Monday, November 14, 2011

succulents

So I don't know what happened, but something clicked in my brain about two months ago and now I'm obsessed with succulents. I have always disliked gardening (and succulents in particular) so this was a major surprise. Maybe I just came to terms with the fact that any other plant I have slowly dies until I have to bring it to my mom for resuscitation, where it promptly springs back to life and flourishes. Or maybe I just realized that there are types of succulents that don't have thorns to stab you while you're trying to care for it. Regardless, consider this my newest hobby.

On a recent trip to Berkeley with Dyan, we stopped at a nursery to check out the plants. Obviously, I gravitated towards my new favorites.


Unfortunately, no photos of my own succulent plant--it's repeating history and I might have to bring it to the plant emergency room over Thanksgiving, where my mom can bring it back from a grave illness. sigh. It has lasted longer than most of my plants though. I haven't lost hope yet.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Casey

So this is a shameless post about my dog Casey. I'm mildly obsessed with her. She's so fun to play with and just generally adorable. And she loves to go hiking and go to the beach which is perfect because I love to go hiking and go to the beach, too!


I went home a few weekends ago and took Casey to the beach on an early Monday morning with no one in sight. I love that dogs get so excited about things that we sometimes take for granted, like a crisp Fall morning with nothing to do, an empty beach and the smell of the ocean. It really makes you appreciate life.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Portugal

It's a sad day when you realize that all of your exciting travel posts are on past trips. But not to worry, I have so many amazing trips in the early planning stages... it's kind of overwhelming. But for the near future, I'll have to settle for revisiting the past.

One of my friends has a good chance of visiting Portugal in the near future (I don't want to jinx it! but I really hope so), and the mere thought of such a trip has plunged me into a feverish nostalgia. After all, Portugal is one of my favorite countries, and one of the few places that I would really love to live, outside of California. That's a pretty amazing statement, given that I've only spent about a week there, but sometimes you just know.

Anyways, the whole process set me into a frenzy, and I spent hours googling for recipes, nearby Portuguese restaurants and bakeries, and staring at pictures. I figured that this was supposed to be the major advantage of Los Angeles, right? The diverse array of food and culture? I might as well take advantage of it.

I had a whole plan: to find pasteis de nata, the delicious custard tart that is everywhere in Portugal, and to create a mouthwatering blog post that would surely encourage someone to hope a plane the next day. If not to Portugal, then to Los Angeles, or some bakery somewhere. After all, food is a major component of travel, right?

Alas, Los Angeles won this round, as I got lost trying to find the bakery (which was not close, nor convenient). Then when I arrived, none were ready for another hour! A classic fail moment. So while I haven't forgotten my quest for these tasty treats, a few pictures of Portugal will have to suffice until I can finally get to that bakery. Maybe this weekend?

Even though I posted about Lisbon awhile ago, there is always more to say about Portugal. For some reason I have no photos of the weekend in Lagos, in the Algarve. Lagos was the most laid-back place, with no rush or concern. It's the kind of life that reminds you of what really matters--and what really doesn't. Lisbon does too--but in a more urban sort of way.


From Lisbon, we took a day trip to Sintra, a small town with castles and charm. The views made the trek well worth it.


Oh Portugal, how I can't wait to visit you again sometime soon(ish).