a day in maine.

this morning: a long walk to a local coffee shop with a big, black dog by my side. exercise, coffee and good dog-sitting. win-win-win.

right now: pomegranate juice, a roaring fire, and articles that feel good for my brain.  

later tonight: a heaping bowl of spaghetti bolognese, a glass of wine, and continued daydreams of someday making the move up here.  

how is your day going?

(photo credit: miwaramone)

getting through winter.

today is another snow day in boston. i'm beginning to forget what our sidewalks look like. so, in an attempt to stay positive, here are a few of the things that keep me sane during the cold, dark days of winter.

1. books. it goes without saying, but curling up with a new novel is one of my favorite things in the world. thanks to the suggestion of meredith, i am now hooked on indie bound. i also downloaded the indie bound iphone app that helps me keep track of all the books i want to read. love.

2. thick, wool socks. i wear them inside my boots, around the house, and sometimes even to bed. handmade ones are the best, although these look pretty cozy too.

3. hope in a jar. i'm not usually into expensive cosmetics, but this lotion is divine. it's light, non-greasy, hydrating, and smells really good. goodbye dry skin.

4. knitting. it keeps me busy when i'm cooped up inside, and the gratification of finishing something is nothing short of glorious.

5. tea lights. we have them all over our condo, and they make even the gloomiest of days feel just a little bit cozier. fun fact: did you know that they were originally created to keep tea pots warm? :)

6. crosswords. every night, simon and i climb into bed, turn on our bedside lamps, and try to solve the day's crossword puzzle. i have to confess that every once in a while, i fall asleep before we finish. but it's one of the best parts of my day.

7. messenger bag from moop. it's big enough to haul around all my winter gear: hat, gloves, extra scarf, tissues, book, and even a snack. i don't know what i would do without it.

8. pretty mugs. whether it's for my daily cup of coffee, my afternoon tea break, or a hot chocolate with marshmallows, i firmly believe that mugs should be fun to look at. this particular one is from here.

9. good radio. i feel so lucky to live in boston where we have emerson's station, "music for the independent mind" and another independent station called "the river". what else is there to do on a snow day, but listen to incredible tunes all day long? of course, there is always wait wait, don't tell me, too, which never fails to entertain.

so, tell me, what do you do to stay sane during the winter? 

when the going gets tough, i have two instincts: 1. hide under a blanket or 2. call my favorite people. the other day, i did both. and it turns out that chatting with loved ones from under a blanket is a lot like sharing secrets in a homemade fort. smiles will ensue.

p.s. found: an incredible article about growing pains, the cerebral ones.
p.p.s. my new favorite quote: "home is where your coffee maker is."

(photo credit: emma llensa)

snow day.

this morning, i bundled up and took a little walk around our neighborhood. the snow came up to my knees!

all the whiteness and stillness made me realize i could never live somewhere where it doesn't snow. i am addicted to making foot prints on untouched sidewalks.

now i'm back inside, wrapped up in a wool blanket, and watching british television. later, hot chocolate.

p.s. it snowed the day i was born, and i'm pretty sure i made an appearance that day because i wanted a peek.

christmas.

as i'm writing this, there are big white flakes falling through the sky. hurray! what a perfect end to a fun weekend. how were your holidays?

our christmas weekend was filled with games, 1000 piece puzzles, stuffed bellies, tears from laughing so hard, and lots of thoughtful gifts.

we started our mornings with coffee and scones, (and i decided to be festive by painting my nails with glitter.) we even tried a spicy egg-nog flavored coffee in honor of the holiday, but alas, my coffee snobbery got in the way. in fact, it was so disappointing, i threw it out and made a whole second pot of (normal) coffee.

simon's mother had decorated their house beautifully, and we played christmas tunes all day long. we also sat by the roaring fire and sipped wine. love.

and aside from all the festivities, we managed to squeeze in a quick knitting lesson for me. i am starting small, but it's so addictive. (i'm curious, do you knit?)

all in all, it was a lovely holiday, and i am a happy girl. now it's time to gear up for the next holiday... new years! xo.

give love.

hello friends! are you all ready for christmas? in our house, the cookies are baked and we are getting our bags packed to drive to maine. i'm signing off for a few days, but i will see you again next week!

in the meantime, enjoy this song. it's one of my favorites, and love that it was recently referred to as a "yogi christmas song".

here's wishing you the the happiest of holidays! xo.

p.s. thank you, heather. :)

our new zealand honeymoon, part 2

today, i'd love to share some more of our honeymoon photos, if you'd like to see. :)

after our dreamy time in auckland and on waiheke island, we flew to queenstown. here, we rented a car and started the long drove to milford sound, new zealand's most famous fjord.


simon and i had so much fun driving on the left side of the street. at first, it was decidedly tricky and we couldn't stop giggling, but then we caught on and it became second nature.


we drove through rain, snow, sleet and sun. but when we arrived and saw this beautiful view, it was all worth it.


that night, we picnicked on cheese, salami, bread and wine, and then stayed in this cozy riverside chalet with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a river. it was so romantic.


the next morning, after a rainy, but amazing boat trip around the fjord, we drove back to sunny queenstown. we loved walking around the adorable city, going to cafes, bars and taking pictures by beautiful lake wakatipu. in fact, this was one of our favorite spots on the whole trip and we are still daydreaming about buying a second home there. :)

tomorrow, i'll be sharing the final installment of honeymoon photos.

this morning...

it has been snowing in boston! it's been so very cozy. aside: if you want to read a beautiful little description of what it's like to wake up to snow, go here.

anyway, for some reason, i was so drawn to this desk today. maybe it's because i think my snow hat, and my snow boots would be a perfect little addition to this room. and of course, a big mug of coffee. and a sleeping dog. and oh... a space heater for my little toes.

isn't it so calming?

where do you wish you were today?

(photo credit: living etc. via tea for joy)

the mantel.

simon and i are getting married in a cozy, beautiful barn, and on top of that... we will be saying our vows in front of a huge fireplace. (this works out extremely well since i am always cold, not to mention, absolutely in love with fire places.)

the only problem is i can't decide how to decorate the mantel. candles? flowers? garlands? branches? picture frames?

i'd love your creative suggestions. and p.s. thanks so much for indulging all this wedding talk too. :) you guys are lovely.

(photo credit: house and home)

craving cozy.

this morning was a wee bit emotional and stressful for me. for reasons that are both silly and justifiable, i suddenly felt my eyes welling up.

so, my friends and i went for a quick starbucks run. their company along with a pumpkin spice latte cheered me right up.

that's not to say, that i wouldn't feel even better if i could also put on some sweat pants and snuggle with a cat or dog...

too cute, huh?

so, tell me, what do you do when you want to be comforted and cozy?

sipping yumminess,

(photo credits: ug and dream beam)