Rob & Sarah Go

girl time

2009-10-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Sacramento was spent waking up early in time to head off to join my Mom for some much wanted yoga...err, hot yoga.

I love yoga mixed with walking and pilates whenever I can fit it into my day. Our travels have allowed plenty of walking, not so much stretching so I was eager to lengthen myself while trying a new form of a favorite activity.

I've never done hot yoga, bikram yoga, before. Recall my first official yoga class was just a couple weeks ago in Austin but it wasn't hot.

My sister met my Mom and I at the studio where Mom practices. We arrived early enough to snag the best spots on the floor and of course to take some before hot yoga pictures while we were still happy...we knew we wouldn't want to smile for the camera after 90 minutes of sweaty stretching...eww.

There were a few times I thought I might die during yoga. Heat makes me miserable so I am not sure why I volunteered myself to find my balance while posing in what felt like 100 degree weather but I've always wanted to try it and couldn't turn down the chance to experience it with my Mom and sis.

We survived the class, thankfully. My Mom gets a rush from the intense workout...my sis and I get lightheaded and just really, really sweaty. I think I prefer my hatha moves a bit more but truth be told, if ever invited again I will be sure to pack a water bottle and grin while executing a killer cobra.

After showers we honored our health by going to lunch in Galt at The Sqeeze Inn...probably thought of as a heart attack waiting to happen by some but I believe all things in moderation (all things natural, that is, know those ingredients and know where you food comes from, it will change your life!) so I felt pretty fantastic about ordering a burger smothered in cheese, mushrooms and bacon.

We hit up a local thrift shop after lunch where I found an electric blue plaid skirt for just $2.98, then headed home where I sipped tea and honey and chatted with my Mom about life and love and friendships and work and...everything...Mom and I could chat forever.

A few hours later my sis drove me to the airport where I met up with Rob and took our last flight with Jet Blue home to Hollywood...sigh...

family gathering

2009-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Later the same day family gathered at Madge and Tom's for a delicious meal and delightful conversations and company.

Madge never fails to offer a fantastic spread of home cooked comfort food...chili, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, polish sausages and plenty more, all followed by an assortment of pies. We piled up our plates and enjoyed a meal with loved ones.

We always appreciate time with family and were so glad to have this special memory.

cafe party with Madge

2009-10-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

One of the best times in the day is cafe party time where coffee is brewed, sunshine is flooding a room and conversation is full of energy and eagerness to begin a new day.

I love cafe parties and might be the only person who gets excited to celebrate with them but find myself happy to attend whenever I can, especially with Rob and especially with dear family and friends.

Our second morning in Sacramento was spent with a cafe party with Madge, my sweet mother-in-law.

I am always in awe at how gracious and loving Madge is to both Rob and I. She is a hard working, intelligent and loving mother and I count myself incredibly fortunate to have her in my life.

We sat at her dining table and sipped coffee and enjoyed coffee cake. We chatted about a varitey of things, from travels to family to creation...never a dull moment.

After a while Brian joined us and found himself laughing while watching silly videos with Rob...must be a brother thing...

The rest of the day was spent running some errands in prep for a family gathering later in the evening...more to come soon!

dinner with mom & dad

2009-10-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

After strolling downtown Sacramento we met up with my sister and brother-in-law to drive out to my parents for a country side dinner.

I was so eager to see my sister, Juliet and her wonderful husband, Dustin. I try and I try to recruit them to move in with us in Hollywood but the timing just seems to be off at the moment.

Upon arriving to Juliet and Dustin's, I was once reminded how grown up my little sis has become. An autumn scented candle filled their apartment air and confirmed the fall season was yet again present. Photographs throughout their home displayed love for each other and love for family and friends and recent folded laundry signified though happy to enjoy moments at home, no time is to be wasted when you are young, in love and employed...

Juliet just landed an excellent nursing job. Our family is incredibly happy for her as she has worked her hiney off to get a job she loves and looks forward to each day.

We piled into Juliet and Dustin's car and headed out to my parents in Herald, California...population 1000.

Going to my parents is always a treat. The air is fresh, the breeze is embracing. At night you see incredible stars. Everything is a bit slower in Herald. You can count the number of cars that pass by, they are few but always accompanied with a wave...sometimes a honk if drivers are extra friendly.

We were greeted with hugs and kisses from my Mom and Dad...we are loved by our families, we are incredibly blessed.

Each visit is a bit different but there are always similar elements of our stay in Herald. Dad always shows us the progress of his garden. My Dad is amazing. He can grow anything...corn, melons, berries, squash, green beans, snap peas, oranges, peaches, nectarines, basil, rosemary, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, swiss chard, to name just several.

His latest venture is grapes.

"Cool Daddy" vineyard was planted just last year and is already being harvested and fermented into wine by Dad himself.

Amazing.

My Dad has been crushing, fermenting and tracking the progress of homemade wine, hopefully aged and ready to toast to within the next year or so. He showed us how the wine is made and the tools he uses to track its sugar counts, bitterness and acidity.

I hope one day I am half the gardener my Dad is.

After walking just some of the garden, we spotted carrots and berries, rinsed them off and added them to a salad we enjoyed at dinner, along with grilled chicken and steaks, steamed rice and grilled squash with fresh herbs.

After dinner we walked next door to visit my sweet Grandma Flo.

She is always a delight to chat with and always has something interesting she is working on, be it stylish jewelry (Jewels to go by Grandma Flo) or cutesy aprons...this time she pulled out some newspaper articles she dug up and was reminiscing over.

My Grandma was adopted in Chicago of 1937. Her adoption story is quite thrilling as she was the object of all the local newspapers, a child celebrity, she says.

She told us all the story of how lifestyle scams by her birth parents made headlines while her adopting parents fought for little Florence Ann for days and days until she was finally placed in the safe arms of her beloved new mother and father...we marveled at all of the original articles and noticed we were reading them exactly 72 years to the date of which they were printed.

Grandma's story was quite inspiring...we all sat around the room and listened to her recall younger days.

tourists in our hometown

2009-10-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

We flew into Sacramento on a Monday night and Rob's brother, Brian was sweet to pick us up from the airport.

Since it felt about three in the morning, we were eager to crash on the cozy bed Rob's Mom, Madge, prepared for us. We slept as long as we could, woke up for coffee and breakfast, picture uploading, The Rachel Zoe Project (I got hooked in the plane, I just love Rachel's genuine passion for her job) and the icing on the cake...laundry.

Since all of our family was working Tuesday we decided to spend our free time acting like tourists in our hometown of Sacramento. Rob and I grew up in Sac and used to take dates at places like the Delta Queen and fancy restaurants in downtown Sac. We would get dressed up and take pics as if we were going to a prom...we would even name our dates, you know, like how there are cheesy names on the bottom of your prom pictures, like, "An Evening to Remember" and stuff like that?

We were so dorky, but fun and creative daters.

We drove downtown to check out Capitol Dawg, a little hot dog joint we read about in Madge's Sacramento Magazine.

Rob enjoyed a hot dog inside such an ecletic and colorful kitchen.

Afterward we walked around, went inside cafes, read local papers and then landed at The Beat.

Rob tries to make it to The Beat as often as possible when in Northern California.

The owner at The Beat is a really nice old guy. One time he gave me a CD for free...

We liked walking downtown. It's familiar but much more hip and urban than I remember. New lofts shaded by the collection of trees gave a fresh earthy vibe and little art studios and dance rooms made me happy for the locals who have opportunities to tap into their creative sides and explore the wonderful world of expressive design.

brooklyn bridge

2009-10-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

Our last day in NY was spent walking across the Brooklyn Bridge on the most glorious, clear day, ever.

Look at that amazing sky.

We paused near the water for a bit in Brooklyn and played with the self timer.

I like this shot of Andy.

After our walk we went out for a sushi lunch, then after more walking around in Manhattan we were on our way to our last stop with Jet Blue, Sacramento.

Sigh...I hope we get back to NY soon. We had an amazing time in such an incredible city.

central park & lombardi's pizza

2009-10-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we enjoyed walking through Central Park.

It was a stunning day after the rain...blue skies, white clouds and a crisp, Autumn breeze.

I absolutely love spending time at the park. It is never dull, always inspirtational to walk about and see the lovely greenery and diverse groups of people also enjoying the park.

After a full day outside we met up with Ina again and her friend, Gudrin, also from Germany.

We shared NY pizza from Lombardi's (our pizza of choice, no offense, Chicago) and enjoyed company with each other.

After dinner Ina took us to Zum Schneider, a fantastic little German bar where we didn't fail to do the congo, dance like chickens, sing in German and be amongst the German folk dressed in leiderhosens and cute little dresses.

the roasting plant

2009-10-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

If you ever are in NY be sure to grab coffee from The Roasting Plant on Orchard.

It will blow your mind, the coffee is amazing.

rainy day game

2009-10-13T17:20:00.000-07:00

It rained for most of the day on Saturday.

We woke up lazily and went out to Steve's favorite spot for brunch, Prune.

Steve knows all the best places for NYC dining and Prune was amazing, to say the least.

He also took us to The Spotted Pig the night we arrived in New York...another amazing dining experience.

After brunch we ran through the rain and met up with Andy at a little cafe off Orchard for hot tea with honey and a game of scrabble.

I think we were playing by the rules but none of us were totally sure so we played according to memory while Andy kept score on a napkin.

We finished our game in time to see flicks at a theater around the corner but turns out our film was sold out so Rob and I went to the Googenheim Museum, free admission, where we caught up with Ina while Andy went into Jersey to meet friends at a party.

moma, dinner and waffle truck

2009-10-13T16:59:00.000-07:00

We love that New York offers free admission to many of their museums.

We had never been to MoMa, The Museum of Modern Art so when Ina told us there was free admission we met up with her to admire the exquisite collections of art.

Ok now...I know alot of artists debate about what art is and what it isn't and many artists using traditional mediums say MoMa isn't real art...but I don't care because I loved MoMa and found myself inspired over and over while meandering through this amazing house of creative brilliantness.

Sigh...I could stay in here all day while my heart skips beats thinking about the lives of each artist.

After MoMa we walked for a Japanese dinner.

We have loved traveling with Andy and have loved becoming friends with Ina.

Up until this month of travel Rob and I are usually solo on trips so you can imagine the insight we have been receiving meeting new people and experiencing new things every single day. It has truly been enlightening and life changing not to mention fun.

Can we do this all the time?

After dinner we took the subway to meet up with Andy's old roommate, Paul. He recently began a food truck where we cooks up homemade Belgium waffels and decorates them with toppings like Belgium chocolate sauce, French vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, nutella and this familiar tasting sauce we could only liken to creamy, honey graham cracker goodness.

Wow.

Amazing desserts, voted number one in New York for 2009.

Quite impressive...and quite nice of Paul to treat us all to his delicious talent.

At this point Ina felt very embraced by American culture.

We walked over to Washington Square park and stood under a bridge while some rain fell, enjoyed each other's company then went our separate ways to call it a night for some much appreciated sleep.

Rob and I have been couch surfing in Brooklyn with a fantastic new friend, Steve while Andy has stayed with Aunt Cindy who knows all the hot spots in the city and Ina in a hotel where she got a twenty minute massage...nice.

group shot

2009-10-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Our first trio shot in New York, after a peanut butter sandwich picnic lunch at Washington Square Park...Andy's shadow, some of Rob and my feet.

love in new york

2009-10-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

One day we will just have to live in New York.

We love it.

And each other.

doughnut plant new york

2009-10-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

Would a trip to New York be complete without a stop at Doughnut Plant New York?

The last time we were here we rented an apartment room down the street from Doughnut Plant and quickly realized these are the best doughnuts in the entire world.

Dunkin's got nothing on these.

Trust me, we're critiques to say the least.

Doughnut Plant makes the freshest treats, using organic ingredients, homemade jellies, real lemon zests and even fair trade, organic coffee with whole milk...nothing artificial here.

Their doughnuts always taste amazing and if...err, when we live in NY one day we'll go broke keeping them in business...actually, they don't need our help, they're doing just fine...

We went for breakfast here a couple of times during our stay in NY...I prefer to not fill up on these goodies since they tend to make my sugar levels go way up and then way down (even organic sugar should be moderated) so I usually have a few bites with fruit and find myself more than satisfied...Rob on the other hand can make all his meals complete at DP.

oleanna

2009-10-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

A group shot of us after seeing Oleanna, staring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles.

The show was fantastic, another Mamet hit.

And yes, Ina joined us again for her first American theater experience!

snacks at Zabar's

2009-10-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

We love Zabar's Coffee and make it there every time we are in New York. Besides the fabulous grocery store full of unique and specialty products, their little cafe next door is the perfect place to pick up a coffee and snack, pull up a chair and chat with the old folks.

I love chatting with the old folks.

Rob, Andy and I saw across with two older ladies, born and raised in New York. They were so sweet and so politically incorrect on every level, it was a riot talking with them. They gave us tips for places to visit while in the city, advice on job searching, photography and other areas of interest I will leave unmentioned.

We would have stayed and chatted longer but we had to jet to make it to an Off-Broadway production.

Sigh...I have loved all the people we've been meeting...

natural history museum

2009-10-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

After lunch at the deli we took the subway to The Natural History Museum. Since Ina was alone we extended we an invitation to join us and at first glance she was confused at our invite but ended up coming!

We walked around the museum for a couple of hours and admired the displays, artifacts and fossils. Of course I had to drag Rob away from the primates but other than that it was a relaxing and intriguing afternoon.

carnegie deli + ina

2009-10-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Both times Rob and I have been in New York we have stopped at Katz's Deli for lunch to enjoy ridiculously large pastrami sandwiches and knishes. We love Katz's, especially Rob. This time we ventured out and went to Carnegie Deli, Katz's unspoken rival for amazing Jewish feasting.

The restaurant was arranged communal style and packed with lunchers elbow to elbow.

We were a party of three with a party of one fit snugly in our trio...no empty seats at Carnegie Deli.

You cannot help but chit chat with everyone at the deli. You are so jam packed it would be more uncomfortable not making friends than pretending a stranger isn't sitting in front of you...good thing for us we're into meeting new people.

Ina, a German photographer was seated across from me and quickly became our friend after we were all scolded for ordering different dishes with the intention of sharing. Turns out you aren't allowed to share at this deli...unless you pay a $3 sharing fee. Weird, I know, but that's how they roll at Carnegie. We took a hit and paid the fee to turn our lonely dishes into a communal feast while the waitress kept a keen eye on each of our bites, making sure we didn't offer any non-sharers our food.

Lunch was delicious and it was nice to meet another traveler in the crazy, mind your own business and be quick about it New York, which we can't get enough of.

You can see I'm not the only one documenting travel foods here...

union square farmers market

2009-10-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

It has been interesting to see the Autumn season arrive...I noticed more of Fall as we strolled past the Union Square Farmer's Market.

I never secretly wish for flowers but I always admire their vibrant colors and scents.

I also love these deep corns and fruits and veggies.

And call me crazy but I think I know who put these funny eyes on this drain...I read a blog and remember a time when a fun freelance photographer spent a day placing sticker eyes on random things throughout the city...

the strand

2009-10-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

Our first afternoon in New York was spent sifting through miles and miles of books at The Strand. I could hide away in a corner and read here forever.

I found a great book on writing by Julia Cameron and Rob found a couple of books, too.

new york + andy

2009-10-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

After New Orleans we flew it to New York and met up with our roommate, Andy for a coffee and bagel breakfast in Brooklyn.

Andy was able to get time away from Hollywood to spend the week in the Big Apple...lucky him, lucky us!

it will get done!

2009-10-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

I haven't given up on this blog and will finish up with New York and Sacramento soon!

underground dance show

2009-09-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

We attended an underground dance show in an old abandoned warehouse with Ryan. He has friends who dance and have put together a brilliant show using lights and interpretive dancing.

The show was underground because it was only open to friends...it was in an abandoned warehouse where only a few lights had power. Ecletic seating was arranged and tarps acted as stage curtains.

I invision Urban Outfitters displaying their uber stylish fashions here.

A good turn out came for the show.

The cast was performing as a way to practice in front of a live audience and obtain feedback before they begin their forty-four city tour starting next week.

We were so glad we were able to see the show. It was stunning, so creative, so vivid and entertaining. The picture below doesn't look anything like the actual show but maybe it will perk your interest a bit.

The show is coming to LA in January...check here for more info.

parasol's dinner

2009-09-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

After the sun set, Ryan picked us up and took us out for some delicious New Orleans dinner, po-boys and muffalettas...very good, very nice to spend more time with Ryan and some of his friends. We learned more about them, how they grew up, what they do, what they are into...I've really begun to grow more and more appreciation for New Orleans as I have met more and more people.

magazine perk coffee

2009-09-28T23:39:00.000-07:00

Most of our second day in New Orleans was spent walking Magazine Street in the Garden District. Unlike the French Quarter, Magazine Street is quiet and charming, full of color, greenery and the most amazing vintage and antique shops, galleries and cafes. This is the Southern charm I dig. We strolled the street, had a great healthy lunch at Juan's Flying Burrito (a recommendation from Amy in Chicago) and I drooled over the 60's furniture that I cannot fit into my luggage to bring home as souvenirs.

We stopped in a little cafe where you could enjoy a free beverage by answering a random history question...we got the question right (pics on my facebook account) and shared some iced coffee with soy and honey.

We chatted with the owner of the cafe and listened to him talk about life in New Orleans, his career ventures, life before and after Katrina, his hopes and dreams...it was nice to make another friend and gain more perspective of the people here.

cathedral

2009-09-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

After coffee in bed and breakfast on our second day in New Orleans we admired the cathedral in the French Market. It was a little weird walking through and taking pictures while locals were kneeling for mass and lighting candels but an olden gent insisted I take some photos so...

It was pretty stunning.

I would think the church would be a bit busier on a Monday after a weekend in New Orleans.

Wow.

Rows and rows of candles.

bedside cafe party

2009-09-28T23:31:00.000-07:00

The most amazing thing happened this morning.

Our CS host, Ryan, woke up after a very late night (aren't they all?), made a pot of French press coffee, set it beside our bed and then went back to sleep.

Rob and I were still sleeping when he set our coffee out. Ryan went back to bed because he had no reason to be awake.

Wow. We woke up to delicious coffee.

This is the very first time in my life I have been served coffee in bed.

Stunned by Ryan's service to a couple he had just met, I reflected on all the generous and sweet people we have met across the country. I am in awe at people's kindness.

Hours later Ryan stumbled out of bed and headed to work, smile on his face...so cool.

sweets at the french quarter

2009-09-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

New Orleans is pretty beautiful.

We flew into the city Sunday afternoon, after a cold and rainy morning in Boston.

Stepping off the plane I realized we were no longer in the cool, autumn weather I had grown to love...we were in hell, 90 plus degree weather and what felt like one hundred percent humidity.

I do not thrive in the heat.

We met up with our Courch Surfing hosts, Ryan and Godwin for Sunday Jazz Brunch. We had no idea what Jazz brunch was when he invited us out but were excited to meet our hosts and were glad to listen to some New Orleans music (that's Jazz brunch, jazz and you guessed it, brunch) while we got acquainted.

After brunch our hosts drove us to the French Market and showed us some sites and even sat down to map fun things out and offer us recommendations. How nice...again, baffled and blessed by the friendliest people, ever.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at the French Market. First thing first...sweets and treats, New Orleans style.

This woman was making counter and counter tops full of praline candies. I'm a sucker for candied nuts and gladly took some samples...one too many? They were delicious and I immediately felt a sugar high.

It has been Rob's dream to visit Cafe Du Monde.

Ok...I totally thought the cafe would be a sunflowery shade of yellow since the famous chicory coffee cans are yellow but it was green instead.

The cafe was packed and plates of beignets filled tables with happy guests.

We ordered an iced coffee to share and some beignets.

They came in a bag, full of powered sugar and the only job you have is to shake the bag, bite and enjoy.

They were good, but I liked my praline samples more. Rob loves these dense, hot donuts...I'm glad we got to share some together and experience part of New Orleans with treats.

Though I cannot lie. Soon after treat time I became extremely sleepy. The heat, humidity and pralines got the best of me and I found it ridiculously hard to keep up with Rob.

Live and learn, oh well.

Besides feeling the blues of lethargy, I struggled with New Orleans. It was loud and really touristy. I know, I know, it's supposed to be like that and it's cool that way. I guess that's just not my scene and found it difficult to keep a proper perspective, to live with thankfulness and to be patient to get to know the city before deciding it sucked and planning a secret indie trip to Portland.

What a jerk, right?

Rob said I couldn't leave him so I stayed...he's patient with me when I am judgmental of anything that is out of my element...the only reason I struggle with new places.

After a late night we headed to Ryan and Godwin's where we were refreshed by a blast of AC, friendly conversations and a cushy bed.

I felt so stupid for complaining so much this day.

boston recap

2009-09-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Boston.

What a beautiful place. Historical and full of culture...everyone must visit sometime.

Boston will have a special place in my heart. I'm thankful for our visit. It was refreshing not only because of the cool, marine breeze or the autumn leaves dancing in the air or even the ever so charming cobblestone and brick architecture but for the time spent embracing these things with Rob, for especially enlightening conversation, for relaxing walks throughout the city...for connection with other souls in Boston, for our couch surfing friends, Patrick and Justin, for time spent reading in cafes and for the opportunity for Rob and I to share our hopes and dreams with one another.

I hope we get back to Boston one day. I hope we are able to take our experiences there and allow them to permeate our lives. I hope Patrick and Justin come out to Hollywood. I hope the rest of our travels are just as exciting, energetic, rewarding and refreshing...life changing. I think they will be.

harvard film archive

2009-09-26T14:50:00.001-07:00

After admiring Harvard campus we wandered much of Harvard Square, a community full of bookshops, cafes, restaurants and other shopping. We dined at Mr. Bartley's Buger Cottage and attended the Harvard Film Society, a fine recommendation by our roommate, Andy. The film for the evening was Sullivan's Travels, set in 1941. Justin, one of our Couch Surfing hosts, accompanied us. Before the show began, I sat and took notice of fellow attendees, and found myself particularly curious by the couple in front. Were they friends, waiting for a third party to fill the seat between them? Lovers, needing a little personal space? Strangers who simply share a love for classic film?

After the show we followed Justin to the North End of Boston and shared cannolies from Mike's Pastries. I'm never one to prefer these famous Italian sweets. I would rather have a really good cookie but found the best of both worlds when I discovered a cannolie wrapped in a florentine...yes, please!

harvard square

2009-09-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Harvard.

Just saying it denotes intelligence and sophistication. The best of the best, the dedicated, diligent and disciplined. This is the school where people say, "He went to Harvard, you know..." or "Did you hear she was accepted to Harvard?"

I didn't go to Harvard to earn a degree but I did go there with Rob during our stay in Boston. It's an interesting place. Stunning, no doubt, you cannot help but sense an educated energy while wandering such historic and scholastic grounds. Amidst distinguished and sharp-witted students walking briskly to their next lecture you find a hodgepodge of others...tourists snapping pics, elderly touring academic property and perhaps even locals, studious and full of aspiration to join such elite training one day.

We walked around a little and found ourselves sitting on colorful lawn chairs, embraced by autumn leaves and a cool breeze.

Then we walked around a bit and noticed these colorful sidewalk books.

food photos

2009-09-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed I have posted photographs of everything I have consumed during our travels. I don't show every photo on this blog. If you are interested in seeing all of my culinary adventures be sure to check out my pics on Facebook. I would be more than willing to discuss with you why I am keeping a photographic documentation of my food...ask me about it sometime if you are curious, otherwise, I doubt it will come up. I am more than willing to discuss it though. In the meantime, I'm brainstorming creative ways to use these photographs, never with the intention to cause others to salivate or to eat like me or Rob or in any particular fashion, honestly...otherwise I would actually put effort into their aesthetics...you would see much less of my thumb...I'm snapping pics and contemplating ways to communicate my beliefs in health as it relates to real life, your mind, body and soul and never in regards to numbers and percentages on a nutrition label...that's just not how I roll and will post more about it another time...so anyway, are trip is fantastic and the food has been pretty fabulous too so bon appetite, where you are.

boston freedom tour

2009-09-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

We've been in Boston for the last few days, enjoying the crisp fall weather, pure blue skies and clean city streets.

Wow, this is thee cleanest city I have ever stepped foot on. No, really, upon arrival to Beacon Hill, where we've been couch surfing with two great law students, Patrick and Justin, I squinted in search for a single piece of trash on the streets and failed miserably. What is Boston's secret? Trash cans? Could it be that simple? It is almost unreal, rather Truman Showish but such a breath of fresh air, er, fresh streets?

Our first day of Boston was spent walking the Freedom Tour. It's pretty beautiful and very informative, full of history...all fantastic things, though I confess I wasn't a big fan...I can only move like cattle from monument from monument before I begin daydreaming of my own walk of freedom. It was enjoyable, though, learning so much about Boston our first day there. Rob loved it...he gets caught up in the historical drama.

Here we are, leafy cropped view.

12 hours in sacramento

2009-09-26T14:24:00.001-07:00

12 Hours in a City was on Good Day Sacramento, a news program Rob and I grew up watching...also, they visited the Delta King, the boat where Rob proposed to me...memories. Check it out here.

chicago recap

2009-09-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

We were walking downtown when this brilliantly green wall illuminated by a construction light bulb caught my eye.

Sigh. I'm glad I saw this.

I won't lie.

Our first day in Chicago was rather difficult for me. Our trip has been amazing so far. We have met contagiously interesting people, seen beautiful things, eaten fantastic food, shared insightful conversations and have been able to reflect on life, alot.

Rob is my best friend and I couldn't ask for a better traveling companion. Throughout our relationship we have grown as a couple and learn about each other every day...really, there are new things I realize about him constantly. Seeing the world together has made me especially fond of Rob. I could list so many reasons...so why, with every blessing of the trip, was this day such a struggle?

Sigh...I'm still thinking it through...as beautiful as the city was something was just missing...there was a disconnect with me and Chicago, a flatness...it was different and a little uncomfortable.

I broke the news and told Rob I didn't like Chicago. I've been in love with everywhere we had been until now.

We sat outside Navy Peer, talked about it and light began to shed on why The Windy City wasn't blowing my mind...or to be more honest, something Rob has challenged me to do when I write, I just didn't even like it...at all.

Our first day, although perceived as an exciting cultural experience, was filled with doing things you are supposed to do during your stay to the city. No, no one forced anything on us, people didn't drag us downtown, beg us to eat pizza (please, you don't have to force good eats on us) or make us shop till we drop. These things were great, they were fun, they caused me to grab my cam and snap away, they were colorful and delicious, eye pleasing and busy...I would probably do them all again...or maybe not...I just struggled embracing them, and after conversing I realized it was mostly because Rob and I didn't seem to connect with anyone...city loners...not a bad thing but lame on this particular day...I guess I was just extra sensitive?

It sounds weird, I guess. We were in the busiest section of the city and I do not recall feeling any attachment with other people...conversations were short, people were hidden behind lenses and voices were muffled by traffic...not much different than Hollywood or other major US cities, I suppose so I am uncertain why I felt the disconnect in Chicago but I did and I'm really glad since it caused me to think about it throughout the day.

At one point we stopped and talked with a poorer man named Richard. He had just had a job interview and wanted $4 for a meal at McDonald's. We weren't prepared to give him any cash but for some reason we stopped and chatted with him for a bit and heard his story. You wouldn't believe the desperate look in his eyes. Rob ended up giving him a dollar...that's all the cash we had at the moment. Richard asked if we could spare more and I interrupted and said, "We can only give you one." He looked at me and said, "Sarah", paused and I immediately knew he was preparing to rebuke such insensitivity in my voice and I felt terribly ashamed...rather, he said, "You have such intensity in your eyes. I can see you have heard me today. Thank you."

I wanted to cry. All Richard wanted was to connect, to be heard, to talk with someone who actually looked him in the eyes.

We shook hands and went about our ways and it just felt amazing to have made a friend, to have stopped and noticed another soul amidst the glittering shops we cannot afford and amongst the streams of fellow travelers waiting to be impressed by their next destination...by pizza and hot dogs.

And that's when I realized I appreciated Chicago and was ready to embrace it's loveliness, it's culture...maybe not my favorite when exploring downtown, maybe not as eager to return or excited to ponder living there, maybe not having my mind blown, but rather having experienced a new part of our country, embraced through struggle, insightful conversation and even a bit of annoyance...but that's how it is sometimes so...thanks, Windy City!

lincoln park ear wax

2009-09-22T19:50:00.001-07:00

We found a beautiful restaurant recommended by Amy...Ear Wax, a 1930's circus themed, splashed with reds, oranges, yellows and blues, quirky characters and to our amusement, an array of healthy and satisfying menu options.

Honestly, I feel I should change the name of this blog to "Rob & Sarah Eat"...really, we do more than cafe and restaurant hop but it does tend to get alot of attention, no?

This little dented salt shaker caught my eye.

We feasted on vegetables and whole grains, clean protein and fresh herbs and spices...Rob had the turkey burger with feta and spinach sandwiched between a whole grain, oat bun and chili powder spiced fries and I had the vegetable burrito filled with sauteed veggies, cheese and avocado brown rice (yes, please) and black beans.

While our travels have led us to amazing local bites and we have not held back on splurging with flavors, it felt so right sharing some simple, organic and all too delicious meals together...in what appeared to be a circus...way too cool.

lincoln park zoo

2009-09-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

We visited the Lincoln Park Zoo, the very last free zoo in the country, on our second day in Chicago.

Hello, meer cat animal...

If you know Rob well, you know he is in love with gorillas...really, he could spend hours and hours at their exhibit...sheer joy for him and moments of fascination and bewilderment for me.

cafe party in Chicago

2009-09-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Our second day in Chicago was spent in a more unusual, eclectic and artsy area of the city, Lincoln Park.

We took advice from our hosts, Max and Amy and opted to cruise the streets where independent artists struggle to earn a living from their work, where poetry is read and fair trade coffee is sipped and vintage fashion is adored.

We made it out the door early enough for a cafe party, as we are known to call them, at a wonderful little cafe, The Bourgeois Pig where we enjoyed dark roast coffee, homemade granola with fruit and plain yogurt and a fresh blueberry scone...I love mornings, especially with Rob. I watched locals read newspapers and circling jobs to apply for. I noticed the pet owners and the intellecutals, the old married couples and the newlyweds. Sigh, I dig this.

deep dish pizza

2009-09-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

We couldn't leave Chicago without experiening deep dish pizza.

Several recommendations were given to us. Giodano's seemed to be supreme so we shared some of the city's famous pizza pies for dinner our first night out.

We ordered a cheesy pie with sausage, pepperoni and onions...I so wanted to toss some greens in but given the many times Rob has denied himself of meaty things while I was veg I realized it was just one meal and I could rabbit it the next time, a balance we have begun to appreciate quite a bit, lately.

So...our thoughts on the dish?

Keep your pizza Chicago. You've got nothing on New York.

Harsh, no?

Truthfully, it was delicious...we could hardly finish our plates and I must have left at least three string cheeses on my plate...but not enough sauce, not enough toppings amidst the bucket of mozzarella...I know, how could I even mention the words, "not enough" when referencing deep dish, right?

We were glad to try it, enjoyed our time out and were really glad we opt walking as our main form of transportation.

Check, please.

butterfly

2009-09-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

As we were walking about downtown parks, this stunning butterfly became the most perfect model, posing in flowers, enabling creation to progress, color to abound...it brought me such cheer and thankfulness for the ability to stop and become its admirer.

chicago begins & hancock building

2009-09-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Chicago.

We arrived in Chicago late Sunday night. We took the train and met up with our Couch Surfing hosts, Max and Amy in the Lincoln Park area of the city. What a great, young couple, world travelers, students and so, so generous to let us stay with them for the next couple of days.

We walked with them to their apartment, chatted till early morn and slept in ridiculously late.

Oh to be a student, right?

Actually, to be traveling and able to do whatever you want is more like it.

After a much needed night's sleep we trained into downtown Chicago, Chi Town, The Windy City...the hometown of much of my extended family way back in the day.

Like Austin, I really didn't know much about this place...pizza, hot dogs, Goose Island Beer...Sear's Tower...oh wait, Willis Tower.

Luckily we have alot of friends who do know the city well and gave us plenty of recommendations, many of which we were able to experience.

We wanted to check out the Museum of Art but knew we would want several hours there and since our time in Chicago was short, opted to save it for another trip.

We checked out fountains and parks, modern art sculptures...people watched a bit, grabbed lunch and sampled some popcorn...walked the Mag Mile shops, were stunned by the Hancock Building views and experienced deep dish pizza.

A full day of touristy attractions, ended with some hang out time with Max and Amy and another night's crash.

The John Hancock Building view was spectacular. Really, the layout of Chicago is brilliant. The architecture is stunning...where did the city find such superb designers, such creative geniuses?

And yes, the view from the ladies' room spoiled me...the window view, that is.

austin recap

2009-09-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Austin.

Sigh...love this place.

I didn't know a lick about Austin before we visited. I had no idea that I would enjoy it so much, I'm still a bit stunned.

Austin is colorful. Buildings are sunflower yellow, brick red, fiery orange, grassy green, sky blue and deep aqua. Homes are kitschy and modern at the same time, a rather impossible marriage but so organic and lovely. People are creative...unbelievable creative. They are artists, designers, musicians...fashionable, relaxed, comfortable. I'm energized and refreshed by the city vibe Austin has seemed to permeate in me. We have met amazing people, and shared life changing moments in Austin, it will be hard to not love it for these things.

I can imagine spending more time in Austin one day. I hope we get back but until then, I hope we are able to take what we have learned, enjoyed and experienced and share it with others.

couch surfing in austin

2009-09-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is us and Bethany, our Couch Surfing host while in Austin. She is wonderful. Really, our travels thus far have left me totally amazed at how beautiful people are. Bethany was indescribably hospitable. She has this genuine love and interest in other people. She cares for them, respects them and encourages them...I saw her do it all weekend, with us, with her friends, her family. She spoiled Rob and I, above and beyond. She offered us her apartment, her comfy bed...she mapped out places for us to visit, set out travel toiletries for us to have, gave us permission to use whatever we needed...she encouraged us to use her custom built bikes, allowed me to borrow her yoga mat for class...this girl is awesome! She chatted with us about life, about culture, Christianity, friendships, travels...she's lived all over the world, on top of that she's a talented and amazing graphic designer, a skill and profession I admire tremendously...we felt so lucky to become friends with her and to experience Austin with her. One night she invited us to meet up with friends where we had playful and intriguing conversations...we also got to attend a BBQ with her where we met more fascinating individuals. What a treat it was to live life with Bethany.

Here's a quick shot of Bethany's inspiration board...I dig this girl.

BBQ at the Salty Lick

2009-09-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

Here we are feasting on the best BBQ in the entire world...The Salty Lick. Rob's Mom told us to check this place out...turns out Bobby Flay, one of our favorite Food Network chefs ever, said this was the best BBQ he has ever eaten...this is all the information we needed to know to schedule this into our short time in Austin.

Ok...first thing first...The Salty Lick is hardly in Austin. It was a really long drive from the city, maybe 25 minutes? I know, I know, that's not really that far, but for city folk, it's far. Good thing we had a car while in Austin, otherwise, we would have never come...not the end of the world, but I'm glad we made it out.

In other honest news, I was not at all interested in consuming more BBQ at this point in our travels...after so much meat and so few fruits and veggies and whole grains I felt as if I could grow hooves and start walking like Mr. Tumnus or something...can you imagine? What a funny guy...

Anyway, I've tried to embrace life in all areas while maintaining a healthy perspective and eating habits...all things in moderation...so....when in Rome...er, rather, when in Austin, go for the gold and order the biggest beef brisket sandwich on earth, right?

It was so good.

We enjoyed our food, hung out a bit to listen to live music and then hit up Whole Foods to stock up on healthy eats to attempt to balance out the fatted calves we just consumed.

yoga at Ruta Maya

2009-09-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

When Rob and I decided to take a spin, or rather, several spins, with Jet Blue, I was a happy woman. When we purchased our tickets I was working a job with little time to plan and research our travels...honestly, Rob deserves thank you's on repeat because he worked diligently arranging our flights, contacting our Couch Surfing hosts, getting our rental car, details, details, details, never complaining...what would I do without him?

Because we are visiting cities we have never been to, with the exception of NYC and Sacramento, there have not been many things I have felt we must do while in particular cities...sure, Pike's Place in Seattle (we actually didn't even get near the space needle, no reason, really), BBQ in Texas, pizza in Chicago, etc....we have really felt inspired to embrace each city as it comes, to really live in the moment. At first that seems applaudable but probably impossible, right? Traveling to so many cities, arranging so many details, having access to Internet, we're such zombies to the web...all that to say, without being Natzi's about it, we have purposed to disciplining ourselves to be fully where we are at any given minute. Life is short, our time here is short, our travels are even shorter. It's tempting to allow ourselves to neglect making the absolute most of a moment, we miss out, we rob ourselves of such beautiful moments and memories...this is really perspective and it's been an area I have found to be life changing...we can chat about that another time, though...

There was just one thing I really wanted to do while in Austin. Odd, because this is the city I know the least about.

I really wanted to attend a yoga class at Ruta Maya, an artsy coffee shop who offers free Hatha yoga with the purchase of anything from the cafe. I practice yoga on my own but have yet to get to a class, until today...and it's amazing!

The class was an hour and the instructor had us doing all these crazy poses that felt fantastic. What is it about warrior poses and downward dogs and upside down lotuses that is so natural? Honestly, I used to be totally weirded out by yogis and didn't think I would ever be able to stand it but now I see it's incredible benefits and by taking the right class and you might be sold, too.

live music in austin

2009-09-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

We were able to catch some live music in Austin...these guys played the blues really well.

austin is artsy

2009-09-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with how artsy Austin was...a unexpected bonus of color and energy.

Shoes and socks while sipping coffee at Joe's...another amazing place to try when you visit Austin.

I have this weird love for brightly colored doors and make Rob document me with them...he's a sport.

austin loves food trucks

2009-09-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

Hello, Austin.

After a long drive from Alpine, Texas, Rob and I made it to the capital city, Austin.

Honestly, did I ever think I would visit Austin...on purpose? It's rather interesting to me, but no...not until we kept hearing from friends and people we would meet that Austin was a really cool, happening place and it's worth seeing.

So....then there was Jet Blue and their amazing deal and that's how she rolls...

The first thing we did in Austin was meet our amazing Couch Surfing host, Bethany. She greeted us at her lively and perfectly organized studio apartment with a smile and eagerness to chat, offering us a handwritten note of city recommendations...sites to see, people to contact, eats to enjoy...much appreciated since we didn't know much about Austin.

Sigh...there are so many other things to say about Bethany so I want to spend more time writing about her...

So after getting to know Bethany a bit and dropping her off to meet up with friends we ventured into our travels and found ourselves starving (not really, but you know)...we didn't waste time figuring out where to go. We took our CS host's recommendation and hit up the local taco truck, camped out in what appeared to be a trailer park, accompanied by picnic tables, lawn chairs and fake green grass...you know the stuff I'm talking about...your folks probably set some out when you went camping back in the day...or maybe you never camped so you're not sure what I'm talking about....Brady Bunch, anyone?

To make a long story short...we enjoyed the best tacos, ever. Rob ordered the beef and chicken taco and I had the fried avocado and the special of the month, grilled ahi tuna....wow. Please check this place out if ever in Austin.

It turns out that Austin is really into food trucks. I've never considered myself a food truck kind of girl but I've never been to Austin so....they are fabulous. As you explore the city you find numerous...dozens of food trucks camped out, welcomed by the locals...each decorated funky, colorful, eclectic. At this my mind is being rocked at the fantastic business opportunities provided by food trucks...I also dig that the city embraces them...very unlike Los Angeles where the trucks hide out for fear of being banned by police because restaurants keep complaining trucks steal their business...leaves us LA peeps forced to follow them on things like twitter and use secret passwords to get good deals...trust me on this one.

Anyway, after our best ever tacos we shared an outrageous smore from the campiest food truck of all, Sugar Mama's...it was decadent, I cannot remember the last time I've had a smore...we had a few bites and Rob saved the rest for a midnight snack.

alpine recap

2009-09-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

I love Rob for so many reasons, it would be difficult to say just a few...right now I love that he is driving us from Alpine to Austin, giving me time to reflect and write a little about our time in west Texas with family.

Where to begin?

Sigh...we had a sensational time in Alpine. Immediately greeted by warm and generous family and a blanket of stars we have been replenished by the calm and still scenery and the steady sweetness the community extended to one another.

Naturally charged by the sparkle of a city, I was pleasantly surprised and impacted by life in Alpine. The population is small. There are few job opportunities...if you haven't moved to Alpine to retire you will most likely move away to search for work in bigger cities...makes sense...all that to say, people who live in Alpine are there for a reason...they positively love it. You can see it in their gentle faces, you can discover it in their smiles, learn it in their pace...

There are memories of Alpine I won't forget.

I shall find myself reminiscing of viewing the stars, discovering galaxies, planets and moons...I've thought I've seen stars before but never like a clear, still night in Alpine. One evening we stood in awe of the majesty the sky cannot help but display because of its Creator. Have you ever observed constellations? They are glorious. Jerry showed us one of a cross. The tip of the cross is one of the brightest stars in the entire sky...it's rather remarkable how each one was placed in the heavens with such command and intellectual purpose. Jerry must know every single star and its name and its light years away and we just stood quietly as he spoke of the magnificence of God paraded by stars.

It was spectacular.

I will remember being awakened by the bright, warm sun shining through our bedroom window, the fierce, yellow vibrance of sunflowers scattered through fields, the overwhelming heights of mountains and peaks and the cool evening breezes.

I will also remember the quirky characters...Bob, Jethro, Alpine Inez...each with such life and vigor in their eyes and a lifetime of stories to share.

I don't know if Alpine will ever know its influence on me...but I'm sure we will be back to visit one day and I'll tell them all about it...

art gallery ribbon reception

2009-09-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned that Jan and Jerry are very committed and involved in their community. It's really inspiring. Tonight we attended a ribbon cutting reception at a local art gallery. There was an impressive turn out. Alpine folk attended to support local artists. We got to chat with several of the artists and hear their stories as they have pursued creative abilities...doing so gives them a sense of fulfillment, it gives us a sense of awe and appreciation. It's a rather interesting life, to be an artist. I'm moved by people who pursue artistic goals...risky business that usually has little to do with percentages, stocks and bonds and jargon like that. The last year has been incredibly risky business for Rob and I. When I meet others who are living life unafraid to try new things and do something they actually love I cannot help but be influenced and empowered to dare to dream and go for it myself.

crooked shmooked

2009-09-17T19:35:00.001-07:00

Some of you know I frequent design blogs.

Heidi began Crooked Shmooked a year ago and is having a party for her very own stunning blog.

I'm in absolute love with Crooked Shmooked. I await Heidi's post and gladly take her recommendation to pull up a seat and brew myself tea, with honey, while I go gaga at her beautiful finds. Every post seems inspired by something simple and is manifested brilliantly in a collage of photographs.

Just how does she arrange such a puzzle of goodies?

In honor of Crooked Shmooked's first year, Heidi is doing a giveaway.

Yes, please!

Check it out for yourself, already and be prepared to mark CS on your very own lovely blogs to frequent.

farm truck

2009-09-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

While out and about with Jan the other day I saw this Texas license plate and found it's dented corners and dusted ambience quite charming.

cheating on Jet Blue...shhh!

2009-09-16T21:53:00.001-07:00

Shhh, we flew with someone other than Jet Blue today.

So, Jerry has his own plane.

Hello, that's hot.

We woke up early to take a fly out in Jerry's plane. We geared up and set out to explore west Texas.

Sigh.

Amazing!

It gets loud up in the air. You definitely need to use a headset to chit chat with your crew.

Jerry flew the plane brilliantly.

We flew around for, hmm, two and a half hours?

What a treat, no?

It was way cool of Jerry to take us out.

dinner at the gage

2009-09-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had dinner at The Gage in Marathon, Texas.

Jan and Jerry wined and dined us and it was pleasure. After a leisurely afternoon at the house we took a drive into Marathon and viewed a thoughtfully landscaped garden and made our way to The Gage Hotel and Restaurant, where the menu changes with the season...love that.

Wow.

Our evening began with Krug wine and warm garlic rosemary bread topped with real whipped butter and a sun-dried tomato spread. We shared appetizers of steak tartare and grilled quail with Texas goat cheese.

We could have stopped there, it was so good.

Entrees came and they were nothing short of tantalizing. My ginger pork tenderloins had a pineapple bacon salsa with fresh asparagus and carrots. Jan had trout less than eighteen hours caught with cranberry risotto and both Rob and Jerry feasted on the New York bison, with potatoes gallate and truffled mushrooms.

As if that wasn't enough we capped our meals with coffee and chocolate cheesecake, spiked with amoretto and cinnamon, marinated poached peaches and fresh whipped cream.

It was delicious.

Besides the amazing food, we had such a satisfying time out. We talked about so many things, people, beliefs, family, jobs...we recalled memories that made us laugh...we spoke of Rob's Dad, and just how much he was loved and how amazing of a man he was...there were moments of joy remembering Keith and there were moments close to tears as we realized we miss him so much...we're beyond thankful we will see him again one day.

It is always a treat to spend time with Jan and Jerry. We're lucky to be staying with them this week.

marfa food shark

2009-09-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

While out in Marfa we stopped for lunch at the Food Shark, a charming little food truck that was all the rage...I think the whole town was there enjoying the fresh menu. Upon arriving we ran into some of Jan's friends...Jan knows the entire city and every other city we visit, it's great!

Rob and I shared the pork chili verde stew with Greek salad and an iced tea with lots of refills.

I quickly fell in love with each person dining Food Shark style. The owner popped his head out from time to time and knew costumers by name. At one point I saw him step out of the truck and he was wearing white short shorts with socks and boots and I was so glad to be right where we were at that moment.

When our lunch was ready we joined this lovely bunch of local folk at this oversized community picnic table.

I have thoroughly enjoyed life in west Texas thus far.

marfa

2009-09-16T13:02:00.001-07:00

Jan drove us into the town of Marfa. It's a rather artsy, clean and simple town that I loved immediately. The town's architecture embraces minimalism and though I tend to love a buildings historic and gaudy details, the pure lines and colors kept catching my eyes.

There is something so charming about barber shops.

These green tiles provided such a natural grassy feel to this plane white building with Texas trim.

If we stayed longer perhaps we may have seem a local film.

Finally, the burst of color offered by a warm and cozy handmade blanket has made me rethink window coverings.

Should I learn to crochet already?

I loved Marfa...besides the buildings inspiring me, the people were incredibly inviting. We visited the local artist's galleries...friendly, talented people.

We're having a great time on our trip...we miss family and friends we aren't seeing and we are learning so much as we feel we have already been exposed to so much culture. We've seen beautiful things, shared insightful conversations, met brilliant people, met crazy people, met inspired people, saved and lost...I already have been so impacted by time spent away from the familiar. I have so many thoughts...it's only been a week!

Be back soon, as I have just ralized Jan and Jerry have WiFi.

Can I get a shout out for blog contributions from Rob?

Yes, please!

we're in...alpine

2009-09-16T12:46:00.001-07:00

After a long drive from the Austin airport we made it to Alpine, Texas...don't blink, you may miss it.

Rob and I have wanted to get out to Alpine for a few years now to visit his Aunt Jan and Uncle Jerry. We have gotten to spend time with them in SoCal as they have visited quite a bit. When we got our AYCJ (all you can jet) passes with Jet Blue we knew we had to stop in good ol' Alpine.

We got into Alpine about 9 PM and met up with Jan who was with a friend, discussing local club events. Jan and Jerry are really involved in there community, though it's small, they know everyone and everyone knows them...so cool. Jan is an artist. She paints beautiful watercolors. Jerry is a radiologist. He flies a plane. They are involved in their church, an art gallery coop, the local food bank, the Investor's Club...they have traveled all over the world and are brilliant folk. They are funny and adventurous and so nice to let us stay with them for the next few days.

After chatting with Jan and her friend, Dona for awhile we went out to a local venue, Harry's, where an older, wrinkled, long and gray-haired man named Jethro played the ukulele.

So Alpine.

We sat on picnic benches and met an artist man named Bob. He wore an old pith helmet and had thick glasses and we just sat in awe as he shared life stories and simple charm. There were little twinkle lights wrapped around trees and I just wish I took pictures to share the memory with you.

We said goodbye to new friends made and followed Jan back to the house and when we stepped out of the car you will never guess what we saw...

Nothing.

It was completely black...miles and miles of Texas land surrounds Jan and Jerry's home. It's lit by a blanket of bright, shining stars. It's amazing. I have never seen stars like I've seen in Alpine. It's truly incredible...after being mesmerized by more of God's creation, we went to bed.

recap on seattle

2009-09-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed Seattle. Honestly, it was different than what I was expecting...I'm completely embarrassed by my uneducated and inexperienced thoughts on the Emerald City...limiting it to rain, coffee, flannel and techies. Maybe parts of it is exactly that but there is a groovy and sophisticated vibe the city offers...art studios on corner lots, yoga classes left and right, dog walkers and business folk, together. Very cool. We have alot of friends living in Hollywood or near who have come from Seattle and going there myself gave me an entirely new perspective on their lives. I can see why they say it's a wonderful place to live. I can see why people would miss it, would want to move back or would want to have families there. I can also see why people would want to leave and explore a little more. Would we want to live there? It's really hard to say after only having been there a few days. I couldn't get enough of how fresh they city was. People seemed to have a personal connection with the land surrounding them, whether they owned or rented places to live, they cared for and utilized their land and not in the manicured, fake green grass and a few generic trees way I am used to but rather with wild gardens and foresty fruit trees with swings hung from trees and lawn chairs planted on patches of grass just waiting for friends to sit and enjoy each other's company. It was a little magical for me, walking throughout neighborhoods where nature is savored...but I'm slightly hippie that way so maybe others would never think of Seattle in that context. Maybe they are drawn by the charming cobblestone streets near Pioneer Square or the blocks and blocks of bookshops and music stores in Fremont. Maybe others would stick Downtown in an urban loft with rooftop access where they wine and dine overlooking the sparkling water...so, hmm, Seattle is really nice, no? Maybe I could stick around a few more days...

miles and miles of Texas

2009-09-14T22:40:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite music to listen to while driving for hours and hours in desolate land?

We chose Bob Dylan and love to sing it real loudly...

This morning I woke up, groggy in all honesty, squinted at the clock, tried to make sense of the blurry numbers and realized we had to leave for the airport in 16 minutes.

My alarm never went off...I set it for PM.

Hate that.

Oh well. We got up, showered, dressed and our super great roommate, Andy, drove us to the airport, our new favorite hang out. Actually, there was very little time spent at the airport today since we had just minutes to spare before departure...hmm, maybe sleeping in wasn't so bad after all? Actually, I've had it up to here (about my eye brow) of not waking up early enough to do some pilates and yoga...I miss that, would like that soon.

We love Jet Blue. Everyone has been really nice, lots of leg room, TV makes the flights pass a little faster, tasty snacks and drinks and did I mention leg room?

We landed in Texas, opted not to mess with any locals, picked up our rental car and have been driving West to Alpine to stay with Rob's Aunt and Uncle for a few days. I am eager to arrive, I've been told the town is picturesque glorious for its old west culture. I imagine a slow and enriched life out in Alpine...have you ever been?

family in seattle

2009-09-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

Rob's Mom and Step-Dad took a cruise to Alaska last week and happened to be in Seattle today...so cool, since we were there, too.

We met up with them and spent the day exploring the market, more and dining over breakfast and lunch. You can see more photos of our day on my FB account.

We had a lovely time with them, we always do.

We parted with them at the airport and guess who we ran into?

Konrad!

It's such a small, funny world.

couch surfing in seattle

2009-09-13T21:15:00.001-07:00

Meet Johnny and Tristan, our Couch Surfing hosts!

Rob and I are couch surfing during our travels across the US. You can learn more about it here.

Basically Couch Surfing is this incredible way to network online with friendly people willing to house you during your travels...free of charge, too. We have friends who have surfed and we have friends who have hosted. Rob connected with Johnny and Tristan via the Couch Surfing website and they gladly welcomed us into their home.

Ok, they are fabulous. They picked us up on Thursday night and took us to their place, had a bed set up for us in their spare room, told us to make ourselves at home and watched a flick with us.

Johnny is a carpenter and Tristan is a doula, getting ready to enroll in nursing school. They have two dogs, Buddy and Bella, live in this amazing Seattle house with a stunning garden and the coolest thing, ever, a coop of chickens. They are friendly, hospitable and fun people and we were so glad and so blessed to stay with them during our trip to Seattle.

Do you dig our album cover shot?

Bella, their puppy became our friend, too.

We had great conversation with Johnny and Tristan. We enjoyed French press coffee in the mornings, we were treated to smoothies one morning and a trip to the local farmer's market the next, followed by the most delicious breakfast in I don't know how long.

I am so glad we were able to meet our new Couch Surfing friends. I hope they come down to Hollywood one day so we can spend more time together, show them the sights, do some yoga, visit the market, BBQ with neighbors...

Bella totally wanted my breakfast. I don't blame her. Johnny cooked up eggs from the farmer's market, garlic zucchini, the most amazing and delicious bacon I've ever had from the market and wheat toast with homemade pear butter.

Yeah, they treated us so well.

They would drop us off into the city and give us tips on where to go...so nice and out of their way.

We were also able to join Johnny and his friend, James, for killer BBQ on the deck Saturday night. It felt like home.

Thanks, Johnny and Tristan!

i picked a poppy

2009-09-12T22:21:00.000-07:00

So after much consideration I have decided to change the way I blog.

I would like to use the blog more for a writing outlet and less for photo captions. It's just not how I roll and it feels forced to write things under photos to me. On that note, I am going to begin writing lame captions on my Facebook account. For stupid humor and really brief descriptions check my trip pics out on FB...tune in here for more detailed thoughts of our trips, special highlights, possibly short stories and things like that.

Phew...glad I got that out of the way.

As I play catch up, here's one last set of nerdy captions for old times.

Rob and I took a walk and visited some gorgeous gardens in Seattle.

Along the way I spotted some poppies.

There was something extremely satisfying about picking a poppy.

So rebellious...not really.

You can't do this in California, you know.

Well, I guess you can, but it is illegal...state flower and all.

See.

This is why I don't do captions.

I'm sorry for the scatteredness, I think I've learned a good lesson and will be back soon to actually write.

I need to pack for Austin, now.

Seattle was amazing.

elliott bay bookshop & dinner with konrad

2009-09-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine this wall in the catalog of Anthro?

I love the light the Seattle sun casts on the city.

We loved this bookstore. Too many great reads. After browsing we headed downstairs for some media time...computer time.

We split a cappuccino.

Yes, please!

We met up with Konrad again for Chinese food in the International District. We had good conversation, learned about each other, shared food and then were picked up by our Couch Surfing hosts...so nice of them.

Our first day in Seattle was fab!

underground stop

2009-09-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

We hung out in the Underground area of Seattle for awhile. We didn't end up taking the tour but we thought long and hard about it.

I snacked on some cashews from the plane.

Thanks, Jet Blue.

And this shot of Rob makes me wild.

I'm sure he hates that I say stuff like that.

us & 12 hours

2009-09-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

Check us out on 12 Hours in a City's Flickr Seattle Set....oh yeah....here.

I dig their camera.

Alot.

starbucks & park

2009-09-12T21:56:00.000-07:00

Of course we went inside the first Starbucks, ever. I liked it because it felt like every other Starbucks I've been inside. Nothing crazy, here, folks...just baristas doing their thing. The mugs were nice...cool.

This one is for you, Dustin.

We walked across the street and found this lazy park we camped out at for awhile. Konrad met up with us and we chit chatted.

I have this weird affinity for birds, but I don't like to touch them...I do love to get real close to them and snap photos, though.

I love kombucha, this flavor especially...too bad most of it spilled. Oh well, I enjoyed some of it with a WA grown apple from the market.

I'll explain why I'm posting so much food later.

pike place chowder

2009-09-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

Rob had delicious chowder as his christening meal in Seattle. Bits of bacon, potato and clams, obvi, in a sourdough bread bowl from Pike Place Chowder.

So freaking good, he shared a bite with me.

PS - some of you know, others don't, it's not a secret, I'm not a vegetarian anymore...more on that another time...back to Seattle!

pike's place market

2009-09-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

Of course we visited the market...we felt at home.

Fruit galore.

More market food.

I wouldn't mind if I was stuck working in this bread cafe.

Fish.

I was in awe of the colorful produce.

Wouldn't it be weird if produce wasn't colorful?

I think it would suck, but I guess we would be used to it.

Dairy is amazing, especially this organic goodness.

Are these not stunning chilies, if you've ever seen them?

You describe chilies as stunning, too, right?

Killer fish.

Well, I guess we're the ones doing the killing, no?

our trip is born

2009-09-12T21:23:00.000-07:00

So....here goes, as I am behind on blogging and our trip just started!

Our flight left early on Thursday morning. Seth was ever so kind as to drive us to the Long Beach Airport...a little place with modulars...it felt so retro waiting for our plane in such little quarters.

We split some coffee (we tend to split most things while traveling)...plus, airport food is ridiculously pricey.

While waiting for our flight we met the crew from 12 Hours in a City...very nice, very friendly guys. They had just spent the evening in LA and were running on just a few hours of sleep so I think they were eager to catch up on zzz's just a bit while flying to Seattle.

We also met Konrad, just left of Rob. He's an indie traveler using the Jet Blue pass from Michigan. It was really cool meeting people embarking on crazy, wild adventure...so raw, so....crazy....

We took the bus downtown and got off at Pioneer Square, ready to explore....

we're in seattle

2009-09-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

We made it to Seattle!

It was an early morning but here we are enjoying a local park, playing with our self timer.

I'll do a recap soon...the sky is really blue here, people are friendly...so far so good.

I didn't bring my North Face jacket...is that going to be a problem?

thoughts on howard stern

2009-09-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

Did you hear what Howard had to say about those traveling Jet Blue this month?

Refer to my previous post.

He's a rather crazy cat whose lines may offend those who don't normally listen to his radio show.

I'm not a regular listener...but he's worked hard to be one of the nations top DJ's and has the ratings to back him up and I cannot help but owe him respect for his efforts to fine tune his natural ability of communication regardless of what he has to say...

Is there merit to his words? Have the "funemployed" taken it too far with Jet Blue's offer? Have we put off becoming adults? Is this ridiculous?

Just things to think about.

Rob and I listened, smiled, laughed, squinted, pondered, discussed and gave him credit for making a point and agreed we would be sad one day if we didn't take a spin around the US block during this funemployed, lemonade time of life.

Thanks, Howard, but mostly, thanks, Jet Blue.

in the news on howard stern

2009-09-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

In the News on Howard Stern!!

beatles day

2009-09-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Beatles Day.

Amongst other exciting news, today is also the 10 year anniversary of Rob asking me out on our first date.

I said yes.

12 hours in a city

2009-09-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to find out about the crazies who are planning on hitting up as many Jet Blue destinations as possible...because there are some restrictions with this deal, I'm not sure anyone could actually visit all 57 cities in one month, but Scott found some who will see twenty nine.

Clark and Joe plan to visit twenty nine cities, spending no more than twelve hours in each place...awesome! They have already taken off, hitting up Boston yesterday and Chicago today. I'm thrilled to keep up with them. They both seem unpredictable yet totally reasonable, Joe seems especially intriguing.

Check them out here, their website is amazing....thanks, Scott!

PS - I'm hoping to meet this traveling due tomorrow morning as Rob and I share a flight with them to Seattle!

Other website to follow: 30 Days on Jet Blue, an incredible opportunity to help school kids in Zambia.

bizarro world

2009-09-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

S: "Hey, thanks for doing laundry."

R: "Oh yeah, not a problem, we had alot."

S: "You about ready?"

R: "Uh...yeah, just folding these clothes...hey, do you think you could wash that bowl before we leave?"

S: "Can I do it when we get back?"

R: "Actually, can you before we go, I just don't want it sitting out like that."

Silent pause....

Scary. The roles have seemed to reverse. How did this happen?

Break to us leaving the apartment for a walk to Goodwill.

S: "Hey, slow down, you're walking soooo fast."

R: "Sorry, you just need to keep up, they close soon."

S: "I can't, I'm out of shape."

R: "Well get in shape."

S: "What are we looking for again?"

R: "A bag for the computer....for our trip."

S: "A purse?"

Scary, yet again.

What a bizarro world we lived last night.

At the moment it was weird, now it's rather hilarious.

I'm glad we leave for vaca...tomorrow!

cassie's picks

2009-09-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Cassie, gave us some smashing travel recommendations. I think she's a fantastic writer and can just picture her own column in a magazine or a travel savvy blog sharing tips for experiencing and embracing culture in cities galore...

She gave me permission to share her tips with you.

Does it not make you excited?!

Some ideas for your trip…

*Warning, most are food related as I rarely get to do more than land, eat dinner, audition and fly home.

Seattle:

Haven’t been to Seattle, only Bellevue, so I won’t comment on that…actually a bit of a sore subject. They’ve gone three times since I’ve worked here and I get skipped on that trip each year!

Austin:

Haven’t been, it was the trip I got sick right before, BUT here is where I was going to go:

South Congress Café (SOCO Café)

Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)

1600 S Congress Ave

Austin, TX 78704

(512) 447-3905

www.southcongresscafe.com

You must, must, MUST go here. They apparently make this to-die-for Carrot Cake French Toast. Please eat breakfast here for me and tell me how amazing it is! It just sounded ridiculously good.

Also, if Food Network still has it up Giada did one of those “Weekend Getaways” in Austin and I remember everywhere she went looked cool, so I suggest looking that up for ideas. I do know South Congress is supposed to be the main drag in town so I’m sure it has lots to do!

New Orleans:

First, downtown New Orleans is about 30-45 min. from the airport. Just an FYI. Now, for what to do:

Go to Bourbon Street just to say you went. Its totally overrated, but Pat O’Brien’s does have a cool dueling pianos/sing-along thing at night which is kind of fun.

Eat beignets at Café du Monde. Eat at the original in the French Quarter. Order Chicory coffee to go with it. You are now officially a New Orleanan.

http://www.cafedumonde.com/main.html

Oh, and when you fall in love with the wonder that is the original beignet, just know that the takeout counter at the Jazz Kitchen at Downtown Disney makes the EXACT same ones, so it’s only a 45 min car ride away. But still, go to the original.

Brennan’s

Here’s the thing with Brennan’s; they are the creator of the greatest dessert to ever be created-the Bananas Foster. BUT, we went and had a very pricey, but so-so meal. The Bananas Foster though is everything everyone says it will be and more so I highly suggest going late and just getting dessert. It is spectacular and they make it tableside. DO NOT however order a Mint Julep. Gross, gross, gross. I learned this lesson the hard way.

Oh, and lastly, their brunch is rated best in the city, but I did not eat brunch there, so if you are there on a brunch day, maybe do that if you feel like splurging.

http://www.brennansneworleans.com/

Mother’s Restaurant

This is where you go for Po’ Boys. It is a New Orleans institution. If you are going to eat a Po’Boy this is where you go. Just DON’T ask for anything to be taken off or substituted. They get a little cranky. And DON’T ask what they mean when they ask if you want your sandwiched “dressed”. My friend got the biggest eye roll of all time to this question.

http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/

Lastly, I hear the Garden District is gorgeous so take a walk there if you can!

Chicago:

Magnificent Mile

Yes, its basically just a bunch of stores, but it’s a pretty street and much is located off of it, so I’m suggesting you see it. In fact, most of what I will reference is nearby.

Giordano’s Pizza

GO! There is no questioning. Do not listen to those who say Uno, or Gino’s, or any of the other deep dish establishments is better. They are not. I have done taste tests. This is THE best, quintessentially Chicago deep dish pizza. Their thin crust is actually good too, but get the deep dish. We have no deep dish in L.A. that is like this.

I They have many locations but I suggest this one:

RUSH STREET

(312) 951-0747

730 N RUSH ST.

www.giordanos.com

Garret’s Popcorn

If you feel like a snack I recommend Garrett’s. They make this amazing combo of cheddar and caramel popcorn which sounds disgusting, but is phenomenal. Even there plain, buttered is good. Oh, and they’ll let you sample before you make a decision.

Neighborhood: The Loop

4 E Madison St

(between Holden Ct & State St)

Chicago, IL 60602

(312) 263-1108

www.garrettpopcorn.com

As for things to do, I love the Art Institute. I highly recommend it. It’s honestly one of my favorites. And look at their schedule because I think one night a week it’s free; although I paid and it was totally worth it.

Also, the John Hancock building. Oh and here’s my cheap-o tip. Don’t pay for the trip to the top, just go to the lounge that’s one floor beneath it and order a drink. That’s what we did. And use the women’s restroom. It’s ridiculous because it next to the gigantic windows. We went and came out and were freaking (especially me with the fear of heights, who had purposely avoided being close to the edge all night long) and we thought it was just us who thought it was strange. I come home and tell my friend Adam I went to the Hancock Building and he goes, “Did you go in the women’s bathroom?” Then I read in Real Simple magazine that they suggest exactly what we did (going to the lounge instead of paying to go to the top) and they too say, “Make sure to check out the women’s restroom.” So, check out the women’s restroom.

Lastly, my hotel there, The Palmer House, has the most amazing lobby I’ve ever seen. Seriously, not even going to describe it. Google if you wish, but if you need a place to just rest for awhile, go to The Palmer House and sit in the lobby. They also do tea in the afternoons, and I want to say it’s close to the Art Institute.

Boston:

Stephanie’s on Newbury Street

Newbury Street in general is just fun to walk up and down, but Stephanie’s is THE lunch place. Really nice outdoor seating. Great lobster roll. Ignore the Euro-Trash and know that the service can be slightly slow.

www.stephaniesonnewbury.com

Flour Bakery

Known for their Sticky Buns. The owner beat Bobby Flay in a “throwdown” with it. I’ve had it and it is really good. Everything at the bakery looked good, but that’s the only thing I tried.

http://www.flourbakery.com/

Beacon Hill

This is the really nice part of Boston. Kind of their Beverly Hills. Really pretty brownstones and cobblestone streets. It looks very much like what you expect Boston to look like. Charles St. is the main street in this area and has great restaurants. I’m trying Todd English’s restaurant Figs when I go back. We had to wait too long last time and left. It’s a lot of flatbreads and salads. I ‘ll let you know what I think. But, I say just walk the street if nothing else. It’s just really pretty. Cool market on the corner too.

Boston Commons

It’s their Central Park if you will. If you walk Newbury St. you end at the garden side of the Commons and it’s really pretty. And they have a pond with those cheesy swan boats. PLEASE take a ride in one of those cheesy swan boats! Send me a picture!

Hmm… if I find other Boston stuff this trip I’ll e-mail you. And the airport is anywhere from 10-30 min. from the city depending on what part of the city you are entering at. Oh, and there is NO SALES TAX on clothes. They count them a necessity. They really are smarter in Boston.

NYC:

So clearly you need no help in this city, but here are some of my faves anyway…

Risotteria

Gluten-free and you’d never know. There ceasar salad has a dressing so amazing that we asked if we could buy it. Plus, its on a great section of Bleeker and up the side street are a bunch of other amazing restaurants. Look up their address just so you can be in an awesome section of town if nothing else. But seriously, the salad and the gluten-free breadsticks are amazing!

http://www.risotteria.com/

Magnolia Bakery

Yes, yes, I’m sure you’ve been. I will say they have now opened multiple locations and the new one by Rockefeller Center is great. I now get the Banana Pudding. It’s better than any cupcake. Seriously. I loved it so much I went back the day we left to order it just one more time.

Northern Central Park

Okay, I didn’t do this, but I think you should. At the top of Central Park there is this beautiful garden I never knew existed. I saw it in a book when we were there last time and I was sad it was just too late in the day to trek it up there. It looks gorgeous! Go and tell me how fabulous it is!

John’s Pizza

I don’t know if you went last time, but I still say this is the best pizza in NY. And though the Bleecker location is the original, I still think the 44^th St. location is the better one. Great architecture and right in the heart of all the theaters.

vintage travel art

2009-09-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Suddenly I'm seeing everything through vintage glasses...

Sipping coffee while admiring the heights of Seattle's Space Needle,

Belt buckles, boots and bulls in Austin and Alpine,

Windy City shopping in Chicago,

Golden leaves falling, reading the newspaper in Boston,

Dancing to southern jazz in New Orleans,

Falling in love with Central Park yet again in New York City,

Celebrating family and childhood memories in Sacramento.

travel prep

2009-09-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

A glimpse of us arranging travel...

friendly recs

2009-09-05T09:47:00.001-07:00

I've been compiling lists of travel destination recommendations from friends and a few Food Network stars...I just keep adding to the list and keep it in my lime green planner. Here are some doodles I've been adding to...thanks, friends!

PS - I will have to share our friend, Cassie's, recs, too...love 'em!

Do you have other recommendations for us?