By Naomi Vargas, Lifestyle Writer
I travel for work and have seen the most beautiful places you couldn’t even imagine. When my boss asks me if I want to go to another location for HR support, I jump at the offer. To me it’s not work; it’s vacation. It’s so peaceful to be away and meeting new people, eating different foods, and seeing the beautiful towns. People are so different everywhere I go; I am, however, very proud of the community where I live. I love how friendly New Mexicans are, how they always greet you with a wave and a smile. Some places they are not like that; they pass you as if you don’t even exist, and maybe that’s a good thing. Keep to yourself, live your life, and let me live mine, you know.
On these work trips, I eat some of the most amazing food. I have to say the seafood here in New England (that’s where I am right now) is top-notch. One place, Red House Sweets, has some of the flakiest, most delicious croissants you could ever even imagine. They have a goat cheese roasted tomato, one that just there is no words you can use to describe, and the butter one–oh my, I could die now and be happy to go. Tonight, I am going to dinner at Off the Rails, and can I tell you what I am going to eat? Are you ready for this, because I am! For my appetizer, I will have shishito peppers, blistered with sriracha salt, and guava aioli. Mmmmhmmm, tell me about it! For dinner, I will have woodfire-seared scallops with Maldon salt, butter, and caviar, and my sides will be risotto with fresh herbs and garlic mashed potatoes with butter, butter, butter (this is the way they have it on the menu).
Last night at Jeff’s, I had baked scallops with butter, herbs and cheese, and the butteriest creamiest garlic mashed potatoes that they must put in a piping bag–the presentation of those potatoes, wow! I also had crab cakes with a jalapeño tartar sauce and a cup of–holy cow!–the most amazing fresh clam chowder my mouth has ever tasted.
New England is a place everyone must visit. Here, people mind their own business, but they are very friendly. I always kid with the people in the various locations I visit because I do not see many Latinos, and they think it’s funny when I ask if they have others like me. One time at one of the spots I asked, “Do you have any Mexicans?” The employee looked at me super spooked and asked, “What does that mean?” I said, “Is there employees like me working here?” He said, “Oh yes, hold on,” and ran to get someone. A few minutes later, he came back with someone that looked like my color. When I asked the fellow, “Are you Mexican?” he immediately chuckled and said, “I am not Mexican; I am Puerto Rican.” I turned and looked at the employee that was so excited to have brought me a Mexican and I said, “He isn’t like me at all.” Since then, they always say, I am the craziest but most fun HR lady they know.
This trip when I was flying over, I saw so many different colors below me: white snow, some green grass, orange, yellow, and reddish leaves on the trees, I had to just be so thankful for how the seasons change and how much beauty God has given to all of us. I do, however, think we tend to overlook this beauty and the colors just pass us by. What a pity; I think that if we focused more on the beauty of our surroundings, the taste of the most delicious foods, the differences in cultures, and really educate ourselves in all of this, we would have less time for negative thoughts. I am blessed, my friend. Blessed to have the job that takes me to so many beautiful places. The experiences I have had I wouldn’t trade for the world. I will tell you a secret: next year in July, I am going to Milan, Italy and Lake Como. Can you imagine the food I will eat there?
Be well, my friend.
