Just a Rainy Day

I decided to take advantage of this rainy day and go shopping. Please. Act shocked.

After hitting up TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning, I made a run to our local U. City Goodwill.

I am super glad I did.

I was wandering the aisles, debating over some jean shorts when I stumbled upon the art section. Lo and behold!---I discovered these babies:

Yes.

Original 1957 and '58 paintings by P.K.

Better known as: stranger who now has art displayed in my home.

For a total of $6.00 these paintings just added a little more spunk to my abode.

Well, they will add spunk when I actually hang them on the wall.

Love it.

Seize Spring

It has been a while, and since my last post, Red and I have been busy taking advantage of the Spring season.

We've been regularly going to Forest Park to work out or just lay around. Art Hill is the perfect backdrop for all things outdoors. Just the other day I went for my run and Red took his brand new reclining camping chair out to a shady grass area and read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe--by C.S. Lewis. (You can only imagine how pumped he was to find a reclining camping chair for his massive body)

Yes. This Spring has been wonderful. We've been on picnics, walked to favorite restaurants, and bought tickets for my favorite band coming to town this summer (DMB--yes I'm ecstatic).

With the onset of the new season, Red and I agreed that we need to make the most of our time in STL. In honor of this decision we made a bucket list.

As you can see, it was lovingly created on a page from a magazine--while sitting in Northwest Roasting Company--one of our favorite coffee shops.

Here is the list thus far--of course with items to be added as often as possible:

1. Eat at MediaNoche (Half & Half's big Mexican brother by the same mother)
2. Go to a show at the Muny (I'm thinking the King and I or DreamGirls)
3. Go to jazz night at the Botanical Garden
4. Study Spanish (Red) and French (Lola)
5. Late night guys night at 5 bistro for their burger (Red)
6. Sump Coffee shop date with each other
7. Literary Party for the Ladies (Lola)
8. Walk to Winslow's Home for breakfast
9. Moonlight Paddle Boat at Forest Park with picnic
10. SquareOne brewery

And--being who we are, we felt like we needed to make a list of events to be sure to do with our dear friends Jackie and Micah. (You have to be intentional with your friends too!)

1. Go Camping (This has been rained out once already!)
2. Hang out at Momo's on the porch after work one friday
3. Cherokee Street for Cinco de Mayo
4. Breakfast at Half & Half followed by a hike at Weldon Springs.
5. Dave Matthews Band Concert July 11th!!!

Red and I have already successfully crossed off some of the items on our list--the french toast at Winslow's Home is incredible--and we have been proactive with Jackie and Micah as well--Half & Half was delicious--and the movie instead of the hike...perfect.

I think it becomes evident to us all, that as we get older, we must be more intentional not only in our relationships but in our time. So, my friends, I encourage you to make a list of possible things to do this spring and summer--seize the day!

Much love to you all

Life Since Then

I've been avoiding my blog. Yes it's true.

I think since returning from our trip my life has taken on a lackluster that is not completely it's own. What I mean is, initially I used the excuse that we were back from this glorious trip and so now my life is blah.

Not true. I have realized that any lackluster I am experiencing is produced by the lens I am looking through, not so much what I am looking at.

As Spring comes into play I am reminded how sweet life is every day. St. Louis has been blessed to basically have summer and I have been taking full advantage of it...regularly visiting Forest Park and even running my furthest distance yet (6.5 miles)!

I just want to put forth to you, that I am no longer hiding behind the mirage that life isn't incredible because I am no longer in Morocco...or France...or Italy.

No. I am rejoining the world. And leaning into the truth that I am blessed right here, where I am...and that it is on me if I don't take advantage of it.

Cheers to all the good times--and some tough ones---and documenting them on le blog.

Morocco may be my paradise

The last few days have been a whirlwind.

No. A massive storm complete with hail and monsoons that, thankfully, finaled with a rainbow.

Rome was wonderful--we stayed in a B&B a stone's throw from the Pantheon. Our schedule was slow but filled--and we got to enjoy slightly warmer tempatures...high 40's...which was welcomed with open arms.

The Italian people are warm and were very willing to point us in the right direction whenever we wandered off course--and we manged to find a couple of good restaurants who catered to locals instead of the tourists...unfortunately the rest of our meals were a bit so-so...one of which  was the equivelant of a really bad mexican restaurant decorated with random items (including hanging dolls?) and loud wailing music. This is adventure people.

It is incredible to explore this city with its blocks of modern world, the cracks filled with ancient ruins...you almost can't absorb the chasm. It feels like you have wandered onto a movie set...is it real?

After nearly  4 days of the Roman experience, we headed to Malaga, Spain to meet up once more with Brandon and Chrissy---with the intention of staying 1 night and then continuing on to Morocco.

Life didn't quite happen that way. Let's just say the next 36 hours may or may not have involved, missed flights, snow, 3 hours or less of sleep, maintenance workers, cold floors, busted noses, lice, and a stolen car.

Needless to say--our arrival in Morocco was filled with elation---well our arrival to Chefchoen was filled with elation.

Our hotel..was spectacular. Imagine a glorious Moroccan building in your mind--with huts dotted up the mountain behind it---cabanas with thatched roofs, patterned cushions everywhere--lanterns and lights twinkling along the path, brilliant colors on everything your eye can land on...

We got a chalet with two bedrooms and a salon (common area)...each couple with their own bathroom---the same magical feeling continuing into our quarters. We could have stayed there for weeks.

Our one night was perfect. The food--insane. Moroccan food is delicious! Dinner was outrageously generous--none of us finishing our meal (Red included)...and breakfast was "whoa". The fresh squeezed orange juice pushed it over the top.

After our night of luxury we headed into the town of Chefchoen---famous for being blue. It is so picturesque. This is my first time in an Arab culture---it felt so adventurous getting lost in their tiny streets of the Medina, haggling over prices for their goods, eating Tagine...of course taking a million pictures (that I wish I could share with you!)

It was the perfect 1st taste of the Moroccan world. We went on from Chefchoen...and drove to Casablanca--which took and hour and a half longer then it was supposed to---the driving insane. But, we made it. So no complaints. (I think we are starting to adjust to the fact that nothing goes as planned here).

We arrived at Brandon and Chrissy's place around 9pm and received the grand tour. Their beach bungalow is wild! You walk outside to get get to any other part of the house---Red can't stand straight in the kitchen or dining area---but the view---it is majestic. The waves are pounding the beach just a few yards away from their steps. Perfect.

We woke up this morning and have made our way to the school where they work...where I am currently writing this, and Red is sitting in on Brandon's math class. We are just hanging around today--getting to know the community...tomorrow afternoon we head to Marrakesh. Let the bargaining begin! I'm definitely planning to do some shopping. You surprised?

Au revoir!

-Laura

Travels continue

Since Belgium, Red and I have seen some of the world. By world I mean the frozen world that is Europe right now.

We headed to Munich, Germany from Belgium and from Munich to Interlaken. Munich was wonderful! Still one of my top cities in Europe to visit. Germany is such a beautiful country and the people are super friendly. (It doesn't hurt that I have a fabulous friend there--Anne, who took us to a delicious Thai restaurant.)

We stayed in a true dorm hostel there so Red would get the real hostel experience. Overall it was pretty positive--those bunk beds were comfortable!

Interlaken is just as beautiful as my memory told me---but very different from that summer. This time the whole world seemed to be blanketed in snow unable to completely wake up because it was too cold outside...or perhaps I just felt that way.

Our hostel was awesome---we basically planned interlaken as our downtime in the trip, taking full advantage of the meditation/music room.

It was wonderful rejuvenation needed before our unexpected 10 hour trek to Venice Italy! It was supposed to be only 7 hours but because of all the crazy wintery weather the train schedules were a wreck.

We finally made it to Venice where we rented an apartment with our friends Brandon and Chrissy. Situated in the Jewish ghetto it was the perfect jumping off point for getting lost in the maze of Venice. It has been frigid here as well, so it wasn't quite as enjoyable as we hoped. We did manage to play some killer games in the streets (the Italians staring at us blankly) and we also drank our fill of some killer cappuccinos.

I'll post more on Venice later. We are headed to Rome this afternoon. There is more to come!