Happy Christmas

Merry Christmas from Canadia! The tree is decorated, the stockings are hung, and the gifts are all laid out. I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with light!

xxo

Snow capped mountain tops

It's almost Christmas!

This whole 3 week break thing has really done wonders for my holiday preparation this year. I even made gift tags! It also means more time to go running and do yoga . . . speaking of which, why is it still raining outside?! What kind of apocalypse is this? Don't they know I want to go running. 

Our teeny apartment only has enough room for a teeny tiny christmas tree, but I've discovered this makes all the presents look that much larger. Also on my agenda this week? Trying to avoid cleaning... the apartment might be tiny, but it still needs to be vacuumed. Maybe some more baking too, chocolate chip cookies? What are your holiday plans? What have you been baking?

Cozy Saturday

A nice cozy relaxing Saturday morning. Started off with a run cup of coffee on the couch (followed by the run). Next up? Christmas shopping and cleaning/organizing the apartment - that big pile of shoes in the front closet really need a shoe rack. I'm so enjoying these first few quiet mornings without all the rushing that normally happens in the morning.

Unfortunately, I broke this cup in the kitchen sink directly after taking this picture. 

Back to Anthro I guess . . . darn.

Work, Pie, and Christmas

My absence of late is due in part to some (exciting) changes at work, but also mostly due to my laziness. Christmas is SWIFTLY approaching, and I feel like I was just writing about October flying by. I have put off almost all of my Christmas shopping for next week since we will be off of work. This means that I've been basically ignoring the oncoming holiday except for a few twinkly lights in our window and a mini tree from Trader Joe's (it's small, but pretty cute).

My new position at work has been exciting, challenging, mildly stressful, and also combined with my old position (until after the winter break). This all means that I am SO excited to get into the holiday spirit next week and start baking (more), buying gifts, making gifts, wrapping gifts, and oh yeah - sleeping in.

I did however, bake a bit over the weekend. As I type I'm eating some leftover (heart shaped) blueberry pie with a glass of wine. This particular blueberry pie is SUGAR FREE, but don't cringe - it still tastes like pie. Damn good pie. Zack has been avoiding sugar as of late, which has been a good excuse for me to get back into adventurous baking and cooking. These blueberry pies were made with a tasty sour cream/butter crust from America's Test Kitchen cookbook. The filling? Super easy to make a fruit pie sugar free . . . organic frozen blueberries (bought in bulk from BJ's . . .), a tablespoon of flour, splash of orange juice, cinnamon, tablespoon of maple syrup. Yum.

Note: We aren't going to discuss the "sugar" cookies I made. Some things are better left unsaid . . . and untasted. What was apparently an ironic request I took as a challenge and the result was gross and doughy.

 The neither gross nor doughy but actually delicious pie crust

 Baked

Not quite baked

Yeah, he's pretty handsome. 

What's better than pie?

Tuesday in December

Happy Tuesday. Fighting off lingering cold symptoms from the weekend. The 10K we ran on Saturday (in the COLD) provoked a sore throat, which I have been valiantly fighting a (winning?) battle with. 

I hope to get more time to cook and bake again soon - in which case I will definitely update with recipes and food photos . . .

I have been editing a lot of photos as of late. Hope to get some more good ones up here soon! For the moment, here's a bit of skyline.

This was taken about a month ago from the car window (as a passenger of course)

Blue Ridge Mountains

Though I have driven through the Blue Ridge Mountains once or twice in the past, this was been the first time seeing them in the blazing sun and bright blue sky. Wow. What a magnificent sight. There's little else to say, the Blue Ridge Parkway is quiet, windy, with few cars and incredible views. While it takes about three times as long as taking Rt. 81 (through VA) it is SO worth it if you're travelling through. There appeared to be some amazing hiking trails too, which I would love to explore in the future!

Here are a few shots of the mountains from the parkway. Plus a cow and farm or two. Enjoy!

Nashville, TN

I've been lazy and neglected this blog since getting back from the trip last weekend. I do apologize. I hope everyone enjoyed a thankful and lovely Thanksgiving! I have a plethora of photos still to edit, thus more blogging will commence.

Getting back into the swing of work after an eventful week off was an adjustment - but quite a good one. Good things keep happening! More on this soon . . .

Back to the trip. While we spent less than 24 hours in Nashville, it was time well spent. Mostly in the hotel making our delicious - but marginally ghetto - Thanksgiving meal (strange hotel hot plates in the very Ikea-like kitchen of our hotel suite) with my mother's birthday Rose. Yum. Besides our meal, with explored the to-scale reproduction of the Parthenon (who knew??) in the center of Nashville. For real, there is an actual PARTHENON in the middle of a park. This beautiful country never ceases to surprise. I had quite a time taking photos in the bright sunlight - beautiful day, beautiful light, and a magnificent structure. Looking up at the pillars was just dizzying. 

If you are ever in Nashville, I highly recommend exploring this place. Quite a visual treat!

Oh, hey sunlight.

 Texture.

Loved the gritty texture of the pillars in contrast with the smooth tiles underfoot.

A little perspective.

My mom using my iPhone

A special treat.

Day Five and Six: Happy Thanksgiving

I'm tired from all the driving but happy to be drinking a little champagne in Nashville.

New Orleans was, as one might expect, amazing! My legs are still sore from all the walking around. We had perfect 73 degree weather for all three days - just right for aimless exploring marked with brief stops for coffee, beignets, and beer. What else? A bayou swamp tour with the a nice cajun who lectured us on exactly why Louisinans take offense at such shows as Swamp People (rightly so). Saw some alligators, armadillos, herons, and floating trailers. Also learned a whole lot about the swamp of Slidell, LA.

I have way too many photos to go through - which I will do as soon as possible. Here are a few of my favorites from days five and.

Happy Thanksgiving! We are enjoying a Food Network-esque cooking challenge in the hotel room (hot plates and thanksgiving dinner?) and as I mentioned - some delicious champagne.

More to come!!

A view of Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral

Cafe Du Monde.

Jackson Square with filters

Birds in a fountain

Sunset

Day Three and Four: Instagrammed

Day three to Atlanta was mainly spent in the car, eagerly awaiting new scenery. We didn't get to experience all that Atlanta had to offer, but we did have a nice long visit with the local Whole Foods and I got a run in at the microscopic hotel gym.

Day four was also spent in the car, but we made it to New Orleans at the decent hour of 2:30 (and discovered the beauty of the time zone change! An extra hour!?)

We explored the city last night a bit, our condo is on the edge of the French Quarter (a short walk from the market and bourbon street).

I haven't used my camera a whole lot in the last few days but here's a sampling from Instagram!

Next on the agenda? Beignets at Cafe Du Monde of course!!

Day Two Continued: Chapel Hill in Photographs

I always forget how much I adore the sweet town of Chapel Hill, NC. Every few years when I make it down to the Durham area we usually spend an afternoon in the cozy college town and it is always a delight. Yesterday was no different. We had some delicious freshly brewed coffee and mint tea at Caffe Driade, explored the Ackland Art Museum, and had an incredible dinner at a charming little Indian restaurant called Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe. 

French Pressed Peppermint Tea

Chilly Sunset.

We didn't eat here, but the menu looked delicious. But after Curryblossom, I know we made the right choice!

My mother in anticipation of our meal! In retrospect, we may have gotten too many water glasses for three people . . .