wanderlust

fred

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

When I left Chit Chat a few weeks ago, I thought I recognized the man sitting on the bench and feeding the birds. I took out my phone, scrolled through my flickr photos, and discovered that the man in front of me was, in fact, the same man from this blog post in 2010.

It turns out that 85-year-old Fred has been coming to the Pacifica pier almost every day for the past 35 years. He used to drive but now he takes the bus from San Francisco and picks up old bread at the 7-11 nearby. I wrote a more detailed story about meeting him over at You, Me & Charlie but couldn't help but share his story here, too.

washi tape detailing

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

Since starting my new job (!), I've noticed that almost everyone in our office has the same Mac products. While this makes for a very aesthetically pleasing workplace, it also means everyone's equipment is almost identical.

So in taking my first steps to set my stuff apart, I added a little washi tape to my laptop charger. What I did was:

1. Cover the apple logo with a piece of washi tape.
2. Lightly trace the apple outline with a pencil.
3. Remove the tape, cut along the lines, and reapply the tape.
4. If your cut isn't perfect, trim the tape as needed.

I'm sure there's a more precise way to do this-- perhaps with a cutting board and an exacto knife-- but I did this during the last half of my lunch break.

And for anyone looking for washi tape, I found mine in San Francisco's Japantown but these guys have a great collection.

chit chat on the pier

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

There are two Chit Chat Cafes in Pacifica-- the one I went to with Chelsey and this one on the town pier.

I went to elementary school just a few blocks from this pier and for the longest time, never went into the building because I had no idea what it was. I finally ventured in earlier this month and after speaking to a staff member named Don and a few regulars, I learned it was a bait shop up until several years ago.

Today it's a cozy little coffee/lunch/bait hub. I met another Don, who comes almost every day to walk along the beach path. And I met Jerry and Jim (below), who were both kind and filled with stories. They invited me to sit with them and asked me about myself after I learned about them (Jerry is a retired SF firefighter and Jim retired from the navy and shared all about his travels in Asia before the Korean War.)

While I sat with Jim and Jerry, several people peeked in to say "hello," check in with Jim, and tell him that if he needed a ride anywhere to just call. Everyone seemed to be on a first-name basis and long-time friends united through this little cafe at the pier.

As far as cafes go, this one isn't fancy. They use paper cups, they have the standard chalkboard menu, and I don't think they've ever been featured in a food-centric publication. But the space is so special because of the people that come, who know each other by name and make your morning cup on the beach that much more special.

poached egg over lemony kale and polenta

2012-01-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

This recipe is up on The Violet blog today!

Happy Friday!

courtney marie andrews

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I saw Jimmy Eat World and on stage with them was Courtney Marie Andrews. I didn't know who she was at the time, but after saying hello post-concert and looking up her music afterward, I wrote to her to see if I could catch her before she left San Francisco.

Some things to know about Courtney:

She's from Phoenix. She wrote her first song when she was 14 and began touring at 17. This past summer, she toured Europe with just two backpacks and her guitar. She recorded live performances in Cologne and the Paris Montmartre cemetery. She's her own manager and books gigs herself. Her dream tour would consist of smaller, seated venues and her friends The Pioneers of Primetime TV opening for her. She just began her 2012 American tour and is probably coming to a city near you (and if she's not, she's open to requests).

I recommended her latest album in the newest issue of The Violet (p. 23) because I think her music is truly beautiful. It's honest and delicate and poetic. This was the first song I fell in love with but it was only a matter of time before I couldn't choose a favorite.

a reminder

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

my first book

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I put together a little book of photos from Denmark to give to my Italo-Danese host parents, Maibritt and Luciano. Denmark is so special to me now that I've experienced it with them and when I began to put together the book, I knew words would play second fiddle to the photographs. It's simple, short, in Italian and one of my favorite presents I've ever gifted. It's so gratifying seeing your own work in print. I highly recommend it.

To Maibritt and Luciano. Thank you very much. I miss you every day.

In Denmark, the true country of the beautiful life.

I'm lucky. For many years my feet have been searching for something but I did not know what. Maybe a place of tranquility. A place where my heart rests secure. A home.

Today I still do not know what it is. But I found it in Denmark.

But in the end, the most important thing was not the country. It was my family, so kind and compassionate, teaching me about life and the world.

With love, Ciccia (pronounced chee-cha, what Maibritt would call me)/ Light Blue ("Celeste" means light blue in Italian, what Luciano would call me)/ Celeste

PS - Thanks to my big brother for hand-modeling.
PPS - I'm off to my first day at my new job!!

the violet

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

The winter issue of The Violet is out today! These past few weeks working with the Violet ladies have been wonderful and it's amazing to see how all of our hard work has paid off.

Molly's narrative on eggs and Ashlee and Camilla's brunch spread are my favorites. My book, music and film recommendations can be found on page 23; as well as some of my favorite photos of the Pacific sky on 26 and 77.

Check it out! And Happy Monday!

a new beginning

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

I finally got it. The email.

Less than three days after I spilled my guts to blogland, David and I were heading out to our favorite phở place when I glanced at my email and stopped.

This is the reason why I was still abroad so I couldn't come in to interview for my "dream job"

Why I spent hours in rush hour three times in one week (for one job) only to never hear back again

Why I forgot to send a follow-up email for my other "dream job"

Why dozens of applications were left without response

Why I spent a week on writing samples to only never hear back again (again)

Why a magazine felt "my personality" wasn't the best fit

Why my Excel "Jobs" spreadsheet kept growing and growing

Until now. Do you remember this post? Well after an email last Monday, a phone interview on Tuesday, a three-hour-six-person interview on Wednesday and a last-minute Skype interview on Thursday...

I was offered a position at Airbnb. Which I (ecstatically) accepted.

I'm so excited for this next chapter in my life-- I had to share the happy news. Thanks for stickin' around. I'll try to repay you in delicious sticky recipes.

*Photo from Jess & Luke's, my Airbnb hosts in London.

crown & crumpet (raiza's first tea)

2012-01-19T00:03:00.000-08:00

Unlike her big sister Raine, Raiza was a handful during her first tea (which wasn't actually tea but apple juice). I can't really blame her. If I was 2 years old and found myself in a brightly colored room with pretty objects and candy galore, I would run around wild, too.

The spilt water, the goldfish everywhere, the chase around the tea shop and the loud, occasional "HIIIIIIIII"s to the strangers behind us were well worth seeing her itty bitty fingers grasp a cup that was almost as big as her face.

photos by raiza

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Photos by Raiza, my two year old niece.

The best part is that she grabs the camera, shuts both eyes and holds the camera to the side of her face as she clicks away. Cuteness overload.

chit chat with chelsey

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Chit Chat Cafe is quickly becoming my favorite coffee shop. It's warm but offers a beautiful view of the ocean. It's cozy but you can always find somewhere to sit. They're local, low-key and on this particular Sunday morning-- lively with live music.

There were several occasions when we had to repeat ourselves over the music, but all in all, I thought it was a nice way to wake up.

ruth

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning I found myself following Ruth Reichl around the Ferry Building Farmers' Market, taking photos and tasting food as we made our way around.

For anyone who doesn't know, Ruth is the former editor of Gourmet magazine as well as a former New York Times restaurant critic. She's written a trilogy of best selling memoirs, has won four James Beard Awards and is most recently the Editorial Advisor to Gilt Taste.

And I was following her around? Chatting, tasting and taking photos?

In an ideal world, I would have finished reading all of her books. I would have intelligent, memorable questions to ask advice for an aspiring food writer. I would have taken a shower the night before.

As it so happens, I don't own any of her books. What I know about her I learned while sitting on the floor of a balcony when she gave a talk at Stanford last year. What I ended up talking about was growing up eating chicharon, how I didn't really know my mom's paella recipe and how I thought UCSC's education was comparable to Stanford's. And I hadn't taken a shower the night before.

I'm not witty on my feet. I work for my words and say a little prayer of thanks when they come. Looking back on Saturday is like looking back on a wasted opportunity to learn more. It stings.

But what I lost in never asking, I gained in watching.

I'll always remember how her face lit up when she talked about the fragrance of strawberries-- and how the scent was universally cathartic. How she's never eaten good sushi in San Francisco and how she describes her time at the NYT as having a lot of "sharp elbows." How she remembers a time when goat cheese didn't exist in America and how she wishes every family had their own Ferry Building Farmers' Market to buy fresh, local and sustainable produce and artisanal products. How she was kind to everyone, always willing to listen and learn.

I may not have sharp elbows but my ears are a great substitute.

2012-01-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

"I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way."

-Sense and Sensibility

#janphotoaday

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

My twitter and instagram worlds have been inundated with Fat Mum Slim's January Photo-a-day Challenge... and I love it.

I'm sure David will be rolling his eyes whenever he reads this (he likes to remind me that my "Letter A Day" project is terribly misnamed) but I've been really good about this one. I love seeing how my breakfast compares with Katrina's or Maddy's. Or how my sky is the same but different than Johanna's or Ashlee's.

It's something simple and silly but it makes me love blogland even more.

(Psst-- it's not too late to join in! My username is extracelestial-- you know, kinda like ET.)

pulido's tailor

2012-01-10T00:41:00.000-08:00

This is one of my childhood hang out spots. For the past (at least) 17 years, my mom has worked as a part time seamstress at my Uncle* Oscar's alteration shop. I used to come with her on weekends and sit at the front desk doing anything and everything to entertain myself: ring up customers, play with the "PAID" and "RUSH" stamps, practice my stitching on fabric scraps.

Once I started high school and then left for college, I didn't stop by as much. But other than the newly painted yellow walls, that gap hasn't changed much. The clothes are still hung with the same hangers in the same system, my uncle will unfailing always offer me something to eat upon arrival and the hum of sewing machines can always be heard among the Enrique Iglesias playing in the background.

It was a weird place to grow up but it's still a home.

*We're not actually blood relatives in any way but he's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember so he'll always be my uncle.

home life

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

First, I just wanted to say thank you for all of your kind notes on my last post. The general consensus was that this is just a weird time most people have to get through-- not a reflection of your character or who you are. It was a much-needed reminder. Thank you, thank you.

After all of those kind words, I really tried to focus on the simple, everyday things that bring joy. I mean, I try to have that perspective on a daily basis, but this weekend it was a priority.

I went to bed when I wanted. I woke up when my body was ready. And then I had breakfast on my nightstand, alternating between Dreadfully Ever After and Gilmore Girls reruns. I hung out at my uncle's tailor shop without ever checking the time. I ran errands, took a quick trip to the pier and then had a coffee-less coffee date.

I embraced the life of the unemployed.

PS - Did you see my guest post about Lake Como and the Alps over at Alex's? Talk about embracing life.

lately

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been waiting for the call. The email. The anything.

I scroll through website after website wondering if maybe this job is the one. If future me will look back on this moment and say, "If only you knew then what clicking on this link would lead to." But it's not the one. "It" isn't anything, actually. And it hasn't happened.

You guys, this job search is eating away at my soul.

I've never seen myself as someone who likes to boast about their accomplishments. I like to let my work speak for itself. But these dozens of cover letters, these resume revisions, these interviews are wearing me down. I know that it's a tough market and those dozens of interviews-past "just weren't meant to be," but each unanswered application and each interview I hear nothing from is like another blow to the ego.

So I wanted to reach out to blogland and ask if anyone could share... well, anything. How you transitioned to this awful thing called "adulthood." How you found your job.(If you know of any editorial positions in the ~~Bay Area~~ anywhere).

Or just a little story to remind me that one day I will look back on this time and laugh because it'll all have been worth it.

diana, diana, diana, i would die for you

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm in love with you completely

I'm afraid that's all I can do.*

My first photos with my Diana lens! I've been hesitant to get the film camera because I can't be bothered with 120 film, but I'm happy with the way these turned out. It was hard to keep myself from taking a photo with this lens and one with my "normal" lens, but I like that I only have photos in this format. It makes them more special.

PS - See those little boys in the last two photos? Well, I was smitten with their silhouettes so I snapped away like a madwoman and suddenly heard, "ARE YOU TAKING PICTURES OF US?!" Probably one of my more embarrassing moments but they were really cute about it and didn't mind one bit.

*from "A Man/Me/Then Jim" by Rilo Kiley

new year's on the pier

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

We rang in the New Year in Lake County, just at the edge of Nice and right before Lucerne. This Nice didn't much resemble its better-known namesake, but it was gorgeous.

We went out to take photos of my New Year's resolution for The Violet and all of a sudden our photos got really mushy. Sorry, guys. These kinds of photos are pretty rare for us but there was just something about the day and the light... and the boy, of course.

I couldn't help but get a little carried away here.

And here and here and here.

It was a nice way to begin 2012.

2011

2011-12-31T00:36:00.000-08:00

Looking at photos and revisiting 2011 is like revisiting another time. I don’t know how to say how much I’ve grown or how much I’ve stayed the same. Most of the time, I can’t even tell myself.

It was a year of staying up late. To finish books, blog posts or conversations with a boy. Early mornings were rare, but they were never difficult.

Food was more present. Is that possible? I forgot to add flour on multiple occasions. And once, my cupcakes exploded. But these were mistakes that make the kitchen my second favorite place to be (first is my bed). Between taking photos for the Daily, coming home to my apartment’s Susie Homemaker dinners and testing recipes myself, it’s a wonder I was ever hungry.

I shot my first real photoshoot. In a cemetery. It was kind of awkward because I’m awkward, but they were my first baby steps.

My apartment. Our apartment. I’d like to think that fate brought us together, but we chose each other. So let’s give credit where credit is due, right? We went to the snow, made pancake balls, played board games until 4 am. We made time for breakfast, we surprised each other for birthdays, we had the best “last dinner” all together. Alessandro was up year-round.

I turned 22. And met Joseph Gordon-Levitt. (!!!)

It was a year of insecurity. I graduated. Graduated. And while everyone else knew their life plans, I couldn’t decide what to have for breakfast. Most of the time, I just skipped it.

So I went to Europe. At first it was hard but then it was so, so good. This trip was all about the kindness of others and serendipity.

Strangers welcomed me into their homes. I learned how to make crepes. I stayed in the tiniest, coziest Parisian flat with the sweetest girl. I didn't go to a single museum in Paris.

I found a new home in Denmark and ate too many Danish desserts.

I fell in love with Italian lakes.

I came home to even more love.

I went through a quarter-life crisis. I interviewed for dozens of jobs and sent out twice as many applications. The crisis isn’t over yet.

I learned a lot from a boy. He helped me see things in ways that always made them better. And I loved him even more. (And I've never been more proud of a present I've given someone.)

I discovered the best food with my best friends. I couldn't be happier to call California home.

I went to life-changing concerts.

My feet were well-traveled and my heart was full.

2011, thank you.
Welcome, 2012.

And you, dear friends: wishing you all the light and hope of a new year.

raine's first tea

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Raine's first tea was actually hot chocolate. Alice invited us out to Lovejoy's for a holiday afternoon tea just for the girls. It was Raine's first time meeting most of the women in David's family (his mother, grandmother, two sisters and aunt were all there!) and I think she loved it.

We, of course, ate like queens and Raine was the most patient little girl you could have imagined. Everything for her seemed to come last but she always remembered her please, thank yous, and no thank yous. She had her own tier of fruit, cookies, jelly-and-cream-cheese sammies and a scone all to herself. And her own pot of hot chocolate and a cup of whipped cream.

She was in little girl heaven. (To be honest, I was in little girl heaven, too.) Alice was the sweetest for inviting us and making it such a lovely afternoon.

on growing up

2011-12-29T00:46:00.000-08:00

It was one of those days when you realize you're growing up but you can't do anything about it. And maybe that's a good thing.

A few of my high school girlfriends got together at Sara's after Christmas just to catch up. For the most part, we all went to different colleges and we live all over California (and now Arizona) so it's easy to get caught up in the current everyday. Work, school or whatever gets in the way so reuniting and just being together again is perfect.

And then you find out that one of your girlfriends just got engaged on Christmas Eve!!! We're all talking casually when Emily says, "So. I got a really great present for Christmas," and puts her new ring on. (And we squeal in excitement/delight, of course).

So even though we'll go weeks without talking to one another, I'll always cherish little moments like this-- that Emily waited to tell us in person. I didn't see it on my facebook news feed and I didn't hear it from anyone else.

Of course, this also means that we're getting older. We're growing up. It's a little intimidating but I can manage small steps.

Just add a few hours of conversation and Christmas leftovers and let me reminisce about that Monday afternoon.

christmas eve

2011-12-28T00:40:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember, Christmas Eve has always been the "bigger deal" in my family than Christmas Day. All of my family gets together then and now that my sisters are older.. married.. mothers... there are a lot more people to fill the house (think: three significant others and seven children).

It's interesting looking at things now that I'm no longer the family baby (I'm the youngest of four). When did I become a grown up? And where did all my money go? (A growing family means more presents.) Christmas Eve is by no means the only time we're all together, but it was the only time we were all in tears of laughter because my mother posed with her "new family" on the box of the TV we all chipped in to get her.

last minute wrapping à la fraulein maria

2011-12-24T22:42:00.000-08:00

I'd originally written this post for another site, but since it didn't make it up I couldn't bear to wait until next year to share. So, in the off chance you've waited until the very last hour and 15 minutes until Christmas to wrap your presents, here are some quick wrapping ideas inspired by Julie Andrews’ character, Fraulein Maria, in The Sound of Music. These ideas are simple, sustainable and easy to put together with typical household items.

Using old grocery paper bags, gently rip the bag open along the seams to get one flat piece of wrapping paper. Measure the amount of paper you need for your present and cut the appropriate amount.

Presents wrapped? Great! Here’s where Maria comes in. Throughout the movie, Maria made things more beautiful and creative using these three steps:

1. Get back to the basics: When the Von Trapp children told Maria they didn’t know how to sing, she started them off with “Do Re Mi.” If your gift consists of multiple presents, try “1 2 3.” Wrap them individually and number them in the order they should be opened.

2. Sing about it: Write the lyrics to your favorite song on your wrapping paper and use that to wrap your present. “Brown paper packages tied up with strings” have never been more fitting.

3. Use what you have: We kind of already did this using our paper bags, but don’t limit your resourcefulness to that! When Maria wanted the children to have play clothes she used her bedroom drapes. Me? I just snipped off a piece of my sister’s Christmas tree and used baker’s twine.

Happy last minute wrapping! (But really, you could use this "wrapping paper" year round.)

Wishing you the merriest, love-filled holiday season to date.

happy holidays!

2011-12-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Love,
RIMRAM

(Raine Isabella Maranan (4) & Raiza Alexis Maranan (2))

cinnamon sugar bread

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

There were a lot of things working against me when I decided to make this cinnamon sugar bread from Joy the Baker. I've been daydreaming of making the recipe for months and finally decided to go for it the morning before my last day of work at Stanford. I knew the process would take a while but I wanted to say thank you to the ASCO team for being so kind, friendly, and supportive.

However, after deciding to do this, there were challenges to overcome:

- I started at 2am (and the bread needed to rise twice)
- I only had one bowl
- We only have small chopping boards and our kitchen counter is tiled
- (i.e. I had to lay down saran wrap on my tiled counter to roll out the dough)
- No rolling pin
- During the bread's first rise, I accidentally left it in our freezing cold kitchen. Whoops.

But, by some miracle, I had all of the ingredients. I took weird 1 hour naps during the rising/waiting/baking process. And the bread came out really well!

And I wasn't late to work!

cinnamon sugar bread
adapted from Joy the Baker

dough:
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

filling:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 ounces butter, melted until browned

Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in one bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk eggs and set aside. Melt the butter with the milk in a small pot, remove from heat, then add water and vanilla. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients. Add eggs and mix until incorporated. Joy said that her mixture felt soupy, but mine felt dry. Add the remaining 3/4 cups of flour. Just keep mixing until everything is incorporated and sticky.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic and a tea towel, and leave it to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Once the dough rises, mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Melt the remaining butter. Set aside both items.

Knead your newly risen dough with about 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll out the dough until it's about 12" x 20" if you can. I couldn't just roll it out as much as you can.

Spread melted butter on rolled dough then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Cut the dough into strips of six. Stack the strips on top of one another until you have just one strip. Then cut that single strip into six squares (like this). Layer the squares sideways into a greased bread pan. (My squares weren't really even but it didn't matter.)

Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise for another hour.

Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until dark golden brown on top. Let rest for 30 minutes then remove from pan.

Eat and die of happiness.

weekend

2011-12-19T04:21:00.000-08:00

Proof that sometimes all you need are good friends and good food. Especially mixed together.

sara fucking bareilles

2011-12-16T10:46:00.001-08:00

Sara Bareilles is the kind of artist that can tell you what your heart is feeling before you know how to say it yourself.

During my last quarters of college, Uncharted seemed to be on repeat because I had no idea what was ahead of me. King of Anything, Machine Gun and That Guy's An Asshole all seem to be the best way to tell rude people to STFU. And Hold My Heart is what I believe my heart would sound like in music form.

I went to see Sara with Norris and while we waited in line we met the sweetest, funniest new friends. It's funny how music can do that. It's so personal but so universal.

If you haven't heard any of her music, here's an a cappella version of her song Gravity. You guys, this girl is the shit.

PS - That night, she debuted her new song That Guy's An Asshole. She printed out the chorus and passed it along to the audience so we could sing along. I don't admire Sara because she cusses a lot, but rather, I admire her because she's not afraid to. Freedom with words! Delicate ears, be warned: it's perfectly cathartic.

See more photos from the concert here.

jess & luke's

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

During my last three days in London (and Europe, for that matter), I stayed with Jess and Luke through Airbnb. I'd only ever used Airbnb once before-- during my trip with David to Portland-- and was hesitant to try it out alone.

Well, staying with Jess and Luke turned out to be one of my favorite parts about being in London. My flight from Milan was delayed an hour and even though I arrived a little past midnight, Luke was still up to welcome me with a cup of tea.

At the end of each day, it was nice coming back to a home rather than a hotel. My first morning there, Jess and Luke invited me to join them for breakfast (see first two photos). Jess made poached eggs with a traditional salty fish (anyone know what that's called?) and served everything up alongside tea and fresh pressed apple juice. It was really delicious, really kind and really unexpected.

Perhaps the biggest story about staying with Jess and Luke is that they basically rescued me when I found myself in a foreign country with no access to my own money.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Despite calling Bank of America months prior to let them know I was in Europe (and had been for two months at this point), they deactivated my debit card because their system had been hacked. While this might seem like the most logical thing to do upon hacking, they didn't tell me. No email or anything.

So there I was, a little American girl, wandering from ATM to ATM wondering why on earth my debit card wasn't working. I tried to call the bank from a telephone booth, but couldn't call out of the country. Get this: a man who was cleaning the streets asked if I needed help. When I told him my problem, he let me borrow his cell phone to call America. What?!

I eventually reached a BoA representative only for my call to be dropped two minutes in. The phone number stopped working after that. So I was stranded in London, without access to cash, with no banks open (it was a bank holiday weekend), and with no way to speak to the bank in the States (because of the time difference).

Jess and Luke to the rescue. I called them and told them what had happened. They took the tube out to where I was and lent me cash. Me, this random American girl staying in their home. Cash.

Of course I paid them back through PayPal once I got back to the apartment, but wow. Jess and Luke obviously went above and beyond anything anyone could expect from Airbnb hosts. But being with them was an amazing reminder: Nice people exist.

People still have hearts-- and traveling is the best way to rediscover that.

beekeeping

2011-12-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

A few scenes from the beekeeping class Nikole and I took this past weekend. We didn't know much about bees before the class and learned that they're actually really gentle bugs. Just a few years ago, honeybee populations had dropped around 70% but thanks to beekeepers (professionals and hobbyists alike), there has been a great effort to restore the population. It's amazing that bees can work together and create their own little community-- and that we get to have honey because of it.

I also learned that aside from being delicious, honey has a lot of healing properties as an antiseptic (you can use it instead of neosporin, etc). Of course, I'm mostly interested in what I can cook with it. Good thing I bought a little bottle of lavender-infused honey to bring home with me.

Check out more photos from the class here.

weekend (in instagrams)

2011-12-12T01:05:00.000-08:00

Another super crazy/really fun/exhausting weekend.

In short: beekeeping, Sara Bareilles, late night congee, Japantown, Sunday night bowling.

In long: I went beekeeping with Nikole. BEEKEEPING. Well, it was more of an informational class, but we did suit up and open a hive. I'm now considering having a hive of my own whenever I get my own house. Homemade honey? Yes, please.

And then I went to see Sara Bareilles with one of my besties and met some really nice people while we stood in line. I'll definitely dedicate a post to the concert, but she was amazing. Even though she woke up with laryngitis the day before, she brought down the house. Ah-maz-ing.

And a sporadic trip to Japantown with the family in search of washi tape (success).

I can't believe the weekend flew by so quickly, but 'tis the season!*

PS - Is anyone looking for super cute, super cheap clothes? Chelsey is selling some really adorable/affordable (adfordable?) clothes over on ebay. If we were the same size I would be all over that.

*All photos via Instagram, whose co-founders are '06 and '08 Stanford alumni. Thank you, alma mater.

chez panisse

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Just as a warning: this post is photo heavy. It's pretty standard for me to go somewhere and take a lot of photos, but I have to be really in love with the photos to share the majority of them.

That's where Chez Panisse comes in. If you haven't heard of world-famous Chez Panisse, I won't judge you. I didn't know what the restaurant was up until a few months ago but it turns out my parents used to eat here a lot in the late 80's, early 90's.

Norris, one of my dearest friends, was an intern for the Office of Alice Waters and wanted to show me and Jamie where she worked (and what she got to eat every day for lunch).

This restaurant was all about the details. The etchings on the glass carafe, old prints of former Chez Panisse menus all over the walls, the fact that the waiters carried around wooden boxes to hold silverware.

We ate family style. We ordered two appetizers, three entrees, a dessert and shared everything:

Crab and scallop endive salad (my favorite)
Nettle and pecorino pizzetta
Mushroom and pea ragu pasta
Quail and squab with persimmons and herb toast
Fried rockfish with potatoes and celery root
Chocolate meringue and mocha ice cream drizzled with espresso caramel sauce

It was the best way to taste everything without getting too full too quickly (which was inevitable anyway).

After taking a long, leisurely lunch in the cafe, Norris took us on a little tour of the restaurant and of Alice's office. Each of the spaces was humble and small-- a real testament to their rustic meals and their approach to food. The kitchen was crowded and busy, humming with warmth.

For an entire week, Chez Panisse only needs two standard sized garbage cans. (You know, the kind that can fit one adult in it and no one else.) Everything else is either composed, reused or recycled. How amazing is that?

And then we walked into Alice's office. Alice's office. An entire wall dedicated to cookbooks. Lemony soap in the bathroom. Striped twine for sending out books to friends. It made me happy to think that even though she's become so well-known for "pioneering California cuisine," she still takes pride in the beautifully simple things.

a little get-together

2011-12-07T01:16:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I hosted a little get-together with some of my friends from high school. It was really simple: tea and coffee, mini pumpkin apple streusel muffins and a box of millefoglie.

We sat around the coffee table on my living room floor and just chatted away. Mismatched tea cups, warm hearts and everything.

borough market

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

There are few things I love more than colorful markets. On my flight to London from Milan, I met the nicest British guys (Alex and Max) who gave me a slew of suggestions despite the fact that I'd studied abroad in the UK the year before.

Thankfully, their Borough Market tip was spot on. Along with great produce that I've come to expect at all food markets (it's the California in me), they had other unique things like mushroom pate and micro growing gardens. Even though the market was a side of London I hadn't seen before, I felt right at home.

weekend (in food)

2011-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Phở with David, a cooking class with the best polenta of my life, Chez Panisse (!!) with Norris and Jamie, Sunday brunch with the family. Needless to say, this was a very good weekend.

(And this wasn't even all of it.)

downtown christmas lights (a new tradition)

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

When we realized our old tradition was coming to an end, we decided to start a new one. We loaded up eight people in one van, five in a car, and went to Union Square in downtown San Francisco to see the holiday lights.

They were perfect. The tree was gigantic. Raiza was afraid of Santa Claus. We gave a lot of business to Starbucks.

There were adoptable pets in the Macy's store windows. Raiza tried hot chocolate for the first time. Raine ran full-speed into the window of a revolving glass door* (oops).

A lot of silly, little things. At one point I went to take a "guys" photo of my brother and two nephews, but Raine insisted that the photo wasn't complete because Uncle David wasn't in it.

I might be having my quarter-life crisis but my heart is overflowing with love.

*She ended up being okay. David later described the event "like watching a bird fly into a window," and my sister (Raine's mom) couldn't stop laughing. None of us could.

lugano

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

My last set of photos from continental Europe (at least, for now). By the time we got to Lugano all I could think about was how excited I was to be in Switzerland! Granted, this part of Switzerland is still very Italian, but it was so peaceful and gorgeous.

We didn't go to many sites. The occasional forgotten church, a stroll along the lake, a trip to the park.

When we got lunch we accidentally went to a "boutique" salumeria. One package of prosciutto was 10 euro.

One of my favorite things about the city was that they hosted something called "Park & Read." The city sets up tables of books and chairs all around the park just so people can sit and read. For free. Little things like this warm my heart.

And my other favorite thing about the city was this swan:

About a year ago I wrote about how much I love Welsh ducks. Well.. it's just even more hilarious with a giant swan.

the coffee house

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

When I first started this blog I worked at a coffee house on campus, but never wrote about it. I should have-- it's made a big impact. Stevenson is the reason I started baking. It's where I discovered Smitten Kitchen and where I started experimenting to make things like pumpkin roll cakes and chouquettes. Toward the end of the year I worked more shifts as a baker than as a barista.

But even more than baking, the coffee house was like another home. My coworkers were like my Santa Cruz family that I baked too many things for. We had our own little staff table with notes and funny quotes just for us.

I still remember my first bake shift. I was nervous. Lily (a seasoned veteran) showed me around and taught me the ways of the small kitchen. (The oven had to be kept at 350, everything baked twice as fast, wear gloves when making fudgies.) I distinctly remember her pulling out the heavy, gray oven mitts and saying that their "home" was on top of the spices. They belong there.

I got to go back last week to meet Camille there. We both have graduated and being there was bittersweet because it was our coffee house but not our coffee house anymore.

I had my first-ever coffee house coffee (I didn't drink a drop while I was in college).
I indulged in Stevenson's ~~world-famous~~ Santa Cruz-famous fudgie.
I shared a new recipe with a new baker.
And I took photos that were long overdue.

Thankfully, my former coworkers Matt and April were still working there and made it feel a little bit more like home.

(thanksgiving) weekend

2011-11-28T00:07:00.000-08:00

Lots of food.
Lots of family.
Lots of messes.
Lots of laughter.
Lots of lights.
Lots of love.

PS - A little gif of Raiza eating her cake pop.
PPS - Does anyone else think that Raiza looks like Toad with her helmet on? (She decided to put it on Thanksgiving evening.)
PPPS - What the heck was I thinking wearing red lipstick during Thanksgiving dinner?!

a birthday project

2011-11-26T13:57:00.000-08:00

I just hosted a tea & coffee get together with my high school girlfriends and remembered a little birthday project I did for my friend, Michelle, when we were seniors. It's one present that I've always been proud of and I thought it might be nice to share with blogland.

1. Get strips of butcher paper/ use a chalkboard/ whatever you want.
2. Carry the supplies and writing utensils wherever you go for a day or so.
3. When you see one of the birthday girl's (or boy's) friends, have them write a little message for said birthday person.
4. Print each of the photos out and put them in an album/scrapbook/whatever you'd like.

It's quick, easy, and really funny/endearing to see what people write (see: my Calculus teacher who advised Michelle not to get pregnant).

And you get to see little high school me! (Although I think I look exactly the same. Ha.)

tradition (black friday)

2011-11-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

I'm two hours shy of being awake for 24 hours, so proceed with caution: I'm tired, I can't tell if food will make me feel better or worse, and I'm all kinds of delirious.

My family doesn't have a lot of traditions. By the time I was 18, I had already lived in 18 different homes. Everything is always changing and a little uncertain. (For a while, the closest thing we had to a tradition was getting a French silk pie from a local restaurant-- and then they closed.)

A few years ago, Black Friday became a tradition. My sisters and I would wake up before dawn, shop like there was no tomorrow, and end the morning with a nice breakfast around 10am. Sure it was a little crazy, but it was something crazy that we always did together. A sister thing.

In the past few years, the sales have been getting earlier and earlier, until today, when stores decided to open at midnight. So us sisters, wanting to keep the tradition alive, went.

And it was awful.

I hated that employees had to leave their Thanksgiving dinners to get ready for work. I hated that there were probably twice as many people, because they were more willing to stay up a few hours than get up early. I hated that I was part of a community that was so easily manipulated by mass marketing strategies.

And worst of all, I hated that my sisters and I decided that this was probably our last hurrah. After spending an entire day cooking and then dedicating the evening to our family, the last thing we want to do get in a line of 500+ that wraps around the back of Target.

Black Friday has always been a day for crazies, but now I feel like it's infringed upon traditions and family time. Things that are actually important. So unless Target returns to its original 5am opening time, an era has ended today.

(I'll just keep my new immersion blender as a memento.)

Good night.

thankful

2011-11-23T15:08:00.001-08:00

It shouldn't have been, but this was difficult to put together. Lately it seems like this quarter-life crisis has been getting the best of me. I couldn't be happier that Thanksgiving is here. It's just the reminder I needed.

(There are empty spaces because I always try to leave room for more things to be thankful for.)

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

And a special thank you to Janis for sharing this font with me! It's my new favorite.

rue du thé

2011-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Rue Du Thé is a little tea and chocolate shop I visited in Burlingame for my work with Epicuring. Even though I was only there for a quick chat, I couldn't help but snap a few photos. Mindy and Will are so passionate about their business that it's evident in the quality of their teas and chocolates. The colors, the wonderful tea-infused chocolates, the macarons, the tea.* Everything was top notch.

*Not pictured: jasmine hot chocolate (which was even better than it sounds, if that's possible).

scenes from home

2011-11-21T00:20:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me that by posting my Lake Como photos last week, a lot of people thought I was still in Italy (and in the sunshine). Well.. I wish, but no. All of my recent travel photos are from my trip in August (I just take a long time to post everything).

So to bring my blog back to reality I thought I'd share some scenes from home. They're just a few little things, none having much to do with the others. But I like them, because I'm happy to be home (ironically, none of these are taken at my own home).

1. Just after sunset.
2. Pfeffer nüsse.
3. Harry Potter polymer clay figurines by Melanie. Aren't they ADORABLE?! She made me a little owl.
4. The view from Mel's sun room.
5. Our new favorite Sunday night activity. I got a turkey last week!!!
6. Three-bean & beer veggie chili, homemade by David and yours truly.
7. Raiza, adorable as ever.
8. The most perfect, purple sunset.

isola comacina

2011-11-18T00:18:00.001-08:00

Isola Comacina is a tiny island right off the left leg of Lake Como-- probably less than 200 meters at the shortest distance from the main land. So we swam there.

Just kidding. I can hardly tread water (much to the chagrin of my former water polo-playing boyfriend), but we did swim and I did consider the idea. Giacomo was the only one who swam to the other side and made friends with the kids jumping off the dock.

I alternated between swimming and sunbathing on a big rock à la The Little Mermaid. (See large rock above).

It was a peaceful little island with beautiful views of the surrounding lake. I don't think I could get tired of it. Tiny hill-tiered houses against a backdrop of the Alps and the bluest water you've ever seen? Nope. I'd never tire of that.

So, for the concluding post of my mini Lake Como series, I'll leave you with this:

If I can have a life where I own the tiniest of boats whose sole purpose is to serve as my buoy while I nap in the sun on the shore of somewhere beautiful, I'll know it was a good life.

PS - Kim has been posting the most beautiful photos of her and Andre's trip to San Francisco a few weeks ago. I make a little appearance in this post, this post, and this post! (We had a lot of fun together). Happy Weekend!

varenna

2011-11-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

As I go through my photos, I'm still surprised that places like this exist. Lake Como is one of the few places in Italy I've been to that isn't bombarded with tourist shops and street sellers. It's easy to take a boat from lake town to lake town, stopping wherever you please to jump in for a quick swim.

Thanks to Rick Steves,* I got to read up on the towns before visiting them and learned interesting things like it's illegal to paint your home a shade other than what it originally was. This little town, Varenna, is Rick's favorite. It's got its own quiet charm that's different than Bellagio and Menaggio since it's smaller. We walked through the streets and saw almost no one except for a cute little cat.

It was pretty amazing.

*Seriously, if you guys are traveling to Europe and are looking for a quality, interesting guide: look no further than Rick. Also, if you want a good laugh I'd visit his website right now (readt: it's Christmas themed).

bellagio

2011-11-14T00:40:00.000-08:00

Lake Como was like a dream. I drove up with my dear friend, Giacomo (my language partner while studying abroad in Florence), and we spent a few days visiting the tiny lakeside towns.

Bellagio is perfectly named (together bello and agio mean something like "beautiful ease"). It's called the "pearl" of the lake towns because of its nicer shops and hotels, but I thought it was a pearl on its own. We stayed away from the shops and went exploring. We mistakenly walked to the other side of town and took our first Lake Como swim among ducks and boats. Everywhere we went, we walked along narrow streets with quaint, colorful buildings. Small-town charm seemed to follow us everywhere and that was just the way we liked it.

lake como

2011-11-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Everything was so peaceful, so blue.

A little preview of the Lake Como (yes, where George Clooney lives) photos to come on Monday!
(photo by Giacomo)

brunch at commonwealth

2011-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Norris, we had my favorite brunch since I've been back in the States. This little cafe doubles as a pub and is usually super busy during soccer games. We were fortunate enough to come on an empty, Sunday morning.

I just loved the feel of the place. From the art on the walls to the striped cloth napkins to mason jars with handles. It was nice but homey.

And then I had the best grilled cheese of my life: brie, pear chutney and goat cheese. I'd go every week if it wasn't across the Bay Bridge.

pumpkins

2011-11-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

A little set of photos from our trip to the pumpkin patch last month. We went with less than two weeks before Halloween and there were a lot of random things there. Example: Pikachu. And "weirdos."

And, David took a photo which he calls "Classic Celeste." I do this a lot in photos, I guess.

I'm happy it's still fall. I'm long overdue for pumpkin and butternut squash everything.

all of the happiness lost in cyberspace

2011-11-08T09:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever submitted a happy list? Yesterday I was home sick all day and David came over after work with lots of water, juice and soup for me. When he left I was so happy I wanted to write a little happy list and share it somewhere. Then I realized that over the past 2 1/2 years I've submitted five to the aforementioned happy list haven.

50 wonderful things that never saw the light of day because I only shared them with one person.

And then I thought of the hundreds of other people who surely had sent in lists, too. And those thousands of wonderful things that might never have seen the light of day, either.

So, in an effort to help recover all of the happiness lost in cyberspace, I thought I'd start by sharing my very first happy list right here.

May 5, 2009

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
stationary and writing letters
tulips and tea parties
the sound of my mother's sewing machine
finding the right words
being speechless
cooking with david
"dancing in the moonlight" - the song and the action
fall foliage
old couples holding hands

Feel free to share your happiness here, too.

a litte makeover

2011-11-06T22:16:00.000-08:00

Who am I kidding-- this is a BIG makeover!

The amazing and wonderfully talented Suzy created my new header and sidebar illustrations and I am in love! (I tweaked the rest of the layout myself). If anyone is thinking of giving their blog a new look, I highly recommend her-- she's an amazing artist and really easy to work with.

Instead of completely revamping everything and pretending like nothing happened, I thought I'd give a little insight to the illustrations. I asked Suzy to add the books, tea, globe, and stars because I felt that together, they represented my little corner of the internet.

Books: Some of my best childhood companions. My favorite way to get lost is in a book.
Tea: I'm obsessed (especially with tea parties) and it represents my blog's "food tendencies."
Globe: For all the travels, you know?
Stars: My name, Celeste Noche, means "heavenly night." I've always admired the night sky so I think my parents did a good job naming me.

Other than that-- I hope you'll take a look around! Everything is updated and new!

*Photos from the week.

PS - This is the original drawing I sent in to Suzy. It's pretty sweet that she got THAT ^^^ from this:

florence in film

2011-11-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

I wish I used film more. Rhianne is a friend I really admire because she's so dedicated to film that she'll pack multiple film cameras with her for one trip-- just so she has each camera on hand when the moment calls for it.

This batch of film wasn't supposed to turn out. I had just crossed the Ponte Vecchio and somehow, for no reason whatsoever, I dropped my precious little yellow holga onto the cobblestone street. Its back popped open, exposing my film to the midday sun and I thought, "surely this whole roll of film is ruined." (Actually, I thought a whole string of expletives but I'll keep those to myself).

And then these turned up! What a miracle. This is what I love the most about film. You can't check your photos immediately after taking them-- and in my case, it takes me so long to develop a roll that I completely forget what I'd originally shot. And when something turns up-- it's the best feeling.

Every camera snap is a flutter of hope. A wish and a prayer that what you see will be captured the way you want it, in one of the most beautiful mediums on the planet.

PS - My shameless loves are over at Molly's today! (They're embarrassing but I embrace them).

florence at night

2011-11-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

It was different than the first time. The streets were filled with hand-holding lovers, the air was warm, and there was a hushed buzz throughout the city center.

Everything just glowed.

I remember thinking how much I'd miss it. The narrow streets, the uneven cobblestone, peeks of the Duomo, the infinitely tall buildings. I think that once streets become familiar, you've found a new home.

weekend (in instagrams)

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever had a more exhausting or more fun weekend. I spent more time in San Francisco than I normally do and it was a welcome change. It was exciting finally meeting Kim and Andre for the first time after more than a year of blog friendship. They are exactly as I pictured them in my head (in the best kind of way).

We are having the strangest, sunniest, most un-San Francisco-like weather over here and I'm taking advantage of it (though I am eager for fall). Walks on the Embarcadero with David, cliff-side beach sitting with my high school bestie, and foraging in Golden Gate Park (we found wild New Zealand spinach!).

I am so tired, but so happy.

Not pictured: a hilarious and heaven-sent Filipino feast with Norris and Jamie.
All pictures: taken via Instagram. I'm hooked.

the hidden terrace

2011-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I had no idea that my host parents had a terrace during my 2+ months studying in Florence. We never ate in it because it was always so cold in the winter-- I only discovered it the following summer, when I came back for a weekend visit.

It's one of the most beautiful, homey, and special places to me. This time, when I came back to Florence this August, we ate almost every meal outside, under the grape vines and on checkered table cloths.

But the best part was being with my host family and enjoying the best home-cooked meals from Maibritt (mozzarella salad, panzanella, dessert wine, and tiramisu pictured here). They brought me back to my happy months as a student in Italy, and made me feel even luckier to have a family like this.

eating out in florence

2011-10-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

Laura: "How do you feel being back?"
Me: "It's weird. It's so hot (I was here in the winter) but it's so nice. I love that I know the streets so well.
Laura: "Ohhh yes it gets reaaally hot!! I guess less clothes more gelato!"

In Florence I drank the first cappuccino that I've ever enjoyed, ate my favorite fresh mozzarella, and averaged a gelato per day.

I discovered my new favorite summertime drink: granita. It reminded me of 7-11 slurpees with better flavors and minus the blue food coloring. It was perfect in the Florence heat.

I could dedicate an entire week's worth of posts to gelato but I'll hold back. Stracciatella is a really simple flavor (basically vanilla with little chocolate bits) but I missed being able to have some whenever I wanted. I'm pretty positive that it's impossible to go wrong with gelato at all, but I hold a special place in my heart for stracciatella.

One might even call it a love affair (sorry, David).

It almost pains me to talk about food in Florence without mentioning all of the amazing home cooking I had with my host parents-- but that's for another post!

the sweetest/funniest little dance moves

2011-10-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is just a tiny interruption in my Florence posts to share my most recent pride and joy. It's a culmination of little phone and Macbook videos of my beloved nieces... who happen to dance like crazy people in very public places. Hope you enjoy!

PS - This is the only song I know by Justin Bieber. We can thank Raine for that.

window-shopping in florence

2011-10-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Florence is home to some of the most beautiful storefronts I've seen: they're colorful, decadent, and it's easy to lose track of time just window-shopping. It's how I found my discounted Hunters, my favorite gelateria, and my favorite stationary in the entire world. (I may have brought home one too many sheets...)

I'm usually weary of the San Lorenzo market since I'm still working on my haggling skills-- but the colorful leather and scarves throughout the market are really lovely. If you go, never settle for the listed price. I'm usually shy about doing this in Italian but it's how I bought myself a leather belt and green wallet for my mom for 25 euro altogether.

Perhaps the most decadent of all decadent shop displays are those on the Ponte Vecchio-- the oldest bridge in Europe. The bridge used to be lined with butchers until Medicis wanted to make the bridge more prestigious-- then they prohibited butcher shops and goldsmiths took their places.

Now it's got beautiful (and super expensive) jewelry in each of its windows. Most people admire the gold and jewels, but the coral and cameo jewelry are my favorites. The coral is just simple and classic, while the cameos are elegant and remind me of my Classics major.

Going back and finding my own little treasure from the Ponte Vecchio is the newest addition to my list.

a wanderlust guide (to florence, italy)

2011-10-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is the official start of a new little series called "Wanderlust Guides." They are by no means comprehensive or a proclamation to have the very best of ____ city. Instead, they're my favorites of wherever I go-- places I enjoyed, and places I hope you'll enjoy, too.

I adore Florence. It's my home away from home. It was my most pleasant surprise during my seven months abroad. There are also thousands of guides that'll tell you what to do and where to go:

The Uffizi (cool, but tiring)
The Academia (Il Davide alone is worth it)
The Ponte Vecchio (really, really crowded but really, really charming)

The list goes on and on. Even after you've spent hours in museums (half of which you were admiring The David), climbed Brunelleschi's Dome and rubbed the boar's nose at the Mercato Porcellino, you'd still need several days to enjoy Florence in all of its Renaissance glory. This little guide is for the traveler who wants to experience the simple pleasures in Florence. From the most breathtaking views to the most satisfying gelato, these are my favorite Florentine gems:

The Perfect Panini
via Giuseppe Verdi, 36r (Santa Croce neighborhood)
Take a trip to Salumeria Verdi, affectionately nicknamed Pino's in honor of the salumeria's owner. Although the deli offers home-cooked pasta and a multitude of Tuscan wine, I go here for my lunchtime panini. The fresh vegetables and the perfectly cured meats are a match made in heaven. Try the finocchiona with fresh mozzarella, or ask Pino for "The Best." He'll know what you mean. (from €3.50/ panini)

A Picnic in the Boboli Gardens
Palazzo Pitti
Weather permitting, you can take your panini from Pino's da porta via (to go) and have a little picnic in the Boboli Gardens. They're gigantic, but they're calming and there's a ton of space to lounge at your leisure. Bring a book, pack some snacks and find your own little spot. It's a wonderful way to "escape the city" without actually ever leaving it.

Florence's Best Kept Secret
via Dei Neri, 22 (Santa Croce neighborhood)
No trip to Florence would be complete without at stop at Gelateria dei Neri-- most tourists just don't know it. Although places like Vivoli and the overpriced shops around the Ponte Vecchio seem like good bets, dei Neri offers a wide, flavorful variety without charging the big bucks. Flavors like mango and frutti di bosco are refreshing on sunny days, but stracciatella and cookies and cream are classic year round. (from €1.65/ 2 flavors in an overfilled cup).

The Postcard View
Piazzale Michelangelo
Move away from the city center and take a short hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo for breathtaking panoramic views of the city. From here you can snap the Ponte Vecchio, the Palazzo Vecchio tower and Brunelleschi's Dome all in one picture.

For the Photography Lover
Largo Fratelli Alinari, 15 (Santa Maria Novella neighborhood)
The Alinari Museum is home to some of Europe's oldest photographs. This museum integrates the history of photography with the art itself: not only will you find some of the oldest camera models, you'll also find the most beautiful photos taken by those cameras. A true testament to how far the art and science of photography has come.

A Pharmacy from 1221
via della Scala, 16 (Santa Maria Novella neighborhood)
Literally a stone's through from the Santa Maria Novella church, the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella used to serve as an apothecary run by monks in 1221. Today the pharmacy is more of a perfumery and herbal shop. Even if you don't plan on buying anything, it's worth it just to walk in and admire the classic frescos, elaborate decor and sample the perfumes.

A Multi-Course Deal
via Palazzuolo, 71 (Santa Maria Novella neighborhood)
Begin you evening with an authentic Italian dinner at Trattoria il Contadino. The menu at this family owned restaurant changes daily and revolves around what's in season. The prix fixe of €12 includes bottled water, a primo (pasta, rice, etc) and a secondo (the main course). And, if you're really up for it, you can take a stroll back to the Gelateria dei Neri to truly end the meal the right way.

*A special thanks to Pugly Pixel for the photo template and the mailing tag!

a passenger's view

2011-10-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

I love driving. Singing loudly in my car, during sunsets or along the Great Highway. But I drive so much that I needed Europe to remind me what it was like being a passenger. Just sitting and watching and going.

From Denmark, we drove to Germany (4 hours). And once we got to Hamburg, we took an overnight train to Verona (22 hours). The last time David and I took an overnight train, our circumstances were less than ideal.

This time it was amazing! We had a five-person cabin for just the three of us. So much space, beautiful views the entire way.

I ended up having dinner with three Italian motorcyclists who has just spent the past 20 days biking from Verona to Norway. We spoke Italian the entire time (I was so proud)! They were so sweet and showed me the pictures from their trip. I can't even fathom a trip like that! Well, maybe I can...

The bikers in their pajamas taking a long-awaited smoke break in Bolzano.

We rode through the Alps. We had an enormous breakfast. We chatted with our new friends.

It's not so bad to sit back and enjoy the ride.

PS - I'll be over at Morgan's today with my favorite little things in Europe!

sunset in kisserup

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sunset was my favorite time in Denmark.

Maibritt and Luciano lived in a tiny little town called Kisserup. Their house was a quick bike ride away from "the beach" and we'd make the trip out as soon as we finished dinner.

Always in time for the sunset.

And it always warmed my heart.

copenhagen (part 2)

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Nyhavn. (pronounced new-hown)

I'm still surprised that a harbor as colorful as this exists. It was, of course, filled with tourists but it was pretty evident why. Everyone was so eager to remember these colorful 17th century buildings, the tall boats in the harbor and the epicenter of Copenhagen's charm. My favorite tourists were the adorable little boys on the dock (above) and an old Italian couple at the ice cream parlor.

I wanted to stay longer, to sit in a cafe and read alongside the harbor, but they sky turned a moody gray and before I knew it, it was pouring.

copenhagen (part 1)

2011-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

After being in so much beautiful countryside, the city was a weird but welcome change. Copenhagen was the first place where "wow, I'm in Scandinavia!" really hit me.

I couldn't get over the colorful buildings-- they stood out especially bright against the overcast sky. This was a new side of Europe I hadn't really experienced before. Copenhagen's buildings reminded me of Amsterdam but everything else felt so cool and modern (and everyone dressed that way!)

This was my only day in Denmark where I explored by myself and it was a really wonderful way to see the city. Thanks to Luciano, Søstrene Grene is my new favorite store. Thanks to the antique market, I found the prettiest ceramic tiles to bring home. And thanks to Copenhagen, well.. just, thank you, Copenhagen.

the danish countryside

2011-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

These big blue skies made me feel so small (in the best kind of way).

Horses, sheep, ponies and birds were sprinkled about the big green fields. Luciano even joked that Windows took their desktop photo in Denmark.

My host parents are the sweetest. They would pull over on the side of the road so I could get out and take photos.

Or, we'd take lots of stops on our bike rides home. (Sometimes to take photos, sometimes to say "hi" to the horses).

As beautiful as a dream.

first-thing-in-the-morning photos

2011-10-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was thinking about creative photo series. Like celebrity confessions, dear photograph, and tons of others that aren't coming to my brain right now. Somehow, Lady Gaga's "all-natural" photoshoot came to mind and I thought--

"hmm... instead of just leaving off make up, wouldn't it be cool to do a celebrity photoshoot of people first thing in the morning?"

Well, my friends, as it often goes in life-- someone beat me to it. In fact, this was their idea more than three years ago! But I couldn't resist sharing because it's so funny and random and genuine. Click here to see the rest of Meredith Andrews' morning photos.

Maybe, for Halloween, all of us bloggers could post morning photos of ourselves. Any takers?

Just kidding. Sorta.

holbæk

2011-10-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Holbæk was the biggest "city" near Maibritt and Luciano's home in Denmark. At first glance, it might seem like the sleepy little town doesn't have a lot to offer. But then you find out that spending time at the library is as common as going out for coffee. Or you find a tiny little second-hand shop (and an almost translucent tea cup to bring home for your mom's collection). And then you find mugs with "common" Danish names and giggle to yourself because you haven't met a single "Kasper" in your life.

They're really simple things, but they add a lot of charm to this simple town.

tartine

2011-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to think that my favorite French food lives in San Francisco and not France.

I'd heard a lot of good things about Tartine before visiting, so of course I lowered my expectations to avoid any disappointment (it's just something I do). Nevermind that there was already a line out the door when Chelsey and I got there, or that it smelled like I'd died and gone to pastry heaven. It didn't matter that everyone seemed content while being in an over-crowded cafe or that everything in their display case looked amazing. It was just food, right?

Nope.

I loved that they had four different croque monsieur options (ham, cheese, turkey and mushroom), and that Chelsey and I decided to split the mushroom. I loved that their tables were European style, where you share one big table with a ton of strangers, but that we had our own little corner of the table to ourselves. I loved that we didn't make ourselves decide between something sweet and something savory, and that we indulged in both. And finally, I loved that I found a new place to love, with a friend that I love, on a lovely Saturday.

danish food week, day 5: the miscellany

2011-10-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Dear friends, I hope you have enjoyed my self-proclaimed Danish Food Week as much as I've loved putting these posts together. Since I wrote about æbleskiver before I decided to pursue this venture, I thought I'd dedicate the final post to all of the little (edible) things that made Denmark... well, Denmark, for me.

A little tea and coffee cake break in Holbæk.

Baked sesame bun, by Maibritt.

Simple yet perfect rice and carrots, by Maibritt.

Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

Dinner outside just before sunset.

Honey toast and Danish cream (for tea and baking).

We had tea every morning and every afternoon. My ideal ritual.

Really and truly, the best honey I've ever tried. I'm so glad I brought some home with me.

______________________
A few week-end thoughts:

1. In none of my posts did I mention rødgrød med fløde. This was a fruit pudding we ate multiple evenings but the lighting was always so bad that my photos came out like this, at best. We made it from gooseberries.

2. Speaking of which, it sounds like I wasn't the only one who thought gooseberries were mystery fruit!

3. I'm not done with my Denmark posts yet, but, I know I wouldn't have been able to experience any of these amazing foods without even-more-amazing host parents.

4. A special thanks to Pugly Pixel for the free downloads to make my banners this week. Your website is a creativity gold mind.

danish food week, day 4: fromage

2011-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Unlike yesterday's profiteroles, this dish is actually a traditional Danish dish despite its seemingly French name. That isn't to say that fromage isn't French, but to say that the name is also used for another dish up in Scandinavia. This dish is essentially a custard-like pudding that is so fluffy it's like eating clouds. If clouds tasted like coffee and bananas.

fromage di maibritt

3 eggs (separated)
1/2 cup warm coffee
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon granulated gelatin
1 cup cream
2 bananas sliced (with 1/2 banana set aside for decoration)

In Bowl 1, beat egg whites until fluffy with stiff peaks. Put the bowl in the refrigerator. In a separate cup, mix the coffee and gelatin together. In Bowl 2, mix the yolks and sugar. Once the egg and sugar are mixed, slowly stir in the coffee-gelatin mixture (make sure the coffee isn't too hot or it'll curdle). In Bowl 3, beat cream until whipped cream is formed with stiff peaks. Gently fold in the contents of Bowl 3 into Bowl 2, one half at a time. Then add the contents of Bowl 1 (egg whites), folding slowly and only around the edges of the bowl. When everything is just mixed, fold in banana pieces. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Right before serving, decorate with extra banana slices and sprinkle with bits of coffee or espresso.

Enjoy with Don Luciano*

*This is a joke, because my host dad's name is Luciano and we found a bottle of Don Luciano the day before.

Banner decals courtesy of Pugly Pixel.

danish food week, day 3: inside-out profiteroles

2011-10-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

It seems as though Maibritt has found a way improve upon profiteroles (believe me, it's possible).

First, she baked them so close together that they morphed together, forming a sheet of profiteroles.

Then, instead of filling the choux pastry with cream, she lathered them with homemade whipped cream and gooseberry jam on top. How is this an improvement, you ask? Well, before, the amount of cream you got was limited to the area of empty space inside the choux pastry. This approach allows you to pile on as much as your heart desires (mine desired a lot).

And, if you couldn't already tell by the copious amounts of photos I have for one single dish, this was my favorite dessert during my stay.

danish food week, day 2: stikkelsbær

2011-10-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Gooseberries! If you're anything like me, you'll have had no idea what these were. For a long time, I wasn't really sure that gooseberries actually existed because a) I'd only heard of them in story books and b) I'd never seen them in real life.

Until Denmark! Luciano and Maibritt had a gooseberry bush growing in their backyard and during my week there, we went out to pick as many berries as we could 2-3 times (always coming back with overflowing bowls). Maibritt-- being the amazing cook she is-- cooked some into a double berry tart (does anyone know what this berry is called?), homemade jam, and rødgrød (coming soon).

I'm not sure if it's fair to call gooseberries Danish, but, the wild berries I ate there were a huge part of my culinary experience. Whether we found berries in the forest or the backyard, whether they were baked into something or eaten fresh-- they were always delicious. And they'll always remind me of Denmark.

Banner decals courtesy of Pugly Pixel.

danish food week, day 1: smørrebrød

2011-10-03T00:00:00.001-07:00

On a blog where most all food eventually reverts to sweets and desserts, I've decided to start with something savory: smørrebrød. Before visiting Denmark, I'd never heard of smørrebrød (or much Danish food, for that matter). One morning before heading out to town, I was scrolling through Pinterest and Johanna pinned a photo of smørrebrød. I thought it looked good and repinned it-- little did I know I'd be having some for lunch later that day!

In Holbæk, Maibritt took me to a tiny smørrebrød cafe (really, it was so small we walked right by it the first time) with a huge display of tons of smørrebrød. If you can't tell already, smørrebrød is pretty much an open-faced sandwich. They're beautiful garnished, come in a variety of options, and allow you to eat multiple kinds at a time as opposed to just eating one kind of sandwich.

Since we couldn't sit at the cafe and it was raining outside, we ate at the public library in Holbæk's city center. I was a little shocked at first (who eats in a library?! that's sacred, no-food allowed ground) but then saw that the library had a designated cafe just for people like us.

Of all of my lunches in Denmark, this was my favorite. (Although I'm sort of cheating, because the first and fifth photos are actually of Maibritt's homemade smørrebrød a few days later). Needless to say, I have a new favorite way to enjoy sandwich-esque ingredients.

Banner decals courtesy of Pugly Pixel.

goodbye, summer

2011-09-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

This title hardly seems fair considering the Bay Area has had some of its warmest weather all summer this week (yes, at the end of September). These holgas accumulated before I left for Europe and were left forgotten until this very evening.

Funny Face at the Stanford Theatre, an almost indiscernible double-exposure of my beloved Stevenson Coffee House, San Francisco, Highway 1 and Santa Cruz with David.

They're little things, but they mean a lot.

______________________

A little week-end summary:

I hereby declare next week, October 3rd-7th, Danish Food Week on the blog. (Or else when am I ever going to finish these travel posts?)

After seven years of waiting, I saw one of my beloved bands live for the first time.

Did I tell you I started a new internship? With a website dedicated to California food experiences? Here's my first write-up for Epicuring. (It includes an amazing Chartreuse cocktail)!

AT&T surprised us with a $36 "activation fee" when we got new internet for our house. When I called them, they credited the amount back to us without any hassle. No link here, just a little story of kindness. Did something nice happen to you this week?

And beyond all these wonderful little things, one of my highlights of this week was meeting Courtney Marie Andrews (interview coming soon!).

I can't get this song out of my head (in the good way). Proceed with caution (but do proceed, it's so worth it).

jimmy eat world at the catalyst

2011-09-27T00:50:00.000-07:00

I'm going to briefly interrupt my Denmark posts for a little summary of the best concert of my life. When I was a little high school sophomore, Danny gave me my first Jimmy Eat World cd. And since Futures, I haven't looked back.

After listening to them (constantly) for almost seven years now, I still hadn't seen them in concert. I'd never seen a music video, read an interview, or seen any photos of them. Ever. Everything I knew about the band I knew only from their music. I didn't have a face to place with the voice-- I didn't know any of their names.

My love for them was purely based on their music and the memories I associated with their songs.

So when Norris and I got in line early to see them this past Saturday, my heart welled up as I heard them start their sound check before the show. The Catalyst is pretty small, and the staff are really laid back so I was able to sneak a peek of the band before the show started.

Then, after the opening band finished and the guys walked on stage, my heart did all kinds of somersaults. This was seven years of built up anticipation. Sometimes, when you see or hear bands live, you realize it's not the same music you fell in love with.

Jimmy Eat World met and exceeded my expectations beyond what I could have ever imagined. The moment I heard the opening chords to "Work" and "Hear You Me" I was at a loss after realizing how much these little songs meant to me. They were excellent performers (even when someone threw a bra at Jim) and I've never felt such contentment just standing (and dancing), soaking up words and melodies. Maybe I'm biased. Maybe I'm just nostalgic. But I'd accuse Jimmy Eat World of stealing my heart if I didn't still feel it so fully in my chest.

And after the concert, I met every member of the band-- along with Courtney who did back up vocals-- introducing myself and learning their names for the first time (although it's pretty bad I didn't realize Jim's name was Jim before I met him)!

Click here to see more photos from the concert.

maibritt's æbleskiver

2011-09-23T00:30:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I wrote a post on pancake balls, which Jenna and I had made from an electric takoyaki machine. After posting the pancake balls, I received a few comments saying that the pancake balls were similar to a Danish dessert called æbleskiver. I thought this was a funny coincidence, but didn't think much else about it until I arrived in Denmark and saw an æbleskiver pan hanging on the wall.

A few days later, Maibritt prepped the ingredients for the æbleskiver (an hour or so in advance, to let the batter rise) and we made them! Well.. Maibritt mostly made them and I documented the process. The whole time I was smiling to myself because

1. They were so similar to takoyaki
2. I was about to try a new version of an already beloved food
3. My sweet, sweet host mom was teaching me a recipe she'd grown up with

Instead of having these with blueberries and whipped cream (see pancake balls), we just added a little sugar and some homemade jam. They were perfection. And Maibritt and I both agreed that it would have been easy to never stop eating them (though unfortunately, they did run out).

I really need to invest in one of these pans.

an adventure in the woods

2011-09-21T00:48:00.000-07:00

This is the last and final case of camera-regret from my trip.* The three of us went to the grocery store one morning, and on the way back, decided to pull over and take a little hike through Honsenhaas Skov (a tiny, little forest).

Luciano seemed to be the most familiar with the area-- he told us which ways to go-- while Maibritt and I just sort of followed along. All the while, Maibritt told me which fresh berries I could eat. (We ate a lot).

And after walking up and down little hills, sun-streaked with morning light, Luciano finally found the spot he wanted to show us:

Another point of Denmark's many, beautiful ocean views, complete with the most gorgeous cloud-filled sky I've ever seen.

*Both Luciano and I forgot our cameras, but luckily Maibritt had hers in her purse for us to borrow. Photos 2-5 are by Luciano.

love at first sight (the danish edition)

2011-09-19T00:03:00.000-07:00

My first day in Denmark was the most wonderful, most camera-regret filled day of my entire two-month trip. Seeing Luciano and Maibritt (my host parents from Florence) waiting for me at the airport was such a sight for sore eyes. Instead of taking the hour-long route from Copenhagen to Kisserup, they decided to take the route più lunga ma più bella, or longer but more beautiful.

Well... we got lost. But I couldn't tell the difference. It was so beautiful-- everywhere we went there was a view of the ocean no matter which direction we were facing. Right before we arrived at their house, we found a little road-side ice cream stop with a huge "backyard."

And after we finally got back and had dinner, we took a quick bike ride down the road to the shore. I had no idea what to expect, and assuming we were just riding and coming back, I left my camera.

Big. Mistake.

What I missed out on capturing was the most beautiful sunset I'd ever seen. To be honest, I'm not even sure if I could have captured how perfect it was. But, these last few sunset photos by Luciano (from another day) are pretty close to what we saw.

Suffice it to say, Denmark has shot up to the top of my "countries I adore" list-- and this was just the first day.

PS - I recently wrote a guest post over at RM Creation about my two most recent tattoos. Click here to read my story or submit your own ink! (Or get a custom-painted Kitchen Aid mixer!)

the last scenes from paris

2011-09-16T01:16:00.000-07:00

It seems like I could keep posting photos from Paris forever (but I'm sure you're all sick of them by now). I'd like to dedicate this post to the little moments that make a special trip.. well, special.

First, is this photo. I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but Vanessa's flat is on the fifth floor of her apartment building. No elevators, and a lot of spiral stairs. I love spiral stairs, and I loved that these greeted me every morning (especially since I was going down, not up), and the way the soft light hit them.

To be honest, I don't remember where this was taken or why I thought this street was important. More than anything, I think I chose this because of the sign. I loved the ornate borders and the fact that it was so different than ordinary street signs. Elegant, even. Elegant street signs? Yup, Paris will do that.

As long as I'm being honest, I didn't eat here. But I loved that it was bright pink with green shutters (perhaps reminiscent of watermelon)? These aren't the colors you ordinarily see around Paris, but in the Old Town the colors were plentiful. They reminded me of Santa Cruz.

Ahh... le tour eiffel. Why is it so difficult not to gush about this? Every time the tower peeked out from behind a tree, or I didn't realize I'd be seeing it (like on the bridge between the Ternes and Charles de Gaulle Étoile on Metro Line 2), it just made me happier.

One of the things I miss most about Europe is all of the fruit stands. Fresh fruit everywhere. Sure, we have our famers' markets but in Europe it was so typical to pass by a dozen fresh fruit displays in one day. It was perfect.

Bookstores are one of my favorite places to be, and being at this particularly well-stocked and very famous one, was lovely.

Somehow, when David and I were in Paris last year, we missed this. Looking up at the infinitely tall arc bathed in golden hour light was an amazing way to see it for the first time. I never expected it to be so enormous, but even just looking at these photos (and comparing it to the cars!) it's such an incredible landmark.

And, just behind the Arc de Triomphe, the rain had just stopped and the sun had returned. This was my day of on-and-off rain, and a rainbow over the Champs Elysees at the end of the day was such a serendipitous way to commemorate my time in beautiful Paris.

And... now that the Paris posts are finally over.. coming your way Monday: Denmark!

le dernier dîner

2011-09-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

It took me a long time before I had my first "real" French meal. And, as embarrassing enough as this is, it took me a long time to even really know what French food really was. It's different with Italian food-- in America we have so many stereotypes, so when I went to Italy, I could make a comparison and see what authentic Italian really was.

What do we have in the States that's French? Crepes... and delusions of escargo* and frog legs. (Unless you're super fancy and eat at the actually good French restaurants-- which has never been in my budget).

Hallelujah for the beautiful, knowledgeable, and veritably French Vanessa. During my last night in Paris, we found a little restaurant right around the corner from the Champs-Élysées. We had identical prix fixe menus consisting of mushrooms in cream (this was divine) and what I'd like to refer to as the French version of fish and chips. Everything that I love about Italian food (simplicity and rich flavors) was suddenly reincarnated before me and just like that-- I finally understood why there's so much hype around French cuisine.

*Vanessa says they mostly eat this for Christmas and special holidays.

along the seine

2011-09-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Among the many things I remember my dear friend Chelsey saying, I've always remembered how she pointed out the existence of rivers in major cities. Florence has the Arno, Rome has the Tiber, London has the Thames, Paris has the Seine.

As a Bay Area girl, I've always looked at rivers a little strangely. It's hard for me to think of living somewhere where the vast ocean isn't just a quick drive away. Rivers aren't endless. I rarely get to put my feet in them. The sun doesn't usually set right behind them... and they usually look pretty dirty.

So what is it about the Seine? Why was it comforting to have this river flow through Paris? And how could I spend so much time just sitting on an island in the middle of the river-- with nothing to do but sit and think? I have no idea. But the fact that a little river could spark this much thought must mean that I've underestimated rivers.

more bits of paris

2011-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

I don't have a story for these pictures.

Except that one minute it would be bright and sunny, and then next it felt like I was stuck in a torrential downpour. Luckily, one episode of rain brought me to the perfect croque madame.

And the rest of the day was spent wandering along the Seine, food always in hand, in and out of the sun.

café des 2 moulins

2011-09-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've already established that I love visiting film locations in person. And Paris is the perfect location for that sort of thing. Funny Face, Before Sunset, and Charade are just a few of my favorite movies set here. Of course for me, when I think of Parisian movies, the first movie that comes to mind is Amélie.

For those of you who haven't seen the film (do you exist?), the Cafe des 2 Moulins is where Amélie works and many scenes are set. It was really lovely to see that Jeunet didn't change the cafe much to accommodate the film-- it still had the same retro details and vibrant energy on its own.

As my feet dangled from my bar stool and I sipped my tea, I got tons of smiles from the waiters and the barista. They knew why I was here. In fact, I'm sure they knew why most tourists were there. And instead of resenting tourists who come to crowd their famous cafe, they were very kind and proud that we had all made the long journey just to see them.

st. denis

2011-09-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

One of the great inevitables of Europe is the plethora of churches. Large cities have their landmark churches, tiny towns have their forgotten churches, and there are too many to count in between. I've always loved churches. I'm not Catholic, but I always find a moment of peace while walking along the wooden pews and gazing at the stained glass.

My favorite is when you can see light reflected in different colors on a somber, gray surface.

The Cathedral of St. Denis became famous when the kings of France chose it as their designated burial spot. There are tombs throughout the cathedral commemorating the centuries of French kings. The city itself is rich with history and has grown in its own way right alongside Paris.

The most exciting thing I learned about the cathedral is that it was the model for the Notre Dame. Of course Notre Dame is significantly larger and more well-known, but the facades are similar and you can see the similarities in the gothic architecture between the two. My favorite part about the cathedral? It was just down the street from Vanessa's flat so we could see it when we looked out the kitchen window.

a parisian afternoon

2011-09-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Continuing our leisurely day through Paris, Vanessa took me to her favorite park: Parc Monceau. One thing I never expected to love about Paris was its parks. In fact, before going visiting last year, I didn't even realize Paris had a lot of parks. I loved the Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin des Tuileries, and Parc Monceau was no exception.

It's wonderful knowing that parks are plentiful in such a big city. When a city like Paris is renown for its architectural wonders, it's especially nice to see that nature takes part in making the city beautiful.

Of course, my first day back in Paris wouldn't be complete without decadent desserts and a visit to the Eiffel Tower. Sometimes I think it's silly that I got so happy seeing a famous landmark-- maybe I was just happy to be in the city that made it famous.

montmartre

2011-08-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

It's strange to think that I can visit Paris and say, "oh, I saw that last year." When I visited the City of Lights with David last year, we did as many touristy things as we could (i.e. Versailles the first day, 5 museums the next). This time it was different.

Serendipity introduced me to Vanessa-- David's older sister's friend that she'd met in Ireland a few years back. When I found myself with a month to travel and no place to stay, Vanessa welcomed me into her home and we wandered through Paris together.

Our first stop was Montmartre- the area that David and I stayed in last year but that we hardly got to know. Instead of rushing off to do as many touristy things as possible, Vanessa and I took leisurely walks and ate a lot of crepes.

The first time around, I didn't think that Paris lived up to the hype around it. Sure, it had some pretty old buildings, a tower, and a lot of good bread. This time, I felt differently. I think Paris is most beautiful when you're not rushing to cross items off a "to do" list. To me, it's most enjoyable while people-watching, eating slowly, and sharing good company.

paris, first things first

2011-08-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Thoughts:
- I had very important priorities while in Paris
- these photos were taken almost a month ago
- I'm heading back to SAN FRANCISCO (home!) today
- which means a lot of travel posts are coming your way

Happy Monday!

xoxo

montauban

2011-08-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

After spending lots of home-time with the Soriots, the girls and I finally made a trip out to the city to explore. Along with the beautiful red buildings, my favorite things about the city were the myth-inspired statues all over the place. (Penelope (my favorite) and a centaur are shown here). We wandered, we took photos by the river, and we enjoyed the afternoon in a cute little city. Montauban is a lovely place to spend an afternoon.

ax-les-thermes

2011-08-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

While staying in Montauban, we took a day trip to Andorra (coming soon) and on the way back, stopped in Ax-les-Thermes at the bottom of the Pyrenees. I don't have a lot of beautiful photos to show for the day in the Pyrenees, but here are the few that I was able to snap. Since the town was at the bottom of the the mountains, there were little hot spring areas open to the public all over the town-- all you had to do was take your shoes off and enjoy After 4 hours in the car, Ax-les-Thermes was perfect with its colorful wooden shutters, natural hot water, and sunshine.

homemade crêpes

2011-08-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

Along with welcoming me into her home, Therese taught me how to make crêpes! She seemed to have the recipe memorized since their family eats them pretty often (wouldn't you?). Of all the things I'd dreamed of doing in France, learning to make crêpes from a French woman was at the top of my list. I can hardly believe I was lucky enough for this opportunity and I can't wait to try these at home.

crêpes à la therese
Note: This recipe was for 8 people, each eating about 3-4 crepes. In most cases, you'll want to split the recipe in half... but I won't judge you if you don't.

500 grams (~ 4 1/2 cups) flour
10 eggs
pinch of salt
one tablespoon of oil
1-2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 liter (~2 cups) beer
1 liter (~4 1/4 cups) milk

Mix the flour, eggs, salt, oil, sugar and beer together. Once combined, add milk and mix for about two minutes. Place a greased pan onto the stove at high heat. Ladle the mixture onto the pan and let the batter smooth over so that the entire surface is covered. Use a crêpe or an offset spatula to partially lift and check the bottom of the crêpe as it's cooking. Once the edges begin to brown, flip the crêpe (try to stick the spatula underneath the middle when you flip it). Let it cook for another minute, or until the bottom is golden brown. Add more oil or butter before making each crêpe. Stack crêpes together on a plate to keep warm.

Serve with whatever your heart desires. (I'm sure it'll be delicious).

It was pretty clear that Therese was a crêpe expert, so she and Ty cooked the crêpes with two pans to cut the cooking time in half. In case you're feeling adventurous, here's how to cook crêpes at double-speed.

1. Use two stove burners- the first at high heat and the second at medium-high heat. Place greased pans on each burner.
2. Add batter to the first pan at high heat.

3. Allow the bottom to cook.

4. Flip the crêpe.

5. With one hand on each pan, return the first pan to the second burner at medium-high heat, then take the now-hot second pan and ladle batter in. Place on the high-heat burner.

6. While the new crêpe is still cooking, take the first (finished) crêpe off the pan and begin stacking the crêpes on a plate.

7. Repeat until you have no more batter left.

montauban home life

2011-08-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

Somehow, everything seems to work out. It may not be the way you planned, but sometimes what happens is even better than what you planned.

Before coming to Coly, I was told that I'd have my own room in my au-pairing-family's house. Imagine my surprise when I found out that not only was I sharing a room, but I was living in the back of the hotel with the rest of "the staff."

This turned out to be the best part about being in Coly. My roommate, Oanh, was one of the nicest people I met in Coly. We'd stay up nibbling on chips, take walks during our time off, and even took a day trip to Terrasson.

Rooming with Oanh became an even bigger blessing when I found out that I wasn't staying in Coly anymore, and that I had to leave before the end of June. With no where to go, Oanh asked her French host parents in Montauban if I could stay with them, and they graciously welcomed me into their home.

I still can't believe there are people like this. I wasn't surprised that I was being overworked as an au pair, but I was shocked that a family could be so sweet as to welcome an almost complete stranger into their home for several days solely on the recommendation of their host daughter.

These are some bits and pieces from life at home in Montauban. The family had a beautiful garden with their own fruit (including fresh tomatoes that we ate every day). They taught me how to play Rumi in French, we took walks at the local park, and they introduced me to vanilla fromage blanc (one of my favorite French desserts to date).

I can't even begin to express how grateful I am.

sarlat

2011-08-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just a little day trip to a cute little town with two of my favorite people (Jano and Ivana) I met in Coly. You think I'd be tired of these charming little country towns by now... I'm not.

chateau de losse

2011-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Ever After? The Chateau de Losse is in it. When I realized I was a 30 minute drive from a location in one of my favorite movies, I had to go.

Of course, this isn't the first time I've done something like this. I suppose it's really cheesy, but I adore seeing things "in real life" after seeing them in a film I love. It makes it feel real. And more often than not, the locations are so spectacular-- you understand why the producers decided to shoot on location rather than try to recreate a set.

The chateau was exactly that. It was grand yet rustic at the same time, and it felt like I'd stepped into a different era as I walked through the chateau's halls.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the chateau was the way it seemed to embody everything I'd imagined "southern France" to be. Maybe it's silly, but I'd had these daydreams of France where chateaus were plentiful but beautifully unique on their own. The stood tall, perhaps alongside rivers, and evoked a kind of antiquated nostalgia for a place you'd never been before.

terrasson-lavilledieu

2011-08-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

Terrasson-Lavilledieu felt like freedom. After being in Coly for a few weeks, I'd begun to forget what cities were like: stores existed, there were designated parking spaces, there was a supermarket.

Looking back now, Terrasson was really small. It wasn't nearly dirty enough to be a real "city" and I think I'd refer to it more as a "countryside town." It had a beautiful river running through it, a church older than my great-grandparents, and some of the most relaxing views I've seen.

To be honest, I don't think Oanh and I did that much. We mostly walked around, took pictures, and ate ice cream-- but it was just what we needed at the time. We wanted to get out of the one-road town (3 kilometeres wide) and see something new. It wasn't very "adventurous" but it was gorgeous all the same.

*I should probably note, I'm about a month behind in my "travel posts." I left Coly about three weeks ago and in the mean time have been to Montauban, Paris, and I'm now in Denmark! I've always had trouble blogging while I'm traveling, but sometimes you just need to get off the computer and go!

sunset surfers

2011-08-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

For my last night in Capbreton, I knew that I wanted to be near the ocean for the sunset. The little house we stayed in was a short walk from the beach so at 9pm I rushed over to the sand to just sit and relax (the sun sets around 10 over here). I didn't realize that there would be a small crowd of people there for the same exact thing. And I certainly didn't realize that people would still be out in the water surfing.

I sat, did nothing, and it was beautiful. I found a spot on a ledge pretty high up but loved the way my feet felt dangling. I loved that there were so many other people who had taken time out of their day to sit and watch the sunset surfers. And I admired the 20-30 people still out in the water, waiting for darkness before they gave in and went home. It didn't matter that it was getting later and later. Had they even eaten dinner?

This is what I want in life. I want to be with people who stop to enjoy something beautiful. I want a schedule that revolves around my passion, not the other way around. And I always want to feel my feet dangling- like I could fall at any moment but that's why it's worth it.*

*But I'd still like to eat dinner.

wooden shutters

2011-08-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

At first I thought this was just a Capbreton thing, but one of the things I've come to adore about France is that most of the houses have beautiful, colorful wooden shutters. They're so elegant when they decorate large apartment buildings like this, but I also think they add a lot of charm when they "accent" simple homes like these.

(And, you'd probably think they aren't functional, but after staying in a few houses I've seen that they have insulated windows inside and the shutters are more like outdoor shades).

Coming to France, I knew there'd be a lot to fall in love with: baguettes, the language, tiny picturesque towns. Now, I'm more than happy to add fromage blanc à la vanille, endless sunflower fields, and wooden shutters to the list.

stick shift

2011-08-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

I might (occasionally) stall when I stop on a hill...

I might never go higher than 4th gear...

and I might even say a prayer every time I get into the driver's seat

But hell if I haven't learned to drive a stick shift!

(It really is a stick shift I'm driving, see?)