five on friday: i'm alive, i swear!

holy. crap. hello! this week has been one thing after another and none of those things have involved blogging. alas, here we are on a friday yet again, so how about i catch you up on what's gone on the past seven or so days?

we survived the family reunion. 
and miraculously, so did everyone else! it was certainly a lot of together time, but i mostly marveled at the fact that blake's family has been doing this every four years for the past 30 or so, when my family wouldn't even be able to visit the same state together without melting down. and yes, there are all kinds of idiosyncrasies and politics and dysfunctional members as there are in every family (so i hear), but it was pretty cool to be a part of this one! oh and we got a lot of fun boat rides and meals out of it. win win.

then i got sick. 
like really sick. monday night was the worst, and let's just say it will be a long time before i eat steak with chimichurri sauce again (DAMMIT, THAT'S MY FAVORITE). tmi? sorry. but in a lovely twist of fate, turns out that on top of some weird 24 hour bug, i got a terrible head cold - yes, in july - and have been feeling miserable since tuesday. it is now friday, and i am over. it. still feeling only about 75%, but i'm hoping that i can finally get back to normal to enjoy this beautiful weekend in seattle! also it would be great if i could stop sounding like an 85 year old smoker hacking up a lung.

oh, but in between, i bought this dress!
eek, i want it now!! eagerly awaiting ups this afternoon and trying to decide if it's too fancy to wear to a bbq tomorrow afternoon. probably?

and i got my hair cut. 
but since i've either been puking or sneezing since then, it's been rather difficult to get a good picture. so you'll just have to wait for the big reveal in a few days. but i looooove it!

also i might just never leave seattle.
or really, i guess i'd like to summer in seattle. having been here in the winter, i know it's not always like this, so i'd rather spend july and august here when it is stunningly perfect. and yesterday, the blue angels were practicing right over us for a few hours, and it was pretty much the coolest thing ever. they're doing a big show for a week-long festival called seafair, and we're going down to the boat this afternoon to watch it. yes, another friday on a boat.

this weekend, we've got a few bbq's, and i'm dying to get back to yoga and go stand up paddle-boarding. our time here is flying by! what's on your agenda this weekend?

five on friday: bbq season

of all the little luxuries that come from not living in a 500 square foot box in the sky, having a backyard with a grill is pretty high on the list. we've been using ours here just about every night, and it's the easiest way in the world to make dinner. chop some veggies, marinate some meat, throw it all together, et voila! leaves a lot more time for wine-sipping and garden-watering... you know, the finer things in life. linking up with lauren for high five for friday, here are five go-tos that we've loved making!

1. lemon chicken

this recipe was a mainstay back in nyc just on the stovetop, but it easily translates to the grill. the marinade keeps the chicken so juicy and it's really bright and fresh.

2. skirt steak with chimichurri

i'd like to have a gallon of this sauce in the fridge to put on everything forever and ever. it is amazing on scrambled eggs and just about anything else you can think of. oh, and skirt steak of course. we've figured out how to order skirt steak at the butcher now (after a few false starts), so this will be on the menu many evenings to come.

3. apricot mustard grilled pork tenderloin

ok, there are literally three ingredients to this recipe and it is DELISH. one modification i made was using a spice rub on the tenderloin (this one worked great), just to add a little extra oomph. highly recommend making this one asap! we had it with grilled zucchini, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.

4. grilled green beans

or, shall we say, haricots vert? i'm loving that french green beans which are $10 a pound in the states are cheap and plentiful here. we've been eating a ton of them! this is my new favorite way to fix them - the shallots and the garlic really add a nice kick, especially with a little bit of char from the bbq.

5. grilled sweet potatoes

i love sweet potatoes in just about any and every form ever, and this are super quick and easy. oh, and yummy too.

i'm in the market for any other good recipes you might have up your sleeve, so please share!

five on friday: life in burgundy so far

wait a second, how has it been a whole week since the last time i posted? wow! we have had our hands full getting settled here in burgundy, where we'll be hanging out for the next few weeks. for today's link-up (with april, natasha, darci, and christina), i thought i'd do a list of five things that i'm loving about our summer homestead.

1. there's a friggin cherry tree.

it is a 180 degree turn from our city apartment to be living a few kilometers outside of a village of 4600 people, with at least an acre or two of gardens and orchards. we are quickly learning the ins and outs of taking care of such an operation (blake has become the chief waterer, which is quite the daily task). but one of the many bonuses is that we arrived right in the middle of cherry season. oh, you'd like a few cherries to snack on? let me just climb the ladder and pick some instead of taking the subway to whole foods and paying $10 a pound for them.

2. this sweet pup

this is dylan! she's the reason we're here, taking care of her while her parents are in the states for a few weeks. she's the sweetest, gentlest, most sensitive dog i've ever met, and i adore her. she is mostly low maintenance, except for the fact that twice a day, we drive her across the village to a park so she can poop in her preferred spot. this is not a joke. also, she speaks three languages, so she's smarter than both of us.

3. working. with a view.

i'm back on the clock these days, but working from noon-ish to 9pm-ish, so that i can catch up with my east coast clients and colleagues. big fan of that schedule, and an even bigger fan of this view. parking myself on the patio, soaking up some sun, and getting so much done in those hours before everyone else is awake is kind of a dream come true. also, no subways to deal with. and i haven't put on make-up in a week.

4. allez les bleus!

so i'm a HUGE world cup fan. growing up in germany, it's taken very, very seriously, and i am pretty torn between rooting for germany and the us (god help me when they play next week). now, of course, we also have to cheer for france! tonight, they play switzerland at 9pm, so we're going to ride bikes down to the village, set up camp in the brasserie, and have some local wine while we shout "allez les bleus" with a terrible french accent.

5. one more trip to paris

it's only an hour-long train ride away, and i am daydreaming about spending one more night in paris before we head to the airport. i totally fell in love with the marais, the neighborhood we stayed in, and all i want is one more evening spent with a bottle of wine in a sidewalk cafe eating steak frites. merci beaucoup!

blake's parents are coming to visit this weekend for a few days, so i'm excited to explore more of burgundy! and i'm excited to be posting more, now that we're here and settled.

bon weekend a tous!

five on friday: paris pics

i'm beginning to think we might not leave paris... we've really adapted to a tres french schedule:

wake up late, leisurely stroll to a cafe for a croissant et cappuccino, sit in the sun for an hour, continue strolling until we're hungry again, find another cafe to drink a glass of sancerre and eat a baguette avec jambon et fromage, then hit a patisserie for a macaron and some creme caramel to eat by the river, come home and take a late afternoon nap, then finally head out for some steak frites and another three hours of people-watching and wine-drinking until hitting the hay around midnight. it's ideal and it's how i want to spend every day for the rest of my life. ok, maybe for the rest of the summer.

for this week's five on friday, here are five of my fave pics from the last few days here in the city of lights!

eiffel tower selfie zomggg

handstands across europe: the tour continues

seen on a bridge

at the luxembourg gardens (#bighairdontcare)

paris peonies. swoon.

one more day, then we're off to burgundy for the rest of the summer!

five on friday: travel edition!

linking up with darci, april, natasha, and christina!

well, we did it. we're all moved out of our apartment! ack! this morning, after a quick cleaning, we'll hand over the keys and officially be done with this chapter in our life. it's one of those really surreal moments that you know is coming for many weeks and months, and think you can picture what it will be like, and then it happens... and it's all so strange. But exciting! Yes, don't get me wrong. I'm excited! But it sure is surreal to be leaving NYC.

Our flight to london departs monday at 10pm, so in preparation for our crazy two month european adventure, i'm linking up with this five on friday to talk all about travel essentials. and i'd love to know what's on your list!

1. a bag that fits two months worth of your life 
my luggage game was severely lacking before this trip, so i took the opportunity to invest in a really useful new bag. i packed it up yesterday and it's AMAZING. it holds so much, and is really well organized. plus, it's a backpack, rolling suitcase, and duffel all in one. if you're in the market for new luggage, check this one out.

sierra lite drop-bottom wheeled duffel

2. a posh passport case

ok, also a passport, but who cares about that "necessity". far more important to have a luxurious case surrounding it so when you hand it to passport control, they know that you mean business. ok, also, they don't care. but anyways, it is a necessity! i love this one. and i think i need it. 

stripe leather passport case from j.crew

3. a lightweight walking-around-cities bag

no need to lug my tote bag with half my belongings when we're wandering around paris. i bought this really cute and easy to carry cross body bag from the gap to keep the just the basics and leave everything else at our airbnb rental.

leather cross body bag from the gap

4. yes to blueberries cleansing facial wipes

ah yes, the dreaded transatlantic flight. having grown up mostly in europe, i know them well. this time, i'm going to be prepared to step off that plane fresh as a daisy. well, my face at least. these wipes smell so great, and will be excellent to have on hand to clean off a long day of travel.

cleansing facial wipes from yesto.com

5. lemon squeezer

no, this is real! not a joke. one of my morning rituals as soon as i wake up is squeezing half a lemon into a mug of warm water and drinking it while i make my coffee. since we'll be in so many new places, i wanted to bring a little piece of 'home' and make sure i built it into my soon to be completely changed routine. so it's in my bag! and it'll get a ton of use. by the way, if you're curious about why lemons are so great for you, check this article out. 

hand-held lemon squeezer

ok, now it's your turn! what's on your list of travel essentials?

five on friday: new kicks, new jams, and a three day weekend

1. the dog stars

ok, i swear i didn't buy this book thinking it was about dog rock stars. though everyone i've mentioned it to has thought that was the plot (someone write that book immediately, please). but holy crap. this book sucker-punched me in the gut. i gasped out loud on the subway so many times, and literally had to close it because my heart was racing during some of the scenes. it's intense, and the author's style takes a little getting used to, but stick with it. major pay-off at the end.

2. primal fudge

mmm. i love fudge and have amazing memories of making it with my sweet grandpa when i was growing up. but all the butter and sugar no longer agree with me, so check out this ridiculously easy recipe with coconut oil and almond butter. great for a quick and simple chocolate fix. and pretty much healthy too!!

(image via practical paleo)

3. new sandals

i splurged on a comfy and chic pair of sandals to traipse around europe in, and so far, they're totally worth it! it's surprising how much more comfortable they are than the $15 pair from urban outfitters that i wore into the ground. hmm.

4. this jam

because obviously.

5. THREE. DAY. WEEKENDS.

because obviously.

have an amazing one!!

five on friday: nyc bucket list

alright, it's time to face facts. we have just three weekends left in NYC, and one of them (memorial day weekend, of course), is going to be spent packing and getting ready for movers. yikes. so i'm linking up again to do a five on friday post with our nyc bucket list! let's see how many we can get done in the next two weekends...

1. take the staten island ferry. it's free, beautiful, and you don't even have to stay in staten island very long! totally worth it for the views and the photo opps.

2. do a double-decker bus tour. this is one of those activities that, once you move here, fall pretty low on your priority list. the last thing on earth i want someone to confuse me for is a tourist! can you imagine?? the horror. but it's a great way to see the city from a new perspective. why not?

3. one more visit to the brooklyn flea. now that the weather has warmed up, the brooklyn flea is back in full swing. such amazing food trucks, and it's really fun to browse and then sit in the sun and enjoy the people-watching. plus, taking the ferry to get there is an added bonus. apparently, ferries are big on my bucket list.

4. run along the west side highway. i've been a pretty lazy runner the past few weeks (for a number of reasons), and i am a die-hard central park loop runner, so i've only done the west side highway a few times. we're staying downtown for a few nights after moving out, so it'll be a great time to get a few runs in with some heart-stoppingly beautiful views.

5. walk from the UES to the LES. one of my favorite parts of living in nyc is just leaving our apartment and heading off on foot to discover whatever it is we're going to discover. going on long walks the length of manhattan is such a fun way to see what's happening around the city, and making a few pit stops for refreshments along the way makes for an excellent afternoon.

have you done any of these in nyc? if you were moving, what would be on your bucket list?

five on friday!

linking up again for a random miscellany of thoughts this foggy, dreary friday. bring on the sunshine this weekend!

1. donna tartt

have you all read the goldfinch? yes? ok excellent. because every time i go to my kindle, i hope there's a little bit more of it to read. it was truly amazing. i've since then gobbled up everything else by the same author, and right now, i'm reading the little friend and it's just not scratching the goldfinch itch i had, even though i think it's even longer (which is hard to believe). i am about halfway through but can't seem to give up on it. maybe it gets better?

2. silver lake!

one of the most exciting things that happened this week was that we locked down a sublet in LA from a colleague of mine who will be traveling from august til december. it's right smack dab in one of the neighborhoods we wanted to check out, which is the "brooklyn of LA" (i'm rolling my eyes right now in case you can't see), but seems really walkable and full of cool restaurants, coffee shops, and all that good stuff. so relieved to not have a big apartment hunt awaiting us! it will be so much easier to get a place in december while we're actually there, and now we'll have a chance to take this neighborhood on a trial run!

3. mad men

i'm in denial that there are only 3 more episodes left this "season". i seriously can't even talk about life after don draper. that is all.

4. #bringbackourgirls

if you haven't yet signed this amazing petition, take a sec to add your name. it's about to reach a million signatures, which is really incredible. 

5. this gif

enjoy. i can't stop looking at it.

happy weekending!!

five on friday: european travel extravaganza!

linking up with april and friends for a little five on friday action!

for most people, moving across the country is enough of an adventure for one summer.

apparently, we are not most people.

when a family friend posted on facebook about needing a house- and dog-sitter for six weeks in a small town in burgundy (yes, as in burgundy, france), we realized we had a pretty near once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. with no apartment lease holding us down (it's remarkable how freeing not paying new york city rent can be!), our belongings in storage for a surprisingly fair monthly fee, and my ability to work remotely from anywhere, we jumped at the chance.

but why just go to burgundy when you can also spend two weeks flitting about the continent? yes, we added even more, because why not? (if i was still allowed to say #yolo, i think it would fit quite perfectly here, but i'm really trying hard to move away from that). so for the first two weeks of our trip, here's where we're off to!

stop 1: london

staying with some friends in friggin notting hill... could it be any more perfect? we'll ease ourselves into our european summer by hanging out here for about three days, just enough to find a favorite pub and of course swing by for tea with wills, kate, and george. 

stop 2: ohringen, germany

my step-dad is german, and he, my mom, and my little brother spend a few weeks visiting his family each summer. we're going to hang out with oma and take advantage of more free lodging. i expect to gain at least 15 lbs in the few days we're staying with oma... she is famous for ensuring that you're stuffed to the brim at every meal.

stop 3: heidelberg, germany

as a proud graduate of heidelberg american high school (which has now since closed!), i spent my senior year here, and considered it home while i was in college. i haven't been back in about six years, so i'm excited revisit my old stomping grounds and show blake around! and yes, that's the castle at which our prom was held. no, i'm not joking.

stop 4: paris

the last time i was in paris, i was 16, and though shopping at the gap on the champs elysees was the height of sophistication. this time around, we're staying in an airbnb and can pretend we're real parisians. the only thing on my agenda is strolling around and sitting in outdoor cafes, people-watching with a glass of cotes-du-rhone. 

stop 5: semur-en-auxois

our home base for the rest of the summer is this tiny town about two hours from paris. here's hoping my high school and college french comes back (it's a wee bit rusty...). we'll happen to be here during the world cup too, so i'm pumped to root for france from the village brasserie! it'll be slight change of pace from nyc, but i'm excited to check out the great wines and beautiful countryside. 

so yeah, not much going on this summer. once we're back stateside at the end of july, we'll hang out in seattle for a bit (because why not?), and finally make our way down to LA to start our new life at the end of august. i honestly can't decide what part i'm most excited about... but not paying rent for a good three months is definitely up there. 

happy friday!