Monday, February 28, 2011

France and Belgium - Part Eight

The food was to die for in Paris. Though when we left I was really craving vegetables. I ate a lot of ham, cheese, butter and carbs but they were delicious.

My favorite part of Paris was that no matter what time of the day ( except I'm guessing very late at night/early morning) there was always somewhere open to get something to eat. I was particularly fond of getting a dessert crepe on our way home from somewhere usually an apricot and sugar crepe. Yum.

Everything was always portable. Like a waffle!

or some of these delicious looking tarts
I was a huge fan of Mich Sandwiches in the background. We stopped there most mornings to order a ham, cheese and egg crepe for me and usually some type of sandwich for Jack.

See the yummy sandwich below. Everything was always made fresh and only a couple of euros for each sandwich.

Sometimes you needed something sweeter like an espresso and a rasin au pain.


Sometimes you forget what you ordered because you aren't that great at french!

Most lunches we ordered consisted of this - 8 euros a person and you got a sandwich, a bottle of water and a sweet.

These sweets were not included but so delicious. The best figs I've ever tasted and that says a lot coming from California where we have great fresh fruit year round!

I do wish we had gone to a fancy restaurant but I was nervous about not speaking very fluent french and I didn't want to go somewhere touristy that they would speak English. I am impressed with how amazing all the food was. We never had anything we didn't like. I highly recommend bringing a pocket full of euro's or small bills and trying a lot of the street food. It's an amazing experience and integral part of traveling to Paris.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Wedding inspired by Big Fish

I love the movie Big Fish. I even teared up a little while watching the trailer.


It's one of my top ten movies so naturally when I saw this board for a wedding inspired by Big Fish I was sold!

Via Green Wedding Shoes

I love love love this idea! Wouldn't mind if Ewan McGregor was my suitor either. Rawr.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Back from Seattle

and I am exhausted. We spent the few days we were there walking everywhere and eating some amazing local food. I am in love with Seattle and will add it to my list of potential places to live!


More pictures and stories later when I'm awake!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

One more day!

Till we fly out to Seattle. I absolutely can't wait! EEP!

on my list :

1. Coffee from THE Starbucks
2. Pike's Place Market
3. Delancey Pizza
4. Shopping!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Happy Belated Valentines Day

I kind of love Valentines Day but its usually a little anti climatic for me.

Our anniversary is exactly a week later so we always end up celebrating one or the other and it always makes me sad that both are kind of not equally special. Yes, Yes, I know that Valentines Day is a "Hallmark holiday" but I still love it. I love the little cards, candy word hearts and reminding Jack that I love him.



We played it pretty low key, both of had to work but he delivered red roses and a hand drawn card to me at work. It was really sweet and the first time I've ever gotten roses at work. After work we decided to go to a BBQ place for some ribs and beers. It was actually a really fun dinner. I've done the nice expensive dinners and I really enjoyed not being over crowded and getting to talk to my love. I think its when you're comfortable enough in you relationship to go anywhere and its still special that you know you're in a great relationship!

Just a few images off of we heart it.com to celebrate Valentine's Day!


Monday, February 14, 2011

BHLDN is here!

Finally, I've been literally waiting years for BHLDN. Before Anthropologie even knew I wanted it. I love everything!

I love this lingerie piece

Dreamy dresses



Cute accessories


I need to figure out how I can wear these

Amazingly beautiful shoes




I'm smitten over these options! Check out some other blogs who were able to attend the opening show of the BHLDN -- here and here

Saturday, February 12, 2011

San Diego!

One of my good friends from Chicago is in San Diego!

So we decided last minute to drive down from LA and spend the night and hang out with her. Secretly, I'm really going just for Benecotto! Just kidding Maria we're going to see you but its a super bonus that we get to go to one of our favorite restaurants! Can't wait to be there! We're going to take the corvette on its first road trip ever!

*stole the image off of google but this is exactly the same as our car

Read about our last trip to San Diego here!
P.S. I hope when I say here everyone knows to click the word here because its linked to a past blog!
P.P.S. Sorry if you already knew that

Friday, February 11, 2011

Feather Tattoo's

I love em. Don't worry Mom. I probably won't get a tattoo, yet...... I first saw this one on we heart it's main page this morning.

Which inspired me to search for some more tattoo pictures.




Soo gorgeous! Read about my tattoo fantasy here and here.

*images via weheartit.com

Thursday, February 10, 2011

France and Belgium - Part Seven


Le Eiffel Tower - is absolutely stunning.

My background is interior design and architecture and while the Eiffel Tower might be one of the most talked about tourist sites I understand why. It is beautiful. The sheer amount of beams and architecture that went into create it is amazing.


I kinda fell in love with the tower. I was told that the top used to be Gustav's personal apartment. How rad is that?



The night we went to the Eiffel Tower it was extremely foggy but I think that it made the tower even more beautiful. The top was hidden in a beautiful layer of fog.

We bought our tickets and rode to the top which takes about 20-30 minutes depending on the line. It was pretty short that evening due to the fog. The bummer part was that you couldn't see out because of the fog. It was also freezing and very windy. We took a few pictures but didn't stay too long. We bought a few souveniors; yes we bought a small Eiffel Tower to take home.

A neat thing to keep you busy when you're waiting inside to ride down is that they have mapped how far every major city is from the Eiffel Tower! We found Los Angeles

This is a picture at the first level of the tower if you're heading up.

Beautiful view of Paris!

Another view of the city


After getting down from the tower we walked over to the little park that is opposite of the tower to get some more pictures from further away. I like to take pictures of Jack taking pictures.
Little did I know that he wasn't looking to swap out lens but he was looking for a ring. I walked over to see what he was doing that was taking so long (hahaha). See this suspicious face. I deffinetly caught him doing something!

In his right hand is the box but I didn't know until he stayed on his knees and asked me to marry him someday. I made it very clear that I didn't want to get engaged at the Eiffel Tower so he was asking me to marry him soon. He gave me a beautiful vintage Tiffany's wedding band that has a tiny diamond in the center.

It was a little big so I wear it on my middle finger right hand. I absolutely love it and wear it everyday.

Needless to say lots of kisses were shared with the Eiffel Tower. Its a beautiful magical place to me.


I will never forget that beautiful night in Paris.




Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Edward Little Hands

One of my favorite movies is Edward Scissorhands such an amazing film! Jack found this cute little boy over on we heart it.

He's so fricken cute! Happy Wednesday

Thursday, February 3, 2011

France and Belgium - Part Five

Les Catacombes - are a network of underground tunnels that span a majority of Paris. Only a few hundred feet are actually open to the public. They are situated in a very unpresuming area of the town and you wait for at least an hour to get in! Make sure to arrive with enough time otherwise thirty minutes before closing they cut the line off and you won't be able to get in. Ask me how I know? I waited for over an hour on Halloween and we were about 30 people away from the front when they turned us away. Le sigh. We came back the next day!

Les Catacombes are a bit chilly so bring a long something warm and I would recommend wearing jeans and closed toe shoes. There is water that drips from the ceiling and creates mud puddles which we all know its not dead body juice but I was convinced it might be dead body juice splashing up.


You will have to take a steep incline down and walk for about twenty minutes before you see the actual tombs or bone structures. Notice the black on the ceilings, they painted lines so you could tell where you were going.

Its quite beautiful and they have areas that are organized in a formation. The amazing part is that the bones have been there since the late 1700's and there are many famous people buried there but nothing is marked so you would have no way of knowing who's bones are down there.


There are beautiful carvings down inside Les Catacombes that were created by the people who spent hours down there. Kind of wierd but beautiful!

Another more elaborate carving.

We've finally arrived to the area that houses all the bones.

Just around the corner is hundreds of thousands of just leg, arm and skull bones.


What needs to be remembered when visiting Les Catacombes is that this is a final resting place for many people.

So just as you would be respectful in a cemetery you need to be respectful in Les Catacombes. Apparently, in 2009, people were stealing bones (?!) and graffiting the walls and the exhibit was going to be permanently closed. Thankfully, they did reopen it!

This is one of the many areas to stop and remember your loved ones at. Some areas had benches and beautiful carved plaques.


I also, believe, I remember reading that the tunnels have been used in multiple wars for protection. The entrance we came in was a little un presuming entrance next to a church. Inside the tunnel they have marked areas that have been expanded with dated plaques like this one.

There is also a natural bell that was caused. Usually in a mine when a bell shape like this is caused it means that the cave will cave in but luckily they were able to concrete in the bell an keep the tunnel open and safe.


Last but not least, a video from inside Les Catacombes. Jack thought it'd be really funny to whisper Les Morte in my ear while I was recording. Needless to say, I was a little spooked out with all the bones and DID not find it very funny. Boys are such jerks sometimes!



Up tommorow, Arc De Triomphe!