Behind the Scenes

Gamla Stan, a historical part of Stockholm, has tiny streets
hidden through a maze of palaces and cathedrals.
Tiny lights and lanterns lit our way
through the darkness of the fall afternoon.

(photos by amber-c'est moi)

Next Step

The island of Santorini, Greece has brought new

surprises and unexpected bliss. White villages

hang off mountainous cliffs overlooking the

bright blue sea below.

If you ask me to sail away with you I will say yes.

(Photos by Chelsea, and Amber)

Time To Move On

Crete is a captivating island with beautiful scenery off the

regular path. To see Crete it's necessary to

drive into the mountains along the slim, winding roads

hanging high above towns nestled between cliffs.

This island experience on Crete has come to a close.

Now for a new destination...A new adventure.

Where shall I go?

Out there somewhere. Another island in the sea...

Let's go!

Walk About ~ Small Discoveries

Discovery is at your finger tips. Around

every corner of this old town maze

there is a bright door or window

begging to be opened. Balconies

and fresh flowers line the streets

like bystanders watching a parade.

About a Boat

We sailed to sea for an afternoon adventure aboard
the Ilinas...

Pensive thoughts churn as the movement
of the waves take charge...

Far from shore, closer to freedom...

Glistening water is an open invitation...

Taking the plunge into the clear unknown...

An enlightening afternoon conversation with a foreign traveler...

Quiet space inside the ships cabin...

Sailing back to reality and new adventures at sunset...


(Photos taken by Chelsea)

Let's Cut a Rug

Walking about Chania, Crete you stumble by

little shops and boutiques tucked

away on a side street or down a thin alley.

This rug shop is around the corner from

our studio. It has beautiful antique rugs.

Going inside is like solving a mystery.

The dark hole is lit by lanterns hung

from the ceiling. Woven secrets hang about

casting a red hue over their visitors.

(Photos taken by Chelsea)

Finding the Words

On this world adventure I keep a travel journal.
Each day I place my random thoughts on a blank
page. The words come to life as a story
from a distant land.

(Photos taken by Chelsea)
(Dress: H&M, Hair Scarf: BP-Nordstrom, Sandals: local vendor)

Crete is Great

We landed in Crete last week. Little by

little we are beginning to feel like locals, shopping at the neighborhood markets, cooking at our apartment, enjoying evening views from our rooftop at night.

Hania is where our apartment is located. It bustles with

activity during the late afternoon and evening hours. The mornings are quiet except for the shop owners preparing their items to sell. Our neighborhood is quaint like out of a travel

book with old buildings and balconies with vines growing everywhere. There are so many tiny hidden restaurants and cafes around every corner. 

A is for Athens

We spent the day in Athens, Greece before catching

a night boat to our next destination. Touring around 

Athens was great. There is so much to see, so much culture

new and old. The architecture is especially amazing

considering how ancient it is. It is amazing

to see how expansive the city is. As far as the eye can see there are

houses dotted along the mountains. 

One Day in Budapest ~

My friend and I flew from Stockholm to Budapest last Tuesday.

Unfortunately we had a 12 hour wait until our next flight to

Athens. Fortunately it was in Budapest. We took

the metro into town and spent the entire day

exploring the unique finds of a great city.

In my opinion Budapest looks very similar to Paris, France

on a smaller scale. There is such great architecture. 

 We stumbled across a hidden park in the middle of the city

right after discovering a hip little boutique with local

designer goods across the street. There was so much

to discover. This is definitely a city worth returning to.

Bon Voyage

Tomorrow begins the awaited journey to the nether regions of the earth. First stop, Sweden. Then on to Greece (Crete and Santorini). And then a return trip to Sweden to end my journey.

It's midnight and I have to catch an early flight. I will do my best at keeping posts and pictures throughout the adventure. This is gonna be grrrreat!!!

Hasta luego...

(photo: Dog Mountain/Columbia River Gorge-Washington State)

Buridane ~

Buridane was recently introduced to me by my friend Ryan. I love her music. I've added her tunes to my travel selection. Thanks Ryan!

Last Days of Warm Weather

This week each day has been in the upper 80's
or low 90's. It's phenomenal, but we all know
it's not going to last. I have been putting some
good miles on my bike, riding to town, to the
grocery store or park. I want to get in
as much riding time as possible before
the rain hits hard and never stops
until March.
These sunny days are happy days!

First Things First

In preparation for my departure I'm compiling a list of travel songs.
Here's what I have so far. Feel free to add more to the list...

1. Let's Get Out of This Country - Camera Obscura
2. Wake Up - Arcade Fire
3. Le serment - Buridane
4. Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors - Editors
5. Tonight I Have to Leave It - Shout Out Louds
6. Superstar - Tegan & Sara
7. Groove is in the Heart - Deee-lite
8. Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
9. Libraries - Seabear
10. Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
11. Happy Up Here - Royksopp
12. Relator - Pete Yorn

Knock Knock

My friend Rachelle took a picture of the red doors at the
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon last winter.
I love how red the doors are against the old brick.

NYC Ballet

I've been looking for soft ballet flats.
In fact I was on the look out and tempted
to purchase an authentic pair of ballet flats
from a dance studio, until I found these at
Top Shop.
I love them. They remind me of when
I was 5 years old and taking
my first ballet class.

A Little Bootie from NYC

I could not resist these Camper ankle boots
during one of the NYC shopping excursions.

NYC-Brunch

There was always so much to see and EAT!
Every meal was something exciting such as
brunch at La Pain Quotidien
with their large communal table.
We tried the curry chicken open-face sandwich
and the vegetable quiche. So GOOD!

Above the City

Some of the best views of the city were found on the roof...
(NYC trip continued)

One word for NYC...WOW!

I arrived back to Portland yesterday morning and am still
recovering from an amazing trip to NYC.
On this trip it seems I stayed mostly in
the neighborhoods and areas of
Greenwich Village, SOHO, West Village, NoHo,
and the Meat Packing District.
I did a lot of eating and shopping
and people watching.
I was also able to go on set to a product shoot
and a fashion shoot and meet the photographers
and stylists.
There is so much to share and tell I plan to
start with my first day and go from there.
(View from hotel room on 10th floor-Hotel Gansevoort)