Palo Alto, Part I

Might I recommend that everyone living in this NW climate also go to California in January? It really is the best idea ever. Yes, just as I'd been lamenting that the next time the fiancé and I would get to go on vacation to a sunny place was very far off in the future...well, that's when we realized that he had a biz trip and I had a whole lotta time on my hands. Woooo! I tagged along. It was Palo, it was 70 degrees, and it was fabulous.

Day 1: Got in the 'stang, took off for Stanford Mall (look everybody, I'm wearing sunglasses! Because it was sunny out!).

Yeah that sun put me in an instantly fantastic mood. This car was a blast but can I get a witness on how much they are designed for men? Sheesh the pedals were super far apart! I worked it out though and was rollin' down the highway with a Cali breeze...

Le rental car

Wooo! Did y'all know that Stanford has a big ole Mall right next to it's campus? It's super nice too...all outdoors with high-end fun shops n' restaurants. I took myself to lunch and made some lists in the sunshine. This salad was divine and I had it with some Sober January pink lemonade :) Also yay for California avocados.

After some shopping and gettin' a mani (that's how us Funemployed's do it!) I had to get a Sprinkles cupcake to see what all the hype was about.

I got the chocolate chocolate something-or-other...it was really yummy. Not unlike a Trophy cupcake! Good to know I can eat cupcakes again now post-birthday.

What next? Well, I hadn't been on that many fancy shmancy college campuses other than Georgetown before, so I checked out Stanford.

I've decided being a Stanford student would be like living in a Utopian society. Only you'd have to get accepted and pay to go to Stanford (minor detail).

At Stanford you ride your bike everywhere, because it's perfectly flat and it's always 70* and sunny.

And you happen upon Rodin Sculpture Gardens just hanging out on campus.

Everybody with me now: "All the single ladies, all the single ladies"...All these dudes need are some Beyonce leotards and they've got a music video.

Every good campus has some busts.

I'd pray here.

Being a Stanford student means this is what your January looks like.

I swear, there were magnolias blooming.

Next up: my adventure to Half Moon Bay!

Happy 1/2 Price Chocolate Day!

I suggest creating a shadow box...might have to polish off those chocolates first - oh wait, already taken care of? Fabulous :)

You don't have to display your weird plastic pets...you could paint the box fun colors and put accessories or any collection on it. Upcycled! {via CraftZine}

Day-Before Valentine's Day Day

Since Valentine's Day fell on a Monday this year, we did our celebratin' on Sunday! My fiance was very forward-thinking and got tickets to PNB's Cinderella. I was so excited! It was really magical. Seriously, at the end, there is glitter raining from the ceiling on them "happily ever after". So pretty. Watching ballet is like watching the Olympics - I can never believe the stuff these dancers can do. The sets and costumes were really gorgeous as well.

Here we are, having arrived plenty early to drink our VERY tall glasses of wine before the show.

You can't tell but I was wearing a red dress. OMG you guys people are so SEATTLE about this stuff. I spotted way too many jeans in attendance. Ugh. The scarf I'm wearing was a gift from my Aunt when I was about 16. I've worn it to many dressy functions and I loved wearing it to this because she took me to the Opera many years ago and it's a special memory. Keene is wearing a tie I got him for Christmas that I really like! It's subtle grey on charcoal stripes.

Just like last year, we made dinner at home, because Valentine's weekend is really not the best time to go out to dinner anyway! Pre fixe menus, crowds, etc. I couldn't find heart-shaped ravioli but we got some great tortellini and heart-shaped crab cakes all which were awesome from Metropolitan Market. And of course, Sangiovese, one of my favorite types of wine.

Happy Valentines Day to all my blog readers! Heart you guys! :)

Europe: The Final Chapter

Alright People, deep breath...this is the final Europe re-cap post! Single tear. I thought I'd end things with one of my favorite moments of the entire trip: our visit to Casa Milà (aka La Pedrera), another of Gaudi's masterpiece buildings.

It kinda stands out :)

The entrance. LOVE.

Gaudi's bust greets you at the door.

Not being subtle again...he's really rockin' that "organic" look in the foyer.

Awesome ceiling.

The middle of the building, looking up.

Another beautiful fantastic ceiling. Check that beautiful furniture in the background...

The colors and shapes were a bit softer her than at Batillo.

Lace. Railing.

Artifacts from inside the building.

Beautiful piece on display inside the building.

There be those arches again...only in brick this time...

Looking down through the center of the building.

View. Barcelona is so cool looking.

View...modern smashed up against historical buildings.

I had to post ALL of these, I just loved all the white tile against the bright blue sky.

Strike a pose!

And then it got really artyfarty. Keene caught me posing.

Ta-da!

Subtle, Gaudi. Real subtle.

Here I go taking my amateur video again, and slipping into accents...this time, Southern.

More shots from the rooftop...

EUROPE, THAT'S A WRAP! You Guys, I wouldn't trade our trip for anything. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime journey. We had so much fun, saw so much great new stuff we'd never seen, and have a lifetime of memories of our time there. Thanks for reading about our adventure. I can't wait for Keene & Brooke in Europe: The Sequel!