We had so much fun spending five days in Seattle with our families. Most of the time when we go up it's for a jam-packed short weekend and we end up running around like crazy. This time we still ran around like crazy but there was a lot of time to relax and do our favorite Seattle things!

We started off the weekend with a lovely birthday dinner date at Revel in Fremont. I've been wanting to eat here for months and we were not disappointed.




The next day was Valentine's day so we spent the day as a family running around Seattle. We visited Kyle's Mom at her office and looked down on the Seattle from high up, walked to Pike Place Market, had Beecher's Mac and Cheese for lunch, stopped by Cupcake Royale for a treat and finally enjoyed a Valentine's dinner with our friends.











It was a very fun Valentine's.

On Friday the weather was looking pretty grey and drizzly but we decided to take advantage of being in Seattle and go to the Woodland Park Zoo. By the time we loaded up, stopped at Honoré for lattés and treats, and go to the zoo it was beautiful out! Not a cloud in the sky! It also happened to be the day at the zoo they were debuting four baby lion cubs! We really lucked out and had a wonderful day. After the morning at the zoo we swung by Paseo to pick up food for lunch (yum!) We spent the evening in with Kyle's folks cooking up the fresh fish we bought at Pike Place.

Saturday we met up in the morning with my best friend and her family for coffee, then in the evening we went out for a birthday dinner with my twin brother, sister, her husband and their baby boy at Serious Pie!

Sunday we had a little birthday brunch with my family and our friends before heading home.

It was a truly wonderful weekend.

 

I finally finished putting together a video from our August trip to Sweden and Scotland! It only took me five months! I've been chipping away at and I'm so happy with the result. Watching it makes me want to grab our passports and go abroad again. It was such a wonderful family adventure and getting to spend three whole weeks with my brother was the icing on the cake. I hope you enjoy it!

Music // Rivers and Roads by The Head and the Heart (Thanks Chris!)

 

1. Jardin des Tuileries 2. Parc Monceau 3. Jardin du Palais-Royale 4. Place des Vosges 5. Champs de Mars 6. Jardin du Luxembourg

I began doing these Paris posts in the spring but found it hard to work on them this summer. I still have a few more to come over the next few weeks. Gosh, I wish I was traveling to Paris this fall!

I spent all last week catching up on summer photo editing, which meant meticulously editing and organizing all my photos from Europe and... I completely forgot we went to Amsterdam. By this point in our trip we were all pretty exhausted so somehow our twenty-four hours in the Netherlands slipped my mind. Here are a few photos from our short visit to one of the coolest cities on the planet...

Our time in Scotland was spent mostly being cozy. Since Kyle was attending a two week intensive of brewing and distilling courses for his Master's degree, he was gone most of the time. Gigi and I spent a lot of time with Ryan and a lot of time on our own. A typical day started with a big cup of coffee and a late breakfast at one of the local cafes.

Some mornings we'd just stay in and have tea and oatmeal.



It was pretty rainy and grey most of the time so I would cozy up and read or journal while G took her morning nap.



After her morning nap we'd bundle up and head out into the city center for another coffee and lunch.



Other afternoons I'd bundle up with Gigi and we'd go for a walk around Leith which is where we were staying. I discovered the most beautiful cemetery that became part of our daily walk route.



Some days, if Kyle was getting done early, Gigi and I would hop on the bus and go meet him for a pint.




After some wandering, some people watching, or a museum stop, we'd head back to the apartment for afternoon nap time. In the evenings, we'd all go out for a bite. Sometimes it was just Ryan, G and I so we'd cook in or find a local spot to eat at.




Basically we read, spelt, napped, jumped in puddles, walked, ate, sipped, played and were cozy. It was definitely a stark contrast from sunny, active Sweden but it was lovely and quiet and we really appreciated our time there. Getting to spend three solid weeks with my twin brother meant the world to me.

We are home now and sufficiently recovered from the jet lag. Gigi slept through the night last night for the first time since we returned and we're feeling back on track today. The weather has been incredibly gorgeous. Kyle's folks were here over the weekend and they picked us up from the airport. It was so nice having them here to help us get settled back in. We have more friends coming to visit this weekend and our good friends are getting married on Saturday. A busy but wonderful way to reenter the day to day.

Here in Edinburgh, Scotland it's been pouring rain all day. By pouring I mean...

...really pouring. We went for a long walk during a deceptive sunbreak to my favorite spot in Leith, a beautiful old cemetery in a churchyard. We'd just had breakfast and were admiring the gravestones from the 1800's when a few drops fell, then more and more and more. Our attempt to hide under the protection of a tree were in vain, I grabbed my muddy baby and walked as quickly as I could, through the sheets of rain back to the flat. By the time we made it to the front door we were drenched down to our knickers/nappy (as they say here). A quick change into mid-day pajamas and we were ready for a cozy afternoon. Gwyn went down for a afternoon nap that was cut short by the thunder and lightning storm that came through, with thunder and hail so aggressive that it set off the car alarms in the small lot below our apartment window.

When the season change is hinted at, or in today's case, is right in front of me, I adore a hot toddy with ginger. I love few things more than curling up on the couch to watch a good movie with a steaming hot toddy in hand... it's actually something I look forward to all summer long when it's too hot out for my favorite cocktail. This summer, however, I got clever and devised a plan to make a cold version of a hot toddy. After a few experiments I came up with a refreshing, sparkling cocktail that has all the same great flavor as my hot toddy. Perfect for sipping at sunset on your porch or enjoying in the garden. As the end of summer closes in and autumn looms ahead, there's still plenty of time for toddys... whichever fits your fancy.

The Toddy Recipes:
Hot Toddy with Ginger
Cold Toddy with Ginger

You can also try my Thai Hot Toddy if you like!

The past two summers, I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to photograph the most wonderful family who happen to live in Stockholm, Sweden. Just last month they were in Oregon again and I shot their family photos. Upon our mention that we'd be traveling to Sweden, Pauli invited us to stay with them. It was a generous offer and we happily accepted. We spent two very fun, giggle, silly, girly evenings with them.

One great thing about staying with a family in Stockholm was that we got wonderful recommendations for where to go and (more importantly) where to eat. When Pauli told us about Rosendals Kafé, we knew that was where we needed to go. It's the most incredible café tucked into the most extraordinary garden! They make food straight from their gardens, it's always in season, and it was spectacular! The menu changes daily depending on what's available. It was such an inspirational place. Without intending to we spent nearly our whole day there.




We ate our wonderful food in the garden where we made new friends and Gigi ran and played. Then we browsed through the shop, I wanted to buy the cookbook for the café but they didn't have it in English. We picked up a sweet treat for later and then walked the grounds, meandering along paths until we found our way to the ferry.




We took the ferry across to Gamla Stan, or the Old Town area of the city. It was pretty touristy but there was a lot of people watching to do. We wandered and walked until late afternoon when we decided to head back to Pauli's home to make dinner for her and the girls.




Stockholm is such a beautiful city. We only got to spend one amazing day there but it's on my list of places I hope to visit again and again.

Later this week I'll share some photos and stories from here in Edinburgh, Scotland and I have a new recipe and cooking video to share too!

Dala-Floda was where we spent our last day in the countryside of Sweden. It is the most beautiful little town with homes that are beyond charming and a stillness that was perfect. Ryan took us to a beautiful bastu (sauna) on a picturesque lake. While he and Kyle baked and steamed Gigi and I played in the sand and sun.

After a few hours on the lake, we went for lunch a the Värdshus. A small, glorious, bed and breakfast in Dala-Floda with a renowned restaurant. The food they prepare is all local and organic, much if it from their own lovely garden. We sat outside at a table on the lawn and enjoyed our delicious food while Gigi ran and played on the grass.

After fika we packed up to head back to the farmhouse to begin the process of packing for Stockholm...

...our time in the Swedish countryside was incredible. I've always loved visiting the areas outside of cities when we've traveled in Itlay, Germany, France, and now Sweden as well. Outside of the city you get such a sense of the people, the culture, the food, the warmth of a country. It's not surprsing that during our time there Gigi learned two new words, "kiss" and "freinds" which she uses every day now.

We met such wonderful people, ate healthy and delicious food, made new friends, had once in a lifetime experiences, breathed deeply, swam in a warm lake at sunset, watched an airshow, ate from the garden, walked barefoot in the grass, learned bits of a new language... had adventures.

We are now settled in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kyle has started school. The tone here is so different from that in the countryside of Sweden. It's drizzling a bit and you can feel the day to day city pace. Kyle has started school, he leaves with his bag around 7:30am and is having a wonderful time. Gigi and I are hanging with Uncle Ryan, I'm catching up on a little work, journaling, reading... It feels like we left summer behind in all it's perfection in Sweden. It's definitely fall here in Scotland.

I still have more photos and stories to share from our time in Sweden this week... these photos are from one day of our trip we spent just relaxing on the farm. One thing I loved about the farm life was going every morning with Gigi to check on the chickens and look for eggs. Then, to come right inside and make her breakfast from an egg she collected. I'm so excited to plan and prepare for getting chickens next spring.



We spent the day playing, exploring, doing laundry, snacking on real Swedish fish, napping, reading, and soaking up the sunshine.

Another thing we loved about being in the countryside was fika, afternoon coffee that is traditionally prepared over an open fire and served with sweets. Ryan's neighbors invited us over to have traditional fika with them. We wandered over around 4pm for coffee. Normally I wouldn't dare drink coffee so late in the day but throughout our time in Sweden I never found it to affect my sleep. Maybe it's countered by all the fresh air. We sipped our coffee and snacked on brownies made my Kerstin. We also got to try her special flower water which was very sweet, made from flowers at her mountain cabin, and a homemade juniper berry cordial.



Kerstin and Oboreo delighted us all with some violin playing! The girls, Gigi and Kerstin's granddaughter Judith, couldn't get enough. Gigi danced and jigged and cheered for more. It was wonderful. The more they played the sillier the girls became. Doing headstands, lying down and rolling on the grass, squealing and giggling like mad.



After fika we returned to the house to prepare for a wood-fired pizza dinner with Lars, Karin, Isak and Sofia. Any time spent with this family was so much fun. Gigi couldn't get enough of Miss Sofia. Everyone chipped in to prepare the ingredients and soon we we all assembling our individual pizzas.

We spent the most lovely evening with the sweetest family. Meeting Lars, Karin, Isak and Sofia has been the highlight of our trip in the Swedish countryside. You can't imagine a more kind and generous little family. They were so welcoming to us, doted on Gigi and really made our time in Dala-Järna so wonderful. These photos are all from a perfect evening we spent at their small lake cabin near the farm. We walked through a beautiful wooded area, the ground was covered in tiny blueberry bushes, and then came upon the lake. It was still warm enough for a swim and even Miss G got in the water to splash and play. We had fika (evening coffee) and sweets and sat on the porch until the sun set. It was one of those evenings for me where I just wanted to hold my breath and take it all in. We feel so lucky to be here, on this trip, meeting such wonderful people, making memories with Ryan and experiencing new things with Gigi.

We spent a day driving and exploring Falun and Sundborn, Sweden with Uncle Ryan. We went to Falun to have a traditional Swedish lunch at the old copper mines which were pretty impressive and then we went to Sundborn to see the Carl Larsson House, which was equally as impressive. The Swedish countryside is unbelievable. It's vibrantly colored, the air is so fresh, and the people are friendly. We've had near perfect weather which the Swedes are all thankful for... apparently it's been quite grey until we arrived. We're soaking up every minute of country life here.

Yesterday was our third wedding anniversary. We start our days here with coffee and books on the couch... 
Checking on the chickens and looking for eggs with Adam...

Breakfast. Ryan made us wonderful sourdough waffles. He started the batter the night before and they were so good! We are scheming to see how we might be able to take back the yeast with us...

And music in the living room.


Kyle and I decided to go for a nice long drive around Lake Siljian, stopping at little towns along the way. We packed up a little bag, grabbed our maps and were on our way.


All in all it was a lovely anniversary. Sweden is just as beautiful as you might imagine.

We arrived in Dala-Järna, Sweden on the 11th and have been having a wonderful time. We spent our first evening meeting the lovely neighbors, eating a simple dinner, and heading to bed for some much needed sleep. Gigi didn't sleep on the flight except for maybe an hour long nap. She finally passed out when we landed in Sweden at about 4:00am U.S. time which means the little stinker stayed up all night long. Despite this, the flights were much easier than we anticipated. She watched some movies, colored, walked the aisles and was generally pretty happy. The timing actually worked our perfectly. She slept in the car for the four hour drive from Stockholm to Dala-Järna, got up and played with the neighbor kids, and went to bed at her normal bed time. She slept 12 hours and only woke up once in the night, nursed and went right back to sleep. We all recovered from the jet lag pretty quickly because we were able to get onto Swedish time right away.

There was a big air show here when we arrived so we spent our first day staring straight up into the sky. There were fighter jets, an F16, trick planes... it was pretty impressive.



The house that we're staying at is a sweet little farm. The boys that live here are working to make it into a working farm with a possible CSA kind of program. Gigi is in love with the chickens. She walks out to see them every chance she gets and says, "Hey bac-bac-bac-bac!!!"



I'm getting really excited about getting set up with chickens when we get home... well next Spring anyway. We've been so spoiled with farm eggs from our friends. It will be fun to get chicks and raise them. The life here is pretty sweet.



Gigi is also in love with her darling Uncle Ryan who, for some reason she has been calling Uncle Mow! I think she's means now? Even in her still waking state, or when she sits up in the middle of the night, the first words out of her mouth have been, "Uncle Mow? Uncle Mow? Oh, hi!" It's incredibly sweet.



...to be continued...

p.s. I've been taking lots of photos on Instagram. You can see my photos here or follow me // KacieCollection

 

 

We are off to Sweden and Scotland today!

Bon voyage!

 

1. Musée d'Orsay 2. Musée Rodin 3. Musée de l'Orangerie 4.Musée du Louvre 5. Musée Marmottan

1. Musée de la Mode 2. Musée Quai Branly 3. Musée de Carnavalet 4.Musée Cognacq-Jay 5. Musée Jacquemart-Andre
6. Musée Nissim de Camondo

Continued from Birch Bay: Part One...

On Sunday morning we woke up early again, but this time I was ready. Ready for coooofffffffffeeeeeee!, for reading books on the couch, for walks on the beach. We were planning to head for home during Gwyneth's morning nap so we spent the morning caffeinating and packing up. Gigi is in love with Who Will Comfort Toffle? which was a gift. It's from Sweden and it's beautifully illustrated. She spent the morning in her cozies, finding and comforting Toffle with kisses.

We got dressed and headed down the waterfront to say goodbye to the great blue herons who flew by and the tiny little crab we discovered. When I was a kid I loved turning over "big" rocks to reveal scores of baby crabs living underneath. Despite my unshakeable fear of spiders, these eight legged creatures amuse me. I found this little guy living in a shell. Which, incidentally, is how Toffle's story ends too.

After draining our coffee, we saddled up and hit the road. We spent almost as much time in the car this weekend as we did in Birch Bay, but it was totally worth the trek. I love nothing more than spending time with my family.

Nothing more.

This weekend we escaped. Invited by our good friends, Jeremy and Tara, to their family's lovely vacation home in Birch Bay, we loaded up the car and headed North. After so much hustling around the past couple of months, it was hard to leave again. But the promise of R&R beconned so off we went.

We arrived in Birch Bay fairly late on Friday evening and got quickly settled in. I love the feeling when you walk into a new place and get to take it all in and say, "This is going to be my little home for the next 24 hours". After getting Gigi cuddled up in bed, we made dinner and played board games.

Our darling girl woke us up early on Saturday morning and I felt like I was in a swamp. The thick comfy matress and sleep deprivation from the last few weeks had an unexpected effect on me. I spent the whole morning rather, the whole day, in a haze of muddled half-sleep. I'm pretty sure I wasn't forming my sentences properly. Kyle, always the early riser, headed down the stairs to the beach with our on-the-go-girl, and I followed, bed-head and all. Is there anything more enticing than a wooden staircase leading to the water?




One of the best things about spending time with our friends is seeing how much they love Gigi. They embrace her, love her, snuggle her, and play with her. It makes both Kyle and I so grateful to have such amazing friends. "Aunt" Tara and "Uncle" J hold an extra special place with me because of their love for our daughter.




Since Gigi naps at 9am everyday, we were able to spend some time relaxing with our friends while she caught some zzzs. During her nap the clouds burned away and we were blessed with an outpouring of sunshine. When Gigi awoke we were all playing cornhole and relaxing in the sunshine. I loaded that girl up with sunscreen and proceeded to spend the next hour battling with her that she must keep her sunhat on! She just loves hats so, so much that she wants to hold them and present them to everyone around her. Jeremy had bought her some bubbles at the market and unwittingly, with the first blow of tiny bubbles, became the royal bubble master for the afternoon. Who can deny a sweet "more more more" from a child who adores you and thinks your bubble blowing skills are spectacular?



I could hardly wait for the tide to recede so we could take G out to explore the shore. When I was in L.A. with her she couldn't get enough of the water and the waves. In Birch Bay, the shoreline is quite shallow so when the tide goes out you can walk out one hundred or so yards. We took off her shoes, rolled up her over-alls and trundled down the stairs with four dogs in tow to see what we could see.






By the time we walked back up the stairs from our long explore Gigi was nodding off. We rinsed her feet, stripped her of her wet clothes, kissed her sunscreened head, and plunked her into bed. The sun was high in the sky and everyone was sipping beer that Kyle had provided. Since I'm not much of a beer drinker I eventually accepted a glass of red wine, kicked my feet up, picked up my book, and ignored the clock that said it was only 2:30 in the afternoon. I'm in the middle of reading Very Fond of Food by Sophie Dahl. I've lately found myself reading cookbooks instead of novels. I am obsessed with the stories behind the recipes, the photography, the ingredients. Cooking has really become my main passion in life... other than being a mom it's what I derive the most joy and satisfaction from.



By the time Gigi woke from her afternoon siesta it was pouring rain and we were all taking shelter inside. It rained on and off for the rest of the evening. There was a lot of cuddling, cooking and eating to be done so perhaps it's a good thing that the rain came down.



We stayed up late playing games and drinking wine and whiskey, oh my. The sun didn't set until nearly 10pm and when it did we were surprised with the most bizarre moonset! We tried to figure out why the moon might be setting, decided it may or may not be the apocalypse, bid each other goodnight/it's been lovely to know you, and headed for bed.




To be continued...

 

1. L'Affriole 2. Cinq Mars 3. L'As du Fallafel 4. Les Papilles 5. Le Soufflé 6. Bouillon Racine

1. L'atelier de Joel Robuchon 2. Bistrot Paul Bert 3. Le Comptoir 4. Le Dauphin 5. Le Severo 6. Hélène Darroze 7. Mon viel ami 8. le Grand Vefour 9. l'ami louis

I get asked, several times a year, by my friends and family, for my Paris List. It's no secret that I love Paris. It's my favorite city in the world. I fell in love with Paris when I was 18, on a trip with my Dad and Stepmom. There's just something about that city, the bridges, the bakeries, the parks, the restaurants, the shops, the neighborhoods, the metro, the wine, the Eiffel Tour... I just love it all.

I decided to put my Paris List into a series of posts for anyone who's lucky enough to be traveling to Paris. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be writing about my favorite museums, restaurants, cafés, parks, things to see and do, and more. I'm using photos from our Honeymoon in Paris, along with quotes from a travel journal I kept while we were there. 

To get things going, here is my list of 10 things you absolutely must do when you find yourself in Paris...

The Champs de Mars is the perfect evening hang out. It's a wonderful place to have a little picnic and take in the view of the Eiffel Tower when it lights up late at night. There are lots of people camped out along the Champs de Mars all through the spring and summer. It's the perfect spot to share a bottle of wine and talk, and talk, and talk.


Whether you are in Paris for a few days or a few weeks it's so much fun to find "your own" little bakery, wine shop, cheese shop, etc. Paris is grouped into little neighborhoods so you can easily make an area feel like it's yours.



We used our map everyday to make our plans. We marked all of the places we wanted to see with letters and the restaurants were marked with numbers. That way we could easily pick an area to visit that had sights and good food nearby. Paris has great transportation. The buses are great and since they're above ground you can take in the sights while getting from place to place. The Metro is really efficient and easy (watch out for pickpockets though)! My favorite way to get around Paris is to walk as much as possible. Often Kyle and I would walk "there" and take the Metro "home" after a long day of sightseeing. 



There are so many great bridges over the Siene River. When we were picking an area to explore we would try to cross a new bridge on our way. I love Pont Alexandre III but there are so many to choose from.



We are lucky enough to have family in Paris which means we always have a great place to stay. I know a lot of people that love using Airbnb, or other vacation by owner type sites. It's so wonderful to stay in an apartment because they are usually less expensive, and a little bigger than hotels. It's also a wonderful way to make yourself "at home" while you're traveling. It's a lot easier to pretend you're French when you're coming home to a cozy apartment.



It's so much fun to get caught in the rain in a city as lovely as Paris. But the effect would be ruined if you had an umbrella. It's much more fun to take shelter in a nearby museum or café. As Audrey Hepburn said in Sabrina, "Never a briefcase in Paris, and never an umbrella".

Last time we were in Paris I read, My Life in France by Julia Child. It made the trip (and the book) so much more rich because I was reading about the streets we were wandering down, the parks we were staying in, and the restaurants we were eating in.



I love the Parisian sky, and skyline. You really get a sense of the incredible architecture when you look up.



Eat your heart out. We at so much when we were there. We'd have five course lunches, three hour long dinners, croissants every morning, and wine every night. We ate so much incredible food. Make sure not to get on any scales while you're there... ignore the ones at the Jardin du Luxembourg. For that matter only bring dresses and pants that won't make you feel guilty by getting tight.



Paris is a wonderful city, enjoy everything about it (even the ridiculous things)!

One of my favorite things from our trip to California was taking Gigi to see the ocean (which of course involved a lot of sunscreen and an adorable swimsuit). I was surprised by how much she absolutely LOVED the ocean. Poppy and her family met Steph and me at the beach just North of Solana. Poppy helped me walk Gwyneth down to the water and as each wave cold came and splashed up over their feet, both girls were in fits of giggles. It was awesome. I'm pretty sure G wanted to ditch me and run straight into the waves.

 

Gigi and I had a wonderful trip to California. G makes a great little travel companion and I really loved this time with her.

The main thing I discovered on this trip was that we really have some wonderful friends in California. It is really amazing when your friends open their homes up to you and your silly, squirrelly, sometimes-tantrum-throwing, one year old. It meant so much to me to be welcomed into our friends' houses for a night, a week, a cup of coffee, or a shared meal. Everyone was so excited to meet Gigi and loved her so much. We are very happy to be home but are already missing all of our wonderful CA friends.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our trip...

Gigi with Hadley and Deborah. G and I went over to visit Deborah and Co. twice, once to cook dinner for them and once for coffee. I wish we could have spent even more time with this lovely family.


We met up with Whitney of Eat Sleep Cuddle for lunch on our way from San Diego back to LA. I really love her blog and it was so nice getting to meet her, I only wished we lived closer so we could cook and eat together all the time!


We spent almost a whole week in San Diego with Steph and Andy and their kiddos, Harrison and Lucia. Steph and I are so similar and every time I get to see her I just feel completely understood, fulfilled, and loved. She's a great friend.

There's also this little blossoming romance.



We spent a great day with Steph and Co. at the San Diego Zoo. I have wanted to go to the San Diego Zoo ever since I was a little girl. I wanted to either be a zoologist or an actress and was obsessed with a promotional CD/game from the San Diego Zoo. It was a blast with the kids. It was one of those perfect days where not one of them cried and everyone was happy.

(In case you were wondering, Gigi is licking the flamingo fence in the photo on the right. It's good for her immune system, right?)


We stayed with Tara and Cole for the majority of our time in LA. They were so welcoming, accommodating, and loving. Gwyneth loved playing with them, and I loved having helping hands. They were amazing. They even babysat for me while I went and visited the film set of one of my favorite directors for half a day.

We did a lot together: trip to Venice beach, lunches and dinners out, a morning at The Getty Center to see the Herb Ritts exhibition, and Tara and Cole took the time to put together a sweet Easter basket for G too!

We also got to visit with our lovely friend Romi Dames (a very talented actress), my wonderful agent Carlyne and her daughter Joell, our friend/casting director Rene, our friend Karman, and our friend Darren. It was two weeks packed full of friends. 

We had so much fun together on this trip. Gigi is a total California baby!

 

Happy Easter! We are back in L.A. and staying with Cole and Tara again. They went to the store yesterday and put together the sweetest little Easter basket for Gigi. I feel so lucky to have them as friends. It's one thing to be welcomed into someone's home, but it's a whole other thing to have your child welcomed, loved, and spoiled by someone. It's really amazing.

Yesterday we got to visit again with Deborah (in the photo above), Hadley and Hal. Now, Gigi is taking her morning nap and we are going to get ready to go see the Herb Ritts exhibition at The Getty Center, and go down to Venice Beach! I fell in love with Herb Ritts' work when I was in high school so I'm really excited to see this exhibition. The weather here is just gorgeous and will be perfect for a little museum time and stroll of Venice Beach. Today is my tourist day. Tomorrow, Tara is going to babysit Gigi while I go visit a film set (I wish I could tell you a bit more about it but it's a secret)! I am so excited because it's the film of a director who's work I really admire. Then, early on Tuesday we are heading home! I can't wait to see Kyle.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday. Happy Easter.

Well, I will just have to do a full report on the trip when we get settled back at home. We've been having so much fun here in San Diego. It's so much fun to be playing and adventuring with my friend Steph and her two sweet kids, Harrison and Lucia. Harrison and Gigi get along really well for the most part... we fully expect a future marriage. They are really sweet together.We have been to the San Diego Zoo, made some nice dinners, taken the kids for walks, and today we're going to the beach.

Gigi is taking a much needed morning nap and I'm getting some work done. Since I've been sleeping in the same room as her she's been waking up a few times a night. I'm so sleepy I actually got in the shower in my bra the other day. It's great having a second mom around, we are really helping each other out... maybe there's something to this group parenting program.

On Friday we are heading back up to LA, then we have a nice weekend planned, and on Monday I get to visit a film set. Then we are heading home early on Tuesday morning! We've been so busy I've hardly had time to think about how much I miss Kyle. It's hard being away from him for so long.

This trip has been really fun so far. Gigi and I are getting ready to head down to San Diego to visit our friends, Steph and Andy. This first part of the trip has been wonderful but has involved a lot of juggling and visiting lots friends. I'll do a more detailed post on all our busy activities when we get settled in San Diego.

I have learned on this trip that having flexible expectations is key. I thought I'd have time to settle down and work, to watch movies, go to the beach, have picnics at parks, to read, etc. But traveling with a 15 month old is kind of a goose-chase. I've been staying the last couple of nights with Tara` and Cole. Tara has been a nanny for years so she totally gets it and has been just wonderful! She's helped me baby wrangle here at their apartment, and out at meals which has meant I can breathe and finish my sentences. You don't realize how squirrelly a one year old is until you travel with them by yourself!

I'm amazed at how much we've done in the past few days and how much fun I've been having with my little sidekick. She's been a trooper with all the changes in location, routine, sleep habits, meal times, etc. She's a good girl.

Once we're in San Diego it'll be me and Steph hanging out during the days while our three little ones play quietly together and nap in tandem, and all sleep through the night. Right?

Hello from LA! Gigi and I are getting all settled in California. Our first stop didn't work out very well but this morning we are settled at our friend's house and we are so grateful to Tara and Cole for taking us in! Gigi is sleeping and I am having my first little rest since our arrival. I have a lot of work to do while she snoozes! Yesterday I had lunch with my agent, Carlyne, and her daughter, Joell. They set up such a lovely meal for us and G had so much fun playing with everything in their house. I also learned she's an insanely fast stair crawler! Who knew?!

In other news... in addition to chopping off all my hair, I am also back to blonde! My poor hairdresser... I twisted her arm and she bleached the crap out of my hair. It was a terrifying and impressive feat. Good thing she knows exactly what she's doing! I loved having red hair but I feel more like myself as a blonde.

Before...
After...

Now I'm off to get some work done, then have a lunch date with Gigi, and a little meeting with our casting director/friend, Rene. It's going to be a lovely day.

Gigi and I are headed out to San Diego this morning to photograph the newborn baby girl of Steph and Andy.  Lucia was born on Monday morning and I can't wait to photograph her. I met Steph a few years back and photographed her first pregnancy...

 

 

 

 

Took photos of her first son, Harrison when he was a newborn...

 

Then I photographed their family again when Harrison turned one...

 

 

 

A few months back I took her pregnancy photos again...

 

 

 

I fell so honored that I get to capture the first few days of Lucai's life.  I will be staying with them so I'm going to get to take a lot of family photos.  After experiencing the magic of that first week myself, I am so excited to get to capture it for them.  They are such a lovely family and Steph is an amazing mom.

With that, I'm off for the next few days.  Then I'll be back just in time to celebrate our second wedding anniversary and then it's time to launch the new site next Monday! I'm so excited to share it with all of you, it's been such a labor of love.  "See" you in a few days.

 

I posted about the first half of our long, fabulous weekend yesterday.  Here's a look at the second half...

Saturday...

 

After ruiniting with G, Kyle and I went to go pick up our ribs from Bill the Butcher which happens to be right next door to Victor's Celtic Coffee Company!

 

Man, we missed her!!!

Best coffee on the Eastside.

We spent the rest of the day on Saturday relaxing with the family, sipping beer and playing in the pool.  I had my camera on me most of the afternoon and took lots of photos...

 

Lounging with Grandpa!

  

Croquet was played.  Alligators were ridden.

It was a lovely afternoon.

 

After visiting with Grandpa it was off to meet up with Uncle Ryan for brunch at Pete's Eggnest on Greenwood.

 

G took a special liking to Uncle Ryan's shades.

We headed home to get the ribs started and to snap some family portraits of Dayne, Amber and the kids.

And, of course, more sipping of beer.

We had a wonderful dinner thanks to Kyle's rib smokin' skillz.  Then we headed over for s'mores at Ryan's house. 

It was a late night for the babe but it was so fun to hand out with Ryan and his friends and eat s'mores with Reese's pieces, sit around a little bonfire and catch up.  We had such a fun, wonderful weekend.  Hope you did too.

The End!

 

We took off for a long weekend and headed to Seattle late Wednesday night and we just got home a few hours ago!  It was so much fun to spend a longer-than-usual amount of time with our families.  Kyle brother, Dayne, his wife Amber and their two kids, Bailey and Chloe were visiting so we stayed extra long. (Note: I am pretty sure I didn't punctuate that sentence correctly... I never know how, many, commas, to, use).  Here is a look at our wonderful weekend... well the first half of it!

 

We got a blueberry tart, gruyere and caramelized onion magical croissant thing and a caramel and sea salt cake (I also got a salted caramel macaroon but ate it immediately).

 

 

Meghan, G and Rob.

 

Macaroooooons!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have the best big sister in the whole world!

After pastries, it was time for...

 

Bill the Butcher is in Redmond, WA.  We've been wanting to check it out for ages.  All their meat is local, sustainably farmed and organic.  We placed an order for some spare ribs to grill later in the weekend.

We returned to Kyle's parent's house, cooked up Lemony Roasted Chicken and played scrabble.  Then we all went to bed...

Friday...

We got up bright and early to play with the kids.

 

Some of us weren't quite awake yet.  Then we packed up the whole gang and headed to the Woodland Park Zoo! 

 

Erika and Chloe ready to explore!

 

Our little monkey in the monkey house.

 

Gigi was taking notes so she could show us her foot in mouth skills...

Nice!

Bailey checking out the penguins.

 

Silly Dad.

 

Poppy and her family members.

After the zoo we headed to Red Mill Burgers for lunch.  I've always heard great things about their classic, all-american burgers.  We weren't disappointed!

 

 

 

Amber, Dayne, Bailey and Chloe.  Those kiddos were pretty exhausted from the long day at the zoo!

 

 

We spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing and playing outside.

 

Then... Kyle's parents sent us parents out for the night!  They booked as a room at The Heathman in downtown Kirkland and bought us dinner at Trellis!  We are so lucky!  It was such a special gift.  I was, of course, quite nervous about being away from G but everyone kept telling me, "it'll be good for you", and it was.  

 

Our room.

 

Amber and Dayne.

 

Me and Kyle.

 

Double date night!

 

 

 

 

Steak with pomme frites and bone marrow butter.

 

Lamb with a pomegranate glaze and kale.

 

Duck with watercress.

Thanks Dave and Erika for such a lovely, thoughtful gift.

I'll post Part 2 tomorrow!

 

A few weeks ago Kyle and I took Gigi on her first visit to Pike Place Market in Seattle.  It was rainy and cold (despite the fact that it was June) and she was over-tired and miserable.  We only lasted about an hour but it was still kind of fun.  Actually, that's a lie, it wasn't but I took some fun photos!  Growing up in Seattle, Pike Place Market always has a nostalgic energy.  I love the abundant produce and the overflowing flowers.  I felt kind of like a dorky, high-school photography student again (Pike Place is where every photo student heads with their first camera).  

We are in Seattle for the weekend and we are taking G to my very favorite place today... The Woodland Park Zoo!   It's still rainy and cold but we are gonna bundle that babe up and hope for a sunbreak.  I'll be back on Monday with a Wonderful Weekend post!  

 

After a long, cold winter we were so in need of a vacation.  Lucky for us, Kyle's parents had bought us tickets to go to Cabo, Mexico for Christmas!  It was our first time ever taking a vacation where all you do is sit on the beach!  It was WONDERFUL!  There's nothing like getting up in the morning and putting on your swimsuit at 8:30.  I took a lot of pictures... just apparently not many without the baby in them.  It would appear that she never got set down during the whole vacation.  She's gonna need attention detox this week.  Here's a few pics from our trip.

 

 

I have been trying to find the time (and the WIFI) to do a San Francisco Weekend post, but since that didn't happen... (turns out they don't have WIFI at campgrounds) here is a big ol' post encompassing the whole second week of our Babymoon!

Day 6: San Francisco, CA

We spent our first day in San Francisco wandering around The Haight district.  We stopped at Trader Joe's and grabbed a few items for a quick picnic in a park before hitting the streets and exploring the shops.  We happened across the Magnolia Pub and Brewery so we stopped in so Kyle could try out their beers.  Our server, Sal, gave us his recommendations for his favorite places to eat in San Francisco which was great because we love to try out the local's favorites.  

The Magnolia Pub and Brewery

 

Day 7: San Francisco, CA

Cafe Delucchi

From North Beach the trail heads down through Telegraph Hill to the waterfront.  We walked through part of this historic waterfront but it was really crowded and touristy so we found a bus back to the starting point and decided to head "home".  The walk was a really fun way to see and learn about San Francisco.  

For dinner we decided to grab In-N-Out for old time's sake.  I haven't had fast food in years and years and images and facts from Food, Inc. etc. kept popping up in my mind and I was feeling really guilty.  But, against my better judgement I ordered a cheeseburger (animal style) and french fries.  It was fun, but not very good... it tasted like fast food!  Aw, well.  We spent our evening watching the Food Network and relaxing.

Day 8: San Francisco, CA

For our third day in San Fransisco we went to visit our friends Chris and Casey at their fantastic apartment right near Golden Gate Park to watch the Seahawks play the 49ers.  By the time the game ended it was time to head for, what else, more food!  Once again we took Sal's recommendation and headed to Zazie, a french cafe-style restaurant in Cole Valley.

Kyle had the Grilled Hanger Steak with heirloom tomato, Vidalia onion, gorgonzola gratin and portobello cream sauce and I had the Crispy Duck Leg with haricot verts and warm fingerling potatoe salad with mustard and pancetta.  The food was rich and delicious and I was starting to worry a bit about what our scale might say when we got home... but that didn't stop us from ordering...

...insanely good Crème brûlée and one regular and one decaf espresso for dessert!

A view from the hill on the drive home.  The strip without lights is Golden Gate Park.  

Day 9: San Francisco, CA

For our final day in San Francisco, we decided to spend the day exploring the California Acadmey of Sciences.  It's part science center, part aquarium, part zoo and part rainforest.  The admission was pretty pricey but it was a fun way to spend most of the day.  I wasn't as thrilled with it as I was hoping to be for the amount of money it cost, but it was still fun.  

Being silly.

We were starving by the time we left Academy and stopped at Papalote (another of Sal's recommendations).  The food was fresh and the salsa was fantastic.  

After our late lunch we headed out to find the Toronado Pub which is a famous beer bar so Kyle could scope it out and have a couple of pints.  

Kyle in paradise looking at the beer menu.

Since it was our last night in the city, we spent it having dinner with family.

A few other places that Sal and my friend John recommended but we didn't have time to try were....

Nopa

Abacus

Le Fringale

Tadich Grill 

Yank Sing

Day 10: Driving from San Francisco, CA to Gardnerville, NV via Yosemite National Park

Bright and early not as early as we had planned, we headed out of San Francisco to drive to Gardnerville, NV where my Aunt Carla and Uncle Matt live.  We took the long route so that we could drive through Yosemite National Park.  

Aidan blowing out the candles matches on his cake pie.

Day 11: Driving from Gardnerville, NV to Goose Lake, CA/OR

The drive from Garnerville to Goose Lake State Park was gorgeous!  Once we got through Reno it was all so picturesque.  The campground was clean and pretty and it was the perfect time to stop.  It lies right on the border between California and Oregon (although it's technically in Oregon).  For dinner we roasted chicken sausages on the fire and made a salad before we threw down a few more rounds of Yahtzee!

Day 12: Driving from Goose Lake, OR to Pendleton, OR

We packed up in the morning and set out for Pendleton, OR.  The drive was, again, picturesque and gorgeous along 395.

Day 13: Pendleton, OR

In the morning it was time to "Let 'er Buck!" as they say.  We headed to the Rainbow Cafe to meet up with my sister (Meghan) and her husband, Rob.  The Rainbow is always packed during the Roundup and serves trucker-style diner breakfasts that take forever to get...it's all about the experience.

 

 

The whole family.

Ryan and Dad.

Meghan and Rob.

A future cowboy named Oregon.

Then, we headed downtown to check out the scene.

Outside the Rainbow.

Inside the Rainbow.

Ryan.

Dad and the ladies.

Day 14: Pendleton, OR

After a busy day on Friday at the Roundup with lots of photos, I opted to leave my camera at home for the finals day.  Luckily, my sister's husband had his iPhone and with the help of some binoculars he was able to snap some really cool shots of the rodeo.  We also bought a cute onsie for the baby!

Me and the Pops.

 

 

The finals day of the rodeo was great!  We headed back to Uncle Grey's around 9 and Kyle and I proceeded to kick some major butt at hearts (turns out playing cards sober is really effective to winning).  

Day 15: Driving from Pendleton, OR to our home!

We got up early, packed up and headed home!  It was pouring rain for most of the drive but by noon we were home.  The fridge is reloaded, the laundry is in progress, there is a chicken roasting in the oven, the cozy pants are on and we're watching Sunday Night Football.  We had a wonderful trip, but it's always nice to come home.  Calypso is thrilled that we're back.

 

 

 

 

It's been such a great first week of our Babymoon and we still have a full week left!  Here's a look at our trip so far...

Day 1: Ellensburg, WA

We started off our trip in Ellensburg to celebrate Alfonso and Nina's birthdays with friends, beer hot chocolate and a pig roast.  The wind was icy cold and whipping through Ellensburg so we were all bundled up but that didn't stop the music and fun!  

Kyle testing out the impromptu driving range.

Jake turning the pig.

The "Rotisserie" Crew

Maria and her pup.

Pilot.

Adrian playing the drums.

My best friend Marion (on the right) and her sister, Crystal.

Marion's Dad carving the pig with a machete.

Bundled up.

Kyle about to dig in.

Day 2:  Astoria, OR

Early in the morning we packed up out of Ellensburg and headed toward the coast.  It was a long day of driving but we were ready to relax.  We put Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix into the CD player and I knitted away at a hat (which I finished before we got to Astoria).  We arrived at our destination around 4 o'cock and set up camp at Fort Steven's State Park.   We made turkey burritos for dinner with yummy, organic ingredients we had packed up before we left.  We built a campfire and settled in with hot chocolate for several rounds of Yahtzee!

Eating dinner while wearing my newly knitted hat.

Our neighboors flamingo.

 

Yummy buttermilk pancakes (from Trader Joe's mix) for breakfast.

The Druid's Delight... espresso, milk, vanilla, caramel and chocolate whip cream!  Perfect for a cold, wet drive!

The sun came out!!!

The view from The Burning Plain location.

Gorgeous sunset from the location while shooting.

Newport:

Funny seals.

Local Oceans.

Grilled fish and chips with fennel slaw.

Coconut prawns.

Curry mussels. 

Day 3: Driving and camping in the Redwoods, CA.

We woke up in Newport and hit the road right away because we had a long drive ahead of us through the Redwoods.  It was grey and wet again and stayed that way through most of the Northern Redwoods.  The trees are so dense and beautiful!  It's impossible to describe their size!  We got to where we were going to camp but it was still very cold and rainy so we opted to keep driving South and inland along our route in the hopes that the weather would warm up a little bit.  Luckily, it did and we set up camp in the Southern part of the Redwoods, made a quick dinner with our burrito leftovers and had hot chocolate and a few more rounds of Yahtzee!

Some very damp plants along the coast.

Day 4: Driving from the Redwoods, CA to Santa Rosa, CA.

Since we'd driven a little extra the previous day we had a fairly short drive into Santa Rosa.  We stayed with Kyle's Uncle Craig and after quickly settling in and taking two much needed showers we went out to dinner with Craig and his two wonderful daughters Kellie and Katie at one of Kyle's favorite breweries, Russian River.  

Katie, Kellie, Craig and Kyle at Russian River.

Day 5: Driving through Napa, CA and into San Francisco, CA.

We had headed to bed early and, after plenty of sleep, we got up and packed up, ready to head through Napa and into San Francisco.  We got coffee with an old friend and met her new baby girl before hitting the road.  The drive through Napa was gorgeous although it was a bit torturous as I couldn't have the wine!  A friend had recommended the Rutherford Grill for lunch so we stopped for a great chicken salad (for me) and prime rib a jus sandwich (for Kyle).  Then we headed to the Coppola Vineyard right across the steet (which the same friend had recommended) to check it out.  The winery was absolutely gorgeous!  It felt like being at a French villa.  The wine tasting was about $50 so we opted not to partake, but the stop was worth it just to check out the vineyard and museum-like winery.  We arrived in San Francisco and got settled in at Kyle's Aunt Lynsie's house in Foster City (a suburb just South of the city) and then headed over to Kyle's cousins Derek and Brandon and Brandon's wife Anifisa's house for dinner.  Anifsa is pregnant and due just a week after me, so we had lots to talk about!  Dinner was great although we spent most of the night glued to the window (watching the fire) and the television (watching the news) because the San Bruno explosion/fire was just minutes away from their house.

The Coppola winery.

Arriving in San Francisco on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Still to come... Our weekend in San Francisco (I'm too sleepy to post all about it now... speaking of which, I apologize if there are any misspellings in my post!), our drive through Yosemite (after careful consideration, we've opted not to stay in Yosemite due to the fact that it sounds like it may be too physically demanding since I'm quickly heading towards the six month pregnancy mark), a stay with my Aunt Carla, a bit more camping and the Pendelton Roundup!

 

On Saturday we are heading out for our Babymoon Vacation!   We've got our tent (and Aerobed) ready, Newman's Ginger-O's packed, Harry Potter books on CD set to go and a new knitting project to begin! 

Here's our plan:

We'll spend the first night in Ellensburg, WA celebrating our good friends' joint birthday party Puerto Rican style, including mucho rum, a roasted pig and wonderful friends.

The Birthday Boy Alfonso "Why is the rum gone?" Gonzalez

The Birthday Girl, Nina "I don't want to snuggle" Gonzalez

From there we are heading straight to the Oregon coast!  

Oregon Coast (Photo by Kyle)

We'll spend the night camping in Astoria and then make our way leisurely to Newport.  After that, it's off to the Redwoods!  I am so excited to see this magnificent area of California.  I can't believe I've never been to the Redwoods.

From the Redwoods we'll head into Santa Rosa to visit Uncle Craig...although I don't think Kyle's let him know we're coming yet...hmmm.  Then, we're considering a stop in Napa although I'm afraid that being close to all that amazing wine might be tortorous...water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.  Then we'll be in San Francisco for four days staying with Kyle's Aunt.  I'm so excited to explore this culturally rich, artistic city and to eat amazing food!

For the second half of our trip we'll head into Yosemite National Park for a couple of nights of camping and relaxing since the next couple of days will be spent working our way back up to Pendelton, OR for the Round Up!  For those of you who don't know about the Round Up...how do I explain this event...the Round Up is a fantistically fun, crazy, let 'er buck rodeo that we attend nearly every year.  As it happens, this year happens to be the Centenial celebration for this rodeo so it should be extra fun.  We always stay with Uncle Grey (not really our Uncle, he's Marion's Uncle) and Tina.  We relax with my best friend Marion and her family (the previously mentioned Birthday Boy and Girl).

 

Action at the Roundup.

Dad doing his photography.

Uncle Grey and his dogs.

Uncle Grey sitting in his "thoughful spot" as Whinnie the Pooh would say.

Party central.

At the Roundup with my Dad and Stepmom a few years back.

Dad with Dean Clark a member of the fence crew and all around great man.

Poor Daddy getting run over by a bull last year.  For the record, although he does appear to walk straight into the bull's path for no reason...he actually got clipped by the bull earlier and was disoriented.

Poor Daddy icing his injuries after the rodeo ended for the day.

Enjoying the Roundup last Summer.

Then, at last, we will be returning home to our disgruntled cat... 

 

 

We're so excited to head out on the road and explore the coast.  We'd love any recommendations you have from places to check out, stops to make, great restaurants to eat at, your favorite things in San Francisco and anything else!  Most of these places are new to us so we'd love any advice you've got for us!  I'll try and post a few blogs along the way, but it may end up just being one long post when we get back!

 

 

This weekend we headed up to Whidbey Island, Washington for our friend's wedding.  We packed up the car, put in the Harry Potter CD and hit the road.  We drove up along the 101, opting to take the scenic route.  We stopped at a pretty State Park for a very French road trip lunch.

 

We just had to stop at this dive bar called, what else, the Geoduck.  For those of you who didn't grow up around Geoducks, they're a big deal 'round these parts.  They're a kind of clam with a funny name and they are the mascot of Evergreen State University...hmmm.  Kyle had a drink and we took in the view and the, um, interesting souveniers like hot pink camoflauge shirts and thongs that had "The Geoduck" embroidered on them. 

We arrived in Port Townsend where we took the Keystone ferry across to Coupeville where the wedding was going to be.  Port Townsend is a cute, tiny town with lots of shops and yummy (yet overpriced) ice cream.  I had their fresh made ginger ice cream...a pregnant lady's dream!

We had about an hour to wait for our ferry and that was the perfect amount of time to wander up an down the main street and explore the little shops before making our way back to the car for our ferry.  Unfortunately, the woman running the toll booth put us in the standby line even though we had a reservation so... we missed our ferry and had to wait another hour for the next one, so we explored Port Townsend again to see if we'd missed anything...we hadn't, but it was still nice to check.  I love taking ferries!  It's totally nostalgic if you grew up in the Pacific Northwest.

We got checked into our cute little Bed and Breakfast, The Spinnaker Tea Garden where the owners Juanita and Marty welcomed us.  They are the sweetest couple and clearly love running a B&B.  The beds were comfortable and the breakfast was fresh and delicious.  Juanita even packed us up a picnic lunch to take on our way when we left!  

On Saturday morning we spent a little time wandering in downtown Coupeville (which spans about a block and a half) but most everything was closed because it was early so we had to find other ways to entertain ourselves.

 

(Le Souffle in Paris)

(Le Menu)

 

(Me cooking...Calypso being lazy.)

(Browned meat and cooking veggies.)

(Braised pearl onions.)

(Sauteed mushrooms.)

(Fresh baguette from the new Hood River bakery.)

(The table all set.)

(My Dad, Kyle and Nance enjoying the beouf bourguignon.)

(Souffle success.)

 

 

Sorry it's taken me so long (a week actually) to finalize my L.A. Trip blog.  I was so exhausted after coming home that I needed a while to reboot. 

(Photo by David Hume Kennerly)

(Relaxing on Karman's patio... Dress (Jean Paul Gaultier for Target), Gladiator sandals (Frye))