International Dinner Party!

 So, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop couchsurfers does it take to make an international dinner party? Let's take a look at the numbers:

Number of Couchsurfers in Attendance: 8

Number of Countries Represented: 7

Bottles of Wine Purchased: 10

Bottles of Wine Consumed: 9

Number of Courses Consumed: 5

Hours Taken to Eat All Courses: 5

Number of Card Games Played: 3 (including my beloved Yaniv!)
Hour at Which Party Commenced: 6:30 PM
Hour at Which Party Finished: 5:30 AM
Hours Required for Clean-up: 1

Not only did Dan and I enjoy a fantastic evening with lovely people, but we ate the most scrumptious food - everyone made (from scratch!) a dish that is common in their home country. We started with a delicious Romanian polenta, moved on to delightfully soft Dutch pancakes, had a marvelous Spanish tortilla after that, proceeded to a delectable Portuguese soup, and finally, finished with an all-American berry cobbler for dessert. Oh, and just to add to the hippie factor, every single dish was vegetarian. Boo yah!

Oh, and if you want to find out the recipe we used for the berry cobbler, take a look here. It's from one of my favorite (non-travel) bloggers, Emily Loerke of Today's Letters. It was our first time making it, and while we were a bit nervous about it since we substituted blackberries for blueberries, the cobbler was really simple and turned out great!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Enjoy a leisurely lunch today . . .

{Fun fact: Here in Germany, Wednesdays are known as "berg fest," i.e. "mountain party." Sort of similar to the American "hump day," though a lot more fun!}

On Real Travel

"Orderly travel now means going at the maximum speed for safety from point to point, 

but most reachable points are increasingly cluttered with people and parked cars, 

and so less worth going to see, 

and for similar reasons it is evermore inconvenient to do business in the centers of our great cities. 

Real travel requires a maximum of unscheduled wandering, 

for there is no other way of discovering surprises and marvels, which, as I see it, 

is the only good reason for not staying at home. 

As already suggested, fast intercommunication 

between points 

is making all points 

the same point."

From The Book, by Alan Watts

Read any good books lately?

Dark Dark Dark "Daydreaming"

I used to live in Williamsburg (Brooklyn, that is - not Virginia). One evening, I was telling a friend how much I loved this band Dark Dark Dark, and we decided to check their website for any shows they would be playing in New York. Well, not only were they playing, but it was down the block from my apartment in about an hour. It was an outrageous bit of luck, so we ran out the door, dashed down the street, and flung ourselves into a very crowded bar where we had just enough time to grab a beer and watch them set up.


When the band started to play, the entire crowd became hushed, with even cooler-than-thou hipster types sitting on the floor cross-legged like children around a campfire. Nona Marie Invie - the band's lead singer, songwriter, and accordionist - has the throaty, bewitching voice of a gypsy woman speaking directly to the soul of the earth. When she sings of spells for letting go or a golden thread to spin, you believe her. And when she sings of daydreaming, you daydream with her.

"Oh now look to the east,

Great mountains remember me!

Oh I wound around you for miles,

I sat down right there and stretched my bones."

Best Shops of Friedrichshain, Berlin

When I visited Berlin for the first time back in 2005, I left with the impression that it was sort of a gray, industrial city without much in the way of shopping or nightlife. Six years later, my opinion could not be more different. Berlin is an incredibly vibrant place, positively teeming with creative energy. (It helps that there is a huge student population here and that the government provides all sorts of discounts and breaks for them, and artists as well.)

By now, most visitors have heard about the charm of neighborhoods like Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain. There are so many fantastic boutiques and cafés that it can be a bit overwhelming, so I thought it might be fun to list my favorites. I've broken them into categories for easy shopping. Enjoy!

Women's Wear

Peccato 

Simplonstr. 6

10245 Friedrichshain

www.peccato.de

Great basics like tweed blazers, jersey dresses, and leather handbags, all at reasonable prices.

Men's Wear

Stereoki

Gabriel-Max-Str. 18

10245 Friedrichshain

www.stereoki.com

"Street avant-garde" is the tagline on their Facebook page, which translates to avaiator sunglasses, plaid button-ups, suede desert boots, and (my favorite) a moustache-print canvas tote.

Baby & Kid Gear

Ziertische

Gabriel-Max-Str. 14

10245 Friedrichshain

www.zierstiche.de

Soft, adorable monsters to cuddle and love. They also have onesies, bibs, plates, money pouches, hot water bottles, and nighttime eye masks in a variety of happy prints.

Home Decor

Aufschnitt

Boxhagener Str. 32

10245 Friedrichshain

www.aufschnitt.net

In need of a pillow shaped like a sausage? I thought so. Aufschnitt literally has a butcher shop's worth of pillows, canvas totes, aprons, and other fun gear all in the shape of your favorite meats. 

Hausfreund

Niederbarnimstr. 5

10247 Friedrichshain

no website

The 64-pack of Crayola exploded in here. Find everything from stationery to tableware, all in bright, cheery colors and patterns. A great place to pick up souvenirs for friends back home.

Music

Power Park 

Niederbarnimstr. 11

10247 Friedrichshain

no website

Power Park is a no-frills kind of store, but boy do they have a lot of records. Good ones, too. It's strictly vinyl in here, but their prices are amazing: I saw entire BOXES going for the measly price of 5 for 20€.

Jewelry

SupaRina

Niederbarnimstr. 6

10247 Friedrichshain

www.suparina.de

Cleverly designed plexiglass jewelry, mostly for women (unless you fellas are interested in a Day-Glow orange unicorn pendant?). Their online shop also features clocks, lanterns, and wall decals.

And to finish - my absolute most favorite shop in all of Friedrichshain, and possibly, the world:

Rocking Chair

Gabriel-Max-Str. 13

10245 Friedrichshain

www.rockingchair-berlin.de

Rocking Chair specializes in vintage men's and women's clothing. They carry an incredible assortment of bowling shirts, Hawaiian shirts, handbags, and jewelry, all from the 1940s-1970s. The shop is beautifully curated and packed just enough with gorgeous goodies to inspire hours of browsing without going into claustrophobic overload. I had to summon all of my willpower to put down a sequin capelet that was practically made for me. Sigh.

"Anyone who lives within their means

suffers from a lack of imagination."

Oscar Wilde

(I disagree wholeheartedly, but Mr. Wilde truly had a way with words, didn't he?)

Language, and the Signs of Ideas

Shakespeare's Globe Theater, London.

Being that it's my mother tongue, I've often felt lucky that English is the global language of the moment, though I have no doubt that in the coming centuries (heck, the coming decades) Mandarin will take over in linguistic domination. Or perhaps Spanish will return to preside over the world's tongues. Anyway, mostly everywhere we go people are happy to speak to us in English, provided we have at least tried to greet them in the native language of the country we happen to be in. (As any serious traveler can tell you, knowing just a few key words can be the difference between getting what you want or getting . . . nothing. Don't be afraid to mispronounce - usually it just amuses the locals, so be prepared to laugh at yourself!)

I always expected to pick up words from other cultures during our travels, but what I wasn't prepared for was how my own mother tongue might change. For example, in the United States, those four years after high school are unanimously thought of as "college." In Europe, though, everyone refers to this time as "university" - saying "college" often corresponds to what Americans think of as high school. So now I always say "university." Funny, right? 

Or consider this exchange between Dan and myself at the grocery store the other day:

Dan: "Should we get any vegetables for dinner?"

Me: "I don't know. Maybe we could bake some courgette?"

Dan: "You do realize that you just said 'courgette' instead of 'zucchini,' right?"

Me: "I can't help being this cool." (Hides face behind box of pasta.)

I also cringe now to hear someone say KRO-sant instead of "croissant" (best pronounced as KWAH-san), whereas I previously thought of it as pretentious. Even my declarative sentences now often end in a "yes" or "no," turning them into questions. Ergo, what used to be "We turn left at the corner" has now become "We turn left at the corner, no?" - though I still mean it as a statement (ESPECIALLY with directions - Dan and I seem to have switched the gender stereotype on that one. Boyfriend cannot read a map to save his life. And just in case he's reading this: I love you, dearie!)

Has anyone else ever noticed their speech patterns change like that? I don't think you have to be a permanent nomad or expat to experience this - especially in countries with big regional differences, there can be enormous changes in diction or delivery. 

"We should have a great fewer disputes in the world 

if words were taken for what they are: 

the signs of our ideas only, 

and not for things themselves."

John Locke

Ch-ch-ch-changes! (Turn And Face The Strain.)

Bar-sitting in Amsterdam. Foamy Dutch beer . . . yum.

For the longest time (and when I say "longest time" I mean right up until three seconds ago when I checked the lyrics to make sure I wouldn't make an ass of myself by typing the wrong words here and have a bunch of comments telling me I was a big dope), I thought David Bowie was singing "Ch-ch-ch-changes/Turn and face the strange" which, honestly, I still think makes more sense than "face the strain" because "strain" sounds more like a new and possibly deadly virus which I most definitely would NOT be turning around to face and instead would probably run away screaming or, at the very least, hide behind Dan.

Anyway! Back to the point: regular readers of this blog (bless your hearts - I thank my lucky stars every day for each and every one of you) will have noticed a few ch-ch-ch-changes to the layout. DO NOT BE ALARMED! I hereby remain firmly committed to bringing you travel stories from our days on the road - the good, the bad, and the simply strange. Travel has always been my first and best muse, and I expect it to remain so until the end of my days. But since travel is not my only interest, I'm going to  expand this blog to include . . . well, whatever I see fit, really. Books, films, music, entertaining - all of these may make appearances. Take a look here and here and you'll see what I mean.

Go ahead and feel free to weigh on what you like or dislike: there's a new "Search This Blog" feature to make finding by topic or destination easier, my most popular posts are now easily accessible in the right sidebar, and all those silly little buttons that were just taking up space have now vanished into the internet ether thanks to my handy .html-slashing sword. But wait! There's more! Of course you can still get down with me on Facebook, holla at yo' girl on Twitter, Stumble the poop out of this thing, or (my favorite) follow via RSS feed. But now you can even find out where Dan and I will be (or even come out to a show sometime!) via our handy-dandy, super-neato performance calendar! It's right there, underneath the most popular posts! Uh-mazing.

Or, as King Bowie himself might say:

"Look out! You rock 'n rollers!"

Night People

You may have noticed a lack of posting around these here parts - sorry about that, folks. (Didja like my Old West style talk there? It has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of this post. Whoops.) Anyway, the reason is that every night in Berlin feels (or, um . . . is) like a party: talking, drinking, laughing, and of course, dancing - so there hasn't been much time to write. 

Our friend Daniel played DJ the other night for a bunch of us who had gathered after dinner. He started spinning records (yes, real vinyl - we are that f*©!ing hip) and in addition to the requisite classics from Aretha Franklin and James Brown, out came another master of funk - Lee Dorsey. I'd never heard of him before so I reckoned (okay, there's another bit of Old West for you. I can't help myself.) that you hadn't either. Go ahead, have a listen. 

"Night people hanging out, looking at each other

Waiting for something to happen!"

Life Lately, according to my iPhone

In clockwise order, starting from top left: 

1. & 2. Enjoying a sunny day in the park, Paris. 3. Macbook party at Greg's! (We were checking out the new album artwork.) 4. The sweetest children's book ever: Freddy the Detective, by Walter Brooks. Found in a used books store in Amsterdam. 5. Dan performing at Sowieso, Berlin. 6. The original tin ceilings of Sowieso. 7. A happy little aardvark (anteater?) helps with the construction work at Ostkreuz S-Bahn station, Berlin. 8. Antique book and postcards found at a little street fair in Amsterdam. 9. Delicious Thai food, made by Greg. 10. Ben makes the only successful house of cards (mine didn't get past the first level), Lier, Belgium.

Return to Teufelsberg

After Dan and I arrived in Berlin, we were immediately sucked into the vortex of new-album-making. It feels like we've been living with these songs for a long time already, especially since he wrote nearly all of them while we were in Aix-en-Provence and has been performing them at shows ever since.

We've been incredibly lucky to have the help and expert guidance from people we've met through or, at least, because of couchsurfing.

Right before he and I met in December 2009, Dan was playing shows and couchsurfing in Seattle, where he met an awesome German couple: Daniel and Jenny (well, technically she's Swiss). They kept in touch and Daniel allowed us to stay with him for three weeks (!) back in March. Now Daniel and Jenny have moved in together, and we're staying with them for another two weeks (!!) while Daniel lends his sound engineering talents to crafting the new album - for free (!!!). Needless to say, Dan and I are very lucky to have such kind and generous friends.

Last week we were in the studio: it took one day each for recording the guitar and vocals, another day to add percussion and do some mixing, and one final day of mastering the entire record. It was four days at ten or twelve hours each of literally straining our ears listening to every detail, ensuring it was perfect. Interesting stuff, but after sitting on our behinds that entire time, I was ready for some physical activity.

Over a few congratulatory beers (Sternburg when we're in Berlin - it's like the P.B.R. of Germany: cheap, delicious, and easily accessible), we remembered an idea we had after climbing Teufelsberg back in March: record a video inside the uppermost radome, where every movement expands in the air, a raucous, otherworldly applause at every shift and giggle. We decided yes, that was a very good idea and Monday (as in, yesterday) would be the perfect day for it.

We made the climb again; this time loaded with the guitar, microphones, tripods, two cameras, and a laptop. Recording the song was fairly easy, though we were interrupted several times by fellow trespassers - it seems that in the last few months, the Teufelsberg has become a tourist attraction and popular activity. (One person actually had a guidebook to Berlin tucked into a fanny pack! When Dan and I did this five months ago, there was not a soul around. Less than half a year later, we were surrounded . . .)

The song and video will be posted here in the upcoming weeks, so be sure to check back. In the meantime:

Happy Tuesday!

Ghent: An Enchanted Evening

The historic center of Ghent.

Why not head on over to my friends at Spotted By Locals and see what they're up to? You could do that. While you're there, maybe you could have a look-see at my latest guest post for them. It's called

Ghent: An Enchanted Evening

and it sure would make my little heart happy if you read it, and maybe even liked it. I mean, not necessarily in a Facebook "like" (which you could also do, should the spirit move you) sort of way, but in a "Hey, I sure liked that. I might even go there one day," kind of way. Or maybe you've already been, and it brought back great memories of this lovely Belgian city that surely deserves a few more words written about it, but maybe not today. 

Enjoy your Sunday Saturday everyone.

(Sorry, I'm a little ahead of myself these days.)

Fun Times in The Hague

Sometimes I like to play a little game with Dan: one person has to hide in a secret place while the other person is counting - up to 25 is good since it's a nice, even number. (*Note: I think any number ending in 5 is "even" because they are the easiest to count to.) When the person who was counting is finished, they have to go find the first person. Sound complicated? Well it shouldn't, because it's just Hide & Seek, weirdo. You probably played it 17,000 times between the ages of 3 and 10.

Anyway, this version of Hide & Seek is called Find Gremmie. The reasons for this are twofold:

1. Dan calls me Gremmie because when I'm angry, I resemble a Gremlin - you know, the creatures of this classic '80s film. (To my credit though, the movie tagline pretty much describes me to a T - "Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous.")

2. Because Dan never hides. Since he is as tall as a very tall tree, it makes him too easy to find. Just look for the tree with wavy hair. And a pipe. 

OK, I'm gonna hide now! Start counting! 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 

Ooo, this is pretty. This looks like a castle. I might hide in the castle. Wait . . . what? It's not actually a castle? It's part of the Parliament? BO-ring. (But still super pretty. Good job, Den Haag.)

I like to swim. I could hide in this fountain. Plus, it has GOLD on it. I love shiny things, sparkly things, ribbons, and things made of silk (but NOT things made of velvet) and this fountain has both shiny and sparkly things on it. 

Then again, it's still like 57° here (that's about 14° C for my Euro friends) here during "summertime." Cold + wet = full Gremlin rage. Pass.

Oh look, it's the M.C. Escher Museum. He's cool; I dig him. Maybe I could hide behind one of the bigger pieces and Dan would be so confused and dizzy from the optical illusions that he would never find me and I would be the ultimate winner of the Find Gremmie Olympics. 

Whoa. Hold the phone. 8€ to get in, you say? What am I, made of money? Come on. Sigh. Double pass.

These flowers are nice. They smell good. I could take a nap here . . . is he still counting? What's going on? Where am I? What time is it? What is he doing?

Now let's go eat cupcakes.

The Hague Under Heaven

"Flexible Latitude" by sculptor Yue Minjun.

You might know from this post that I don't usually go in for modern art. Too often it is vapid, thoughtless, and lacking in any real message. However! During our weekend in The Hague, Dan and I came across an awesome outdoor exhibition called "Den Haag Onder de Hemel" (The Hague Under the Sky). And when there is a chance to sit on a giant man less than a foot away from his equally giant bronze testicles, I say . . . let's get to sitting!

Face detail of "Flexible Latitude" by Yue Minjun.

We had the weekend to explore this lovely little city (population: nearly 500,000) (note: I am weirdly preoccupied with city populations. It's inevitably one of the first things I ask of our couchsurfing hosts: "How many people live here?" They tell me, then sometimes they ask how many people live in New York. I tell them: "According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city of New York reached an all time high of 8,175,133. However, is you want to get technical {and I know they do}, the population of New York City's "Metropolitan Area" {here I use finger quotes} reaches a whopping 18.9 million people, with an incredible 800 languages spoken! That makes it the most linguistically diverse city in THE WORLD!" And then sometimes they laugh nervously, astounded by my incredible knowledge of New York City Census information, if they haven't already died of boredom.) so Dan and I did what we are best at: walked around the city with absolutely no preconceptions or must-see lists, just a weather-beaten map and our wits.

The traditional kowtow pose: the highest sign of reverence.
Frontal detail of "Flexible Latitude" by Yue Minjun.

Passing the popular café square, we turned onto the Lange Voorhout, where these sculptures are situated. Naturally, everyone was gathered around the giant man-balls statue (cue an abundance of suggestive groping photos), but there were other intriguing sculptures as well. 

The "Den Haag Onder de Hemel" (which can be interpreted as "The Hague Under Heaven" - a poetic play on words in the Dutch language, but is also a reference to the Chinese phrase "Everything under the sky" representing harmony between people, heaven, and earth) is a consideration of the consequences of China's massive growth and rapidly changing society. All of the sculptures are by Chinese artists. Find a few of my favorites below:

"The National Treasure" by Wan Liya.

To give you an idea of size and scale, Dan is 6'2".
"The National Treasure" by Wan Liya.

"Hitting Things Just With Qi" by Cang Xin.

"Dinosaur Amidst the Wind" by Sui Jianguo.
Across the dinosaur's belly the words "Made in China" appear.

"Gift from Heaven" by Jiao Xingtao.

Detail from "Gift from Heaven" by Jiao Xingtao.

For more information on the retrospective, visit their website at http://denhaagonderdehemel.com/. The exhibition is free, and runs from June 6th - September 11th, 2011.

Have a great Wednesday everyone! 

Stay strong. The weekend is not too far away . . .

Travel Tip #782: Exchange Your Books

Book sellers abound on the banks of the Seine, Paris.

I read. A lot. So much so that when we were originally packing our suitcases, I was willing to give up space that was intended for shoes for the ability to pack more books. In the six months that we've been traveling through Europe, I've learned the following:

1. Books are heavy.

2. Books are expensive.

3. Books do not fare well in suitcases, especially next to size 12, giant man shoes.

So in order to continue my reading addiction habit I'm a nerd, I had to get a little creative. Though I love the library I've collected at home, it became apparent that I would not be able to hold on to every single book I read throughout this journey. Instead, to keep the suitcase light and the wallet full, I started exchanging books in cities where I could find secondhand shops or English language bookstores. 

I've saved a lot of money this way, and didn't have to give up my reading "hobby" (Why the quotes, you ask? Because I hate that word. Almost as much as I hate "hump day." Just - ew.) So while I know this isn't the most thrilling blog post in the world, I thought it might at least be helpful for my fellow word nerds.

Window into my soul Shakespeare & Co., Paris.

Here's a list of shops that will exchange books - if you know of one in your city, leave the name and/or website in the comments below, and I'll add it here! I'll keep this as a working document, and while I am especially interested in places where the native language is not English, feel free to add to it even if your city/town/village/hamlet/hut/teepee/hippie van/whatever is English-speaking - it's always good to know where books can be exchanged for money or store credit.

1. Aix-en-Provence, France

    Book in Bar

    4, rue Joseph Cabassol

    13100 Aix-en-Provence, France

    http://www.bookinbar.com

    *Note: Please remember to greet the sales associates in French. They all speak perfect English, but it's 1,385,878 times more polite if you try to speak even meager French. They offer store credit or book exchange only, no cash back.

2. Amsterdam, Netherlands

    The Book Exchange 

    Kloveniersburgwal 58

    1012 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands

    http://www.bookexchange.nl

    *Note: The owner is a rather surly old man, so don't expect charming customer service here. They offer book exchange or cash back.

3. Berlin, Germany

    St. George's New & Secondhand English Bookstore

    Wörther Straße 27

    Prenzlauer Berg, 10405 Berlin, Germany

    http://www.saintgeorgesbookshop.com

    *Note: I have not personally been to this bookstore, but I have heard good things about it. Upon our return to Berlin, I will happily report back any pertinent findings.

4. Paris, France

    Shakespeare & Co. (a.k.a. My Very Own Mecca)

    37 rue de la Bûcherie

    75005 Paris, France

    http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com

    *Note: This place is a destination in its own right - the likes of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Djuna Barnes, and many other famous expats haunted its halls. Go for the history, stay for the smell of paper. 

    *Note #2: They exchange for cash or store credit, though they (weirdly) require some identification from the seller, such as a passport or carte de sejours. No idea why.

5. Prague, Czech Republic
    Globe Bookstore & Cafe
    Pstrossova 6
    Prague 1, 110 00 Czech Republic
    http://globebookstore.cz
    *Note: I haven't visited this bookstore personally, but it was recommended via tweet from reader Kelly Marie. Keep the suggestions coming, peeps. (And thanks again Kelly!)

*     *     *

Thankful as I am to the British for their invention of my native tongue, even their summer weather can be a bit dreary. Hop on one of these flights to Alicante from London, and be sitting in the sunshine in no time! Don't forget to practice a little español - adiós amigos! 

The Fleet Foxes "Grown Ocean" (In Lieu of a Weekend Video)

So it's not a travel video of my own making. And I know how you look forward to have gotten used to my random snippets of old women dancing to ragtime or songs we've filmed on the sides of mountains. But right now I feel like:

If I wasn't already on the great adventure of my life, this song would make me run fast fast to the nearest car where I would turn the key to the ignition and drive all the way to the mountains and climb  to the tippiest toppiest peak and when I got there I would fling myself off the side and be caught by the pink fluffy clouds that heaven laid out for me to dream on.

And I thought that was worth sharing.

Le Grand Place de Bruxelles

Of all the pleasures available to visitors of Brussels, I recommend the following most highly: 

1. taking the free elevator near the Palais de Justice for an excellent view over the city (including the Atomium in the distance),

2. eating any (or all) of the following: Belgian chocolate, Belgian waffles, or Belgian fries, washed down with a Belgian beer, of course,

3. seeing Manneken Pis and his hundreds of outfits (as well as the dozens of tourists that are scrambling to photograph a statue of a little boy peeing), 

4. hunting down Jeanneke Pis, the misguided feminist attempt at gender equality (i.e. a statue of a little girl peeing? Really?),

5. walking through the marble hallways of the Galeries Royales Sainte-Hubert, marveling at not only the gorgeous Italian Cinquecento (15th century) architecture, but also the prices of the designer collections sold there, and

6. seeing the Grand-Place (or Grote Markt, in Dutch). Because that's where all of these deliciously dreamy photographs are from. 

Of course, every new city in every new country holds its own surprises and yet - I always know that my favorite part of it will be the historic center. Brussels was no different. I was positively dazzled by this, one of Europe's most beautiful squares (I mean, they have REAL GOLD decorating the buildings!) and what is easily the most important and memorable attraction in the city.

Emoticon-Worthy News! :-D

I'm sure right now you're asking yourself, Self: why does this man look like a homicidal maniac he's won a million dollars?! 

A little background first (see how I played with the size of the text there? Genius.):

In the past month, I have bugged Dan to start booking shows in new countries. One of the more difficult truths of being a working artist is that it's much easier to return to places where you've already been successful (for us, that means Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin - actually, all of Germany. I like to tell Dan he's more popular than The Hoff.) than to continually branch out and explore different countries, where the cost of living and thus, the rate of payment can fluctuate wildly. However!

We just found out that we are headed to all of the following cities (and countries) this fall: Copenhagen (Denmark), Budapest (Hungary), and Vienna (Austria)! Oh, and we're going to be in Munich for Oktoberfest. Can I get a HECK YEAH?!

Heck yeah baby girl!

Now I just need to convince him to hop on one of those cheap flights to Tenerife so I can frolic in the water like the chubby toddler elegant swan I am have always wanted to be.

Keeping in Touch

Photo by Nancy McKay.

I am terrible when it comes to keeping in touch these days: you know, with a phone call, or a thoughtful note - even a few lines on a postcard would suffice. I didn't used to be this way. In high school, I was the queen of letter writing and notebook-keeping (most people call them "journals," but to me that smacks of prepubescent angst. Almost as bad as "diary." Shudder.).

Even throughout college a dear friend of mine and I would send a purse-shaped notebook (complete with beaded fringe) back and forth through the mail, with stories, gossip, recent news, music recommendations, book suggestions, life advice, whatever. We did this for years, until the notebook itself had lost most of its fringe and only a few pages were left. Then, one day, her dog got hold of it and it existed no more. (Which is okay because I still ♥ you, Mary. Fo' lyfe.)

Because I hate talking on the phone (and also because I can spend hours finding ways to procrastinate) (but mostly because sending a letter is so much nicer than writing on someone's Facebook wall), I decided to share with you a few of the lovely postcards I've found for keeping in touch the right way.

Photo courtesy of Nancy McKay. From her "Paradise" Postcard series.

Sigh. Looking at that photo makes me wish I was there - wherever there is - instead of in the gray, summerless city that is Amsterdam at the moment. Hawaii? Aruba? Costa Rica? Ah yes, Belize . . .

Appaloosa Moon, the Etsy shop run by talented photographer and blogger Nancy McKay, is filled with gorgeous images like the one above. Of all her cartes postales, I especially love the Tapawingo, Chevals, and Vintage series - all moodily evocative without the usual accompanying darkness. Nancy's work is dreamy yet cheerful - perfect for this western soul in the heart of New York City! (Oh, and she's also a wonderful friend who I sorely miss. Hi Nancy!)

Photo courtesy of Jen, principal designer & printer of Starshaped Press.

I came across the charming work of Starshaped Press during my short bout of homesickness. I spent hours mindlessly scrolling through design blogs, just missing my family and the little apartment Dan and I used to share. Then, I saw the can-do, DIY attitude of these "Hard Times" notecards and stopped feeling sorry for myself (and started pretending I was Rosie the Riveter).

Starshaped Press is a an old-school letterpress shop, focusing on the craft of good design and great typography. Based out of Chicago, they only work with antique metal and wood typefaces, and I LOVE that they are strict about using American, union-made paper - so much more eco-friendly than cotton papers that have travelled for thousands of miles. 

Photo courtesy of Andrea Courchene of Paper Sparrow.

Paper Sparrow is one of the latest additions to my blogroll - Andrea is one of those multi-talented people I dream of being: she creates beautiful illustrations, crafts whimsical jewelry, sews her own clothing, plays the cello - I mean, just writing that made me feel lazy. She also sells these adorable notecards on her Etsy shop, and every time I look at them, they remind me of the magical childhood we all dream of having - the one where flying away in a hot air balloon with a couple of friendly foxes is not fantasy, but rather . . . just a typical Monday. 

So there they are. Everything I ever wanted in a piece of stationery, that is. 

Happy Monday, people! 

Go fly a kite, or tickle a kitten, or something.