Ljubljana, Slovenia in Winter

The first weekend of February was a long weekend and one of the better ones in memory.  It was the kind of weekend that warms you up from the inside, even when it is -11 degrees celsius outside.  The kind of weekend for starry eyes, beating hearts and sweaty palms.  It was fabulous.  

It was spent in the teeny Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, after a spectacular and picturesque train ride through the Alps.  The snow flurried around our heads and then the sun came out to make it all glitter.  The city itself is quite small, but beautiful, with great cafes and trendy spots.  (Alkaline water, I am looking at you!)  To be honest, though, I didn't notice much of it.  I was too busy with my starry eyes and sweaty palms ;) 

Doors of Lisbon

 

It's been a while since my trip to Lisbon, Portugal, but the impression that the vibrant city left on me lingers and inspires me to put a little color into my life.  One of the small details that stole my heart while there, was the brightness and intrigue of all of the doors in the city.  Something about the colors and the dilapidated charm caught my eye and I found myself taking pictures of almost every door I saw. 

I hope I get to go back to Portugal someday soon, but in the meantime I have a trip to Croatia to look forward to! I can't wait to welcome my sister to Germany at the end of the week and travel with her to the beautiful seaside city of Split.  Only 7 more days to go... :) 

Cascais, Portugal

 Life is good when there is nothing to do all day but sit on the beach, warm in the sun, and drink wine.  The sound of the waves crashing soothes the soul.  The salty damp air fills the lungs and calms the body.  I could spend my life at sea, feeling small and expansive at the same time, learning about the energy of the ebb and flow, getting lost in the vastness, yet being a part of it and finding myself there.

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At the beginning of December, I found myself drinking in the warm sun on a beautiful beach in the small town of Cascais, in Portugal.  I was only there for one day, but it was the best day I have had since I can remember.  My bones were warm from the heat of the day and my toes were in the sand.  The sea air seemed to heal me from the inside out.  It was so, so calming.  I highly recommend the town of Cascais if you are going to Lisbon, and would personally even stay there and take day trips to Lisbon if I went back.  It has great shops, fantastic food and the most quaint little beaches. 

I know it's been a long time since my last post but more pictures from Portugal are coming up later this week.  Happy Sunday, everyone!

On Sunday, when it rains

To sleep late on Sunday, cozy in bed and lulled by the cloudy skies and the soft pitter patter of rain hitting the balcony, is perhaps one of life's greatest pleasures.  It's been one of those days so far, the kind for mushroom omelets, flickering candles and one too many cups of coffee.  

We've had an icky August--it has rained or been cold just about every day this month--but today I won't complain.  Sometimes a Sunday wrapped in blankets listening to drip, drop, drip, drop is just what the soul needs.  

Dresden

There may be nothing better than a weekend spent with good friends in a new city.  I was lucky enough to have just such a weekend last weekend in Dresden.  A stately and vibrant city, Dresden is the kind of place where street artists meet 19th century cafes, colorful riverboats meet opera.  

We reveled in a long lunch and lots of delicious food, a slow walk through the city and a bit of an afternoon nap in a comfortable hotel room.  We ate delicious Thai and had a great experience at Good Friends restaurant and we enjoyed the Stadtfest that was happening while we were there.  Mostly we talked, laughed, enjoyed the sun and the wonderful and impressive atmosphere of the city.  

Dresden is a stunning city with a very sophisticated yet approachable feeling and I would highly recommend checking it out if you are in Germany.  Don't miss the Cathedral, which is one of the most airy and uplifting I have ever seen.  Also, the Dresdener Zwinger is one of the most beautiful palace grounds I have ever seen!  

It's hump day here and I have been thinking about this last weekend ever since Monday came along. Now that we're heading towards the weekend, I am dreaming of planning another similar weekend soon!  Until then I'll just keep looking at the pictures...

The longest days of summer

Lake days are my favorite days of all--they are summer at it's most pure.  They are made for cherry juice dripping down your chin and water-logged prune toes.  They're the one time of year where it is okay to do just about everything in your bathing suit and accomplish nothing in a day but read 100 pages in your book. There's nothing like them and now that I have been back from our family home in Michigan for two weeks, my heart is aching to be back there, for I never want those days of summer to end.  

Food on Friday: 2 recipes with za'atar chicken and veggies

Nothing says summer more than beautiful, colorful salads and fresh wraps.  Add in some Middle Eastern spices and you have the perfect light weeknight dinner and lunch for the next day.