the garden kitchen

During my quick trip to Portland, I'm staying in a beautiful, tiny apartment with plants everywhere. The thickest cluster is in the kitchen with hanging plants, vines growing up the wall, and planter boxes decorating the windows.

The quiet green makes for a new kind of morning.

aileen and the flower wall

We were walking back from lunch when I saw something bright and pink from the corner of my eye. I didn't know what I wanted to do, I just knew we had to get to it.

There are a few silly photos of me, but I think Aileen does it best.

in the quiet

There's something about loose-leaf tea and the colors that dance in the water as it steeps.

(outside) marianne's

I'd never really thought of it before, but having a big backyard (or any yard, for that matter) must be pretty sweet.


Marianne took full advantage of the space and had several garden plots, a wood-burning pizza oven, a volleyball court, picnic tables, a bathtub-turned-couch, and a hammock.


Poopsie wasn't hers but he sure enjoyed it, too.

(inside) marianne's

One of my favorite aspects about visiting someone's home is seeing the small details that make it their own. Everything is so personal; everything has a reason for being where it is.


Marianne and her husband have spent the last year renovating and making their home what it is now. In a way, it's the ultimate dream home. Aside from the fresh flowers, handwritten labels, and big windows, it's a space they breathed their own life into.

I don't know what exactly my dream home will be like, but I hope it's something like this.

treehouse outtakes

Even though our treehouse stay was back in May and the story is already out, I like to go through the photos and pretend I'm still there.

I've added some outtakes to Facebook, if you'd like to pretend, too.

max & tanya

I met Max a few months ago when he first started at Airbnb. He grew up in a part of Russia that snowed 9 months of the year and in our first few meetings he'd tried Hunan, Venezuelan, and Thai food for the first time. He tried teaching me to count in Russian (I still can't do it) and in our random office conversations, I found out he recently got married and was waiting for his wife to join him in the States.

It was maybe sometime around March when he told me this, and that Tanya wouldn't be coming until late June/early July. I remember coming into the office at random times (Saturday afternoons or late Friday nights) and finding him here, either already Skyping or getting ready to Skype with Tanya (which they did every day). 

Needless to say: it's now mid July, Tanya is here, and I couldn't be happier that they're finally together.

#fawaffle shop

A #fawaffle is the perfect marriage between falafel and waffle. All the savory goodness of falafel but in the light, slightly sweet of a waffle.


Chef Sam  paired the fawaffles with genius-ly planned toppings, sides (the mint yogurt, cilantro whipped cream, and curried peaches were my favorite), and the best pomegranate-yerba-mate-arnold-palmer.

Who knew such creativity, flavor, and fun could exist all on one plate?

See more photos on Facebook.
Get tickets to upcoming shops on July 21st, July 28th, and August 4th.

sally loo's

Our weekend in San Luis Obispo was the kind where you forget to take your camera out (or even bring it) because you're busy riding a pedicab at midnight or wandering around Captain Nemo's or swimming/racquetballing or listening to the best cover of "Say It Ain't So" you've ever heard.

Sally Loo's was one of the great unfortunate mornings where it was great because everything is so wonderful but unfortunate because I forgot to bring my camera along for brunch. I don't remember the last time I saw a menu where I wanted to try every single thing.

Delicious brunch, uniquely decorated, and filled with light-- a fantastic way to begin a Sunday.

the summer violet

It's here! It's here!

The gorgeous, French-inspired summer issue of the Violet is out today. I'm really excited/honored to have my treehouse story included.

It's so funny. This time last year, I was in the French countryside and this issue brings me right back. 

old west cinnamon rolls

I'm not sure what to say except that this is an entire bakery dedicated specifically to cinnamon rolls. And yes, I'd drive 234 miles to have them again. (Thanks, brother, for taking us here.)

portraits from the road

One of myself.

One of my beau.

One of the car.

And one of He-man. (We couldn't stop laughing and dancing.)