Skiing

I learned how to ski this year! Last year, I just tagged along with Will and went shopping and hung out at coffee shops while he snowboarded. Denver has such an outdoors culture, and a big part of that is skiing in the winter. I figured I should give it a try. I was really nervous about how I'd do because I always struggled with snowboarding. But I ended up really enjoying it!

My first day of skiing: Ski Cooper with my friend Grace. We took lessons together while the others hit the slopes.

One of the biggest barriers I felt with skiing/boarding was how expensive it is. It turns out that skiing can be pretty affordable for locals. We got a 5 pack for $130. Will switched to skiing this year too. We had a great time skiing with friends and out of town guests. It's a fun bonding activity, and something to look forward to in the winter, especially for someone like me who isn't so fond of winter.

Update on Denver...

OK, so I think I scared everyone with my venting about Denver. But I've turned a corner and I need to update you guys on that so you don't hate Denver! ;)

Evidence of my change of heart: We bought a house!!!

More on that in a later post. Back to 10 reasons to love Denver:

1. Mountains: A 1.5 to 2 hour drive and you're in the beautiful mountains. Hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, whatever suits you, you can do it here. Or if you're a winter sport person, a two hour non-windy drive and you can snowboard or ski in what I hear are amazing slopes.
2. Outdoorsy culture: I can guarantee that you will become more active, get fit and have a healthier lifestyle just by the mere cultural force that exists here.
3. Seasons without extremities: I have come to love seasons - switching out the blankets, pulling out the fleece sheets in the winter, putting away my winter coats in the spring, the changing foliage in the fall. You have all of that without the super cold or super hot of Chicago, and without the humidity of the East Coast.
4.  Affordable housing: It's not as cheap as Ohio, but compared to California, housing is very affordable here (that's how we were able to buy), and schools are good. Most families could probably live off of one income, whereas that would be tough in LA.
5. Short flight to LA: Just 2.5 hours, or a 15 hour car ride and you're there.
6. Downtown: Denver has a substantial downtown with shopping, cute eateries and a free shuttle that you can ride up and down. 
7. Growing city: Denver has a light rail, and they are continuing to expand their transportation system. The average age of the city is 30 - so many young people are attracted to the city and move here. 
8. Many transplants: Along with the above, most of the people I've met didn't grow up here. So everyone is looking for new friends.
9. Jobs: I think jobs are easier to get here than in California. With the experience you built up in California, you could probably move a few steps up here.
10. Slower pace of life: Less traffic, shorter work hours, and laid back personalities make life and work more manageable.

When I vented a few months ago, I was at a low point from having done nothing for 6 months, transition fatigued (3rd new city in 3 years of marriage), and then having a hard time going back to school (feeling old, freshman jitters and insecurities). I also didn't have a good community or good friends back then. Now that I'm really enjoying school, more plugged in with my small group community (we meet at our place now), met a few more Asians, and had the summer to enjoy some of the unique perks of Denver, I think I have a healthier and balanced perspective.

Denver is not LA, but there are also some benefits to living here. Also, I forgot to mention that W loves his job. He told me he has 95% job satisfaction!

This was my not-so-subtle attempt at trying to convince someone to move here. :) You know who you are!

There are definitely certain friends that I know would love living here. We've already targeted 4 couples who we can see living here, and 3 of them are seriously considering it (looking for jobs here, etc...)!

So don't let my previous negative posts deter you. :)

Spring in Denver

I never tire of watching the miracle of winter transition into spring. Although spring in Denver isn't as much of a relief as it is in Chicago or Columbus, I still enjoy it.  I thought I'd share some phone photos of spring in Denver for your enjoyment!

Mom's visit

eating mom's delicious cooking / a walk through washington park

hiking at chautauqua park / lunch at boulder

eating crepes in downtown denver / mom making kimchi

My mom came for her annual spring break visit last week, and we had a great time. The photos above are a pretty good summary of what we did here - show her around Denver, take walks/hikes and eat! She cooked lots of delicious food as usual, and made a few months' worth of various types of kimchi.

I wanted to take her hiking and got a recommendation from a friend for Chautauqua Park in Boulder. The length and difficulty were perfect for what we were looking for. W and I are thinking about tackling the 14ers, which are the mountains that are higher than 14,000 ft in elevation. There are 88 of the in the U.S. and 53 are in Colorado. Originally, I wanted to take my mom on one, but after some research realized that even the easiest one is fairly challenging.

The weather was perfect during her visit, and although spring is more of a gradual transition here than it is in the midwest, I'm enjoying watching the city become greener as leaves begin to appear on trees, and soaking in the beauty of flowering trees before they're gone.