Far Blue Mountains Blog

Pian Del Gallo Video

2017-05-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

We had such a good time in our agritourismo in Greve in Chianti that we decided to film a little video while we were there. It was a beautiful and relaxing place and we just had to share! It was a little cold when we were there in early May, but I bet it would be even more lovely in summer and fall.

We were looking for a small working vineyard to stay at while we were in Chianti, and stumbled across this one online. They didn't have any online booking options, and everything was done over email so we really didn't know what to expect when we got there. But it was worth the small amount of extra hassle! The property and rooms were great. Ettore and his wife were wonderful hosts and were more than happy to show us around the property and talk about how they organically farm and produce their wine and olive oil. They had great recommendations of where to eat locally and what to go see, and they even provided us with a bottle of their wine to enjoy in the apartment! We wish it had been a little warmer and less rainy so we could sit outside and enjoy the patio and views, but I suppose that just gives us an excuse to go back again someday.

Find more information on Pian Del Gallo: http://www.piandelgallo.eu/home.html

10 Practical Things I Learned in Italy

2017-05-20T17:47:00.001-07:00

Kacey and I just returned from our 5 year wedding anniversary trip to Italy (how has it been 5 years already?!?!) and instead of just a recap or picture post, I thought I'd share some practical knowledge I picked up. Some of these may be obvious, but others would have been reeeeeeally helpful to know beforehand. So maybe some of these tips can help others who are planning a trip.

1. Getting to Europe is not as expensive as you think.
The last time I was in Europe was 2007, and even though I've been wanting to go back for years, the steep plane ticket prices made it impractical for us to visit. Tickets for 2 people can easily get into the $1500-2000 range and that just wasn't happening. But then I discovered secretflying.com which gathers inexpensive flights to and from all over the world on their site and links you to the deals. Looking at their site quickly, they currently have deals from Los Angeles to Paris for $400 round trip, Minneapolis to Copenhagen for $444 round trip, and Miami to Belize for $177 round trip. I don't even remember how I found this site, but I started following it on facebook a while back and a deal to Italy popped up. There were a few frantic phone calls to see if we could get off work and we booked it! I'm sure there are other site like that, so if you have patience and a little flexibility with your travel dates, you can take advantage of cheap flight deals.

2. Locals are extremely kind, even if you don't know much Italian.
Since we were exploring Italy ourselves without a tour group, we were really worried about not speaking Italian. We studied up on what we could through apps and podcasts but we barely knew the basics. Turns out most Italians in the larger cities know some English, and those that don't appreciate that you're trying, even if you're just sheepishly smiling at each other as you mime and charade your way through. When we were in Barolo, almost no one spoke any English, but they were some of the nicest people, always trying to help us and make sure we were ok. To be fair, Kacey was way better at picking up the language that I was. Also, Google Translate is the best thing ever. Use it often.

3. That being said, people aren't as smiley or friendly to strangers on the street.
This one didn't really bother me, but it gave Kacey a hard time. Unlike in America, where everyone smiles or nods at practically everyone they pass, Italians just ignore you. Even shop owners or waiters will speak to you in very transactional tones and wording, and there's not a lot of small talk. As an introvert, I personally love this and felt right at home, but Kacey is a friendly extrovert and was convinced that he was offending everyone until we did some research and found out that it was normal. (So....when can I move there?!)

4. You have to ask for the check at restaurants (or go pay at the register).
We really wish we knew this beforehand. Our very first night we went out to eat in Florence, exhausted, jet lagged, and ready for wine and then bed, I think we sat for about 30 minutes after they cleared our plates wondering where the check was. The waiter had come to check on us multiple times, but never brought the check, and we were so confused and annoyed. Finally Kacey had the sense to ask for the check, or we would have been sitting there all night. Turns out it's considered extremely rude for the staff to bring you the check if you haven't asked for it. Unlike America, the waitstaff doesn't work for tips so there's no rush to turn the tables. Bringing you the check would be like telling you they want you to leave. And considering the next point, that would be horribly rude. So if you're ready to leave, just as for the check ("il conto") or in more casual restaurants, you can just go up to the register and pay, they'll know which table you were at and what your bill is. However, we could not for the life of us figure out which restaurants you paid at the table and which you paid at the register, so we just started asking our waiters where to pay the check, they would bring it out to us if needed.

5. Dinners take forever.
Going along with the previous point, dinners usually take 2-3 hours. Every dinner. With the slower service, multiple courses, and relaxed atmosphere, Italians are in no hurry to finish their meals. I believe our longest was 3 hours, and the waitstaff disappeared for a good 20 minutes after we had finished eating but before coffee so there was no way to hurry it up. That was a bit long, but apart from that one time, we really enjoyed the longer, slower dinners. Since the food comes in several courses it gave us time to wind down from the day, relax, and take it slow. And while sometimes we just wanted a quick pizza that we could eat in 20 minutes, overall this was something we quickly got used to and enjoyed.

6. The Slow Food and Slow Travel Movement are awesome for a reason.
No surprise, since the Slow Food Movement was started in Italy as an alternative to fast food by trying to preserve the small scale traditional and regional cuisines of local areas along with their history, preparation, and production. We tried to eat local, regional cuisine as much as possible and all of it was incredible. It's definitely something I want to look into back in the U.S. Similarly, the Slow Travel Movement focuses on staying in one place longer instead of the hectic tours to pack as much in as you can. We didn't slow travel on this trip, and while I'm glad we got to see so much of Italy, we're already making plans that the next trip we take (wherever it may be) will be one area only so we can really relax and explore that area better. The last thing you want is the feeling of needing a vacation after a vacation.

7. Slow down and enjoy doing nothing.
The Italians have perfected "La Dolce Far Niente" or the sweetness of doing nothing. This is something I definitely need to work on, as my default setting is go, go, go! I tend to always be doing something or want to be doing something. The art of just sitting and relaxing, maybe having a coffee or a glass of wine and just enjoying the day or the sunset is something I want to incorporate into my normal life. It's much easier to do that on vacation, but I think cutting out all the noise and just being for a few minutes would do a lot of us some good.

8. Rethink your food choices.
We could not get over how inexpensive the food and wine was in Italy. Good, fresh, healthy food was ridiculously cheap. We marveled that even the breakfast paninis were freshly made and under two Euros when a processed fast food McDonalds breakfast sandwich is somewhere around $5. And you better believe we stuffed our faces with those paninis. (So. Many. Delicious. Paninis.) Even the pastas were different than their American counterparts. Instead of really heavy cream sauces, the true Italian dishes were fresh, vegetable based sauces that were almost more of a glaze than a true sauce. You could almost taste the gardens that the tomatoes came from. The food was just incredible in general and even though we already enjoy cooking, it once again makes me rethink what exactly I'm putting in my body, because even my home cooked food doesn't taste as fresh as theirs.

9. Wander off the beaten path.
The best part of our entire trip was our few days in Barolo in Piedmont. Piedmont isn't really a hotspot for American tourists. It's more difficult to get to, not a lot of people speak English, and it's honestly a bit of a hassle trying to get there involving train rides and rental cars and then an hour or more diving to the tiny town through crazy hills. We debated skipping that part and staying longer in Tuscany, but Kacey was insistent on seeing that part of the country even though it was a headache to get to. But oh was it worth it! It's like stepping into a fairy tale with rolling green hills full of vineyards with 13th and 14th century tiny towns and hamlets dotting the hills and the Alps in the background. It was truly one of the most magical places I've ever seen. And the wine....oh the incredible wine. This is the region of the Barberas, Barolos, and Moscatos. We stayed at a B&B in a tiny town where we were some of the only English speaking tourists. It was a pain to get to, but it was our absolute favorite place.

Later, our last night in Italy we stayed in an airB&B in Venice which was off the main tourist area by a few blocks. We happened to find a little road nearby that faced the west and watched an incredible sunset over what is considered a very romantic city in Europe. The rest of Venice was so crowded you could barely move let alone see most of the tourist attractions, yet surprisingly only about 10 other people were on this dock with us. We spend a lovely 15 minutes watching this amazing natural site while the rest of the tourists bumped and pushed each other to see the next big thing. Not that there's anything wrong with seeing historical sites - they're famous or important for a reason - but getting away from the tourists and following the locals or your curiosity can lead you to even better experiences.

10. Travel more.
There's not much to say about this. Being in Italy, in a country I didn't know, surrounded by a language I didn't know was exhilarating. It made me remember how much I love exploring, seeing new places, meting new people, and learning new things. With our plans for the next few years it seems very unlikely that we'll have the time or finances to leave the country again to travel, but this trip has made me determined to explore more of my own backyard and see more of the southwest. So stay tuned!

Vegetariain Spring Rolls

2017-04-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

Spring rolls have always intimidated me. To clarify, making them has intimidated me - eating them has never been a problem. Something about actually having to roll various ingredients together just scared me away. And rice paper, that stuff is just a disaster waiting to happen. Or so I wrongly thought. After trying these, I'm not sure why I was so afraid. They're ridiculously easy to make once you get past all the vegetable chopping. (So. Much. Chopping.) And they're completely customizable, leaving you free to put in whatever veggies you like. I made these vegetarian, but shrimp or chicken is fantastic in here as well.

Vegetarian Spring Rolls:

rice papaer

1 large carrot

1 large cucumber

radishes

green onions

1 cup bean sprouts

sprigs of: cilantro, basil, and mint

optional - rice vinegar or sesame oil

First things first - cut up all the veggies. I used a vegetable peeler to create long strips of the carrot and cucumber (easier to fit in the wrapping), and just cut the radishes and green onions. Wash the raw bean sprouts and leave as is.

Now the slightly tricky part. Take a frying pan and fill it with lukewarm water. Working with one sheet at a time, dip the rice paper into the pan until it is completely submerged. You only want to leave it in for a few seconds. The paper will still feel pliable and thick, but it will become soft and more gelatinous as it sits while you put in the filling. Once it's been dipped in the water, lay it on a flat working surface. I used a clean kitchen towel since the rice paper will stick to wooden cutting boards.

Then add the vegetables and herbs to one half of the paper. Gently fold over the paper, tuck the sides in, and continue rolling. The rice paper will be sticky and should stay rolled if you press it together gently. This is actually way easier than I thought it would be.

For a bit of extra flavor, you can put a few drops of rice vinegar or sesame oil on the vegetables before you roll them up, but these are fantastic on their own. I'd recommend a dipping sauce though - either peanut sauce or plum sauce is amazing.

So there you go, a bit labor intensive, but ultimately waaaay easier than they look!

*This was originally posted on my now retired blog Neroli Blossoms

DIY Tailored Valances

2016-09-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I was going to write a tutorial on how I made these, but then I realized that I just combined a few other people's tutorials and they probably explained things much better than I could. So I figured I'd just link to their tutorials and give any tips and tricks I picked up while making them. (Also I made these over a year ago and just got the photos off my camera yesterday, so the details are a bit fuzzy. Whoops.)

Main Tutorial used: Cre8tive Design's How to make a tailored valance

I ended up mostly going the route of Cre8tive Design's tutorial, however I used a 1x2 board instead of the 1x4 she recommends. My valances were going in our sewing/sun room and one window is against the sliding glass door to go outside so I didn't want them sticking 4 inches out and getting in the way. The blinds themselves are also inset in the window frame so I didn't have to worry about the valances sticking out far enough to cover them.

I didn't cover the boards in white fabric before attaching my batik because I'm lazy and no one would be standing under them looking up at the unfinished wood. I'm all about saving time.

My fabric was also 14 in wide, so I just left it as is and hemmed the one end. I stapled the other end to the boards without hemming it since my valances were going to be right up against the ceiling and no one would see a raw edge.

As you can see here, I didn't have the fabric go all the way over the top of the board. I wanted as much length as possible and with only 14 in to work with, I had to get clever. And as I said, the boards were going very close to the ceiling so no one would see if the fabric didn't entirely cover the top.

Also, staple guns are awesome. What else can I make with these things?!?!

These L brackets were super easy to install. We ended up using 3 per window since they were pretty long and we didn't want the valances to bow in the middle.

And here are the completed valances! I really liked how they came out, however they aren't the perfectly smooth tailored look that you would get by wrapping the fabric around a foam board, which I've seen done in other tutorials. I think if I ever made these for a main room in our house I would do a mix of a wrapped foam board and the wooden board for hanging with L brackets. But overall, they went together very easily and I'm loving how they look in the room. I call this a definite win!

DIY Moroccan Wedding Blanket Inspired Throw Tutorial

2016-06-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

You know those gorgeous Moroccan wedding blankets that are incredible but crazy expensive? They're beautiful and have such a great story behind them. In Morocco they're handmade by a Berber bride's female relatives and given to her for her wedding. After the ceremony the bride wears the blanket like a cape and takes it to her new home.

Image 1, Image 2

I've had my eye on one of these for a while, but with their price tag it just wasn't going to happen. However, when I found this throw blanket on clearance at Hobby Lobby last week, I knew I could whip up a pretty close approximation and get the look for much less. In fact this cost me less than $50 to make.

This was pretty easy to make but it takes a lot of time and patience.
Materials:1 blanket or throw (I found mine on clearance at Hobby Lobby)10 yards of sequin trim (this particular trim is from Joann Fabrics)clear threadsewing machine (or you can try fabric glue)

I basically laid out the sequin trim on the blanket, pinned it down, and sewed it on with a long zigzag stitch.

This is where it got a little tricky. The sequins would get caught in the presser foot on the sewing machine, so to fix that I laid a piece of tissue paper over the trim while I stitched it down. I had to fiddle with the tension on the sewing machine since I was sewing with clear plastic thread and the long stitching, but setting the tension to a lower setting took care of any pulling issues. You can lay out the sequins any way you want. I wanted a more minimal look with the sequins so I just had a few straight lines of trim. Even this took 10 yards of trim, so if you want to do a more complicated design, take that into consideration when calculating the amount of trim to buy.

Once I stitched through the paper and tacked the trim down, I carefully pulled the tissue paper off, which took some time but wasn't horribly difficult. Just make sure you don't pull too hard and accidentally pucker the stitching. (Trust me, it's a pain!)
You might be able to skip all of this and use fabric glue to secure the sequin tim onto the blanket, but I've never used fabric glue so I can't say how well that will stick or how long it will last. I figured sewing it down was a more permanent solution so I went that route.

And that's it! Once the sequins are sewn down, you can iron the blanket (or not if you're impatient like me and just want to take some photos) and add it to your bed, couch, or wall.

Gold and Glitter Sprayed Pine Cones

2015-11-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

Well hello there! How did it become Christmas already? Isn't it still October? In any case, I have a super easy DIY project to share to add some shine to rustic holiday decor.

You need 3 things - mini pine cones, spray adhesive, and glitter.

Spray the pine cones with the adhesive

Dump the glitter on the pine cones and shake off the excess

Put in a pretty bowl and mix with some gold spray painted pine cones for more color

Pretty simple, right? I think those are the best types of crafts - ones that are easy and beautiful.

Spinach Bianca Lasagna

2015-10-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

So apparently it's cold in the rest of the country? It's finally beautiful here, mid 80s during the day and 60s at night (and this, my friends, is why I moved to Arizona). It's finally cold enough to start thinking about warm comfort foods. For a somewhat healthier take on casseroles and lasagna, I like making a white lasagna so I can feel healthy eating spinach and chicken, while really I'm in it for the 3 cups of cheese. Whatever.

See? Spinach. It's healthy.

Cheeeeeeeese. More cheese, always.

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts

1 package of no boil lasagna noodles

1 small bunch of green onions

1 bunch of spinach

6 cups chicken broth

3 cups of grated mozzarella

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Start by cooking up the chicken in a frying and shredding it.

Put a layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Then layer, layer layer. Start with a layer of chicken and sliced green onions, then add a layer of spinach, and then mozzarella. Top with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and then add 3 cups of chicken broth.

Then repeat - chicken and onions, spinach, mozzarella, 3 cups of broth. You may not use all the broth. You want the broth to completely cover the upper layer of noodles or they'll get hard and crispy/chewy which isn't what we're going for. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes covered with tinfoil. Remove tinfoil for the last 10 minutes to make sure the cheese is a melty golden brown.

Remove from the oven, spoon into a bowl, and eat your heart out. Mmmmm, cheesy goodness

*This recipe was originally posted on my now retired blog, Neroli Blossoms.

DIY Gold Tipped Antlers

2015-09-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have a fun, ridiculously easy DIY project to share today. Is it just me, or do other people's husbands/boyfriends have an excessive amount of deer antler sheds just lying around their house? Because I've already decorated with at least three, and I keep finding more in random boxes. (Also, for those of you who didn't grow up in the wilderness, these bits of antlers are called shed and fall off deer naturally. My husband usually picks them up off the ground when he goes camping). This is such a ridiculously easy way to get a rustic glam look. (Meanwhile, my husband is trying not to fall over as I desecrate these hallowed treasures.)

Step 1. Locate a shed. Apparently these are even for sale on ebay. I seem to have a million of them in random closets and boxes. But if you aren't related to or dating an outdoor aficionado you can sometimes find them at flea markets or antique shops.

Step 2: Tape off the area you want to spray. If you have terrible aim like me, poke holes in a plastic bag to cover the rest of the antler like some sort of bizarre plastic buffalo. It's awesome.

Step 3: Spray the antlers with gold spray paint and let dry. Caution: this stuff is strangely addicting and you may be hit with the sudden urge to spray paint everything gold. Dresser knobs, picture frames, your dog...(just kidding on that last one!!)

Step 4: Suuuuuper carefully peel off the tape and prance around your house holding the antler aloft showing off your beautiful tchotchke. Or, you know, behave like a normal person and just stick it on a dresser somewhere. But make sure to look at it appreciatively every now and then, because it is a pretty cool object.

DIY fabric headboard

2015-08-14T14:22:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting a long time to get halfway decent photos of this headboard. We made it back in our old house, and the sage green fabric didn't match the tan walls of our bedroom at all. But I had a vision of someday having a peaceful white bedroom and I knew the headboard would be exactly what we needed. It just took us 6 months to get there! But now we're finally to the point of putting our new bedroom together and it's glorious! As a bonus, this headboard tutorial is ridiculously easy.

Materials needed:

plywood cut to length of your bed and height that you want

quilt batting - enough to cover plywood

fabric - enough to cover plywood

two 2x4s cut to height of headboard legs (I got a 2x4x8 and cut it in half to create two 4 ft tall legs)

staple gun

First measure the width of your mattress. Then figure out if you want the headboard to extend past the mattress. Add those measurements together to get the total length to cut the plywood. For example, our mattress is 75 inches wide and I wanted the headboard to extend 3 inches on each side of the bed. So our total width is 75 + 6 = 81 inches wide.

Then figure out how tall you want the headboard to be. This isn't critical because you can adjust the height on the legs. I wanted our headboard to be 32" tall not including the legs, so I made that the plywood height measurement.

Take these measurements and cut the plywood to size (ours was 81x32"). If you don't have a saw, your friendly Home Depot or Lowes employees can cut it to size for you.

Cut the 2x4s down to size depending on how tall you want the legs to be (again, I had a 2x4x8 and had them cut it in half so each leg was 4 feet tall).

Lay the batting on the floor, making sure there are at least 2 layers of batting to cover the entire piece of wood. Lay the wood on top of the batting, pull the batting tight around the edges and staple in place. Make sure the batting lays flat and there isn't any bunching or pulling.

Once the batting is in place, lay the fabric face down on the floor. Lay the batting covered headboard onto the fabric, again making sure there's no bunching or pulling.

Be careful and check the front often to make sure everything is straight, especially if you are using a fabric with a print. Don't be afraid to use a lot of staples to hold the fabric down.

Now comes the time to determine how tall you want the headboard to be. I wanted mine to be a bit taller, so I calculated the total measurement of 52 inches. I subtracted the height of the plywood (32 inches) from the total height of 52 inches to get 20 inches. I marked 20 inches up on each 2x4 and lined that mark up with the bottom of the plywood. Then nail or screw the legs into the board, making sure the nails/screws don't go through to the other side and wreck your hard work!

Stand the headboard up to make sure it's even and then haul it into your bedroom! You can screw it into your bed frame (as I intend to do eventually) or just lean it up against the wall for now.

It was so ridiculously easy, I don't know why we put off making it for so long. As you can see, we've also added bedside lights and curtains to our bedroom! Now just to add some artwork above the bed and I think our master bedroom is getting pretty close to being finished!

Protein Raw "Cookie" Bites

2015-08-12T17:26:00.001-07:00

I'm going to admit something - I love raw cookie dough. Yes, I understand that supposedly it could be contaminated with salmonella from the raw eggs, but I just can't help it. Once when I was in grade school, my best friend and I made cookie dough for the sole purpose of eating it raw. We took it upstairs with us, had a great sleepover, and left it out overnight so we could eat it for breakfast the next morning. Needless to say, my mother freaked out when she realized we were eating raw cookie dough which contained eggs and butter that had been sitting out all night. (We were fine, and it was delicious.)

Unfortunately, I hear that consuming large amounts of unbaked cookie dough is bad for you. Fortunately, this recipe sort of gives the taste and texture of cookie dough with much healthier ingredients!

These snack bites are made of ground nuts and oats, and sweetened with honey and cinnamon. Throw in a few chocolate chips and it's basically a healthy uncooked cookie! I love taking a few of these to work with me and eating them during the afternoon lull where I'd normally fill up on chips or actual cookies. It tastes like you're filling up on junk food, except you're actually getting a protein boost from all the nuts. Much better than a bag of Cheetos (although I do love me some Cheetos).

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix the almonds, walnuts, pecans, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until ground to a meal. Add the honey and vanilla and pulse to combine. Add the chocolate chips and pulse again until just mixed together.

Drop a tablespoon of the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with freezer or parchment paper. Wetting your hands will help keep the dough from sticking. Freeze for an hour to harden and then store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Note - I'm using the word "raw" in the generic uncooked way, not the specific Raw Diet way. I don't know much about the Raw Diet, but I'm sure this recipe could be altered to fit the requirements and become a raw Raw cookie dough snack.

This post was originally posted on my now retired blog, Neroli Blossoms.

DIY Wine Glass Stemware Rack

2015-07-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

This little DIY wine glass shelf came from a complete lack of storage space in the kitchen and our crazy collection of glasses. I wanted a fun way to display our stemware, and what's better than a stemware shelf? The few wine glass racks I could find that were also shelves were fairly expensive, so I decided to make one myself. It was fairly easy to make, although it did get me locked out of the house for 2 hours one night. Just make sure you don't do that too.

Materials:

Stemware rack from Crate and Barrel

Thin sheet of wood (Home Depot will cut it to size for free!)

Paint - Glidden in "Softest Juniper"

8" decorative wall brackets from Menards

4 screws

I started with this unfinished stemware rack from Crate and Barrel and the thinnest piece of wood that I could find at Home Depot. I think it's actually meant to be a bottom of a drawer. Home Depot will cut the wood for free, so I had them cut it to the exact measurements of the shelf.

I then painted it Glidden's "Softest Juniper" which is a great minty green. Both pieces of the wood were unfinished, so I applied 2 coats and sanded the edges just a bit to give it a worn look.

Once everything was dry, I used wood glue to attach the top of the shelf to the rack. (This was the day I locked myself out of the house. I recommend you skip that part)

Once the glue had dried, we measured and marked where the brackets would screw into the shelf. Note - make sure the screws are long enough to go into the wood, but not long enough that they stick out the other side since it will impede the bottom of the glasses from sliding into the racks.

And that was it! Then we just flipped it over and attached it to the wall.

I love how this shelf now displays both our stemware as well as our stemless glasses and Kace's beer mugs. It saves cabinet space and is great over a little bar or bar cart.

Entryway Hat Wall

2015-07-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

Just a little update today. We have this skinny little wall that you see immediately as you enter our front door. It's a bit of an awkward space, and I wasn't sure what to do with it. But with a few hooks and nails, a handy solution was found! The cowboy hat wall!

I used these hooks from amazon and my husband's collections of cowboy hats to decorate this entryway wall. He's able to easily grab them if he wants to wear one, and they're on display instead of hidden away in the closet.

Master bedroom update - floors and walls

2015-07-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

We've finally been able to move back into the master bedroom! The flooring has been installed and the walls are painted. We have a ways to go before this room is finished, but at least we're not camping out in the guest bedroom surrounded by unpacked boxes anymore. The change has been like night and day for this room. What started out as a stuffy, cave like master bedroom now feels open and relaxing. We still need to hang curtains since the sun shines right in that window at 5 am, as well as installing baseboards. But overall, I'm loving how this room is coming along!

Take a look at what we started with when we moved in:

This room was absolutely filthy when we moved in. The 2 other bedrooms have carpeting and when we got those cleaned, the carpet cleaners took one look at the master and basically said "yeah, we're not even going to clean this, you need to rip it out". Which was fine by me! We decided to go with medium/dark wood look laminate flooring instead of hardwood since we have a large dog and the laminate should hold up better and not get scratched like wood floors. They look great so far!

We also changed the walls from the dark green cavelike atmosphere to Benjamin Moore's White Dove to open up the room a bit. It's crazy what a little paint and new flooring can do for a room. I'm just proud that we actually did something with the master bedroom. In our last place, we hated how the room looked but never bothered to change anything about it. I'm discovering how nice it is to come home after work to a place where you feel really comfortable and happy. It's such a mood changer. Next steps - decorating!

DIY Rustic Wooden Headboard

2015-07-02T21:58:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I've completely fallen in love with all those rustic headboards on Pinterest. However, having moved from the land of barns to the land of cacti I no longer have access to any perfectly weathered gray barn boards to make said projects. Enter the cedar fence slats. They're light, the perfect thickness, and easily cut down to size by your handy Home Depot or Lowe's worker if you don't own a saw.

Materials for a queen size bed:

6 cedar fence slats from Home Depot - have them cut to 63" long

2 two by fours for the legs - have them cut to 48" long

1 one by four cut to 32 inches for the center brace (or 1 inch shorter than the total height of the boards)

nails

wood glue

Minwax Water Based Pre Stain Wood Conditioner

Minwax Water Based Stain in Toffee

Ploycrylic Protective Finish

Rags for wiping stain on and off

Paint/foam brushes

Start with the boards cut to the size you need. For a queen size bed, the length of my boards was 63 inches. We sanded them all down to remove any splinters. This can either take a few minutes if you have an electric hand sander, or a few weeks if your husband won't let you buy one and promises to sand them all himself and then keeps forgetting. Ahem. Once (eventually) sanded I took a hammer to some of boards to give them that beaten, weathered look you just don't get from new cuts of lumber.

Note - the boards I used are cedar fence slats. Cedar smells. I happen to love the scent of cedar but if you don't, you might want to think about using a different type of wood. It's been in our house for 6 months now and every time you enter the room you can still detect a faint woodsy cedar smell. Like I said, I love it because it makes me think of forests and the outdoors. But it doesn't go away quickly, so make sure you're ok with that!

I used a water based stain for this project since I have an irrational fear of mineral spirits and don't want to use it to clean up regular wood stain. Minwax has a water based stain that comes as a clear tint and you add the color like you would a regular can of paint. I think it worked great and I had no trouble using it. I used the Pre-Stain Wood conditioner on the wood first to give it an even finish. I didn't use this on the headboard legs since they wouldn't be seen, and you can definitely tell the difference between the boards where I used the pre-stain and where I didn't. The boards had a much cleaner and even coloration when I used the conditioner first.

I used 2 coats front and back of the "Toffee" color. After everything dried I finished it with a topcoat of Ploycrylic to protect and seal everything. Stain the slats and the 2 boards for the legs. I also stained the center brace because why not? This was my first time staining anything and I just followed the instructions on the cans. It worked beautifully.

Once everything dries it's time to assemble. Lay the boards out how you want them to go. Mine didn't line up perfectly, but I liked the warping and thought it added character. If you want yours to lay perfectly, check how the boards fit at the store before you buy them.

Once everything is lined up, flip each of the boards over so the back of the headboard is facing up. Run a line of wood glue along the center brace and place perpendicular to the slats in the center of the board. Stack something heavy on top to weigh it down until the glue dries. See the photo below? The brace is under the middle bag of charcoal. ~~My husband~~ we have a lot of charcoal. Also, random dumbbells.

Here's where it gets tricky. I wanted to nail the boards to the legs from the front so I could line up the nail heads. To do that, before I flipped the board back over, I lined up the legs and marked with chalk where I wanted the lowest board to land and made sure everything was level. Then I turned the whole thing over and slid the legs underneath, lining up the lowest board with the chalk marks.

Note - I measured my bed frame and figured out exactly how far apart the holes were to screw in a headboard. If you don't want to screw the board directly to your frame, it's less important where the legs of the headboard go.

Once I had the boards lined up, I nailed each of them to both the legs and the center brace. Then all that's left to do is screw it into the bed frame or attach it to the wall!

Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos

2015-06-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, tacos. The southwest has definitely turned me on to these delightful dinner options. They're so versatile! I found this fantastic fish taco recipe on Skinny Taste and it's the perfect mix of quick, easy, healthy, and delicious. I don't do spicy so I didn't add in the jalepenos when mixing, however, Kace lives for burning his tongue off so we had bottles of hot sauce nearby for a kick. The best thing about this recipe is that it makes enough for leftovers the next day!

Home before tour: our 1970s ranch

2015-06-09T16:58:00.003-07:00

Here are the official before photos of our new home! After some frantic scrambling and looking for houses after we sold ours, Kace and I ended up in a fantastic older Phoenix neighborhood in a 70s ranch. It had been updated in the early 2000s and while it needs a bit more care, it has a ton of potential to be the kind of house we're looking for. The house has a fairly open concept, which I really like. Our last house was very segmented, and I love how everything flows here. The previous owner was a single, middle aged man who's style was very different from ours, but we loved the bones of the house. I can't wait to start working on it!

Sorry for the quality of some of the photos. A lot of these were quickly snapped as we walked through the house to buy it and they're the only true "before" photos that we have since I started painting pretty much the instant we had the keys.

I loved the etched glass front door, but the bright red entryway and yellow living room were a bit much. This was the house when we saw it for the first time.

The living room is long and skinny, which will make for some interesting furniture arranging. The yellow paint actually doesn't look that bad here, but the paint in the entire house was in such rough shape that it needed a new coat, and the room looks so much cleaner white. It also didn't really go with all the red and blue that was on the other walls.

This picture was taken from the wall in the previous picture where the owner had the tv mounting. The living room opens up into the dining room behind it. The cut out wall on the right side of the photo is the kitchen. (I wish I had a good picture of what this looked like before we moved in. There was a giant pool table and a kegerator sitting there.) You can't really tell from these photos, but the walls are light blue. Again, the color wasn't bad but they were scuffed so bad that they needed to be painted. In these pictures, I had already painted the living room white, but hadn't gotten to the rest of the house.

The dining area opens up into a sunroom and the kitchen. We lived half unpacked like this for much longer than I wanted due to delays in reflooring the master bedroom. Although let's be honest, it still looks like this. Baby steps people, baby steps.

The sunroom. Which is now a dumping ground for everything that we can't store in the bedrooms while the floors are being done.

The house has a galley kitchen, which isn't something I would have picked out for myself, but I'm absolutely loving it. Also, those windows open up to the patio outside and were a huge selling point of the house! Along with the built in wine refrigerator. (Not even joking...is that bad?) Not a selling point - that early 2000s faux track lighting fixture about the breakfast bar. I think I wanted my parents to put that exact light in our basement when we redid it back in high school. I do really like the bamboo shades though - those can stay.

This is the master bedroom. It's really dark, the carpets were disgusting (I don't even want to know what all the brown spots were), and that fan is way too large for the room. The carpet is coming up, walls will be painted, and the giant fan replaced with something that fits better.

Lastly we have the guest bathroom, which I sort of love. It's outdated and has this crazy mosaic countertop, but it's kind of retro and I have no problem with leaving it for now to work on other aspects of the house. I love that built in vanity! It's also huge for a guest bathroom, which is good because we've been using it while the master bedroom has been out of commission.

There are also 2 guest bedrooms and the master bathroom, but those are all buried under mounds of furniture and boxes that we haven't been able to unpack yet due to the Great Bedroom Flooring Fiasco. Once those get cleaned up to a somewhat presentable state, I'll share those. But don't get too excited, they're just basic guest rooms with 4 walls and a window and closet :-)

Perfect Summer Salad

2015-05-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have a tendency to bookmark every site I think is informative/useful/pretty for future reference and then never go back to look at them. While cleaning out my bookmark menu, I found this New York Times list of Simple Salads from a few years ago. I decided to make #2 - Tomato, Peach, and Onion salad, topped with lime juice, cilantro, and olive oil.

I decided to add an avocado (because what goes better with cilantro and lime?) that I had on hand and added few shakes of hot sauce.

It was incredibly easy to prepare. Cut the tomato, peach, and avocado into chunks. Slice the onion into thin strips and chop the cilantro. Toss in a bowl.

Drizzle some olive oil, lemon juice, and lime juice over the top and mix well. Add some red pepper flakes or a few shakes of hot sauce for a little extra heat. The result is a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and spicy, with the flavors complimenting each other wonderfully. (Bonus - if you have leftover salad, blend it into a salsa. It's amazing as a sauce on grilled chicken!) This tomato, peach, avocado salad is definitely a new summer staple in our house.

DIY Dress Form Cover

2015-05-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

So this is Lizzie. I've had her for years and she's been my trusty sewing and fit companion and has saved me many pin related injuries - even though she's not quite the same shape as me. She's your typical adjustable dress form that has exposed fit dials and gaps between the plastic plates when you adjust it. The problem is, Lizzie's getting a bit worn and ugly looking. Adjustable dress forms tend to be fairly ugly to begin with so I figured I'd make Lizzie a new dress. Or, um, skin? It was incredibly easy, and didn't involve a serger, even though we're working with stretchy material.

DIY Adjustable Dress Form Slipcover

Materials:

1 yard of super stretchy fabric such as jersey knit or the fabrics in the dance/swim section of your local fabric store
Thread - I used white thread with black fabric so I could show what I was doing. You might want yours to match the fabric. Or not, it's your call.
Sewing machine (or you can do it by hand if you have more patience than me)
Pins
Scissors

Drape fabric onto the dress form and pin one side tight starting from the arm hole and going down to the bottom of the form. Leave a little extra material hanging on the bottom.

Pin the other side of the dress form so the fabric lays smooth and tight across both the front and back. Work or stretch the material as needed to make sure everything is nice and smooth.

Optional - to make it easier to sew, I used chalk to draw a line over the pins on each side. When I sewed the fabric together, I was able to follow the chalk line as well as the pins.

Sew the sides together using a loose zig zag stitch. You don't want to use a straight stitch here since the fabric will stretch and the thread won't, which can result in wrinkles and pulling. A zig zag stitch allows the fabric to move and stretch a little so you can easily get the cover on and off your dress form. Trim the excess fabric.

Put the tube of fabric back on your dress form inside out, matching the seams up with the sides of the form. Then start pinning the shoulder seams, starting at the outside shoulder and working your way up to the neck hole. Again, work the fabric so there are no wrinkles or tucks when you sew it together. I also used chalk to mark the seams here.

Sew the shoulders together and trim the excess fabric. Leave the neck hole open (you can sew it closed, but the top of my dress form has a nifty little pin cushion attached and I wanted to be able to access that).

Put the cover onto your dress form right side out. Trim around the neck and tuck in the edges to make it look pretty.

Then take a needle and thread and run a very loose gathering stitch around the bottom of the material. Pull the ends of the thread tight so the extra material on the bottom is gathered up under the dress form. Tie off the knot.

And there you go - easy dress form cover without a serger!

Carry On Essentials

2015-01-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is having a lovely 2015 so far! I’m kicking it off with an overseas business trip to China. By the time you read this I’ll be (hopefully) asleep somewhere over the Pacific Ocean en route to Hong Kong. It’s a looong flight so anything that makes it a bit more bearable helps. Here's my list of carry on essentials for international travel:

Book/kindle/nook (I’m old fashioned and prefer a book, and yes, I am going to carry this giant thing with me). I’m reading Tai-Pan by James Clavell. Since I’m going to Hong Kong, I figured I’d read some historical fiction about it to get it the spirit and possibly learn something
Inflatable neck travel pillow. Takes up less space than a stuffed one and can be adjusted to the right comfort level.
Dry shampoo. After 15 hours on an airplane – yikes.
Medicines – ibuprophen, tums, first aid kit, hand sanitizer, etc.
Sunglasses
Random emergency kit. My friend gave me this for Christmas and it’s fantastic. It includes things like a mini clear nail polish, safety pins, band-aids, tampons, and other misc. items for all sorts of emergencies.
Business cards in a snazzy holder
Snacks
ipad/tablet/phone for staying in touch with the world
Eye mask to make sleep easier
Passport
Headphones/chargers/connecting cords stored in a little bag so they don't get lost

Other items not pictured:

Laptop for working
Scarf which can double as a blanket if the plane is cold
Deodorant toothbrush, and toothpaste – again, after 15 hours on a plane it may be needed.
Extra pair of socks for comfort and warmth
Extra set of clothes in case the unthinkable should happen and my luggage is lost
Extra snack food as well as a bottle of water
Make up bag

Those are my essentials, what are some of yours?

I'm not sure how often I'll be posting while overseas, but you can follow me on instagram: farbluemountains (if it's not blocked in China, otherwise I'll be massively uploading pics when I get back!)

Guide to Door County, WI - Egg Harbor

2014-09-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Full disclosure here - I've spend the least amount of my time in Door County in Egg Harbor, we're normally north in Sister Bay or Ephraim. So if anyone has any favorite places here, I'd love to hear!

Eat:

1. Shipwrecked Microbrewery & Restaurant - Fun casual restaurant and bar. Short walk to the beach, right downtown, and they have a great selection of their own beers.

2. Trio - Craving pasta? Trio has great Italian and French dishes. We don't get down to Egg Harbor that much, but I always try to stop here when we do.

3. The Bistro Bar & Grille - Another great casual place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It has a fun patio to sit outside and enjoy both the food and the weather.

Do:

1. Egg Harbor Beach and Marina - The great thing about Door County is that most of the towns are beach towns. Egg Harbor has a great beach for swimming and a fun marina to explore.

2. Wine Tasting
a) Harbor Ridge Winery and the Wisconsin Cheese Masters Shop - This is another one of my favorite stops in Door County because the wine shop and the cheese shop share the same parking lot. How much better can it get? Start at the Harbor Ridge Winery for some free wine tasting (their oaky Cab is amazing!) and the walk a few steps over to the Wisconsin Cheese Masters and take a cheese journey (No really, that's what the sign says) when you sample some of their many cheeses. So much goodness.
b) Door Peninsula Winery/Door County Distillery - The Door Peninsula Winery/Distillery has a special place in my heart. We used to come here when we were younger to taste the fudge and olive oil (while my parents tasted the wine) and in the last few years it opened a distillery in another part of the old schoolhouse building. They produce small batch gin, whiskey, vodka, and now brandy. This is my favorite gin ever. EVER.
c) Simon Creek Vineyard - This vineyard is inland a bit, but if you're in Egg Harbor it's not too far of a drive. Another winery that I'd recommend visiting.

3. Antiquing - Egg Harbor is near some great antique stores. Some of my favorites are Old Orchard Antique Mall which feels like it's miles long and full of fun and Bay Trading Company which has an entire room full of architectural discards such as shutters, mantels, doors and other goodness. If I had a house in Wisconsin I'm pretty sure half of the decor would come from that shop.

4. Kurtz Corral - If you want to ride horses through the countryside, this is the place to go. They're open all year, but summer and fall are my favorite times to explore the fields on horseback.

5. Various locations - cherry picking - Door County is known for their cherries. If you're up there while they're in season (late July to early August) definitely go cherry picking! There are numerous orchards and locations, so just find one that's close to you.

Guide to Door County, WI - Fish Creek

2014-09-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Eat:
1. Cooper's Corner - Fantastic food and a great environment. They have indoor and outdoor seating, but my favorite is their second story patio and bar where you can eat and watch the hustle and bustle of the main street below.

2. Bayside Tavern - This is your typical Wisconsin neighborhood corner bar, and it's fantastic. A favorite of locals and sailors, with pub grub (fantastic chowder!) drinks, and a relaxed casual atmosphere.

3. The Cookery - PIE!!! The cookery has great food - especially breakfast - but pie is the most important thing here. Door County cherry pie. If there's only one thing you do in Fish Creek, get some pie from here and eat it. You can thank me later. Growing up we used to stop here and get a cherry pie to go. We'd take it back to the condo and eat it all weekend. It was delicious and I miss it greatly.

4. Mr. Helsinki - This restaurant has been around for a while but I just discovered it this past year. Which is a shame, because it's incredible and I wish I would have gone there more. Its menu is a mix of crepes and Asian fusion - which sounds really weird but it works. You can get a variety of crepes for lunch, and all sorts of Thai inspired cuisine for dinner. It's also a wine bar with a great selection.

5. Not Licked Yet - This is a gnome themed frozen custard stand. Yes, you read that right. It's awesome. It's a mix of Scandinavian and gnome decor located right along a creek (I'm assuming it's Fish Creek). Also, if you're not a midwest native, frozen custard is a creamier and more delicious version of ice cream. I'm a fan of stopping by here for a scoop of ice cream - excuse me - custard, but they also serve burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Worth visiting for the decor alone.

Do:
1. Fudge House/Door County Confectionary - I mentioned this before in the Sister Bay guide, but stop by either the Confectionary or the Fudge House for some free samples of fudge. They're right next to each other and are nestled in with a bunch of cute shops.

2. Shopping at all the cute independent shops - Fish Creek has probably the best selections of little independent shops in Door County. Everything from clothing to souvenirs to a grocery market and deli where you can get supplies for a trip into the state park or a lunch by the beach.

3. Alibi Marina - I don't think you can rent boats here, you'll have to hit up some of the other towns or Peninsula Park for that. But If you have a boat, you can rent slips and this is a great marina to wander around and take in the sites. There's a park right there so you can bring a picnic lunch and watch the boats go by.

4. Wine Tasting (more to come next week with Egg Harbor)
a. Orchard Country Wine and Market - I love the markets like this that are in Door County. They have everything you could ever want - salsas, mustards, preserves, baking mixes, dressings, oils, jams, etc. And usually there are free samples! They also have free wine tasting here. If you like sweet, fruity wines this is the place to go. They have all sorts of fruit/grape wines that are made on site. The wines here are a bit too sweet for my own taste (I like bolder, dryer wines) but I have many family members and friends who prefer their wines. Even if you're not into wines, check out their market!

b. Stone's Throw Winery - Don't like sweet fruit wines? Look no farther! Stone's Throw is probably the most "high end" winery in Door County. Their grapes are all brought in from California and if you're looking for your standard merlots, cabernets, and chardonnays to taste this is the place to go. They have really great wines and a very cool wine cellar-like atmosphere. They're a bit east of Fish Creek, but it's definitely worth the quick drive!

5. Peninsula State Park (See Guide to Ephraim for specific activities) - The park is located between Fish Creek and Ephraim so not matter which town you're visiting, it's easy to access the park and all it's activities.

Guide to Door County, WI - Ephraim

2014-09-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

The next town on the list is Ephraim. This is probably the smallest of the four main tourist towns. It's quaint and artsy and it's quieter than it's southern neighbors of Fish Creek and Egg Harbor.

Eat:
1. Old Post Office Restaurant - Right across the street from the lakeshore, this place has great breakfasts and daily fish boils in the evening.

2. Good Eggs - Great for omelet wraps and quick breakfasts to get you on your way. Also across the street from the beach and conveniently located next to a Door County Confectionary so you can stuff your face with fudge after your delicious breakfast.

3. Wilsons - My favorite place for ice cream in all of Door County. Such a popular place that you take a number from a ticket dispenser and wait for them to take your order at the ice cream bar. They put a jelly bean in the bottom of your ice cream cone which makes it even better! The restaurant itself is pretty good too if you're interested in some food with your ice cream.

Do:

1. Skyway Drive In - Catch a movie at one of the few remaining drive in movie theaters. This is especially fun as a date night or to take the family. Usually the movies are PG-13 or lower.

2. Peninsula State Park - nestled between Ephraim and Fish Creek there's enough to do in this state park to last you a week. There is a fee to get in, but it's less than $10 for a day pass or $25 for a yearly pass.

a. Nicolet Bay Beach - This is one of the main beaches and bays to hang out if you have a boat or want to swim and lay out on the beach. You can also rent kayaks, paddle boats, paddle boards, and other watercraft to explore the bay.

b. American Folklore Theatre - Outdoor theater in the woods under the stars. They're apparently changing their name to Northern Sky Theater, but this group does fantastic comedy plays which includes titles such as "Packer Fans from Outer Space" and "Guys on Ice". Definitely worth checking out!

c. Camp - There are all sorts of campsites to stay the night for tents and trailers. No cabins though, so bring your own gear!

d. Hiking trails and checking out the lighthouse. One of the best parts of the park is the abundance of hiking and biking trails. Definitely check out the lighthouse and the lookout tower for sweeping views of Green Bay.

3. South Shore Pier - If you don't want to go into the state park (which can get crowded) you can still rent boats, including jet skis, pontoons, and sail boats from Ephraim's small marina/pier.

4. Visit the various art galleries. Ephraim is one of the more artistic towns in Door County and a number of artist studios and galleries dot the shoreline. They're definitely worth checking out if you're looking for local art and artists.

Guide to Door County, WI - Sister Bay

2014-08-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

Door County, WI is one of my favorite places. The lakeside towns, marinas, independent shops and restaurants make for some happy memories. I've been going up there during the summers for as long as I can remember and after visiting it again last week I wanted to share some of my favorite places. There are tons of other shops and restaurants in Door County and there's no way I could name them all, but here are some of the places that I've discovered and loved over the years. I'll be covering the 4 largest towns - Sister Bay, Ephraim, Fish Creek, and Egg Harbor, though there are many more towns and villages to explore. First on our list - Sister Bay!

Eat:
1. Al Johnsons - See the goats on the roof and eat a Swedish breakfast. Did I mention real goats? On the roof! It's a bit touristy and there's usually a wait, but it's a classic breakfast spot.

2. Husbys - great for pub grub and pizzas. Relaxed semi-tavern atmosphere but kid friendly. There's darts and game and a huge bar room with tvs if you want to watch the game.

3. Chop - Newer restaurant in Sister Bay, but great steaks and seafood.

4. Door County Creamery - This is possibly my most favorite place in the entire Door County peninsula. Dairy goat farmers opened up a little shop and offer lunch food, wine, and all the amazing goat cheese you could ever want. Even if you don't like goat cheese, they have one you'll like. Also fairly new to Sister Bay and definitely worth going to see.

5. Door County Ice Cream Factory - For dessert, ice cream is king! Eat it and be happy. If you want more than ice cream, they also offer sandwiches and pizza.

Drink:
1. The Garage @ Husbys - Husby's chill outdoor patio. They offer drinks, appetizers, and live local music. Pretty much the perfect place to spend the evening relaxing outside under the bistro lights listening to music with a drink.

2. Bier Zot - Even though I harbor some resentment toward them for knocking down my favorite brunch restaurant ever and building this instead (goodbye Sister Bay Cafe, you will be missed!), I have to admit this is a fun place to grab a beer. It's right next to the beach and the marina and has a pretty great selection of beers. My husband was a big fan of this place. You can sit on the patio which is right on the main street and people watch to your heart's content.

3. Door County Creamery - Yes, this place again. They offer wines by the bottle and by the glass. You can even buy some cheese, a bottle of wine, and walk like 3 blocks to the beach to enjoy the sunset. Wine. Cheese. Yum.

4. JJs and La Puerta - Technically this is a restaurant, but it didn't make my Eat list because I don't love their food. The rest of my family, however, will tell you that I'm crazy and they make it a point to eat here every single time they go up to Door County. So to each their own, but this is MY list! But don't worry, JJ's opened up a patio that overlooks the marina and now you can sit and drink margaritas and eat chips and salsa while watching the boats go by, so they are ok with me!

Do:
1. Sister Bay Marina - I'm a big fan of walking around the marina and looking at the boats, but you can also rent all sorts and go out on the lake. (FYI Sister Bay faces Green Bay, not Lake Michigan so the waters are calmer and not as dangerous for beginners.) The marina also faces west and has some of the most spectacular sunsets in all of Wisconsin.

2. Pirates Cove and Johnson's Park - Play some mini golf at Pirates Cove or Johnson's Park. The later also has go karts, which is always a fun time. Again, great activities for date nights or family nights.

3. Go antique shopping, or shopping in general. There are so many cute little independent shops and antique stores all up and down the peninsula. I have a few favorites in other towns that I'll mention during their guide, but you really can't go wrong with picking a store and checking it out.

4. Door County Confectionary - If there is only one thing you do in Door County, please taste the fudge from the Door County Confectionary. It's incredible. There's one of these in each of the larger main towns so you can't miss it!

5. Door County Creamery - Haha one more time! (Can you tell this is one of my favorite places?) Sample wine and goat cheese pairings. That photo above is from this place. Goat cheese, wine, and bread drizzled with some sort of chili flavored olive oil which somehow went perfectly with the creamy goat cheese. I was dying from all the delicious flavors in my mouth. Also, I'm not affiliated with them in any way, I just cannot stop talking about them! They should hire me to advertise for them. They could pay me in cheese. That would be my dream! They also have cute goats in front of their shop! This one wanted nothing to do with me though.

So there are some of my favorite places in Sister Bay, WI. I'm not affiliated with any of these places, I've just been going up to Door County for over 20 years and wanted to share some of my personal favorite old and new places. Do you have a favorite place in Sister Bay that you think I missed? Let me know!

Coming Up: Ephraim, Fish Creek, and Egg Harbor

China Travel Diaries - Old City God Temple

2014-02-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the last batch of my China pictures. These are all from the old part of Shanghai, right outside Yu Garden, called the Old City God Temple area. This part of the city surrounds the old temple and dates back to at least the 1400s. It's become a shopping center and a bit touristy, but the amazing architecture is still there. As a bonus, we visited right before Chinese New Year, so the entire old city was decked out in these amazing and bright decorations!

Even though I know it's not true, again, this is how I imagine China. The buildings are amazing and it truly feels like you're in another world. And the over the top New Year decorations just made it even better! Last year was the year of the Dragon and this year is the year of the horse, so horses were everywhere. It was so cool to be able to see a new culture, even if it was very brief. I hope I get to travel to Asia again someday, and not just for business!

China Travel Diaries: Yu Garden

2014-02-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

We left Hong Kong and headed up to Shanghai where we finished meeting with vendors and finalizing our products. After working 10+ hour days for the last 7 days straight, we were absolutely determined to take in some history and culture before we left. So the morning of our departing flight we woke up at the crack of dawn, finished packing, and headed out to get a quick glimpse of the city before catching our noon flight. We ended up walking into the eye of the storm. Within this busy, gigantic, crowded city lies Yuyuan (or Yu) Garden – a respite from the bustling noise of the outside world.

A poster by the entrance to the garden. I wish they would have been selling them, I think it's beautiful and would have loved to have a larger print to hang in my home.

Yu Garden is a 16th century garden from the Ming Dynasty era located near the “Old City God Temple” part of Shanghai (pictures of that next time). It was built by a government official in the 1500s as a tranquil retreat for his parents. As with most historical buildings it had several owners, various parts were destroyed, it was rebuilt and restored, and the garden opened to the public in the 1960s. Even for all this, it still maintains its peaceful and calming atmosphere and you really do feel like you’ve just stepped back in time. This is what I picture China to look like in my head. Even though I know for a fact that the cities are modernized (and crowded and dirty like any city), when I think of China this is what I see -fish ponds, stone walls, cloisters, and pavilions.

It was amazing and I wish I had more than an hour there. It would be a lovely place to spend an afternoon reading or people watching (or meditating or doing tai chi like some people were).