Craving

Mangoes - a juicy, tropical staple from my childhood....

The rainbowed goodness of a refreshing Hawaiian shave ice (kind of like Italian ice)...

The sight of big waves pounding Hawaiian shores in winter! (Can't you tell I want a tropical vacation? :))

(Top photo of mango taken in Honolulu, Hawaii. Middle and bottom images via Just Hungry and Panoramio.)

A walk in the woods

Even in this bare-branch season, the great outdoors treats us to sweet, little surprises...

A sudden pile of pretty-shaped leaves, as we stepped outside...

The cool, rough pattern of an old tree trunk (I love old trees)...





Mother Nature's last splash of red, still hanging on...

A stone marking the route of George Washington's march by night to a battle against the British in 1777...

{I love that almost 250 years later, an American and a Brit would stumble on this American-British war site, during a peaceful walk in the woods, hand-in-hand, in love.} 

~ Wishing you a peaceful week ahead, full of sweet, little surprises! ~

London love

Thank you everyone for being so sweet about our job news - though I'm feeling guilty for calling London winters "un-fun"! There's so much to love in London...let us count thy ways...

{Berkeley Square}
The sweet pockets of green

"I've got nasty habits. I take tea at 3." -- Mick Jagger

Afternoon tea!

Karen Millen dresses

View from Waterloo Bridge

Seeing this when you step out the front door

Those street styles

{Chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall}
These guys

{Recent Grace Kelly fashion exhibit}

The amazing V&A, always

(Images via 1; 2; 3; Millen - 4a/4b/4c/4d; 5; 6; street styles - 7a/7b/7c, 8a/8b/8c; chefs - 9a/9b; 10.)

Hampstead Heath, London

{The Heath inspired C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe}

A dreamy place to stroll...

To run...

Fly a kite or take-in vistas of London...

{Kenwood House Museum, Hampstead Heath}

View art in a beautiful setting...

Even bathe in open-air ponds!

Or get lost (happens to me a lot) and daydream away.

P.S. While in Hampstead, don't forget the Hampstead crepe stand...

Or, if you fancy a pint, The Flask pub...

(Images from Little London Observationist, The Guardian, nielsfrenzen, embleton, LondonTown, English Heritage--Kenwood House, London Evening Standard, Katherine MacDaid, Matt Maran via Studio House Cards, La Creperie de Hampstead, Gourmet Traveller 88 and TimeOut London.)

Sanctuary | 7000 miles from home

{The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Centre, London}

Can you believe this lovely wildlife sanctuary is in busy London?

{Nene in Hawaii (left) and in London's WWT sanctuary (right)}

It was at the sanctuary, one previous grey London winter, that I spotted Nene birds -- Hawaii's native, endangered state bird. As a Hawaii expat, I was initially confused (Wait, what? Where am I?)

{Turns out the sanctuary's founder, Sir Peter Scott, led efforts in 1950s England to save the Nene from extinction.}

 The WWT Centre in London is a vast sanctuary by the River Thames - a lush outdoor world right in urban London.

~ Enjoy your weekend, whether you're indoors or out! ~

P.S. Thanks for all the wonderful comments yesterday - I loved hearing about your childhood comfort food & stories! :)

(Images via findtarget, National Parks of the Pacific Islands, WWT Support page, WWT, The Guardian and WWT Visitors page.)

10 small pleasures I love {+lovely bloggers}

{I love long soaks in a bath - wouldn't mind this one}

Wonderful Stacey at Design Addict Mom and lovely Amber Blue Bird passed along the Happy award - Amber also passed along the Substance award. Thank you so much!

I've mentioned Stacey here before - I can't seem to get enough of her delightful posts (but it's a healthy obsession, heheh) and addictively-jaw-dropping images. Amber Blue Bird not only has the sweetest sense of style, but her awesome musings just make me smile :)

I'm to reveal 10 things I love, which I did recently, so I'll reveal 10 simple pleasures I love...because it's the small things, isn't it? :)

#1. Sipping Earl Grey tea (or a cappucino or hot cocoa:))

#2. Sushi

{Mastroianni in Fellini's 8-1/2, 1963}
#3. Hearing Italian, especially if Marcello Mastroianni is speaking

{Franz Schubert as a youth}
#4. Playing Schubert and Chopin on the stereo or piano

#5. That first sip of beverage when you're thirsty

#6. A package in the mail

{Latest magical sightings: Hawaii and Guildford, UK}
#7. Shooting stars

#8. Swimming at night (mentioned previously, bears repeating:))

#9. Singing at the top of my lungs in a car with girlfriends {Recently, we did so to this song (click here if music won't play)}

{A wonderful Alicia Keys ode to NY}

{Cape Town, South Africa}
#10. Watching waves - the best things in life are free!

I'm to pass each of these to 10 people, but many of you have these awards! I'll try to avoid the blogging police and give the award only if you don't have it (to my knowledge;)).

{Although you may not have time or inclination to make lists or pass on awards, I just wanted to let you know how much I've enjoyed your blog!}

Substance award to:
Stacey @ Design Addict Mom
Signe @ SignePling
Melissa @ Oh, My Darling
Connie @ Sogni e Sorrisi
Melissa @ So About What I Said

Tiffany @ Dancing Branflake
Jessica @ The Beat My Heart Skips
MarchMusings @ Style Nuggets
Jeanette @ Everton Terrace
Krysten @ After I Do

Happy award to:
Rowena @ Rubber Slippers in Italy
Kat @ Our Adventures in Japan
Ren @ Lady of the Arts
Lisa @ White Cotton Tee
Justine @ Justine Gordon
Rosie @ Rosie's World
Ashley @ browneyes.42
Annie @ All Natural Annie
Bombay Beauty @ bbNY
Nicole @ Scraps of Color

Thanks again Stacey @ Design Addict Mom and Amber Blue Bird!

(Images via Arzhine, Rsms, bluewaikiki, E-Film Blog, free-scores, Pedro Moura Pinheiro, Evie Marie, Science Facts, Bali Villa, Moneywise and neilalderney123. Joan and Justine, thanks for #9 :)).

Tagged! 10 things I love

I've been tagged by You can call me Meghan to reveal 10 things I love. Thanks, Meghan! My family and friends are a given, so in no particular order...

{The Maldives}
#1. Traveling - I'm always moving to new places so it kind of goes together :)

#2. Paddling down a lazy river (I love water)

#3. Eating, of course! Today, I'm succumbing to these chocolates

#4. Secret grottos and waterfalls

#5. Music has always been important. I love many genres.

#6. Late afternoon light

#7. Seeing butterflies

{I love this dancing image from a Netherlands dance festival}

#8. Dancing! (I'm awful at it! But love how it makes me feel.)

#9. Man's (and woman's! :)) best friend

{English sunrise, Scholes}
#10. Sunrises and sunsets - like daily doses of magic

I'm excited to hear what you love too! :)

(Images top to bottom via FreeWine, Druid Labs, Ozgur Mulazimoglu, morberg, blmurch, Creativity+, Haags Uitburo, nattu, Laughing Squid and tricky.)