culture—some locals even commute to work this way (and sometimes land a mile off if the wind gets sassy). Drifting above the desert in that big patchwork bubble was surreal and serene. And slightly voyeuristic—you get an unexpectedly intimate view of people’s backyards and patio furniture. I loved it.

We had our last lunch at Los Poblanos because Martha Stewart likes it there. We walked through the lavender farms before we headed to the airport.

And that’s the trip. A week of otherworldly landscapes, green chile on everything, starry soaks, joyful weirdness, and slow, dreamy drives.

If you’re thinking about New Mexico: go.
If you’re not thinking about New Mexico: start.

I had some laughs, I had some emotional breakthroughs, and I had some indigestion. This post is all about the creature comforts that did or could have helped me deal. While there is a lot of internet about how to prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically for ayahuasca, I haven’t seen a packing list that speaks to the creature comforts one brings for such a journey. Behold my contribution.

Before you get excited: you will NOT find any of my spiritual takeaways in the aftermath of the experiment. That is far too personal BUT I will give you this:

• There is pleasure, joy, and beauty in every single moment and situation as long as you allow for it

• Nothing is more important than play and laughter

• Though my form is human, I am spiritually cat. Meow.

Okay. Ayahuasca is, well, it’s jungle juice!

Sorry. Really, it’s an ancient medicine that’s been connecting people to God, Nature, and Purpose for generations. Ayahuasca can help us explore our hidden selves and let go of long-held emotional burdens. It’s an opportunity for deep spiritual and energetic growth, healing and insight. That’s enough out of you, chatGPT.

Actually, one more automated warning: Ayahuasca is a powerful and potentially life-changing experience, and it should be approached with respect and caution.

I learned this the hard way when, as a younger lady, I traded $100 for a dose of ayahuasca in a hut on a grass mat. There was no electricity or running water. To those familiar with the gastrointestinal side effects of ayahuasca, you can be sure this was a problem. Ah, youth. I got very little value out of the single night. The dose was off and I really only got a few measly minutes of hallucinating a wavy candle flame.

I wasn’t exactly jonesing to try it again, but I’d follow my best friend through the gates of hell and she was keen. I’m glad I joined because it turned out to be pretty formative for me, and the best girls’ trip we’ve ever done.

We went for a five night retreat at Soltara. T’was fantastic. We did yoga, sat beachside, and basically alternated between sweatpants and sarongs all day until the evening ceremonies began. The staff was loving, and shepharded us through big emotions and urgent vomit episodes. The food, abusively healthy and free of salt or pork, was wonderful. The retreat cohort was sublime. 15 people came together and loved and supported each other from day one. That itself was worth the price of admission.

The Before

The internet is right about this: you have to be in a good state of mind for your retreat. The “dieta” recommended by Soltara is an extremely exhaustive list of can’ts in the run-up. They exclude alcohol, drugs, most supplements, pork/adult activities, and even salt. Lame. There really was no getting around it, but a few things that helped were:

1. Copious amounts of Olipop soda (cherry vanilla preferred)

2. Elderly seasons of real housewives

3. A weird but very specific hobby (stay tuned for details)

4. Frozen cauliflower pizza

5. Sturdy cuddles

From the Soltara website: “ Remember to be gentle with yourself, and whatever you do, do it with love.” At the end of four weeks with ~80% compliance, I really did feel like I was mentally and physically prepared. But I didn’t take it too seriously. The night before the retreat, my best friend and I had wine and pepperoni pizza in the hotel room. With love.

Things that brought me joy in the maloca:

• Clothing. It is absolutely crucial to pack for comfort. Ayahuasca’s physical side effects include gastrointestinal distress. Leave the waistbands at home. You'll want something comfortable that allows you to really writhe. The physical effects were intense; I was bouncing around on my bed and playfully swatting at an invisible ball of string. I recommend Beyond Yoga leisure sets. I wore THIS set but own and love this one too. Layer your clothing because you'll be quite sensitive to temperature changes. As an alternative, I’d also recommend a linen set to become your own art teacher.

• Birkenstocks. Shuffle into these after the ceremony.

• Cushy socks. I personally feel vulnerable with exposed feet.

• Red flashlight. Crucial. It might seem unnecessary, but it's actually very helpful. You and your fellow retreaters are so sensitive to light. This is the most considerate way to get to the bathroom. You will be in a rush.

• Eye mask. You will be SO sensitive to light. This was really important for maintaining focus during my journey. I have about ten of these floating around in my suitcase + bedside tables. They’re also pretty decent quality for $10.

• Hydroflask filled with ice water. Important for rinsing out your mouth and splashing your face. Don’t attempt a screw top. This is a straw game.

• A lighter if you plan to smoke the ceremony tobacco. Not my thing.

• Crystals or any other spiritually relevant object. Do you!

For puttering around the resort:

• Hydration powder. You really can’t drink water after 5 PM on ceremony nights. I felt pretty parched in the mornings. I wish I would have packed this stuff to bring me back to life a little faster.

• A caftan for an afternoon at the pool. I brought this because I’m extra. This one is for you.

• Swimsuit, obviously. I have this one in three colors. Cute look for the flower bath.

• Your full skincare routine. (Check a bag.) It’s nice to spend a little time with yourself in the mirror before the evening ceremony.

• Notebook and mechanical pencils for doodling and feelings

• A kindle loaded with a selection of books. I found I needed a break from self-improvement and was glad to have trashy romance novels as a reprieve. Optional: a laptop to stream Love is Blind: Brazil during down time

• Hear me out: I had robes monogrammed for me and my best friend. They’re hilarious and wicked useful. Dedicate ¼ of your suitcase to these guys and get ready to reap laughter from your fellow voyagers. Land’s End will monogram anything.

• Also optional: a really fun and fantastic dress reserved for the last night. I really loved looking forward to having something fabulous to celebrate my little rebirth. If I were to do it again, I’d go with this hot and lightly overpriced #.

Rules of thumb:

• Everything should be washable and generally sweat-proof

• Don’t bring food or western medicines. They’ll be confiscated! Shame is the taste of melted reconstituted chocolate bars at the end of the trip. (Still good)

• I didn’t wear any makeup for the five days of the retreat. It’s deeply humid; you’ll probably sweat it all off anyways. Tinted moisturizer with SPF, cream blush, and a nice lip balm should cover any base you have.

A fair warning

I can’t stand any of the citrus scents I used to love. One of the retreat activities was to chug lemongrass tea so as to ‘clear a barf path’ for the gastrointestinal effect of ayahuasca. Okay! We took turns hurling over a ledge into a forest clearing, cheering each other's projections. But blech. I pitched all of my lemony cosmetics when I returned home.