my not so mobile weekend

Hi everyone, how was your weekend? I didn't get around to taking any photos because well...I didn't really get around.

It was Saturday morning, or rather early noon, when we finally mustered up the will and energy to get out and run errands. Before getting ready to go, Joe started washing the dishes from breakfast but I said that the dishes could wait because we had a hot date (with the bank before it closed). I then proceeded to improvise a rap song called yes, "the dishes can wait, we have a hot date" - so clever am I. So there I am, putting on my makeup while making up rhymes when I hear Joe call out for help in a frantic tone. I stop what I'm doing and run out to the main room to see what is wrong. In a matter of one second, I see him moving the dining table and then I look up to see if there's a leak in the ceiling (mind you I'm still running in at this point). By the time my eyes and brain make it over to the water-filled kitchen sink and counter, it's too late. I slip, fall on my ass and slide right into the counter's corner feet first. POW - there goes my right foot. There's wasn't any time to register the pain as I realized that I was sitting in an inch of water flooding our entire kitchen and dining area! In our rush to get out of the apartment a certain someone forgot to turn the faucet off. My first thought was "glad it wasn't me!" but then I instantly regretted my new rap song...the dishes couldn't wait after all. With a water crisis on hand, we gathered every towel in our apartment, tossed them on the floor, brought out the mop, brought out the squeegee, and pushed the water out into the hallway. Thank god there's a drain right outside our front door! It's like, they expected this to happen.

After several towel drying cycles and re-soaking sessions later, we got the place back to normal and all was well. All except my foot. It was beat. My right foot's pinky got seriously smashed and I banged up my other toes, too. The bruising and inflammation got really bad so I spent the rest of the day reluctantly soaking it in ice water and popping advil. As painful as it still is, I'm just glad (and lucky) that I didn't break anything. Now I'm just hoping that I feel significantly better by tomorrow so that I don't have to limp around Bangkok while I'm there. I'm joining Joe on a quick business trip but I might have to scratch my plans of walking and wandering and hire a tuck-tuck for the day. I won't complain though, there are worse problems to have.

At least Joe now has physical proof that I'll always come running to his rescue. Even if that means that I run straight into the flames. And maybe next time I'll think twice before I free-flow ... I'm so good it's distracting ;)

(image: on my feet via Instagram; clockwise from top-left: TOMS, Rainbows, Coach, Clark's Originals)

colors, patterns, and textures - oh my!

It's all about the little details and Penang certainly had a few hidden gems. Most of these shots are from Chew Jetty, a colorful waterfront community, where I could have spent hours had we not made plans to meet with a friend for the evening. So much inspiration to take into the week and beyond.

If you're jonesin' for more colors, patterns, and textures be sure to visit this mega post from Marrakech, Morocco - I go back to it often!

the little things

I think my sister was onto something when she gave me this little jade color elephant last year. While it's not the real deal, I still like to believe that it holds the jade stone's spiritual virtues of wisdom, balance, and peace (yes, I'm totally into that stuff, don't judge). Ancient Asian beliefs and practices are completely fascinating to me and luckily I won't' be at a loss for places to explore them while living here. For example, yesterday I met with a friend of a friend for lunch and she took me to a semi-open air cafeteria behind a Buddhist temple. We ate surrounded by words of peace while listening to the chants of devotees inside. It was beautiful...and delicious. Can't wait to discover more gems like that.

it happens

I was in such a funk yesterday with domestic matters. I was tired with the lack of internet in our apartment and annoyed that our bed linens had to be ironed because the two-in-one washer/dryer does nothing but create accordion pleats (all you people with fluffy tumble dryers - appreciate them, please!). Very trivial stuff, I know, but when I'm in a new country, in a new home, and I'm spending most of the day alone - I need the internet...and soft sheets. I need the internet's familiarity, the connection to friends and family, the ability to work, and last but not least, the silly but oh so valuable social pick-me-ups that it gives me via twitter and instagram. I remember feeling this exact way in London during the first month so I'm not surprised that it's happening again. The hardest part of moving is getting the technical details sorted so that we can have a comfortable home base. At least this time I know from past experience that any frustrations are temporary, or you at least find ways to deal with them. Once we get connected at home I'm searching for a local fluff and fold delivery service - I'm not putting that much elbow grease into those sheets again. Nuh uh.

Update: our internet was installed this afternoon - HURRAHHH!!! I grinned like a total dork when my homepage loaded. Plus, I re-designed yesterday's words worth repeating - I really shouldn't design when I'm in a funk...much happier now.

home goods

Hi, how was your weekend? Ours was good but I'm happy that it's Monday and that all of the above arrived safe as promised. It was so nice to have the movers bring the boxes in and unpack everything for us - definitely unlike my past moves when it was me + family, a u-haul truck, and lots of sweat and back aches. Everything already looks good set against the furnishings that the landlord provided (storage consoles, tv, lamp, dining table)...can't wait to put it all in its place.

the suite life

Just a few things that are making our temp apartment feel like home. We wouldn't dream of leaving our friend Erl tucked away in a box and Joe couldn't be without his favorite whisky. Recognize the Moroccan slippers and the book cover? The router has been a life saver since the suite only has a single ethernet connection. We've learned how to make hotel stays a bit more comfortable.

Do you have any favorite things that instantly make a place feel like home?

goodbye london

This photo was taken during one of my first ventures out in London just a year ago. Everything was so new and unfamiliar then but now the city feels like an old friend - it's home. I used to think like this - that LA and California were the end-all-be-all. As much as I wanted to travel it never crossed my mind to actually live anywhere else. "LA has it all, why would I leave?" I'd always say. And between the different landscapes available within a thirty-minute to three hour drive (beaches, deserts, mountains, wine country) and the weather, it does have a lot. But a year away has taught me a lot, too. It is possible to fall in love with other cities the way you love your hometown. It is possible to stay connected with friends and family even though you're thousands of miles away. And it is possible to envision a life much different from what you always thought was certain. At the risk of causing an uproar with my friends and my sister (love you guys!) I no longer feel the definitive pull to ultimately settle down in LA. At first it was scary to think that I was letting go but then it got exciting to feel so open to whatever may come. My perception of settling down changes with every day that passes and with every expat that I meet or read about. Take this couple, for instance, who sold all of their possessions to travel the world for one year and are still at it four years later. I can totally relate to the initial pain of letting go of your favorite things and all that is familiar but once you're out, you're out, and you know what....it feels pretty damn good.

Tomorrow will be our last full day in London before a night in Paris for Joe's birthday and then moving out on Tuesday. I can't believe our time in this awesome town has come to an end, it was truly one incredible year. Now it's on to jungles, beaches, and eating so many noodles that they start coming out of our ears!

I'll be back on the blog in one week but in the meantime you can catch me on twitter and instagram. Have a great weekend, upcoming week and see ya next time from our new home in KL!

p.s. amazing how this photo stuck with me as inspiration for my blog header design. totally wasn't intentional!

meet palmy

This is Palmy, our beloved palm plant that we bought at three feet tall. It is well on it's way to reaching Joe's wish of ten feet but unfortunately we won't be here to see it fully mature. We always knew that we wouldn't but just talking about how big Palmy could be one day was comforting given our temporary state. I like to think of Palmy as a symbol of our time here as we nurtured a new life together and grew as individuals with each other's love and support. I also like to think that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he takes care of his plants. Lucky for me, plants under Joe's watch always thrive.

If you're in London and are interested in giving Palmy or this succulent a new home, email me and we can try to arrange a pick up before we hand in our keys on Tuesday. Please do consider it if you have a green thumb!

a taste of KL

KL seemed to be all about contrast - modern skyscrapers towering over old rain trees and state of the art shopping centers next door to traditional street hawker stands. With cold and gloomy skies lurking outside my London window right now, the image of a sparkly new pool couldn't be any more different. An entire new world awaits. A very hot and humid one in fact. Just as I had curated a great little collection of wool and cashmere sweaters it's time to trade them in for cotton tops and linen dresses. Definitely not complaining though because as a So Cal girl I'm happiest in sandals and denim shorts anyway.  It felt strange to show my shoulders and legs again after months of hibernation and I couldn't help but wonder if it was okay to do so. Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country but the difference is that everyone is free to practice and express as they wish. That means that a woman won't be (our shouldn't be) chastised for not following the hijab dress code. Nevertheless, I'm used to traveling to places where it's one or the other so I wasn't quite sure what to do when I turned a corner and realized that I was the only female in sight not covered from head to toe. Going to the mall reassured me that I was going to be fine - I could have been in LA with hundreds of fellow flip flop, tank top, wearing peers! It was definitely the place to be. Shopping centers are a BIG DEAL but I'm pretty sure it has more to do with the omg-this-feels-so-good air conditioning than anything else.

In the evening I found myself giddy with joy at the fact that we were sipping mojitos outside without a coat or scarf in sight. Other things that I loved and look forward to is the incredible hospitably and customer service, amazing food both in proper restaurants and street-side stalls, and the awesome afternoon shows that thunderstorms put on for the city. Not to mention that with the exchange rate everything is either dirt cheap or at least LA equivalent - much easier to stomach than London Town's high premiums. And of course, I'm  rreaaalllyyy looking forward to our new swanky pad in KLCC (city center)! I can't wait to settle in, decorate, and jump into that pool! It's so different from our charming, traditional flat in London - ultra modern, brand new building, gym facilities, and city views. Basically, I'll be pinching myself for the next two years. A few suburban neighborhoods were suggested to us but a) we don't want a car as is necessary to live there b) we don't need that much space and c) we like to live where we play. It seems like the "nobody walks" mentality is prevelant due to the heat but we're down with at least giving it a go. Only thing is that the sidewalks are either non-exitent or in terrible shape in some parts but we'll eventually learn the best routes for what we need.

One thing is for sure: with KL being so modern and western yet also deep rooted in ancient cultures and traditions, I really want to make an effort to explore the latter as much as possible. I can imagine it being far too easy to simply float along with the modern aspects of the city once we settle in. I don't want to be that kind of expat. Between the humidity and the pool, I will, however, turn into a three shower a day person. That much I can guarantee.

{here we go again} we're moving!

Yep, this is the big announcement I've been mentioning - just as we mark our one year anniversary in London we're packing up again and moving to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! We might as well balance things out by doing the other side of the world right?!? Joe was offered a new opportunity with his company and we simply couldn't pass up the chance to live in and explore South East Asia. It sadly cuts our time in the UK short by a year but we've got to take things as they come and trust that we'll have just as much fun creating a new home there as we did here.

The move is going to happen very quick. I'm talking the first week of May quick - eekk! Between squeezing in trips to Brussels and Paris (we need to leave our mark), visiting KL to look for an apartment, wrapping up work projects, and all of the moving stuff to do in London, it's going to be a crazy couple of weeks. For that reason I won't be blogging next week but I will be prepping a big moving sale for the shop and will have bits to share from the trip to KL the following week.

There's so much to personally reflect on and anticipate but that will have to wait for a later post - I need to get through a very long to-do list first! If any of you live in or have traveled in that part of the world I'd love to hear about your experiences, tips, and words of wisdom. I've never been so my eyes and ears are wide open!

 (image: taken in Shoreditch, London)

a year's worth of wanderlust

It's almost Easter and that means one thing: four day weekend! We're taking advantage of the time and jaunting off to Florence and Chianti to get to know my little obsession, Italia, a little better. I've been studying Italian using Rosetta Stone but since I've been a bit inconsistent with it, I'm just barely at the point where I can ask "where's the bathroom?", "how much?" and all of those other simple phrases that will hopefully be enough to get us by! During the past year's travels we've gotten by with our english, broken french, and my fluent Spanish. Joe speaks a little bit of Spanish but he learned it with the Castellano accent that turns every "s" into a "th" sound...it drove me crazy for a while but I've warmed up to it. I had to.

We've definitely accomplished what we moved here to do: travel. There are still so many places on our list but I'm beyond thankful to have been able to check off the ones below and leave with beautiful memories.

Here are some of my favorite moments, places, and thoughts from our European adventures...

shopping at my first European flea market (in Paris) and seeing a different type of vintage and market scene

stumbling across the Louvre at night and having the square all to ourselves

walking along Pont Des Arts in Paris with my mom, oohing and awing at the romantic gestures and inscriptions of the love locks. we even witnessed a couple throwing their key into Le Siene followed with a passionate embrace and kiss. must go back there with Joe!

cheering on team Atletico with Joe's college buddies in Madrid. we sat in a section called "Vomitorio"..."vomit" is spelled "vomito" in Spanish so it felt a little icky at first. the funny thing was that not even the locals could explain the name.

finally understanding Joe's love for simple Spanish meals. I could eat like this every day now.

searching for the vista point for the Toledo bridge but instead happening upon our own little corner. we somehow managed to avoid the crowds and feel as if the entire town was ours that day.

walking up to the awesomeness of the ancient aqueduct in Segovia (no mortar!) and then geeking out over the decorative walls and doors all over the place

witnessing a modern marvel being built, aka La Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona

and being even more impressed/amazed by what's inside

watching my mom enjoy "the best paella of my life!" while I cooled down with a chilled beer

watching the sunrise and looking for seashells on the beach with my mom in Barcelona. 

our first week-long European holiday in Sicily. we stayed in the countryside, Ragusa...it was heaven as you can tell

but we did take a dip in the Mediterranean! this was a total locals' spot that we came across while looking for a place to eat lunch in Syracuse. i'll never forget the views from the water looking back at the city.

having coffee in front of Check Point Charlie in Berlin and learning about Joe's uncle who was stationed there during the Cold War. finding the perfect German pub/restaurant, Sophien 11, with my friend Caitlin. the bar tender fell in love with her and gave her free beer mugs as souvenirs.

 

seeing Christmas come to life in Brugge, Belgium. i felt like i was in the original Disneyland the entire time. what a beautifully preserved medieval place.

giving into a guided canal tour in Brugge and going under stone bridges from the 14th century. i mean seriously? 

finding moments to look around and capture the details in Marrakech amidst the craziness of the Medina

visiting a Berber market in the Atlas Mountains. this was the parking lot...it was pretty muddy but i loved it. 

sipping on sweet mint tea and drooling over too many rugs in Marrakech. i wanted so badly to go through the piles myself and pick which ones I wanted to see. unfortunately that's not how it works. it's a full on presentation and very ceremonial but i was happy to oblige. we left very happy with our new magic carpet in tow. 

We've left every place very happy, it's hard not to. I can't wait to see what we come across in Italia this weekend and where our magic carpet takes us next!

one year in london - hurrah!

Yep, you know you've been in England for a while when you start saying "hurrah" instead of "hooray." The word slipped out the other day but it felt appropriate given the fact that this weekend marks my one year anniversary of living in London! I can't believe how quickly it has gone by. Joe marked his in March so now I'm all caught up and ready for another year of who-knows-what. I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking since I've already professed my love to this city in writing. I really do love it. Without further delay, here are some of my favorite moments, places, things, and thoughts from the year....

learning to love bunting almost as much as the British do. they're crazy about it.

watching the wedding of the century at Hyde Park

slowing down to lay on the grass, enjoy the sun, and have a treat at Kew Gardens

making our first home together

this being the normal afternoon snack

discovering the awesomeness of London's museums

wearing wellies and getting muddy along a public footpath in Devon

indulging in rest and country comfort at Hotel Endsleigh in Devon

playing tourist with my mom during her visit. this was the only way we could get a shot of her in front of the gate as police kept foot traffic moving!

being prepared for rain at any time. it's no big deal now.

getting caught in the wind with these guys on Brighton Pier

pointing to our neighborhood and places we've been to from the London Eye. we felt like such locals.

looking up and seeing colorful and interesting details like this

learning the best bus routes to/from our favorite destinations

windy days that turn joe into a little kid with his favorite toy

wanting to learn how to samba after Notting Hill's Carnival

finding random places to chill on a nice day like this parking lot lounge/street food market in Shoreditch

hiring Barclay Bikes and riding around Hyde Park

sunset walks along the canal in Little Venice

experienceing quintessential London moments and sightings

exploring the unexpected in Hampstead Heath

seeing the first signs of fall

hopping on a high-speed train for a quick day trip to Windsor

weekend mornings spent trying new cafes and catching up on the papers

finding the beauty and charm in every pub

ice skating at the Natural History Museum

joe proposing under a beautiful tree canopy on the first snow day of the year

realizing that this river taxi view was just part of a normal day's commute. felt so blessed.

as is this view from Piccadilly tube station. cranes and all.

and best of all, learning and doing it all with my favorite person in the world.

Foreign travel moments and sights are next! Those will definitely be worth a "hurrah!"