I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in my dear friend Jen Jen's wedding in early June. The wedding took place in Estes Park at the Della Terra hotel which was an absolutely stunning location for the ceremony.

We spent the first two nights at the Stanley Hotel which is where we had the bachelorette party and the rehearsal dinner.  The hotel is reputed to be haunted and was the inspiration for the movie the Shining.  Though I tend not believe in these kind of stories,  I have to admit I had an eerie feeling that I was being watched the entire time I was at the hotel.

Here are a few of the stories that I heard from staff who work at the hotel:

The ghosts of Freelan Stanley and his wife Flora, who built the hotel in 1909, have been seen dressed in formal attire on the main staircase and in other public areas, such as the lobby and the billiard room.

More than one guest has said they have awakened to find their blankets taken from their beds and neatly folded.  I can't imagine a ghost strong enough to rip the blankets out of my equator accustomed hands.  So thankfully this was not an issue for me!

Room 217, was the site of a tragic accident in 1911: housekeeper Elizabeth Wilson was nearly killed by a gas leak explosion. Since her death in the 1950s, strange, unexplained activity is said to take place in that room, including doors opening and closing, and lights switching on and off by themselves.

There are so many more stories, but much more than the tales of hauntings,  the Stanley hotel was a beautiful location to reconnect and catch up with so many friends from near and far.

Since our trip to Japan a few years ago I have been fascinated with the Japanese art of Kinsokuroi. The art of repairing broken ceramics using gold with the belief that something that suffers damage becomes more beautiful through the process.

This art form began in mid-1500 in Japan. The story is told of a bowl that was much loved by a military ruler. One day during a gathering, a servant accidentally dropped the bowl, which broke into five pieces. Everyone paused, fearing for the young man as the military leader was known to possess a quick, harsh temper. Then one of the guests improvised a comic poem about the incident, provoking laughter all around and restoring the leader to good spirits.

This story goes on to say that instead of the break "…diminishing (the bowl's) appeal, a new sense of its vitality and resilience raised appreciation to even greater heights." The bowl had become more beautiful for having been broken. The true life of the bowl "…began the moment it was dropped…"

From that day onward, mended bowls have been used and cherished for generations. In Japan, cracks in precious bowls are often filled with gold. The Japanese believe that when something has suffered damage and has a history, it becomes more beautiful.

I find this concept truly beautiful, perhaps someday I will own a beautiful kintsukuroi piece as well.

This year I was again in Seattle to celebrate my big day with lifelong friends and family.  Cynthia and I shared a birthday/going away party together which was wonderful because so many people came out to celebrate.  But also a bittersweet evening knowing that this was the last time I would see my dear friend before she moves to Las Vegas.