A and B C the World

Photo Friday!

2012-03-02T07:49:00.001-08:00

Any grand weekend plans? I'm driving back to Seattle today and crossing my fingers that I don't hit snow! Not much in the way of news today, but here is a great "link love" list of things i've discovered this week, enjoy!

Link Love:

A great blog about two young expats in Italy

Globes made from lights; my next DIY

I want this Pendleton blanket in the worst way

Crazy photo series on reflections: via a cup of jo

Great beauty tips at the Beauty Department

About Me: a Few Favorites

2012-03-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

I feel like my blog is slightly lacking in personal information, so in effort to be more open with you all, I thought I'd share a bit more about, well, myself. Despite my hideous taste in television, and a seriously troubling addiction to sugar, I really ascribe to be a minimalist. I love all the principles that go along with minimalism, like minimal waste (although i'm still working on owning less things).

When we were in Kho Phangan, Thailand, we went to this outdoor eco-fest of sorts to watch a documentary called "Bag-It". This documentary inspired me to really watch what I put on my skin, how much I am throwing away each day, and what I eat. As for food, it is hard to stay away from sweets, but for the most part I try and only eat "whole" natural foods (nothing processed). There are fabulous food blogs that really make healthy, whole food cooking accessible and delicious.

A few of my favorite & natural food blogs:

Green Kitchen Stories

Here's a few of my favorite recipes:

Broccolini + Charred Lemon Flatbread: Sprouted Kitchen

Raw Spice Baklava: From Roost

Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls: Oh She Glows

Wintery Spring Rolls: 101 Cookbooks

Wanderlust Wednesday: Switzerland

2012-02-29T07:50:00.001-08:00

Do you watch the bachelor? I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I watch the show religiously. Well, this season has been nothing if not controversial, but outside of the craziness, they do get to go to some amazing places! Monday they headed to Switzerland, so naturally, I had to look back through my photos of this amazing place.

I can't tell you enough how much I loved Switzerland. I ate an enormous amount of gruyere on toast and hiked around the most picturesque towns that I have ever seen. One of my favorite towns in Switzerland is Gimmelwald. It is a tiny, but breathtaking alpine village located 4472 feet above sea level.

If you ever have a chance to get to Switzerland be sure to find Gimmelwald! Its just a train ride up from Interlaken...

To reach Gimmelwald, you have to take a train car up the side of the mountain. The ride up is thrilling and the view is impeccable. I have never seen mountains like those in Switzerland. They are ginormous and seem so close!

The slogan of this little village is: " If heaven isn't what it is cracked up to be, send me back to Gimmelwald."

I'm pretty sure I could live out the rest of my days here; eating cheese and chocolate, staring off into the distance...maybe I would even take up herding goats.

Travel Tip Tuesday: {r}evolution apparel

2012-02-28T07:42:00.000-08:00

"10 PIECES. 100 OPTIONS. LIGHTWEIGHT, VERSATILE, PACKABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND DESIGNED WITH LOVE." - {R}EVOLUTION APPAREL

When traveling, I always look for clothes that can make my pack or suitcase as light as possible. I have a few favorite items, but when I saw {r}evolution apparel on Kickstarter a few months ago, I knew that I needed to add their "versalette" to my repertoire of travel clothing. {r}evolution apparel, made by Kristin Glenn and Shannon Whitehead, fellow travelers and "kitchen table philosophers," saw a need for light, sustainable, and well designed clothing. These girls are rad, and I am pretty sure I would become fast friends with them!

{r}evolution apparel Introduces the Versalette from {r}evolution apparel on Vimeo.

This one piece is not only stylish, but would probably eliminate half of the clothes I bring on a trip and is eco friendly to boot!

In their own words:

"It takes incomprehensible amounts of energy and waste to produce the clothes we consume. Much of that apparel ends up in landfills, with the average American throwing away nearly 70 pounds of clothing and textiles each year. It’s time to rethink the way we design apparel — from the raw materials to the end use."

Wayfare Magazine

2012-02-27T07:37:00.000-08:00

I think I am in love! Wayfare Magazine, the first e-travel publication has launched and is better than I could have ever expected! It is chalked full of beautiful pages- featuring great places, stories, and finds. This magazine seriously inspires some wanderlust!

In their own words...

"Wayfare is a brand new publication celebrating the art of the journey. Every element of Wayfare highlights what we feel travel should be: motivating, accessible, and delightful — whether you are in a faraway place, on a weekend getaway or simply exploring a new corner of your hometown"

By the way, how was your weekend? Mine was quite snowy (i'm back in Coeur d'Alene), so I hung out indoors for the most part and caught up on a few series and watched the Oscars. Have you ever seen Shameless? It is a good mix of endearing family disfunction and quirky drama that draws you in (staring Emmy Rossum, no less)! It's on showtime, but the first season just came out on video.

Anyway, any thoughts on the Oscars? I was left wanting more, and I have some serious movies to catch up on!

Photo Friday: Seattle!

2012-02-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! What do you all have planned for the weekend? I'm back in Coeur d'Alene for the week and I need to catch up on some much needed wedding planning, 'yikes!'
We can't decide what to do (with the wedding) and we are now thinking of moving it all down to Mexico instead! Any thoughts on destination weddings?

Link Love:

Papersnitch: an extremely rad & crafty blog

Vintage globes that you can decorate yourself!

Handmade Mexican tissue banners; perfect for a destination wedding

Delicious and funny to boot; my new favorite food blog

Best Travel Journals

2012-02-23T07:44:00.001-08:00

1. $20.00 Lucia Gomez, Etsy

2. $14.00 Seaborn Press, Etsy

3. $12.00 Cheribee, Etsy

4. $16.95 I Was Here Journal, Anthropologie

5. $11.95 Paris Watercolor, Jenni Bick Bookbinding

Wanderlust Wednesday: Kho Phangan, Thailand

2012-02-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

Around this time last year we found ourselves in Kho Phangan. After a long bus ride from Bangkok and a ferry, we reached this tropical island located in the Gulf of Thailand.

Kho Phangan is the infamous host of Thailand's full-moon parties, but if you stay far away from Haad Rin Beach, then you can avoid thumping techno and really start to relax into the island life.

Our guesthouse was serenely located amidst palm trees and only a little ways up from the beach, and we fully utilized those hammocks!

Our room...

Typical shower in Thailand (energy efficient because that box heats up water as it goes to the faucet)

I've got to be honest...Kho Phangan was not my favorite island, let alone place, in Thailand. The beaches/water just are not as nice as the islands on the Andaman Sea.

But, if you are dying to see the gulf of Thailand, maybe do a bit of yoga or hiking, then this could be your place.

We rented a car and drove the island, which was fun and definitely gives you a better sense of what the island has to offer.

Although beware, because this island is so lush and dense with rainforest, there are a lot of creepy crawly things going on. We saw a cobra (slithering our guesthouse path), and a cane spider!

I am deathly afraid of spiders and as we were driving our little vehicle, one of these puppies (seriously it is the size of a small dog) came out of nowhere and started crawling our dash! Here is a photo of one. Not to scare you off or anything...

Needless to say, Kho Phangan was an adventure, maybe not the relaxing beach adventure we were looking for, but an adventure nonetheless!

To hear about our first impressions of Kho Phangan and to see a cobra, follow the link!

We Were Featured!

2012-02-21T17:30:00.001-08:00

The beautifully designed blog, Roam & Home, featured our little blog today and we couldn't be happier!

Along with ours, they featured a few of their other favorites, which are great!

So if you are in need of some serious arm chair travel, check out Roam&Home, and don't miss their favorites!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Plnnr

2012-02-21T07:19:00.004-08:00

I keep stumbling upon these great websites that are making pre-trip preparations a whole lot easier! The latest one I found is Plnnr, which basically customizes itineraries based off of your preferences.

*the downside: Plnnr is only available in certain cities.

First, you pick your city:

Second, you pick the number of days you will spend and then the theme of your trip (either with kids, outdoors, the best of, or culture)

You then move onto your trip "intensity." Intense is waking up at dawn and not stopping until you hit you pillow at 3:00am...The next page is selecting the type of hotel you want to stay at (based on stars).

Then...Voila! Plnnr does its magic and gives you an itinerary for each day of your stay!

I think its quite Brilliant (and if you have an ipad, you can wander the streets with this little puppy pulled up and safely avoid looking like a tourist with a big map)!

Vapor.Qualquer

2012-02-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

I love Etsy and can ~~waste~~ spend hours and hours browsing through all the great items. One of my favorite Etsy shops is Vapor.Qualquer, which features beautiful watercolor prints made by a Portuguese duo.

Photo Friday!

2012-02-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! I saw that quirky little sign while in Cozumel a few years back (don't worry, I didn't follow the rules :). I hope you all stay warm and dry this weekend! Today is a good day for another round of pho, i'm hoping it will shake this chill that I haven't been able to get rid of!

Link Love:

We've been making these habitually: Winter Spring Rolls

The perfect Spring dress

Great sandals to go with that Spring dress!

Really interesting Venus Project, involving photoshopping the women of famous paintings

Our monkey photos from Angkor Wat

Cavalia (think cirque du soliel on horses) is in Seattle right now and looks wonderful

What to Wear...Winter Vacation

2012-02-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

It seems like everyone I know is jetting off to somewhere warm as a reprieve from this winter weather. If I could, I would leave for Mexico and come back around the middle of June!

So, for those mid-winter vacations, here are a few darling swimsuits that would fit in perfectly from Palm Springs to Playa del Carmen.

Anthropologie Primrose Bikini: $98.00

Antropologie Bordered Lobelia Bikini: $78.00

Zimmerman Glasshouse Lace One-Piece: $355.00 (yikes!)

J. Crew Tulle Twist-Front Tank: $150.00

Vintage photos via the Life photo archive

Wanderlust Wednesday: Nelson, B.C.

2012-02-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

Located in the southern interior of British Columbia, Nelson is a quaint little town nestled amidst the Selkirk Mountains and Kootnay Lake. Nelson is located about four hours from Spokane, WA, and while growing up, it was always a summer road trip destination for us. This little town is full of great B&Bs, restaurants, and shops. Last time we were in Nelson, we stayed at the Cloudside Inn and spent a long weekend wandering around the town, hiking, and eating delicious food ( it's also where we got engaged).

One of our favorite restaurants in Nelson

This town thrives on the outdoors. In the winter, skiing is the sport of choice, but in the summer mountain biking is king. Whenever you visit Nelson, there is a good chance you will spend most of your days outdoors, but be sure to rest your sore muscles at Ainsworth Hotsprings, located about a half an hour outside of town!

*Just be sure to avoid traveling there on Canadian Thanksgiving, we learned the hard way that this little town completely shuts down!

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

What are you all doing today? I usually take Valentine's Day as my free pass to eat as much chocolate as I want, so today B and I are going to make chocolate covered strawberries (maybe we will start a tradition).

As for last year (our first Valentine's together), we spent it in Thailand, drinking fruity cocktails and getting foot massages with tiger balm (heavenly).

Below are a few delicious desserts to make this V-day:

1.Truffles! Image sadly unknown

2. Smitten Kitchen: Buckwheat Baby with Salted Carmel Syrup

3. Roost: Strawberry Basil & Balsamic Frozen Yogurt

4. Orangette: Salted Chocolate Cookies

Staydu!

2012-02-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

I'd like to introduce you to our great new sponsor: Staydu

A few words from the founders, Nicholas and Alessandro:

Have you ever wanted to do something different? To get out of your daily routine, your job, your family or whatever it is you’re caught up with. Maybe you always dreamed about a world trip, to get to know new people, different cultures, and new experiences? But you didn’t know how to do it. Maybe you haven’t had the money, the time, or you just booked a normal vacation but ended up in the normal and boring tourist areas? Then, after two weeks, you arrive home and everything is the same?

What if I tell you that you can travel wherever you want in the world? You can stay with local people, who will show you far more than what the average tourist will see. What is even better is that you get to share a part of their everyday life; eating with them, participating in their work, and then, at the end of the day, having a place to rest your head! What sets Staydu apart from CouchSurfing is the lack of time constraints. You can stay as long as you like and immerse yourself amidst another culture!

On our website, hosts from all over the world offer up accommodations and in return for a place to sleep, travelers either:

1) Give the host family a helping hand. This can involve anything from helping out at a local business in Malaysia to waxing surfboards in Australia.

2) Stay for money. The idea is to give just a little compensation to your host. Not a lot of money, we've set a limit of $20 per day.

3) Or simply return the favor and give something back to your host by inviting him or her into your home.

If you like the idea, please visit our website www.staydu.com and register as a traveler or a host, totally free of charge!

Thanks, Nicolas and Alessandro!

Screen printing in Ballard

2012-02-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gone screen printing?

I wasn't even exactly sure what screen printing was until yesterday, but now I am addicted. We were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and walked into a free screen printing session in an art studio located right across from our apartment. We walked in and were immediately thrown into the process, it was fantastic!

I'm still not sure how you get an image imprinted onto the screen (that's the next project) but screen printing is fairly simple...you place your paper under the screen, set the screen down, run a line of paint along the top edge and then squeegee it down to the bottom, and repeat once. Voila!

Our friend's finished project!

Photo Friday!

2012-02-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

I can't wait for the weekend and the chance to sleep in! Since it is raining again in Seattle it is painful to get up! Anyway, this weekend I plan to....

Stuff myself with french pastries from Honore Artisan Bakery

Take a yoga class at Shakti

Eat a huge bowl of Pho

Run down to Madewell and get the stripped shirt i've been dying for

And see the fabulous Joe Pennell and Dawn Angelosante play music!

Oh and I finally found my wedding dress! I was so excited to have found the one that I didn't want to take it off. I got it at the beautiful Luly Yang in downtown Seattle, although I didn't expect to take it home that day and now it is awkwardly hanging in my tiny closet!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Music: Lianne La Havas and Lana Del Rey

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Besides having three names that each start with "L," Lianne la Havas and Lana Del Rey both share an insane musical talent.

While browsing Sho & Tell yesterday, I stumbled upon her post about Lianne la Havas and instantly fell in love. This girl can sing! She is able to twist her soulful sound and make it playful, like her massive side bun (which, hey if I sung like this girl, I probably would rock one too!). Anyway, here is my favorite song of hers so far, sung in that back of a taxi no less:

Lianne La Havas from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

This is like kismet or fate or something, but the Gods wanted me to start listening to better music yesterday and out of the blue (before I had heard of Lianne La Havas) a friend mentions Lana Del Rey. Now what are the odds that I would hear about two insanely talented musicians that vaguely sound like each other, all in the same night.

Moving on...Love Lana del Rey as well, you would never expect this sultry voice to come out of a woman this small. She also kind of resembles Natalie Portman!

I'm thrilled to have two new artists to listen to, and so is the fiance (he was going to break my Nina Simone CD if he had to listen to it once more!).

Wanderlust Wednesday: San Miguel de Allende

2012-02-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

With its tropical heat and cobblestone streets, it's not hard to see why San Miguel de Allende is a haven for expatriates. Days in San Miguel are spent slowly, wandering around the colonial houses or sitting in the Zocalo in order to take in the sites and sounds of Central Mexico.

When I look back at my time in San Miguel de Allende, it seems like the town was washed in a faint pink light.

It could have been the gorgeously colored houses (they do not shy away from color in Mexico) or maybe the light reflecting off of the absolutely perfect sunsets...whatever it was, San Miguel seems all the more perfect for it.

Travel Tip Tuesday: How to Find the Best Airfare in 2012

2012-02-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

Ahh airfare. It is a traveler's worst enemy...the huge chunk of change eating away at your hard earned savings, but staying at home is not an option, so you (wince) book the flight and forget about the sticker shock.

For me, flight booking time comes with an unhealthy obsession with finding the best price. I spend hours scoring every site online, battling all those tiny pop-up windows in search of that illusive deal.

Well, thanks to travel expert Jim Cochran, those flight deals just became a lot easier to attain!

How to find the best airfare deals in 2012:

Words via here

Find Incleborough House in Norfolk, Here!

I still have no idea what campbling or glamping is but I assume it is glamorous camping? Any ideas?

On the Street: Seattle

2012-02-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

I'm finally back in Seattle, and I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. It was almost 60 degrees, and sunny and we were able to cram in as much as possible while my mom was here. We did end up visiting two dress shops, but nothing worked so the search continues, although I would be happy wearing a sheet at this point.

For some reason I am obsessed with baker's twine...

Ballard has great storefront fonts

First flowers I have seen all winter!

Walking through the market

Our new little studio. It's about the size of a postage stamp, but the fiance has been hard at work building our headboard and the pallet shelf at the foot of the bed!

It was a busy weekend, but i'm glad to be back.

I hope your weekend was a little more laid back than mine. I sadly missed Madonna's superbowl debut, was it any good?

2012-02-05T12:11:00.001-08:00

Photo Friday: Korea

2012-02-03T07:38:00.002-08:00

I've packed, well...i've attempted to pack up, but how do you know what to bring to an apartment when you are only there for four months? I am moving my belongs over to Ballard to be with the Fiance, who leaves in June to go commercial fishing for the summer. This leaves me in an awkward flux between an extended stay and a move. I've decided to leave half of my clothes/shoes in Coeur d'Alene, and bring half to Seattle, mainly out of laziness, but a little bit of me wants to do a social experiment in order to see how I will fare living with less stuff!

So, that's my weekend in a nutshell, packing, moving, unpacking... I also scheduled a few wedding dress appointments to ~~torture~~ make use of my mom's time in Seattle. Wish me luck, I'm shooting to find a dress that I do not feel like a little boy (playing dress-up) in!

Link Love:
Strangely obsessed with this paper goods shop
Lo-Fi guides to Paris/London/New York
I need to kick my sugar addiction with this
Check out this quirky Etsy shop: Coco de Paris
My new favorite blog by one of Princess Di's bridesmaids, seriously a great read!

The Winter Blues

2012-02-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

It's only February, but i'm already sick of sweaters and jeans! How nice would it feel to put on a little dress, walk outside, and be surrounded by warmth! One can dream...

One

Two

Three

Wouldn't these outfits be great for a honeymoon?

We just booked ours, two weeks in Hawaii...is it bad to be more excited for the honeymoon than the wedding?

Wanderlust Wednesday: Kenya

2012-02-01T07:48:00.000-08:00

Wanderlust: Kenya

I've been to Africa once, Morocco to be exact. Although I loved Morocco, I didn't really feel like I was in Africa. The Africa i've always dreamed of is more like a scene from "Out of Africa," and less like a scene from "Aladdin" (i'm horribly stereotyping -the landscape- here, but you get the picture).

After stumbling upon these images of Kenya from the Cherry Blossom Girl, I promptly moved Kenya to my must see ASAP list. These dreamy images, from the coastal town of Lamu, make me want to immediately book a ticket and leave this dreary winter for the warmth of the Kenyan coast.

My dream vehicle!

Via: the Cherry Blossom Girl (a quirky blog by a super cute Parisienne fashion designer)

Travel Tip #4: Don't Ride Trains for Free

2012-01-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

Travel Tip Tuesday:

Don't ride trains/subways for free (mainly in Prague)

This little travel tip mainly applies to the beautiful city of Prague.

In Prague, there is a subway system linking the city, but unlike London or Paris, there are no turnstiles or places to slide in your ticket. Instead, Prague's metro system works on good faith. You buy your ticket, entering a few coins into a machine, and then walk right on down to the platform.

We unfortunately listened to someone from our hostel who explained to us that you don't need to pay every time, you can mainly ride for free because "everyone" in Prague does it. Naively, we walked right past the tickets and straight down to the platform, where we hopped a train.

Suddenly, as we are departing the train we hear someone shouting in Czech and realize that his finger is pointing straight at us.

We look around for a minute, trying to figure out what is going on, only to realize that the guy shouting/pointing at us is now in front of us and a cop, who is not so nicely asking to see our tickets.

Apparently, there are tons of cops in civilian clothes who ride the metro or hang out in the platforms and wait for trains to arrive. Once people start exiting they shout to anyone who looks like a tourist and demand to see their tickets.

Obviously, we didn't have a ticket and there was no use trying to stall. I can't remember what we had to fork over for our little indiscretion, but I do remember that it was a lot!

So if you ever find yourself in Prague, buy a subway ticket, it'll only cost you $1.25 and save you a lot of humiliation.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2012-01-31T07:19:00.000-08:00

DIY produce bags

2012-01-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

Do you ever use produce bags? I hadn't until this past summer. My sister bought a bundle of bags from Etsy and we used them religiously at the farmer's market. It was so nice to put our veggies in our own reusable bags and not have to grab the plastic. And as an extra bonus, we don't have a whole drawer dedicated to a huge mass of plastic bags.

Since Brian and I are moving to Ballard (with its epic year-round farmer's market), I figured we needed our own produce bags!

Here are the steps:

1. Get out your sewing machine

*you only need to know how to sew a straight line

2. Buy "flour sack" hand towels

*I found mine for $4.00 and Fred Myer

3. Cut out two squares and sew the three sides together

4. On the open side, fold down the rim about an inch and sew where the folded-over edge meets the main body of the bag (leaving a gap where you can thread the string through)

5. Flip the bag inside-out (so the seams are on the inside) and thread the string through the top-edge.

6. Grab a potato (seriously)...and carve what-ever you want into the potato (use a small spoon, so you don't cut yourself). Make sure to carve your image backwards! I learned that the hard way, and carved the word veggies onto my potato, only to realize that once stamped it is actually seiggev.

7. Voila!

*I made around four bags of varying sizes from two hand towels.

Photo Friday!

2012-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

What are you all up to this weekend? I am unfortunately 311.5 miles away from Brian, so my weekend will be a bit lonely, but thank god for skype!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend & stay warm!

Link Love:

A beautiful coffee table book about two people 3191 miles apart (i'll take my 311:)

Four things to say to a friend after a bad breakup

Have you heard of a CSA produce box; same idea but filled with pretty finds!

The brains behind the beautiful food blog "roost" has a Pinterest!

Ombre tags or cards...could be a good Valentine's project

Pretty Paper: Wedding Invitations & Our Save the Dates

2012-01-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

By now, you've probably all realized that A and B C the World isn't just about travel, which has a lot to do with our current stationary lives ( jobs and a wedding are keeping us put, for now).
So I hope you don't mind if I throw in a bit of wedding planning here and there...

I can't seem to pull it together for this wedding. I should have rented tables/chairs/tents...well basically everything by now, but I haven't.
I love to procrastinate and instead of actually planning this wedding, I catch my self staring at thousands of wedding invitations. I've recently become obsessed with fonts (I had no idea one could be obsessed with fonts), and this obsession has progressed into a full out love affair with all things paper.

Strange, I know!

I'm pretty sure my new found obsession with fonts has a lot to do with not wanting to think about all the real planning left (I still don't even have a dress)!

So anyway, after much hard work, my DIY Save the Dates are done and ordered. I am thrilled that they came out so well; they make the most perfect postcards!

What do you think?

Next project, design my invitations, i'm thinking rustic-y looking ones would fit best for our backyard lake wedding.

Here are some beautiful invitations that have been inspiring me:

I love the wood invitation, so clever!

Via 100 Layer Cake

Follow Us!

2012-01-25T22:16:00.000-08:00

Wanderlust Wednesday: Travel Swag

2012-01-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

My friend Corey and her boyfriend, Daniel are currently traveling throughout Asia and have started a blog to document their journey. Corey and I went to college together, so i've always known that she is a fabulous writer, but I am blown away by her descriptive and charming posts. She describes her first day in Jaipur as nothing short of magical: "As the night falls, the children’s clatter fades and the kites drop from the sky one by one as the moon rises. This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. And I’ve only just arrived."

Needless to say, Travel Swag will keep you hooked on the adventures of Corey and Daniel.

Plus, their pictures and videos are amazing. I'm pretty sure I'm going to try and talk Brian into an Indian honeymoon...

the start from Daniel Ainsworth on Vimeo.

Corey & Daniel

Travel Tip #3: Tipping Around the World

2012-01-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

Travel Tip #3

After figuring out flights, booking hotels and manically reading lonely planet, I feel like I arrive in a new place ready and well-read... but once I sit down to grab a bite to eat, I always forget what to do once the bill comes.

That's where Mint comes in: They have an awesome Tipping Etiquette Infographic: check out the link to see a much bigger version than the one below!

When I was in Korea, I remember sitting at lunch eating something delicious and staring at the bill trying to figure out what to leave as a tip, I wish I had known that you don't tip! Do you think you would end up feeling bad just walking away and not leaving the waiter/waitress anything?

Instagram Iphonography: Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-23T07:52:00.000-08:00

I'm obsessed with Instagram and after reading Pugly Pixel's Iphonographie posts, I decided to share my weekend through Instagram as well.

How was your weekend? Ours was a busy one because, well, we have some news... we are moving back to Seattle! Actually, Brian set off last weekend and is already moving into our little apartment in Ballard, where I will join him next week.

So expect a lot more posts on farmer's markets, bakeries, and general Seattle goodness!

*Also, my friend Corey is currently traveling Asia with her boyfriend and they have started a great blog called Travel Swag, check it out!

Photo Friday! Snow

2012-01-20T07:54:00.000-08:00

It has snowed consistently now for almost a week, and I feel a little bit like i'm living in the Arctic tundra!

Needless to say, i've got cabin fever and desperately need to brave the snow to get some fresh air!

What have you been doing this week? Are you snowed in as well? My friends in Seattle have taken the snowstorm as an opportunity for urban snowboarding down Queen Anne!
Although, I think the hike back up would discourage me from doing it more than once!

Video from David & Heidi Winters of the Winter's Abroad(the same adventurous friends we met in Bali this past spring!)

Pretty Pictures via Pinterest

2012-01-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how much time I waste on Pinterest, but there are so many pretty pictures, that I can't help getting sucked in!

found via pinterest, via style me pretty

Source: trouvais.com via Elisa on Pinterest

Source: everlytrue.tumblr.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Nanette on Pinterest

Wanderlust Wednesday: Beirut

2012-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

I've never heard a lot about Beirut, but since my fiance has some Lebanese ancestry, I have a new fascination for Lebanon, and its capital. Beirut, the Paris of the Middle East, is a city that rose from the ashes of a decade long civil war, ending in 1990. Beirut harbors a clash of situations, the young and wealthy live for the moment, partying, drinking and eating, probably to forget the past and the tepid future. This new generation in Beirut live among neighboring refugee camps, constantly under the shadow of fear and displacement. While the old within Beirut see the bullet holes ridden throughout the various districts as a constant reminder of the city's dark past.

It would be a fascinating place to visit, full of an energy only captured in a place living under the constant fear of volatility and violence.

Photos via Lonely Planet

The New York Times has a great slideshow about spending a weekend in Beirut, check it out if you are planning on heading to the Middle East any time soon!

Travel Tip #2: Argentina

2012-01-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

Travel Tip #2

When in Argentina, eat membrillo and cheese. Seriously you must try this, even outside of Argentina, it will change your life.

When we were in Argentina a few years back we stumbled upon this red jelly-esque substance in the grocery store. We were later informed that Argentinians eat it with a bit of cheese as a dessert or a sweet snack. Once we tried it, we were hooked and continued to eat the stuff, day and night, throughout our whole trip.

Membrillo (pronounced MEM-BRI-JO, the Argentinian way or MEM-BRI-YO, the Spanish way) is a paste made out of quinces, which are small apple like fruit, but way more tart.

To make membrillo, you simply need to combine quinces (if available), sugar, lemon, and water. You can find detailed instructions here, or take the lazy way out and buy some (which is what I do). Membrillo is usually in the cheese aisle at any Whole Foods, or specialty foods store. I pare slices of membillo with manchego cheese for a perfect and easy dessert.

Photos via here

*Side note: when in South America, you must also share Mate with a local!

Martin Luther King Jr.

2012-01-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

(photo via the LIFE archive)

Photo Friday!

2012-01-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

Link Love

Pugly Pixel: Amazing photo layouts and tips/tricks for blogs!

Beautiful home in Barcelona

Golden rules to live by while traveling the world

15 movies that make a difference

Would you color in your own clothes?

Apartment Tour: Portland

2012-01-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

I love Apartment Therapy. I could spend hours browsing through their home/apartment tours section. I am always amazed how creative people are with their spaces. One of my most recent favorites is remodel from Portland's Pearl District (via Apartment Therapy, of course).

I love the architectural details of this space, especially the column in the kitchen! Didn't they do a good job with their 742 square feet!

Wanderlust Wednesday: Maldives

2012-01-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

Since the weather is turning a notch colder, I think its time for me to start obsessing about warm weather and beaches.

So wanderlust wednesday happens to be about the Maldives.

I've never been, but this place looks truly gorgeous...and I would probably wouldn't settle for anything less than staying at the luxury Anantara Dhigu Resort:

Doesn't this place look surreal!

Found Via: Adelto

Travel Tip Tuesday! How not to get mugged...

2012-01-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

I've decided to start a new post topic for Tuesdays, dedicated to things I've learned on the "road."

Tip #1

How not to get mugged on a train in Italy

I'll start this tip off with a story. I've lived in Europe, traveled throughout twice and never really felt threatened, despite my occasional run-ins with gypsies and undercover cops (that's another story).

But, on the last week we spent in Italy, my mom and I took a train from Florence to the Cinque Terre. I sat and read in the booth, oblivious to the world around me, until my mom started screaming "No,""No!" She also started doing that "I see you" hand thing, pointing to her eyes and then to the gypsies, so I knew something serious was going on... I looked up to find four big gypsy women centering in on us, and that's when I realized we were the only ones left in that section of the train!

The gypsy women would circle us and ask for money and then go back to their booths and stuff baby slings with newspaper. Rick Steve's told me that this little trick usually ends in a live baby being thrown at you.

Anyway, they got too close for comfort after they blatantly kept pointing at our suitcases and plotting how to beat us up. So we did what any rational person would have...we pushed our way up out of the seat, swung our far too heavy of suitcases into the gypsies and took off running. We eventually spotted a nice Italian man and sat next to him. He immediately informed us to be careful because there are a lot of gypsies on the train.

So lesson learned...when in Italy and traveling by train, make sure you are not sitting in an empty train car.

*I have no problem with gypsies on a whole, just the ones on that train!

Leaving Florence...

We made it to Vernazza!

How to Bake a Cake!

2012-01-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

The inspiration:

"Tomboy Cake"

Miette: recipes from San Francisco's most charming pastry shop

(we found this ridiculously cute cookbook at Anthropologie, of course)

The Birthday Girl

So you are probably wondering why there is no recipe following this post, well it's because I did none of the baking, that was all my sister. And what she was doing looked pretty complicated, so I don't think I could do it justice by trying to nail down her recipe....

Although I do know that she made a chocolate buttermilk cake with raspberry buttercream frosting, and it was delicious!

Photo Friday!

2012-01-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday you all! This weekend Brian is off to Seattle for an interview and I have a bridal show to go to, hopefully I can find a great dress! Wish us both luck!

The Photo Friday today is an engagement/Save the Date video Brian shot of us.

Hope you enjoy it!

Link Love:

Salted brown butter rice krispy treats-HEAVEN!

Beautiful (etsy) lingerie shop

Amazing chapel turned home

15 resolutions for a greener new year

A year of beautiful photos from the Winters Abroad

Are you Ready for Marriage?

2012-01-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

The other day I came across a pre-marital quiz on Retronaut (my new favorite site, thanks Han). It is full of useful information and I decided to take it in order to see if I am "mature and understanding enough to make the kind of wife ~~your~~ ~~husband~~ Brian desires" (note the sarcastic tone).

Anyways, my favorite question from the quiz is

"your husband's old flame arrives in town! You fix her goose by:

I would have chosen "C,"

"Saying: I don't see how you could have ever gone out with a bag like that!"

* Needless to say, I failed the quiz

Wanderlust Wednesday: Luang Prabang, Laos

2012-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Being in Luang Prabang felt like a dream. Each morning we would wander the old streets of Luang Prabang, visiting monasteries and buddhist temples, eating nutella on baguettes.

In the afternoons, we would linger around the old plantation homes- turned restaurants, drinking coffee and watching Laotian women walk by with baskets balanced on their shoulders.

We would end an absolutely perfect day by walking from stall to stall in the largest night market i've ever seen.

Everyday in Luang Prabang was a perfect blend of decadent and aimless wandering, wonderful food, friendly people, and unforgettable scenery.

Located in Northern Laos, Luang Prabang is nestled between huge forested limestone mountains and sits right at the point where the Nam River meets the Mekong.
Luang Prabang has an ethereal, dreamlike quality, which is fitting for a town which has more monks than tourists. Originating as far back as 698 A.D., LP houses hundreds of temples and monasteries, lending the town its peaceful vibe.

Every morning, hundreds of monks from the various monasteries and temples set out to collect alms, leaving the narrow streets awash in bright orange robes and shaved heads. During the 17th century, France annexed Laos, forever intertwining Laos and French foods. You can still see the French influence in Luang Prabang, from the crumbling colonial villas to the stalls selling nutella and baguettes.

In 1995, LP was placed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, and the crumbling teak houses and colonial mansions were painstakingly restored.
The city is now known as the most charming destination in Southeast Asia and is becoming discovered by wealthier travelers since flights became available between Vientiane (the capital of Laos) and LP.

But, Luang Prabang is not for the faint of heart.
It took about ten years off of my life to get to this hidden mountain city.
From Thailand, you must go all the way north to Chaing Rai (where we accidentally slept in a brothel, but that's another story). From Chaing Rai, you hire a tuk-tuk to take you to the Mekong River bed, where a long/skinny boat transports you and 50 people (way over capacity) to the other side which is Laos.

From the river border town (you are in Laos now) you must get a visa/pull out around 50$ for about two weeks in Lao. After the customs ordeal, you find a bus, and these buses are not first class. It is an overnight bus ride into Luang Prabang, which is entirely on switchbacks, and no one is immune from motion sickness and absolutely no one sleeps. I would never recommend attempting to bus into LP during the rainy season, the roads would be terrifyingly sketchy. It would be an understatement to say that the transportation system in Luang Prabang is bad!
On the way out of the city, I had to close my eyes for most of the journey because it was too frightening to look out the windows (I also had to play music as loud as possible to drown out the sounds of vomiting).
It takes over 7 hours to get into or out of Luang Prabang, but the journey is well worth it (as long as you fly)!

Recap: NYE

2012-01-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, yesterday was a "work" holiday, so I decided to take an extra long weekend from blogging as well, which is why i'm doing a very delayed NYE recap. So bear with me...

We spent Dec. 31st skiing at Schweitzer, which apparently is the only mountain in the country fully operating, I guess there is a serious lack of snow everywhere else...we lucked out with ok snow and sun!

The drive up to Sandpoint (a little town at the base of the mountain)

My chauffeur

The view from the top

After the last day of skiing in 2011, we drove back home, did a 30 second turn-around into our "uptown clothes" (Brian's new getting dressed nicely phrase).

I pulled out a little DIY star crown in under 30 seconds, definitely a record!

The idea was courtesy of my friend Cassidy (inspired by A Cup of Jo), who made an adorable one last year.

DIY Star Crown

Need:

1 sheet of sparkly foam paper with a sticky back (you can find in the children sections of Michaels or Jo Anns)

Ribbon

Do:

Cut out stars

Cut out ribbon to fit as a head band

Peel the back of the stars and stick them to your ribbon (and in my case my hair, which hurt, so avoid that)

Seriously, that is all! I didn't have a star stencil so my crown was a little wonky, but it was still wearable...

Leaving Lilly for the night, she was none to happy...

We then rushed out the door to downtown Spokane and met up with friends (Cassidy, of said headband idea). It was a great New Years, which i've heard sets the tone for the rest of the year to come...

I hope you had a lovely evening, filled with champagne, friends, and a kiss at midnight!

Here's to 2012

2011-12-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy busy year,

At the beginning of 2011 we left our jobs, friends, and Seattle for Southeast Asia...traveling through Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, and Korea.

We didn't expect to fall in love with Asia so much, but we still miss the taste of phad thai and laksa, we miss heading out of the door and being affronted by hot sticky air, we miss the smell of street cart food around every corner, we miss the craziness that is asia, the tuk-tuk's and the mopeds, we miss the grungy hostels, and the gaggle of children we befriended in Cambodia, we miss wandering from city to city with no plans, and most of all we miss the freedom of travel.

But life has to go on and with visas expiring and passports full, we had to return back to the states. We spent a few months flopping between Seattle and Spokane, restored a "vintage" motor-home, and eventually settled in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a little resort town we never imagined we'd live in and that we've grown to actually like (maybe love).

In 2011, we've struggled to find jobs, to figure out plans, to figure out how to live in Idaho...2011 also brought us closer and an engagement...so here's to 2012, a year that will be full of wedding planning, hopefully more adventures, more clarity, and definitely another round of resolutions to ~~break~~ keep!

DIY: Cork board Letters

2011-12-29T07:49:00.000-08:00

For Christmas we surprised my parents with cork board letters for their bar. For around a decade they have been saving their corks, which meant far too many corks lying around the house! So, thanks to Pinterest, I got the idea to glue them to letters.

It is probably the easiest project I have ever done and you just need:

Leftover corks

Hot glue gun

Wood letters (I got mine at Michaels)

That's it!

Once you have your supplies, all you do is begin to glue the corks onto the wood. You will have to eventually cut some of the corks and fill in the smaller gaps, but that's as hard as it gets.

Happy Crafting...

Wanderlust Wednesday: the World

2011-12-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

In dedication to the last Wanderlust Wednesday of 2011, I couldn't just focus on one place in particular, so I decided to focus a little more globally...
And,
I think these videos fit in perfectly for a little journey around the world.

A great video on what travel means to people:

For some reason, this video from "Where the Hell is Matt" makes my life!

Seriously, try not to smile while watching this...

Headers...

2011-12-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

Excuse the obsessive changing of my blog header! I can't seem to decide on one that I love! Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Here's a few I've already done:

Hmm...Too many choices

Back to Normal...

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone's holidays were amazing, over in Coeur D'alene, we lucked out with a beautiful white Christmas!

As for Christmas day, we started with great stocking stuffers (gag glasses and mustaches made for an interesting morning) and spent the rest of the day with family, drinking homemade eggnog, and eating far too many sweets!

It seems like the holidays and this past year flew by...and I can't believe that 2012 is right around the corner!

Here's some great posts from the weekend you might have missed:

A look at Christmas around the world

Nice things to have for holiday guests

DIY ombre skirt

Beautiful series of photos

Ever wonder what Jack Kerouac would wear?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

*Photo from Santa School, 1961

Happy Birthday Brian!!

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my wonderful fiancé!

A man who....

Drops everything to travel around the world,

Loves photography and filming,

Is a skilled carpenter, and loves pho as much as me,

Let's me drag him to cooking schools, and watches the "Bachelor,"

Who moves to North Idaho with me, without complaint,

Who draws tattoos for strangers,

And is genuinely kind and always sincere.

So happy that you are in my life,

Love lots,

Ash

Holiday Recipes Round 2: Hot Buttered Rum

2011-12-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

Right around Christmas time my family always receives a gift of hot buttered rum batter. Needless to say, I grew up drinking this deliciously buttery drink, minus the rum of course. This drink has now become part of our family tradition and is now one of my favorite hot toddies. The good thing is that it is quick to make and a great gift.

Hot Buttered Rum Batter:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

(optional: orange zest and freshly ground pepper)

Pinch ground cloves

Pinch salt

Dark rum

Cream together the butter, sugar, spices, and salt. At this point you can add a pinch of grated orange.

For gifts: Put the batter in a jar and don't forget the dark rum!

To drink immediately: Dollop about 2 tablespoons of the batter into a small mug. Pour in 2 ounces of rum, top with boiling water, stir, and enjoy!

*The batter is addictive

Recipe and Picture curtesy of the Kitchn

Side note: Esquire's article about Hot Buttered Rum hilariously describes the butter (in the recipe) may be there only to "lubricate for your mustache"

Wanderlust Wednesday: North Pole

2011-12-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

It's only fitting that I feature the North Pole this Wednesday. Well technically, it's not the North Pole, but Northern Finland, where Santa Claus lives... seriously. I'm pretty convinced that Finland needs to be on my travel list, apart from that fact that I am part finnish (?), Finland offers cool igloo hotels, the northern lights, and now a Santa Claus village, I mean what more could you want!

Take a peek at Santa Claus Village (in Rovaniemi, Finland):

They even offer swanky little cabins up at the North Pole...

Check out Santa's website (run by elves of course)

It would be hard to decide between spending the holidays at the Christmas house in the Adirondacks or Santa Claus Village.

How to Wrap a Present...

2011-12-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

I fail in the present wrapping department. I can never get the corners folded sharply, or the tape to stick, or I accidentally rip the paper and have to start all over...but if I could wrap presents, I would try out these:

How to make presents look extra pretty:

Isn't that a good idea to use ticket stubs and a measuring tape as ribbon? Wish I had thought of that!

I'm hoping that these gift wrapping techniques will inspire me to stop procrastinating and wrap the many birthday/christmas gifts that are sitting in my closet!

The Christmas House

2011-12-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

High up in the Adirondack mountains lives a house solely dedicated to Christmas. Wouldn't it be amazing to have a little retreat that is permanently decorated for the holidays. No dragging boxes from the attic, no hanging christmas lights in freezing temperatures, no cleaning up after christmas and returning to the sad fact that the holiday season is over...

Doesn't this house look idyllic...you can just imagine the family sitting by the fire and opening presents Christmas morning while drinking homemade eggnog.

Via: Vogue

Photo Friday!

2011-12-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

I love old photos and the stories they tell about the time and the person...

Queen Victoria, 1885

WWI porters, 1915

1937

1940

*All photos via the LIFE archive*

Happy Friday!

Holiday Recipes: Gingerbread

2011-12-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

I love Heidi Swanson of 101 cookbooks. She's published a two great cookbooks and runs an awesome blog chocked full of healthy eats. She is also a photographer and avid traveler who loves Mexico probably as much as I do.

Her Mexican recipes are to die for (the crema corn and agua de jamaica are spot on).

Anyways,

when she posted her "Black Sticky Gingerbread Recipe" it looked too good not to share:

Doesn't that look like the perfect wintery treat!

*Side note: I don't think I've ever had homemade gingerbread*

Wanderlust Wednesday: Slovenia!

2011-12-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

My ~~secret~~ not so secret dream is to move to Slovenia, restore an old farm house, and turn it into a B&B. Every time I tell someone this dream of mine, I hear back "where the hell is Slovenia!"

To answer this once an for all, Slovenia is located on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, right across the water from Italy, and smashed in the middle of Croatia and Austria.

This tiny idyllic country of only two million people is referred to as "Europe in miniature," because it has all Europe has to offer rolled into this small country! It is also supposedly the greenest country in Europe, beating Switzerland!

It would make for the perfect (cheaper) home base in Europe, and who wouldn't want to live in a place that offered all the best Europe has to offer, from the beach, to medieval cities, to the alps!

Via Lonely Planet

Have I sold you on Slovenia yet?

Holiday Gifts

2011-12-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

I love to see the curated christmas gifts that some of the other bloggers are posting. They are always full of interesting/unique gifts, so if you are a little late on the holiday shopping, hopefully these will inspire you (to stop procrastinating)!

Here are a few of my favorite:

From Honestly WTF: "A Gift Guide for the Dudes"

I love the handmade ties in the top corner, I think I am going to make Brian wear one for the wedding! Go here to find out more about these gifts.

Hip Hip Gin Gin's "Stocking Stuffer Guide"

I love the #12, the macaron necklace! Go here to find specifics.

My favorite gift guides are from A Cup of Jo, if only for her titles alone...

For "The Chubby Toddler that Laughs as All Your Jokes (Even the Dumb Ones) and Never Refuses a Cheerio"

Is it weird that I would totally enjoy these toddler gifts? Find them here.

Mondays....

2011-12-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

I think I need a theme for Mondays...something that can turn the plain old Monday post into something exciting, and since Brian and I have become more stationary and less vagabond-y, I will need something travel related to cure my wanderlust. Maybe arm chair travel/ posts about the best travel books? Or a destination wedding Monday?

Any great ideas? I would love to hear them!

As for now, this Monday will be a very random post:

Scenes from my weekend...

Just a word of warning: do NOT see New Years Eve, hands down the worst movie I have seen in a while, I mean Halle Berry what were you thinking! And Michelle Pfiffer kissing Zack Effron...come on! (the real movie we wanted to see was sold out).

Random:

Cute post on getting kissed on top of the Empire State Building!

Photo Friday!

2011-12-09T08:07:00.001-08:00

Happy Friday! What are your plans this weekend? I'm having another lazy weekend and hopefully I will take the time to get on wedding planning. There is an awesome vintage rental company by us, so I think I will head over and browse their selection. How cool would it be to have a bunch of vintage sofas outside for the reception?!

Photo Friday:

Link Love:

Turn your Instagrams into magnets!!

Crafty gift wrapping

Homemade Nutella!

Awesome Xmas cards

Love, love these shoes

Wanderlust Wednesday: Neuschwanstein Castle

2011-12-07T08:07:00.001-08:00

Neuschwanstein Castle, located in southwest Bavaria, is as breathtaking as it is extravagant. It was built by King Ludwig the Second, high upon a rugged hill, overlooking the valley below. The King, being a terrible recluse, used the castle as his personal refuge away from the world. Supposedly, the castle was the inspiration behind Sleeping Beauty's castle, but trust me, it is far superior to the Disney version!

If you ever find yourself in Germany, I would definitely recommend heading to Bavaria, staying in Fussen, and doing a day trip to the castle, all the while wearing lederhosen and drinking beer, of course!

(I think this is off a postcard...)

My photos below:

Bavaria

The hike up to the castle

The views from the castle,

I would turn into a recluse too for this kind of view!

*side note: Germany has this beer mixed with lemonade called a "radler" and surprisingly all over asia we found this exact same thing in a can called "shandy," which became my beer of choice in Malaysia!

Wedding Dresses

2011-12-06T07:55:00.001-08:00

I'm not much of a dress girl, which has made it hard to look for wedding dresses (everything is too pouffy). But then I came across Anna Campbell, and fell in love. I have never seen wedding dresses like this before and I'm seriously considering flying to Australia just to pick one up!

The details are stunning...

I love how she played with lace on most of her dresses. Wouldn't they be perfect for a romantic outdoor wedding?

It's December!!

2011-12-05T08:24:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe it is already December!

I feel like I am still mentally stuck in summer, but this weekend I was jolted out of my summer daze when we went Christmas tree shopping...

The finished tree!

We also lucked out this whole past week with crystal clear, sunny days, which made for some amazing sunsets!

Have you all started the Christmas season process?

Photo Friday

2011-12-02T07:58:00.001-08:00

It seems like this week flew by, and I am definitely not complaining...

If i'm not being lazy, i'll probably drag myself up skiing this weekend, or start my christmas shopping!

What are you up to this weekend?

Photo Friday:

Somewhere in Bavaria...

Link Love:

Awesome Hoodie

DIY Anthropologie duvet cover

Perfect idea: s'mores wedding favors

Gone are the days of lame X-mas gifts

DIY recycled glass chandelier

House Hunters International

2011-12-01T07:54:00.001-08:00

Do you ever watch House Hunters International? It's one of my guilty pleasures. I can't help but watch episode after episode of people shopping for new houses/new lives in foreign countries (while secretly plotting how I am going to do the same).

You can also watch full episodes online over at HGTV.

Last night we caught an episode of a young couple, Kate and Rob, moving to Florence. Kate has a delightful blog over at La Vita e Bella, which is all about expat life, you can even find an Italian citizenship guide.

I've already started digging into my family tree for some Italians (no luck), but thank god my fiance is part Italian, we might stand a chance at citizenship!

They even moved their dog with them to Italy! I'm officially jealous...

Click here to read La Vita e Bella

Wanderlust Wednesday: Finnish Igloos

2011-11-30T07:50:00.001-08:00

I've always thought it would be cool to stay in an igloo, but I don't think I can settle for anything less than the igloo village at Hotel Kakslauttanen. This "hotel" is located in Arctic Circle, "amidst beautiful Lapland scenery in the vicinity of Urho Kekkonen National Park." This igloo village is unique, replacing the traditional snow roof with one made of thermal glass, offering uninterrupted views of the Aurora Borealis.

I don't think I would ever want to fall asleep...

Via: Inhabitat

Engagement Photo Session in Ballard

2011-11-29T07:50:00.001-08:00

Last Friday, we took engagement photos for our great friends, Samantha and Nick.

The stars aligned and gave us a bright, sunny day! That, combined with the gorgeous backdrop at Golden Gardens, made for wonderful photos!

(They are still in the process of being edited, so more to come)

We also headed up to Kerry Park to catch the sunset...

cannelés

2011-11-28T07:49:00.001-08:00

This past weekend in Seattle, I made it my mission to find a canelé.
The whole weekend I could almost taste this incredible french pastry, but out of the ten bakeries I went to, cannelés were definitely not on the menu! Supposedly, Honore Bakery in Ballard has incredible cannelés, but they are closed til' Wednesday!
Anyways, now I am going to have to try and whip up some cannelés at home and thank god for Chez Pim's detailed recipe (which is far too long to include in this post), so head over to her site to find out her method; something involving beeswax and copper molds.

Via Chez Pim

Trust me, they are worth the effort!

Photo Friday

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love Thanksgiving: for the cranberries, the sweet potatoes, the multiple pies (I have a sweet tooth), but most of all it's nice to have a day that makes you look back at all that you are thankful for (pie included).

As for today, I am taking it slow and recovering from the copius amounts of food I consumed last night, and I might even resort to wearing overalls or a snuggie in public.

I hope all your Thanksgivings were great

and

Happy Black Friday

A temple in Thailand

(random, I know, but I thought it was pretty)

Link Love:

Singing in the Subway

A calendar for foodies/gardeners

How to make the famous Paseo Cuban sandwich (substituting leftover turkey of course)

Running motivation

Perfectly curated outfits

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Via Here!