Distressed Dresser

I have been SO excited to write this blog!! Antique/distressed wood furniture is very popular here in San Francisco. It starts with the Victorian and Edwardian homes that give our city it's signature feel and charm. Well, I was shopping in my favorite neighborhood of Noe Valley when we first moved here and I stumbled across the most adorable store, When Modern Was. The locally owned shop is filled with old dated 1900 dressers, tables, mirrors, clocks and more! Sometimes I think I should have been born in a different decade because I fell in love with every single piece they had. The prices are reasonable (Adam feels differently;) and the wood and paint jobs are gorgeous. SO, after talking Adam into buying a $300 dining table and drooling over the $700 dressers, we decided we would first try to refurbish and distress our own piece for much less. I researched for weeks on how to do this process and took several notes before we were raiding both Craigslist, for old wood furniture, and the hardware store. We found a $30 dresser, here are the before and after pictures: (silly me took the piece apart and started sanding before I took a photo but you get the gist!) You can click on each picture to see them in better detail!

1. After you have found the wood piece you would like to re-do, the first step is sanding. As annoying as it may be, don't be tempted to skip this step! Proper sanding is essential to achieve an even, smooth surface that your paint will latch on to without chipping. I have read people using electric sanders, we do have one, but opted out because we found that doing it by hand gives you much more control. You can also bend and fold it to reach into awkward areas. Our purpose was to have the original color of the dresser show through when we got to our distressing step, so we sanded it very lightly to begin with. (Started with 80 grit paper and finished up with 120 to even out the surface). Once you've finished sanding, remove all the dust with an old rag to help the primer and paint stick to it. Also, don't forget to remove your hardware, you'll reattach everything at the end.

2. Once you have prepped and cleaned up your piece, you've gotta prime it. You can buy a spray primer but we bought the brush on and painted it. Zinsser was the brand we used. We only did one coat which seemed to be efficient enough. Since we are aiming for a distressed look, it's ok if your wood shows through the primer. Luckily, distressing is very imperfect, there are no exact ways to do this! Be sure the primer is dry before painting. The primer we used was stark white, I think this varies a bit, but it seemed to work.

3. Ok, now onto the fun part! We used a latex paint in a very light green color. These pictures are really hard to see, but it's a gorgeous green. We bought a quart of paint and barely put a dent in it, as it goes a very long way. Did I mention paint brushes? Don't cheap out them!!! We bought 2 brushes by the Purdy brand and spent about $15-$20 on them each. But they will last forever if you take care of them and they don't shed their bristles. We painted on 1 coat of paint, but there are several ways to do a paint job that we are going to try in future projects. (I have also read priming and painting with several thin coats works better at getting a smooth finish but again, we are distressing, so for our purposes we just "went with the flow" not really knowing what we were doing).

4. Next, you'll want to wait at least 2 days for your dresser to dry. I was taking a vacation, so we waited 2 weeks. This will be hard for impatient people but I have read waiting the 2 days is a much better idea before distressing. So, 2 weeks later, I took 80 grit sand paper (lower the number, coarser the grit), and "willy nilly" sanded down the piece in areas that would naturally get more wear and tear. (Corners, where the shelves open, legs). I sanded down rough enough to have the dark original color of the dresser show through. We also took chains and beat up the top of the dresser along with using a hammer to chip away some of the paint. I used just my regular digital camera for these next photos which I will never do again, they didn't turn out as well.

5. First, soak your brushes in a paint thinner to preserve the life of those expensive brushes. ;) Attach all of your hardware back onto the dresser and find a cute place for it in your home. :) We opted out to buying new hardware or painting over it, which you can do with spray paint. We liked the color and the "old" feel so we kept the originals. This is our very first project and I know with time, we will learn different techniques and find which ones work better than others. I will be sure to share our experience, as I know there are a lot of "crafties" out there! I should also mention that we didn't have any supplies when starting. We spent close to $100 on brushes, paint, primer, sand paper, etc. BUT we will be able to use most of these time and time again, and the paint/primer lasts so long. You gotta make that first big purchase but then you'll be able to start saving. :) Thanks for reading!!!

fav things

I have recently stumbled across some fun and unique things that I wanted to share with you! It's the simple things, right?



Painted Olive Oil pourer gives our outdated San Francisco stove a little color sitting next to it. Tall glass water container for the dinner table, beer brand glasses from around the globe, garlic shaped timer (my personal favorite), and a personal boxed wine;) surprisingly delish and comes with a total of 3 glasses. Best part? Everything was under $4.99 each from World Market, with the wine being the most expensive. That's about $1.60 per glass!!

current playlist

Here are a few songs I've been listening to lately while either walking to work or straightening my hair. No specific mood or reason.... maybe you will like them too!
(I've attached the youtube clips, most aren't videos, as these are hidden gems:)




Griffin house- gorgeous video!






Bridal Train, by the Waifs, popped up on my ipod recently and I have been listening to it nonstop once again. I learned about this group when I lived in Australia and absolutely fell in love with this song about the American sailors coming over to Australia and the women falling in love with them and leaving their country for the USA. It's a beautiful true song:)

cheesiest garlic bread

For those of you who know me well, know that I am obsessed with cheese. I could possibly even be part mouse. We usually have anywhere from 3-4 different types of cheese in our fridge at any given time. Garlic would be my next obsession and the fact that it is so good for you, gives me an excuse to make this at least once a week. :) Garlic bread is simple to make, but this is our favorite way to do it, and I figured it out myself after trying too many variations. I know, I know.... I said I was going to add healthy recipes but we know there is no problem indulging now and then ;) So go ahead..... INDULGE!
(this serving was 3 small slices of bread (we use Trader Joe's sourdough- no preservatives!).

chop 2-3 cloves of garlic finely and sauté with a teaspoon of butter, stir with a wooden spoon rapidly so the garlic doesn't burn.


Dip bread into pan and rub garlic and butter all over it. Sprinkle with sea salt (Himalayan salt- it's pink, is even better) and pepper. We have also added finely chopped fresh basil at this step.




Sprinkle grated parmesan on top, while laying long slices of mozzarella over the top. (double YUM!)


Throw in the oven and bake @ around 350, just to melt the cheese and toast bread, while your chicken or fish is finishing up!

a day in the life

As I start to edit and get used to the designing of this blog, it may look a bit different from time to time as you're browsing. Bare with me and I will figure this out one day! to the left, you can see I'm adding links to different things I hope to cover... healthy recipes, raising 2 city kitties, and all things San Francisco. Stay tuned. :)

Adam and I had a lovely little Saturday (a couple of weekends ago) exploring the neighborhood of North Beach. We walked about 7 blocks in the sunshine, though China Town and then arrived to the Italian influenced district. It reminded us so much of Italy with the small round tables cramped together and dozens of people eating outside, sipping their wine. We decided to walk off the beaten path of the main Columbus St. and stumbled upon an Italian owned, very quaint, restaurant. Best thing about San Francisco? I can call my friend Chase to meet for a drink and he can get to us in a matter of minutes on his bike. It is such a walkable city and I am in love with it. :)

Notice the Italian flags wrapped around the street poles all over North Beach. It's one of my favorite touches in this small district of SF. Washington Square Park, with view of Coit tower, had people laying out, playing games and enjoying the sun. We finished up with a little beer tasting at Rouge and WOW was it amazing. :) It was a perfect day with my love.

So, what CAN we eat?

The previous post listed a plethora of different ingredients and "foods" that are bad for us. When reading ETNT, I was getting a little depressed to find out that so many things I enjoy eating, or that I thought we're OK for me, we're filled with fat and sodium. (Maybe that explains a few months back when I went through a period of sleeping 10 hours a night and STILL being exhausted). I wasn't pumping my body with energy driven foods. According to ETNT, green tea, plain yogurt, almonds, & chard, are a few of the healthiest foods we can put in our body. So, Adam and I started googling and we found this amazing peach/green tea smoothie. We tried this about a month ago, after we documented our yummy smoothie, I made a few changes that helped the consistency for me. Give it a try!

What you need:

1 large peach, sliced and pitted
1/2 a banana
1 Green Tea tea bag
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 tbsp honey

Directions:

Brew 1/2 cup of green tea and chill with ice cubes or Brew 1 cup of green tea and chill in refrigerator. Next blend (we use our NINJA) the green tea, banana, and peaches until smooth while adding honey for sweetness.


We found the recipe here.






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Happy Adam!

These are photos from the first time we tried it. I altered it a bit the second time. I had twice as much ice and a full banana. This made it a bit more thick and "smoothie like". Enjoy for breakfast, with lunch, or a summer dinner! This truly is a super food, and I'll post more as I get some time. :)

Food Revolution

I am super excited to Blog tonight, because 1) I have been seriously lagging, and 2) I am so passionate about FOOD! Not just any food, but healthy, energetic foods that make us glow! I realize there are millions of blogs out there on 'healthy foods' but I'm not looking for any recognition, just people like you and me who care about what we put into our bodies. I entitled this "Food Revolution" for again 2 reasons: 1) When I lived in Australia, I first heard of Jamie Oliver (the Brit who talked funny) and we used to cook all sorts of his recipes. He uses this title and I love his efforts towards changing our diet, which he shows on his new program. and 2) a food revolution is exactly what our country [world] needs.

A quick background. My mother, who is also a dental hygienist, is a complete and total health nut. Our family joke is reminiscing over my 7th birthday party when my mom filled my Big Bird pinata up with sugar free suckers, bananas, apples, and oatmeal cookies. (Luckily, my dad found out before we started beating the thing, and damaging the fruit, so we quickly swapped it out with a candy filled one). As kids, we never had sodas or processed foods in the house, had to eat our greens before we could leave the table, and were allowed only a small scoop of ice cream for desert. So instead, when I would go to friends' houses, I would pig out on all the "good food" like Lucky Charms and fruit roll ups. ;)

Today, I am incredibly contentious about the foods I eat, and I give my mom so much credit for what she didn't allow her kids to have. Even after plugging my nose to drink veggie smoothies and crying because I couldn't stomach finishing my spinach, I know she was raising us the way her mother did, and so the cycle in our family is going to continue....:)

That being said, my mom put these 2 books in my stocking for Christmas last year, which I just got around to reading today:




I'm going to touch more on the first one to begin with, "Eat this, not That." For me personally, this didn't spark my interest, nor did my mom give these to me, with the idea of losing weight. I am naturally thin, both my parents are too, so I was blessed in that department. BUT, skinny people do get flabby, noodly, and suffer from heart conditions too. The #1 reason? Their diet. For those people trying to eat healthier and lose weight, these authors swear this is the book for you. The Author, David Zinczenko, is magazine's Men Health, Editor in Chief. (I'd say that's a pretty good source, have you seen those guys?!) The only downfall I have with this book is that it compares TONS of fast food and chain restaurants, both of which I hardly eat. (my guilty pleasures being In-N-Out and PF Changs... both of which are loaded with calories***(there are GOOD calories) and sugars). I obtained the greatest benefits by learning the definitions for "whole grain", "Natural", and "low sodium"... all which are usually bogus.

The bottom line is that during the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the US. The Center for Disease Control only graphs till 2009, but check out this map that timelines obesity rates from 1985-2009. Very wild.

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html

A couple more disturbing stats:
American men eat 7% more calories than they did in 1971
American women eat a whopping 18% more calories (an additional 335 calories per day- enough to pack on a pound of extra flab every 11 days!)
American kids average 150 daily calories more than they did just 20 years ago.

Did our stomachs get larger? Did our mouths expand? Of course not. WE haven't changed. The FOOD has. -ETNT

I simply can't get into enough detail this book has to say, but here are the previews and I hope it will encourage you to buy this book and read more!!! (Or, if you're in San Francisco, you can borrow it from me).

*We've added extra calories to traditional food.
*We're Super-sizing our lives.
*We're eating things our bodies aren't supposed to eat.
*We absorb more calories than would have been humanly possible just a few decades ago!!!
*Resturants and Grocery stores have made smart nutritional choices harder and harder to discern.

(Borrow this book from me to read into these individual topics... or rent FOOD INC. from your local Red Box).

I will get into a little more detail when it comes to the most "Misleading Labels". Please stop buying something because it says REDUCED FAT or ALL NATURAL!

Reduced Fat: Splashed across too many packaged goods to count. This actually means that total fat grams have been reduced by at least 25%. Sounds amazing, right? Problem is, the reduction in fat often comes with an increase in sugar and sodium and ultimately, no net nutritional gain what-so-ever. :-/

Multigrain: means that more than 1 type of grain was used in processing (wheat, rye, barley, rice, etc), but doesn't make a single claim about the way the grains are processed. Also, beware of the equally misleading "wheat bread," a claim that simply means the loaf was made from wheat flour, which might very well be refined and colored with molasses to appear darker. The only trustworthy claim for whole grains is "100% whole grain!"

Natural: Natural, what? With the exception of meat and poultry products, the USDA has no definition set and imposes no regulations on tue use of this term, making it essentially meaningless. So please, stop allowing this word to be a decision maker in weather you put it in your cart or not. ;)

(Way more worthwhile definitions in ETNT).

So what CAN we eat? I'll get into that in future blogs to come... :)

This preview is slightly difficult to relate to unless you have a pretty deep understanding of the gain in highly processed foods and ingredients that are being pumped into our daily diets. But if you know even a tad about this, you're probably wondering just like I am, how the debate over nationalized health care could simply be a portioned solved if we weren't so tainted by calorie-laden junk, we wouldn't be spending one in every five health care dollars supporting Americans suffering from Type 2 diabetes. Please know that eating too much food isn't the problem. Our society is eating too many foods that aren't actually food! But instead, preservatives, additives, and chemically enhanced "foodlike substances".

And I feel compelled to mention that it's not just the calorie number that one should be paying close attention to on the food label. Instead, if you see a word under the ingredients that is 15-20 letters long and is excruciatingly hard to pronounce, Don't eat it! If your grandmother can't tell you what that "so-called-food" is, don't put it in your mouth!

In reality, food -REAL FOOD- is a good thing. The kind of food that comes from the earth and not labs. The kind of food that obtains magical properties and amazing abilities to PREVENT and even HEAL many of our physical and emotional woes.

I realize this post is a bit jumbled, but my goal was to just give a preview of stats and unhealthy eating tactics. I can't possibly cover everything I want to in this small intro, but here's my start. Please stay tuned for some yummy recipes that Adam and I have personally tried and love so much!

~Eat This, Not That. By: David Zinczenko
~cdc.gov/obesity

Why?

I hate to say that I haven't been able to make time to blog, and it's true! I left off in Italy which was followed by an amazing time in Barcelona, Spain with my spanish family. It was truly amazing and Adam and I feel so fortunate to have been able to take a trip together and step outside our norm for a bit, while observing so much this world has to offer.

We have been back in the San Francisco bay area now for almost 2 months. All is going well, although it is a much colder winter than we had in San Diego:( It's taking some adjustment.
I wanted to write for a couple reasons today... I should mention that when I do take time to "scribble" my thoughts down, I realize there may be no one reading, or there may be several people interested. Each of these entries allow me to "vent" in a way, and it always feels good to do so. I do keep a personal journal too, but this is healing on a different level because maybe I touch on something that others are thinking too and would like to say out loud.

Today I'm writing with an especially heavy heart due to the recent 'Tucson Tragedy' that so unfortunately took place exactly a week ago. Over the last week, my mind has been overwhelmed with thoughts about how the family and friends of the victims must be feeling. I've had trouble sleeping because I've been full of such emotion, from anger towards this mentally unstable individual who carried out this attack, to such sorrow and compassion for the ones who innocently died. I was reading bios of each victim at work. The young 30 year old who was engaged to be married. The 9 year little girl who attended the "Congress on your Corner" event because she was already fascinated by politics. All 6 of the people who were murdered have family members who are waking up and wondering how they are going to get through the coming days, or even their entire lives, without their loved one. And then there is Gabrielle Giffords and the others who were wounded, fighting for their life in the ICU as I type this.

I don't exactly know why, when awful things happen in this world, it always feels so deep for me. I imagine this is part of human nature, that the greater good of human beings will all feel at some point in their life. During this recent tragedy, I've wondered (which I'm sure most have): What would compel someone to do this to other people? If gun laws were a bit stricter would that have played a part? Why why WHY do horribly bad things happen to good people? It reminds me of my frequent wonders of our car accident, nearly 4 years ago. Why did this happen to us, out of all people? Why was my life spared and Mike and Jill's wasn't? These are questions without answers, that God only knows. These are questions we are not meant to understand or be capable of wrapping our minds around. But that doesn't stop us from thinking them.

I was driving home from yoga today, it was 60's and sunny in my new bay area home, and I was just thinking about how truly amazing my surroundings were. The bright sun, the green hills and pine trees, and the crisp smell (all which are quite different than being in san diego.... other than the sun of course;). I get so caught up with TV, magazines, and all my electronic "must haves", that it was refreshing for me to be driving and observing my present feelings. I loved it. During many instances like this, I have immediately shifted my gratefulness of life back to my "why" questions. Why can't Jill be experiencing this with me? That's a big one I always think about. But today I was soaking up the present and leaving those questions to be answered by God. Literally seconds after admiring all of God's beauty, the most beautiful song came on the radio. It made my eyes fill with tears, and when I got home I stayed parked to listen to it entirely. The song is called "Our God is Greater" and I've added the youtube video along with lyrics for anyone who reads this to enjoy too.


When I read these words it reminds me how powerful and healing our God is. He has a purpose for those I've lost in my life and for those who died senselessly in Tucson. He has an agenda for children who are taken from this life too young, for the poor and starving, for all the people dying in Iraq and all over the world. He puts violence and hatred on this Earth to see how we react to it. He gives us the precious gift of free will to choose a different route. And then there are those who don't choose and are suddenly taken away from us on accident. God has a plan for each person on this Earth. My personal goal is to try not to keep asking the "why" questions that I will never be able to comprehend. It's natural for us to wonder. But it takes patience, learning, and understanding of the Bible and God's words to come to terms with horrifying things that happen in our life. And to step back, surrender to a greater power, and TRUST that nothing is coincidental or happens on accident. No one last weekend was "in the wrong place at the wrong time". God wanted some of them home and now they are. My prayers go out to the grieving families and everyone affected in Arizona.

Viva Italia!

We have arrived in Italy! First stop: Pisa. Yes, best known for the leaning tower. Fun fact: the tower began to tilt when the soil beneath it suddenly shifted. The tilt intensified after WW2,and thanks to tourists who climb it’s steps daily, the tower slips an additional 1-2 meters per year, though it is currently considered stable. I have been to Pisa once before and found it a quaint and friendly small city. Adam was interested in visiting, so we booked a wonderful Bed and Breakfast with our new lovely friend name Giorgio. The tower really is worth seeing, along with the surrounding cathedrals and museums, but it is a small city and can fully be visited in a day in a half, (2 nights). Not many people spoke English but after enough pointing and facial expressions, communication was achieved.

Now, I am writing today’s blog from Florence! We took the quick 50 minute train ride from Pisa to Firenze and met our new landlords who we are renting from for the next 5 days. It was pouring rain when we arrived a couple days ago. Our boots and bags were soaked and we stuck out like sore thumbs trying to read our drenched map in front of the Duomo. A sweet old man walked over and must have thought we were trying to ge
t to the train station because he kept saying “choo choo!” and pointing in the direction we just came from. Finally, we found our destination and was greeted by our landlord, Marco. He was a very nice Italian man who lived in San Diego for a short time, so you can bet we had heaps to chat about. J He took us up to what he referred to as the 4^th floor, but in the US, it was really the 5^th floor. (In Europe, the first floor is called the ‘ground level’, and the floors add on from there). There was no elevator so we were hauling our bags up a narrow stairway with exactly 86 steps. (we officially have buns of steal). The complaining stopped once we saw the views from our new Florence “home”. It has a kitchen and living room painted with bright yellow walls, and our bedroom is light pink with a window on the right side of our bed facing out to the Duomo and the window on the left facing out to the green Tuscan hills. Red brick roofs litter all of the nearby apartments and small buildings. The only instructions Marco gave us was: “Do not take a taxi or a bus anywhere. Walk everywhere!” We are in the heart of Florence. This is how ‘real Italy’ feels, and I love it.

I could write all day about how much I love this country, and I might do just that. Having our own kitchen has left us with a whirlwind of cooking experiments. Pasta is a must of course, and tonight we added mussels and clams to our concoction. We are getting so full every day on pasta or pizza, I am thankful for our 5^th floor walk. Cheese is cheap and wine is even cheaper at as low as $2 for a whole bottle. I am in vino heaven! We spent the first couple days under plastic tents drinking coffee and watching the rain pour down. Most of the cafes and restaurants have out door eating areas, and even when it storms, you still find people eating outside. They put up big tents and tarps around the tables and people get really close together, sipping on coffee and even wine, in the early morning.

Today, we were blessed with 70 degrees and perfectly sunny weather!!! When we started planning for this trip, we chose the off season months of October and November, mainly because the crowds would be minimal, even if the weather wasn’t perfect. But today, it felt like late Spring with hardly any tourists anywhere. It was absolutely perfect. Adam and I hiked up to Piazzale Michelangelo which had the most stunning view of Florence (and a turquoise statue of David). It was about dusk and the sun had a warm, golden glow over the city. Breath taking and “wow” are the only words I have to describe today, as I know it will be one of my fondest memories of Italy. Although my hamstrings hurt from the steep walk up, it was well worth every step, and highly recommended! Better views from the Duomo itself and it’s free! ;)

We have 1 more day here and we’ll be touring the Uffizi Museum tomorrow, where the weather is supposed to be just as nice. The gelato is ridiculously tasty. So far, we have tried Hazlenut, Mocha, and Cheesecake…. More tomorrow, I can guarantee it. ;)

Bonjour!

Oh sweet Paris! We arrived to this gorgeous city almost a week ago. We took the chunnel from London to Paris, hopped on the Metro once we arrived, and walked about 2 blocks to our studio we are renting from a nice man named Vladimir. We are staying in the 6th district in a very central location called, St. Germain. It is a busy district swarmed with young people, yummy restaurants and quaint cafes. We are right in between Notre Dame and the Louvre. About 45 minute walk along the river to the Eiffel Tower and right next door to Luxembourg Gardens and the Latin Quarter.

The first day we arrived it was raining so we decided to visit the Louvre. We couldn't believe how huge this museum was, littered with famous paintings and sculptures like the Mona Lisa and Michaelangelo. It was cool to see the originals, even if I had to squish through a pile of tourists to snap a quick shot. We spent around 4 hours in the Louvre and probably only saw about 20% of it. It was enormous!The rest of our days here, we have been blessed with sunny weather. Perfect for picnicking and climbing the tower where we had an incredible 360 degree view of the city. We did this at sunset and it was absolutely stunning. Paris is truly the city of lovers. Just about everywhere is a couple kissing and enjoying each other. Weather is be on a park bench or laughing over a cigarette, there is no lack of PDA. ;) I could go on and on about how much I have enjoyed this city and my new appreciation for the french language, but I think the photos speak for themselves. We have enjoyed every minute, especially with a cozy studio to return home to and cook a few home cooked meals. Make sure you wallet is heavy when you stay here, it is an expensive city, but well worth every euro.

Top of the tower....Eiffel at night...

a small glimpse of England

We have gotten so behind on blogging because we have been sight seeing and taking in so many aspects of what our world has to offer. Adam left off talking a bit about our first half of our Ireland trip. I won't emphasize much because we are now 2 countries ahead of that, but I will say that Ireland as a whole was one of our favorite experiences so far. The people are friendly and interesting and the beer is tasty. The countryside is stunning and the 'laxed' life style is addicting.

On to London............

We arrived in London to my sweet Australian girlfriend, Em. She is coming to the end of her 4 years in London and was so nice to host us for 3 nights. She and her boyfriend, Matt, took us all over London to the big sites: Houses of Parliament, London & Tower Bridge to name a few. We walked all day long for about 6 hours in the sunshine. It was truly a treat to have locals show us around. Much easier than Adam and I trying to find the "ity bity" street signs with our maps stretched out over our faces. We are getting used to the look though. ;) Adam then had a day to ourselves where we rode the London Eye with a 360 view of the city. Definitely the way to see London on a clear day, it was fantastic! Buckingham Palace was worth seeing and walks through the many gardens was essential. We enjoyed London and our friends made it that much better, but we were anxious to travel southwest of the heavy populated city to a town called Bath...

Bath is one of my new favorite places on planet earth. yes, I just said it. It was such an interesting city. The Roman's founded it a few centuries (would have to look in our guide books to be exact) ago. They figured out that they could pump mineral water from the earth's ground into big pools that they created for healing. The original ruins still stand tall with the roman baths in the center. Learning the history of these people was fascinating. Adam and I then took a spa day, with dinner and wine included, to enjoy 3 hours of pure mineral pools and steam rooms. Our view from the very top of the pool was breathtaking, overlooking Bath and ancient Roman ruins. Our skin felt silky smooth and our bodies were relaxed, after stretching in the steam room and getting into a few yoga poses. Anyone going to England MUST NOT miss this hidden gem. Email us for detailed info if you are looking for a romantic (or solo), relaxed haven. This is the place. I can't wait for our return back!

We had no problem getting into the habit of a morning tea followed by and afternoon and evening tea.... and I am loving every minute of my new habit ;)

(below is me with view of Roman architecture).

Another Guinness, is it?

Adare, Ireland is where I am writing from today. Having a Carlsberg beer and relaxing before a night at the pub. Jackie and I have been in Ireland now for 4 days and are loving every moment of this beautiful country. We have had amazing and odd weather for Ireland, warm and partially sunny. We cannot ask for anything better.

Last night we stayed in Doolin, where the cliffs of Moher are located. They are absolutely breath taking. Formed about 320 million years ago and nearby home to the Puffins, the clown of the sea, the cliffs overlook the the Atlantic. We stayed at the Roadford House last night which was warm and hospitable. Great food, people and views. Two horses roamed around in-front our window and the local dog, beans, wasn't far behind.

I am writing and recalling backwards so that we can catch up on where we have been and stayed throughout Ireland. Before the Roadford House and Doolin, we were in Dublin for 3 nights. Great City!

Dublin had a lot to offer, and even better did not have the feel of an overwhelming city. The Guinness Storehouse was great. We learned about how Guinness is made and the ingredients that go into every pint. The self guided tour end at the top of the factory on the 7th floor. That is where you get to enjoy a free pint overlooking all of Dublin. It really doesn't get much better that that. We stayed at the Times Hostel in a wonderful location in Dublin, conveniently placed next to a enjoyable little pub, which are anywhere and everywhere throughout the city. Days and nights were spent wondering around soaking in the sights and stopping along the way for a bite and a pint. One evening we decided to partake in the Hostels pub crawl. This was a good opportunity to meet a few really nice people and see some different pubs. All in all, Dublin was perfect for 3 nights.

Lets see.....

OK, now we are in Dingle ( as far west in all of Europe that you can get, can almost see New York). This is a little fishing town that has spectacular views. Getting here was not the easiest task, however, getting around from town to town doesn't seem like it is going to get any easier. That is all I will say about the driving. I could rant for a long while about this subject, but whats the point. We went over Conner Pass that dropped us into Dingle. If you think driving Vail Pass is tough or sketch. Ha, think again. Non the less, we made it in and had some of the best chowder and fish for lunch. After a walk through town, we headed back to the car to take the drive around the peninsula. What a breath taking and hairy drive. we stopped along the way to admire the views and check out the beaches and surfers. Yes, surfing in Dingle-very cool. We head out tomorrow after an Irish breakfast hear at O'Neills B&B. Next stop Valentia Island.

here today, gone tomorrow

So after packing up our entire apartment in San Diego, throwing out or donating most things, and putting the rest in storage, we were on the road to start our 8 hour drive north. Had a little In N Out for dinner and drove halfway the first night saying in a "hoe dunky" town near Bakersfield.

We like to take traveling slow, no matter where we're going. It makes it more relaxing to drive 4 hours instead of plowing through 8. So the next morning we got up and made it to my dad's house. He lives in Pleasanton, just outside of the city of SF by about 30 minutes. Adam and I unloaded our things and found the nearest happy hour in Downtown Pleasanton. Adam is really liking it here. He says it reminds him of Pittsburgh with most of the streets filled with full grown trees, and the air being crisp and cool. We're both missing San Diego, (maybe me a little more), but we're also excited about this new part of our lives:)

We enjoyed a couple home brewed beers and amazing garlic fries. We then went looking for a Liquor shop to grab a bottle of wine and instead found a wine shop that was offering tastings. After trying 6 different types of wine, we settled on a bottle from Australia. (We'll have plenty of time to try all the different wines in our new area, ie: Napa, Russian River, etc.) The owner was incredibly hospitable, even if he first told us that "No Padre fans would be allowed in." Today we woke up and worked out, laid at the pool, and did a quick shopping spree at Trader Joe's for the next couple days. We plan on eating, drinking, and relaxing... followed by more eating, drinking, and relaxing when we leave for Europe this Tuesday. First stop: IRELAND!

the simple life

I had the most beautiful lunch with my newly engaged best friend's mother yesterday:)
We went to Del Mar and had lunch on the beach with a yummy bottle of white wine. We chatted about weddings, life, family, and just caught up in general. I am glad I am not the first to be engaged so that I can learn from all the frustrations and the small "mistakes" that often take place. Ha. sounds selfish, I know, but there is so much that goes into planning a wedding. I'm going to sit back, relax, and watch everyone else freak out for the next year or two. And then maybe I won't when it's my turn.... maybe. Our lunch was followed by 2 hours on the beach chatting some more. Who knew we would sit for 4 hours together and just talk. It's the simple things in life :)

our "plan"

I have chosen to put "plan" in quotes because hardly anything really goes as planned. Especially when traveling Europe for 2 months and especially in my life. Sooooo, here is a quick "plan" of our next few months. It will be interesting to see what REALLY happens. ;)

Adam and I move out of our Encinitas, CA beach apartment this Thursday, September 30th. We are sad to leave our place only 3 blocks from the beach, but happy to get away from the loud train and more than excited for our European adventure! We're driving up to San Francisco first, possibly doing some beach camping along the way. My dad and sister (and entire dad's side of the family) live in the bay area. So we have packed up our cars and will stay with them before we head to Europe on October 5th.

Europe Itinerary:
Ireland to England to France to Italy to Spain.

We'll be in Ireland for over a week driving the lush countryside, London to visit a friend, Paris where we have rented a 'chic' apartment for a week, all over Italy (even down to the boot of Calabria), and finally to Spain where we will be visiting my Spanish family (great grandmother and second cousins, etc.) We will blog along the way and give specifics on where we have been and what we have been doing..:)

We return back to San Francisco on December 5th. From there, we will be looking for jobs in the San Francisco area and will then move out of my dad's place and look for our own ;) We are looking forward to a new city together, I think SF is going to be great.

Now let's see what actually happens..... stay tuned for posts while we're traveling. We can't wait!!

Not just us

Another quick political topic I noticed. Australia just voted in their new prime minister a month or two ago. There are also 2 parties in Australia: Labor (most similar to Democrat) and Liberal (most similar to Republican). Quite funny because our liberal is just the opposite. Anyway, they have just voted in a red headed WOMAN representing the Labor (Democrat) party. Not that hair color matters but the fact that she is a woman has many people up in arms. I haven't seen any of this on our news here in the US, but since I lived in Australia for a short time, I had friends posting all over facebook who both loved her and hated her. I saw really crude things, "This firecrotch lesbian won't do anything for our country!" or calling her "nothing but a bogan" which is basically a country hick. And then I saw others who said" Thank you Labor party for progressing Australia!" "Australia is on the right path, we have needed a woman!"

So of course I had to research what was going on, and yes, Australia voted in a woman Democrat. Doesn't this all sound a bit familiar? Woman dem vs. "black" dem. It's all the same. Everyone getting all fired up about something they really don't have any control over. Sure, our vote does matter. But once they're voted in, there is nothing the public can do anymore. They are going to call the shots... most likely "puppet" around like the rest of them... and everyone is going to have something to say about it.

Here is a recent status update from one of my aussie girlfriends who is supporting the new PM:
(mind you, I am not sure what all the slang means but you get the idea)

"I'm avoiding facebook until all the derogatory sexist ranga/ginga/fanta comments die down. So far you've picked on the fact she's female, her hair color (red is fantastic by the way) and now her accent. What defines a bogan?? Someone who wasn't educated at a North Shore or Eastern subbarb private school who speaks and acts like a total stuck up spoilt wanker?!"

I just had to blog about this because the bottom line is that this happens all over the world. Everyone has their own opinions about people in power and will get all shaken up over it. (I know I have). It sure seems as though we're more alike than different. Just try not to lose your friends over it. :)

politics shmolitics

I got a lot of requests asking this to be a political blog. I still have a huge interest in politics here in the US and around the world, but I'm not as vocalized about it anymore. I've experienced first hand how politics and religion conversations can ruin friendships, or at least bruise them. And it's a shame this happens. Some people will hold a grudge for much longer than I thought was possible, but then again, a grudge takes more energy out of you than me. So I won't be sitting here bashing or getting upset or angry trying to make a stance. The couple things I will say is that I have traveled a lot. I feel that my opinions are validated more because I have seen what other countries have to offer, (both the good and the ugly). I have volunteered in "slummy" areas both here in the US and other countries. My belief is that very little things will change based on who we nominate as President. Until we as individuals start realizing that we choose our reality, not "superman", we will keep having unrealistic expectations of our government and people in power.

When Obama was campaigning, so many people thought he was God (or better). He was glorified on the cover of People magazine, his speeches sounded more like a church service being held in the South, and people really thought this was the "end all be all" guy. That he was going to come save all the poor people and get us out of this economic downfall. In fact, just the opposite has happened. I don't care if it was Bush's "left overs" that he's dealing with. The President made countless promises that he himself would never be able to fulfill. But people still believed this celebrity guy who promised "change".

The only thing that has changed is that our country is in billions more debt. The poor people are poorer. And our economy is falling apart. Maybe we have our parents generation to point the finger at. Maybe is was the officials they elected (Carter) that are responsible. "8 years of bush.." blah blah. No matter what it is, Barack Obama is not going to be able to fix any of this. I can't even listen to his speeches anymore because they all sound the same, and so rehearsed. Do I think McCain could have done it better? Not necessarily. But all these new 18-25 year old voters had no idea what they were voting for. I would hear my friends repeat Obama's promises verbatim and it would just crack me up. Just because he's a good speaker, HALF black (he's not black people!), encouraging and inspiring, "new aged", doesn't mean anything to me other than he looks sharp on the Today Show.

The truth is, his approval ratings have plummeted. I can't believe people are really surprised by this. Check out this Daily Presidential Tracking Poll: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/ (highly reputable). I tried to paste the actual link to the poll but just search it. Even the people who voted him in are furious..... and I don't blame them. But then again, I sorta do because this guy never had super powers and nothing he claimed he would do can be done in his position. Oh well.

This is super jumbled because I'm sitting in a noisy cafe and can't really think straight. But I just wanted to jot a couple things down. This is probably as far as I'll go politically..... It's just not worth getting a bunch of people wanting to argue. But the main thing that I feel is that I am still happy I'm an American woman. Spend a couple minutes reading about sex trafficking in Eastern Europe, for example. This crap happens everywhere. We may have some issues in the US, but I'm glad I'm not trying to sneak my family over. It's bad here to some people, then it must be really be bad there. I can deal with the fact that Spain gets a siesta and we don't. Or that Canada has free health care (which they don't). It could be a hell of a lot worse.

eye openers

It's September 2nd and I am still wondering why we were robbed of our usual San Diego summer. We literally had May-Grey and June-Gloom the entire month of July and August, and so far, September isn't any better. I am sitting on my patio sipping on hot tea, in my uggs and long sleeves. It's high 60's and this is cold for me. And for San Diego.

But none the less it's a nice day and I'm going to write. I have been out of college for a year now and have basically been unemployed the entire year. This is mainly due to the fact that we will be traveling Europe for 2 months, and I can't commit to an office at the moment. I get temp jobs from time to time but usually, I am sitting at home or laying on the beach. Which gives me plenty of time to think. Thinking can be good or bad, especially when you have a mind like mine (See traffic jam blog). In a nut shell, this is what I have learned over the last year, in no particular order:



-money will most definitely NOT make you happy.

-I don't depend on coffee nearly as much as I thought I did in college.

-I have to live near a body of water to refrain from feeling landlocked.

-our next apartment must have more kitchen counter space AND a washer&dryer.

-my boyfriend is the only one who truly 'gets' me.

-home grown veggies taste so much better than grocery store ones.

-YOU are in charge of your own life.



I'm not going to sit and elaborate on all of these, but I'll pick a couple:



-Money will not make you happy. I grew up in a pretty affluent area. We were not rich but not poor either. Middle class seems to be the right word. I didn't feel deprived growing up because my sister and I pretty much got everything we wanted and definitely everything we needed. But I always thought.. "If we had more money, my closet would be twice as big. I could drive a BMW too. We could go out for more expensive meals..." blah blah blah. I met a group of very wealthy people a few months ago. Good looking guys, in their mid 30's. Flying private jets to Istanbul, Turkey where the CEO of Corvette is located. This one guy in particular was showing me photos of this trip: Partying on a huge yacht, Don Perion flowing and beautiful women swarming them. But you know what he told me? He said, "I have a gap in my life. I'm missing love." So I go on asking him why he's single, etc. He said women just want his money, not him. He was tired of the royalty game that was now his life. Sex and drugs everywhere, artificial people, lies, manipulation, everyone only looking out for themselves. I'm not saying everyone who has money have these same opportunities or even the same outlook. But one thing it seems a lot of these people have in common is that somewhere along the line, they are more superior to the person who has less financially. I honestly don't even think they mean to be this way, but it's inevitable sometimes (not always) I think. I am still waiting to meet the super humble rich population. Take the guy in the Mercedes convertible flying down the highway and cutting people off. I see it every single day. "You car means nothing! Your looks mean nothing! What you HAVE mean nothing!" That's what I feel like yelling after those people. I want to ask them, "Who is the real you? Are you happy?" Maybe this is a result of living in a place like California, where image is so much more focused on than inside qualities. But then again, I've seen this in other places too (Denver, Australia), so it must be our world as a whole. Everything on TV is about image. Women and men have to look a certain way to get any sort of media attention. (ok getting off topic here..) I touch on this subject because Adam and I have totally been on our own over the last year. We have been living pay check to pay check and I have never been happier. When we choose to settle down and quit traveling, we'll be able to save of course. I have a talent that luckily will keep us more than comfortable and Adam has some prosperous business ideas. But right now, we are broke as a joke. But we're happy. One thing I feel like I have that others don't, is the love and trust I have with my boyfriend. There is nothing that concerns me about Adam. I know his love is pure and real and no amount of money or wining and dining will ever make him more attractive in my eyes. It saddens me to see people I know and people I don't know, who are caught in the alternative. I would rather pack a bag full of good cheese and wine and set up a picnic on the beach. I love to camp (as long as I can make a comfy bed free from spiders). Don't get me wrong, I like nice things, and some would even say I'm high maintenance in certain areas. But my point is, those things that you can hold in your hand, don't make you happy. I'm not putting everyone with money in a certain category, I'm just stating what I have seen through my personal experiences. Tangible "things" will not make a person happier. Happiness come from deep inside a person and from the people you choose to surround your life with. Maybe it's just my personality, maybe I'm crazy, maybe I'm diving into something I know nothing about. But I do know one thing. I know how it feels to be so full of happiness. And it's not the times when I have a thousand dollar shopping spree at Nordstrom, or have just gotten my hair done, or have just paid 100 bucks for a steak. It's the time when I'm laying on the couch with Adam in our simple beach apartment, watching movies and eating fondue. Or the times when I have an hour conversation with my dad over the phone. Or watching my little brother get so excited over the smallest things. Or venting to my supportive girlfriends. I could go on and on showing my trend of happiness. I hope everyone will one day understand this because it took me a long time to come to this reality. And I'm so thankful I did.


-I have to live near a body of water so I don't feel "landlocked". After high school I went to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. It's a mountain town and reminded me a lot of Colorado. I remember my freshman year, about 2 months in, feeling queasy and claustrophobic. I couldn't figure it out and it was lasting for days. Then a friend of mine invited me to Sedona where they have creeks and large ponds I like to call them. We would go to slide rock and slide down this super long creek until you ended up in this big pond where you could wade in. Once I got there for the first time, my claustrophobia went away. Then I came home for Christmas and spent my days on the beach and again, I felt free and not so secluded. The water looks like it spreads out forever and it sorta does. After 3 years at NAU, I transferred to CU Denver for hygiene school. I loved the mountains but I liked Cherry Creek Reservoir more. There is something about the water and not the mountains that keep me relaxed. Plus, it's so much effort puting on layers and layers to go snowboarding. I hate when my face stings from the cold and I'd rather just put on a tiny bathing suit and be on the beach..... And this is why I came back to San Diego and definitely plan on calling California (even if we move up to San Francisco) home. Some people find their calmness in the mountains or desert. Mine is definitely on the water.


-Adam is the only one who truly 'gets' me. He can walk in the door after being at work all day, without me saying a word, and instantly know if something is wrong. He will call me at lunch and know from the tone of my voice that something isn't right. And he knows when I am happier than ever and that is his favorite part. Seeing me happy. I have spent just about every single day and night with him over the last year and I have gotten to know him so much more than before. Moving in together was the best decision I have made so far. But I take some of this back.... My dad is the other man who fits this description to a "T". I have been blessed with 2 amazing men in my life, I honestly can't believe how fortunate I am. My boyfriend supports me and cherishes me. He understands me and believes in me. I could flatter this boy all day long but for your sake, I will stop now.

-"Life is what you make it." My mom used to tell me that all the time when I would whine and complain about somewhere I had to go or something I had to do. It used to frustrate me so much, I would get so mad at her for stating something so true and easy. You mean if I just change my perspective and turn my bad attitude around, this really will be a good day? YES YES YES!! Sure, bad things will come up but it's how we deal with those that will change our entire day, month, or year, around. I used to have a poster on my fridge in Denver that said, "Today is a good day!" Our minds are so powerful and just thinking something positive will shape and change your outlook. At least it has for me, so give it a try. :)

I didn't mean for this blog to "brag" about how happy I am, but rather to say how thankful I have become over the last year. I take absolutely nothing for granted because people and things can be gone in an instant. I by no means consider myself to have all the answers, I am just stating what I have learned personally, and this didn't come over night. My ears and eyes are wide open and I'm anxious to keep filling myself with new realizations... Good thing I've got several years to do that;) I am way too excited for Europe and for what the different cultures are going to teach us. It's going to be a good end to a good year. I just know it.